[mukto-mona] Faizur Rahman: Dehumanising the Muslim woman

Dehumanising the Muslim woman By A. Faizur Rahman The passage of a law in Afghanistan asking Muslim women to unconditionally submit to the sexual whims of their husbands once in four days is a shocking piece of legislation that seeks to dehumanise women reducing them to mere chattels devoid of human rights. Although this law applies only to the Shia minority, it is outrageous that the Afghan mullahs thought it Islamic to legislate on a private relationship which is confined to the four walls of a bedroom. To add insult to injury the 300 women who were bold enough to protest against this inhuman law were pelted with stones and called "dogs" and "slaves of the Christians." One fails to understand why motives should be attributed to a democratic protest. How can the moderate Muslims who have always been part of the larger Muslim society suddenly become agents of the West "which is out to destroy Islam?" The truth is that it is the bigoted Talibanised Muslims who are destroying Islam through their misinterpretations and intolerance for progressive ideas. It is they who need to be treated for their fossilized mind-set. It is strange the puppet regime of Hamid Karzai, which was installed by the US and its allies to replace the Taliban, is doing exactly what the Taliban would have done if they were in power. If this was what was in store for Afghanistan why were the Taliban replaced at all? In fact, the entire region seems to be relapsing into medievalism with Pakistan signing a deal with the terrorists of the Swat valley to implement their version of the shariah which is symbolized by the brutal and arbitrary public flogging of an young girl without establishing her guilt in a proper court of law, to say nothing about the recent refusal of a Saudi judge to annul the marriage of an eight year old child to a forty seven year old man. A deeper probe into the psyche of most of the narrow-minded radicalized jurists would reveal that their interpretations are based on traditional tafsirs (commentaries) written by patriarchal males representing only the experiences of men with either the total exclusion of experiences of women, or their interpretation through the coloured vision of men. This has resulted in women being brought under the control of men to be exploited at will. For instance, in interesting incident concerning the shariah, The New York Times on March 22, 2007 reported that a German Judge turned down citing the Quran, a Muslim wife's request for a fast-track divorce on the ground that her husband beat her from the beginning of their marriage. The Judge justified her ruling by saying that the couple came from a Moroccan cultural milieu in which it is common for husbands to beat their wives because the Quran sanctions such physical abuse. The Judge was obviously quoting one of the most mistranslated verses of the Quran (4:34) which supposedly allows wife beating. The mistranslated word is wazribuhunna which is derived from the root zaraba. Major commentators of the Quran including Ibn Kasir, Pickthall, and Maulana Maududi, the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, have rendered this word as "beat them" ignoring the fact that the word zaraba has various other shades of meaning. Out of the 50 times it occurs in the Quran, 31 times it has been used in the meaning of "to explain by giving an example." Only 10 times it has used to mean "to strike" but mostly in the context of Moses "striking the rock" or the sea, and angels "striking the faces" of the sinners. The verse 4:34 actually talks about the various means at the disposal of a husband to bring about a reconciliation with his wife and obviously beating the wife cannot be an option to sort out differences. Thus, the translation "beat them" is clearly not justified in this context. But unfortunately even today most Muslim societies consider it their Islamic right to beat their wives for disobedience. In other words, the passage of the controversial Afghan law would allow husbands to beat their wives if they refuse sex or step out of the house without their permission. For Islam to be exploited in this manner is indeed shocking given the fact that the Prophet was one of the greatest promoters of women's rights. The same holds true for the punishment of stoning to death for adultery. The primary source of Islamic law, the Quran, does not prescribe stoning as a punishment for any crime much less adultery. It only authorizes the Muslim state to flog those guilty of adultery or fornication but only after the case has been proved by four eye witnesses which is a near impossibility. Even here the flogging is not meant to hurt the person but only to humiliate him. A report in Kitabul Hudud of Bukhari says that when a man was brought before the Prophet for habitual drinking he was asked to be flogged. And it was done with a lash made out of twisted clothing which could not have hurt him. Interestingly, when someone in the group cursed the drunken man saying "May Allah disgrace you" he was chided by the Prophet. Compare this to the brutality of what is being done in the name of Islam today. It is time the ulema worldwide collaborated on a liberal interpretation of Islam in the modern context. (Source: The Hindustan Times, April 18, 2009) The author is student of comparative study of religions. He may be reached at <faizz@rocketmail.com)

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[ALOCHONA] Breaking News: S Arabia to let Bangaldeshis switch jobs

S Arabia to let Bangaldeshis switch jobs     Wed, Apr 22nd, 2009 11:23 am BdST Dial 2324 from your mobile for latest news   Dhaka, Apr 22 (bdnews24.com) – Saudi Arabia will allow Bangladeshi workers to switch jobs on same work permit or 'Akama', the foreign minister said Wednesday. Dipu Moni who is with prime minister Sheikh Hasina on the tour to the kingdom told bdnews24.com by phone at 10am that the prime minister and her entourage performed Umrah on Tuesday night. "Earlier, she met with king Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud in (capital) Riyadh in the afternoon," she said in the morning. The foreign minister quoted the Saudi king as assuring the prime minister that his country will take in more workers. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is home to some 2 million skilled and unskilled Bangladeshi labour, who cannot change job keeping the work permit unchanged. The prime minister flew to Saudi Arabia Monday midnight on a five-tour, her first since she took over on Jan 6. bdnews24.com/sum/bd/1110h. WARNING: Any unauthorised use or reproduction of bdnews24.com content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.

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Re: [ALOCHONA] Recession starts to hit Bangladesh

1st it is not a bubble so it should burst some time. In absense of real data (or I have no access) we do not know demand and supply crunch in the real state market. a 150 million population, 10 to 15 % of it can afford a shabby squeezing flat to a luxary villa. So I do not know the equation between supply and demand here. But what is interesting here is it is our economic paradigm, financial mechanism that is in place. It is not the GDP alone that excel the demand for new housing rather the black money put it in plain - ghush, durniti, swindle, cheat, tax evade and all else what we know as corruption. At least majority of the demand derives from this. A small interior decorator can make few million with few contracts within a year as his work will be for those people who siphoned millions from the system. Therefore, as long as the corruption exist, weak low enforcement prevails the purchasing power will continue for this segment of our population.   On the other hand our credit psyche is not like west, fictitious, imaginary as derived from the 'expectation, scepticism' manipulated by 'super supreme' topping by the dubious or not modern economists or market players mainly deriven by 'greed'. that is what creates the bubble. Most of our developer's strength is real cash - advances received from the buyers either from home or abroad (NRBs). a flat buyer has to wait much more than promised delivery time. The loan taken from the financial system is paid back very likely within the projected time frame. Only few will default mainly because of their dubious past records.   Buyers purchasing strength derives from his actual earning- wrongful or rightful, here mortgage or credit system either not very popular or strained with its cumbersome compliance rules, those who mananged it provides asset (present or future) bases collaterals. We did not give birth to a Green Allanspane who could provide us money without cost (0 or trivial interest rate when the economy is based on interest based bonds and deficit budget). Smart or not we hang on to our cash. Therefore plentiful of wishfull credit will not be around for general public which will require with a slightest slum to collapse and foreclose the loan. Whether the psychology driven from Islamic economic values or not we remain close to that, there is generally a real asset to back the debt or secuirity. If there is a slum or decline in the real estate market in BD, it should be periodic and how long it may continue mainly will depend on how badly/strongly the rule is enforce to stop the leakage from the system.   Being a middle school economist this is my take on the issue.   Have a good day.      --- On Fri, 17/4/09, Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Recession starts to hit Bangladesh To: alochona@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, 17 April, 2009, 10:38 AM Would it be a good time to say, "I told you so"? Read the line about decline in the pharma industry. I thought Bangladesh was "recession proof"!   I still disagree with you about the so-called "housing bubble" in Bangladesh. As long as the growing middle-class can afford it, the excess demand for urban housing is not in a "bubble". There is no artificial demand there, manipulated by futures traders. This excess demand is there to stay for a while, unless the housing finance market collapses suddenly and/or the raw materials are severely short in supply.   C From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Sent: Monday, April 13, 2009 2:54:11 PM Subject: [ALOCHONA] Recession starts to hit Bangladesh Recession starts to hit Bangladesh News Report The World Bank (WB) has said that the current economic situation in Bangladesh is stable, but this cannot be taken granted as the country has started experiencing backlash of global recession. All the important sectors of the economy including export, import, remittances and revenue collection are sliding down. As a result the GDP (gross domestic production) growth rate is likely to be 5.5 per cent in the current fiscal. "The growth rate could be as low as 4.5 per cent if export and remittances collapse in the last quarter of FY09", the WB said. The WB senior economist Zahid Hussain Monday made a presentation on the state of Bangladesh economy and policy response to the global financial crisis at WB Dhaka office. He said that the non-RMG export has been declining for last several months. During July''08 to Feb''09 period export of frozen food declined by 11 per cent, leather by 33 per cent, jute goods by 18.1 per cent and the pharmaceuticals by 15.5 per cent. "Only woven garments and knitwear show significant growth but the rate of growth has also been declining". During the July 08 to Feb 09 period the woven garments and knitwear exports grew 19.3 per cent and 23.1 per cent respectively, which was 58.5 per cent and 84.7 per cent during the corresponding period of the last fiscal. It would further slide down because of the reported order cancellation. The BKMEA experienced negative growth during the December-March period. Besides that buyers were renegotiating prices and it was reported that rebates of 15 to 25 per cent on already placed orders are being re-negotiated. The frozen shrimp has experienced steep decline in price from US$5 per kg to US$3.7 per kg. The investment in the manufacturing sector has been declined sharply during the first 8 months of the current fiscal. Import of capital machinery declined by 30 per cent and import of the construction materials was also declined by 17.5 per cent. This has created negative impact in the banking sector. Till Feb''09 banking sector was experiencing huge liquidity surplus amounting to Tk 215 billion, which was Tk 130 billion in July''08. The WB, however noted some improvement in the private sector credit growth through January 2009. The private sector credit grew at 20.9 per cent in January''09, which 14.2 per cent in January''08. The World Bank lauded the performance of the agriculture sector. The Aus and Aman production in 2008 was 11.2 million tonnes and 14.9 million tonnes respectively. The Boro production in 2009 is likely to be 18 million tonnes. The WB also noted that the macro economic situation was stable as the inflation was declined to 6.1 per cent and the current account balance was at the positive side. The WB senior economist said that poor ADP implementation and the fall of import were the major causes of the current account surplus, which is not a healthy sign for the economy. The budget deficit would remain four per cent of the GDP and the government borrowings from the banking sector remained within the budgetary target. The government borrowings from the banking sector stood at Tk 73.4 billion as on April 2, 2009 and the budget target was of Tk 135 billion. Zahid Hussain strongly pleaded for immediate policy response to face the recession. He suggested continuing the financial sector reform and the reduction of tax and tariff. He also suggested about the reduction of lending interest. According to him bank rate in Bangladesh remains at higher side. He also suggested quality investment in the public sector and said that the government should not focus on the big size of the ADP rather it should focus on the implementation of the ADP. He also said that public expenditure should focus on infrastructure development including power, communication, education and the public health.   Communicated By: www.changebanglades h.org --- On Mon, 3/9/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: [khabor.com] Priority # 1, It's economy stupid To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, 10:21 AM I still stand on my prediction about Real Estate Collapse in Bangladesh:   "Bangladesh Real Estate bubble will be burst within year and so, so Govt should be prepared with huge layoff in that sector as well as other sectors.  Most of the Real Estate bubble in Bangladesh were created by NRBs and corrupted money in Bangladesh.  NRBs are real squeeze in financial aspect and won't be able to continue support the sky rocket price of land and apartments in Bangladesh." -- M M Chowdhury, Friday, January 30, 2009.   Regards, http://www.facebook .com/people/ Mohammad- M-Chowdhury/ 611247409   ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ------- Global Recession Remittance drop to hurt real estate Kawsar Khan The global recession stokes fears that falling exports and an ebbing remittance inflow may take shine off the country's burgeoning real estate. Photo: Faisal Parag Realtors feared the global recession might undermine the real estate sector's prospective growth unless special initiatives are taken, although the sector began to expand after a two-year sluggish trend when its growth slowed to 7.05 percent in 2006-07 from 8.31 percent a year earlier. Construction takes up 9.16 percent of GDP (gross domestic product), according to 2006-07 data. As exports and remittances are two major inputs to the economy, a negative impact of a prolonged and deepened global financial crisis on these two sectors is likely to affect the real estate sector. "The remitters and their families buy around 35 percent of our total flats, while 40 percent apartments are sold to businesspeople majority of whom are exporters. So if exports and remittances are affected, there will be a negative impact on the real estate sector, said Sheikh Aftab Ahmed, chief operating officer of Shanta Properties Ltd, a real estate company. Besides buying flats, people also undertake different construction works including building houses with the remittance that might be affected if inflow of foreign currency decreases on the global financial crisis, he added. According to official reports, the country's exports slumped in the months of October and December of the current fiscal year that the businessmen attributed to the global financial meltdown. Although the overall remittance inflow remains positive so far, reports said overseas workers in the Middle Eastern countries, the main source of remittances for Bangladesh, are now being forced to leave jobs. In January some 4,817 migrant workers came back home on job losses, while the number was 701 in the previous month, according to official statistics.. "We all know that the recession in the USA originated from housing sector later crept into other potential sectors including banking and insurance," said Tanveerul Haque Probal, president of Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB). Against this backdrop, the government will have to take safeguard measures so people do not lose confidence and invest in real estate sector, which he said would keep the economy rolling. More investment in the sector will create more employment and keep the linkage industries of the sector vibrant, he added. The realtors also urged the government to increase the volume of public construction works under the Annual Development Programme (ADP) to keep the real estate sector and hundreds of its linkage industries pulsating. Bricks, cement, rods, furniture, paints and tiles are the main backward linkages of the real estate sector. This year works in the real estate sector increased compared to the last two years, said Abdur Razzaq, general secretary of Imarat Nirman Sramik (building construction workers) Union of Bangladesh. But yet many of the construction workers do not get jobs regularly. Now around 75 percent of some 40 lakh construction workers of the country can manage a job everyday but if the market performs badly, there will be a shortage of demand for workers, said Razzaq. He however said the sector is performing better now compared to previous year since the job rate of the construction workers was around 65 percent last year. Motaher Hossain, a member of Bangladesh Brick Manufacturers Owners Association, said recently consumption of bricks has increased what he believes due to a reduction in rod prices that led to resumption of different construction projects. "But the performance of the construction sector is yet to reach the expected level as the implementation of public works has been very low for the last two years and the trend is still continuing," he added. Forty percent of bricks produced in the country are consumed by the public sector, while the rest 60 percent by the private sector, he said. According to statistics, the government implemented 69.58 percent of the original ADP for fiscal year 2007-08. However rod manufacturers said reduction in prices has given rise to a demand for rods, inspiring different re-rolling mill owners to resume operations. Now prices of 40-grade rod hover between Tk 41,000 and Tk 42,000 per tonne that was around Tk 65,000 in June last year, said Masudul Haque Masud, former general secretary of Bangladesh Re-rolling Mill Owners Association. Prices of 60-grade rod are now ranging between Tk 50,000 and Tk 51,000, down from around Tk 70,000 in mid-last year. But the cement manufacturers said their export to the seven-sister states of India jolted in recent months due to an imposition of 12 percent additional duty by the Indian government on cement import from Bangladesh. "The production capacity of 50 cement factories in the country is between 14-15 million tonnes when the domestic demand is from 8 million tonnes to 9 million tonnes, which led to a shut down of 15-20 small cement factories in recent times," said Mostafa Kamal, president of Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association. He suggested the government should construct concrete roads instead of making roads with bitumen to increase cement consumption. "Many countries in the world construct roads with concrete as these are much more durable than bitumen-made roads, Kamal said, adding that such construction will increase domestic cement consumption. Asked whether the global recession would take its toll on the real estate sector, Prof Nazrul Islam, an urban expert and Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), replied in positive. "The rich, upper-middle and middle-class people are the main customers of the real estate products, so the real estate sector will be affected as the financial crisis is expected to reduce incomes of the people of these brackets dependent on remittances and exports," said Islam, also honorary chairman of Centre for Urban Studies. He said a major use of remittance is house building, so reduction in remittance inflow is likely to slow housing works and impact all stakeholders. --- On Fri, 2/20/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: [khabor.com] Priority # 1, It's economy stupid To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Friday, February 20, 2009, 4:23 PM Dear All,   I get lots of inquiries why I do talk about USA economy and Bangladesh economy same times.  My answer is, if you are hungry, you are hungry, it does not matter you live in Bangladesh or India or any part of the world. Helping people is one of the fundamentals, it does not matter which religion you follow.   I also believe that crises starts at USA and spiral down to Bangladesh too, that's why its smart move to  track where it started and how Bangladesh can survive in the upcoming economic crises.   I also get lots questions why I do not go back Bangladesh and work for the people with my understanding expertise.  I still believe that I can be helpful for Bangladesh being in USA, but if my representation helps people in Bangladesh, I may think about going back.   Even though I live in USA but my heart is with 150 million people in Bangladesh.  I am happy with my life and what I have and I am not looking for power in Bangladesh.   The intention of my write-up and advice in blogs and media are to make people in Bangladesh aware about what to expect in future and make ready Bangladesh Govt to be prepared for the upcoming challenges and opportunities.   I also use harsh word time to time because I have learned that same set of rules do not apply everywhere.  I will be prudent and effective when I know how to give carrot and provide stick at the same times as far as we dealing with Bangladesh and its people including politicians.   If we are concern citizen in Bangladesh, we will be looking current Govt to focus on the following priorities:   # 1: Economy #2 : Law and Order #3: Job Creation   #4: Bringing Foreign Investment in Bangladesh.  This may be tough by looking at the world economy.  For example, I am pushing an American company to invest/joint- venture for $30-50 Million in the Pharmaceuticals sector in Bangladesh, but it seems getting tough day by day with the current financial situation in USA.   #5: Feed 150 Million People . . . . . . .#100: Case against War criminals since it will take time and will need UN help to bring war criminal from Pakistan, unless the scope is narrowed. #101: Name changes on Airports, bridges, bathroom, etc.   I hope that I was able to describe my point.   Note: if you read my article, I not only tell what is the problem, I also put the solution. This is little different than others. We always complain but never give solution how to over come. Please read carefully what I have said. My intention was developing Bangladesh economical condition as much as possible with policy and strategic planning.   Regards, M. M. Chowdhury, USA www.changebanglades h.org www.amreteckpharma. com --- On Sun, 2/8/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: Financial and Strategic Warning to Current Govt in Bangladesh To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Sunday, February 8, 2009, 7:34 PM I am so much worried about few of Moran Ministers in Bangladesh that they may sink the ship in Bangladesh while they are in driver seats.  The reason of my frustration is that they are stoning wrong birds to accomplish people needs.  Now I am hearing the following statements:   1) Exports start seeing recession fallout: Muhith,  This is too late realization per MM Chowdhury   2) Signing Transit Agreement with India is not ripe time yet.  Every country is building bunkers for their survival, nobody will give you more, so signing with them won't help you a penny.   3) South Asian Security Force.  A recipe for a disaster unless Bangladesh is Iraq or Afghanistan situation.  US canceled TIFA since they are in big hole in financial situation.   4) Trail of Razakars should be second priority under the current financial condition of Bangladesh.  This will take off our real focus of emergency needs in Bangladesh.   5) Law and Order is deteriorating - Taj.  This is the benchmark for any Govt success.   6) Mr. Zillur as a President is a wrong choice in wrong time.  Bnagladesh needs a dynamic, strong, visionary person to lead Bangladesh in this tough time.  No time to bring oxygen tanks and carry all places.   The bottom line is that why either AL or BNP parties does not have qualified people to run Bangladesh and establish the priorities that they need to focus.  I am more than convinced now that Current Govt needs to bring expertise and experiences NRBs to develop few strategic plan and focus which will help Bangladesh next 3-4 years.   I hope that someone in AL Govt listening my call.  Even they do not listen to me,  I have nothing to loose but I believe that I should do for Bangladesh as much as possible with my power and limitation.   God Bless Bangladesh and help poor people in this coming financial storm.    Regards, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu), Virginia, USA www.changebanglades h.org --- On Sun, 2/1/09, M. M.. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: Bangladesh Needs Local Stimulate Package To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Sunday, February 1, 2009, 9:25 PM The following are real strategies which will help Bangladesh to ride over this upcoming financial turmoil:   1) Provide stimulate package to ICT companies and provide all Govt ICT projects to locals to make digital Bangladesh.  If some one in current Govt knows what digital means to them.  Use local programmers and networking engineers to employ as much as possible.  This will create enough works to keep ICT going with creating more jobs.   2) Provide enough finance to build the Pharmaceuticals park at Munshigonj.  20% works was done, complete this projects which will create huge jobs for now.   3) Since overseas market is bad,  few of NRBs might be interested to come back Bangladesh to develop this country with their expertis and experiences.  Govt needs to make sure to provide tax free income during their stay in Bangladesh like Middle Eastern Countires.  Provide enough facilities and security to perform their work during living in Bangladesh.   4) If there is less corruption in Bangladesh,  NRBs might be interested to invest in Bangladesh to take opportunity during this financial turmoil.   5) Bangladesh Govt needs to adopt new policy to attract NRBs in Bangladesh.   Regards, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu), Virginia, USA www.changebanglades h.org --- On Fri, 1/30/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: Perfect Storm is coming to Bangladesh To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Friday, January 30, 2009, 5:28 PM Dear All,   You may wonder what kind of storm I am talking about.  It's  economical storm that Bangladesh never experienced before.  I am little bit worried that economists and present Minsters in Bangladesh are not paying much attention about this storm.  Well the problem is that if you do not know a Storm is coming, then you won't be prepared for it.  There will be a situation that we will start blame game, he or she didn't tell me, I didn't know, nobody even PM didn't say this.  Well then listen from me please.   My conservative estimate is that economical storm in the world will exist until 2012,  if you can ride on this storm, then you will survive, if you can't then good luck.  I like to provide few strategic outlines what to do in this perfect economical storm in Bangladesh.   1) Current Govt should recognize that a perfect storm is coming.  If USA could recognize this storm in 2006,  USA won't be in this position now.   2) Put resources in place so Govt can take care its people and feed them trough out the storm period.   3) Stop biased or favoritism in Bangladesh.  Once I am hungry,  I won't say I am AL or BNP,  all I will say give me food and job to survive.  So based on basis of human rights,  its current Govt duty to help people regardless his or her party affiliations.   4) Bangladesh Real Estate bubble will be burst within year and so, so Govt should be prepared with huge layoff in that sector as well as other sectors.  Most of the Real Estate bubble in Bangladesh were created by NRBs and corrupted money in Bangladesh.  NRBs are real squeeze in financial aspect and won't be able to continue support the sky rocket price of land and apartments in Bangladesh.   5) Pharmaceuticals is the only sector which is recession proved in Bangladesh.  I have asked BNP Govt in 2005 to modernize this sector, CTG in 2007 and I am asking AL Govt in 2009 to pay attention and use NRBs expertise to develop this sector.  This is the only sector that you have no choice but to bring experts NRBs in Bangladesh to develop this sector for future growth.   6) NRBs and people in Bangladesh should lower their life style to ride on this storm.  Excessive waste will bring up other people's misery.   God Bless Bangladesh and help her 150 Million poor people in this coming perfect Storm.   Note:  My advise is not to direct any individuals or parties or NRBs, but to reach out to them and what we can do for the people during this bad economical  times.   Regards, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu), USA Director, Political and Economical Development in Bangladesh Change Bangladesh organization, USA www.changebanglades h.org --- On Tue, 1/20/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com> Subject: [khabor.com] Why USA won't able to get out of this financial mess To: cgmpservices@ yahoo.com Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2009, 12:41 PM Dear All,   I think and believe that we in USA are concern like any others about financial impact in USA and rest of the world and where this will lead us in the next 8 years.  I congratulate President Obama for taking the USA leadership but I am cautious like others even though I have campaign for Obama among Bangladeshi Community in USA.   Let's see the scenario why USA is in this position which is very different than 1930's and what steps should be taken for the incremental improvement.   Reasons for this mess   1) More than $20T, start with Trillion dollars of investors money has been lost in the last 12 months including personal 401K money. So the people confidence in companies is lower than ever.   2) More than 500,000 jobs have been cut per month by companies in USA, if it's continue then at the end of 2009 total 6 million jobs will be lost.  Adding 2 million jobs already have been lost in the last 24 months.  This is creating a nightmare for the consumers to spend  discretionary money.   3) Two third of the economy are depended on consumer spending,  when consumer stopped buying like before,  companies can not make money, their stocks goes down and companies start laying off to make baseline profit for the company.  This is called a cycle of uncertainty.   4) Biggest problem is that USA consumers has borrowed two times of their house worth for the last 5 years.  For example, if a house price is $100K in 1999, it went up to $300K in 2006, so extra $200K was borrowed from foreign countries to mortgage people's houses in USA.  Therefore, deficit went over the roof.  If this is continued,  few wealthy countries might not be interested to invest in USA like before because losing confidence into USA economy and their investment returns.   5) Once people lost jobs, they can not afford to pay high mortgage which they could not afford at the first place.  US Govt can not pay everybody extra interest for the mortgage they owe to banks.  This might come over $10T, start with Trillion.   6) Once companies make less money, the Govt tax collection also becomes low.  So more deficit for USA..  Intake is higher than delivery.   7) USA does not have leadership of many technologies like before, so USA has more competitors than before i.e. China and India.   8) More liability for baby boomers in years ahead, means need more money to take care her citizens like Social Security and Medicare.   9) Iraq war alone costs USA close to $1T and need another $1.2T to take care veterans health and financial liabilities.   10) Dollar might go down compare to others currency once foreign countries start withdraw their investment or stopped new investment in USA, i.e.  stop buying USA Bond.   Options to way of of this mess:   So what do USA have now?  President Obama's sweet talks might not bring much fruits unless he can show leadership and put new policies in place very quickly, so situation does not get out of control.  I personally think that President Obama should do the following for the love of this country.   1)  President Obama should provide executive order to cut military budget of $465B to only $50B.  Bring all military installation back home unless foreign countries provide the bill.   2) Provide middle class incentives as soon as possible.   3) Stop giving big money to banks but give direct loan to consumers from Govt Treasure.  I know it does not sound Capitalist,  but US Govt does not have any other option.  For example,  If I know that this consumer will not able to pay back my money,  I won't make loan to him even I get pressured from Govt unless Govt takes all the toxic assets.  Same situation, Banks are not lending even they got US Govt money.  Banks know consumers do not have enough money or may lose job soon whichever is first.   4) Provide stimulate money if there is any Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) in place for the new projects which will create jobs.   I hope and pray US gets out of this mess but I am very pessimistic now based on the scenario I have presented you here, unless miracle happens in USA.   God bless USA and her people.   Regards, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu), Virginia, USA www.amreteckpharma. com

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[mukto-mona] People don’t want political unrest

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
People don't want political unrest
 
Ripan Kumar Biswas
Ripan.biswas@yahoo.com
 
The decision has been finally enforced. She got the notice. And general people are now into a new brand of dilemma as it seems like a fresh call of political unrest in the country after resuming democracy last December.
 
On April 19, 2009, leader of the opposition in Parliament and BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) Chairperson Khaleda Zia was officially asked by the Cantonment Board to vacate her Dhaka cantonment house within 15 days. According to the decision taken at the regular meeting of the cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on April 7, 2009, the government cancelled allotment of the house due to a number of anomalies regarding the allotment within the military zone. "Allocation of more than one house to a person is contrary to the government rules of Bangladesh," Prime Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the meeting. 
 
The former Premier Khaleda Zia, who ruled Bangladesh for ten years (1991-96 and 2001-06), but lost badly in the last election held, was allotted two house-one in the Dhaka Cantonment and the other one in Dhaka's civil but diplomatic area, Gulshan, after the assassination of her husband former President Ziaur Rahman. The AL (Awami League) lead grant alliance government has nothing to say about the Gulshan allocation as according to them, it was properly allocated to her following a cabinet decision in 1982. But her cantonment's allocation that covers nearly 2.72 acre of land didn't have any cabinet approval which she was gifted in 1981 by the then President Hussain Mohammed Ershad. Government, in addition, brought the attention of the citizens that none, even the government has the power to allot the cantonment house to any individual as per the rules of the Cantonment Act 1924.
 
Whether the lease of the cantonment house to Khaleda Zia for 99 years was right or wrong, but general people certainly believe that this cannot be a prime issue of the present government as there are so many vital issues where the government can concentrate.  People may not feel comfortable to hear any such comments from Ershad, who created the problem, but will agree that the cantonment is always considered as restricted area and it is not right to run political activities in the cantonment. Acts of sabotage can be carried out if different kinds of people roam the place.
 
General people expect more maturity and foresightedness in dealing with problems of national interest. Since the government comes to power with huge expectation of mass people, there are lots of things to do as the government faces major challenges on several fronts like BDR mutiny, economic recession, law and order chaos, AL's student wing activity, trial of war criminal and so on.
 
The opposite of tolerance is intolerance, bigotry, prejudice, narrow mindedness, fanaticism, or small mindedness. People have mixed reactions against the decision and cannot resist themselves to detect a certain degree of vindictiveness. Khaleda Zia, the beneficiary, has been living at the cantonment house since 1981 and is alleged now that she is breaching the lease terms by several ways. She has been carrying out political activities from that house, and paying no tax. The house has been used as her sons' official business addresses and even as used as collateral to acquire bank loans. In addition, the house was allocated after her husband's assassination in May 1981 as he left little or no cash for his widow or for his two sons - Tarique and Arafat Rahman. The house was allocated to provide a regular source of income following a wave of national sympathy for her plight. But the time is now different.
 
Sheikh Hasina's comment in Parliament on April 7, 2009: "No Member of Parliament, no leader of the opposition, should live in the cantonment," makes sense, but people wonder why her previous government didn't revoke lease if its legality was untenable or if the beneficiary is violating the terms and conditions. The grounds of decision may be well understood with the fact that once Khaleda government cancelled the lease of Ganabhaban to Sheikh Hasina and a property at Dhanmondi to her sister Sheikh Rehana. Going further, Khaleda converted the Sheikh Rehana's house into a police station and inaugurated the station by herself which is unprecedented for a Prime Minister to do so.
 
To reach a consensus on basic national issues, shunning all negative and destructive politics, every political party will have to work with unity and amity to establish a congenial and stable atmosphere so that the nation can come out from the vicious grip of all kind problems. National interest cannot be achieved by settling old scores or examples, extracting vengeance for past wrongs, and demonizing those with whom we disagree. Certainly, the examples set by the two governments are not national interests in any sense and both of their decisions are ill-conceived.
 
In December, 2008, the AL-led grand alliance triumphed over the four-party alliance, attaining 87% of the Parliamentary seats. Negative political rhetoric will only serve to drive the people further apart at a time when everyone needs to be working together.
 
Everyone expressed deep condolences and assured full support to the unfortunate families of Pilkhana killings at Dhaka BDR headquarter. But the decision proposed by the government to build houses at Khaleda Zia's cantonment resident area to settle families of 55 Bangladesh Army Officers, is a very immature taste and contrary to the logic used against her. She is also a wife of slain President, who was an ex-army chief. There are many government lands that could easily be used for supporting unfortunate BDR carnage victims.
 
General people have nothing to do with the housing issue. But as far as the legality of the lease is concerned, both the government and the leader of the opposition in Parliament should have to resolve the dispute in the court. Preparing to boycott next parliament session or playing "tit-for-tat politics" over the eviction order by the opposition party, will hinder the democratic journey in the country.
 
Last election in Bangladesh had been a long and painful road back to democracy. People certainly don't want another flare-up of the political unrest in the country.
 
Wednesday, April 22, 2009, New York
Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York

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RE: [ALOCHONA] New millionairres in Bdesh!

" The head office of Pall Mall Group in Gulshan remained closed for the third consecutive day after Sunday's clash between staff of the group and workers of Khan Jahan Ali Paribahan, owned by Awami League MP Sheikh Helal.
The office of Khan Jahan Ali Paribahan, where Sheikh Rubel, brother of Sheikh Helal, sits, was also closed yesterday. Police have been deployed there.
Earlier, police arrested eight staff of Pall Mall Group."


=====================================================================


Can someone...please tell us more about these 2 gentlemen...Are they related to PM Hasina?
What was their situation few years ago?
How they have made a million dollar business-empire?
Any more exciting news about them??
khoda hafez.


dr. maqsud Omar

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[mukto-mona] FW: Somlian Situation All thing Are In Flux

Editorial

 

Somlian Situation  All thing Are In Flux

 

Internationsl new papers and internet have suf-ggested that Sonalian Parliament has declared itself has declared itself s Islamic state   Somali members of parliament have unanimously voted infavor of the implementation of Islamic Sharia law in the Horn of Africa country.
In a morning session held Saturday in the Somali capital of Mogadishu,the 343 members passed the motion officially making Somalia an Islamic state, a Press TV correspondent reported.Deputy speaker of parliament Osman Elmi Boqore, who presided over the debates in the absence of speaker Aden Mohamed Nur, said none of the members had any objections to the new law."No one had objections about the motion that automatically makes Somalia an Islamic state," Boqore said.The proposal suggested by Somali Ulama was endorsed by the cabinet last month as a bargaining point between the newly-formed government in the lawless country and insurgents whose key demand has been the Islamic governance of the country.Al-Shabaab fighters have already imposed the law in the areas of the war-torn country under their control.In February, Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed urgedthe implementation in a bid to stop violence in the country that has not enjoyed a functioning central government since 1991 when warlords toppled the regime of former President Mohammed Siad Bare..Somalia has seen lawlessness for bout 40 years ,After the coup of Aidit, things have never been happy.US hs intervened several times, lately through Ethiopia  There was much blood letting.

 

In this situation whether   going  for this declaration of Islamic state will be successful only Allah knows.There is a very dangerous trend anong less educated Isamists that Islamic law id criminal law and punishment.Where as ninety five percent of Islamic law is law of finance, economy, investment, commerce, moral and social laws, matrrigeand divorve and family laws, internsyional lws ( war and peace, amsn of foreigj citizens) and so on.Criminal laws is a mall part.We hope the people now in control realse this.They should contact OIC Fiqh academy for any clarification.

 

 

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[ALOCHONA] Look Like Torab Ali Was Not Alone From Hazaribagh

Torab Ali was nobody, but in BNP-Jamaat world, he instantly became a big AL leader after the BDR incident. Extreme right-wing circle has been so excited about this discovery for quite a while. Sunita Paul mentions about him in all her articles. Pintu was an MP and the President of Chhatra Dal. Pintu has been a well known figure for a long time, on the other hand almost nobody heard of Torab Ali before BDR carnage. The following news is not at all good for Bangladesh's extreme right-wing circle, Sunita Paul, or Salah Uddin Shoaib Chowdhury and their super conspiracy tales. Let see what kind of vibe Sunita gets now from her highly reliable source in Dhaka!!! Isha Khan, if you ever get hold of her through any means, please tell her to write a few articles and post those here for us. Please…


Source: http://www.amadershomoy.com/content/2009/04/22/news0374.htm

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[ALOCHONA] Sports Fans - Obama & Cricket

-----Forwarded Message-----
From: 
Sent: Apr 21, 2009 2:02 PM
To:
Cc: Robin Khundkar
Subject: RE: Sports Fans - See a great pic

Looks like Obama has to work on his foot work. His back foot is too firmly positioned. I defer to Hazrat for some insight.

Trini tutorial

Brian Lara showed Obama how to hit a sixer at the Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Trinidad yesterday.

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Re: [ALOCHONA] Fw: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!!

While her(Motia) stunning simple living style, impeccable monetary honesty, total dedication towards her causes what she intently believes in is rarely found in our culture and system at the same time to me her body language and agressive vocubulary is the worse example for our society, without these two she has all the potential to be an exemplary individual.   Among her contemporaries Rono is the only one still undiluted and active with his unimpaired political belief. Rono as an individual with enviable simplicity and politeness. --- On Fri, 17/4/09, Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Cyrus <thoughtocrat@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Fw: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!! To: alochona@yahoogroups.com Date: Friday, 17 April, 2009, 10:29 AM She is very ugly? That's the retort? Mad(am), with her crazy hairdo, tattooed eyebrows, lead-based face makeup, and stained teeth looks like a baboon's rear end and yet all the young, delusional men with their Oedipus complex are attracted to her as if she has anything substantive to say!! Motia Chowdhury has been a leader of the working people throughout her life, and even she didn't support the idea of Baksal. I doubt though that she ever called Sheikh Mujib a "bastard". You are reading that newsclip from Mad(am)'s personal collection. That tells me a lot about the credibility of the source.   C From: Sajjad Hossain <shossain456@ yahoo.com> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com Sent: Thursday, April 16, 2009 9:31:15 AM Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Fw: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!! Definitely She was your Ogni Kanna. If you you go back to 1972-75 time line and read the news papers, you will not find a place to hide your face the way she battered Sheikh Mujib calling him from bastard to whatever nasty she could thought of. I personally saw the news clip on Khaleda's house. She really looked very ugly. SH From: J.A. Chowdhury <Chwdhury@hotmail. com> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com Sent: Tuesday, April 14, 2009 8:02:05 PM Subject: RE: [ALOCHONA] Fw: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!! She is the best agriculture minister we have ever got in Bangladesh. She can protest against unlawfully allotment of Kheleda's 300 core govt asset. That why she is our "agni konna".   Motia tumi ageyea cholo, Amra asi tumar shate   Jai Bangla   To: abuilla@yahoo. com; alochona@yahoogroup s.com; americamyland@ yahoo.com; bangladesh_news_ website@yahoogro ups.com; bangladesh_politcs@ yahoogroups. com; bangladeshcommunity @yahoogroups. com; BanglaPolitics@ yahoogroups. com; banglarnari@ yahoogroups. com; begbelal@hotmail. com; chetona71@yahoogrou ps.com; chottala@yahoogroup s.com; citizen.bangladesh@ gmail.com; dahuk@yahoogroups. com; danaprnt@bdcom. com; dhakamails@yahoogro ups.com; diagnose@yahoogroup s.com; engr_sm@yahoo. com; FutureOfBangladesh@ yahoogroups. com; gopalsengupta@ aol.com; hasanshabbir- owner@googlegrou ps.com; history_islam@ yahoogroups. com; i_faruk@yahoo. com; ibrahim_monsur@ yahoo.com; islamcity@yahoogrou ps.com; jalalabir@gmail. com; khabor@yahoogroups. com; khalidhasan@ hotmail.com; mali1960@juno. com; mizan.majumder@ auatac.com; mukto-akash@ yahoo.com; mukto-mona@yahoogro ups.com; muktochinta@ yahoogroups. com; muktomona@yahoogrou ps.com; nabic-l@yahoogroups .com; niazpasha@yahoo. com; nibulbul2006@ yahoo.com; nurannabi@aol. com; odhora@yahoogroups. com; poplu@hotmail. com; progressive- muslim@yahoogrou ps.com; protest_emergency@ yahoo.com; rubel_ahsan@ yahoo.com; sa7rong@yahoogroups .com; sahannan@sonarbangl adesh.com; sahannan@yahoogroup s.com; salmamoon@yahoo. com; Shetubondhon@ yahoogroups. com; shonar-bangla@ yahoogroups. com; skabir@hsc.usf. edu; sonarbangladesh@ yahoogroups. com; syed.aslam3@ gmail.com; uttorshuri@yahoogro ups.com; veirsmill@yahoo. com; vinnomot@yahoo. com; vinnomot@yahoogroup s.com; walihaque@yahoo. com; WideMinds@yahoogrou ps.com; witness-pioneer@ yahoogroups. com From: kazimohammadismail@ yahoo.com Date: Mon, 13 Apr 2009 01:35:00 -0700 Subject: [ALOCHONA] Fw: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!! the acting of matia is like a ferocous beast.   --- On Fri, 4/10/09, Nayan Khan <udarakash08@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: Nayan Khan <udarakash08@ yahoo.com> Subject: [dhakamails] Minister or Monster??!! To: chottala@yahoogroup s.com, dahuk@yahoogroups. com, dhakamails@yahoogro ups.com, Diagnose@yahoogroup s.com, khabor@yahoogroups. com, mukto-mona@yahoogro ups.com, notun_bangladesh@ yahoogroups. com, odhora@yahoogroups. com, shetubondhon@ yahoogroups. com Date: Friday, April 10, 2009, 3:34 PM Leaders should have full of love, peace and compassion. In Bangladesh, this theory is upside down esp. among BALists who are from top to bottom practice hatreds, promote killing, dokhol and unrest in society.   Wrong headed Hasina put two famous quarrelsome street ladies (like Motia Chow. populary known as Matari, and non begum Sahera Khatun) who even don't know how to smile in key posts so does walkie talki minister Faruk Khan.   I never saw they talk anything good or take a single step to make Bangladesh a prosperous country in three months, they are doing nonsense stuffs each moment instead.   How would you expect from this wicked leader that they will do something to prosper our country?   Look at her face:   Watch how she talks on Khaleda Zia's home issue at 6 min 47 sec:   http://www.sonarban gladesh.com/ tvnews.php? PATH=dtv20090409 e1.flv&DATE=2009-04- 09&ID=709   Thanks, NK   Yahoo! Canada Toolbar : Search from anywhere on the web and bookmark your favourite sites. Download it now! Invite your mail contacts to join your friends list with Windows Live Spaces. It's easy! Try it!

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[ALOCHONA] Bangladesh terrorism, Indian anxieties and threat to both

Bangladesh terrorism, Indian anxieties and threat to both Terrorism is entrenched in inadequate governance and incomplete policies, writes Afsan Chowdhury INDIAN media has reported that there is an assassination attempt in the works against Sheikh Hasina. Indian Daily Express has also mentioned that the recent 'unscheduled' visit by the Indian foreign secretary was also in this connection and the purpose was to warn the Bangladesh government and its chief of the threat. This has been confirmed by Bangladesh official sources.    Bangladesh is a victim of multiple vulnerabilities to which has been added the new one of terrorism as understood in contemporary parlance. Indian anxiety is also obvious because Bangladesh could actually export more terrorism to India than even Pakistan due to the high border traffic and proximity.    It also seems that 'terrorism' is being perceived in the region as a dominantly law and order threat existing independently of political economy of the states. It is not seen as a matter which is part of a larger expression concerning inter-state relationship and democratic governance in the region. The South Asian response has largely been modelled on conventional western models although the conditions are different.        India's extremist problems    THERE are at least three trends of extremism in India. The largest by far is the Maoist trend which is active in most parts of India but heavily in Andhra Pradesh, Chattisgarh, West Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, etc. The Maoists have control or influence over several million people and were described once by the Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, as India's 'prime security threat'. The Maoists operate in those parts of India which have been forgotten by the engines of Indian prosperity pulling people to the consuming middle class. Poverty and failure to response to it has created its own brand of terrorism and its echoes can be seen as well in Nepal and Bangladesh too.    India's second terrorist problem is in the northeast where the ethnic populations are violently resisting central authority and ULFA is a top example. The government describes them as insurgents, separatists, etc but the people there feel they are fighting for their rights across the range. The people there feel they too have been left out by the Indian state entitlements and the land exploited for its natural resources. These people have generated a great deal of violence covering a variety of political, ethnic and cultural identities.    The third extremist or terrorist forces come from what has been called the Islamic jihadists. The principal source of conflict is Kashmir where many feel they are victims of Indian 'state terrorism'. To this is added Pakistan's support for such militancy. One result of this has been a sense of alienation of many Indian Muslims who are also demonised by many Indians who consider the Muslim population as pro-Pakistani and they are expected to prove their loyalty to India regularly. All these factors have created a sense of insecurity for all but large sections of Muslims feel left out.    As is obvious, most of the extremist movements are located in unresolved issues of identity seeking and denial generated by that identity which is always a great contributor to violence. However, what we call terrorism doesn't have a monolithic face. A state's inability to provide an inclusive nation-building framework always enhances this aggravation.    The failure of India and Pakistan to resolve their disputes with each other have reached a critical point because Pakistan creating the Taliban in the hope of greater instability in Kashmir backfired. As a result, Pakistan is collapsing and remains propped up largely due to artificial lungs provided by the US to serve US interests in the region where it fights multiple wars and is not doing well at any. Pakistan is unable to protect its own people and has even handed over Swat to the extremists. The same army which committed 1971 atrocities in Bangladesh against the innocents now runs away when confronted by the Taliban, its own child. India has also not been very successful in managing poverty or ethnic, communal and social discord. Kashmir provides a good channel to vent and funnel pent up feelings within. Both have internal and external crisis combining to what can be called the 'terror situation'.    India's problems as far as Bangladesh is concerned are two. One is that the past governments have given shelter to the north-eastern extremists in Bangladesh. This has been done by Bangladeshi governments as a sort of bargaining chip hoping to use it to counter what they had seen as India's domineering positions on matters of trade, territory and natural resource issues. However, this had worked only partially because there is no record of the advantages gained from this strategy till now without paying a price within too.    The other issue is that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance government of 2001-2006 allowed the Islamic extremists to grow and spread, thinking it was to their advantage. They thought it was to its advantage, both internally and across the border, as they were actively playing the Indian card, a matter made easy by short-sighted Indian policies. It didn't do too well though as events have shown. However, jihadists in Bangladesh aren't only an internal phenomenon but also part of the growing global jihadist movement.    The Islamist radicals were also contesting Bangladeshi law and order and even the state, at whatever level that may be. To jihadists, a woman leader is unacceptable which may explain why Khaleda Zia may have been a target of their wrath around 2008 election time. Of course, Sheikh Hasina has already been targeted, their main enemy in Bangladesh.        Bangladesh's terrorist situation    BANGLADESH too has two extremist threats. The first are the Maoists and the second are the jihadists. Records show that more people have been killed by the Maoists in the last five years or since records were kept than the Islamics. And, of course, many more Maoists have been killed too. According to the South Asian Terrorism Portal, which runs an ideologically conservative but a well-informed website, dismisses the Maoist threat as disorganised but records death figures that show a wider threat than thought of in Dhaka circles.    The reason why the Maoist threat looks weak is because it is local in nature, fragmented into many groups and central cities are not attacked by them. The jihadists are national even when their actions are local as they are deemed to be a challenge to the state. Plus the jihadist movement in the region involves cross border partners. The connection to international al-Qaeda networks gives them international interest too.    However, the Islamic threat in Bangladesh is weak compared to what exists in either India or Pakistan. India's situation is more precarious because most militants are entrenched in the Kashmir valley and have developed support bases within some segments of the disgruntled Indian Muslim population. They are also often aided by Pakistan as the latest Mumbai incident shows. India's Kashmir problem and Pakistan's Waziristan or Swat problem, basically the traditional tribal areas, are also a militant response of the extremist element of the people there who see the state as an oppressor and in Pakistan as an ally of the US, the original source of their oppression.    But Bangladesh doesn't have such an internal situation, certainly not anywhere near in scale or resentment level. The closest it came to was the Chittagong Hill Tracts crisis which has been contained through a variety of methods including some peace building and India has stopped doing what Bangladesh had done to the north-easterners in the hope perhaps that Bangladesh would reciprocate the honours. Barring that, the most oppressed population group in Bangladesh is the Hindus but they are not into militancy. They are keener to move to India than fight back oppressing members of the majority which keeps Bangladesh safer than it realises. There are many groups in India who could easily fund and arm them making Hindu extremist threat a major issue here.    The members of the jihadists in Bangladesh comes from the lower class, people who study in madrassahs and are from birth denied entry to the mainstream. Just as many second-generation Pakistanis in the west turn to religious identity and sometimes extremist politics as they grow up marginalised from birth as migrants and are given no space in the mainstream, these Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh and other group members rarely come from the middle class and thus feel outcasts from birth. In this age and time, for many people, especially in the rural areas, the language of resistance is found in the supposed words of religion though many find it in Mao too.    In Bangladesh, the Maoist movement like in India and Nepal are essentially rural movements which fail to draw attention of urban analysts. The roots of both movements are in socioeconomic denial. As some part of the global resentment is being expressed through religious extremism, many follow that. Once, for the same reason, many followed Mao all over the world and many still do. What is permanent is denial and that resentment is fuelled by religious or secular ideology.    It should be remembered that people of this region have always been part of religious radicalism though the social content was much higher before and anti-colonial in nature. This is a rebellious society where the holy books of revolution and revelation have always found some willing ears.    The extremists are now being linked to the incident at the Bangladesh Rifles headquarters too and that would expose the vulnerabilities of the Bangladesh state. Indian anxiety is heightened as they know that a run-over attempt of the state would have spill-over impact of high intensity for India. If the pirates emerging out of the disintegrated state of Somalia which the west tried to control by force and then allowed it to collapse can hobble international shipping using only small arms, the threat to India from Bangladeshi Islamic militants can be understood, especially if it gets actively linked to international al-Qaeda.    What motivates Bangladeshi jihadists is hatred of Hindus and India, to them, is a Hindu state. Perhaps that's what bonds them to Pakistan too who have had fingers in several anti-India actions coming out from Bangladesh and also the religious parties including Jamaat-e-Islami whose rabid anti-Indian position is on record, the reason they give for opposing Bangladesh's independence war.        The options in front of India and Bangladesh    IT DOES seem that both states favour military approaches to this security issue and wish to meet the militants' security threat with force following conventional practices elsewhere. But that usually goes only so far and as the US experience shows can pull any state down. Till now, India has not experienced al-Qaeda activism but that of Kashmiri militants who are loosely linked. The Lashkar-e-Taiba is interested in Kashmir first and then in the rest of the world and its main support comes from Pakistan and not Osama bin-Laden. It's Pakistan who faces al-Qaeda and as reports show is doing very poorly at that. India deals with Pakistan as part of each other's 'regional instability' programme centring on their failure to solve the Kashmir question. In that case, it's Pakistan which may have an interest in encouraging Islamic militancy in Bangladesh too in the hope of causing India some discomfort.    As long as Kashmir remains a sore point the chances of Islamic militancy disappearing from the region is slim. In Bangladesh, India is not a popular country and it isn't popular with any of its neighbours for various reasons. Indian action also does feed into resentment elsewhere and that will continue to provide the social platform for more instability. India has also not done well in balancing its relationship with its neighbours although it's the largest of them all, part of it in its denial that any of its policies could be wrong.    The western response to terrorism is limited and even the richest country is severely ailing trying to pay costs for this approach. In this region, Pakistan's situation tells us what can happen when it tries to fight this unwinnable war. The fact that Swat had to be practically handed over to the Pakistani Taliban is a striking example of the shrinking state. While India will certainly fare better, how much better that will be is a question.    Bangladesh simply cannot afford to deal with any large-scale militancy. At some point, if the situation worsens, India may have to do inside Bangladesh what the US is doing in Pakistan to control the border areas which will be disastrous for both India and Bangladesh. Or it may have to develop policies that address key issues that cut across cross-border resentment and hostility, something it hasn't done very well or isn't interested as much in doing so.    For Bangladesh, the dangers are obvious. For the moment, it looks the situation is somewhat under control but everyday the media reports arrests and actions showing how quickly an alternative imagination is fomenting a section. What breeds terrorism beyond a point and it becomes a threat is when its platform is social inequity. That is there. Bangladesh also has to keep al-Qaeda away and to do that its needs to have far more inclusive social structure and a more functional state management. If it doesn't see the need to have a better government, no number of visits informing of terrorist plans can protect the country and its people. Nor its neighbours, big or small.   http://www.newagebd.com/2009/apr/21/edit.html

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