***Ever since Henry Kissinger dehumanised Bangladesh by labeling it "an international basket case", Bangladesh has been the butt of many cruel jokes We have been accused of behaving as though the world owes us a living.***

IN the aftermath of Bangladesh’s last devastating flood, this writer wrote a fiercely patriotic article in the Opposite-Editorial page of The New York Times on November 17. 1988.

The purpose of the current piece is to see what has changed over the last ten years. Under the caption. "Bangladeshi — and Proud", the article, meant to be a primer for the Americans. read: "It is not easy being a Bangladeshi these days. While our country is going under — literally and figuratively — the international community has responded with generous aid as well as a strong dose of cynicism and sarcasm.

Ever since Henry Kissinger dehumanised Bangladesh by labeling it "an international basket case”. Bangladesh has been the butt of many cruel jokes. We have been accused of behaving as though the world owes us a living. When cyclones lash out at our sea coast, killing thousands, it is because of our "fatalistic attitude.” I have heard Bangladesh blasted as the "most backward country on earth." 1 have seen it kicked around a "Bang-the-dish" in satirical cartoons.

Yet. not so long ago. Bangladesh was the breadbasket of the region. In the pre-industrial days, our prosperity earned us the name "Golden Bengal." Every inch of land was cultivated for two or three crops each year. Life was so easy that neighbouring Indians settled in droves on this fertile plain. Everyone stayed put. with the results that now 100 million people are jammed into an area the size of Wisconsin.

The massive deforestation and the construction of numerous river dams in India and Nepal has a lot to do with the recent floods in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is a delta through which the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent discharges its water to the sea. During monsoon rains, some flooding is inevitable and is actually beneficial for the paddy fields.

But when combined with an overflow from the dams, the rivers — which have not been dredged recently because of prohibitive cost — cannot discharge the water to the sea fast enough.

Consequently, the water backs up. submerging a very flat, sea level country. Our neighbours, who consistently refuse to discuss a solution to our flood problem, share sdme moral responsibility for our misery. We Bangladeshis are a proud people, famous for our poetry, songs and cuisine — may be the best in the world. We may be poor, but we are not backward. The war with Pakistan in 1971 completely destroyed our land’s infrastructure. It took a monumental effort to get the country back on its feet. The hot. humid climate is not conducive to heavy, prolonged physical labour. Saddled with the burden of feeding millions, obr development plans have to be scrapped regularly because of the catastrophes like this year s. But our population control plan is in place and the births are decreasing.

Given a stable, representative political system — already within reach — and a few flood-free years, ourgenius will make us rebound. The land that produced literary giants like Rabindranath Tagore, the first Asian to win Nobel Prize, and poet laureate Kazi Nazrul Islam, will not stay down for long. In the meantime, as we fight to save our people from disease and starvation, we ask the international community to be helpful and understanding — and not to indulge in ridicule and pontification."

On December 7. 1988. The New York Times published two lead letters in response to the article. A fellow Bangladeshi argued the leftist version of the events, and a communal Indian Bengali ridiculed me for claiming both Rabindranath and Nazrul as our own, and reminded me that Nazrul was actually a devotee of Kali. Perus-

ing the article now. it amazes me how little has changed. Yes, we have had representative governments since 1991. but that's about it.

The population has exploded by another 20 to 30 million, major cities are becoming too polluted for human habitation, and our neighbours have demonstrated no qualms whatsoever about inflicting Hood or drought on us. to suit themselves. Our governments seem beholden to foreign nations. And if our people have derron-strated any "genius", it is for inflicting harm and dishonour on our women!

Expatriate Bangladeshis generally outperform average Americans in the USA. Those who have remained in Bangladesh are made of the same raw material. Why is that Bangladesh's problems are becoming more and more unsolv-able everyday? There are plenty of selfless, honest and Idealistic Bangladeshis at home ‘lni^eriiaps !t Is time they rescued Bangladesh from the throes of dishonest politicians who misuse their power for personal gain, deadbeat businessmen who borrow the nation's money and never repay, unscrupulous government officials who suck the nation's resources illegally for their own benefit — and the terrorist trio of rapists, mastaans and Chandabaz.

These criminal elements within our society, which also include some policemen, have to be confronted sooner or later, or Bangladesh will really go under. Why not now? We are tired of begging. Let us begin the process of becoming donors. Nature spares no one. Every nation suiters nature's wrath in the form of flood and ferocious winds, called cyclone, hurricane or typhoon in different geographical locations. This year, there were extensive flooding in the southern United States, especially in Texas. In 1993. the Mississippi river rose above the 100-year mark and

devastated northern USA. While it cannot prevent the floods and hurricanes from occurring. with satellite monitoring. America is always prepared.

Flood and hurricane areas are evacuated, the army is made available for relief work, and the President declares the affected areas "disaster areas'" making them eligible for low Interest loans. (Every hurricane Is given a female name, say "Gloria." If "Gloria" brings death and destruction, the name Is retired forever!) Its intensity may vary, but the aqueous visitor sneaks up on Bangladesh every year. Yet. our governments seem always utterly surprised and unprepared. Too much time is spent on politics, too little on solving the nation's problems. Floods have been with us since time Immemorial. After gaining independence. flood control should have been our first priority. That has not been the case, in any meaningful way.

There are those who say that the government tried to downplay the magnitude of this year's flood. Does it think that people believe that the governments cause flood? The government will regret any delay in tackling the nation's number one curse. The death and destruction that the unwelcome guest visit upon Bangladesh will do much more harm to the government than it realises Expatriate Bangladeshis in America are very concerned. They are eager to donate money and help in other ways. The government would do well to involve the expatriates and encourage fund raising worldwide

It Is not only the Bangladeshi people's lives that are on the line — it is the government’s too! Brace yourself, many more disasters are brewing. This past winter. El Nino caused all sorts of trouble; this summer his sister. La Nina, was up to no good. Whoever has heard of a Hispanic family with only two siblings?