Dr Jiten Roy,
Thank you for your response. I see your point, particularly with regard to your whole-hearted support for the AL before the election. But that should not have deterred you in accepting the facts - AL was and still is deeply mired in corruption. Yes, the other party, the BNP is even more corrupt and anti-democratic. But that does not preclude us in pointing out that the party we want to be in power (as there was no better choice) is blatantly corrupt.
On one point I would disagree with you. The BNP is not a centre-left party; it is a centre-right party. AL is centre-left to centrist party. You may know that the AL started its political life as the Awami Muslim League and then it dropped its 'Muslim' name in the mid 1950s. So, if it is moving towards the Muslim credential, it is just moving towards its root, which is worrying and must be opposed.
I came back from Bangladesh only last Friday, 14 March after spending nearly four weeks there. I am really heartened by the fact that the trend in Islamisation of the country has reduced sharply and the people are much more tolerant of other religions. There is an element of goodwill towards India. But all of these things can change drastically if Narendra Modi comes to power in India. I hope the Indian people will have the political maturity and secular views to reject religious extremism.
You are absolutely right to point out the predicament of Pakistan, when it had accepted religious extremism. I always say that the best thing that Bangladesh has achieved is that it had broken away from Pakistan and we will never ever like to go back to that situation.
- Anis Rahman
From: Jiten Roy <jnrsr53@yahoo.com>
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, 19 March 2014, 23:55
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Meeting with Ambassador
Dr. Rahman,
Criticism is an important tool of advancement, but it is only useful if you use it wisely. If you don't, it could be detrimental to your goal.
I see BNP as a center-left political party, much like Muslim League, and Awami League as a centrist progressive party. In my view, religious minorities have no other option, but to support Awami League in the election season. That's the reality, and the reason behind my objection to your criticism of Awami League before the general election.
You criticize Awami League for corruptions, which I do not disagree. But, I have much more at stake than corruption. I have to think about existence and survival as a religious minority in Bangladesh; corruption is the least of my problem, especially when it is a common phenomenon in both parties; probably much more prevalent in BNP. As a result, I thought - it was not the time for criticism of Awami League, as it would only help BNP. That was my reason for criticism of you at the time.
Time to criticize Awami League is now. They need to change their political equation. Based on the recent attacks on religious minorities in Hazarihat, Ramu, Pabna, etc., where Awami cadres took part, it is clear that Awami League is also moving slowly to the left of center, and it is becoming Awami Muslim League. In that case, there will be no difference left between BNP and Awami League, as we came to know. This is what we have said to Ambassador Mozena also.
I believe - this is an ominous signal for the country. It shows that the country of Bangladesh is drifting towards Pakistani line of politics of getting rid of religious minorities from the land, and Awami League is slowly subscribing to that line of politics as well.
As you know – Pakistan has gotten rid of religious minorities from that country. What did they gain? They have become the world's factory of religious extremists. I hate to see Bangladesh following that route.
Jiten Roy
--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 3/19/14, ANISUR RAHMAN <anisur.rahman1@btinternet.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Meeting with Ambassador
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 4:38 AM
First of
all, I am not the Mr. Rahman that Jiten Roy addresses below.
I am Dr. A. Rahman from England. I needed to identify myself
at the outset, lest Jiten Roy gets confused and start
directing fire at random.
It
is in Bengali culture to contradict and disagree even when
there is nothing contentious. Undeniably minorities in
Bangladesh, or even in East Pakistan, had been treated
disgracefully and often violently, which no civilised
society can condone. The governments of the day had either
ignored and overlooked or aided and abetted with the
perpetrators. The BNP/Jamaat had been carrying out religious
atrocities for a long time and the AL were no angels. There
had been undeniable evidence of AL involvement in burning,
looting Hindu properties before the recent elections. When I
raised this despicable behaviour of the ruling party, Jiten
Roy immediately branded me as a BNP supporter. I wrote many
articles against BNP/Jamaat's religious excesses and
criminality, but Jiten Roy ignored them all or was totally
oblivious. However, he seems to have got now a rational,
realistic view of the situation existing in Bangladesh. All
political parties, to a greater or lesser extent, are guilty
of religious misdemeanour and criminality.
I
agree with Jiten Roy that truth (or rather facts) must be
brought out. But one must be careful about what one calls
truth. For example, to Jamaatis the existence of God and His
divine messages are the truths. To Narendra Modi Hindu
chauvinism is the truth. So the establishment of truth is
not as clear cut as it seems. But we must bring out facts
and try to show to the world what is fair and what is not.
-
Anis Rahman
Criticism is an important tool of advancement, but it is only useful if you use it wisely. If you don't, it could be detrimental to your goal.
I see BNP as a center-left political party, much like Muslim League, and Awami League as a centrist progressive party. In my view, religious minorities have no other option, but to support Awami League in the election season. That's the reality, and the reason behind my objection to your criticism of Awami League before the general election.
You criticize Awami League for corruptions, which I do not disagree. But, I have much more at stake than corruption. I have to think about existence and survival as a religious minority in Bangladesh; corruption is the least of my problem, especially when it is a common phenomenon in both parties; probably much more prevalent in BNP. As a result, I thought - it was not the time for criticism of Awami League, as it would only help BNP. That was my reason for criticism of you at the time.
Time to criticize Awami League is now. They need to change their political equation. Based on the recent attacks on religious minorities in Hazarihat, Ramu, Pabna, etc., where Awami cadres took part, it is clear that Awami League is also moving slowly to the left of center, and it is becoming Awami Muslim League. In that case, there will be no difference left between BNP and Awami League, as we came to know. This is what we have said to Ambassador Mozena also.
I believe - this is an ominous signal for the country. It shows that the country of Bangladesh is drifting towards Pakistani line of politics of getting rid of religious minorities from the land, and Awami League is slowly subscribing to that line of politics as well.
As you know – Pakistan has gotten rid of religious minorities from that country. What did they gain? They have become the world's factory of religious extremists. I hate to see Bangladesh following that route.
Jiten Roy
--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 3/19/14, ANISUR RAHMAN <anisur.rahman1@btinternet.com> wrote:
Subject: Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Meeting with Ambassador
To: mukto-mona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2014, 4:38 AM
First of
all, I am not the Mr. Rahman that Jiten Roy addresses below.
I am Dr. A. Rahman from England. I needed to identify myself
at the outset, lest Jiten Roy gets confused and start
directing fire at random.
It
is in Bengali culture to contradict and disagree even when
there is nothing contentious. Undeniably minorities in
Bangladesh, or even in East Pakistan, had been treated
disgracefully and often violently, which no civilised
society can condone. The governments of the day had either
ignored and overlooked or aided and abetted with the
perpetrators. The BNP/Jamaat had been carrying out religious
atrocities for a long time and the AL were no angels. There
had been undeniable evidence of AL involvement in burning,
looting Hindu properties before the recent elections. When I
raised this despicable behaviour of the ruling party, Jiten
Roy immediately branded me as a BNP supporter. I wrote many
articles against BNP/Jamaat's religious excesses and
criminality, but Jiten Roy ignored them all or was totally
oblivious. However, he seems to have got now a rational,
realistic view of the situation existing in Bangladesh. All
political parties, to a greater or lesser extent, are guilty
of religious misdemeanour and criminality.
I
agree with Jiten Roy that truth (or rather facts) must be
brought out. But one must be careful about what one calls
truth. For example, to Jamaatis the existence of God and His
divine messages are the truths. To Narendra Modi Hindu
chauvinism is the truth. So the establishment of truth is
not as clear cut as it seems. But we must bring out facts
and try to show to the world what is fair and what is not.
-
Anis Rahman
__._,_.___
