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Bertil Lintner and all that

KAZI ANWARUL MASUD
IF anything Bertil Lintner's article (Far Eastern Economic Review of April 04, 2002) has caused intense debate in Bangladesh. So much so that one wonders whether criticism or otherwise of Lintner's article has not become a barometer of patriotism (notwithstanding Samuel Johnson's oft quoted saying that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel). In most developed countries patriotism of a citizen is rarely questioned. It is taken for granted. In developing societies due to fragile conviction and confidence both in ourselves and our surroundings citizens sometimes have to prove their degree of "patriotism" in proportion to their intolerance of Lintner's elk. Thomas Jefferson in
his first inaugural address told the American people that banishing religious intolerance would be in vain" if we countenance a political intolerance as despotic, as wicked, and capable of bitter and bloody persecution."
Lintner in the eyes of his detractors is "guilty" of writing that Islamic fundamentalism is on the rise; that government seems powerless and unwilling to stem the tide; that a political party which actively opposed our independence from Pakistan now has a voice in the government for the first time; that this political party clearly opposes the US led war on terrorism; that 64000 religious schools regularly churn out thousands of students every year who are poorly equipped
to enter the mainstream of life and profession and could become easy targets for exponents of Islamic Revolution. Lintner also emphasized that law and order situation unless tackled properly could contribute to economic collapse and political crisis which in turn could galvanize religious extremists into embarking upon an Islamic Revolution. This grotesque picture painted by Lintner, some would argue, is far from the truth and was engineered by "foes" of Bangladesh both at home and abroad.
We, in Bangladesh would like to believe that ours is a moderate Muslim country practicing democracy, however imperfectly. Our image of moderation has been furthered by the fact that recent carnage in Gujarat did not result in a
corresponding situation in Bangladesh. Whether it was due to preventive measures taken by the government or because the people have truly become moderate or both it is difficult to say. Whatever may be the reasons Bangladesh refused to be provoked by the continuing tragedy unfolding in Gujarat. We should however not forget that immediately after the October general elections our media reported on many incidents of barbaric persecution of members of religious minorities. The Daily Star itself published a series of investigative reports on these horrific incidents. Public at large, however, remains to be fully informed yet if the guilty parties have been brought to book and if so, what punishments have been
meted out to them.
In today's increasingly integrated world refusal to submit to international scrutiny can only be selfdefeating and ultimately suicidal. Classical definition of sovereignty has changed over the years. Kosovo has taught us the lesson that Milosevics of the world cannot wage war against their own people and get away scot free. Carnage of 11th September in New York and consequent moral and legal authority given to an international coalition of parties to bomb Afghanistan to stone age has given new meaning to traditional concept on territorial inviolability. In recent days one has seen the release from detention (albeit not for the first time) of Aung San Suu Kyi. The point to be made
here is that the days of injured innocence are gone. In today's unipolar world many things are happenings which before the fall of the Berlin Wall would have been unthinkable. Therefore despite presumed indiscretions of Bertil Lintner and the Danish diplomat we cannot escape nor should we try to escape introspection. We have to prove to us and to the world at large that thousands of religious schools are not producing potential Frankensteins and that Mendelson, George Fernandez and Lal Bahadur Shastris can also exist in Bangladesh to set examples when accused of alleged wrong doings.
Kazi Anwarul Masud is a retired Secretary to Bangladesh Government and a former Ambassador.