__._,_.___
Dear alochoks, Please read this article: http://www.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/07/19/news0714.htm I have serious doubts about Mujibs daughter's intellectual capability to run Bangladesh or the Dictator's (Zia's) wife and children. When will the people of Bangladesh will wake up to the reality? --- On Sat, 17/7/10, kg <kgazi@cox.net> wrote:
|
Dear Alochoks, We do not neet to worry (or gloat) about overtaking China. Please read this: http://www.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/07/19/news0714.htm The above article tells us how India has a master plan to subjugate Bangladesh as a surrogate state. When will the children or Mujib and Zia stop playing with the future of Bangladesh? When the primeminister of Bangladesh return from he visit to India she boldly stated that the Indian Government has given her assurance that India will not take any decision that is detrimental to Bangladesh. If this is so then why do we bother with having an Army, Navy and Air force? It is about time we civil soceity wake up and take some interest in the future of Bangladesh and where it is heading under the rule of Begums. There is still time we can do something about this - this is NOT a call for armed struggle but to exercise the muscle between our ears and get organised. Many thanks. --- On Sat, 17/7/10, Robin Khundkar <rkhundkar@earthlink.net> wrote:
|
From Hindu Muslim-Baiter to Inter-Faith Activist
By Yoginder Sikand
Lucknow-based Swami Lakshmi is not, as his last name might suggest, an orthodox Brahminical priest. He heads the 'Hindu-Muslim Unity Front', dedicated to promoting harmony between Muslims and Hindus. His way of promoting the cause is somewhat unique: exploring and highlighting what he regards as the striking similarities between Quranic Islam and the Vedas, or what he prefers to call Sanatan Vaidik Dharm or the 'Eternal Vedic Law'.
I met with the swami earlier this year, at a conference in Delhi. Dressed in the ochre robes of a sadhu, he quoted liberally from the Quran and the Vedas to stress the claim of the universality of religion and to counter exclusivist understandings of each of them. The audience, mixed in terms of religious composition, heard him in careful silence, and when he was over, burst into hearty applause.
The swami was kind enough to grant me an interview. Keen to further understand his approach to promoting Hindu-Muslim dialogue, I asked him to begin by telling me about himself and how he had got so involved in dialogue work, which was now his major preoccupation.
He was born in 1952 in a village in the Kanpur district in Uttar Pradesh, the swami began, where he received his basic education, after which he shifted to Allahabad, where worked for a while as a contractor. But, increasingly, he began tiring of the world. 'I wanted to live for God', he said. It was at this time that he became an activist—though not a formal member—of the RSS and the VHP. As a result of this association with hardliner, vociferously anti-Muslim outfits, over time hatred for Muslims became almost a creed for him. 'In government schools we were taught that Muslims came to India as invaders, that they slaughtered Hindus and destroyed their temples. Being active in the work of the RSS and VHP, my hatred for Muslims and Islam was further magnified,' he went on. 'It was as if my religion demanded that I should hate Muslims and their faith.' This led him on to write a polemical treatise against Islam, titled 'The History of Islamic Terrorism', wherein he claimed that not just India, but, in fact, the entire world, was faced with what he had termed as the 'peril of Islam'. The book was published by a pro-RSS publishing house, and was released, in 2002, by none other than the Shiv Sena supreme Bal Thackeray, known for his venom-spewing anti-Muslim rhetoric.
At that time a hardened Muslim-hater, the swami experienced a sudden change of heart shortly after he penned his vitriolic anti-Islamic treatise. 'At around this time,' he explained, 'a number of Muslim clerics, particularly leading ulema of the Deoband school, had begun issuing statements and fatwas condemning terrorism, even in the name of Islam, and insisting that it had no place whatsoever in Islam,' he elaborated. 'This made me curious to understand Islam not from Hindutva writings, which were obviously heavily biased, but through the Quran itself and through the writings of Muslim scholars.' The swami began researching Islam from its own original sources. In a short while, he discovered, much to his surprise, that what the Quran actually taught, particularly about the doctrine of jihad, was, if correctly understood, quite the opposite of what he had earlier thought it did. The Quran was not the treatise on terror that he had been led to believe and that he had accused it of being in his book. He had erred, he said, by ignoring the explanations of jihad given by numerous qualified Islamic scholars and by taking Quranic verses related to jihad out of their contexts or culling just certain portions of these verses while ignoring others (a crime radical Islamists, too, are guilty of), which had twisted their intended meaning completely.
To properly understand the issue of jihad—which remains one of the key causes of deep-rooted negative stereotypes about Islam among many non-Muslims—the swami began to delve into the history of the Prophet Muhammad. 'I read his biography, for only in that way could I appreciate the question of jihad in its proper context,' he went on. 'It soon dawned on me that what I had earlier written about the Prophet was completely untrue. To repent for what I had done, I decided to write a second book, refuting what I had earlier written, and apologizing to God, to the Prophet and to Muslims in general, for my previous book, which I had completely disassociated from. In the new book I issued this apology very explicitly, and clearly mentioned that my earlier book should be treated as completely null and void.' The new book, in Hindi, titled Islam: Atank Ya Adarsh? ('Islam: Terror or Role Model?' was published earlier this year. It argues, contrary to popular non-Muslim perception, that Islam opposes terrorism and that, in fact, it is a model religion for humanity. An English version of the book is to be out soon.
I asked the swami to tell me more about the vision behind his 'Hindu-Muslim Unity Front'. 'We want to bring Hindus and Muslims closer to each other, to bridge the gulf that divides them,' he replied. The swami and his small band of disciples have organised numerous public rallies for this cause, and regularly attend seminars and activist meetings across the country, organized by Hindu, Muslim as well as secular groups, propagating the same simple message: of monotheism and righteous belief and conduct as the basis for human, including Hindu-Muslim, unity. This basic point, he says, is something that people of different faiths and communities can easily agree on. It is, or, rather can be, he argues, the foundation for a common consensus between Muslims and Hindus. He lauds the Quranic concept of unsullied monotheism, and claims that, if properly understood, the Vedas, too, talk of just one God and vehemently oppose polytheism, idolatry and the worship of avatars and other human beings, which he explains as a later accretion that have nothing to do with true Sanatan Vaidik Dharm.
Is this not what some neo-Hindu groups such as the Arya Samaj also claim? I asked the swami. 'The Arya Samaj does talk of monotheism, and opposes idolatry', he answered, 'but its founder, Dayanand Saraswati, was vehemently opposed to Islam and Muslims.' 'On the other hand,' he explained, 'our approach is based on love and unity, seeking to bring Hindus and Muslims together and to assert the claim that a true Sanatani is actually also a true Muslim, in the real sense of the term as someone who has truly submitted to God.'
Dear Alochok Q Rahman
Certainly 'natural migration due to limited resources' is a factor. But it is only one factor amongst many. The phrase certainly does not address any of the points I have mentioned - unless of course we can follow our politcians and blame limited resources for all the rot in our country.
As for our limited resources - we are neither managing our resources nor minimising our population. We are in fact, literally screwing ourselves into the ground. And instead of tackling our real problems head on we are rather proud that we can fulfill the world's requirements for unskilled labour.
Many, many have tried to return only to be kicked out again because the medicore and the corrupt make it impossible for them to survive in Bangladesh - let alone flourish.
Please don't let politicians mitigate our incompetence, mismanagement and corruption by blaming 'limited resources'.
In the meantime our governments are busy exporting our problems.
And the problem is that we don't have that much time. The link between 2nd / 3rd generation emigants and the motherland is tenuous at best. Another two decades of this rotten condition and you can kiss any hope of a reverse brain drain goodbye.
Though 'brain drain' has never been an issue for Bangladesh. There are enough brains in the drains to meet all our requirements.
Best wishes
Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, qrahman@... wrote:
>
>
> Dear Alochoks,
>
> This is a "Natural flow" of migration. Dr. Zafar Iqbals are very few among us. Most of us want to live our dreams and often it does not include Bangladesh. Geographically we are a tiny nation with a huge population. Therefore, it is not all bad if some of us make a life outside. We can serve our country without physically staying in Bangladesh.
>
> I have seen some of my friends coming back to Bangladesh after many years. They have international level skills and now benefits offered by some companies are much better than what was available 20 years ago. Therefore, naturally they are heading back home. According to a recent BBC report, 87% of all migrants always looking for a good excuse to come back.
>
> If (God willing) our future government works hard to bring back talents of future, I am sure they will be willing to make some sacrifices for our country. In the mean time, let them establish ourselves all over the globe. I do not see anything wrong with it.
>
> Peace.
>
> ---qr
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mohd. Haque <haquetm83@...>
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Mon, Jul 12, 2010 9:52 pm
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: Fwd: Happy youth: 42% wants to leave the country
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Dear Alochoks,
>
> If we connect the jergon - best brains are not allowed to stay in the country or they are settled in outside. When I do believe this, yet I am frustrated as I notice that all these best brains serving the best economies and societies or humanities, there contributions do not appears as such.
> If you go to a book shelf in - say Dubai or Kuala Lumpur or in London or New York how many titles you see authored by our best brains settled and enjoyed their lives in west. Please do not bring in Tommy Mian or Monica Ali as reference.
>
> Would appreciate if you can start a healthy debate on my frustration.
>
> --- On Fri, 9/7/10, ezajur <Ezajur@...> wrote:
>
>
> From: ezajur <Ezajur@...>
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] Re: Fwd: Happy youth: 42% wants to leave the country
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, 9 July, 2010, 12:09 AM
>
>
>
> They are happy because most of them have given up on having higher expectations of Bangladesh. As with many things in life - one can be happier if one cares less. This disengagement is NOT from world trends. They want to go out and meet world trends head on. Their disengagement is from trends in Bangladesh.
>
> They want to leave the country not because of ignorance of the outside world but because of their knowledge of the world inside Bangladesh.
>
> You could not last 5 minutes in an argument with a youngster determined to build a life abroad. And you needn't worry. As a nation we don't want or encourage young talent to stay. Which is why no one gives a damn that every year thousands of our best young people leave.
>
> This is the Bangladesh created by the older generation who support the crimes and lies of AL and BNP. And now this same generation blames the younger generation. No wonder our youth have disengaged.
>
> Political activists aren't worth the spit of our young people. Our young people go abroad and lead more productive lives in safer environments with a better ethical setting.
>
> Parents and grandparents don't encourage their kids to return even if it breaks their hearts.
>
> Because of our politics.
>
> Even all the AL who faint at the sight of Joy know that what they like about Joy would not be there if Joy had spent his life in Bangladesh mixing in AL circles. Dhekthe hobeh na kar nathi? Ji na. Dhekthe hobeh kuthai manush hoilo.
>
> 42% want to leave their country - its a good sign. It indirectly shows the rejection of the Bangladesh of AL and BNP.
>
> Even AL and BNP activists abroad don't return to Bangladesh when their party wins power!
>
> --- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Isha Khan <bdmailer@> wrote:
> >
> > ------ Forwarded message ----------
> > From: Javed Ahmad
> >
> > They are 'happy' because they are not aware of many of the world trends
> > and events that is taking shape and how they might affect them. And they
> > 'want to leave the country' because they do not know what 'freedom' means as
> > the world is gradually turning into a prison. Our present young generation
> > are the believers of "ignorance is bliss". Soon they would come to know the
> > truth and will be totally clue less. Perhaps then they would come to
> > understand that this life is not a bed of roses.
> >
> > --- On *Sun, 6/13/10, Isha Khan <bdmailer@>* wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: Isha Khan <bdmailer@>
> > Subject: Re: Happy youth: 42% wants to leave the country
> > To:
> > Date: Sunday, June 13, 2010, 2:28 AM
> >
> >
> > *Most youths are happy, but half of them want to go abroad*
> >
> > *British Council* survey reveals
> >
> > Eighty eight per cent of young people in Bangladesh are either happy or very
> > happy while 42 per cent young people want to go abroad, said a survey report
> > conducted by the British Council.
> >
> > On the findings of the study, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said: "The total
> > number of young people in Bangladesh is around 55 million. Among this 88 per
> > cent are happy or very happy while 1.6 per cent are unhappy. It's a positive
> > sign for our country. As the young generation is happy they can bring a
> > better future for the country."
> >
> > She said 76.5 per cent of youth believe women should play a greater role in
> > decision making affecting their community while 73 per cent of them own a
> > mobile phone. Both are good signs as we are going on our way of fulfilling
> > Vision 2021, she added.
> >
> > The foreign minister said this while speaking at the launching ceremony of
> > the survey report titled "Bangladesh: The Next Generation" at a city hotel
> > on Saturday.
> >
> > British High Commissioner Stephen Evans said: "This survey demonstrates the
> > need and opportunities offered by mobilising one of the Bangladesh's
> > greatest assets--the 55 million young people between the ages of 15 and 30
> > and pointed to the significance of active citizenship in building
> > communities and improving livelihood to take Bangladesh forward."
> >
> > British Council Director Charles Nuttall OBE recognised the transformational
> > power of young Bangladeshis and added: "We hope the report will promote
> > discussion on how the immense social and human capital that Bangladeshi
> > youth have to offer can be harnessed."
> >
> > The survey involved hour long interviews with 2,167 males and females aged
> > between 15 and 30, which the British Council claims were representatives of
> > the demographics of young people in Bangladesh.
> >
> > The survey found that young people had an overall positive view of the
> > country's progress - with 79 percent believing that "the country is heading
> > in the right direction". However, 60 percent of the interviewees said that
> > they felt that corruption will or may get worse in the next five years.
> >
> > They ranked bribery as the second most important factor, next to education,
> > in securing a job- with 12 percent believing it to be the major factor.
> >
> > It also found that only 15 percent thought that student politics is a good
> > thing. Another 36 percent said student politics has a detrimental effect on
> > educational institutions.
> >
> > http://fe-bd.com/more.php?news_id=102985&date=2010-06-13
> >
> > On 6/13/10, Isha Khan
> > <bdmailer@<http://mc/compose?to=bdmailer@>>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > *British Council* survey on bangladesh youth
> > >
> > > http://www.dailyjanakantha.com/news_view.php?nc=15&dd=2010-06-13&ni=21648
> > >
> >
>
------------------------------------
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Someone recently said that the recent mayoral el;ection in Chittagong demonstrates that democracy is safe under Hasina.
Democracy is categorically not safe in Bangladesh under the Nethri system.
Unless of course the definition of demcracy is, in its entirety, simply that he who get the most votes wins.
Democracy is deeper and broader than most political activists understand.
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Isha Khan <bdmailer@...> wrote:
>
> Chittagong City Corporation Election
>
> *Youths, middle-income group, female voters ended Mohiuddin era : daily Star
> survey
> *
>
>
> Photo from left: ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, M Manjur Alam and e-voitng. Graph
> Clockwise: 1. Overall, how would you describe the election environment? 2.
> What is the post-election situation now? 3. In the race of CCC, who did you
> vote? 4. Overall, do you think that Bangladesh is headed in the right
> direction or do you think that they are off on the wrong track? 5. Were you
> facilitated by the candidate to go to the center on the election? 6. Since
> the elections were scheduled, has any one offered you a gift, a favor, food,
> or money to try to convince you to vote for them?
>
> ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, the longest serving mayor of Chittagong who finally
> lost the election to BNP-backed candidate M Manjur Alam, got less support
> from the youths, middle-income group and female voters, a survey revealed.
> Mohiddin's rift with his party, his overconfident attitude and 'misconduct',
> lack of support from minority voters and less contact with the voters were
> quoted by respondents as some of the reasons for his defeat. The survey was
> conducted by Nielsen Bangladesh following the Chittagong City Corporation
> (CCC) election.
>
> Respondents said they voted against Mohiuddin as they were tired of his long
> 'autocratic' tenure and wanted a change. He also did not approach the women
> voters adequately. On the other hand, the survey found that Manjur Alam won
> because of his good behaviour, politeness and image as an honest person. His
> less attacking campaign against his opponent and his approach to all
> irrespective of gender and religion also made him the winner.
>
> Target respondents
> To ensure that the sample properly represents all possible categories,
> respondents from the following groups were extracted:
>
> Area: 41 wards
> Gender: Male and female
> Age group: Voters (age 18 years and above)
> Interview at household level or pre-appointed place of the voters
>
> Polling environment
>
> Almost all the voters (95 percent) viewed that the Chittagong City
> Corporation election was held peacefully, free and fair. They further
> reported that they did not encounter any problems, difficulties or
> irregularities. None of the voters felt "insecure" as such. However, only 3
> percent of the voters said that "the wait was too long".
>
> Decision about the candidate
>
> Although there was backing from the political parties, but more than
> one-third (38 percent) of the voters took decision about the candidate just
> before the polling started -- within last 48 hours! The last moment decision
> was extremely critical for the candidate. Females (42 percent) were the ones
> who took last minute decision more compared to males (35 percent). Across
> age groups, 40 percent of the young voters (19-25 years) took the voting
> decision within last two days, while 36 percent of the senior group
> (55+years) doing the same.
>
> Nearly another one third of the voters (31 percent) decided during the
> campaign i.e. after the announcement on candidates made by Bangladesh
> Election Commission (BEC). Only 19 percent were loyal to political party
> decision and that inherits in their family, such loyalty was higher among
> males (19 percent) compared to females (15 percent). Therefore, the personal
> quality of the candidate was extremely crucial to the voters during this CCC
> mayoral election.
>
> Corruption by the candidates
>
> Almost all the voters (95 percent) reported that they haven't received any
> gift, food, or money from the candidate or their workers trying to convince
> them to vote for them. However, 4 percent of the voters said that "received
> something".
>
> Similarly 92 percent of the voters said that the candidates or political
> party did not facilitate them going to the polling centre. But 8 percent of
> the voters have received facilities in some form from the candidate or his
> party for going to the polling station. Considering the low percentile of
> such incidence it can be concluded that, overall the election was free from
> the candidate or his party for going to the polling station. Considering the
> low percentile of such incidence it can be concluded that, overall the
> election was free from corruption, as such to the voters.
>
> Post-election environment
>
> Although opposition party backed candidate won the election, majority of the
> voters (78 percent) termed the post election environment as "peaceful".
> However, 16 percent were in tension or anxiety.
>
> People appreciated the gesture of the ruling party in accepting the election
> result and congratulating the opposition winning candidate. The feelings
> were similar irrespective to religion, age or gender.
>
> Winning candidate
>
> The respondents were asked directly reveal the name of the candidate they
> had voted for. One third of them (33 percent) refused to disclose their
> choice. However, 42 percent of the voters spontaneously said they have cast
> their votes to Manjur Alam, while 25 percent reported that they have voted
> for Mohiuddin Chowdhury.
>
> Across income groups, Manjur was preferred and voted by people of all income
> brackets, while more by the lower income population. He got 45 percent vote
> of the population group having income less than BDT5,000, while Mohiuddin
> got only 24 percent vote from this group.
>
> Across gender and age groups, Manjur was also preferred more by all age
> groups and irrespective of genders. Among the Muslim's 45 percent preferred
> Manjur as against only 22 percent preferred Mohiuddin while among the Hindu
> voters, 45 percent voted for Mohiuddin, while 20 percent voted for Manjur.
>
> Chittagong dwellers. Incidentally, there was heavy rain during the polling
> day which also triggered to swing voters toward him,
>
> Finally people wanted "change".
>
> Qualitative reasons for winning and losing
>
> Nielsen researchers interviewed in-depth a large number of voters
> irrespective of areas, gender, income and occupation to understand the
> underlying factors for losing the poll by Mohiuddin and winning by Manjur.
> The main reasons were as follows:
>
> ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury: The main reasons for him to collapse were -
>
> Less support from young and middle income and female voters,
>
> Detached from his party (central and local),
>
> Overconfidence and misconduct,
>
> Ignoring local problems (i.e. waterlogging, traffic congestion etc.),
>
> Less support from minority voters
>
> Gender discrimination to some extent
>
> In addition, since there was a three-day holiday [Thursday (polling day) and
> weekly holidays Friday and Saturday] -- most of the floating voters i.e.
> coming from other districts left Chittagong also contributed to his failure.
>
>
> People were tired of his long autocratic tenure and opted for a change.
>
> Manjur Alam: The main reasons for him to win were -Good behaviour, Polite
> and soft spoken,
>
> Perceived as honest (it may be recalled that he worked as acting mayor
> during military-backed caretaker government; Mohiuddin was in jail at that
> time), and people found him honest,
>
> Less attacking to opponent during the campaign
>
> His campaign was above any gender or religious discrimination
>
> Waterlogging is a major crisis in the CCC area. It was a long demand for
>
> e-Voting
>
> First time introduced e-voting in Jamal Khan Road (Ward # 21) was highly
> accepted by 94 percent of the voters. Nearly 44 percent of the voters also
> suggested introducing this through out the country. However, people
> suggested for wider campaign about the process, techniques etc so that
> elderly and less literate voters get proper knowledge about using the
> e-voting machine.
>
> Perception about the government
>
> The poll was held after one and half years of the government in power.
> Around three-fourth of the voters (73 percent) perceived that the country is
> in the right track. However, 13 percent viewed as "wrong track". The
> respondents had more or less similar views irrespective to religion, gender
> or age groups.
>
> Interestingly, the view is also similar with respect to the candidate they
> have voted for. Majority of the respondents who have voted for Manjur (72
> percent) also feels that the country is going into the right direction,
> similar to those who have voted for Mohiuddin (79 percent).
>
> Satisfaction on government performance:
>
> Similarly, 70 percent of the voters are satisfied with the performance of
> the government; as against 18 percent of the dissatisfied voters.
>
> Interestingly, majority of the voters who supported opposition-backed
> candidate also have similar views (64 percent).
>
> Concluding remarks
>
> People have shown full confidence in Bangladesh Election Commission (BEC).
> The election was free and fair and it was acceptable to almost all the
> voters. They have not accepted any statement or opinion about the quality of
> the election, in general, raised by any political party or candidate after
> the election. The election result matches with the opinion poll findings.
>
> Overall, the electronic voting (e-voting) system was accepted among the
> voters. However, some of them suggested for more campaign about the
> techniques and process of e-voting for wider acceptance. It will help
> increasing awareness and knowledge using the e-voting machine effectively.
>
> Finally, it is perceived by majority of the voters that the country is in
> the right track and the citizens are satisfied with the performance of the
> government.
>
> Study methodology
>
> The poll was quantitative in nature. A total of around 2,546 eligible
> voters/respondents were interviewed, covering all the wards under Chittagong
> City Corporation. In each ward, there are a number of mahallas, developed by
> Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. From each ward, two mahallas were selected
> randomly. These mohallas were considered as primary sampling units
> (PSUs)/clusters.
>
> Respondents profile
>
> A total of 2,546 respondents were interviewed under the scope of the study
> from 41 wards of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC). Fifty percent of the
> respondents were male while rest 50 percent were females.
>
> Nearly 60 percent of the respondents were from the age bracket 25-45. While
> nearly one fifth (19 percent) were young voters within the age of 19-25
> years.
>
> As expected, majority of the respondents were Muslim (85 percent) while
> around 14 percent were Hindu. Christian and Buddhists were 1 percent.
> http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=146761
>
------------------------------------
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Yes, Kaium, you are right, unfortunately,
Every single member of a family corrupted?
অর্পিত সম্পত্তির ওপর গড়ে তোলা ভবনে চলছে পল্লীশ্রীর কার্যক্রম। সামনের পুরনো ভবনটিও তাদের দখলে। ছবি : কালের কণ্ঠ« পূর্ববর্তী সংবাদখালেদার মায়ের এনজিও পল্লীশ্রী অবৈধ জমিতে! উম্মুল ওয়ারা সুইটি, দিনাজপুর থেকে ফিরেঅর্পিত সম্পত্তি অবৈধভাবে চিরস্থায়ী বন্দোবস্ত নিয়ে সেখানে ভবন তুলে এবং একটি সরকারি ভবন দখল করে সাবেক প্রধানমন্ত্রী বেগম খালেদা জিয়ার মা তৈয়বা মজুমদারের এনজিও পল্লীশ্রীর কার্যক্রম চলছে। দিনাজপুর শহরের প্রাণকেন্দ্র বালুবাড়ী মৌজায় সাড়ে ৩৮ শতাংশ জমিসহ দোতলা বাড়ির পুরোটাই এখন পল্লীশ্রীর দখলে। এ ক্ষেত্রে শুধু আইনই লঙ্ঘন করা হয়নি, সরকারের রাজস্ব ক্ষতিও করা হয়েছে অন্তত ১৩ কোটি টাকার।
১৯৯৩ সালে প্রথমবার বিএনপি সরকার ক্ষমতায় থাকাকালে শুরু হয় এনজিওর নামে এই দখলপ্রক্রিয়া। সর্বশেষ বিগত চারদলীয় জোট সরকারের শাসনামলে আইন লঙ্ঘন করে চিরস্থায়ী বরাদ্দের মধ্য দিয়ে দখলপ্রক্রিয়া চূড়ান্ত হয়।
দিনাজপুরের বালুবাড়ী এলাকায় গিয়ে স্থানীয় বাসিন্দাদের সঙ্গে কথা বলে এবং জেলা প্রশাসন ও ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ে খোঁজখবর নিয়ে এসব তথ্য জানা গেছে।
এলাকার বাসিন্দা আফসার উদ্দিন বলেন, তৈয়বা মজুমদার প্রথমে একসনা লিজের মাধ্যমে ২৫ শতাংশ জমি দখলে নিয়ে কাজ শুরু করেন। নিয়ম ভঙ্গ করে ভবনও তৈরি করেন। শুধু তাই নয়, বাউন্ডারির অবশিষ্ট ছয় শতক জমির মধ্যে অবস্থিত সরকারি ভবনে বসবাসকারী ভূমিহীন মুক্তিযোদ্ধা ইব্রাহিমকে ২০০৪ সালের ১০ আগস্ট জোর করে তুলে দেওয়া হয়। ইব্রাহিম এর আগে জেলা প্রশাসকের কাছ থেকে ১৫ আগস্ট পর্যন্ত সময় নিয়ে আসেন। কিন্তু তাতেও কাজ হয়নি। পরে তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের সময় ২০০৭ সালের ১৩ জুলাই ইব্রাহিম এ বিষয়ে সংবাদ সম্মেলন করেন।
এলাকাবাসী জানায়, বিএনপি চেয়ারপারসন খালেদা জিয়ার মায়ের এনজিও পল্লীশ্রীকে ক্ষমতার অপব্যবহার করে এই অর্পিত সম্পত্তি বরাদ্দ দেওয়া হয়েছে। ২০০৬ সালের ১১ অক্টোবর মাত্র এক দিনে তৎকালীন প্রতিমন্ত্রী, উপমন্ত্রীসহ মন্ত্রণালয়ের পাঁচ ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তা এই বরাদ্দপত্র অনুমোদনে স্বাক্ষর করেন।
অথচ ২০০১ সালে অর্পিত সম্পত্তি প্রত্যর্পণ আইন জাতীয় সংসদে পাস হওয়ার পর এই ধরনের সম্পত্তি কাউকে চিরস্থায়ী বরাদ্দ দেওয়া সম্পূর্ণভাবে নিষিদ্ধ।
ভূমিমন্ত্রী রেজাউল করিম হীরা বলেন, এ ব্যাপারে তদন্ত করা হবে। এভাবে অর্পিত সম্পত্তি চিরস্থায়ীভাবে বরাদ্দ দেওয়ার কোনো বিধান নেই। বিগত বিএনপি সরকার ও বিএনপি-জামায়াত জোট সরকারের সময়ে এ ধরনের অনেক ঘটনা ঘটেছে। বর্তমান সরকার এসব অর্পিত সম্পত্তির বিষয়ে তালিকা তৈরি করছে। কেউ অবৈধভাবে অর্পিত সম্পত্তি দখল করে থাকলে সে ব্যাপারে তদন্ত সাপেক্ষে ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হবে। যেহেতু বিষয়টি সাবেক প্রধানমন্ত্রীর পরিবারের, তাই এটি অনেক বেশি সতর্কতার সঙ্গে তদন্ত করা হবে।
দিনাজপুরের সাংস্কৃতিক সংগঠক হাফিজুল ইসলাম জেমী বিষয়টির আইনগত সমাধান দাবি করে বলেন, ক্ষমতার অপব্যবহার করে দেশের শীর্ষস্থানীয় ব্যক্তিরা যদি এভাবে সরকারি সম্পত্তি দখল করেন তাহলে সাধারণ মানুষ হতাশায় ভোগে। যাঁরা দেশের আইনপ্রণেতা, তাঁদের কাছ থেকেই যদি অনিয়ম আর আইন ভঙ্গের ঘটনা ঘটে তাহলে দেশ কিভাবে চলবে?
দিনাজপুর জেলা প্রশাসন, ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয় ও সংশ্লিষ্ট নথি থেকে পাওয়া তথ্যমতে, দিনাজপুর শহরের প্রাণকেন্দ্র বালুবাড়ী মৌজার ৪৮৩ খতিয়ানের ৩৫১ দাগের সাড়ে ৩৮ শতাংশ ভূমি এবং এর ওপর অবস্থিত দ্বিতল বাড়ির মূল মালিক যতীন্দ্রমোহন গং দেশভাগের সময় ভারতে চলে গেলে এই সম্পত্তি অর্পিত সম্পত্তি হিসেবে তালিকাভুক্ত হয়। সরকারি প্রয়োজনে ১৯৪৮ সালের হুকুম আইনে এইচআর মামলামূলে এই বাড়িটি হুকুম দখল করে সরকারি দপ্তর স্থাপন করা হয়। তার পর থেকে পর্যায়ক্রমে বিভিন্ন সময়ে সরকারি কর্মকর্তাদের বাসভবন হিসেবে ব্যবহৃত হয়। দিনাজপুর জেলা প্রশাসনের একজন কর্মকর্তা নাম প্রকাশ না করার শর্তে জানান, এই জায়গাটি অর্পিত সম্পত্তি হিসেবে তালিকাভুক্ত হওয়ার পর খালেদা জিয়ার মা তৈয়বা মজুমদার তাঁর প্রতিষ্ঠিত এনজিও পল্লীশ্রীর নামে বন্দোবস্ত পাওয়ার জন্য চেষ্টা-তদবির শুরু করেন। খালেদা জিয়া প্রথম মেয়াদে প্রধানমন্ত্রী থাকাকালীন কিছুটা কৃতকার্য হন। প্রধানমন্ত্রীর ক্ষমতার প্রভাবকে ব্যবহার করে ১৯৯৩ সালে এ জমির ১০ শতাংশ পল্লীশ্রীর নামে একসনা বন্দোবস্ত পান। ওই কর্মকর্তা জানান, এরই মধ্যে একসনা লিজের নিয়ম ভঙ্গ করে ওই জমির ওপর তিনতলা ভবন নির্মাণ করা হয়।
জেলা প্রশাসন সূত্রে জানা গেছে, বিগত আওয়ামী লীগ সরকারের সময়ে ওই জমির বিষয়ে কোনো রকম প্রশাসনিক তৎপরতা দেখা যায়নি। ২০০১ সালের নির্বাচনের পর খালেদা জিয়া আবার ক্ষমতাসীন হলে তৈয়বা মজুমদার দ্বিতল বাড়িসহ পুরো সম্পত্তি দখলে নিতে ফের চেষ্টা-তদবির শুরু করেন। ২০০৪ সালের এপ্রিলে তিনি পল্লীশ্রীর নামে পুরো সম্পত্তি চিরস্থায়ীভাবে বন্দোবস্ত দেওয়ার জন্য জেলা প্রশাসকের কছে আবেদন করেন। পরে সেটা ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয় বরাবর পাঠানো হলে প্রত্যর্পণ আইন বলবৎ থাকায় স্থায়ী বন্দোবস্ত দেওয়া সম্ভব নয় বলে মন্ত্রণালয় থেকে জানিয়ে দেওয়া হয়। তবে একসনা বন্দোবস্তের বিষয়টি বিবেচনা করার মতামত দেওয়া হয়; যদিও প্রত্যর্পণ আইন বলবৎ থাকা অবস্থায় একসনা বন্দোবস্ত নিষিদ্ধ রয়েছে এবং ১৯৮৪ সালের রাষ্ট্রপতির ঘোষণার পর থেকেই নতুন লিজ দেওয়া বন্ধ রয়েছে।
এ-সংক্রান্ত নথি থেকে দেখা যায়, জেলা প্রশাসকের কার্যালয় থেকে ২০০৫ সালের ১৬ আগস্ট আবারও ওই সম্পত্তি পল্লীশ্রীকে স্থায়ী বন্দোবস্ত দেওয়ার জন্য ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ে প্রস্তাব পাঠানো হয়। ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয় থেকে এবারও আইনের পরিপন্থী বিধায় স্থায়ী বন্দোবস্তের প্রস্তাব অনুমোদনযোগ্য নয় মর্মে জেলা প্রশাসককে জানিয়ে দেওয়া হয়। তৃতীয়বারের মতো প্রস্তাব দিয়েও কোনো কাজ না হওয়ায় সম্পত্তি গ্রাস করার উদ্দেশ্যে পল্লীশ্রী ভিন্ন পথ অবলম্বন করে জেলা প্রশাসকের শরণাপন্ন হয়।
সূত্রমতে, তৎকালীন জেলা প্রশাসক ২০০১ সালের প্রত্যর্পণ আইন লঙ্ঘন করে এই সম্পত্তি পল্লীশ্রীর অনুকূলে অধিগ্রহণের কার্যক্রম গ্রহণ করেন। জেলা প্রশাসক অধিগ্রহণ মামলা করেন এবং অধিগ্রহণের প্রস্তাব ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ে পাঠিয়ে দেন।
কিন্তু ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ের সংশ্লিষ্ট শাখার প্রশাসনিক কর্মকর্তা এবং সিনিয়র সহকারী সচিব নালিশি সম্পত্তি 'অধিগ্রহণযোগ্য' নয় মর্মে প্রস্তাব করেন। কিন্তু তাঁদের মতামতকে অগ্রাহ্য করে বেআইনিভাবে অধিগ্রহণের প্রস্তাব অনুমোদন করেন জোট সরকারের আশীর্বাদপুষ্ট উপসচিব (উন্নয়ন), যুগ্ম সচিব (উন্নয়ন), সচিব, ক্ষমতাধর উপমন্ত্রী এবং প্রতিমন্ত্রী। অধিগ্রহণের এই প্রস্তাবটি দ্রুতগতিতে অনুমোদিত হয়। মাত্র এক দিনেই (১১-১০-০৬ ইং) উপসচিব, যুগ্ম সচিব, সচিব, উপমন্ত্রী-প্রতিমন্ত্রী'_এই পাঁচটি স্তর পার হয়ে প্রস্তাবটি অনুমোদন লাভ করে। স্থাবর সম্পত্তি অধিগ্রহণ ম্যানুয়েলের ২৯ নম্বর অনুচ্ছেদ অনুযায়ী, বেসরকারি সংস্থার অধিগ্রহণ প্রস্তাবের ক্ষেত্রে সংশ্লিষ্ট প্রস্তাবটি জনস্বার্থে কি না, প্রস্তাবটি সংস্থার নিজস্ব জমিতে বাস্তবায়ন করা সম্ভব কি না, সংস্থা প্রস্তাবিত জমি ক্রয়ের উদ্যোগ গ্রহণ করে ব্যর্থ হয়েছে কি না; সামগ্রিক বিবেচনায় জমি অধিগ্রহণ অপরিহার্য কি না ইত্যাদি বিষয় বিবেচনা করার সুস্পষ্ট বিধান থাকলেও এ ক্ষেত্রে তা বিবেচনা করা হয়নি। উপরন্তু ওই দাগে সাড়ে ৩৮ শতাংশ জমিও অধিগ্রহণ প্রস্তাবে অন্তর্ভুক্ত করা হয়।
সূত্রমতে, দিনাজপুর শহরের প্রাণকেন্দ্রে অবস্থিত এই জমির বর্তমান বাজারমূল্য প্রতি শতাংশ প্রায় ১২ লাখ টাকা করে। সেই হিসাবে শুধু জমির দাম দাঁড়ায় প্রায় ১০ কোটি টাকা। তার ওপর দ্বিতল ভবনের দামসহ বাড়িতে অবস্থিত গাছপালার দাম হবে তিন কোটি টাকা_মোট ১৩ কোটি টাকা।
বিগত তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের সময়ে ২০০৭ সালের জুলাই মাসে পল্লীশ্রীর বিরুদ্ধে অবৈধ দখলের অভিযোগ উঠলে প্রধান উপদেষ্টার কার্যালয় থেকে ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়কে তদন্তের নির্দেশ দেওয়া হয়। সেই সময়ে ভূমি মন্ত্রণালয়ে কর্মরত জোট সরকারের আশীর্বাদপুষ্ট একজন যুগ্ম সচিব ২০০৮ সালের ১৩ জানুয়ারি সরেজমিন তদন্ত করেন। কিন্তু তদন্ত প্রতিবেদনে সুকৌশলে তিনি এসব বিষয় এড়িয়ে যান। অবৈধভাবে লিজ প্রদান ও সরকারি রাজস্ব ক্ষতির বিষয় ধামাচাপা দিয়ে তিনি প্রতিবেদন দাখিল করেন।
পল্লীশ্রী কার্যালয়ে গিয়ে বিষয়টি সম্পর্কে জানতে চাইলে প্রতিষ্ঠানের কর্মকর্তা কামাল উদ্দিন বলেন, 'এ জমি বরাদ্দ নেওয়ার ক্ষেত্রে কোনো ধরনের অনিয়ম করা হয়নি। অযথাই আমাদের বিরুদ্ধে আপত্তি তোলা হয়েছে। তবে সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে যে সিদ্ধান্ত দেওয়া হবে, আমরা সেটাই মেনে নেব।' তিনি মূল ভবনের সামনে সরকারি দোতলা ভবনটি দেখিয়ে বলেন, পুরো জায়গাটির কাগজপত্র সঠিক নিয়মেই হয়েছে। শুধু এই ভবনটির বিষয়ে আপত্তি রয়েছে। ওই ভবনের সামনে পল্লীশ্রীর হস্তশিল্পকর্মের একটি শোরুম রয়েছে। এ ছাড়া কয়েকটি কক্ষে অফিস এবং বাকিগুলো তারা গোডাউন হিসেবে ব্যবহার করছে। তিনি বলেন, রাজনৈতিক কারণেই তাঁদের এই ভবনটি বুঝিয়ে দেওয়া হচ্ছে না।
দিনাজপুরের অতিরিক্ত জেলা প্রশাসক (রাজস্ব) মকবুল হোসেনের কাছে জানতে চাইলে তিনি বলেন, 'আমি নতুন এসেছি। বিষয়টি ভালো করে জানি না। খোঁজ নিয়ে দেখব।'
এ ব্যাপারে জানতে চাইলে ভূমি প্রতিমন্ত্রী মোস্তাফিজুর রহমান ফিজার বলেন, আইনের বাইরে তো আর কেউ যেতে পারবে না। তিনি বলেন, বিগত সরকার এবং প্রধানমন্ত্রীর পরিবারের লোকজন এ রকম অনেক কাজ করেছেন, যা মোটেও আইনসম্মত হয়নি। অথচ বর্তমান সরকার এসব বিষয়ে কোনো পদক্ষেপ নিতে গেলে তাঁরা সেটাকে রাজনৈতিকভাবে দেখেন।
Dear Mr. Hoque:
How wonderful experience beautifully explained!
There are millions of wonderful, kind and noble people in this world. However, as a people we are rarely taught "to give". We expect too much from others yet are not ready to give. Our noble Prophet (SWS) taught us that if you can not afford any thing else even a smile is charity. Please try to learn from these two examples and do some thing similar to two other human beings, be they Muslim, Hindu or a Kafir. You wanted to show gratitude to the Creator. The best expression of gratitude is to follow His true commandments as shown in the Quran and the Sunnah.
Please keep writing words of encouragements. You are the future leaders of the community. Next time we want to hear a noble act you did, even if small.
Because I believe that even small acts of kindness is great.
Aziz Huq
Dear Mr. Aziz Huq, Thanks for your kind reply and all the nice comments. As I always like to provide from my own experiences - upon your encouragement here are two, I like to share in this instant - 1. Paris - from Paris we wanted to go and visit Disney Land at the outskirt of Paris. From a bus station we do not know where is the tube or how to go. I have with me my two young daughters and wife. I asked in English, a middle aged man with his wife and daghter. The man said something to his family and asked me to follow him. While walking with him we two were talking. He is a history teacher in a high school and came to Paris on his summer vaccation so he does not Paris much. He asked someone and we kept walking. We walked around 2 kilometer before he showed me the metro station and made sure that I can make it from there. Where are you going, you are not going where we are going - I wondered and asked. You remember I left my wife and daughter and they are waiting for me! This poor Bangal did not understand the whole episode - what on earth he should walk with me two kilometers to make sure that I find the right direction. A stanger can do that and that to a Bangladeshi! 2. Samarkand - In my recent trip to Uzbekistan I did not miss the chance to visit Samarkand - the place of our great Imam - Imam al Bukhari. It was a day long trip by train. I was accompanied by a local young man from Tashkent. A man in his official car collected us from the station and drove us to Imam Bukhari's grave - a recently completed huge maousoleum. The driver of the car did not speak english, explaining to my companion and he was telling me all about Samarkand, Imam Bukhari, Taimur Lan and the society, hills and their lamb meat. He was often holding my cap, Gloves or camera. I was told that I can go down to see the actual grave. So, I was about to kneel to untie my shoe laces but before I reach I found the man was trying to untie my laces. In my child hood I do not think I wore leather shoes for which my mother would have tied the laces. Very rarely my wife would tie my laces when I am in hurry and she is in very good and loving mood. Occassionaly my little one would say Baba let me do it. But a stranger, older than me is trying to untie my lace is unbelievable for me, he lives in the town where took birth a great warrior of our history whose mausoleum we latter visited and here also lies second to the nobel Quran only, the great Muslim who compiled the most auhenticated sayings and actions of our prophet. I already knelt and felt like crumpled and shattered to the man's humbleness. Until the lunch he offered to us at his own expense I was thinking he is a driver offered to us but I learned than he is an engineer graduated from Moscow university. This poor Bangal never could think of such simplicity, mannerism and politeness of fellow humans. Both stories, to me a great example and experience in my few decades life in this world. If I meet that French man (a non muslim) again and the Engineer who shattered my thinking style if come far Hajj, both, I will embrace close to my heart and surrender all my remaining egos as well as treasure that I may possess. As I am fully endebted to my creator who send for me these two human to learn and obey and to be grateful. M Haque --- On Fri, 16/7/10, Aziz Huq <azizhuq@hotmail.
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