Banner Advertiser

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

[ALOCHONA] 61.73 % Prothom Alo readers did not support PM



61.73 %  Prothom Alo  readers did not support PM when she said she changed names to give BNP a good lesson

http://prothom-alo.com/onlinepoll/



__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] REVOLUTION & MASS RESIGNATION IN ISLAMI CHATTRO SHIBIR !!!!



Dear Readers,
Good senses have arrived in Shibir !!!
Open the link for details -------
 
 
Regards,
M. Ali


--- On Mon, 2/22/10, Mo Assghar <moassghar@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Mo Assghar <moassghar@yahoo.com>
Subject: [notun_bangladesh] Hasina's music!
To: Bangladesh-Zindabad@yahoogroups.com, notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com, probashivoice@gmail.com, khabor@yahoogroups.com, Diagnose@yahoogroups.com, WideMinds@yahoogroups.com, "bangla vision" <bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com>, "alochona" <alochona@yahoogroups.com>, sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com
Cc: hasan_nybd@yahoo.com
Date: Monday, February 22, 2010, 10:08 AM

 
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=jYKch23wj- E

Dr Manik dada,
(Phd, Joynal Hajari University, Tungipara)

Why don't you watch this video?
http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=jYKch23wj- E

Very entertaining! How hasina and Logi-Boitha brutally killed an innocent man! Must watch and tell me if your blood does not boil and how inhuman it could be?





__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] February Massacre in Bangladesh : Justice delayed or justice denied?



February Massacre in Bangladesh : Justice delayed or justice denied?
 

On 25th February 2010, Bangladesh will observe the first year of the massacre inside the headquarters of Bangladesh Riffles [border security forces], where more than 56 army officers were brutally murdered, many of the family members of those officers humiliated and raped. Awami League led grand alliance government has though decided to observe this day as 'Pilkhana Killing Day', there is no sign of any progress in the investigation into this heinous crime of the history of Bangladesh.

http://www.samakal.com.bd/details.php?news=13&action=main&option=single&news_id=49052&pub_no=259

It is known to all that government assigned senior police officer Abdul Kahhar Akhand as the chief investigation officer to investigate the massacre. Being appointed, Mr. Akhand told reporters on numerous occasions that his entire process of investigation would be completed in 'three months'. But, now, it is clear that though one year has already passed, there is no sign of submitting the investigation report, nor there is any hope of ultimately trying the killers and their masterminds of this notorious crime.

Initially after the incident, several senior members of the ruling party as well the government continued making series of statements accusing various parties to be involved behind February 25 Pilkhana massacre. Commerce minister Lt. Col. Faruk Khan championed all by making self-contradictory statements on this issue thus putting accusations on "foreign forces" to "Talibans" to "Anti liberation forces". And, shall I mention the home minister Advocate Sahara Khatun's role? I think it is better not to!

Officials of Bangladesh Army described the 'mutiny' as the biggest massacre of defense commanders anywhere in the world, saying the impoverished South Asian nation's powerful military will need quite a long time to recover from such tremendous loss. Brigadier-General Mahmud Hossain, Director of Military Intelligence told reporters that, Bangladesh Army was ready to storm the headquarters of the BDR here soon after the mutiny erupted, but heeded to Premier Sheikh Hasina's advice at the last minute to resolve the issue politically.

He said the army was ready to put down the BDR mutiny soon after it began, but decided to support Prime Minister Hasina's decision to solve the issue politically.Terming it "possibly the worst massacre of Army officers in Bangladesh's history", Brig Hossain said the anger among the armed forces was very natural.

Outraged over the killing of its officers during the brutality of BDR soldiers, the Bangladesh Army demanded "maximum" punishment for those involved in the massacre."Exemplary punishment of the culprits will cool our resentment. Our demand is that the investigation into the killings should be quickened and maximum punishment should be given to those persons responsible for them," Brig. Hossain said.

I think now it is not necessary at all to comment as to whether the 'political resolution formula' of the Prime Minister was correct or not, as the matter is now under investigation, and any comment in this direction may lead or mislead the investigators, if they at all are interested yet in pressing the investigation process to a conclusion. We did not hear about the progress in the investigation by senior official of Criminal Investigation Department [CID] Abdul Kahhar Akhand. It is also a reality that this gentleman is over-burdened with numerous investigations in other 'sensitive' cases, and possibly he hardly finds any time in looking into the February Massacre case. No one knows when the investigation will conclude or whether it will see the light at all. Critics say the investigation into the February Massacre case has already been sent to 'cold storage'. I am sure, those having minimal knowledge about this matter will understand the reason behind such fate of the investigation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly said that no killing shall go unaddressed in Bangladesh. Surely she was pointing to the tragic murder of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Jail killing and attempt on her life. Certainly the perpetrators of the mentioned notorieties deserve punishment. No one will disagree on this point. But, what makes me feel sad is, the government is very tactfully trying to put cloud on the February Massacre case and doing everything to ensure the total process to be delayed. And, there is saying – justice delayed is justice denied. Are those family members of martyred army officers as well those affected members of their families not going to see the killers and conspirators of February massacre punished?

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/521/february-massacre-in-bangladesh



__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] Curfew slapped on Khagrachhari



1 Bangalee settler killed as violence flared up again; 50 hurt, 60 houses burnt; journalists assaulted
 

 
The authorities imposed a 10-hour curfew in Khagrachhari town and its surrounding areas from 9:00pm yesterday in the wake of fresh violence between Bangalee settlers and indigenous people in the area that left a Banglaee settler dead.

Around 50 people were injured and 66 houses reduced to ashes during the clashes yesterday that forced the authorities to roll out the army in the afternoon.

Muhammad Abdullah, deputy commissioner of Khagrachhari district, told The Daily Star that he imposed the curfew to avoid any untoward incident during the night.

The dead was identified as Anwar Hossain, 22, a class-IV employee of Khagrachhari municipality office. Shahidur Khan, officer-in-charge of Khagrachhari Police Station, said Anwar was shot in the head.Bangalee settlers set fire to at least 37 houses of indigenous people--20 in Mahajanpara, 10 in Narankhiya, four in Habongpuriya and three in Narikelbagan.

Indigenous people also torched at least 29 houses of Bangalee settlers--10 in Mohammadpur, seven in Shaalbagan, five in College Gate, five in Senakalyan and two in Masterpara.The body of Anwar, son of Rawshan Ali, was recovered at Shalbagan shortly after the houses were torched there.

Twenty vehicles were also vandalised during the clashes in the district headquarters. A number of journalists, including Talat Mamun, reporter of private television ntv, were among the injured.

Bangalee settlers allegedly broke the cameras of Channel i and Desh TV when camera crew Dilip Chowdhury and Mongsapru Marma were filming the clashes.

Witnesses said the clash broke out around 11:30am after a group of settlers belonging to Parbatya Bangalee Chhatra Parishad chased a procession of the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), a platform of the indigenous people.

UPDF leader Ujjal Smriti Chakma alleged that Bangalee students chanted provocative slogans as their procession reached Bhanga Bridge area.UPDF brought out the procession as part of its daylong protests against the violence in Baghaichhari upazila in Rangamati district that left two people dead and many others injured.

Earlier, the indigenous people had also barricaded roads and waterways in Khagrachhari and Rangamati districts to press home their six-point demand. The indigenous demonstrators started gathering at more than 15 points in the town. They torched a truck in front of the Collegiate High School around 7:30am.

As the feuding groups started torching houses in the afternoon, the authorities imposed Section-144 in the town to stave off the spread of violence, reports our Khagrachhari correspondent.

The volatile situation started to calm down around 4:00pm after joint forces of the army, armed police battalion and the police began patrolling the town roads.The joint forces with megaphones asked residents to remain indoors and that if anyone was found outside, they would be arrested.Khagrachhari Sadar Hospital sources said seven people hurt in the clashes were admitted to the hospital while 12 received first aid.

State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku and Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder will visit the violence-prone areas of CHT today and hold meetings with the army, the indigenous people and the settlers."We cannot let the situation continue. We will ask all parties to show restraint and bring an end to the clashes," the home secretary told The Daily Star last night.

Meanwhile, the government yesterday allocated 100 tonnes of rice, Tk 5 lakh in cash and 500 corrugated iron sheets for the indigenous people affected by the recent violence and torching of houses at Bagaihat-Gangarammukh of Baghaichhari in Rangamati.

The Ministry of Food and Disaster Management allocated the aid under Gratuitous Relief in favour of Rangamati Deputy Commissioner for distribution among the affected people, says a food ministry press release.Our Rangamati correspondent adds: Members of the civil society in Rangamati formed a human chain demanding a fair investigation into Baghaichhari violence.

Around 1,000 people took part in the human chain in front of the Rangamati deputy commissioner's office around 10:00am.They also demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the people responsible for the incident, withdrawal of army camps and removal of Bangalee settlers from the areas.


__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] Minister accused of ‘capturing’ BRTA, BRTC offices



Minister accused of 'capturing' BRTA, BRTC offices 

Awami League lawmakers, members of a parliamentary panel, on Tuesday alleged that a senior minister had taken control of two government offices not under his ministry by using 'musclemen', making those public bodies 'dysfunctional' as a result.

The parliamentary standing committee on the communications ministry plans to take the matter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, seeking her intervention to stop such undue interference by shipping minister Shahjahan Khan and his henchmen, a member of the panel told New Age.

'Undue interference by the shipping minister's musclemen in the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation has made these offices almost dysfunctional,' said Golam Mawla Rony after a meeting of the committee in the Sangsad.

The minister denied the allegation and said the committee members were acting beyond their jurisdiction.'They have only the authority to come up with suggestions, but they want to overturn the ministry's decisions,' said Shahjahan Khan.

The lawmaker alleged that the minister, who also heads a labour organisation called Bangladesh Sramik Federation, is responsible for disturbances in, and extortion of money from, the transport sector.

Omar Faruk Chowdhury, also a member of the committee, echoed Rony, saying that he could not work at BRTA office to erase anomalies as assigned by the parliamentary committee.

'The shipping minister instigated his men to demonstrate against the parliamentary subcommittee members when they came up with a proposal to stop the issuing of fake driving licences by the BRTA,' said Omar Faruk.

He added that the state-run BRTC bus services could not be extended across the country because of the so-called workers' interference. 'They (BSR men) have been obstructing the state-run buses from plying various routes to protect their own interest,' he said.

The meeting, presided over by committee chairman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, asked the communications minister to solve these problems immediately.'If he fails, the committee members will take the matter to the prime minister,' said one lawmaker.

Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain, who attended the meeting, assured the panel that he would discuss the matter with the shipping minister.The chairman admitted that there is widespread extortion in the transport sector and said that the meeting suggested stringent measures against the extortionists, whoever they may be or whatever their political affiliation.'Anyone trying to create unrest in the transport sector must be brought to book. We want to restore discipline on the roads,' said Mujibur Rahman.

The meeting also formed a three-member subcommittee headed by Opu Okil to find out the ways and means for reclaiming Bangladesh Railway's lands that have been grabbed by various influential quarters.

The committee estimated that there were as many as 16,000 acres of railway lands under illegal occupation by various quarters.The meeting asked the ministry to take legal action against the former public works minister of the BNP-Jamaat government, Mirza Abbas, for constructing buildings on railway lands in the capital.It also asked the ministry to demolish all the structures built on 66 decimals of railway land by the former minister in Shahjahanpur.

The meeting took up the issue of the additional chief engineer of the Roads and Highways Department, Shahabuddin, who has reportedly managed to get a fake freedom-fighter's certificate to take the advantage of the extension of the retirement age limit of the civil servants who were involved in the '71 War of Liberation.

The committee alleged that the official, who had confessed to being a corrupt person before the Truth and Accountability Commission set up by the military-backed interim government, managed to obtain a fake certificate to come back to service from retirement.Shahabuddin got back his job recently after producing the 'fake' certificate.

The meeting also asked the ministry to remove him from his current position and take legal action against him.

 http://www.newagebd.com/2010/feb/24/front.html



__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] Rivers dry up, millions become unemployed: GK Project facing closure



Rivers dry up, millions become unemployed: GK Project facing closure
 

All the eight major rivers passing through the greater Rajshahi district have almost been dried up. The navigation through these rivers have remained suspended for years while more than three million people who used to depend for their livelihood direct on these rivers have also become unemployed and displaced.(New Nation)

The rivers are the Padma, the Mohananda, the Boral, the Pagla, the Punorbhova, the Atrai, the Karotoa, and the Chhoto Jamuna. The river of Padma has lost its navigability from Shibganj point in Chapainwabganj district to down stream Nagarbari in Pabna district due to withdrawal of water through Farkka Barrage, West Bengal, India. Sand dunes in the form of shoals have emerged in the middle of the river due to stoppage of natural flow of water. Some where in the river there is only spec of water flow while in other places there is knee-deep water. Thousands of people, mainly fishermen and boatmen who used to maintain their livelihood on this river, have become totally unemployed.

People of Rajshahi, Natore, Pabna and adjacent districts beside the river Padma have forgotten the impact of flood, erosion and the devastation created by the turbulent rush of water. Now, even during the Monsoon (rainy season), more than fifty percent of the river bed remain dried up. To feed her rivers and canals, India does not release water as per the water sharing treaty through Farakka barrage. The truth is that, occasionally, when Farakka is unable to contain a huge pressure of water during flood and monsoon, all the gates of Farakka are let open and thus creating a widespread flood in Bangladeshi.

The water level of the river Padma near Shibganj of Chapinawabganj, at Rajshahi and at Paksey Hardinge Bridge points, remained ever low. In many places there is no water to measure. In Rajshahi, the danger level of water of Padma is 18.5 feet. But for the last ten years, the water level never crossed over nine feet. The condition is far worrying at the foot of Hardinge Bridge, the water level being reduced drastically. Absence of water for ages under Hardinge Bridge may cause severe damage for the guarders as sands use to erode the concrete structure of the guarders and the other structures of the bridge, informed sources working for maintaining the bridge at Paksey.

Moreover, the Ganges-Kobadak Irrigation Project (GK Project) which uses to irrigate thousands of hectares of land in the greater Kushtia and Jessore districts is facing closure due to scanty or no water at the source of the project. Due to scarcity of water, the pump houses situated beside the river have been shifted several times and part of river has been dredged but still only 30 to 35 percent of the total capacity of GK project being used for irrigation purposes. It is apprehended that the GK project might face closure within next few years if no flow of water is increased in Padma.

The conditions of all other river flowing through greater Rajshahi is almost similar.

 http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/02/24/news0616.htm



__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] 'Golden boys' of Bangladesh PM



'Golden boys' of Bangladesh PM

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

February 21 is a very important day in the history of Bangladesh. Because, back in 1952, courageous students of Dhaka University fought for establishment of Bangla as our mother language, while the then Pakistani government was desperately trying to impose Urdu as the only official language of both West and East Pakistan. A number of students of Dhaka University were murdered by the Pakistani police and army on this day. For this particular reason, Language Movement and February 21 are extremely important parts of the history of Bangladesh.

21 February was proclaimed the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO on 17 November 1999. Its observance was also formally recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution establishing 2008 as the International Year of Languages.

On 21 March 1948, Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Governor General of Pakistan, declared that Urdu would be the only official language for both West and East Pakistan. The people of East Pakistan [now Bangladesh], whose main language is Bangla, started to protest against this. On 21 February 1952, [8 Falgun 1359 in the Bangla calendar], students in the present day capital city of Dhaka called for a provincial strike. The government invoked a limited curfew to prevent this and the protests were tamed down so as to not break the curfew. The Pakistani police fired on the students despite these peaceful protests and a number of students were killed.

While Dhaka University students played the heroic role during the Language Movement back in 1952, a section of students belonging to ruling Bangladesh Awami League has created an example of extreme anarchism and hooliganism on the same day just 58 years later!

Before describing this horrific notoriety of the activists and leaders of the student's wing of the ruling party, I must first of all inform my readers that, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is also the President of Bangladesh Awami League, terms the members of the student's wing of her party as 'Golden Boys'. But, what they have done on February 21, 2010 will possibly now give them a new name – 'Golden Goons'.

According to newspaper reports, a number of female students from a college in Dhaka went to pay floral tribute at the Central Shahid Minar [Central Monument of the Language Movement], which is located inside the Dhaka University campus. But, several activists and leaders of Bangladesh Chhatra League [student front of the ruling party] started teasing the girls. At one stage, guardians of these female students turned angry at those unruly youths. They protested to such nasty attitude of the ruling party activists on the fellow female students. But, a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League became violent at such protest of the guardians of the affected female student, and started dragging one of them inside the boy's dormitory. When the guardians tried to stop such notoriety, a few more members of the student's wing of the ruling party pulled a number of guardians along with few more female students inside the dormitory and started beating them with field-hockey stick and bamboo sticks in presence of thousands of people, who came to pay homage to the heroes of the language movement. Members of law enforcing agencies were witnessing the entire episode silently.

After assaulting the girls and their guardians for almost half-an-hour, the members of the ruling party's student wing, forced them to leave the university campus. It was even reported that, the female students were molested and sexually harassed by the leaders and activists of the ruling party student's wing.

Members of the ruling party's student wing are engaged in series of violent activities as well severe terror inside various campuses in Bangladesh, since Bangladesh Awami League came in power in January 2009. On several occasions, girl students were sexually harassed and abused by these 'Golden Goons'. But the government did not take any action against any of the culprits.

It may be mentioned here that, when Awami League was in power during 1996-2001, a leader of its student's wing raped 100 female students in consecutive 7 days inside Jahangir Nagar University campus and brought out a celebration procession to pronounce his 'heroism' in raping 100 female students. The matter came as top story of a number of newspapers in Bangladesh, but the government did not take minimum action against that culprit.

There are series of allegations of extortion, murder, rape and various forms of crime against the activists and leaders of the ruling party's student wing. Since Bangladesh Awami League formed government, these 'Golden Goons' have established virtual reign of terror in every educational institutions and campuses in the country.

I am sure; none of these incidents miss the attention of the Prime Minister. But, I am equally sure, that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will simply ignore these notorieties of her own party men. When Awami League came in power, they promised to change the politics of the country with something new to move Bangladesh ahead towards prosperity and peace. But, the ground realities in Bangladesh are truly alarming.

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/538/golden-boys-of-bangladesh-pm

 


__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] who is rapiest? jamat or leage



who raped our mother and sister in 71, they are doing same now in 2010 and will do upto 2021.
 
 



__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] UN-HABITAT: World Urban Youth Assembly International Essay Competition



UN-HABITAT: World Urban Youth Assembly International Essay Competition

The world urban population has grown at very high rates over the past two decades. According to the UN-HABITAT State of the World Cities Report 2008/2009, it is estimated that by the middle of the 21st century, half of the world's population will be living in urban areas.
While the urban population in developed countries will remain unchanged in the next two decades, the urban populations in the developing world will more than double. The majority of city inhabitants in the developing world are overwhelmingly young people, and are the most affected by issues of poverty, exclusion, and unemployment, access to housing, water and sanitation.
The theme for this year's UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum which is being held in Rio de Janeiro from 22 to 26 March, "The right to the City– bridging the urban divide" seeks to engage practitioners and policy makers to rethink the urban utopia and identifying the best practices and actions in every city, creating a better world where everyone can live with dignity, respect and citizenship.
Young people living in urban areas can play a significant role in addressing the challenges facing decision and policy makers planning for and managing cities. Young people from around the world participating in the World Urban Youth Assembly on 19 and 20 March will have an opportunity to deliberate and make recommendations to better inform the urban agenda.
UN-HABITAT invites youth from around the globe to participate in the World Urban Youth Assembly International Essay Competition to generate ideas and solutions to address youth challenges in cities.
Essay Theme: "Right to the City: Bridging the Urban Divide"
Write an essay about the youth challenges in cities today, using your city as an example, to address the following questions':
  1. Identify and briefly present the challenges young people face in cities and provide solutions.
  2. From a youth perspective, identify the underlying issues that prevent the full inclusion of youth in shaping the urban development agenda.
  3. In your view, what can young people, working with their peers, community, local authorities and municipalities do to increase youth participation in urban planning and managing cities?

We encourage you to give personal experiences and practical solutions.

Essay Guidelines:

  1. The International Essay Competition is open to all young people, students and non-students alike, between the ages of 18 and 32, from all countries of the world.
  2. Essays should be typewritten and be no more than 1,000 words.
  3. Essays must have a cover page indicating, essay title; name of author, postal address, telephone number, e-mail address(s), nationality, sex and age as of March 19, 2010.
  4. All essays must be submitted by e-mail in PDF or MS Word format, with the cover page and essay sent together as one document in English to the essay competition mail: victoria.chebet@unhabitat.org and partners@unhabitat.org
  5. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays will be disqualified.
  6. Essays must be original and unpublished

Deadline:
Entries must be received by 28 February 2010 at victoria.chebet@unhabitat.org and partners@unhabitat.org
Awards: The following awards will be given respectively:
1st Prize: Roundtrip economy ticket to attend the World Urban Youth Forum (19 and 20 March) and World Urban Forum (22 to 26 March) in Brazil and one Netbook
2nd Prize: One High Density Camera
3rd Prize: One Digital Camera

Moreinfo: http://www.unhabitat.org/content.asp?typeid=19&catid=531&cid=7844

 



Syed Saiful alam
shovan1209@yahoo.com
+8801552442814




__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___

[ALOCHONA] Zia Veneration and Hallucination of A Obaid Chowdhury



Zia Veneration and Hallucination of A Obaid Chowdhury

 

Under the influence of hallucination, one who standing under the boiling sun settling to the middle of the sky fails to understand the existence of the sun and dares to compare it with candle light, writer A Obaid Chowdhury is one of that kinds who reminds me of Bangla vernacular GANZAR NOUKA PAHAR BAIYA ZAY!

 

Similar to others of his Jatiotabadi Jihadi kind who has taken puff out of same KOLKI has tried to establish this wacky bizarre story of Major. Zia proclaimed the independence of Bangladesh on March 27, 1971 though Maj. Zia himself never thought of claiming this even in his wildest martial dream until his last breath.

 

Gen. Zia's government on February 13, 1979, constituted an authentication committee for writing and printing history of the Liberation War. Dr Mofizullah Kabir was the committee Chairman and Hasan Hafizur Rahman as Member Secretary. The books published by this committee in November 1982 and again reprinted in December of 2003. Both editions said Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared independence on March 26, 1971.

 

If Gen. Ziaur Rahman claimed to be the author of proclamation of independence then why did his own constituted history of Bangladesh liberation war authentication committee of Dr. Mofizullah Kabir and Hasan Hafizur Rahman put Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans name as the author of proclamation of independence which was announced over the radio (Shadhin Bangla Biplobi Betar Kendro) by then Major Ziaur Rahman on March 27 1971 who happened to be the third person who had read the same proclamation since March 26 of 1971.

 

Beside that, Mr. A Obaid Chowdhury forgot, the Proclamation of Independence, which is part of our sacred constitution, also acclaims Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's call for independence on March 26, 1971 as the legal instrument of our independence war.

 

Making superfluous comparison between unparallel leader of then East Pakistan and later acclaimed Father of the Nation of independent Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman with Z force military commander during liberation war and later on Bangladesh's First Military Dictator and Chief Martial Law Administrator is not just uncalled pointless debate but a malicious attempt of Anti Liberation forces to re-write the independence history of Bangladesh. Only people taking puff on grass can come up with this malice story to glorify Zia which Zia himself did not dare to claim.

 

 

It was not military strongman Gen. Zia, but his widow Khaleda Zia who as Prime Minister of Jamaat-BNP alliance government appointed BNP-Jamaat sycophant Rejaul Karim, Prof M Moniruzzaman Mia, Prof Emazuddin Ahmed, Barrister Moinul Hossain, Dr Kamal Uddin Siddiqui, Prof Sirajul Islam, Prof KM Mohsin, Prof Abul Kalam Monjur Morshed and Prof Jasim Uddin Ahmed to re-write the history of liberation war.

 

In June of 2004, Khaleda Zia appointed committee published the books giving an intentional erroneous report of the declaration of independence showing Maj. Ziaur Rahman as the proclaimer of independence where he (Maj. Zia) himself conferred the position of provisional head of the state to his own credit on March 27, 1971.

 

What a silly thinking, as if people of then East Pakistan keep waiting TWO DAYS for a messiah (Zia) to come and rescue them. Fools have no idea that common people, Bengali military personal, Bengal Regiment, East Pakistan Rifles, Police forces and even Ansar Battalion across the country revolted at the first hour of Operation Search Light strikes the soil of Bangladesh at mid night of March 25, 1971.

 

There was a huge outburst of anger among common people and historians who went to the court demanding to overturn this dimwitted start to finish lie by anti liberation Jamaat-e-Islami influenced BNP alliance government.

 

High Court bench comprising of Justice ABM Khairul Haque and Justice Mamtazuddin Ahmed dismissed BNP-Jamaat sycophant claim of Mej. Zia as proclaimer of independence. In a epoch making judgment, the High Court ruled that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, not Ziaur Rahman, proclaimed the republic's independence on March 26, 1971. The proclamation was relayed by Kalurghat Betar Kendra (radio centre) in Chittagong .

 

The High Court bench observed that the Proclamation of Independence published on April 10, 1971 by then government of Mujib Nagar, states beyond doubt that Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman made the declaration of independence. Further, the proclamation is protected by article 150 of the constitution and thus cannot be changed at will. The court also declared illegal and unconstitutional the publications of the third volume of the books titled 'Swadhinata Juddho: Dalilpatra' (The Liberation War of Bangladesh: Documents) during BNP-Jamaat alliance government. It directed the government to confiscate the books painting late president Ziaur Rahman as declarer of independence. Besides, it directed the government to stop sale, distribution and reprint of the books at home and abroad. The bench said the government might take initiative to bring to trial those involved in attempts to establish an untrue version of the Liberation War. It observed that the persons responsible have in fact committed an offence against the nation and the constitution.

 

Now the million-dollar question is why Khaleda Zia's BNP did what Gen. Zia's BNP did not dare to do. Answer is desperation, there was no alternative for BNP to survive politically simply banking on a dead mans image who has no role on long struggle of Bangladesh other then a halftime Sector Commander and half time Z Force commander. BNP took this lesson out of total melt away process of Bhashani Nap almost immediately after the death of a popular leader Maulana Bhashani.

 

BNP needed a glorifying image of Gen. Zia in the history of Bangladesh to rescue his image being villainous first military dictator of Bangladesh who has direct involvement with almost all political killing that took place from August 15, 1975 until his death. Gen. Ziaur Rahman did not even spare Col. Tahers life (hanged him after a few hours of camera trial) who happened to be his savior without whose help he could not be any body but a dead body right on November 3, 1975.

 

A Obaid Chowdhury and his brand will make every effort to cook distorted facts as history, which surely will go unproductive, and truth will prevail. Now or hundred years down the road, law of the land will always find Gen. Zia guilty of being an illegal military dictator just like the recent epoch making high court and supreme court verdict which nullified all his martial law regulation (Cancelation of 5th amendment of constitution) and declared his regime illegitimate and illegal. Interestingly court called Gen. Zias regime illegal and illegitimate during the prime minister ship of her widow Khaleda Zia. This verdict of quashing Gen. Zias regime by the highest court endorses another vernacular Bangla phrase DHORMER KOL BATASHA NORA.

 

Shamim Chowdhury

Maryland, USA

February 23, 2010

Email: veirsmill @yahoo.com

 

 

 

 

Hasina's Zia Phobia


By A Obaid Chowdhury

 

In a cabinet meeting on February 15, 2010, the 'mohajote' government led by Awami League decided that anything bearing the name of the late president Ziaur Rahman would be eliminated, be that Zia International Airport or the name Ziaur Rahman in school textbooks. The decision was said to be in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict to void the 5the amendment of the constitution. Earlier, Zia's announcement of independence in March 1971 was nullified by another court order. Yet earlier, Zia's murals and pictures had been destroyed or erased from public places. The people in general did not seem to approve these vindictive partisan behaviors. It was a manifestation of immaturity and politics of hatred, they remarked. One may not be surprised if the Zia Mazaar is destroyed, renamed or reassigned to someone else!

There is an old saying that British Parliament can do anything except making a man a woman and vice versa. Looks like the current mohajote parliament can do even that. If it declares Prime Minister Hasina is a man, the decision will be ram-rolled irrespective of public acceptance. It seems to the parliament, to the government as well as to the judiciary of today, logic or relevance does not matter! If it says Zia did not exist, so be it. If there was no Zia, there should be no Zia Mazaar either. Hasina had already made insinuating remarks to the effect that Zia Mazaar was a fake one; it did not contain Zia's body. Who dares challenge one who has almost 90% ownership of the parliament and who virtually thinks 'I am the law'! However, 70 million voters---majority of whom rejected Awami League in the last elections--will keep counting for their time to come again, nonetheless.

The Zia phobia in Sheikh Hasina and her cohorts can perhaps be explained by a few factors, within and outside.

Zia outdid Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by declaring the independence of Bangladesh on March 27, 1971. Mujib himself never disputed that historic reality, although his grudge against Zia was displayed by appointing Zia's junior K M Safiullah as the army chief. Mujib followers, however, could never digest the fact that an unknown 'Major Zia' stole the show by making that announcement which they thought ought to have come from their supreme leader. Let us revisit our recent past history.

Nobody denies Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's contribution to the independence of Bangladesh . He ascended the position of an undisputed leader in East Pakistan in the late 1960s through his 6-Point program that was primarily crafted for the autonomy of East Pakistan . Never did he say a word about an independent East Pakistan or Bangladesh . Even his famous March 7, 1971 speech fell short of the Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). That the March 7 speech could not be considered an UDI was borne by the fact that Sheikh Mujib went on to negotiate with the Pakistani military junta from March 15 to 24, 1971 in Dhaka favoring an unified Pakistan . In fact, it was Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani who first hinted of an independent East Pakistan as early as in 1957 and spoke it finally in December 1970.

On March 1, 1971, President Yahya Khan postponed the inaugural session of the new parliament, to be held in Dhaka in two days. The student leaders and a section of Awami League had since been pressurizing Mujib to make the UDI. Mujib refused to do any such thing, not even on March 7, despite generation of much public hype on that day. He finished his 17- minute speech with Joy Bangla and Joy Pakistan, because he still believed in an united Pakistan and wanted to form the next government in Islamabad .

It was, however, strange that being a seasoned politician, Mujib failed to visualize the game plan of the junta that was amassing military power in East Pakistan , ostensibly in preparation for a showdown. A representative from Lt Col M R Chowdhury, Major Ziaur Rahman and others in Chittagong conveyed to him on March 17 about the ominous military built up there and sought immediate advice, further hinting that Bengali elements were ready to strike before they were attacked. As always, Mujib never took military advice seriously and reportedly balked at the representative not to take any preemptive action at a time when he was engaged in 'fruitful' talks with the West Pakistani leaders. A visionary, strategic and timely direction at that crucial time could have saved lives of hundreds of thousand innocent Bengalis.

On March 25, President Yahya quietly left Dhaka, leaving instructions to 'butcher' Lt General Tikka Khan to start Operation Searchlight the same night aimed at 'teaching the Bengalis a lesson' or in other words, annihilating them. Yet on the same day, Mujib retorted at the inquisitive journalists that he was making progress in 'talks' and he had a meeting scheduled with Yahya soon (Please see Ittefaq, Observer, Dawn and many other newspapers of March 26, 27, 1971). Meanwhile, the rumor of Operation Searchlight spread outside the Dhaka cantonment and people started fleeing the city or preparing for resistance. Top political and student leaders were on the run knowing that they would be the immediate targets of the military. Many of them requested Sheikh Mujib to move to a safe location but Mujib did not care. According to a source, a few student leaders led by A S M Abdur Rob went to Mujib around 10 pm with a written declaration of independence. Sheikh Mujib was coerced to sign it. Rob can explain if it was a fact and what happened to that declaration, if any.

There were reports that Mujib talked with the US ambassador Joseph Farland in Islamabad that night. Shortly after midnight on March 25, Sheikh Mujib was taken into custody from his residence and flown to West Pakistan . His family was allowed to stay at his residence under Pakistan military protection and with a fat allowance. Young Sheikh Hasina seemed to have been enjoying the life pretty well then; she conceived Joy during that period.

It is thus not clear when and how did Sheikh Mujibur Rahman make the declaration of independence, other than what we heard of the Rob-version.

Even in the absence of any political direction, the patriotic Bengali elements of the army, Bangladesh Rifles, Police and Ansars gave gallant fights against the Pakistani murderers. Students, teachers, bureaucrats and others also organized their own fights. In such a chaotic and disjointed activities of resistance to the Pak army's wholesale genocide, came an announcement from Chittagong Radio Station on March 27, 1971 declaring Bangladesh an independent country and asking the people to fight the occupation forces. It was Major Ziaur Rahman of 8 East Bengal Regiment. I understand the first announcement was made in his own name, later it was changed in the name of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. That was the first such announcement people heard and the message spread from mouth to mouth like wild fire, locally and internationally. Even if there was a declaration from Sheikh Mujib, nobody knew of it. Was it an offence on the part of Zia to make that announcement at that critical juncture to give a direction to the people, and more particularly to the fighting forces of Bangladesh ? Perhaps, it was 'an unpardonable offence' in the eyes of the Awami League and its sycophants, thus Zia should be punished for his 'audacity'. Ironically, the Supreme Court had to come to the rescue of the Awami League on this controversial issue!

It was President Ziaur Rahman who allowed Sheikh Hasina to return to Bangladesh in 1980 from her self-exile. Well tutored by her mentors during asylum in India, the first thing she worked on was to get rid of Zia, because Zia always reminded her of her father's failures and he was too assertive to the liking of India (Please see "Amar Phansi Chai" by Matiur Rahman Rentu, onetime Hasina's aide). Indeed the fall of Zia came soon; he was killed on May 30, 1981. According to reports, Hasina was caught near Kasba while trying to flee to India at that time. In death, Zia became much larger than life; people understood what the man he was and what a leader Bangladeshis lost!

Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was the most loved person in Bangladesh on January 10, 1972 when he came to independent Bangladesh after release from Pakistani custody. By the time he died on August 15, 1975, few shed tears, no Innalillah heard. To contrast, hardly anybody knew Major Ziaur Rahman before March 27, 1971, but some 3 million people gathered at his Janaza in 1981 in Dhaka .

Zia was no angel, he might have flaws and perhaps made mistakes, but his mistakes of 6 years, if any, fade before the blunders Mujib committed in 3 and half years' from 1972 to 1975.

Thus, Zia fear in the Awami circle is understandable. However, can it erase Zia from history? In addition, what pains me to note in my limited legal comprehension that the citadel of our judiciary seems to have become part of this partisan political game.

A Obaid Chowdhury
New York , USA
February 16, 2010
E Mail:alaldulal@...
http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=305937

 




__._,_.___


[Disclaimer: ALOCHONA Management is not liable for information contained in this message. The author takes full responsibility.]
To unsubscribe/subscribe, send request to alochona-owner@egroups.com




Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___