[ALOCHONA] Impact of climate change : 20pc land of Bangladesh may go under sea water

Impact of climate change : 20pc land of Bangladesh may go under sea water Around 200 delegates, including 150 from 50 countries, representing the United Nations, donor organizations, international universities, international research centres, NGOs and media took part in the deliberations on the critical issue. Finance Minister AMA Muhith yesterday called upon the international community to design climate change adaptation strategy considering the possibility of huge migration from the areas of Bangladesh, vulnerable to go under the sea as an impact of climate change. "Twenty percent of the country's total landmass is apprehended to be drowned under the sea water," he told the concluding session of the weeklong 3rd International Conference on Climate Change at Hotel Sheraton."Migration is a very important consideration for the international community," Muhith said. Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS), International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and The RING (Regional and International Networking Group), jointly organized the conference titled "Community Based Adaptation (CBA) to Climate Change".Planning Minister AK Khandaker also addressed the session, moderated by BCAS executive director Dr Atiq Rahman. As part of the conference, the delegates divided into six groups visited six flood-and-drought-prone zones of Bangladesh to pick case studies of the natural calamities. The Finance Minister said that while formulating the climate change adaptation strategy the international community must consider that the industrial revolution by the rich nations has created the environmental crisis. Turning to domestic preparations, he said the country has developed a strategy to face the challenges of the climate change impact. The strategy, now under review, includes creation of two funds to be in place very soon. "There is an expert group which will be continuously working on environment," he said, adding that the expert group would work alongside the international community, as Bangladesh is quite active in the international field. Responding to a conference criticism, Muhith said Bangladesh has been very active in environmental causes since 1992, but he does not think that the Community Based Adaptation (CBA) approach has been a problem."Bangladesh truly is a laboratory," he said, mentioning the successes the country has demonstrated in mitigating the losses of lives and property by the natural disaster. The conference aimed at promoting CBA to climate change, both nationally and globally, while generating and sharing exchange of knowledge and experience on CBA to climate change.It stressed the urgent need for creating good ideas and action on how the CBA could help fill the adaptation gap. Besides the much talked about environmental problems like cyclone, floods, drought, erosion and sea level change, the minister drew attention of the international community attending the conference to add another impact of environmental factors - respiratory problem in the capital city."Dhaka can be a laboratory of respiratory problem," he said. http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/02/25/news0236.htm

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[ALOCHONA] Plague threat looms as Bangladesh rat problem grows

Plague threat looms as Bangladesh rat problem grows Bangladesh's remote Chittagong Hill Tracts region faces a serious risk of prolonged famine and bubonic plague unless a ballooning rat population is brought under control, experts say.   The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) began distributing three million dollars of emergency food supplies to some 120,000 people in the southeastern tribal area bordering India and Myanmar last May, after the rat population exploded. The rats -- some weighing as much as 1.5 kilogrammes (3.3 pounds) -- feed on bamboo forests in the hilly region.   Dhaka University zoology professor Nurjahan Sarker recently visited the hill tracts and sounded the alarm over the "devastating" impact of the year-long rat plague."The threats of a famine-fuelled conflict are real as the rats are destroying everything in the hills," she said.   Adding to the urgency of the situation, she said authorities must act fast to avoid an outbreak of deadly bubonic plague."I don't think the government has understood the gravity of the crisis or figured out how to tackle such an unprecedented situation."   Steven Belmain, a rodent ecologist of Britain's University of Greenwich -- in Bangladesh studying the impact of the rat infestation -- said the rodent population was doubling in size every three weeks.   This means, of course, they must spread into new areas in search of food. "In addition to destroying nearly all field crops in the region, the rats get into people's houses, eating stored food and damaging all sorts of personal possessions and biting people while they sleep," Belmain said."The whole region has been affected by localised famine, forcing people to depend on food aid. Food shortages will be a permanent feature here for many years," Belmain told AFP.   "We have captured 2,000 big rats from one hectare (2.47 acres) of land. I can tell you the situation is worsening as rats are invading new territories." The WFP will begin a 2.6-million-dollar programme in April to help the thousands of people who have lost their livelihoods because of the rats. The European Union, which spent 1.65 million euros (two million dollars) on emergency relief to the area last May, has just announced a further assistance package of two million euro for the next 12 months. The last rat flood in the region was in 1958, when the bamboo flowers last blossomed. Back then, the plague lasted three years.   Government minister Dipankar Talukdar said the situation had improved in some areas after the government introduced programmes to contain the rats. But Belmain said the rats had left some areas only after they had eaten everything they could and then had to move on.He said the risk of an outbreak of bubonic plague was high in the country of 144 million, one of the world's poorest.   The disease is caused by bacteria picked up from the bite of fleas that are carried by rats, and which is believed to be the Black Death that killed millions in 14th century Europe.An outbreak in Bangladesh would severely damage the economy, which has been growing at more than six percent a year during the past four years, thanks to a surge in exports.   An international quarantine would be imposed, which would see all flights into and out of the country suspended, as well as exports, dealing an incalculable blow to the economic well-being amid global catastrophe.Modern precedent exists -- a small plague outbreak in the western Indian city of Surat in 1994 led to the imposition of similar "national quarantine" measures with grave economic consequences.   Belmain said health and economic problems resulting from the rat infestation could exacerbate security issues in an area with a history of ethnic unrest. The dwindling food supplies are already putting additional pressure on simmering tensions between the 13 ethnic minority groups in the area and recent settlers from other parts of Bangladesh.   The government signed a peace treaty with the region's main tribal group in 1997, bringing an end to a two-decade long insurgency that left some 2,500 people dead.Since then sporadic clashes have continued as some tribes reject the deal and others accuse the government of not fully implementing it. "The rat flood could fuel renewed conflict in the region," Belmain said. "Hungry people are angry people."   http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g04nUtpU1oiADQINyaKL4pFkkPbQ

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[ALOCHONA] The Tipaimukh issue

The Tipaimukh issue   Reaz Ahmad INDIA is constructing the Tipaimukh barrage barely one kilometer away from Bangladesh's northeast border, threatening to dry up the flow of the Surma and Kushiara rivers during the lean period. The Daily Star carried this report on February 15 showing the barrage on the Barak River at Churachandpur in Assam will render barren vast arable lands in northeast Bangladesh, and change the ecology and climate in the region. Before I discuss the technicalities and the rights issues relating to the co-riparian countries, just consider the potential risks that such a barrage can pose to the flows of Surma and Kushiara, the feeders for one of Bangladesh's biggest river system -- Meghna. Shrinkage of water flow in the Meghna will pose a threat to the ecosystem in its basin and allow intrusion of seawater. It will have serious ramifications on river-based human habitation, land cultivation and fish population. The recent work on the barrage is part of a plan to build the Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydro-Electric Power Project in Manipur and Mizoram states. The first such initiative in March 2007 was thwarted through protests in and outside India. Participants in a long march from Sylhet to Jakiganj border and environmentalists in India had strongly protested the construction of the barrage. The Tipaimukh Project envisages construction of a 162 metre high rockfill dam about 500 metres downstream of the confluence of the rivers Barak and Tuivai. The main objective of the project is to generate 1500 MW hydropower and flood control on 2,039 square kilometers. Amidst huge uproar at home and abroad, and its probable adverse affects on both sides of the border, the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests issued environmental clearance to the state-owned North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd. (NEEPCO) on October 24 last year. In its clearance letter to the Rs. 6,979 crore project, the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests stated: "557 households consisting of 2,027 persons are likely to be affected due to this project in Manipur. In addition to that, 77 villages will be affected due to land acquisition; no villages will be submerged in Mizoram. Only land of 13 villages will be affected in Mizoram." While India has done its environment impact assessment, it's officially not yet clear whether Bangladesh has or not. Since India envisages implementing the project, it is obvious it would do so. How accurate that assessment is and whether it is acceptable to the people in Manipur, Mizoram and Assam are altogether different questions. But, Bangladesh, which is at the receiving end, can't afford to sit idle as a silent spectator. What can be a better forum than the Indo-Bangla Joint Rivers Commission (JRC) for Bangladesh to raise this issue? Being a co-riparian for many common rivers with India, it has every right to do so. In fact, it was in this very forum -- when the JRC met in Dhaka in 2005 -- that the then Indian water resources minister and JRC co-chairperson Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi had reassured Bangladesh that India would not implement the controversial river-link project (RLP) in Himalayan range rivers, that include Ganges and Brahmaputra, having direct bearings on Bangladesh, and also dispelled Bangladesh's concern about Tipaimukh Project. Dasmunshi was quoted by the press as saying: "We'll present Tipaimukh's planned design to Bangladesh when it is prepared." The then Bangladesh water resources minister Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told journalists that Bangladesh had fears regarding the Tipaimukh project, but India gave assurance of not building any barrage and not diverting Barak water adversely.. But the ground reality is in sharp contrast to what the leaders had committed then. Though a huge quantum of water and silt has flowed through the Barak, Surma and Kushiara rivers over the last three years, no JRC meeting took place. The JRC, in operation since 1972, which was mandated to have meetings at least twice a year, failed to hold a single meeting since September 2005. Though a few water meetings took place at secretary and technocrat-levels, nothing significant came up -- not to speak of solutions to Teesta water sharing, Tipaimukh concerns, Ichhamoti dredging and other unresolved common river issues. After a lapse of almost two years, when Bangladesh is well poised for any water negotiations with a democratically elected government in place, the Indian election is in the horizon. So, good intentions from both sides are crucial now for setting up an emergency JRC meet to iron out all differences, confusions and concerns. Bangladesh has to cry loud before another Farakka hounds us! Reaz Ahmad writes on water and agricultural issues. E-mail: reazahmad@yahoo.com   http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=77310

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[ALOCHONA] Ganges Barrage scheme put on ice for decades

Ganges Barrage scheme put on ice for decades       The Ganges Barrage Project was designed to harness water of the River Padma and to divert it to those 15 rivers during dry seasons.Although the foundation stone of the Ganges Barrage Project was laid nearly three decades ago, successive governments could not even finalise a site for the barrage yet, leading to continuing deterioration of the ecology and agriculture of southern Bangladesh. With no tangible action towards realising the project yet in sight, the people of the region and environmentalists are saying the entire region will continue to pay a heavy price as more rivers will dry up hampering navigability, irrigation, and fishing. They say the deteriorating situation of the rivers will also increase salinity and siltation, affecting the livelihoods in the people in the entire region, while threatening the existence of the world's largest mangrove forest, the Sundarbans. The new Awami League (AL) government, however, selected the project as one of its priorities. Water Resources Minister Romesh Chandra Sen already talked to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina about the project, said ministry officials. "We are seriously thinking of constructing the barrage as it is becoming increasingly vital for the region's irrigation, fisheries and the environment," Romesh Chandra Sen told The Daily Star last week. He said an expert body will visit the region to finalise a site for the proposed barrage. "We are considering the Pangsha-Sujanagar point of Rajbari and Pabna districts for the barrage, instead of the previous one near the Hardinge Bridge," he said. Former electricity, water resources, and flood control minister Kazi Anwarul Haq laid a foundation stone for the proposed barrage at Moslempur point in Bheramara upazila of Kushtia on December 27, 1980. An observer's bungalow was also built there to initiate construction of the barrage. The government then spent about Tk 15 crore to carry out a model study for the barrage. But since then the project hardly had any headway till date. The history of the Ganges Barrage Project dates back to 1957, when the erstwhile Pakistani regime took an initiative to build a barrage on the Padma, three kilometres downstream from the Hardinge Bridge, after India had started constructing the Farakka Barrage across the Ganges River, about 11 miles up stream from the common border, according to Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) in Kushtia. "Had the barrage been constructed, the problems would not have deepened to the present extent," said Mir Sazzad Hossain, a member of Bangladesh-India Joint Rivers Commission (JRC). "We would be able to resolve the crises by effectively using harnessed water if the barrage had been built," he added. Sazzad said a site for the project will be finalised after carrying out yet another model study. The people of the southern region have been demanding the barrage for a long time, especially farmers and fishermen who are directly affected by less water in the rivers in dry seasons. Manjer Ali, a farmer of Charkol village in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia, who cultivated rice on four bighas of land, said they are frightened in dry seasons thinking of where they would get water. Another farmer, Ansar Talukdar said they are forced to spend additional money for irrigation increasing the production cost. "It also hampers production," he added. They demanded that the government takes an effective measure for immediately building their long desired barrage to save the region, covering the country's 37 percent area. They also said the region has been facing manifold crises due to India's unilateral holding of water with the Farakka Barrage, which has been posing a great environmental threat to the coastal area around the Sundarbans, a world heritage site for conservation. The flow of once mighty Padma River has also ebbed alarmingly, leading to drying up of at least 15 other big and small rivers in the region. The Ganges Barrage Project was designed to harness water of the River Padma and to divert it to those 15 rivers during dry seasons. A 1991 government data show, since Farrakka Barrage became operational in 1975, the region has been incurring a loss of more than Tk 300 crore each year through additional spending for dredging and irrigation. "The River Gorai used to channel water to other rivers of the region. But that hasn't been possible for years due to scarcity of water in the Gorai," said Sazzad Hossain, terming the proposed barrage as the ultimate solution for all the problems. As about 15 rivers in the region are facing severe ebb, saline water is also entering into the rivers easily, increasing salinity in the upper streams too, posing threat to the ecology of the Sundarbans, said environmentalists. Due to a lack of water in the Padma, the Ganges-Kabadak Irrigation Project, which was initiated in 1959 bringing 1.16 lakh hectares of land under irrigation, is also not running well. If the Ganges Barrage was built, the experts said, it would increase navigability of the rivers in the region decreasing salinity in the rivers, ultimately saving the Sundarbans, and the population of the region. http://www.thedailystar..net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=77348

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[ALOCHONA] Total finds hydrocarbon in Cox's Bazar, Bay

The Financial Express – February 25, 2009

Total, the French oil company, has discovered hydrocarbon in Cox's
Bazar and in the Bay of Bengal much to the relief of energy-starved
greater Chittagong and the country as well, officials said Thursday.
The company told the Petrobangla Tuesday that it was able to locate
the 'presence' of hydrocarbon in block nos. 17 and 18, which also
cover part of the St Martin islands in the Bay.

"The company said it has found hydrocarbon in these structures, which
means there might be oil or gas or both," a senior Petrobangla
official told the FE.

The company shared its offshore gas survey results with Petrobangla
Tuesday and the commercial viability of hydrocarbon of both these
structures would be announced through consultation early next month,
the Petrobangla official said.

"We are quite satisfied with the data we acquired through the survey,"
a Total official told the FE.

Terming the outcome of the survey campaign 'good' the Total official
hoped to demonstrate details of the outcome soon.

Total, the world's fourth largest energy company, invested around US$
18 million to conduct the extensive three dimensional (3D) survey in
both these structures in the Bay near Myanmar border that covers
18,367 square kilometres.

If the company's discovery matches the commercial viability, it would
be one of the biggest hydrocarbon findings in the country's history, a
senior energy ministry official said.

Total would then make a work-plan for field development and submit it
to Petrobangla for approval.

If all the exploration activities goes smoothly, oil or gas production
from these offshore structures would be initiated within three to four
years.

This would be Total's entry into oil and gas production in Bangladesh.
Total is already present in the refining and marketing sectors in
Bangladesh, with activities in lubricants and liquefied petroleum gas.

Total holds a 30 per cent stake including the operatorship in these
two blocks. Irish oil company Tullow has 32 per cent, followed by Thai
energy giant PTTEP 30 per cent and US companies Oakland and Rexwood
eight per cent stakes in these structures.

State energy corporation Petrobangla rented both the blocks to US
joint venture Rexwood-Oakland during the country's first round energy
bidding in January 1997, but the companies did not carry out any
exploration work due to poor gas demand in the country during that time.

Later Tullow bought majority shares from the US companies. In 2006
Tullow sold its 60 per cent stake to Total, which recently sold half
of its stake to the PTTEP.

Blocks 17 and 18 are close to Myanmar's prospective gas blocks.
Myanmar discovered around 6.0 TCF of gas reserves in the adjacent
offshore gas blocks discovered recently by several international oil
and gas companies (IOCs).

Petrobangla officials said the discovery of gas at the offshore fields
could bring double cheers to the country, now facing soaring energy
crisis amid booming industrial growth.

"If it is found that the discovery is a big one, it will bring to an
end to the chronic gas crisis in the southeastern Chittagong region
within a few years," said an official.

These structures could also contribute significantly to meet the
mounting energy demands across the country.

Major industries, power and fertiliser plants across the country have
been facing acute crisis of energy since last year as the demand
exceeded supply by a great length.

Country's current gas production is now hovering around 1800 million
cubic feet per day (mmcfd) against the demand for over 2050 mmcfd.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/02/25/59699.html

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[ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful

I had no idea about Hzt. Omar. I knew only about Hzt. Osman. He
enjoyed Music and 2nd Caliph Omar had once sneeked on him enjoying
Wine and watching one of his young Semi Nude Slave Girl dancing,
singing and playing a Musical Instrument.

When the Caliph asked, what was he doing?
He said, "what are you doing on my property entering without my
permission this late at night? Since you have violated the law to
catch me like this, I can not be charged with any crime. Leave ...!"

Caliph Omar left quietly and never pressed any charges against him.
Hzt. Osman had stopped coming to the Mosque after that and it
bothered the Caliph but on one special day he went to Mosque and sat
in the back instead of being with the Caliph like before. When Caliph
Omar saw him, he requested him to come up front and whispered, "I
never told anybody about that night".

Hzt. Osman said, "I didn't want to come to Mosque until I quit
drinking" (Watching his young Semi Nude Slave Girl dance and
listening to Music were not considered any Sins by Caliph Omar. His
only objection was drinking).

--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Cyrus <thoughtocrat@...> wrote:
>
> Next time one of these morons is sick, and goes to the hospital for
treatment, I want him to refuse anything alcohol based for anesthesia
or sterilization. I want the doctors to operate on him without any
narcotic or painkillers to reduce pain, as they are also "haram" in
Quran because they can impair your judgment. Only then he would
understand that their meaningless propaganda of the last millennium
is irrelevant. Funny thing is, no one mentions that Hazrat Omar was
actually an alcoholic (as well as a megalomaniac), and that the
Semitic tribes during Prophet Mohammed's time traded wine, as well as
served them at family gatherings and parties. Oh, I am sorry....you
didn't know that Prophet Mohammed was also a "Semite"? And you
thought that only the Jews are the Semites?
>
> Religion is the enemy of science. And if I have to choose between
faith, religion, and the teachings of some puritanical mollahs and
science, I pick science.
> C
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: K. Raisuddin <Kraisuddin@...>

>
> It would have been more appropriate if the citing was about the
destruction of human food to produce biofuels in order to feed the
vehicles. Where as the world is facing the acute shortage of human
foods in many parts of the world, the obligation of the rich
countries would have been to preserve more and more human foods, and
even if they sell instead of donating, millions of human lives would
have been saved. Cellulose biofuel production is alright because in
that process human foods are not used; but producing biofuel using
human food is extremely unethical.
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: rkhundkar@earthlink .net
 
>
> Saudi Muslim cleric warns that biofuels could be sinful
> By Eoin O'Carroll | 02.20.09
> http://features. csmonitor. com/environment/ 2009/02/20/ saudi-
muslim- cleric-warns- that-biofuels- could-be- sinful/A prominent
Muslim scholar in Saudi Arabia has warned that those using alcohol-
based biofuels in their cars could be committing a sin.
> The warning was issued by Sheikh Mohamed Al-Najimi, a member of the
Islamic Fiqh Academy, an institute that studies Islamic jurisprudence
for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, an international
group with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. According to
the Al Arabiya News Channel, an international news outlet is based in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mr. Najim directed his warning to Saudi
youths studying abroad.
> Al Arabiya notes that Najimi stressed that this warning was not an
official fatwa, or religious edict, just his personal opinion. Najimi
added that the issue "needs to be studied by the relevant religious
bodies."
> Ethanol, a common type of biofuel, is made of the same type of
alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, and its production is similar
to that of hard liquor. Plant matter is fermented using yeast, and
the result is distilled to increase the concentration of alcohol.
> Fuels with high concentrations of ethanol – the most common being
E85, a gasoline blend with 85 percent ethanol – can be used in flex-
fuel vehicles, which make up more than seven million of the roughly
250 million passenger cars and trucks on America's roads. Most
gasoline sold in the United States contains about 10 percent ethanol.
The fuel is more common in many Latin American countries,
particularly Brazil.
> In addition to beverages and biofuels, ethanol is a widely used in
industry for its properties as a solvent and an antiseptic. It's a
common component of perfumes and paints. The chemical is also
necessary in the production of vinegar – one of the Prophet
Muhammad's favorite seasonings.
> The Koran prohibits consumption of alcohol in three separate verses
that were written over a period of several years. The first mention
occurs in 4:43, in which Muslims are told that they must not pray
while intoxicated. A verse written later – 2:219 – says that in wine
and gambling "is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is
greater than the profit." Finally, in 5:90-91, intoxicants and
gambling are called "an abomination" and "Satan's handiwork":
>
> Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with
intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of
Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?
> This admonition is waived in the hereafter, apparently: Many
passages in the Islamic holy book describe heaven as having rivers of
wine.
> Ironically, it was Muslim chemists who introduced distillation to
the West. The process of distilling pure ethanol from wine was
perfected by 8th- and 9th-century Persian chemists, who used it to
create perfumes and eyeliner. Their writings were translated by
European scholars in the 12th century, and the process was used to
make potable spirits. The word "alcohol" is itself of Arabic origin.
>
>
> ________________________________
> check out the rest of the Windows Live™. More than mail–Windows
Live™ goes way beyond your inbox. More than messages
>

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[ALOCHONA] General Moin’s Story—Some Comments

General Moin's Story—Some Comments   By Ranu Chowdhury, USA Bangladesh army chief General Moin U Ahmed published a book titled "Shantir Swpney: Samayer Smriticharan" recently. I read an abridged version of the book. One tends to add a little fiction to facts, particularly when it comes to autobiography. General Moin could not be immune to such temptation. However, when fiction overshadows facts, eyebrows do rise. The army chief must be a saintly person to whom our prophet (PBUH) chose to appear in dream. I understand, according to Hadith, such chosen ones are guaranteed a place in the Heaven. How many, out of over a billion Muslims, are so fortunate! We heard former president Ershad always dreamt of the mosque he would visit the following Friday for Jummah, and a barren Roushan Ershad became pregnant and delivered Shaad at old age. General Moin has a fixed political orientation. He made more political speeches than the politicians following the 1/11, an offence under military law. He did not make secret of his preference for a major political party and admiration for its supreme leader, at the same time condemning the other in those speeches. As such, in the 2-year run of the Moin backed Care Taker Government, it was his loved leader everywhere, and others were totally eclipsed. Lot of mystery shrouded the 1/11 that brought in the two-year long emergency rule in Bangladesh. Thanks to the general for sharing his side of the story. We expect the other star of the 1/11, former president Dr. Iajuddin Ahmed, to do the same, for the sake of clarity. However, I am not so sure if he would do us that favor. He was known to listen to HMB (His Masters' Voice) more than required. He listened to Hawa Bhaban for 5 years, even perhaps when the BNP relinquished its authority. He listened to the military's dictation on 1/11 and then after. Even during his 1 month tenure under Sheikh Hasina, he forgot who Ziaur Rahman was? Well, why blaming poor Iajuddin? The present occupant of the Bangabhaban is no better. His reported Parkinson's disease seems to get the better of him. According to him, near god Sheikh Mujib's daughter is the near goddess Sheikh Hasina and she could do no wrong, as such, needed nobody's advice. He did not know where the mazar of Ziaur Rahman located, and went to lay wreaths at the tombs of lesser mortals instead! So much for the talk of honor and dignity that he was supposed to bring to the highest office of Bangladesh. Coming to the Shantir Swpney, the skeptics may point out some of the missing elements and glaring discrepancy. There was no mention of General Rezzaqul Haider Chowdhury who was reportedly appointed as the new army chief; replacing Moin, because of latter's failure to tame the widespread violence that caused huge damage to life and property prior to 1/11. One can understand the omission. Subsequent reports did not corroborate General Moin's assertion that UN was considering to withdraw Bangladesh from the global peace missions, if its army supported the elections on January 22, 2007. The UN Secretary General himself denied of any such move. The story he described about the events from August 15 to November 7, 1975 leaves much to be desired. However, one may not ignore the fact that he was a newly commissioned 2/Lieutenant at that time. And, according to army parlance, a 2/Lt is to be seen only, not to be heard. There is not much scope here to discuss the circumstances that led to the coup on August 15, 1975. One needs to walk back in time to the early 70s of Bangladesh, particularly 1974 and 1975, and then evaluate the necessity of the August coup. It would be totally unfair to judge the August coup in today's context. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was one of the great leaders of Bangladesh. Few could surpass his leadership quality and contribution towards the emancipation of then East Pakistanis for their rights. Yet, I fail to understand why he went and engaged himself in lengthy negotiations with the Pakistanis, following his master speech on March 7, 1971? Well, that was the Sheikh Mujib before 1971. But, what happened to Bangladesh from 1972 to 1975--the creation of the monstrous Rakkhi Bahini, the man-made famine that killed nearly half a million in 1974/75, the clamping of emergency in 1974, the introduction of one-party dictatorship through BAKSAL in 1975, the 5th, constitutional amendment in 1975 and et all? Can one forget and forgive that? Why people forgot to say Innalillah when they heard of his death? General Moin asserted that the August coup was done purely on personal grudge by a group of very junior army officers, while the rest of the defense forces were not involved. What then prevented the rest of the forces to act and crush that small group? Why then all the chiefs fell head over heels to present themselves before the new president Khandakar Mushataque Ahmed and publicly announce their support and allegiance to him? Just for information, when Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf, the army chief of general staff, was told that the tanks that were taken out on the night of the coup did not have the ammunition for their main guns, he immediately sent out a hand written note to issue shells for the cannons. Later, however, when an ambitious Khaled failed to gain any favor from the coup leaders, he started plotting against them. General Moin said that coup leaders were running the country from Bangabhaban, and that infuriated the senior army officers. Well, as a new born officer in the army, he was not supposed to know or see what had happened around that time. His knowledge must have been acquired from his likeminded peers. To refresh the memory, the new president formed a cabinet composed entirely of the elected representatives of the Awami League on August 15, 1975. Parliament and constitution were not touched. As far as I know, none of the coup leaders were within miles of power, and Mushtaque was not a character to take dictation from others. There were reports of Farooq and Dalim showing off a little; but that was their personal style and certainly did not mean any disrespect to anybody. Chiefs of defense forces and other senior officers used to visit the Bangabhaban on a regular basis those days. Can anyone of them cite an instance when an August coup officer showed any disrespect to them at any stage? Not that I heard of. I also learnt that most coup officers left Bangabhaban within a few days and lived with their families and in own residences, who had them. Also, the August coup officers were not taken out of the country by any outsider aeroplane, as mentioned by General Moin. I understand, under an arrangement between Khaled and Bangabhaban, they were allowed to leave the country temporarily, with an assurance to bring them back as soon as the situation permitted. A Bangladesh Biman aircraft was used. Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf and some of his over zealous cohorts had some grudge against the August 15 coup leaders. It stemmed from their failure to be part of a spectacular historic event that was instantly hailed and welcomed at home and abroad. It was a kind of frustration of missing the boat. So they decided to do something to outdo the August 15 success. The result of this conspiracy was the devastating countercoup of November 3, 1975. According to General Moin, he was sent to Bangabhaban to guard Khandakar Mushtaque Ahmed against any suicide attempt. This appears ludicrous. If Mushtaque wanted to commit suicide, how in the world a subaltern could stop it? 2/Lt Moin remained with the confined president almost 24 hours; hopefully not suggesting he accompanied him to bedroom and bathroom too. Our subaltern said he could go to his room to wash and change uniform only. He seemed to have no time to eat, sleep or bathe during those days. What a dedication to duty! From various events of those days learnt from horses' mouth, Khandakar Mushtaque did not seem to be a coward at all, as described by our subaltern of the time. Let me tell you what I learnt. Khaled's short lived coup was a battle or nerves between his small band of officers in the Dhaka cantonment and the Bangabhaban. Public life was not disturbed much, except that the electronic media was off the air. Khaled wanted Bangabhaban to surrender to his command. Mushtaque, joined by his defense adviser General M A G Osmany, flatly refused. Khaled then extended a carrot, requesting Mushtaque to continue as president while he ran the show. Brigadier Rouf and Colonel Malek went to Bangabhaban with the proposal. Mushtaque coolly replied, "If you want me to remain the president, I will be THE president, not YOUR president". Frustrated at the stubbornness of the president, an arrogant Colonel Shafaat Jamil, the Dhaka Brigade Commander, stormed Bangabhaban and tried to obtain Mushataque's resignation at gun point. Yet, Mushtaque did not budge and was kept confined there, along with Osmany. And, perhaps, our young 2/Lt Moin found himself doing guard duty there. According to eye witnesses, an outraged Shafaat not only misbehaved with the elderly president and General Osmany but virtually manhandled them. When Khaled and Co. failed to subdue Mushtaque, they decided to appoint Chief Justice A S M Sayem as the new president on November 6, 1975. So, why would Mushtaque kill himself? Mushtaque was a devout Muslim, and would certainly not do something that is prohibited in Islam. In any case, if he did, it would have been a windfall gift for Khaled. Unfortunately for Khaled, his counter coup was not accepted outside his small circle of officers, definitely not by the military at large. It was seen to undo the much heralded August 15 Revolution. Khaled was seen as an agent of Awami League, and by extension India, a fact people could not accept at that time. Arrest of Ziaur Rahman, a war hero and declarer of the independence, did not go well in the military chain of command. By the night of November 6, troops in the Dhaka cantonment revolted and released General Ziaur Rahman from confinement. Khaled, who was at Bangabhaban at that time, realized that his game was over. He, accompanied by Col Huda, Lt Col Haider and a few bodyguards, fled. They were intercepted and arrested at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar by10 Bengal Regiment, Khaled's onetime loyal unit, then commanded by Lt Col Nawazish. Upon hearing the news, Zia instructed Nawazish to protect Khaled. But the angry troops killed their prize shortly afterwards. The troops stationed at Bangabhaban immediately aligned with the sepahi-janata (soldier-civilian) revolution, helped release Mushataque and joined the chanting mass in the caravan.. All military officers at Bangabhaban fled. Col Shafaat jumped over the southern wall and broke one of his legs. He was later arrested at a ferry ghat. Yet, our young and brave 2/Lt singlehandedly continued to fight the popular uprising that night, a repeat of the Charge of the Light Brigade! He must have been pretty well known even as a 2/Lt, because a soldier of the revolution knew that he was commissioned only 10 months ago, so no point killing the poor soul! However, others did not perhaps think so and took him to the back of the Bangabhaban to do the ritual, according to Moin. It was a mass uprising; the revolutionaries do things up front. Why would they waste time to take a tiny 2/Lt to a remote and lonely area to do the job? And again, why would a Havilder look for him among throngs of people that night? Major Hafizuddin Ahmed, the former BNP minister and the Brigade Major (BM) to Shafaat Jamil, was a key figure to Khaled's countercoup. Then Major (later Brigadier) Zubeyer Siddiqui played important role in rescuing Zia on November 6 night and reinstalling his authority at the army chief at 2 Field Regiment Artillery in the Dhaka cantonment. Both these officers are men of very high integrity and can throw more light on the events of November, 1975. R Chowdhury San Jose, CA USA E Mail : ranu51@hotmail.com   http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=248824

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RE: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful

Dear Mr. Raisuddin:

i think it is afe to say this particular cleric has no understanding/comprehension of the nuance you are speaking of. So that is a lost cause.

One can also argue he is simply trying to protect his country's monopoly in fossil fuel by using the language of Koranic injunctions. Unfortunately, many simple-minded believers may be hood winked to act against their own common human interests by such talk.  

Robin Khundkar

-----Original Message-----
From: "K. Raisuddin"
Sent: Feb 23, 2009 8:55 PM
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful

It would have been more appropriate if the citing was about the destruction of human food to produce biofuels in order to feed the vehicles. Where as the world is facing the acute shortage of human foods in many parts of the world, the obligation of the rich countries would have been to preserve more and more human foods, and even if they sell instead of donating, millions of human lives would have been saved. Cellulose biofuel production is alright because in that process human foods are not used; but producing biofuel using human food is extremely unethical.

---

From: rkhundkar@earthlink.net
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:31:55 -0500
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful

Saudi Muslim cleric warns that biofuels could be sinful

By Eoin O'Carroll | 02.20.09

http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2009/02/20/saudi-muslim-cleric-warns-that-biofuels-could-be-sinful/

A prominent Muslim scholar in Saudi Arabia has warned that those using alcohol-based biofuels in their cars could be committing a sin.
The warning was issued by Sheikh Mohamed Al-Najimi, a member of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, an institute that studies Islamic jurisprudence for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, an international group with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. According to the Al Arabiya News Channel, an international news outlet is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mr. Najim directed his warning to Saudi youths studying abroad.
Al Arabiya notes that Najimi stressed that this warning was not an official fatwa, or religious edict, just his personal opinion. Najimi added that the issue "needs to be studied by the relevant religious bodies."
Ethanol, a common type of biofuel, is made of the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, and its production is similar to that of hard liquor. Plant matter is fermented using yeast, and the result is distilled to increase the concentration of alcohol.
Fuels with high concentrations of ethanol – the most common being E85, a gasoline blend with 85 percent ethanol – can be used in flex-fuel vehicles, which make up more than seven million of the roughly 250 million passenger cars and trucks on America's roads. Most gasoline sold in the United States contains about 10 percent ethanol. The fuel is more common in many Latin American countries, particularly Brazil.
In addition to beverages and biofuels, ethanol is a widely used in industry for its properties as a solvent and an antiseptic. It's a common component of perfumes and paints. The chemical is also necessary in the production of vinegar – one of the Prophet Muhammad's favorite seasonings.
The Koran prohibits consumption of alcohol in three separate verses that were written over a period of several years. The first mention occurs in 4:43, in which Muslims are told that they must not pray while intoxicated. A verse written later – 2:219 – says that in wine and gambling "is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." Finally, in 5:90-91, intoxicants and gambling are called "an abomination" and "Satan's handiwork":

Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain?

This admonition is waived in the hereafter, apparently: Many passages in the Islamic holy book describe heaven as having rivers of wine.
Ironically, it was Muslim chemists who introduced distillation to the West. The process of distilling pure ethanol from wine was perfected by 8th- and 9th-century Persian chemists, who used it to create perfumes and eyeliner. Their writings were translated by European scholars in the 12th century, and the process was used to make potable spirits. The word "alcohol" is itself of Arabic origin.

---

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Re: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful

Being a Muslim I have taken what the so called Saudi scholar said as an opinion, I wouldn't take it as fatwa (Islamic ruling) though as mentioned he is from the fiqh academy. Even if he had claimed it as fatwa, yet it wouldn't bother me much. When it is a human judgment it should have its limitation and you weigh his opinion according to your own understanding on the matter. The Holy Quran prescribe Freedom of Speech, he has said what he think he should say, take it or leave it. Perhaps your disparagement here is unnecessary. Since you are not a believer it shouldn't have bothered you in the first place.   It bothered you or the scorn derived from, very likely, something else. Wish you only good.   Haque --- On Tue, 24/2/09, Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful To: alochona@yahoogroups.com Date: Tuesday, 24 February, 2009, 11:05 AM Next time one of these morons is sick, and goes to the hospital for treatment, I want him to refuse anything alcohol based for anesthesia or sterilization. I want the doctors to operate on him without any narcotic or painkillers to reduce pain, as they are also "haram" in Quran because they can impair your judgment. Only then he would understand that their meaningless propaganda of the last millennium is irrelevant. Funny thing is, no one mentions that Hazrat Omar was actually an alcoholic (as well as a megalomaniac) , and that the Semitic tribes during Prophet Mohammed's time traded wine, as well as served them at family gatherings and parties. Oh, I am sorry....you didn't know that Prophet Mohammed was also a "Semite"? And you thought that only the Jews are the Semites?   Religion is the enemy of science. And if I have to choose between faith, religion, and the teachings of some puritanical mollahs and science, I pick science. C From: K. Raisuddin <Kraisuddin@hotmail. com> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 8:55:58 PM Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful It would have been more appropriate if the citing was about the destruction of human food to produce biofuels in order to feed the vehicles. Where as the world is facing the acute shortage of human foods in many parts of the world, the obligation of the rich countries would have been to preserve more and more human foods, and even if they sell instead of donating, millions of human lives would have been saved. Cellulose biofuel production is alright because in that process human foods are not used; but producing biofuel using human food is extremely unethical. From: rkhundkar@earthlink .net Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 18:31:55 -0500 Subject: [ALOCHONA] Saudi Arabian scholar Warns: Alcohol in Bio-fuels is sinful   Saudi Muslim cleric warns that biofuels could be sinful By Eoin O'Carroll | 02.20.09 http://features. csmonitor. com/environment/ 2009/02/20/ saudi-muslim- cleric-warns- that-biofuels- could-be- sinful/ A prominent Muslim scholar in Saudi Arabia has warned that those using alcohol-based biofuels in their cars could be committing a sin. The warning was issued by Sheikh Mohamed Al-Najimi, a member of the Islamic Fiqh Academy, an institute that studies Islamic jurisprudence for the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, an international group with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. According to the Al Arabiya News Channel, an international news outlet is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Mr. Najim directed his warning to Saudi youths studying abroad. Al Arabiya notes that Najimi stressed that this warning was not an official fatwa, or religious edict, just his personal opinion. Najimi added that the issue "needs to be studied by the relevant religious bodies." Ethanol, a common type of biofuel, is made of the same type of alcohol found in alcoholic beverages, and its production is similar to that of hard liquor. Plant matter is fermented using yeast, and the result is distilled to increase the concentration of alcohol. Fuels with high concentrations of ethanol – the most common being E85, a gasoline blend with 85 percent ethanol – can be used in flex-fuel vehicles, which make up more than seven million of the roughly 250 million passenger cars and trucks on America's roads. Most gasoline sold in the United States contains about 10 percent ethanol. The fuel is more common in many Latin American countries, particularly Brazil. In addition to beverages and biofuels, ethanol is a widely used in industry for its properties as a solvent and an antiseptic. It's a common component of perfumes and paints. The chemical is also necessary in the production of vinegar – one of the Prophet Muhammad's favorite seasonings. The Koran prohibits consumption of alcohol in three separate verses that were written over a period of several years. The first mention occurs in 4:43, in which Muslims are told that they must not pray while intoxicated. A verse written later – 2:219 – says that in wine and gambling "is great sin, and some profit, for men; but the sin is greater than the profit." Finally, in 5:90-91, intoxicants and gambling are called "an abomination" and "Satan's handiwork": Satan's plan is (but) to excite enmity and hatred between you, with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah, and from prayer: will ye not then abstain? This admonition is waived in the hereafter, apparently: Many passages in the Islamic holy book describe heaven as having rivers of wine. Ironically, it was Muslim chemists who introduced distillation to the West. The process of distilling pure ethanol from wine was perfected by 8th- and 9th-century Persian chemists, who used it to create perfumes and eyeliner. Their writings were translated by European scholars in the 12th century, and the process was used to make potable spirits. The word "alcohol" is itself of Arabic origin. check out the rest of the Windows Live™. More than mail–Windows Live™ goes way beyond your inbox. More than messages

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Get your preferred Email name!
Now you can @ymail.com and @rocketmail.com.

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Re: [ALOCHONA] We have always been under military control

As I read the incoherent interviews of veteran policy makers such as Mr. Asafuddowla, as well as comments from Bangladeshis about the legitimacy of CTG and the legality of its actions, I feel that a discourse is completely absent from this mindless finger-pointing. It's a cyber mob that has lost its status quo, and wants its time in the limelight to protest against the "unfairness". It is convenient for Mr. Dowla and his peers to call CTG unconstitutional. I am not surprised. This is the same group of CSP officers who wanted to "sanitize" Muslim League principles and implement in our democracy. Fortunately for the next generation, these CSP officers, stuck in pre-1971, are a vanishing bunch and their 15 minutes of fame is up.

 

In my view, whether we agree with the tactics that were used or not, CTG was well within in its authority to do whatever it did. That is, of course, as far as the constitution is concerned. The behind the closed-door negotiations and brokering that occurred is just smart politics, and does not have to have any constitutional relevance. This is my unqualified argument for the CTG, and no, I was never paid a dime by anyone to write this.

 

Section IV, Article 58(D) says "The Non-Party [CTG] shall discharge its functions as an interim government and shall carry on the routine functions of such government....except in the case of necessity.....its shall not make any policy decision." Article 58(E) also states that "[CTG]...shall give to the [EC] all possible aid and assistance that may be required for holding the general election of members of parliament peacefully, fairly and impartially." (Emphasis Added) CTG has the authority of a functioning government, and as far as precedence, CTG is well within its executive authority to make any decision it pleases. There are two points of contention here; a) Was the emergency rule a "necessity", as defined in the constitution? and b) Did CTG overstep its authority?

 

My argument is that "yes", an emergency rule was a necessity in order for CTG to aid EC to hold general elections "peacefully, fairly, and impartially". I am not going to get into discussing the downfall of the BNP regime, but I am sure millions of Bangladeshis welcomed its departure. It also became apparent that in the environment created by BNP, EC could not have held elections in a peaceful and fair manner. So, if the CTG felt that it was a "necessity" for the "peaceful, fair, and impartial" general election, emergency rule was very much constitutional.

 

When the former president decided to appoint himself as the acting Chief Adviser of the CTG, the conflict of interest necessitated an intervention and it became apparent that a fair election was not viable at that point. It was a necessity to declare emergency and dismantle the power structure. The former president himself, by his very act, violated the constitutional requirement of a "non-party". When CTG came to power, in the absence of a president, the chief adviser was able to, and constitutionally authorized to act as the head of state. In effect, the chief adviser was an ex officio prime minister and the president.

 

As the ex officio head of the state, the chief adviser believed that the country was too politically and economically unstable for a general election. Our constitution authorizes the Head of the State (i.e. president) to declare emergency rule in the Emergency Provisions, Part IXA, Section 141A,  which states, "If the President is satisfied that a grave emergency exists in which the security or economic life of Bangladesh, or any part thereof, is threatened by war or external aggression or internal disturbance, he may issue a Proclamation of Emergency". (I have problems with the use of "he" in this clause. It assumes that the president shall always be a man. I digress.) Furthermore, the Ordinance Making Power, Chapter III, Section 93, of the constitution states that "At any time when [Parliament stands dissolved or is not in session], if the President is satisfied that circumstances exist which render immediate action necessary, he may make and promulgate such Ordinances as the circumstances appear to him to require, and any Ordinance so made shall, as from its promulgation have the like force of law as an Act of Parliament".

 

Considering the political strife and the total anarchy that ensued the fall of the BNP government, it is also safe to say that "internal disturbance" threatened the "security and economic life of Bangladesh" and that it was a prudent decision for the acting head of state (i.e. chief adviser) to declare "state of emergency". Any president or head of state, whether appointed, elected, or of the care-taker government, is well within his/her constitutional authority to proclaim a state of emergency, and those say otherwise are simply unaware of the constitution or its applications.

 

I have always said that the emergency rule of CTG was a necessity, but CTG failed to make any long-lasting institutional change in our current socio-political setting. It just held the fort, but didn't create one. But CTG and its actions were within the realm of the constitution, and those who keep whining about the "unconstitutionality" and "unfairness" of the CTG need to realize that they cannot always eat and have the cake too.

 

Cyrus Zulkarnaian Kazi

New York

 

---

From: maqsud omaba <maqsudo@hotmail.com>
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 2:08:53 AM
Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] We have always been under military control

"  Do you think the two-year emergency rule was constitutional?
   The interim government was absolutely unconstitutional and unlawful. How can you continue a state of emergency for two years, keeping suspended the rights and liberties of the people? Do you know how much I personally suffered? My son lost his job; my daughter, who was the deputy attorney general, lost her job just because I was considered by that regime to be too vocal and critical; because I spoke too strongly and loudly."........... ....Mr. asfuddowla, ex-Secretay.

---

Mr. Dowla, what did you do...for the people of Bangladesh while enjoying prestigious public posts?
How many times you protested..about so many inefficient, corrupt, dangerous ex- CSPs...and other senior
officials, who looted money and later made a second career by sucking the toes of political leaders.

You talk about democracy and human rights. What type and quality of democracy and human rights we practise in
Bdesh?

Is it not time for all the ex-CSPs and other ex- senior officials to spend some time and energy through
community work? And provide opportunities to other younger, brighter, more talented people?

While you were in office, you spent all your time to procure land in the best residential area+ to build
a palace with stolen money.

How many policies you created that had been helpful for community development and healthy economy?
Have you ever said " THANKS"...to ordinary Bdeshis...for enjoying govt. scholarships. ..that are offered
regularly to Bdeshi public servants by various international organizations?

No, none of you did. You added some degrees to your name from foreign universities, stole money from public funds and sent your children overseas for education.

And we the morons, the general public, have not created a system of accountability from you people, the powerful,
ruthless, ill-mannered govt. officials.


khoda hafez.

dr. maqsud omar

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[ALOCHONA] Drishtipat DC Press Release: Celebration of World Languages in Washington DC

Drishtipat DC Press Release   Celebration of World Languages in Washington DC  February 21, Washington DC  International Mother Language Day was commemorated at the Bangladesh Embassy through a wide array of cultural performances from around the globe. The cultural soiree included a Paraguayan bottle dance, Afro-Peruvian music, Malay jazz, Russian folk dance, Nigerian ballad, a Bangladeshi performance and much more.     "The opportunity to sing in my mother language in front of a packed audience was a truly moving experience. It was a wonderful way to celebrate cultural and linguistic diversity," said a performer.   This event was co-hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh, Drishtipat DC, UN Association of the National Capitol Area and the World Bank's Youth2Youth Group.   In tribute to the Bangla Language Movement of 1952, the United Nations declared 21 February International Mother Language Day to celebrate the ethno-linguistic rights of people around the globe.   You can fin pictures from the event here: http://picasaweb.google.com/DrishtipatDC1/MotherLanguageDay2009?authkey=eZRntAZbp8U&feat=directlink Photo credit: Drishtipat DC   For additional information contact dc.drishtipat@gmail.com

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[ALOCHONA] Fwd: Arab News: Why Is There So Much Hate Inside Us?

Feb 24, 2009 03:39:54 PM, sylhet@verizon.net wrote:

Feb 24, 2009 09:31:43 AM, sa wrote:

Thank you Momen Bhai for forwarding the write-up of Mr.Abdullah Al-Mutairi.   Me too faced similar experiences many times during my long stayover in KSA. We the South Asian Muslims grow up with dreamy picture of Arabia, land of our beloved prophet. We learn to love Arabia, its desert, camels, Beduins et al from our childhood & cherish to be there at least once in life. Consider the glorious lines of Tagore:   "Ihar cheye hotem jodi Arab Beduin Choron tole bishal maru digonte biline"   Alas, all our dreams are shattered & torn once we set foot here. When we go back home, there remains nothing but disappointment, dismay & hatred for our dreamland. We come to realize that phrases such as "Muslim Umma", "all Muslims are brethren", "all Muslims are equal" etc are too bookish, they have no weight at least in Saudi Society. I'm not so optimistic that essays like the present one could make any change in the mindset of Saudi people. However, let us hope. Have nice time.... M  --- On Sat, 2/21/09 From: WCI <sylhet@verizon.net> Subject: Fwd: Arab News: Why Is There So Much Hate Inside Us? Date: Saturday, February 21, 2009, 10:54 AM Unless you respect others how do you expect respect from others? I am impressed with the write-up of Abdullah Al-Mutairi (Al-Watan) and his observation. I agree with him that the Arabs especially the Saudis need such advice for their own betterment.   Once at a prayer room in a government building in Riyadh a 'Bangladeshi cleaner' started the prayer as Imam. 10/15 stood behind him and he started praying. After 1st sejda is complete and he was about to start recitation, a Saudi who entered late in the room forcibly replaced the Bangladeshi Imam. He started the prayer afresh. I felt so bad that I left the 'jamat' and finished my prayer alone.   I was wondering whether Hazrat Belal, a slave would ever be allowed to call for the prayer in the current Saudi mentality. Such you will never witness in non-Muslim countries like USA.   Saudi educators and Imams should start a crash program to impart the teachings of Islam and respect for others. Thank you Mr. Abdullah Al-Mutairi.    Dr. Abdul Momen Boston Read the following Arab News column below. Regards http://www.arabnews.com/?page=13§ion=0&article=79830&d=27&m=3&y=2006

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