Policy Research Group: Haruspex, Hegemony: Ops
Haruspex, Hegemony: Ops
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. on 16 November, 2009 12:29:00
Isha Khan and Shireen Mazari are separated by long distance, nay Indian landmass since they live in
Khan's outpouring in Dhaka is quickly picked up by web sites and internet forums from
Often the two scholars marshal the same facts the same way and come up with the very same conclusions. As if they are remote controlled and commandeered!
Take Khan's work titled `An Instrument of Indian Imperialism, and Mazari's piece on
Research and Analysis Wing (R& AW) is the subject matter of study for the two
write-ups. Mazari's was a bit more broad based since she covers a large canvas.
Both dissect RAW, as RA&W is often called, in a brutally forthright manner and leave the reader in no doubt that what a great sinister monster it has become with `the establishment of a huge network inside the target countries'.
Khan dilates on the Indian agency in
Quoting approvingly from `RAW and
Isha Khan asserts that RAW has been propping up `a host of disputes in order to keep Bangladesh under a constant political and socio-economic pressure', and is creating `polarization among the armed forces', `dissension among political parties and religious sects', and `propaganda by false allegations
of use of
Mazari turns to the Jain Commission Report (on who killed Rajiv Gandhi, why and how) for a peg and ends up with the very same conclusions. Who wrote first heir opinion piece is not material since time and distance matter very little in the Internet age and the picture they end up painting is what interests a reader. Khan Mazari are not alone in thinking alike and bashing the Indians alike. Their tribe is increasing. In
Majid Nizami, the Chief Editor of `Nawa-i-Waqt', a leading Urdu daily of
GOOD WORD- GOOD DREAM
`This lobby helps Pakistani writers, poets and journalists and when they go to
Majid Nizami, who also heads the `Nazarya-e-Pakistan Trust, made another remark a few days earlier. It was not a remark per se because it is more in the nature of a forecast.
`
The report quoted the Pakistani editor as saying `the Quran has directed to have horses of war ready to fight your enemy and our nuclear weapons are our horses which can wipe out
Nizami's nuclear speak doesn't come as a surprise. For
UNIFICAION OF PAK, BANGLA..?
Does Isha Khan or Shireen Mazari support the Nizami thesis on unification of
Frankly, it is difficult to get a categorical yes or no for an answer. Their writings are multi-layered. Focus is microscoping and telescoping what all
They are not alone in the enterprise as a recent study shows. The findings should bring smile to Nizami, in fact.
The finding is that
To spread the `good word'!
The way, the lobby is adopting, should be the envy of any media planner any where from the First World to the
One name that repeatedly comes up front in the study is of Barrister MBI Munshi. A first rate scholar journalist he is undoubtedly. To say he is on the
But the finding is that the `
Isha Khan did an excellent review (rupeenews.com) of the first volume. The chapters written by Munshi attempt `not only a historical and geo-strategic appraisal of relations between India and Pakistan/Bangladesh but also offer a more wide ranging analysis involving the Indian external intelligence operations in Bangladesh and outside', he said.
`The central idea of these chapters when taken as a whole', Khan opined, `appears to be that the India Doctrine as implemented by successive administrations in India is not limited to simply harming the economic interests of [its neighbours] but also has a historical and intellectual underpinning that comes from the thoughts and writings of Jawaharlal Nehru and Madhav Sadashiv Golwalkar amongst others. The idea of a United
Do these views echo Pakistani intellectual and foreign policy establishment? If so, what, the author appears to say.
FAMILIAR NAMES CLEAN WICKET
Ayesha Kabir and Abdur Rahman Khan, two familiar names to news paper readers in
Ayesha's appears to be a `clean' wicket. Her proposal is for setting up a Media Forum `to enhance media cooperation between
Yet, it is perfectly legitimate to look at her Forum's objectives. That is because she is not directly tapping into any established Pakistani media forum. She has routed her proposal through the
Abdur Rahman, Nantu Roy (editor, Bharat Bichitra), and Kamal Uddin Sabuj ake an interesting threesome. Abdur and Kamal have some thing in common dislike of
When this report hits the front pages, most
Syed Rukshana Zaman Shanu of Daily Jugantor is always on a `talent' hunt writers for a cause. The cause is anti-India write ups.
Going by her daily stock taking, she is doing a fairly good job of her commitment to old friends.
On July 15, for instance, she spoke of four direct hits. Not on the same day but between July 10 and July 13. Not only in her paper- the Daily Jugantor (13/7) but also in Amardesh (12/7), New Age (10/7) and Diganta TV (13/7). The subjects covered ranged from controversial Tipaimukh (Indian) dam to women and children trafficking to
Rukshana has made her name as a hardworking journalist. True to that reputation, she is working overtime to get her `campaign' pieces into Daily Prathom Alo, Jugantor, Samoy, Diganta, Sangram, Shaka Post, Doshdik, Tritio Matra and the weekly Economic Times. For some she is the ghost writer. For how many is unclear though. For some articles, she turned to/ commissioned Putul Hossain (freelance journalist), Yakub Ali (working with Goyenda report), Pavel Rahman (Daily Bartoman Bangla) - all three
CUMBERSOME ROUTE - NEW ADVICE
Two journalists who have been roped into Enterprise P feel Rukshana route to
Given an option, Abedin likes to work on his contacts in the political circles. But the `received wisdom' considers working on political contacts as a `waste of time and money' and that is how the idea of an on-line daily emerged. His friend's plans more copies for the annual/ quarterly/ daily/Bengali newsletter don't appear to be capital intensive. These are not mass products and aim at a niche audience. The tab therefore will be anywhere from Tk two lacs to Tk eight lac depending on the format. Should the newsletter (50-pages) be in colour or black/white? Well, that is a dilemma.
PREDICAMENT AND PROPAGANDA
Sonia Taleb finds herself in a predicament, which is not her making. As a research associate at BIPSS, the respected think-tank for peace and security studies, she is involved in a group on
On August 4, the situation turned ugly and she wanted to quit. It is not that easy not because of BIPSS rules but because of other factors. Sonia invoked her soft corner for
Sonia's tryst throws up an interesting question. Are Bangladeshis also appearing at the Indian Civil Services Examination which is the first stepping stone to become a part of the Indian administrative system? Good subject for an enterprising investigative journalist.
The foregoing, however so ever interesting, doesn't look like a special overdrive under Operation Lobby
PLUGGING EXTRA MILE
If Operation Lobby
Two names are being mentioned in this connection one the principal and the
other his associate.
But they have run into rough weather!
Sajjad Hussain has plunged into the enterprise with enthusiasm. As Secretary General of the Bangladesh Centre for International Studies (BCIS), he has a vast network of friends, admirers and acolytes. He tapped them to work a project code named `Pak psy-war' under a MOU singed in
Initially, the project made little headway. In fact, it may be fair and proper to say, Sajjad could not `deliver' much on his promises because of the Caretaker Government' of the day. Not that it was all a case of failure. The high profile National Dialogue on Transit (to
Yet, his
RAGE, HARUSPEX, HAGEMONY
Sajjad Hussain, naturally, went into a rage, became a haruspex for a while and held forth on what he had done, what he has planned, and what he has intended to do in the days ahead, to show that he had gone far beyond the MOU brief and scope.
It was not an empty boast by all means - the BCIS web site ( www.bcisbd.org) is a perfect weapon to propagate Pakistani agenda, though a bit too expensive. The National dialogue organised in
So was Sadeq Khan's critique of Sheikh Hasina's new education policy which is in the works. `The new policy was being imposed on the people of
Sajjad Hussain has lined up several such conferences four at the national level and two at the regional level. Across the borders in
`Changed circumstances', mumbled the Friends from
Market economics at play? Who can deny? Certainly not Shireen Mazari. Not even Isha Khan Their daily out put is tailored to suit market forces! The Nizami thesis on unification of
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