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Friday, July 31, 2009

[mukto-mona] In the name of SIMI

In the Name of SIMI

Ram Puniyani

In third week of July (2009) Maharashtra police arrested several Muslims in Pusad, Akola and neighboring regions on the charge that they are reviving SIMI under a new name. It is after a fairly long time that one has heard of arrests in the name of SIMI. The earlier cycle of arrest of Muslim youth which was a matter of routine after every blast, Malegaon, Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad, Jaipur and other places was broken with the impeccable proof of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's motor cycle being found in Malegaon. The trace of motorcycle link led to Swami Dayanand Pandey, Lt Col Shrikant Purohit and many others associated with Hindu right wing organizations, offshoots of or inspired by RSS ideology.

Society witnessed that after most of the blasts so far, Muslim youth were arrested on the charge of being behind the blasts, were harassed for months and then released for the lack of evidence. This was more or less a routine pattern and it frightened the whole Muslim community to no end. Many a Muslim youths' careers were crushed due to these reckless and baseless arrests. Many a minority families under went severe problems, were ostracized from their own community once they were dragged into the net on the charges which were guided more by the prevalent biases or stereotypes than any substance. SIMI came to be regarded as the core organization responsible for fomenting trouble through youth. Despite the ban on SIMI in 2001, the Muslim youth kept on being labeled as SIMI activists and were put behind the bar.

It's not to say that SIMI was holding ideology which was talking of democracy and secularism. One knows that SIMI, which began as a student front of Jamat-e-Islami Hind gradually, came out of its control and became radical in the decade of 1990s in particular. Yoginder Sikand, an Islamic scholar of repute gives a very crisp history of this organization (/www.countercurrents.org/comm-sikand150706.htm). SIMI was founded on the ideology propounded by Maulana Maududi, according to whom all non Muslims are kafirs and man made systems like democracy are false and Shariah is the only way. It kept the goal of spreading Islamic consciousness amongst Muslim students and peaceful missionary work amongst non Muslims. Some events in the decade of 1990 were to shape its ideology in a radical and militant direction. These events were Soviet Russia's invasion of Afghanistan and Islamization of Pakistan in particular.

Meanwhile Jamat- e- Islami came to accept democracy and Secularism as its guiding ideology. SIMI came out from the control of its parent organization to talk in a different language. The demolition of Babri Mosque and the post demolition violence gave it a fillip in the negative direction. It said that Democracy has failed to protect Muslims so there is a need for some one like Mohammed Gazni, the destroyer of Somanth. This was also the theme of the poster released by them in the aftermath of Babri demolition. It was alleged that SIMI has links with Sikh and Kashmiri militants. It was alleged that they have links with Osama and ISI. At the same time SIMI claimed that it wants to work through peaceful methods, while the worsening communal situation made it to say that Muslims are a belabored community. Under these circumstances SIMI was banned in 2001.

The ban on SIMI was challenged, so a tribunal had to be appointed to review the ban. Ajit Sahi of Tehelka in his painstaking investigation, followed the tribunal's sitting all through (Tehelka, SIMI Fictions, 12th August 2008), the tribunal did not find any evidence of the charges put against the organization for banning it. The ban could not be upheld. About this investigation Ajit Sahi said, "… his investigation is no dry story rising from lifeless court documents. It has been an emotional rollercoaster to sit across young boys barely into manhood, their foreheads creased by sleepless nights worried stiff over the jailing of a father, a brother, wondering endlessly, "Will this end? Is this for real? What do I do now? Where do I go now? Will I survive this?" He further says "as I interviewed countless Muslims, so weathered, I couldn't but ask myself, What if this was me? What if it was my brother, my father in jail?"

With the World scenario tilting against the Islam and Muslims, courtesy the radical Islamists trained in the Madrassas set up in Pakistan with US aid, the popular psyche perceived an average Muslim as a terrorist and police machinery operated on this understanding. Even when scores of lives were shattered and the community came under the intimidation of highest order, the Government did not put any corrective to this pattern of investigation with which police was pursuing its work.

Disturbed by this situation two people's tribunal were set up by the Human Rights groups. The report and recommendations of both the tribunal are similar and overlapping. The first one was headed by Justices (Retd) Bhargava and Sardar Ali Khan, with prominent social activists like Asghar Ali Engineer and Prashant Bhushan as the jury. The testimonies showed that a large number of innocent young Muslims have been and are being victimized by the police on the charge of being involved in various terrorist acts across the country. This is particularly so in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, though not limited to these States. This victimization and demonisation of Muslims in the guise of investigation of terror offences, is having a very serious psychological impact on the minds of not only the families of the victims but also other members of the community. It is leading to a very strong sense of insecurity and alienation
which may lead to frightful consequences for the nation.

The second tribunal set up by different set of organization s of Rajasthan worked under the leadership of Justice (Retd) Bhargava. One of it pertinent observation was that the police authorities investigating the terror offences appear to be violating all the laws of the land and directions of the Supreme Court during the conduct of the investigations. In particular, many persons have been detained for days or weeks, without showing them to be arrested and without producing them before any Magistrate. They have been sometimes tortured and humiliated by the police officers. They have not been allowed to meet their relatives and lawyers, who have often not even been informed of their detention. The investigation of the blasts by the police also appears to be communally motivated and only persons belonging to the Muslim community have been the target of the investigations.

The names of HUJI and SIMI have been bandied about by the police as the perpetrators of the blasts without any evidence. A number of former members of SIMI have been arrested and detained without any basis or evidence against them. The media has also been uncritically repeating and amplifying the baseless allegations and innuendoes of the police mentioning persons and organizations belonging to the Muslim community, thus resulting in ethnic profiling and feeding into the Islamophobia being sought to be created and reinforced in the minds of the Hindu community by the Hindutva organizations. In Jaipur this has resulted in the vilification of the entire Bengali Muslim community who has been victimized by the Hindutva organizations in complicity with the police.

Thousands of them have been picked up after the blasts and forcibly transported to New Jalpaiguri and then Bangladesh without any due process of law and without giving them an opportunity to show their Indian Citizenship. This has resulted in the ethnic cleansing of Jaipur.

One does not know with what seriousness the administration looks at these people's tribunal, the fact is they have put forward profound realities of the society. It is imperative that the Government takes a serious look at these reports and instructs the investigation authorities to be more professional in their approach and sheds its biases while dealing with minority community.

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FW: [mukto-mona] Re: [khabor.com] BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh




 



From: gti82@hotmail.com
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [mukto-mona] Re: [khabor.com] BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:05:00 +0000

This is simply unbelieveable!!! This is such a huge insult to the all Bangladeshi regardless of our political views (unless you are the JAMAT lover). Is M.T.Hussain is the same guy who used to go by Tauseef Hussain on this forum? Writing style seems very similar? MBI Munshi, M.T. Hussain, S.A.Hannan, Nizami, Golam Azam, Muzahedeen are the members of the same gang.  

To all the readers, I would make the same request as Mr. Shamim did, please expose these criminals every way everywhere so new generation can see a SNAKE is a SNAKE; you can never trust it; it WILL BITE as soon as it gets a chance. After 38 years, we see theses criminals are still insulting our national heroes and our nation. This simply boils my blood. I have to admit, I could not read the whole article written buy this goon M.T. Hussain; but I will....

 
Incase, this M.T.Hussain reads this response from me, let me ask him whether he knows about all the killings the Biharies did in Bangladesh (particularly in Chittagong where I lived).
 
M.T. Hussain, do you know about the slaughter house (JALLAD KHANA) in Sharder-Nagar/Jhawtala (near Foys Lake)? Do you know how many innocent Bengalies were slaghtered by your brothers (Biharies) there? I have personally known a few of the victims. One of my friend's elder brother along with his father was taken away by the Bihary killers and never found; were Slaughtered by your Bihari buddies. Another neighbor's married daughter was slaughtered infront of her 2 year old daughter by slashing her throat in the bath room where she took shelter and was reciting the holy Qur'an as she was begging for her life. But your Bihari brothers did not spare her life!!!! These are the facts that I personally know. Our house was burned down and looted by your Bihari brothers; if we did not leave the house in the morning og that day, we would have been killed by your Bihari brothers which we came to know later. We got so desperate to save our life, we along with 3 other families started walking to Comilla from Chittagong your your Bihari goons started killing innocent Bengalies in our neighborhood (Tigerpass, Ambagan arteas of Chittagong).
 
I can go on and on with facts. You do not insult Bengalies. I bet you, you are probabyly one of thise killers who managed to escape Bangladesh right after our independence. Lucky for you; we Bengalies are very forgetful and have a very soft heart. If these bruttalities were done to any other nation, these crime against humanity would not go unpunished for this long. I am hopeful, finally justice would be served against the RAZAKARS of Bangladesh; I hope the scope for the trials broadens so all the killers can be tried. Go to hell you killers!!!!
 
--Md.Islam


To: veirsmill@yahoo.com
From: veirsmill@yahoo.com
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:44:44 -0700
Subject: [mukto-mona] Re: [khabor.com] BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh

 

Dear readers, let me add some more points to unmask Mr. M.T. Hussain and his anti Bangladesh stand with which many readers are not acquainted with.

 

Dr. Momen pointed out about his dubious relation with LISA an organisation run by notorious Pakistani spying agency but I consider him more dangerous more frightful because of his extreme hatred against our liberation war and our heroes Mukti Bahinee whom he considers as anti humanity elements.

 

M.T. Hussain in one of his recent writing titled Political Witch-Hunting: Not Fair Trial of War Crimes in Bangladesh claimed that during liberation war it's the non-Bengalis who are the real victim not the Bengalis. In this lengthy article, he opposed the trial of War Criminals. Dear readers this is what he wrote in Weekly Blitz (now the link is not working probably because of Weekly Blitz remove it) which also circulated in many other website such as website called Untold Facts (Click here to get to the link).

 

I will fervently ask readers to read Mr. M. T. Hussain article Political Witch-Hunting: Not Fair Trial of War Crimes in Bangladesh to understand how much he hates Bangladesh. It is sad that this man is now giving us sermon about Bangladesh's wellbeing. People like Mr. M. Z. Abedin , Mr. M. T. Hussain, Barrister MBI Munshi of Jamaat-e-Islami and others cronies must be unmasked to bring the truth of their vicious plan of destroying peace in Bangladesh to prove it a failed state. Please read below his articles every word to understand the underlying in-depth message of hatred about Bangladesh. Read it with open perspective as a Bangladeshi and set aside your partisan identity of either AL or BNP, SAVE BANGLADESH FROM PEOPLE WHO TARGET BANGLADESH.

Please read below or go the following link to read from:

 

Untold Facts (Click here to get to the link)

 

Sincerely

Shamim Chowdhury

Maryland, USA

 

Political Witch-Hunting: Not Fair Trial of War Crimes in Bangladesh

War Crimes Act 2009
That the war crimes tribunal bill was passed on the 9th July in the Bangladesh Parliament and that the trial of the violators of human rights of 1971 is to begin soon as per the act just passed and just as the law Minister has iterated to the press, it is expected by all sensible persons that 100% neutrality would be maintained in the due process of law.

Partisan
The point of neutrality has many facets that the due process would certainly take care of. Even so, I have a fear that not all perpetrators of human rights would be taken to task and put to the dock in the due process of law. That is what I intend here to point out for all those wishing for fairness of the trials that the Law Minister is known to have assured.

Two Opponents
The first and crucial point, despite the fact that the 1971 war had been fought sporadically and mainly in hit and run guerrilla style during the period of 9 months from March to early December, it was a fight between two distinct and opposite groups. One group started to fight for independence of Bangladesh and other for preservation of the integrity of Pakistan against dismemberment.

Intervener
The intervening party was the federal Pakistan army that began very much foolishly with its so-called Operation Search Light on the 25th March 1971 in the Dhaka city. The army then on took about a month to reestablish its control lost to the Awami Leaguers over the country's far-flung areas. They conducted their operations with their ferocity at their disposal to establish control and did in the process excesses in violation of human rights.

The Awami League
The Awami League group did not seat at rest. They had their own operations though not with sophisticated arms like those of the federal army but with whatever they had in perpetrating violation of human rights on the patriotic Pakistanis. The ethnic non-Bengalis had been the main victims in the hands of the marauders of the Awami League Bengali cadres, certainly not all the Bengalis. The violations included arson, inhuman torture, violations of women, killing of young children, youths and old of all varieties whoever had been vulnerable and the Awamis considered anti-secessionists. The federal army did similar violations but not before 25th March but after or in other words, they took reprisal of the violations of all kinds for days and weeks of the Awami marauders did in their own crude operations until about the end of April 1971. That meant clearly that the Awami cadres had been the aggressors in the war, albeit due mainly to foolhardy public order the leader made on the 7th March speech at the Ramna Race Course, 'TOMADER JAR JA ACHE TAI NIYE PROSTUT THAKO (keep yourselves ready to fight with whatever you have), RAKTO JAKHON DIECHI ARO RAKTO DIBO (that we shall give more blood as we have already given), AMI TOMADER (addressing the federal army) BHATE MARBO (we shall not give you anything to eat), PANITE MARBO (no water to drink)', etc. In essence the crude directions meant only to incite the Awami followers not only against the federal army but also against the poor and vulnerable non-Bengalis in thousands who took shelter in Bangladesh following the massacre they faced in the hands of the frenzied Hindu communalists in various Hindu dominated provinces in the British India in the wake of the partition and in 1947. Thus the frenzied Awamis in early 1971 was just another version of the 1947 frenzied Hindu communalists.

Frenzied Awami Leguers
The frenzied Awamis not only massacred the non-Bengalis in thousands, the numbers are never known, not possible to be known in their exactness even in future, but also massacred Bengalis who for their own sacred belief in the integrity of Pakistan; such killings went not only during the nine months but also with more ferocity after the 16th December 1971, the day the Pakistan army surrendered to the Indian victorious army abandoning East Pakistan for independent Bangladesh. One eye witness reference of killings in Dhaka after the 16th December was mentioned to Sheikh Mujib by the famous Italian journalist Oriana Fallasy that he denied though, but some photos of the brutal killings were available in many press records in London. I have my own collection of one incident. Recently I have got a video recording of one incident obtained in the Internet from broad. The sum total of the issue was that violation of human rights including killing of many persons took place from both sides by the rogues of both groups in 1971 in Bangladesh.

No Authentic Facts
As regards the measure of ferocities and figures of persons killed in encounters, there are no authentic and reliable facts. Though the Bangladesh Government at the beginning in 1972 ordered to make enumeration of persons killed in 1971, the project was abandoned within weeks, as the result the leader wished to have would not factually be obtained!

Some Estimates
Some estimates, however, were later on done by three different groups, two based in the USA (Small and Singer, New York, 1982; Sisson and Rose, Harvard, 1990) and one Sharmila Bose (2005) based in India. All these groups had different figures of persons killed in 1971 in Bangladesh varying from 100,000 to 300,000, far less than the so-called '3 million' figure. However, there were near agreements of them all that the Pro-Pakistanis killed by their opponents exceeded all those of Pro-Bangladeshis. Such disagreements in figures do not say that there had been one-sided violation of human rights and excesses. Excesses of human rights violations have had been carried out by the rogues of both sides.

Sri Lanka
On the civil war/independence war (Tamil's perspective) in the Sri Lanka that ended recently, the UN, the Human Rights Watch, etc. have clearly stated that in the war for years both sides have had violated human rights. That was quite reasonable and truth about facts.

Moral Wrong
In view of the above facts how come that Bangladesh have passed the International Tribunals Act 2009 to put on trial not the defeated and vanquished real actors of the federal Pakistan Army but some fries who out of their patriotism for the preservation of the sovereign State of Pakistan stood to take ideological stand, and might have gone for some excesses not all on their own but for self defense and for some insignificant resistance to the opposite groups. The rogues who did the more excesses from the victors' side are given automatic indemnity. Is this not morally wrong? Certainly was it.

Mujib about Wrongs
The question of moral wrong was in view of the Bangladesh leader Sheikh Mujib in 1974 as he got many disputed issues settled with Pakistan when he stated publicly in exchange for many bargaining including the recognition of Bangladesh as the independent country out of the Pakistan legal framework, 'FORGIVE AND FORGET'. Mujib knew for sure that himself being the youth leader of Pakistan movement in late 1940s, he along with the people of the region of East Bengal and Sylhet (now Bangladesh) fought resolutely with all determination and through popular votes of over 97% for the founding of Pakistan out of the British Indian subcontinent. The so-called mandate claimed of the 1970 election by certain quarter was in no way for independent Bangladesh but for maximum autonomy of East Pakistan based on the Awami League's six point demand. That meant clearly that the people was not in full agreement with what happened as de facto position following the armed aggression of India in December 1971. It is on record that Mujib even as late as in October 1974 in his conversation with US Foreign Secretary Henry Kissinger termed the Indian army of 1971 in Bangladesh operation as the 'Occupation Army' (See, US State Department declassified document published in the Dhaka weekly The Holiday, 6th March, 2009).

Unsettling
Thus it is very crystal clear that the present Awami League Government of Bangladesh has taken on to unsettle the issues settled 35 years ago by the founding leader in 1974 for no good reason now of the country but only to support possibly the hegemonic interests of the BIG BROTHER. The Government has thus taken on to widen division and hatred among the people that would only impede reconstruction of the poverty-ridden country, nearly half of the 150 million people living under the poverty line and in the vicious cycle of poverty trap.

Witch- Hunting
The trial, as many rightly fear, would not be any fair process but by all standards be a political witch-hunting. The Awami League Government of Sheikh Hasina, by crude operation of the various genres of the fascist and rent seeking family members from among the cadre students, labor, youths, musclemen, etc., have already created havoc for all other peace-loving non-Awami Leaguer citizens from the very day one of this government on the first week of 2009. The first term of Sheikh Hasina's government (1996-2001) was on record publicly intimidating the judges of the High Court, etc. for having verdict in judgment of their party chief liking. The lacunae of the 2009 act as is known would give them further leverage for only political witch-hunting.

Need to Stop
The trial process under the reconstituted tribunal of 2009 thus proposed to be started should be stopped for good as the earlier version of 1973 had been kept non-functional by the founding leader as he did not pursue even a single case in the rest of over two years of his term in power that ended in August 1975, not anything so after then in 35 years until 2008.

UN and Others
The UN, EU, and other human rights bodies like Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International etc. have, I am sure, some due role to play in the matter as they have stood rightly to indict both sides and not one group in the violations of human rights lately in Sri Lanka.

Author: Dr.M.T. Hussain

==============================================================
--- In khabor@yahoogroups.com, abdul momen <abdul_momen@...> wrote:
The author Mr. M. Z. Abedin of the "BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh" as per his reviewer of the book Mr. M. T. Hussain received London's LISA Award.
>
> LISA (London Institute of South Asia) that is being run by a Pakistani retired general still do not believe in Bangladesh. They still call it 'East Pakistan". When their attention was drawn regarding the identity of one of their principals (of East Pakistan), Dr. M. Abdul Munim Chowdhury and request was made for correction few months ago, they responded that they never heard of independent and sovereign Bangladesh. Fact of the matter is. they have not yet accepted Bangladesh as an independent country. See below a portion from their website www.lisauk.com (copied today 7/23/09 from their website).
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> The principals of lisa are as follows:
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> Brigadier (retd) Usman Khalid (Pakistan) London - Director
> Sami Malik (Pakistan) London UK - Director
> V.T.Rajshekar, Editor Dalit Voice, Bangalore, India
> Dr. M.Abdul Mumin Chowdhury (East Pakistan) London
> Dr Awatar Singh Sekhon (Punjab), Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
> Dr Syed M. Inayatullah Andrabi (Occupied Kashmir), London
> Abidullah Jan (Pakistan), Toronto, Canada
>
>
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> Under the circumstances, the acceptance of LISA award by the author of 'BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh' Mr. M. Z. Abedin tells lot of stories and questions the objectivity and goal of his book.
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> In today's world where media is wide, open, often biased, non-objective and divergent, it may be necessary for each reader to read or review materials with a critical mind by understanding the background and perspective of the writer and his/her mindset plus funding sources.
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> Thank you.
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> Abdul Momen
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> To: khabor@yahoogroups.com
> From: Imtiaz75062@...
> Date: Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:54:09 -0700
> Subject: [khabor.com] BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh
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> You forgot to mention where we can buy this book from.
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> --- On Wed, 7/22/09, Isha Khan bd_mailer@... wrote:
>
>
> From: Isha Khan bd_mailer@...
> Subject: [khabor.com] BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh
> To: "Dhaka Mails" dhakamails@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 9:14 AM
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> BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh by M. Z. Abedin, 184 pages, Hard Bound, Published by Eastern Publishers, London, Price Tk 350, US$ 10/-, July 2009
>
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> A Review by M.T. Hussain
>
> The book BDR Massacre: Target Bangladesh by journalist Mohammad Zainal Abedin is all about the massacre of the unprecedented and horrendous in history of the killings of Bangladesh Army senior officers, nearly five dozens, on the 25-26 February 2009 perpetrated in 'mutiny' by the worst brutes from among the BDR Jawans (foot soldiers). Possibly this is the first of such book that covered the mayhem in some available detail.
>
> The author has introduced himself as the former student leader and a 1971 freedom fighter of the genre of the present ruling party, Bangladesh Awami League (BAL), but claimed to have left the party for every kind of evils and corruptions he had experienced in the body, then took to teaching and journalism.
>
> He had some other books; the noted one was on the Indian Intelligence Service, R&AW that won him a prize of honor in 2007 of the LISA (London Institute of South Asia). For some time he edited and published a Bengali weekly EKALER KATHA until he left for the USA for residence there along with his family in 2007.
>
> The book under review here consists of four main chapters, a few photographs of the Army officers killed, a foreword and author's own explanation. The book is dedicated to the memory of the Bangladesh Army officers killed in the BDR Headquarters on the 25-26 February 2009 that rightly gives his feelings about the unfortunate dozens. The foreword by Professor Mahbub Ullah has warned rightly the readers of some 'pitfalls' in the work. Even so, he has encouraged all to read it through.
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> Cunning Big Brother
> The title of the book has indicated what the author in the book had in his view in pointing out to the machination of the well-known BIG BROTHER (India) of Bangladesh in the mayhem.. He had some circumstantial evidences but not all to substantiate his thesis, possibly because, the cunning CHANAKYAN had been so crafty all along in the past history that many had been outwitted and so are still now. The motive for help of 'paratroopers' offer of Delhi to the PM Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh just at the onset of the mayhem on the 25th February curiously has not been explored in necessary detail.
>
> Vulnerable Bangladesh
> The harsh reality is that Bangladesh has its own geographical vulnerability virtually encircled almost on all sides by the mighty regional power having nearly 4,200 km common border. Being thus advantageously situated, why should India care for any military threat from Bangladesh? Why should the Bangladesh Army be of any worth cognition so far as military engagement is concerned? The Baraibari or Padua fight of early 2000 between the border guards of the two countries, BDR and BSF, could have been nothing of show of military strength or any of major engagement between the two sides. There is no comparison of the armed strength and arsenals of the two sides, much less the existence of any nuclear one that Bangladesh does not have but India has many. All these questions and underlying points would certainly and clearly state that India had no good reason for the mayhem whatsoever against the Bangladesh Army or the BDR.
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> India Gains Most
> There are other issues, as well. India need not invade Bangladesh for she has been having since after 1971 all advantages that she wished to accrue. India dominates Bangladesh in politics, culture and above all in economy. The latest official figure in balance of trade in favor of India runs in nearly 3 billion US$. The unofficial figures, run still higher that occur as regular feature through all sorts of illegal trades like smuggling along the porous borders, land, river and sea waters not only for normal goods but also of illegal sale of items like arms, illegal drugs etc. The vulnerable economy of Bangladesh continues to face threats from much bigger Indian economy since the last four decades now that India continues to accrue benefits from, no matter if the BDR and the Army is more efficient or not. Unfortunately, these points have not been addressed in the book that made it one - sided view of things in drawing his conclusion in somewhat tunnel vision way.
>
> Hasina and Moin
> The other amazing point was that the two days killings and massacres went on almost uninterrupted not only in full knowledge of the PM of Bangladesh and her Army Chief but also of their curious inaction and a sort of playing with lives of nearly five dozen senior and brilliant army officers. How come that Mr. Abedin did not throw enough light on this very vital and crucial point? What the writer would say if anyone would doubt his siding with these two persons, in particular, in his putting all blames on India?
>
> Hide and Seek
> The hide and seek game the government has, in fact, been playing as were clear from the partial report made public and not the whole of it and still claiming 'success' in handling the mayhem should substantiate the point that the writer might have put his effort to isolate the two figures as mentioned here giving all blames on India that can not be beyond skepticism. No sensible person in the know of political dynamics can be oblivious of the fact that Hasina in particular in her heart of heart has a burning desire to punish any army men whenever she would have any scope to do so, particularly after the 15th August victorious army coup of 1975.
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> Politics for Reprisal
> One may recall here, a verbatim quote of Hasina made public by London based Octogenarian BBC Bengali Service journalist Mr. Serajur Rahman, 'AMI RAJNITI GHRINA KORI KINTU PITRIHOTYAR PROTISHODHER JONYO RAJNITIIE ESHECHI' (I hate politics but just only to take revenge of my father's killing I have taken on to politics)'. That she is after the blood of the 15th August 1975 coup heroes is no secret that she wish deeply to finish this time as all evidences are clear to any body keeping track of facts surfacing. Soon after she took the Chair of the PM in 2009 she has already cleaned off the general administration, law enforcing agencies, education, etc from all her 'undesirable' lots and replaced with the party men and women. She has then on put her ugly hand on the army, as well. Many brilliant senior officers have already been sacked and removed at her free will for she is the Defense Minister, as well. Should not the skeptics doubt that she enjoyed playing with the valuable lives of the five dozens army officers in the mayhem for her sadist pleasure?
>
> Not Army but Militia
> Hasina's father under direct tutelage of the Indian R&AW raised the Rakkhi Bahini somewhat in fashion of Militia he had in the 6 Point autonomy formula aiming then in independent Bangladesh ultimately to replace and drop altogether the regular Army of Bangladesh. One may not but wonder if she has been going on for similar venture and for that end killing of senior officers and dismissal at random lately of meritorious senior officers of the regular army.
>
>
> Blind for Vengeance
> That Hasina could be stooped to anything at her wish is well documented not only by the High Court of the country that twice warned her few years ago of misdemeanor. Justice Shabuddin after leaving the position of the President of the country in late 2001 had a statement published in the daily Independent on the 5th January 2002 that may speak well about her mentality of vengeance and of a clear psychopathic case. In making response to her calling Shahabuddin a 'betrayer' he retorted, " Did I give any undertaking that the victory of the Awami League would be ensured in the election (2001)'?
>
> Rentu and Hasina
> Even though some of the facts about Hasina's abnormal behavior as mentioned in the Rentu's autography AMAR FANSHI CHAI may be questioned, but the fact has been proved beyond doubt from many other sources that she is really a psychic case, and so possibly had her sadist pleasure in the BDR massacre.
>
> I would feel that by leaving Hasina off from the actors of the BDR massacre by the author, he lacked in his perceptional dimension that need be corrected.
>
> Supplementary and Complementary
> So far as India's likely involvement in the mayhem was concerned, it was supplementary and complementary to Hasina's perception of gains and sadist lust for revenge.. India has a game plan in Bangladesh that according to Indian retired Bengali General Shankar Roy Chowdhury is part of the GREAT GAME in the region that Hasina is well placed in Dhaka to play very effectively for Delhi, when and how is a different matter. But one may look back and ponder coolly that for what Hasina had been motivated, trained and fully groomed for during her full protection she had been under the powerful Central Indian Intelligence Agency, the R&AW, and the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India for long six years during August 1975- May 1981.
>
> May be the writer would in future bring out a revised edition of the book giving attention to the 'pitfalls' sooner than latter for the issue he has taken on to address is really a very important one for the safety, security and sovereignty of Bangladesh that his commitment to patriotism, I would suppose, would very much demand.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Windows Live™ Hotmail®: Search, add, and share the web's latest sports videos. Check it out.
> http://www.windowslive.com/Online/Hotmail/Campaign/QuickAdd?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_QA_HM_sports_videos_072009&cat=sports
>

 

 




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[mukto-mona] Re: Bangladesh shouldn't be a place to hide and thrive

Can multiculturalism & Islamic reforms end Jihad/conversions to save India?


As many obsolete customs of Hinduism, Christianity & Judaism was abolished via reforms and mass movements without hurting the religious framework! A book on honest logical reasoning to criticize, modernize and reform the Muslim religion. This great book is fully uploaded herewith for benefit of universal netizens in understanding this Jihadi violence torn world and future of India, much better:
http://hindunationalismmuslimunity.blogspot.com/2009/07/multiculturalism-freedom-of-thought-and.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhavishya_Purana#Pratisargaparvan

All must work for banning all organized conversions in India as officially we respect all faiths and then anti-Hindu casteism must also have same fate as our scriptures sanction not perverted multiple caste system but only 4 Varna system based on occupation!
Or such atrocities will continue -http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kolkata_/Youth_set_ablaze_by_in-laws/articleshow/3316886.cms
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080801/jsp/frontpage/story_9631281.jsp
http://bengalspotlight.blogspot.com/2009_03_01_archive.html


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[mukto-mona] Article on Tipaimukh Dam with request for publication

COMMENTS ON DR. NARGIS BANU'S PAPER AND
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF TIPAIMUKH DAM.

PREAMBLE :
When we write in websites normally we do not write with utmost
seriousness, and we know the reason. Even though lapses/problems in
languages are acceptable, in the articles on serious science-based
subjects, ideas and thoughts by all means should be specific and
expression of intelligence. I did not have any intention to review
Environmental Geologist (Kansas, USA) Mr. Meer Husain's article
"CONSTRUCTION OF TIPAIMUKH DAM - A THREAT TO THE NATIONAL INTEREST OF
BANGLADESH". I did it because he requested me to go through that.
Accordingly I did and published my submission. However, the time I
went through his paper I was really shocked to see that a person with
such expertise uses "a high-school student's essay" collected from
source like 'wikianswer.com' in his paper. Then I felt tempted to
review Dr Nargis Banu's article "PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE FROM
TIPAIMUKH DAM", posted by the Bangladesh Expatriate Council. Dr.
Hasina Banu is an environmental scientist working with Sydney Water
Corporation, Australia. It was mentioned that the paper was presented
at a seminar at the Australian National University on July 3, 2009. By
disclosing this information the writer has given us a scope to know
what type of papers are presented in such seminars. This author has
experiences of such presentations at home and abroad, including
Australia.

COMMENTS OF PAPER BY DR. NARGIS BANU
01. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : At the beginning (probably Introduction,
where Abstract is missing) Dr. Nargis Banu narrated the background
story of Tipaimukh project. Here she mentioned two notable issues:
(Quoted).
(a) WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF TIPAIMUKH DAM, INDIA WOULD BE DIVERTING
THE BARAK'S WATER FLOW FROM ITS NORTH TO ITS SOUTH AND EAST. IT WILL
HAVE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON NATURE AND LIVELIHOOD IN THE NORTH-EASTERN
DISTRICTS IN BANGLADESH.
(b) NOW INDIA HAS STARTED ANOTHER INTERVENTION ON THE INTERNATIONAL
RIVER BARAK AT TIPAIMUKH AND WILL CONSTRUCT A DAM AT FULERTAL (100
KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM FROM TIPAIMUKH) BY 2012.

MY SUBMISSION : The truth is, India initiated construction of a
barrage at Fulertal (adjacent to Bangladesh border) long ago and the
same has now been abandoned. Now India has proposed for the
construction of a dam for the production of hydroelectricity at
Tipaimukh, a place located at a distance of over 150 kilometres. Dam
and Barrage are two different things. Where as withdrawal of water is
the essential objective of barrage, a dam may or may not have such
provision. India has already assured that there will be no withdrawal
of water. In such a situation a comment like "WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF
TIPAIMUKH DAM, INDIA WOULD BE DIVERTING THE BARAK'S WATER FLOW FROM
ITS NORTH TO ITS SOUTH AND EAST" is misleading. And if this statement
is wrong, the comment based on it and expressed in the following line
i.e. (quoted) "IT WILL HAVE ADVERSE IMPACTS ON NATURE AND LIVELIHOOD
IN THE NORTH-EASTERN DISTRICTS IN BANGLADESH" is also wrong.

Those who are aware of the topography, soil condition and climate of
Monipur region might know that this region does not really need such
diversion of water for irrigation. Let me briefly explain the reason.
There may be two prominent reasons of depositing water in the
mountains or hills.
(a) In the high rocky mountains water is deposited in cavities and on
the picks as ice during the winter. In the summer season those melt
and flow down.
(b) The earth-made hills and mounds get wet during rains and release
that water as spring or fall, resulting in small canals (local name
"Chhara"). Depending of the size of the mounds, this water may flow
throughout the year.
While the main source of water in Barak river is the first type, that
locally used in Monipur region belongs to the second type.

02. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : The author has given some information to
prove that there is probability of severe earthquakes in this region.
MY SUBMISSION : It is an established fact that
(a) Monipur-Assam-Sylhet zone is highly earthquake prone,
(b) Large deposit of water at heights intensifies vibration during
earth-quake and
(c) Breaking of dam during such hazard would cause havoc.
It is obvious that when such a site is found economically feasible and
ecologically superior (in comparison with other means of generation of
electricity) for a hydro-electric project, the engineers would go for
the construction of a safe dam, even if it is costly. In case of
breakage of this dam the most affected country will be India due to
the following two major reasons :
(a) Failure of an extremely expensive project and
(b) Catastrophic flooding in the 150 kilometre-stretched land within India.

03. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : The author mentioned (quoted) "THE EXPERT
APPRAISAL COMMITTEE OF INDIA REVEALED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE DAM
CONTAINS MANY ERRORS, AND OMISSIONS, AND FALLS SHORT OF COMPLIANCE OF
STANDARDS SET BY THE SCIENTIFIC AND ACADEMIC COMMUNITY IN INDIA AND
THE WORLD".

MY SUBMISSION : The fact is, the design of Tipaimukh dam has not been
finalized. No one should wonder about such comments by various corners
(like, expert appraisal committee) during the preliminary stage of its
preparation.

04. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "INDIA CONDUCTED DETAILED STUDIES,
COMPLETED THE FINAL DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENT IMPACT ASSESSMENT WITHOUT
CONSULTATION WITH BANGLADESH AS A DOWNSTREAM STAKEHOLDER".

MY SUBMISSION : The statement like "COMPLETED THE FINAL DESIGN" is
definitely untrue.

05. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "INDIAN GOVERNMENT HAS NOT CLEARLY
STATED THE AMOUNTS OF WATER THAT WILL BE STOPPED OR DIVERTED WITH THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE TIPAIMUKH DAM".

MY SUBMISSION : The author's statement is not only untrue, but also
misleading because the Indian government has stated that it would not
divert any water.

06. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "THE EROSION JUST DOWNSTREAM OF
THE TIPAIMUKH DAM WOULD BE EXCESSIVELY HIGH AND THIS EROSION WOULD
CONTINUE AS LONG AS HUNDRED KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM OR MORE IN THE
SURMA-KUSHIARA SYSTEM".

MY SUBMISSION : This statement is wrong. As a matter of fact, after a
dam is constructed, the erosion in the down stream is reduced. Let me
explain the reason in brief. Soil erosion among other factors depends
upon on the velocity of water. The velocity depends among others on
two principal factors : (a) Quantity of water and (b) Inclination
(also known as gradient) of flow-path. After the construction of the
dam, the flow of water will be less in the lower region during monsoon
months (because the dam would reserve additional water) and the same
would increase a little during lean period. In fact the flow would
never attain the highest level that it had before the construction of
the dam.

As we mentioned, the flow also depends upon inclination of flow-path.
A dam constructed on a river considerably reduces this inclination.
The dam in fact utilizes the potential energy (in this case energy
stored in water due to gravitational force) of the water in the
reservoir. After the water starts its fresh journey from a
considerably lower level, it loses degree of inclination. Naturally it
loses velocity and eroding capability.

07. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "THE ... DEPOSITION .... WILL
RAISE THE OVERALL BED LEVEL OF THE RIVERS". About the affects of
silting she commented (01) "... AN EXTREME CASE IT WOULD BLOCK THE
MOUTH OF CERTAIN TRIBUTARIES, and (02) "WILL INDUCE THE AVERAGE
MONSOON FLOOD TO BECOME MODERATE TO SEVERE FLOOD IN THE SURMA-KUSHIARA
FLOODPLAIN".

MY SUBMISSION : All these are against the natural rule of science. The
fact is, the water carried by the river after the dam would create
less siltation because (i) It would erode less due to the reduced
velocity of water and (ii) The dam would arrest the entire
sedimentation particles coming from above.

08. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "ABOUT 71 PER CENT OF THE UPPER
SURMA-KUSHIARA BASIN AREA WOULD NO LONGER BE FLOODED. ... THE
KUSHIARA-BARDAL HAOR .... WOULD BECOME COMPLETELY DRY. THE KAWARDIGHI
HAOR .... LOSE AROUND 2,979 HA (26 PER CENT).".

MY SUBMISSION : If it really happens like it, then the people of this
area would think them fortunate to become free from flood hazard and
to get new land.

09. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) " ... KUSHIARA WOULD CUT ITS
CONNECTION WITH ITS RIGHT BANK FLOODPLAIN ...... AND THIS PART WILL
BECOME 'RESERVOIR RIVER' RATHER THAN A MOST VALUABLE 'FLOODPLAIN
RIVER" (prophesy).

MY SUBMISSION : If this prophesy is based on the author's hypothesis
of "increased siltation", then I have explained why it would not take
place. However, those who have knowledge of soil structure,
inconsistency of river flow etc. of Bangladesh can guess that the new
situation might help in straightening the snaking and winding courses
of some rivers, thus generating a number of ox-bow lakes. This should
be taken as a positive contribution because the more land the rivers
would release the better it would be for the country.

10. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE DEPENDENT
ON ... BARAK FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES. THE DAM WOULD CAUSE THE
SURMA AND KUSHIARA TO RUN DRY FROM NOVEMBER TO MAY".

MY SUBMISSION : This is a wrong statement. The fact is, release of
submerged land due to lower level of water in the rainy season and
straightening of rivers may release more land, such that more people
may be engaged in agriculture. Before making such a statement the
author should have studied the basic principle on which a dam for
hydraulic project works. Let me explain briefly.
In hydro-electric project the available height of water in the
reservoir above the exit-hole is of extreme importance. For the
running of the generators water has to be constantly released from the
reservoir. The quantity of power generated is proportional to the
height of water in the reservoir. With normal discharge let the height
of water during the rainy season is (all arbitrary numbers) say, 100
Feet and that in the lean period (i.e. winter) say, 50 Feet. For
optimum production and economic feasibility the designers would have
to arrange generators to run by a height in between these two figures
(not necessarily the average). Let us say this number is 60 Feet. In
this case the generators would not be able to run at full swing unless
during winter nonths unless there is arrangement for storing
additional water in the reservoir. This indicates, what the
Tipai-authority would do for the smooth-running of their plant
throughout the year is, storing extra water during the peak period and
releasing the same during lean period. This is exactly what the
experts employed by Khaleda Zia's BNP government opined, and to which
any scientist or expert would have to agree.

N.B. STRAIGHTENING OF RIVER : It should be noted here that human
interference is essential for initial straightening of river. In the
country with soft soil, intermittent flow acts against straightening.
Once the rivers are cut straight and constant flow is ensured, river
may continue to flow in straight line. Such a program can release huge
land on both sides.

11. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "SHORTAGE OF WATER IN THESE FEW
MONTHS WOULD DECREASE THE BOOST OF GROUNDWATER. OVER THE YEARS THIS
WOULD LOWER THE GROUNDWATER LEVEL, WHICH IN TURN WOULD AFFECT ALL
DUGOUTS AND SHALLOW TUBE-WELLS. AGRICULTURE DEPENDENT ON BOTH SURFACE
AS WELL AS GROUNDWATER WOULD ALSO BE AFFECTED. ARABLE LAND WILL
DECREASE AND PRODUCTION OF CROPS WILL FALL, LEADING TO AN INCREASE IN
POVERTY".

MY SUBMISSION : After we know the report of the expert committee
formed by BNP government during FAP (Flood Action Plan) project, we
have to ignore her prophesies.

12. DR. NARGIS BANU IN HER PARAGRAPH ON "BIODIVERSITY AND ECOLOGY"
SAYS : (quoted) "CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGH DAM WILL OBSTRUCT THE
MIGRATORY PATH OF FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC FAUNA... (AND SILT,
"MICRONUTRIENTS")".

MY SUBMISSION : This comment on FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC FAUNA is
correct, the claim of preventing of "MICRONUTRIENTS" however, is not.
What is true is, as soon as the flowing mountain-river water would
come to a stand-still at the reservoir, there will be considerable
changes in the micro-nutrients, fish and other aquatic animals. The
dam would not arrest the micronutrients, even though it would not be
possible for larger fish to escape. However, nowadays it is made
possible by using fish-pass.

13. DR. NARGIS BANU SAYS : (quoted) "ABOVE IMPACTS WOULD DESTROY THE
NATURAL INTEGRITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM, LOSING RIVERINE HABITAT AND
SPECIES, AND A LACK OF ENRICHMENT OF LAND WITH THE NUTRIENT-FULL SILT.
THIS WOULD LEAD TO THE ULTIMATE DECLINE IN THE NATURAL PRODUCTIVITY OF
THE TWO MOST ABUNDANT RESOURCES OF BANGLADESH – LAND AND WATER".

MY SUBMISSION : From what I have explained above, the above statement
is wrong. However, even though we do not know what type of changes
would take place in the micro-nutrients, from the experience of Kaptai
dam we may guess, it would not be anything hazardous.

14. DR. NARGIS BANU IN HER PARAGRAPH "CLIMATE CHANGE" DAYS (quoted) :
"THE TIPAIMUKH DAM WILL PERMANENTLY SUBMERGE AN AREA OF 275.50 SQUARE
KILOMETRES IN INDIA".

MY SUBMISSION : This one is India's problem and they would consider it
in comparison with their gain from the project.

15. OTHERS : The author's claim on "DAM BREAK AND HUMAN CATASTROPHES"
has been answered earlier. In her paragraph on "WATER QUALITY" she
said : (quoted) "THE EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION DOWNSTREAM OF THE
TIPAIMUKH DAM WOULD BE EXCESSIVELY HIGH AND WOULD CONTINUE AS LONG AS
OVER 600 KILOMETRES DOWNSTREAM IN BANGLADESH. THIS EXCESSIVE EROSION
DOWNSTREAM OF THE DAM WOULD INCREASE THE OVERALL SILTATION AND WATER
TURBIDITY IN THE SURMA-KUSHIARA SYSTEM. THESE WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT
THE WATER QUALITY OF THE ENTIRE SURMA-KUSHIARA-MEGHNA SYSTEM IN
BANGLADESH". I have already mentioned why the author's conceptions of
increased siltation and erosion are wrong.

She also said, "THE DAM WILL HAVE WARMING IMPACT DUE TO METHANE
DEGASSING FROM THE RESERVOIR". Those who are aware of the quantity of
degassing from (i) Huge marshy lands throughout the world, (ii)
Water-dipped rice fields and domestic cattle in Asia and Africa, (iii)
Rotten leaves and algae deposited in the oceans would just laugh to
hear about the "additional methane gas generated in 275 Square
Kilometre area". I failed to understand the comment "CARBON EMISSIONS
OF LARGE DAM CONSTRUCTION".

The author has mentioned some information in the paragraph "VIOLATION
OF LAWS AND AGREEMENT" about which I have nothing to say.

ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES OF DAM FOR BANGLADESH :
DISADVANTAGES :
(i) Due to the construction of the dam Bangladesh would lose silt,
sand and fish coming through Barak river. By special arrangement and
design, however, the movement of fish can be retained.

ADVANTAGES : (i) Due to its construction it will be possible to
control flood due to Barak river and its tributaries in Sylhet region.
(ii) Considerable portion of land can be saved from inundation during
the rainy season.
(iii) During winter irrigation may be easier due to higher level of water.
(iv) There will be less silting in the tributaries of Barak river.
(iv) There will be less erosion in these rivers.

CONCLUSION : I am least worried about the construction of Tipaimukh
dam. It is a project by the Indian government, who would get cheap
electricity from it. Due to its construction Bangladesh would lose
silt, sand and fish coming through Barak river. With due cooperation
of the authorities however, Bangladesh (i) can achieve control over
flood by ensuring less flow of water during monsoon, (ii) may have
easy irrigation in the winter due to higher level of water etc. This
plain truth has been expressed by the expert committee employed by the
BNP government long ago. When motivated politicians (like those from
the opposition) shout against this project with all sorts of
unscientific, imaginary, biased and non-intelligent remarks, I
understand the reason. And I endeavour to expose the secret reason,
where possible. But when men of science express non-intelligent
remarks, I fail to understand the reason and feel the need for
protest.

I however, did not protest against Mr. Meer Hosain's writings. When he
expressed his response to one of my writing I just replied. In his
response he requested me to acquire knowledge on certain issues from
one of his writing. I went through that and was shocked to know that
he used the "answers" from computer-crazy school boys. Had I known it
earlier, I definitely would not have wasted my time. In course of
reading that I came across the article of Dr Nargis A Banu, an
environmental scientist working with Sydney Water Corporation,
Australia. I became specially interested because it was Posted by
Bangladesh expatriate council and earlier presented in a seminar at
the Australian National University.

I got interested in it due to my experiences of similar presentations
abroad including Australia. But after reading it, I came confused to
differentiate between a scientific paper and an essay written by the
column writer. I know how a column writer writes his essay. He picks
up a running or important issue, decides in which way he wants to
motivate his readers inclusive of common people, bureaucrats and
political leaders and then starts writing. In doing so he picks up
those data, information and comments that would help him to reach the
targeted destination and at the same time avoids all those might go
against. He cares least for honesty and most for fulfilling his
objective. Such an endeavour is completely quite different from a
scientific paper to be presented in international
seminars/conferences. After such a paper is presented it comes in the
discussion of the community of wise-people. And when published in the
website (as happened this time due to the courtesy of the Bangladesh
expatriate council) it comes within the domain of discussion of the
common people. Instantly the people know what type of papers are
presented in such seminars.

As I mentioned, scientific papers are different from the column
writer's essays. Such papers are revelations of facts. Here the
scientist does not keep any preconceived idea like "I will prove it,
or disprove that". The approach of the scientist will be, "I believe
this is the truth. So I shall try to prove it with the knowledge and
revelations so far made by science. In case I do not get defence from
these sources, it will be my hypothesis".

A scientists' deliberations or course of thought will be different
even from that of a university teacher. The teacher of a university is
supposed to teach generalized principles, applicable in general
throughout the world. In doing so, most of the time he needs to
simplify things. The teacher does not have the time or scope to show
how those principles apply in various conditions. The duty of the
researcher/scientist is to make threadbare analysis of the situation
in which those principles would apply and observe how the results
differ from the preconceived ones and why. Only such findings are
expected to be presented in scientific papers for international
seminars. From Dr Nargis A Banu's paper it seemed to me as if she
first made up her mind to show that "Tipaimukh dam would cause serious
damage for Bangladesh" (alike what the column writers do). And then
she started presenting information and analysis in favour of her
conviction, many of which were self contradictory. I find weakness in
her analysis also. For example, when someone visits the site of a dam,
he usually finds water falling down from a great height, resulting in
turbulence in muddy water below and then, water to rush away. That
might initiate the general concept of "erosion and sedimentation" in
the river. I have endeavoured to show in details, (i) why the river
starting after a dam loses flow of water, (ii) why the water loses
velocity and (iii) why this water carries less silt etc.

Once again I beg to state that I have little interest regarding the
construction of Tipaimukh. I know many important and essential
projects are not taken up because "those do not fulfil the personal
interests of the dishonest group among the concerned authorities". On
the other hand, a project that in no way is justified in the overall
condition of the country is taken, because it satisfies the above
condition. "Underground rail line in Dhaka city" is one such project.
Probably this project is going to be materialized because it is
capable of ensuring financial benefit for some.

For the above reason, when I write about Tipaimukh, I only endeavour
to show the science-based truth to the best of my knowledge and
experience. I believe, the scientists and experts should continue in
their predestined track, which is so pure and true, and which is so
different from those of the politicians and column writers. Seeing
"column writers' essays" as scientific papers is really painful.
Lastly I express my sorrow to those who may be hurt due to my writing.
Prof. (on LPR) Bijon B. Sarma, Khulna University. Bangladesh.


--
Prof. Bijon Behari Sarma


------------------------------------

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[mukto-mona] new book :Global Warming FACING THE HAVOC [1 Attachment]

[Attachment(s) from Robin Ahasan included below]



Global Warming
FACING
THE
HAVOC
Aroop Talukdar

About the book:

Needless to say that global warming and climate change now have become a burning issue particularly for the under developed and developing countries globally for which the environment world wide is also changing fast than ever in human history.

In Bangladesh, adverse impacts of the climate change, meanwhile, hit tremendously creating almost panicky situation allover. In the southern Bangladesh particularly gradual climatic changes have already been vividly exposed.

The UN's Inter governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier predicted that climate change will have a graver effect and Bangladesh is no exception to that. The country exposed to adverse impacts of climate change mainly due to its geophysical existence.

The articles included in this book virtually depicted the awful conditions of the people living in the vast southern part and else where of the country who become the easy prey of exploitations in various ways, now facing the devastating havoc of the natural calamities due to climate change.

Now it needs to act quickly and develop new strategic concepts and theories, assessments, recommendations as well as endeavor through international collaboration and partnership in combating the catastrophe of the widespread global warming.

 

 

About the author:

 

Aroop Talukdar born in Golbunia, a village of Patharghata upazila under Barguna district on 17th July, 1944.

Obtained BA (1965), MA (1968) and LLB(1976) degrees  from Dhaka University.

Joined liberation war of Bangladesh and worked with 'Swadheen Bangla Betar Kendra' in 1971.

After the liberation, joined The Daily Ittefaq as a Staff Reporter in 1972.

Later worked with The Daily Sangbad, The Daily News, The daily Star,

The News Today, The Economic Times and the news agencies UNB and

APB in different capacities during last forty years, now is working with

the international news agency Reuters .

A member of the Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA), London.

During last three decades, ten fictions, two short story collections, three

anthology of poems and sixteen other books  of different categories

were published to his credit.

 

 

Euro: 7; Dollar: 10; Taka: 130 

For Further details contact:

ROBIN AHSAN

SHRABON PROKASHANI

PHONE :8802 8651160, 01715751117

www.shrabonprokashani.com

 

Also available at:

FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR 2009

14-18 October 2009

SHRABON PROKASHANI, BANGLADESH

Stand 5.0 -D933

International CENTRE




Attachment(s) from Robin Ahasan

1 of 1 Photo(s)


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Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: 
Call For Articles:

http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585

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VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/

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"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
               -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190




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[ALOCHONA] Voices from the Hidden Land



Voices from the Hidden Land
 
Mayel Lyang Sut Lom is a 20 minute documentary by Tapas Majumdar and  Souparna Lahiri that shows the campaigns of the Lepcha community in Sikkim, India, against the construction of large dams in their homeland. The film shows the Lepcha's struggle against the damming of the Teesta River and the destruction of the Dzongu region.
 
Dzongu, on the banks of the Teesta, overlooks the sacred Khangchendzonga – the world's third highest mountain – and is home to red pandas, snow leopards, and the famous Khangchendzonga National Park. The Lepcha are waiting in apprehension for the harbingers of "development" – the giant bulldozers, the heavy cranes, the polluting crushers. The film asks whether the dams being built in the name of development will destroy the Lepcha's culture, identity and socio-economic fabric. It questions whether the construction of dams on the Teesta will leave the Lepcha homeless and disconnected from their mountains and hills, their sacred rocks and springs, their forests and streams. The film seeks to uncover who loses and who benefits from this kind of development.

Part 1

 
 
The impacts of the Teesta Stage V Hydropower Project, the first big dams being built in Sikkim, have forced the people to come out of the Mayel Lyang (the hidden land) to manifest their apprehensions and concerns in peaceful protests. The film follows the Affected Citizens of Teesta and their protests against the planned dams. It tells the story of the Lepcha people and their supporters, who are not staying silent amidst the plans of the national government to dam their river and flood their land.

Part 2




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Thursday, July 30, 2009

[ALOCHONA] Is it opportune to withdrawarmy from CHT?



INDIAN 'GEO-STRATEGISTS' CRYING WOLF
 
Is it opportune to withdrawarmy from CHT?
 
Sadeq Khan
 
An Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) press release on July 29 confirmed that the government is in the process of withdrawing a brigade of army troops, including three infantry battalions and 35 security camps, from the vulnerable districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT).
   'This withdrawal process will start immediately and will conclude in September 2009,' the release said.

   'As Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is pledged-bound to implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Treaty signed in 1997, she directed withdrawal of the troops from the region,' an official at the army headquarters told a newsman.
   The pull-out was originally planned for June-July, according to the official.
   This will be the biggest ever army withdrawal from the area after CHT peace deal was signed, said the statement.

   The 1996-2001 Awami League government concluded a peace deal in 1997, with Parbatya Chattagram Jana Sanghati Sangstha (PCJSS), aiming to end two decades of bloody insurgency in the region.
   A total of 200 security camps were withdrawn in different phases since the deal was signed, said the statement.
   Contacted for comment on the fresh government decision of army pullout, a senior leader of the PCJSS, the militant organisation of the dominant tribe in CHT, refrained from making any observation.

   The conflict in the CHT, that accounts for nearly one-tenth of the country's total land mass dates back to 1962 when the then Pakistan government built Kaptai hydro-electricity plant that caused displacement of as many as 100,000 of the native people. In post-independence Bangladesh, rebel Shanti Bahini, the armed wing of the PCJSS, launched its first offensive on an army convoy in 1977 in strong protest against the then government's rehabilitation scheme for plain land people in the CHT areas..

   The government increased army deployment as the Shanti Bahini continued hit and run raids and ransom collection, from a cross the Indian border, until signing of the treaty.
   It is noteworthy that some dissident sleeper units of erstwhile Shanti Bahini had spurned the deal and stayed back in India on the other side of CHT borders. They are in a position to resume insurgency. It is also noteworthy that since the tragic Peelkhana massacre of commanding army officers in BDR rebellion last February, the investigations have been dragging on, preventing normalisation and reorganisation of our border forces. The BDR outposts have remained unarmed and uneasy. Scantily armed patrols are naturally dispirited, and commanding officers are yet to be hearty with the men. In the disarray, our northern and western borders have remained insecure. USA and some other foreign governments, who are partners of Bangladesh in anti-terrorist strategy and tactics, have expressly voiced concerns that Bangladesh borders are now unguarded and unsafe, easing passage for terrorists and narcotics traffic as well as for criminal influx. One wonders whether the government had adequately considered the implications of withdrawing an army brigade from CHT, thereby rendering our unguarded eastern borders deficient in surveillance and unsafe as well.
   
   Indian 'hot pursuit'
   The government of India has increased anti-Maoist military operations to the west of our borders and anti-insurgency operations in the north and east of our borders against tribal unrest and separatism. Fugitives from these operations will naturally try to cross into our borders and endanger our own peace and security. In such circumstance, grounds may be created for Indian security men to intrude into our territory in "hot pursuit" of fugitives. Bangladesh must, as it did in the past, remain prepared to defend its territory against intrusion of any sort.

   This is particularly so as the Indian strategic establishment appear to be having difficulties in adjusting to changing geo-political order after the failure of Bush doctrine. Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister appear clear in their minds that under the impact of global financial crisis and from the experience of global war on terror, geo-strategic balance of the world order has shifted somewhat necessitating US-China cooperation, and the sole superpower is not so keen at the moment to prop up Indian power explicitly for the containment of China. But other political leaders and leaders of opinion in India seem unnerved by the signs and unmoved in their positions. So it is that Dr. Manmohan Singh's signing of an Indo-Pakistan Joint Declaration at Sharm-el Sheikh NAM summit de-linking India-Pakistan peace talks from cross-border terrorism has created an uproar in Indian polity that has not subsided. Indian strategic establishment is also expressly unhappy with US-Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's visit, during which she spoke of "greening" the Indo-US strategic partnership with a plethora of non-military issues.

   Suddenly a section of the Indian strategic establishment appear to be dropping traditional restraint and opting for drastic steps to push out Chinese influence from its periphery. They are pro-active in Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and their propaganda machine has also been tuned accordingly. They go so far as to question the motives of Sheikh Hasina Government of Bangladesh as well, and conjure spectres of an Eastern sub-Himalayan geo-strategic anti-Indian Compact. To quote an Indian Analyst Vijay Sakhuja (China Brief, Volume 9, issue 15, dated July 23):

   "According to Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Bangladesh's ambassador to China, Bangladesh and China have enjoyed a "time-tested, all-weather friendship" (China Daily, March 26). During their meeting on the sidelines of the U.N. Conference on the World Financial and Economic crisis in June 2009, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi assured his Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni that it was China's policy to "strengthen and develop the relations of friendship and cooperation with Bangladesh." For her part, Moni said that "Bangladesh sees China as its close friend and cooperation partner" (Xinhua News Agency, June 26). .....

   Chinese leadership has consistently advised Bangladesh to pursue an independent foreign policy and encouraged it to move away from India's sphere of influence. ...... Some retired Indian army officers, they believe that Chinese leaders may have even given Bangladesh security assurances that Beijing would stand by Dhaka and help it defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity should it be threatened by India.."
   
   'Chicken neck' threatened?
   Sakhuja goes on to suggest that fresh concern arises from India's vulnerability in the Siliguri corridor, often referred to as the 'chicken neck': "This 200 kilometers (km) long and 40 km wide corridor links mainland India by rail, road and air with its Northeast region, a part of which (90,000 sq km in Arunachal Pradesh) is claimed by China and is a significant source of tension for bilateral relations. At present, there is significant PLA deployment along the borders. To its north is Bhutan, and in the south is Bangladesh. The Siliguri corridor figures prominently in the Sino-Bangladesh friendship and the two sides, according to Indian military experts, have a sophisticated strategy to sever India from the Northeast region. It is also noted that 'China wants to get Tawang [an administrative district in the state of Arunachal Pradesh] to come closer to the Siliguri corridor' so that it can link up with Bangladesh from the north (Why Assam Bleeds, sify.com, November 10, 2008). ......

   Illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Indian insurgent groups such as the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), who have safe heavens in Bangladesh, crisscross through porous borders that can act as catalysts for social disorder, unrest and insurgency in the corridor. According to one analyst, the ULFA leadership has shifted its base to China, and the investigations relating to the March 2004 offloading of a weapons consignment from China at Chittagong seaport revealed the complicity of government agencies (India, Bangladesh: Joint Task Force for Countering Militancy, sspconline.org, May 27, 2009)."

   Finally, Sakhuja links up Indian military disadvantage from Chinese presence in Pakistani and Sri Lankan ports and possible access to Chittagong port with Myanmar and Nepalese land routes open to Chinese access:
   "There are concerns that Bangladesh may offer Chittagong port for development to China, ostensibly for commercial purposes, but which could also be used for staging Chinese naval assets. This is to be expected and can be reasonably tied to the Chinese development of Gwadar port in Pakistan and Hambantota port in Sri Lanka.

   China and Bangladesh, along with Myanmar, have decided to build the 900 km Kunming Highway linking Chittagong with Kunming through Myanmar to facilitate greater trade [7]. This would not only overcome the long sea passage from the east coast of China through Singapore (for trans-shipment) to Bangladesh, but would also lower transport costs and add to the economy of Yunnan?province. This also fits well in their joint initiative of improving Chittagong port infrastructure that can now be put to dual use for merchant vessels and also for the navies of the two countries. ?

   The Chinese approach of systematically nurturing and promoting diplomatic linkages with Bangladesh provides it with a number of strategic advantages against India. Likewise, there are also several related strategic fallouts for Bangladesh. As far as China is concerned, it will be in a position to link its electronic listening systems at Coco Island in Myanmar and the staging/listening systems in Bangladesh and monitor Indian naval and missile activity. Given the wide disparities in the India-Bangladesh naval order of battle, Bangladesh would be under pressure to open its facilities to the PLA Navy as a countervailing force against the Indian Navy. (Thus) China-Bangladesh military cooperation has the potential to exacerbate regional tensions along the Himalayas and result in high-intensity competition."

   Clearly, there is desperation in current Indian strategic thinking, in the backdrop of which Bangladesh must remain cool and cautions. The unseemly hurry with which a parliamentary team led by Abdur Razzak MP was sent to Delhi to dance to the tune of Indian authorities over the highly controversial Tipaimukh Dam Project is seen as unnecessarily buckling under Delhi South Block's pressure by Sheikh Hasina's government. There was scope to delay the delegation on the genuine ground that Bangladesh needed time to examine the studies released last week on NEEPCO website by Indian authorities. Sheikh Hasina's government stands compromised by the Razzak delegation in the eyes of the people of Bangladesh as well as the people of northeast India who are gravely threatened by earthquake risks and environmental degradation sure to be caused by the Dam.
 



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