Dear Robin
Nope – your response is neither annoying nor unsatisfactory. It's perfectly reasonable why I come across as you describe. I did say that he wrote well and I did not say that he was not talking facts. In a way I went further than you and said that he writes thoughtfully and beautifully.
I was saying that he is irresponsible because he does not bring his talent to bear on what is screaming for his attention. Okay – now these subjects may get my goat and not his. But let's just see what some of these subjects are:
- The PM flying with more than 100 to the UN at great cost to decency and our exchequer
- Murder of people in police custody
- Giving jobs preferentially to party members in local and national government
- Coercion of government officials by party officials
- Corruption by government officials in the issue of licences and permits
- Capturing of land by party officials
- Extortion and murder by cadres of the ruling party
Now. Why don't these get Badrul's goat? Or do I have to work hard and apply a lot of logic as to why the above things get my goat? Am I abnormal to viscerally dislike these things?
There's a damn good reason why men like him don't demand much of an
As the nation's leading English daily, serving without fear or fervour, is it not the responsibility of men in Badrul's position to take the government to task if and when necessary?
You know why it does not even occur to him that there is hardly any investigative journalism conducted by his paper?
They write beautifully and thoughtfully about this and that – while a government servant was beaten up by a thug of the ruling party the same day.
I assure you if I ever met Badrul he would not last 10 minutes without saying "Ki korben. Kichu tho korar nai. Eiguli tho kichu na kichu hobe".
Of course the Daily Star gets righteously annoyed when the government turns on it. But apart from that – please go ahead, do what you want and we'll provide a background commentary of no consequence to anyone.
I am putting my country first.
I just googled and found that my suspicion is correct. Syed Badrul Ahsan was my teacher. I loved that man. He taught me English and he nurtured my English. If I meet him – hang on damn it, I will track him down and face him by December. And after our embrace I will challenge him to a discussion as to why he should be writing about the subjects that get my goat. Because he has, indeed he has, a responsibility to the country that transcends choosing the lesser devil and reluctant acceptance of necessary wickedness.
This is not the season to remember. If it is then I hope he finishes up his remembering fast and realizes that…
This is the season to stand up against corruption, thuggery, extortion, incompetence, injustice and murder. And against the exploitation of the poor and the ignorant by using lies and sentimentalisation.
As committed or condoned, by our democratically elected governments, as constituted by either AL or BNP. Open the paper tomorrow. Or on any other day.
I'm not annoyed. I've just received a long awaited edition of Calvin and Hobbes. I'm so happy dude! .
Best wishes
Ezajur.
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