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Friday, July 24, 2009

RE: [Nagorik_Shokti] AL's future direction?




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[mukto-mona] Beards not Islam



Please read the following. Moslims failed to prove in Supreme Court of India that wearing Beard was their Religios Right. Now you should remember 2nd largest Moslim Population lives in USA and it could not prove it and here in USA we are being fooled by just a few, who want ignorant USA to let them keep wearing their Beards in US Armed Forces.
 
If the same question was put in front of Indian Supreme Court about wearing Borqah or covering face of Moslim Females, they would lose again but here in the West we are very guilty conscious about banning Borqah or Moslim Females claiming that its Religious Right to have their face covered.
 
Some Moslim Female Immigrants have tried to change laws in the West by refusing to be pictured for Drivers Licsence saying its against Islam and one of the 10 Commandments. The Question is, when no Moslim Country issues a Passport without a Photograph, how can we accept this lie?
 
The West is acting like a fool by letting Bearded Men and Borqah Clad Women enter their countries. They are not desparate Meeks of the world seeking shelter, they are JehaaDis increasing their population in the West to conquer it pretending to be deprived discriminated masses of the world.
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Islam does not mandate Muslims to keep beard: India Air Force

IAF to rethink on Muslim beard issueDhananjay Mahapatra, TNN 24 July 2009, 03:55am IST

NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force is taking a fresh look at its tough stand not to allow a Muslim personnel to sport a beard.

While the Air Force had on an affidavit in the Supreme Court strongly argued that Islam does not mandate its members to keep a beard or not to trim it, realisation that its tough stand could incite a controversy led it to tell the court that it would look at the sensitive issue anew.

Responding to a petition filed by one Mohammad Zubair challenging the Air Force's policy not to allow Muslim recruits to keep beard if on the date of joining they did not have it, the IAF said, "All Muslims do not carry beard."

"The practice of growing and keeping beard is optional and sporting a beard is not universally recognised in the religion of Islam. Therefore, it cannot be said that Muslim religion prohibits the cutting of hair or shaving of the face of its member," it told the Supreme Court in an affidavit.

Having said this on an affidavit, the Centre realised that such a stand could stoke a huge religious controversy. Appearing for the government, additional solicitor general Indira Jaising told a Bench comprising Justices D K Jain and H L Dattu on Monday that the government was taking a fresh look at the issue.

While deferring hearing for eight weeks, the Bench noted in its order: "The ASG appearing on behalf of the Union of India states that fresh thought is being given to the controversy raised in the present petition. She prays for adjournment. "

The IAF in its affidavit had said that its decision not to allow Muslims who did not have a beard at the time of joining the force to grow a beard was also judicially approved.

It cited a 1985 decision of the Kerala High Court, which had held that Muslim personnel serving in the armed forces like the state police cannot grow beard as a matter of right and that they were bound by the departmental instructions in this regard.

"For the effective and efficient functioning of such a large combatant force, with 11,000 officers and about 1.2 lakh (120,000) personnel below the officers, it is imperative and essential that its personnel are guided by a sense of brotherhood and feeling of `espirit-de- corps' without any distinction of caste, creed, colour or religion," the IAF's affidavit said.

dhananjay.mahapatra @timesgroup. com


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[ALOCHONA] DISPUTE OVER MANAGING COMMON RIVERS




The people of Bangladesh have reasons to believe that it is primarily not the want of water on Indian's part that has been impeding successful negotiations. It is rather a negative mindset of the Indian policymakers that never allows the Indian authorities to forge positive negotiations with its neighbours, including Bangladesh, writes Nurul Kabir in a paper presented at the India-Bangladesh dialogues of journalists at the Bangladesh Enterprise
Institute in 2004


THE Indian authorities, however, proceeded with both the projects without even informing Bangladesh, let alone taking consent of the lower-riparian country, which was an obligation for the upper-riparian India under international laws and conventions that bar building of any structure blocking natural flow of waters at any point before a confluence.


   The authorities of Bangladesh protested against the Indian moves on both the controversial projects at the last JRC meeting held in Delhi in September 2003, and demanded that both the issues should be specifically included in the agenda for discussion. India initially refused to officially recognise Bangladesh's concern over the twin issues on the pretext that the projects were still at the conceptual level. They eventually 'agreed' to recognise the concerns only when Bangladesh, following a whole night of failed negotiations, reportedly declined to sign the joint statement on the 'outcome' of the meeting. Indian authorities eventually 'agreed to consult on its river-linking project with all the stakeholders including Bangladesh', and the water resources minister of India 'also assured' that they 'will not build any structure at Tipaimukh in Tripura, without prior consultation' with the lower-riparian neighbour.


   The Bangladesh water resources minister reportedly found the inclusion of India's river-linking project in the JRC agenda 'a major outcome' of the meeting, as the inclusion, he believes, 'paved a way for the future'.
   But were the people of Bangladesh really assured? I have doubts, especially given the history of the breaches of similar promises by the Indian authorities. Did India not tell the world in 1951 that its Farakka Barrage project was at a 'conceptual stage', but silently went ahead in implementing the project? Did India not tell Bangladesh in 1975 that it was going to commission the barrage on a trial basis, and that too only for 11 days, but continued to operate the barrage at its will? Naturally, the troubled water of mistrust has contaminated the relation between the two countries.
   
   It's just not water …
   GIVEN the history of the failed negotiations over the contentious issues, including water, and the positions that the Indian authorities have been asserting in the process, the people of Bangladesh have reasons to believe that it is primarily not the want of water on Indian's part that has been impeding successful negotiations. It is rather a negative mindset of the Indian policymakers that never allows the Indian authorities to forge positive negotiations with its neighbours, including Bangladesh. It is really strange to notice that India has developed 'unfriendly' relations, of course of different proportions, with all of its neighbours. It is time that the Indian authorities started soul searching.


   To return to the contentions issues between India and Bangladesh, one is free to ask as to what is the status of the first major agreement signed between the governments of Bangladesh and India in May 1974. The accord, what has eventually come to be known as the Mujib-Indira treaty, was signed to ensure a comprehensive settlement over the outstanding issues such as the exchange of (110) Bangladesh's enclaves in India and (51 of) Indian enclaves in Bangladesh, exchange of territories in adverse possessions, demarcation of 6.5 kilometres of land borders and demarcation of the maritime boundary.


   The agreement was supposed to 'take effect from the date of the exchange of the Instruments of Ratification' 'as early as possible'. In a good neighbourly gesture, Bangladesh immediately ratified the agreement and handed to India over 2.64-square mile 'southern half of South Berubari union'. But India, as usual, failed to 'lease in perpetuity to Bangladesh an area of 178 metres × 85 metres near Tin Bigha to connect Dhagram with Panbari Mouza of Bangladesh' for long 18 years.


   The Tin Bigha corridor was eventually open to the use of Bangladesh citizens in June 1992, but its conditionality is still so confusing and littered with so much of a bureaucratic complication that the life of the Bangladeshis in the Dhagram enclave has turned to be one of constant ordeals.
   Notably, if the transfers of the enclaves are done, under the Mujib-Indira treaty, Bangladesh will regain around 10,000 acres of land, which is important for the geographically tiny Bangladesh. Besides, the Bangladesh citizens living in those enclaves would be able to enjoy all the civil rights they are constitutionally guaranteed to.


   It has been 30 years since the signing of the Mujib-Indira agreement in 1974, while the Indian authorities are yet to implement the treaty on the pretext that they have to ratify the agreement in the parliament.
   The two states also agreed, under conventions of international border treaties, not to do any construction 'within 30 yards of the no man's land or 150 yards from the zero line.' But India has repeatedly violated the agreement – the construction of a 90-foot road leading to the Padua border outpost of Bangladesh along the Sylhet border and subsequent occupation of the outpost by the Indian Border Security Force on April 11, 2001 is a glaring example of the latter's disregard for its small neighbour. The Bangladesh Rifles, the border guards of Bangladesh, however, reclaimed the camp on the 15th of the month.


   But India's reaction to the reclamation was irrational of the highest order..
   In the morning on April 18, some 300 BSF members invaded to occupy Bangladesh's border observation post at village Baroibari along the Raumari frontier of Kurigram district. A fierce clash in the Bangladesh territory claimed 19 lives – three of them Bangladeshis and the rest Indian.


   The Indian authorities' 'nationalist ego' was hurt. Nationalism, as I mentioned earlier, has an inherent tendency to be jingoistic, which, in the present case, unjustly compelled the Bangladesh's government of Sheikh Hasina to order the BDR on April 19 to withdraw from Padua and tell the Indian prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, reportedly over telephone, that the Padua operation was 'a misadventure by the local commanders' of the BDR. India had been demanding removal and court marshal of the director general of the Bangladesh Rifles, Brigadier Fazlur Rahman, while a section of the Indian media was seen madly dancing to the tune of the establishment, simply forgetting its democratic responsibility to inform the Indian people that it was the Indian authorities that were on the wrong side of the international law.


   The Indian authorities had its 'desire' eventually fulfilled by the government of Khaleda Zia, which sent Fazlur Rahman on a forced retirement, without showing any reasonable ground. Many in Dhaka believe that the government of Khaleda Zia took the step to satisfy the Indian authorities' jingoistic ego, and that too at the cost of hurting the patriotic feeling of the people of Bangladesh at large.
   
   The result is obvious
   THE result of India's Bangladesh policy is obvious. 'The anti-India feeling in Bangladesh is so strong that you can taste it,' writes Indian columnist Kuldip Nayar in a Bangladesh daily, in the second quarter of June this year, 'after a five-day stay at Dhaka'. To project the gravity of the situation, Nayar says, '…even Sheikh Hasina, considered New Delhi's friend, refuses to preside over the launching of a book, commending India's contribution to the liberation of Bangladesh.'


   The message is clear. Given the amount of the resentment of the people in Dhaka over the years of India's acrimonious policies vis-à-vis Bangladesh, even Sheikh Hasina, president of the Awami League that presided over the country's war of independence in 1971, with Indian assistance, cannot politically afford any more hobnobbing with Delhi, at least publicly. Nayar has, therefore, advised India's 'South Block' to take 'generous and realistic attitude towards Bangladesh', hoping that such an attitude 'can help us fight anti-India feeling there [in Dhaka]'.


   Nayar sounds patronising: He pleads for his South Block's 'generosity' towards Bangladesh, when he admits that 'Our [India's] official trade [with Bangladesh] is worth $1 billion as against [Bangladesh's] $60 million', and that 'non-official trade is said to be $2 billion in favour of India'.


   Had Nayar noticed, from the figures provided by himself, that Bangladesh has been contributing to the economic growth of India at a rate much higher than that of India's contribution to Bangladesh's economic progress, he might have pleaded for India's 'just gesture', instead of a 'generous' one, towards Bangladesh. India's 'just gestures', particularly in the areas of water sharing and bilateral trades, can really help Bangladesh make progress.


   However, Kuldip Nayar's advice, even if listened to by the 'South Block', would hardly help to solve the problems impeding the growth of a healthy relation between the two neighbouring countries, which is important for the development of both the peoples. In my view, the problem is political, or in other words, the problem lies with the parochial political attitudes of the policy planners particularly of India that obstruct them to take 'just attitude' towards the coterminous states. If the negative political attitude is changed, the right policies in different areas – be it water management or trades – will automatically follow. If India fails to change its political attitude to its neighbours, grievances against India will continue to grow among neighbouring peoples, which, in the last instance, will not be good either for India or its neighbours, of course including Bangladesh.
   
   What is to be done?
   I AM not comfortable with the idea of advising political authorities on what to do or what not, as I am quite uncomfortable with the idea of being advised by those authorities on what to write or what not. The peoples are my constituency and fellow journalists the comrades-in-arms in my struggle for the people's democratic rights and liberties. So I would like to emphasise certain democratic responsibilities of the media practitioners of both the countries aspiring for democratic emancipation of the peoples concerned.
   I personally believe that it is primarily the parochial, and, therefore, myopic, political attitudes of a section, which is of course very powerful, of India's policymakers, politicians, bureaucrats and intelligence officials included, which are behind all these misdeeds against Bangladesh that more often than not amounts to crimes, both moral and legal, against millions of people of a neighbouring country.


   I have also reasons to believe that the democratic section of the Indian population, which is again huge, is not adequately aware of how the policymakers of their country have for decades been provoking hatred against India among the people of Bangladesh by means of pursuing anti-Bangladesh policies.
   
To be continued
   Reprinted from Dynamics of Bangladesh-India Relations: Dialogue of Young Journalists Across the Border, UPL, 2005.

 

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/jul/25/oped.html




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[ALOCHONA] TipaiMukh: Indian propaganda rolls on from Bangladesh soil



TipaiMukh: Indian propaganda rolls on from Bangladesh soil

By Taslima

Ref : http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=275853

Mr Bijon Sarma pops up from time to time with his limited knowledge about Bangladesh related issues. He seems to be doing dirty Indian propaganda from the soil of Bangladesh, perhaps, without meaning to. He has tried to create religious controversy over an issue without a communal basis. This issue has to do with the national survival of the Bengali nation. All political parties and faith groups of our Bengali nation want a solution which doesn't damage our national interest.

You will have seen how our Bangladesh government has been very measured in its demand. It is seeking co-operation and mutually beneficial solution. That has been the approach of every Bangladesh government. This nation doesn't have ill-will towards any of her neighbours. After all, it was Bangladesh which established SAARC....

India is a poor country with many, many problems. Forget what a few Parsis & Gujarati immigrants of Kenya, Uganda and London are doing making billions for mata Bharat. It's got nearly half of the poorest people in the world despite being free of British rule for 62 years.

Forget the Hindu attacks on Muslims, Christians & Buddhists in India. Attacks & killings of the Untouchable Dalit Hindus is a daily thing too. And then there all the internal civil wars spead over vast areas of India. It's a land Western nations are tired of, even if America tries to use it as a base to make trouble for China in the Tibet region.

Farakka is an example of India's bad faith. It has already ruined large part of our nation. Now this TipaiMukh will be the next episode in the same sage. Not only will it ruin beautiful Sylhet but also lay to waste all the adjoining regions over a period of 50 years.

India is just not a normal nation but one that's distrusted throughout the region as mischief maker. None of it has anything to do with Hindu Muslim religion as Indian propagandists often like to crow. Just look at the miseries of Nepal and Sri Lanka where time after time India has poked her nose resulting in untold number of killings and violence.

If Sarma were a patriot he would warn his Bangladesh not to be misled. He would join in a non-partisan forum to demand to see all the Indian plans to which China and Nepal are invited. That way a proper regional debate could take place, and solutions found for the benefit of the region and its teeming millions of needy people. Eventually, such an outcome could help dispel distrust between the nations. Bangladesh and India can be "brotherly" nations only when we overcome distrust.

Otherwise, an international solution is needed in which Farakka and Tipai Mukh can be debated as a global crisis.
By the way, Sarma should know that India is already panicking about an alleged Chinese move to divert common waters away resulting in horrors for India and beyond. For that reason alone India should stop behaving like a cowboy.
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=276030

--- On Wed, 7/22/09, Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Isha Khan <bd_mailer@yahoo.com>
Subject: India's Hydro-Electric Project At Tipaimukh And The Hot Debate In Bangladesh
To: "Dhaka Mails" <dhakamails@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009, 4:59 PM

India's Hydro-Electric Project At Tipaimukh And The Hot Debate In Bangladesh

By Bijon Sarma

ABSTRACT:The government of India has taken up a project for the construction of a dam for the purpose of power generation at a place known as Tipaimukh on Barak river in Assam. After having preliminary information from that government, the government of Bangladesh under Begum Khaleda Zia got prepared a report regarding the affects of this dam on Bangladesh by a number of experts working as consultants. The report they gave was found mostly favorable for Bangladesh.

This year, after the Indian government declared their program to initiate the project, the opposition party led by Begum Khaleda Zia nearly declared war saying that it would ruin the country. She has been successful in accumulating a number of like-minded experts and political leaders to speak in her favor. On the other hand, the government of Bangladesh seems to be in favor of its construction. In the meantime various experts and non-experts have expressed their ideas, explanations and predictions about the affects of the project. These have profusely confused the people, specially because while explaining matters some experts use technical terms in which the common people are not conversant. In such a situation this article would endeavor to give a transparent picture regarding the affects of the dam, reason of 'war cry' by the opposition, deficiencies of the present government to take right decision etc. avoiding unknown technical terms.

INTRODUCTION :

Before emptying it in the Bay of Bengal, river Karnafully was snaking her way through a number of hillocks in Chittagong hill tracts. In the years of heavy rain the river used to create flood and wash away everything including habitations on the river bank. Experts discovered that if a dam could be constructed on this river thus creating a large reservoir, it would be possible to (i) permanently solve the problem of seasonal flooding due to this river, (ii) generate large quantity of hydro-electricity, the cheapest type of energy, (iii) culture fish in the reservoir etc. They also discovered that its construction would create serious problems for the tribal people living in the to-be submerged areas. It was easily possible to rehabilitate these people. But the government of Pakistan did not take the issue seriously. Even though Islam declares equal rights for all, Pakistan, the Muslim country practiced the principle of having concern only for the Muslims and hating others. Naturally the tribal people found hard days. The country however, got huge power at minimal cost. Still today Bangladesh is enjoying that benefit.

India discovered a similar site a Tipaimukh, where from they could generate hydro-electricity by constructing a dam. The government of India prepared a proposal for it at Tipaimukh, a place 100 miles upstream from Sylhet of Bangladesh and handed over the project proposal to the BNP-led government of Bangladesh in 1979. After this the project could not proceed as usual course because of India's internal problems. The issue was raised again with the BNP-ruled government under Khaleda Zia in 1993. The Bangladesh government employed SNC-Lavalin International, Northwest Hydraulic Consultants to prepare a report. The report was given with the following observations :

Due to the construction of dam at Tipaimukh :

(i)"occurrence of flood will decrease in the Barak, Surma and Kushiara rivers",

(ii)"the amount of floodwater will decrease by 20 percent" and

(iii)"water level in the Surma and Kushiara will decrease by 1.60 metres during floods".

India raised the issue of Tipaimukh dam with BNP government in the 35th and 36th meetings of Joint River Commission (JRC) in 2003 and 2005 respectively, where the then government did not oppose the idea. In 2009 when Bangladesh Awami League is in power, however, the same person (Khaleda Zia) raised severe objection against the construction of the dam, alleging it that would ruin Bangladesh. Begum Khaleda procured a number of experts and leaders to talk for her. At this time, various spokesmen of the government also explained the government's views. Various claims, predictions, explanations and comments given by the opposition and the government have profusely confused the common people. In such a context the objective of this article is to find out the affects of this dam on the neighbouring country, Bangladesh, causes that encouraged Begum Khaleda to take the abnormal and new stunt and related issues.

POINTS OF DEBATE :

From the data's so far received, (i) the dimensions of the dam will be : Height = 166 m, (or 180 m above sea level, 178 m maximum reservoir level and 136 m minimum draw down level), Length = 390 m, Water carrying capacity = 16 m cu m. It would submerge 266 families in 8 villages. The project would generate Electricity = 1500 MW. Estimated cost : App. Rs 1,078 crore.

The speciality of location of the project is, it is an earth-quake prone zone near the meeting point of two tectonic plates with possibility of earth-quake in the range 7.0 in Richter scale. That indicates that India would have to design it strong enough to withstand this hazard. Needless to mention that the failure of the dam would bring disaster first in the 100 mile stretched land inside India and then, vast area of Bangladesh.

Now we shall mention and clarify some of the points raised and confusingly explained by various leaders under Begum Khaleda's influence.

DAM AND RIVER WATER FLOW
 
Some people opine that the dam would reduce the flow of water in Barak river and its descending branches in Bangladesh. The fact is, after a dam for hydroelectricity project is commissioned, the authority would have to release all excess water from the dam for the safety of the dam and smooth running of the generators. So, it does not reduce water flow. The dam however, can give additional advantage of flood control by holding excess water in the rainy season and increase water flow in the winter by slowly releasing that water.

DAM AND SILTATION : Some leaders have opined that the dam would create siltation in the rivers of Bangladesh. Such statements may be given by people lacking in intelligence. In a hydro-electric project only silt-free water is fed into the turbines below, and the over-flowing water (spillway) on top cannot contain silt.

DAM AND EARTHQUAKE
 
Some leaders have opined that the dam would create earth quake due to weight of water or for drying of rivers. All these are wrong statement. Those who have little knowledge of geology and earth science know how huge and mighty the earth's tectonic plates are, and in comparison how tiny or insignificant the reservoir or weight of the water in it are.

DAM AND SALINITY : It is unfortunate that some of the leaders opine that the dam would result in increase of salinity in the region near the mouth of the river. Their ideas are erroneous. The salinity at the river mouth among many other factors depends upon the velocity of water emerging out through the river. In the rainy season it is pushed away due to rainy water from the origin and catchment area. The possibility of the same to move up may take place during the winter season when the flow is feeble. The release of water from the reservoir can improve the situation.

DAM AND DESTABILIZING THE NATURE :
 
Some people always think that any new project in the nature is harmful because it destabilizes the balance of nature. It is well known that whenever the original setup of the nature is interfered, there may some problems. However, intelligent and sincere men have always been able to solve those. Only the fools may shout for keeping everything in nature "unchanged" for the sake of "stability". Had the intelligent men followed the principle of the fools, then the world would have still remained in the same primitive state. In case Kaptai dam was not constructed at the cost of many things including miseries for the tribal people, neither Bangladesh would enjoy the huge benefit of power nor the region would become free from the propensity of flood.

PROBABLE PROBLEMS OF BANGLADESH :

In case the design and commissioning of the project does not take place by keeping in view the necessities of Bangladesh, then Bangladesh would definitely suffer from some evil consequences. It should however, be mentioned that before Bangladesh starts suffering from those hazards, the 100-mile long Indian region on both sides of the river would start tasting those. The most severe problem may occur during the period of first-time filling of the reservoir. The process may take several years even with the entire annual supply of water. In such a situation the dam authority should continue the filling-process at a slow rate, such that the rivers in the down stream do not get dry.

In the above situation Bangladesh should be kept closely associated with every aspects of the project. The river Barak flows in two countries such that both the countries have rights on its contributions like water, transport facilities, hydroelectricity etc. In case Bangladesh could contribute proportionate share of land and finance for the hydro-electric project, the country could claim the share of electricity. We know, the country is not in a position to do that.

After the project is complete we shall find two new phenomenons. These are :

(01) At present the country suffers from the varying flow of water in the river due to nature's act on which no one has any control. After the construction of the dam, the control of water would depend up on human control, which will be in the hands of the operators in India. When the control is with the nature, Bangladesh cannot censure anyone for hazards. But after it would come to human hand, they can always hold the operating country responsible for genuine or fictitious reasons.

(02) The huge quantity of sand, stone, fish etc. flowing from the Indian rivers is enjoyed by Bangladesh absolutely free. The construction of the dam would stop that possibility.

In the above situation, there remain ethical reasons for Bangladesh to ask for a share in the generated electricity and India should consider the same, if not for logical reason, but as a gesture of goodwill.

KHALEDA'S ABOUT-TURN :

Those who do not have clear idea about Begum Khaleda and her party might find her recent attitude quite mysterious. The gentleman-like question is, why does the person who knew everything so well since 1993, who employed experts and got their positive comments, who were kept informed in 2003 and 2005, suddenly turns furious in 2009. In order to understand this mystery one needs to have in-depth knowledge of Begum Khaleda and her party.

Begum Khaleda Zia, the ex-prime minister and now leader of the opposition is not highly educated, a harsh truth that compels her take advice from others in complicated matters. She however, fails to get advice of honest and superior quality persons, because the nature and principle of her party are not conducive for them. She does not have proven records of honesty, religious un-biasness or patriotism. Also she is renowned for short memory, anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani mentality. In addition, right now she is having extreme problems in organizing her party, rehabilitating her two sons, handling legal cases against the party members etc. Naturally she desperately looks for a platform for bargaining with the government.

Brief descriptions of Begum Khaleda's problems are mentioned here under :

(i) Honesty : During the period of the caretaker government she whitened huge money. The amount is such as can never be earned honestly by the prime minister of this country. It has been reported that she sent over 300 boxes of valuable items to Saudi Arabia. No body still what materials or documents those boxes contained. She allowed her two sons to earn unlawful money. Part of this money has been detected in foreign banks.

(ii) Religious biasness : She is well remembered for her statement that "Hindu religious sounds will be heard from the mosques if Awami League wins". During her regime the minorities were treated as no class citizens. Her government and party's atrocities on the minorities after her win in 2001 nearly shattered the world.

(iii) Patriotism The people of Bangladesh are aware that before the 2001 election one ex-president of an influential country offered the Awami League chief to extend assistance in winning election in lieu of "gas deal". The chief did not agree. Few months ago prime minister Sheikh Hasina disclosed this incident. She also disclosed that Begum Khaleda agreed to that proposal and won the election.

(iv) Short memory : During her past regime, on one occasion she visited India and discussion on sharing of water at Farakka was one of the issues. After return she replied that did not do that because she "forgot".

(v) Anti-Indian mentality : Begum Khaleda is well known for her extreme anti-Indian and pro-Pakistani mentality. During her regime high officials allowed 10 truck-loads of arms and ammunitions to use Bangladesh territory to reach ULFA, one of the worst terrorist organizations of India. Also, during her tenure many top-grade culprits working against the interest of India and patronized by Pakistan got safe asylum in Bangladesh. These are being revealed now and there are ample reasons to believe that her government was associated with such incidents.

(vi) Party problem : At present Begum Khaleda is entangled in serious problem with her party. The party could not do the most essential "Council" in 16 years and she has recently requested for extension of time for the same.

CONCLUSION :

In case Tipaimukh dam is constructed as per proper design and with due consideration of the interests and requirements of Bangladesh, then Bangladesh can be immensely benefitted from it. While the common people may think in this way, BNP, Begum Khaleda Zia's opposition party however, may think differently. They are aware that good achievement or success of the present government would push away the possibility of their win the future elections. So, it is natural that they would endeavour their best such that the present government cannot do anything praiseworthy. In such a situation only the future can say, whether this project would at all be materialized.

In the above issue, however, Bangladesh Awami League has committed the blunder at the very beginning by appointing one Hindu minister in the concerned ministry. They should have known that all the water related issues would have to be settled with India and a Hindu minister can never be the right choice for this job. Begum Khaleda, however, took full advantage of their mistake. The government should immediately appoint a Muslim minister in this position.

As mentioned earlier, Prime minister Sheikh Hasina disclosed that she was proposed to sell gas to outsiders in lieu of assistance in election. She added that she declined, while the other party agreed and got elected. This time, however, before any foreigner could approach Begum Khaleda Zia her she sent a letter to the prime minister of India explaining her position in this issue. Does she expect the "same old proposal" from that corner? By all means, what is taking place in Bangladesh with the issue of Tipaimukh project of India is purely political. From what we have explained in extremely simple language, even a child with good knowledge of science would understand that, if properly designed and commissioned with due consideration of the interests of Bangladesh, what this dam can do for this country is complete control over flood due to some rivers and to increase water level during the winter months, what the experts have reported long ago.


Bijon B. Sarma, Professor (on LPR), Khulna University, Khulna. Bangladesh.
E Mail :
rangada@gmail.com




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[mukto-mona] Re: Respect your mandate.

--- In mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com, Akbar Hussain <akbar_50@...> wrote:
>
>
> The grim picture of the law and order situation in Bangladesh should be a matter of concern for every citizen in the country. Recently it has been reported that the international organized criminal gangs has established their bases in Bangladesh with the help of the local hardened criminals. In a politically corrupted climate containing criminals is a difficult task. But if the government is determined to root out corruption and criminality the situation can improve and citizens can feel secure. The lofty aim to establish rule of law can't be achieved if the administration does not realize the fact that they are duty bound morally and politically to its people to ensure a life based and safety and security. They have the burden of peoples trust to protect the good and destroy the evil. The history of Bangladesh's law and order situation is not a rosy one. In every administration some politicians pampered and protected the criminals for political and criminals reasons. They cried foul about the law order situation in the country against every incumbent administration whenever they were not in power. This has become a vicious circle and hypocritical too.
> The situation has reached such a stage that God and good both are crying foul. The Prime Minister being an experienced politician can't enjoy her thumping majority in the parliament without showing her prowess to reign on her naughty politicians. The criminals are not stronger than the arms of law. The need is to apply law in its fullest extent to defeat them. She must show her sincerity that she cares for her people who have given her the mandate to rule.
> She must act now not later.
>
> Akbar Hussain
>
>
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Create a cool, new character for your Windows Live™ Messenger.
> http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9656621
>
The practical scenario is very alarming indeed.I've been posted and indulged in BCL for the last 4 years.Politics has become the synonym of plundering and corruption.I dreamed about do some corrections in our campus.But as time went on,everything was clear to me.All the leaders are corrupted and they all do compromises for mercenary gains.Students freely entered from Chhatradal and Chatrashibir to BCL by bribing the senior leaders.And this is going on with the whole hierarchy.And these guys only want to gain from politics,not to serve people.Without the attitude of serving people and working for the comprehensive development of the country,our beloved country can never prosper.

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[mukto-mona] Article on Militarization in Bangladesh: threat to democracy

This attached article was a keynote paper in the seminar held on 21 July
2009 on 33rd death anniversary of Col Abu Taher. The seminar was organized
by Col Taher Sangsad.

http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=1942

Pls read the article and send your comments.

Mushtuq

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[mukto-mona] CC Update 24, July- A Day In Gaza

Hello,

If you find this news letter useful, kindly forward it to your friends and encourage them to join this mailing list.
http://www.countercurrents.org/subscribe.htm.

In Solidarity
Binu

A Day In Gaza
By Viva Palestina Delegation

http://www.countercurrents.org/arabia240709.htm

The Viva Palestina delegation of solidarity activists from the U.S. was allowed to enter Gaza on July 15 with truckloads of desperately needed humanitarian supplies--but under the condition that the convoy leave again within 24 hours. This is a diary of the 24 hours in Gaza by Tom Arabia, Karen Burke, Ream Kidane, Brian Lenzo, Khury Peterson-Smith, Eric Ruder and Martin Smith

"Breaking The Silence:" Testimonies Of Israeli Soldiers
By Stephen Lendman

http://www.countercurrents.org/lendman240709.htm

"Breaking the Silence is an organization of veteran Israeli soldiers that collects anonymous testimonies of soldiers who served in the Occupied Territories during the Second Intifada." They recount experiences that deeply affected them, including abusing Palestinians, looting, destroying property, and other practices "excused as military necessities, or explained as extreme and unique cases." Its new booklet features 54 damning testimonies from 30 Israeli soldiers on their experiences in Operation Cast Lead. They recount what official media and government sources suppressed

Settler Attacks In Southern West Bank
Exact Heavily Toll
By Michael Galvin

http://www.countercurrents.org/galvin240709.htm

The Palestinian families who live in Beit Ommar have frequently been victim to settler expansion and harrassment over the last decades, attacks in the last few months have intensified as the settlement's inhabitants attempt to intimidate the Palestinians to give up their land for settlement use

Mainstream Media And The Propaganda Machine
By Ershad Abubacker

http://www.countercurrents.org/abybacker240709.htm

A careful observation would bring forth the fact that mainstream media, especially the American media plays a vital role in shaping the world public opinion. And it needs a detailed analysis into the complex relationship that defines the content of mainstream media today with respect to the factors that affect the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that dominates our news coverage of international issues. Given that this news coverage is world's main source of information, it becomes important to examine the story the news media are telling us and to ask the question; does this news coverage reflect the reality on the ground?

Face The 'Truth'!
By Bradhi

http://www.countercurrents.org/bradhi240709.htm

Narendra modi can face questions on Gujarat genocide and undergo a polygraph test. Sajjan Kumar can face a question on 1984. Manmohan Singh on what exactly is in the agreement between India and US. Pinarayi Vijayan on his role in SNC-Lavlin scam etc., If this will happen, the parlimanterians won't be shouting this is dangerous to indian culture. Instead it will be dangerous to the notion of India itself. Keerthan and Basu are very much aware of the above 'indian sensibilities'. Now let us ask, Do you have courage to take this task and face the Truth, Star Plus?


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[mukto-mona] Re : Please publish it in your publications.



Dear Sir,
 
Please publish "the South Asian origin is the President of the "Western Ontario (Water lo) University in
CANADA:
 
http://www.thedailystar.net/magazine/2009/02/01/interview.htm
 
Thank you very much.
 
Yours sincerely
S. Barua.
 
Phone 416 269 1020, Toronto, Canada.
 
 


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[mukto-mona] NHRC report on Batla House encounter

Statement on the NHRC report on the alleged encounter at Batla house

On 20th May, the Delhi High Court, acting on a petition filed by the People's union for democratic rights and Anhad, had asked the National Human rights commission to conduct their own inqury into the alleged Batla House encounter of September 2008 and give a report upon it. This order of the High Court was made after the High Court was shown reports of four independent organisations into the encounter, including the report of PUDR, the Delhi union of journalists, the Jamia Teachers Solidarity group, all of which seriously questioned the version of the Delhi police regarding the encounter. These reports and the petition filed by the PUDR had pointed out several specific problems with the version of the Delhi police. In particular, the following questions were raised about the version of the Delhi police.

1. If these boys were killed in a genuine encounter, how did the 17-year-old boy Sajid have four bullet holes on the top of his head, which could only happen if the boy was made to sit down and shot from above.
2. How is the skin peeled off from Atif's back? This was clearly visible in the photograph taken before his burial which is annexed to the PUDR petition. Obviously Atif had been tortured before being killed.
3. How are the other blunt injuries on the bodies of the boys explained by the police version of the encounter?
4. If the police knew in advance (as they claimed) that these boys in the flat were the terrorists involved in the Delhi and other bomb blasts, why did Inspector Sharma go in without a bullet proof vest?
5. How could 2 of the boys escape from the flat which had only one exit (two doors next to each other) and from a building which had only one exit?

It was expected that in these circumstances, the NHRC, would conduct its own investigation into the matter. The report dated 20th July 2009 of the NHRC given to the High Court on 22nd July, however shows that far from conducting any investigation into the matter, the NHRC has merely relied upon the Police reports for their report. They have not even examined or investigated the above questions which were squarely raised in the PUDR petition on which the High Court order was issued to the NHRC. They have not even examined Saif, the third boy picked up by the police from the flat, nor even any of the witnesses of the Batla house area who had deposed before the People's Tribunal. They have just swallowed the police version hook, line and sinker. And this is despite the fact that there has been no independant police investigation or even a Magisterial enquiry into the encounter as mandated by the NHRC's own guidelines.

It is extremely unfortunate that the premier Human Rights Body set up to investigate Human Rights violations is becoming a rubber stamp for the police. The same attitude of the NHRC was evident when the Supreme Court asked the NHRC to investigate allegations of Rape and Murder against the Salwa Judum. The NHRC send a team of essentially police officers who spoke mainly to the local police and other officials and gave a white washing report.

The time has come to seriously reexamine the manner of appointment of members of the NHRC and its powers. The present system of appointment by a committee of Prime Minister, Home Minister, Speaker and Leader of Opposition etc. is not working satisfactorily. All of them seem to want a toothless and tame body which will not question those in power.

Since the NHRC report does not address or answer the disquieting questions raised by the several independent fact finding reports about encounter, it is therefore essential that there be an investigation into the "encounter" by an SIT appointed by the Delhi HIgh Court.

Signed by:
Shabnam Hashmi (Anhad)
Moushumi Basu (Secretary, PUDR)
Dr. Anoop Saraya (Jan Hastakshep)
Harsh Mander (Director, Center for Equity Studies)
Sreerekha & Tanvir Fazar (Jamia Teachers Solidarity Group)
Colin Gonsalves (Director, Human Rights Law Network)
Arundhati Roy (Writer)
Kavita Krishnan (CPI ML Liberation)
Kamini Jaiswal (Advocate)
Mehtab Alam (Association for the protection of democratic rights)
Prashant Bhushan (Advocate)

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[mukto-mona] Muslim Women’s Rights: Ijtihad in the Light of Maqasid al-Shariah



Muslim Women's Rights: Ijtihad in the Light of Maqasid al-Shariah

 

By Maulvi Waris Mazhari

(Translated by Yoginder Sikand)

 

 

Prejudices against women are a universal phenomenon, found in almost every human society. When such prejudices are sought to be given religious sanction, it becomes much more difficult to do away with them. Lamentably, certain views and prescriptions contained in the corpus of traditional Muslim jurisprudence or fiqh do indeed militate against women, and even  go against the spirit and teachings of Islam, a religion that stresses women's rights and equal status.

 

Things, however, are beginning to change today. Some Muslim scholars, based in certain Arab countries and in the West, are developing a contextually-relevant fiqh for women, or what is called fiqh al-nisa. One of the leading scholars in this regard is the well-known Allamah Yusuf al-Qaradawi, an Egyptian alim who is now based in Qatar. He has issued numerous fatwas related to women's issues that depart, in significant ways, from traditional fiqh prescriptions. For instance, he argues that it is not prohibited for a man to shake a woman's hand as a customary greeting, for a woman to take up employment outside the home and even to become the head of state of a country. He engages in contextual ijtihad or personal reasoning based on the principal sources of the Islamic tradition—the Quran and Hadith—to come up with such novel views.

 

Let me clarify his interesting way of reasoning with the help of an example. It is reported that, in the context of the death of the Emperor of Persia, who was succeeded by his daughter, the Prophet mentioned that a people who were ruled by a woman would not succeed. This hadith report has been taken by most ulema to imply that a woman should never become the head of state of a country.

 

Allamah al-Qaradawi engages in a contextual analysis of this report to come out with a fiqh prescription that is precisely the opposite of what most traditionalist ulema uphold. He argues that this report has to be understood in the backdrop of the context that the Prophet was addressing. That was a time when many countries, such as Persia, were ruled by male monarchs, some of whom claimed to be divinely-appointed. They enjoyed dictatorial powers, and could do just as they pleased. There was no concept of democracy then. That was the context in which the Prophet had made his remark. Today, Allamah al-Qaradawi argues, the political context is totally different. Most countries today are, at least in theory, no longer ruled by dictatorial monarchs, and pay at least lip-service to democracy. Today, a single person cannot decide the fate of an entire country. Rather, governance has now become a vastly complicated affair. There is a whole system or apparatus for this, a set of formal rules, a massive bureaucracy, parliaments, courts and so on. Hence, Allamah al-Qaradawi argues, in today's context it is indeed permissible for women to become the head of state. He backs this conclusion by pointing to the reference in the Muslim tradition to Bilquis, Queen of Sheba, who was permitted to rule by the Prophet Sulaiman or Solomon. Since Muslims believe that Solomon was a divinely-appointed Prophet and that all prophets must be respected and their example followed, obviously the practice of Solomon in allowing Bilquis to rule cannot be considered to be un-Islamic. 

 

Personally, I agree with Allamah Qaradawi's reasoning and conclusion. If you see the countries that have had women heads of state, such as India, Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, you will have to admit that these women did not rule any worse than their male counterparts before or after them. These countries did not decline just because they had female rulers.

 

Sadly, we have few ulema of the calibre of Allamah al-Qaradawi in South Asia who are seeking to evolve contextually-relevant understandings of women with regard to fiqh-related issues. Take, for instance, the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, which sees itself as the apex body of the Indian ulema with regard to Muslim personal law issues, including, and especially, those related to women and family matters. The vast majority of the members of the Board are very traditionalist-minded. I personally feel that the Board must include more ulema, as well as Muslim social activists, who are better aware of the contemporary social context and demands, including the many problems faced by Muslim women, and who are able to engage in ijtihad with regard to a number of problematic issues. Sadly, there are very few such ulema in the Board, and their views are silenced by the conservatives, who are averse to ijtihad and insist on taqid or blindly following the prescriptions of the medieval ulema of the different maslaks or schools of Muslim jurisprudence.

 

Take the case, for instance, the issue of three talaqs in one sitting, which the Board has yet to resolve. This practice has led to literally thousands of Muslim women being arbitrarily divorced by their husbands. Most traditional jurists are of the view that three talaqs in one sitting constitute an irrevocable and final divorce. But, there are others today, as well as in the past, such as Ibn Taimiyah, Ibn al-Qaiyyim, Allamah Showkani and so on, and the ulema of the Ahl-e Hadith and Shia Jafari schools, who take this as one, revocable talaq. There are also statements of the Prophet to back their argument. The traditionalists refuse to listen to their claims, however, because they are wedded to the doctrine of taqlid. I think that one way to win them over is to consider the issue in the backdrop of the spirit or aims of the shariah, whose basic thrust is establishing justice. When the matter is understood in this way, and if the ulema can be convinced that the practice of triple talaq in one sitting is resulting in a gross violation of justice, the fundamental principle of the shariah, by causing such great suffering to divorced women and their children, it might make them change their views or cause them to allow for talfiq, or resorting to the opinions of other schools of Muslim jurisprudence, in such matters. I think there is a desperate need for our Indian ulema, including those associated with the Board, to expand their thinking about these issues, and to give particular attention to social realities, needs and problems, rather than advocating rigid taqlid.

 

In such matters, taqlid can amount to ignoring the aims of the shariah (maqasid al-shariah). Sadly, the issue of maqasid al-shariah is not given much attention to in the madrasas where our ulema are trained. This is a reflection of the fact that our madrasas, and traditional Islamic thought more generally, have remained stuck in a narrow framework defined by medieval fiqh. Today, however, some Muslim scholars, in Egypt and America, for instance, are trying to revive the tradition of articulating fiqh prescriptions in the light of maqasid al-shariah, and this is also reflected in some of their fatwas on women-related issues. Some of them resort to, and freely take from, other schools of Muslim jurisprudence, not being bound by the opinions of just one school that they might find too strict or inappropriate as regards issues related to women, for instance. Others advocate what is called fiqh us-sunnah, that is approaching the Quran and the genuine Hadith directly, instead of being bound by the prescriptions of the established schools of fiqh. In other words, and this is an approach I personally agree with, they take what they find useful in the established fiqh but abandon what they might feel is against the Quran and Prophetic Sunnah. In this way, they have been able to open up new spaces and opportunities for Muslim women and to uphold their rights, as given in the Quran, which may have been overshadowed, neglected or suppressed in the traditional corpus of fiqh.

 

This approach is in accord with the established principle in usul al-fiqh, the principles of Muslim jurisprudence, that changing conditions and times might necessitate changes in some ahkamat or juridical rules. This principle validates new solutions to new social contexts and social problems, and is related to the wider issue of ijtihad. The noted eighteenth century South Asian Muslim scholar, Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, advocated the same sort of approach. He critiqued taqlid and argued that only those prescriptions of the corpus of medieval fiqh should be accepted that were in accordance with the Quran and the genuine Hadith. He was also open to the idea of ulema of one maslak borrowing from other maslaks where the need so arose.

 

Ironically, although all the major Sunni traditions in South Asia, including the Deobandis, Barelvis and Ahl-e Hadith, claim to follow in the tradition of Shah Waliullah, they have not shown the same broadmindedness as he in the matter of ijtihad and fiqh. The Deobandis and Barelvis still insist on rigid taqlid of Hanafi jurisprudence, some aspects of which clearly militate against women's rights, even those that are granted to them by the Quran. In this context, I would appeal to our ulema to learn from the example of Shah Waliullah, whom they hold in high esteem, and to adopt a less rigid and more expansive approach to the question of taqlid versus ijtihad, including on some very problematic issues concerning women.

 

 

A graduate of the Deoband madrasa, Delhi-based Maulana Waris Mazhari is the editor of the monthly Tarjuman Dar ul-Ulum, the official organ of the Deoband Madrasa's Old Boys' Association. He can be contacted on ws_mazhari@yahoo.com

 

Yoginder Sikand works with the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Social Policy at the National Law School, Bangalore

Mai Dasi Kabira Ki

Pothi Padh Padh Kar Jag Mua, Pandit Bhayo Na Koye
Dhai Akhar Prem Ke, Jo Padhe So Pandit Hoye

Spending one's life reading the scriptures, no one becomes wise
He becomes wise on reading a single word of love




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