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Political offspring
Dynastic politics is a South Asian norm and Bangladesh's political progeny is on a steady rise
by ANWAR PARVEZ HALIM
Dynastic continuity is a part and parcel of Bangladesh's national politics. Over the last 39 years of Bangladesh, Ershad was in power for a nine year stretch. In the other 30 years, it was either the Mujib family or the Zia family who ruled the roost. Sheikh Hasina entered politics as the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She is present Prime Minister of the country, for the second time. On the other hand, Begum Khaleda Zia has been Prime Minister thrice. Her entrance into politics was as the widow of President Ziaur Rahman. The next generation of these dynasties are represented by Ziaur Rahman's son Tarique Rahman and Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
Tarique entered politics quite some time back. While his mother Khaleda Zia was Prime Minister, he became the Joint Secretary General of BNP. He is presently the party's Senior Vice Chairman.
Tarique played a vital role in the victory of the BNP-led four-party alliance in the 2001 election. He is firmly established in BNP politics and has a large following with the party. Though he is in London at present, he has an important part in the party's policy matters. It is just a matter of time before he takes over the reins of the party.
In the meantime, speculations have been making rounds for long about the entrance into politics by Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In the last election he was by his mother's side campaigning for Awami League. He reportedly had done the groundwork in the US to ensure the party's victory in the election.
On February 25 this year when Joy visited Rangpur, he officially became a primary member of Awami League. Joy, who is a US-based computer engineer, is playing a significant role in materialising his mother's dream of a "digital Bangladesh". However, it remains unclear as to when he will become a full-timer in Awami League.
There are two views within Awami League. One is that Joy will taker over the leadership of Awami League from his mother. Others feel that it is Sheikh Rehana who will inherit the party leadership. Sheikh Rehana, younger sister of Sheikh Hasina, has not officially joined politics as yet. Her daughter Rizwana Siddique Tulip, though, is involved in politics in the UK and was elected Councillor in the last election from the Regent's Park area in London.
Analysts say that as Tarique entered politics considerably before Joy, he has a head start.
This propensity of political involvement by the progeny of politicians is not restricted to these two major political families. There are young political aspirants willing to follow the footsteps of their fathers or mothers in all the political parties in power and out. There are at least 14 MPs in the present parliament whose fathers were, or still are, prominent politicians. The student leaders of the sixties are the veterans of today; their contribution to politics is enormous. Interestingly, though, not many of their offspring have shown interest in entering politics. Most of them are involved in various other professions.
PROBE investigations show that there are 12 Awami League MPs in the present parliament whose fathers were Awami Leaguers. Some of them were popular and well-known personalities at a national level. Former Chhatra League leader Iqbalur Rahim is the MP from Dinajpur-6. His father M Abdur Rahim was the District Awami League President as well as MP. The father of Tanveer Shakil Joy, MP of Sirajganj-1, is Mohammed Nasim, former Home Minister and presently member of Awami League central executive committee. Mohammed Nasim's father, in turn, was Captain Mansur Ali, a renowned minister of the Mujib cabinet. He was killed on November 3, 1975, in Dhaka Central Jail.
Syed Ashraful Islam, MP from Kishoreganj-1, is presently the General Secretary of Awami League. His father was Syed Nazrul Islam who had been the President of the Bangladesh government-in-exile in 1971. He was the Vice President during Mujib's rule.
Najmul Huq Papon is the MP from Kishoreganj-6. He is the son of President Zillur Rahman and late Ivy Rahman who was killed in the August 21 grenade blast. When Zillur Rahman became President, Papon became MP of the constituency relinquished by his father. Alongside politics, he is also the Managing Director of Beximco.
Zahid Malek, MP of the Manikganj-3 seat, is the son of late Col. (retd) MA Malek who had been Textiles Minister of the Ershad cabinet as well as Mayor of Dhaka City Corporation. Zahid Malek has also taken over his father's business, Thai Bangladesh Aluminum Ltd.
Barrister Sheikh Fazle Nur Taposh is the MP of Dhaka-12 (Dhanmondi). His father Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni was one of the main organisers of Mujib Bahini, founder of Jubo League and Joint Secretary of BKSAL. Sheikh Moni was the elder brother of Sheikh Selim, son of Sheikh Mujib's elder sister.
Gazipur-2's MP Zahid Hasan Russel is the son of late Ahsanullah Master. After his father was killed by assailants, Russel became MP in the by-elections to his father's seat.
Tanzim Ahmed Sohel Taj, MP of Gazipur-4, is the son of Tajuddin Ahmed, the Awami League leader killed in jail in 1975. Tajuddin was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh's government-in-exile in 1971 and later was the Finance Minister of the Mujib government. Sohel Taj's mother Zohra Tajuddin is a senior leader of Awami League. Sohel Taj is presently a minister without portfolio.
Meher Afroze Chumki is the daughter of late Moizuddin Ahmed, President of Red Crescent and an Awami Leaguer. He was killed during Ershad's rule. Chumki is now MP of Gazipur-5.
Abdullah Al Kaiser, MP of Narayanganj-3, is the son of Abul Hasnat, presently Vice President of District Awami League.
Noor-e-Alam Chowdhury Liton MP of Madaripur-1 is the son of late Ilyas Ahmed Chowdhury, an MP of Awami League. After he died, Liton became MP in the by-election and thus entered politics. Ilyas Ahmed Chowdhury was Sheikh Selim's brother-in-law. Sheikh Selim is Liton's maternal uncle.
Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni was elected MP from Chandpur-3. Her father was MA Wadud, a member of Awami League during its founding and a close associate of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Dipu Moni's husband Toufiq Newaz is a lawyer. After passing her MBBS from Dhaka, Dipu Moni did her Masters in Law from London University. She is a lawyer of the Supreme Court alongside being a politician.
State Minister for Women and Children's Affairs Dr. Shireen Sharmin Chowdhury is the daughter of late Rafiqullah Chowdhury, a CSP officer and close associate of Sheikh Mujib. Shireen's husband Syed Ishtiaque Hossain is a pharmaceutical consultant. Shireen was made MP is the reserved quota for women.
Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Khairuzzaman Liton is the son of AHM Qamaruzzaman, also killed in the central jail in 1975. He was the Industries Minister of the BKSAL government at the time of his death.
Kazi Faruk Kader is the Jatiya Party MP from Nilphamari-3 and son of the late Muslim League President Kazi Abdul Kader. Barrister Andaleeb Rahman Partho is the MP of Bhola-1 and head of Bangadesher Jatiya Party (BJP). He is the son of Naziur Rahman Manzur, a minister of the Ershad government. Partho is the nephew of Sheikh Selim.
Back to Awami League and the former Mayor of Dhaka late Mohammed Hanif's son Syed Khokan is a leader of Dhaka City Awami League.
Upon the death of Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad, his son Azizus Samad Don contested in the Sunamganj by-election. However he is now inactive in politics.
The father of Awami League's MP in Narayanganj Shamim Osman and his brother JP MP Nasim Osman was AKM Shamsuzzoha, founder of the District Awami League and an MP.
Other than Tarique Rahman, the offspring of BNP leaders who are in politics include former Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman's son Naser Rahman. He became the MP of Moulvibazar-3 in the by-election during the last government. He is active in BNP politics.
Afroze Khanum Rita became MP of Manikganj-2 through by-elections. Her father is industrialist Harunur Rasheed Monno, minister-without-portfolio of the four-party alliance government.
After BNP leader KM Obaidur Rahman passed away, his daughter Shyama Obaid entered BNP politics. She contested from the Faridpur-2 seat in the last election. BNP leader Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui's son Irad Ahmed has shown interest to contest as Dhaka's Mayor.
The two sons of SA Khaleque, former MP of Mirpur, are involved in BNP politics. They are Mohsin and Omar Faruk. Irfan Babu, son of later Speaker Mirza Golam Hafiz, is involved in BNP politics. Son of former President Abdur Rahman Biswas, late Dr. Ehtesham Huq Nasim Biswas, was an MP from Barisal.
Prominent among those who have joined politics through family connections is Bikalpadhara leader Mahi B Chowdhury. When his father Prof. Dr. Badruddoza Chowdhury became the President of Bangladesh Mahi became MP through by-elections to the relinquished Munshiganj-1 seat. Later when the BNP government impeached B Chowdhury, he left the party to form Bikalpadhara. Mahi joined this new party. Alongside politics, Mahi runs Republic Entertainment.
However, a survey shows that there are more offspring of politicians who have chosen not to follow their father or mother's footsteps and have stayed away from politics. The prominent politicians who have refrained from passing down the political baton to their children, so far, include Awami League's Abdur Razzak, Abdul Jalil, Suranjit Sengupta, Ataur Rahman Kaiser, Mohiuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Abul Hasnat Abdullah, Nur-e-Alam Siddiqui and Sheikh Selim. From BNP there is Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Moudud Ahmed, Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury, Abdullah Al Noman, Amir Mahmud Khasru Chowdhury, Mir Nasir Uddin, Khandakar Delwar Hossain, Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, Khandakar Musharraf, Nazrul Islam Khan, Shahjahan Siraj, Shah Moazzem and Tariqul Islam. The prominent Jatiya Party leaders whose offspring haven't joined politics as yet include Kazi Zafar Ahmed and Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury. The leaders of other political parties who also don't have offspring in politics include Anwar Hossain Manju, Sheikh Shaheedul Islam, Rashed Khan Menon, Dilip Barua, Mujaheedul Islam Selim, Manzurul Ahsan Khan, Muzaffar Ahmed, Hasanul Huq Inu, ASM Abdur Rab, Nur-e-Alam Ziku, Dr. Kamal Hossain, Barrister Amirul Islam and Haider Akbar Khan Rono. Among the Islamic parties, the offspring of Golam Azam, Matiur Rahman Nizami, Sayeedi, Mujahid, Amini, Moulana Mohiuddin Khan and Saikhul Hadith have stayed away from politics.
When the rule of law is questioned
Mushfique Wadud talks to jurists and human rights activists about the recent move to provide presidential pardon to 20 death row convicts
[Attachment(s) from Mahfuzur Rahman included below]
American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers & Architects(AABEA)PresentsAABEA's Biennial Convention 2010onSaturday, October 9, 2010 from 10:00 am till 12:00 midnightUniversity of Maryland at Shady Grove9630 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850
Admission Price: $20.00 per person in online$30.00 per person at the door on Oct 9FREE for Science Fair participants and children under 12(Courtesy dinner is included in the admission)
REGISTER NOW! Tickets are selling very fast! After making your payment through online, please print the confirmation receipt. Please bring the print out & your valid ID at the hall to get your tickets.
http://www.aabeadc.org/Events.htmlPROGRAM SCHEDULE:10:00 am to 12:00 Noon: SCIENCE FAIR for children ages 5 to 17(Parents, please register your child at1:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Technical Seminar series on various topics5:30 pm to 7:30 pm: Courtesy DINNER for ticket holders only(Serving of dinner shall close promptly at 7:30 pm)
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm: Welcome Ceremony & Award Ceremony for Science Fair participants(please show your wrist band before entering in auditorium)9:00 pm to 11:30 pm: Entertainment program {special attractions are described in the following}(please show your wrist band before entering in auditorium)
ATTRACTIONS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMSongs, Dances, Music Video, Fashion Show, Comedy Drama "Bhalobasha Bhalobasha" by Jamaluddin Hussain & Mrs. Rowshon Ara Hussain (leading members of "Nagorik Natya Shomprodai" and founders of "Nagorik Natyangan"), and modern songs by Anila Chowdhury (a first line popular singer in Bangladesh)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________DIRECTIONS: From I-495 take I-270 North towards Frederick. Take Exit 8 to Shady Grove Rd., At exit ramp keep left and turn left at signal on Shady Grove Road – West towards Hospital. Pass the Hospital. Next signal is Rte 28 (Darnestown Road). Pass Rte 28, then turn immediate first right at Gudelsky Drive. After entering to Gudelsky Drive, turn left and continue, you will see the Auditorium Building at your right. Parking is on your left.______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Enjoy a diverse selection of Science Fair, series of very highly informative Seminars, shopping opportunities throughout the day, and end on a high note with a breathtaking Entertainment Program on October 9, 2010. Please mark your calendar immediately for October 9, 2010 to bring your family, relatives, & friends and stay with us all day & evening to enjoy AABEA's Biennial Convention as well as annual family & friends get together. Thank you very much for your outstanding help & support and remember, together we can achieve great things.Best Regards,AABEA Central Executive Committee and AABEA Washington DC Executive Boardor any of the following executive board members:Faisal Quader, President, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 301-990-7363; 301-526-7888 (cell)
Nasreen Chowdhury, President-Elect, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 703-493-9219; 703-944-4604 (cell)
Ajhar Nakib, Secretary, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 703-760-9616; 703-953-4788 (cell)
Mahfuzur Rahman, Treasurer, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 410-796-0577; 301-646-3475 (cell); 703-875-4054 (work)
Shah "Raja" Ahmed, Executive Member, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 301-873-1440 (cell)
Zia Karim, Executive Member, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 352-383-1582; 410-807-6160 (cell)
Imran Feroz, Executive Member, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 443-756-9858
Misu Tasnim, Executive Member, AABEA Washington DC Chapter: 240-462-4000 (cell)Hares Sayeed, President, AABEA Central Committee: 202-841-6269Ahmed Ali, Executive Member of AABEA Central Committee and Liaison to Washington DC Chapter: 301-404-5567American Association of Bangladeshi Engineers & Architects (AABEA)
Attachment(s) from Mahfuzur Rahman
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