Anis Rahman Said: "…I also take issue with Jiten Roy that corruption should be taken out of consideration when dealing with politicians. He has produced the most illogical argument I have ever seen. He argues that holding corrupt politicians accountable makes politicians insecure and that makes them more corrupt! What a drivel! I have the feeling that he wants to remove corruption out of consideration as AL leaders are corrupt and hence removing corruption will vindicate AL leaders of one vice!"
Anis Rahman did not understand my comments.
There are only two political ideological parties, pro- and anti- liberation. Ideological difference between AL and BNP/Jamat is very clear. When two major political parties are involved in corruptions, you cannot make decision based on corruption alone. If you do, you will buy the same wine in a different bottle.
How did I vindicate AL leaders of corruption, when I said both parties are involved in corruption?
Anis Rahman may not have problem supporting BNP/Jamat at this time, I do. I do not know if he is pro- or anti- liberation of Bangladesh, but - I am pro-liberation, and I have no reason to support equally corrupt anti-liberation BNP/Jamat. My decision is based on ideology, not corruption.
Jiten Roy
On Sunday, December 15, 2013 5:14 PM, ANISUR RAHMAN <anisur.rahman1@btinternet.com> wrote:
Reading the thread of comments made by various readers under this 'Mission Impossible', I cannot but make my comments known clearly.
First of all, I do not agree with Jiten Roy's assertion that no country is 'really independent'. By 'really independent' he possibly means a country which can ignore the rest of the world and do whatever it likes. This is a totally wrong definition of independence. There are loads of international agreements on various issues such as product standards imposed by International Standards Organisation (ISO), labour rules by International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Air Transport Authority (IATA) supervising rules on air transport, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supervising regulations of nuclear energy etc etc. These are international regulations applicable on all signatory states. Abiding by these regulations does not curb the independence of a country, it rather reinforces independence. It is the way of living harmoniously within the comity of nations within a framework of internationally recognised rules.
This is not the same thing as abiding by Saudi Arabia's instruction not to have women police officers on the street in Banglaesh. This is subservience, loss of independence and slavish mentality. If somebody says that this is a pragmatic approach adopted by Zia, I would dispute that. What approach was that when Zia made Bangladesh an 'Islamic State'? What approach was that when Zia gave legal permission to the Islamic organisations like Jamaat to get involved in political system? If these were all under orders from Saudi Arabia, then Zia can call himself a slave of Saudi Arabia by being the dictator of Bangladesh and that is the true 'lack of independence'; not the previous compliance of internationally enforced regulations.
I also take issue with Jiten Roy that corruption should be taken out of consideration when dealing with politicians. He has produced the most illogical argument I have ever seen. He argues that holding corrupt politicians accountable makes politicians insecure and that makes them more corrupt! What a drivel! I have the feeling that he wants to remove corruption out of consideration as AL leaders are corrupt and hence removing corruption will vindicate AL leaders of one vice!
Corruption (of all types) is one of the most serious vices, if not the most serious vice, that politicians could have. However, one should distinguish between the various levels of corruption. If a politician claims extra few dollars in his travel expense, that is not in the same category of corruption when a politician who only awards a national contract on receiving a certain percent (such as 10%) from the contractor. Such corrupt practices siphon off resources from the national exchequer and thereby blunts national growth. Bangladesh had been consistently at the top five places among the 170 or so nations in the corruption league table. A relatively less corrupt government such as in Singapore or Malaysia had shown that national progress is much better than a corrupt government.
- A Rahman
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: "mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com" <mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, 15 December 2013, 17:10
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] মিশন ইম্পসিবল!!
I believe, Shekh Mujib said – "We are Vikkhuker Jat (Beggers' Community); we do not have choices." That's the truth about our self-esteem and independence.
Kamal Das is right – geographic border represents very little of a country's independence; there is no country in the world that is really independent, and there is no Colony also (at least, I can't think of any at this time). The reality is - entire world is connected; you throw a stone at one place, it will ripple through the entire world. That's how independent we are.
Also, the reference about Indian administrator was a metaphor, anyway. Not much discussion is warranted on that issue. The point is – we are not able to run our country as we wish. That's a fact. This situation no one can deny or change significantly it until we can stop begging.
Under the circumstances, country needs to align socially, culturally, and ideologically with the right powers. That's the job of the prudent administrators of the country. Administrators can't do it alone; it's the responsibility of the citizens to force administrators to align with the right power players. The latter force is very week in Bangladesh. People are naïve, educated or un-educated; they usually make emotional decisions. I can hear their voices in this forum.
For example, many people talk about corrupt politicians, and they are looking for Saints. In that search – they are fluctuating between two major political parties. This process is making politicians unsecure in all respect. No political ideology can take root under such environment. This process basically makes politicians corrupt.
I know - some will say – good people should remain true to their principle in the face of all odds. That's mostly a BS statement, not a reality. As far as I know - everyone has greed. The reality is - most people are good because they do not have the opportunity to be corrupt. Real test is – when they are subjected to the opportunity to be corrupt; most people haven't gone through that litmus test. I know most people are not Saint.
So, what's the right thing to do? Let's agree that politicians are all corrupt, and take this common denominator out of our decision making process. What other factors are left – Ideology and Culture. Now, the selection process is not so complicated. We can select political parties based on our tastes.
Ideology and culture are the two very precious factors that should guide our political decision making process. We cannot sacrifice these issues in search of finding uncorrupt political Saints.
Jiten Roy
On Sunday, December 15, 2013 10:46 AM, Subimal Chakrabarty <subimal@yahoo.com> wrote:
The Zia example does not prove that he was a man of low self esteem. The opposite was true. With his high self esteem and iron rule he did and undid things to his people and the political system of Bangladesh which nobody else could do. He would have never welcomed physically a foreign agent to supervise his job as the head of the country and the head of the state. This is true for any ruler Bangladesh has ever seen.
It is possible that under Saudi request Zia stopped deploying female police on the street. Now as nation heavily dependent on foreign aid and earnings, Zia simply took a pragmatic decision. And this is typical of any ruler we have seen so far. It has nothing to do with the self esteem of a particular leader.
I was referring to those intellectuals who believe from heart that the people of Bangladesh are not capable of running their own show and hence they need a foreign ruler.
Sent from my iPhone
Mr. Chakrabarty is not aware that much of the administrative decisions
are apparently not homegrown. Not long ago, it came from Pindi; now
it comes from Delhi. A lot comes also from New York, Peking and
Washington. During the tenure of Zia-ur-Rahman, Female Police were
not allowed on the street by an order from Saudi Arabia.
Before SC measures the self esteem of someone else, he should do it to his own.
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