<*>[Attachment(s) from abid bahar included below]
HASINA PRONOKDA DIALOGUE: HOW TO DEAL WITH THE INDEPENDENT-MINDED BANGLADESHIS
By Abid Bahar
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(Hasina at the Padma Bhavon)
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Hasina:Hellow, hellow. Is this Pronobda or Pronok da?
Pronok: It s Pronok.
Hasina: Pronobda, I have some scoundrels working for me here making me confused. But I phoned you for some advise.
Pronok: I could have phoned you, you are the Prime Minister.
Hasina: That is ok, we are Bengali people don't you know?
Pronok: Yes, yes. Are you phoning from the Bangabhavon or from the Phadhma Bhovon?
Hasina: From Bangabhovon, nooo from Padhma Bhovon.
Pronok:You are just like your father Bangabandu who was a very nice person and he also didn't do the protocol. True, we are one Bengali people. That really helps. So what is your question?
Hasina:My secretary tells me that there is a growing number of people who calls themselves as the "Independent-minded Bangladeshis." I am afraid of the growing trend. Many of them opposed Pakistan and now they oppose India and me. What am I going to do about them?
Pronok:You mean they oppose Srimoti Idira and you?
Hasina: No, India and me.
Pronok: Ok, ok. its simple, call them Jamat!
Hasina: But, I repeat they were freedom fighters.
Pronok: Look, if could turn Zia from a freedom fighter into a Jamati, why not these brainless intellectuals. It's propaganda that matters for perception but not the reality. Its called "Manufacturing consent."
Hasina: I have more problems, Singhda promised me that India will not cause any trouble to Bangladesh but due to the killing of Bangladeshi border guards and the ordinary people and the fence dividing Bengal, I am afraid that one day most of my countrymen are going to abandon our ethnic identity Bengali for the territorial nationalism, Bangladeshi. Bangladeshi nationalism has an advantage that it includes the Bangladeshi as a whole and thecitizenès well-being.
Pronok: True, your opposition has many advantages especially the BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's policy was known as 'politics for development' and I must be frank with you Bangabandu's and your's philosophy is more about "power politics."
Hasina: Don't tell me about Zia, I hate him, you can not compare Bangabandu with a Major! He was just a Major and later on became a a dictator.
Pronok: Don't belittle him like that. He introduced the multi party democracy in Bangladesh. He is not the Zia of Pakistan. This Zia was preaching the "politics of hope." Look, even the US President Ronald Reagan praised him for his leadership and said that "The United States -- indeed the world -- had come to respect President Zia's profound and compassionate commitment to a better life for his people and his dedication to the rule of law. His wisdom in international affairs will be sorely missed".
Hasina: I hate him, I hate him, I hate him and I have even decided to change the name of the airport and declared his presidency as illegal and unconstitutional.
Pronok: Do that but be careful, people might react. Bangabandu taught people to be hyper active because he was a revolutionary, Zia taught people to be calm and confident in the independent Bangladesh. Remember, Zia is still popular among a sizable portion of the population, he established free market economic policies of industrialisation and development. Today's Bangladesh's development bears the signature of his reversal in policies. So when you do something, you think to avoid the backlash from people. He was not just a Major Zia, again he founded the SARRC, Zia also appointed a Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Commission in 1976. If you belittle President Zia as the Major Zia, people will belittle Bangabandu as the Suherwardhy's muscleman. On the internet Bangabandu's picture with Suherwarthy with a different style is available. But both leaders changed over time and helped develop Bangladesh. Those two people and their ideas are as if
like the two sides of the same coin. Zia also allowed you to join in his multi-party democracy, remember?.
Hasina: I know, I know he let me join in politics, but so what?. He doesn't own this country. Bangabandu is the one who owns the country. Bangabandhu worked so hard. I hate Major Zia. By the way, are you against me?
Pronok: No, how can that be? I am just trying to help you to clarify the situation so that you know not just the weaknesses but the strengths of your enemy and that will help you to stay in power longer. But I must say BNP doesn't have the support of your country's print media and the cultural groups. Your country's cultural groups are connected to the West Bengali and Indian groups. Only if the opposition BNP can create strong media support and pro-Bangladeshi cultural group in drama, cinema, music, you will be really in trouble. Tarek was taking such dangerous moves and Moin U was very alarmed by that. I must say Tarek is your enemy #1. Now that you have our full support at least for now you don't have any thing to worry.
Hasina: Pronobda, I am afraid that soon people will find out Zia allowed multiparty democracy and gave newspaper freedom.
Pronok: Don't worry we have the Daily Star to lie daily about Zia as the "betrayer razakar;" and as the "military dictator" and Prothom Alo to translate that into Bengali for people to help you. Your father didn't have that much help.
Hasina: So I am strong. I feel like crying. Joy Bangla!
Pronok: Go ahead!
(Pronak hung up the phone. And said, "I think she phoned her favourite Pronobda, not me, its good that soon I will be posted in Thailand, she is so annoying, she phones me anytime she wants and even calls me Pronobda, Bhagbhan help me!")
Note:
(Written in response to a few non-cognizant people in their response to my book "AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF BANGABANDHU AND BANGLADESH recently mentioned Ziaur Rahman as a "razakar" and termed me as a "Jamati" whereas as a historian and my origin in Bangladesh, I simply identify myself as an independent-minded Bangladeshi trying to help Bangladesh grow from fascism into a democratic society)
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<*>Attachment(s) from abid bahar:
<*> 1 of 1 File(s) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/attachments/folder/1714682144/item/list
<*> Hasina-Pronok Dialogue, How to Deal with the Independent -minded Bengalis.doc
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