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To The Editor
Lesson for BNP and Jamaat
The BNP and the Jamaat must have learnt the lesson of history and should objectively review their failure and open up the door for reform. It is time for the Jammat to turn into a democratic minded part, rather than a religion driven ideology based party. The people have spoken against their exploitation of religion. Compared to the Jamaat, the BNP has a harder task to initiate reform in the party. Their dependency on the Jamaat is one of the major causes of their landslide defeat. The BNP will have to consider seriously their political ideology which has gradually turned them against the foundation of a democratic Bangladesh and introduced a big ideological difference with the creation of Bangladesh. This has made .the BNP and the Jamaat a ■divider of the nation—a bad political strategy followed by these alliance which made Bangladesh an almost failed state. The people have spoken and now accept the verdict gracefully and make self assessment of failure and put all energies to bring reform in the party to survive democratically and not on failed ideology. We hope good sense will prevail and we will see that necessary reform measures will be taken as soon as possible. The Jamaat has a simple task. The people have cut them to size. Now it is time to stand on democratic values, rather than on politics of religion.
The AL has a greater responsibility to respond to people's mandate. Their major tasks, I think, might include the following: a. Take multi-front programmes to implement the promise to bring down the prices of the essential commodities within the purchasing power of the people. The action plan might include plan for increased food production, food security, a food safety plan for the vulnerable group, effective market regulation in full cooperation with the traders, reasonable subsidy programme for the farm inputs and supply in time. These are among many others that the experts can elaborate.
b. .Make the governmental activities fully transparent Be tolerant to opposition’s constructive views and extend full cooperation to the opposition groups.
Those are very first reactions from an outsider and might be consistent with the majority opinion of our voters.
A reader
On e-mail
Khaleda Zia
I have lived in the UK virtually all my life. What I have seen at the conclusion of general elections here is that the defeated leaders always resign. It is a way of conceding that they have failed the party and also that they are bowing to the will of the people.
The decent thing for BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is to resign and let new blood and new ideas take the BNP forward into the next general election.
Fazle Karim Chowdhury
Barrister at Law
Terrorism and Muslim countries Nearly two hundred innocent people including women & children were killed in Mumbai on 26th November '08 by the militant fanatics. Some months back in Assam seventy innocent people were killed in market places in bomb explosion. l\vin-tower in the USA or Bali club in Indonesia, Marriott Hotel in Pakistanthe victims are only innocent people which can be termed as "wanton killing” butinthe holy name of Islam.
The goal of these killers is holy war against western powers like the USA, the UK or other European countries. The activists who are engaged in carrying out these killings are illiterate & have no knowledge of Islam, their own religion. They have been brainwashed by some evil-minded leaders, who promise them, in the name of Islam. Heaven if they are killed. These so called leaders are dominating over backward people in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and different places in the Middle East. They have expanded their organisation in different countries recruiting such illiterate people. In Indonesia, three such diehard fanatics involved in Bali massacre were executed by firing squad. In our own country two such insane leaders were hanged for killing innocent people, But our govt, with limited resources find it difficult to crush all the hidden networks.
The blame is on the entire Muslim world for the heinous crime of killing innocent people. It is surprising that the governments of Muslim countries remain silent on this issue. It is high time that the real interpretation of Islamic laws be disseminated to educate the illiterate Muslim youngsters in all the countries.
The Muslim countries should raise at least half a dozen teams of reputed Muslim leaders & scholars who would be holding rallies mainly in rural areas to educate people.
A.Z. Ahmed
Dhaka
What a victory!
December 29, polling day, was a historic day. The election took place peacefully with a huge turnout And the AL bagged most of the seats in the election. Since the beginning of democracy through the election in 1991, it would be the highest number of seats in parliament for a single party. Such landslide victory has opened up a window of opportunity for the AL to run the country efficiently towards better democracy in future.
Through the much-awaited election, a lesson should be learnt by all concerned. Both the ruling party and the opposition must act judiciously.
The opposition has a great role in building the nation.
While discharging its duty, the opposition must keep in mind that it is not doing anything destructive. We had bitter experience in the past. But we don't want to see repetition of the same ineffectual opposition activities in future.
Rabiul Lslam Journalist Shantibagh Dhaka
Unexpected
A strict electoral code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission (EC) forced all candidates to behave and pursue their campaigns in a decent manner. But the news came just a day after the election that the cadres of a BNP leader in Chittagong intimidated and tortured the minority people and burnt out a house at Nanpur village in Fatikchhari for creating panic and preventing people from casting their votes. It is quite unacceptable that such incidents are still taking place in Bangladesh.
The Election Commission should make sincere efforts to stop such violation of the rules set by it.
Sumon Biswas
Sociology Discipline Khulna University
Israeli aggression
What is happening in Gaza, the monstrous way Israel is behaving is unbelievable. We are watching the carnage with deep anguish, innocent people including children and women are dying in hordes. The scene is heart rending.
America is the only country which can stop this inhumanity but it is looking on placidly. People around the world were so happy when Barack Obama became the president-elect. Why is he silent? We expect steps from him that will end this injustice. We hope he will be just and impartial.
Nur Jahan
Chittagong
Absolute majority In the recently held election, the AL won absolute majority, which is no doubt the reply of the people against the misdeeds of the BNP -Jamaat rule. But we will miss a strong opposition and parliament will lose its attraction to a great extent. Absolute majority often leads to autocratic behaviour. Ncwaz Sharif of Pakistan won two-thirds majority but his misdeeds created the conditions for Pervez Mosharrafs entry into power/politics of that country. Immediately after independence, the AL also obtained the same majority but they had to form BAKSAL which did not meet with popular endorsement. After getting such majority, the BNP-Jamaat forgot everything and tried to have control over every sector and people rejected them by eliminating them from power.
So, the present AL leaders should remain very careful. Harun-or-Rashid Sobhanbag, Dhaka
Fake TIN
The attitude of Rajuk has been expressed clearly in regard to fake TIN. The generous intention has been highlighted in all the dailies. Fake TINs are those which have been manufactured and have got no legal support. "Rajuk has expressed its intention to cancel allotment of the plots to those who usedfakeTIN."
The intention of Rajuk as appeared in the reports carried by the dailies does not appear fair, justified and equitable.
The intention as expressed indicates that Rajuk will go for allotment first and then if it is proved that the allottees used fake TIN the allotment would be cancelled. Much time will pass in the process and as time is the great healer, the allottee will find time and discover scope to redress the wounds caused by fake TIN. The circumstances may give rise to strong presumptions that holders of fake TIN will be able to convert their fake TINs into actual TINs because black-money holders can whiten their black money without any trouble and have been holding their heads high in society. They are not hated by society, rather they are often invited by society to sponsor different events and to chair different social and cultural functions, and those people in their presidential address urge others to become honest, diligent and soon.
Thus the holders of fake TIN may have scope to have their numbers regularised.
Therefore right from the present moment the Rajuk
should opt for the following if it is really faithful to its intention to go tough on fake TIN submission.
(a) Names and other particulars of all the applicants (So far submitted) with TIN together with photocopy of TIN certificate must besenttoNBR for checking the genuineness of TINs.
(b) Every day a list/statement should go from Rajuk to NBR for verification of genuineness.
We achieved independence at a very high cost. We had to shed blood of 3 million people for this. We have aspirations. We want emancipation from institutional exploitation. We therefore legitimately expect fairness, transparency in the activities of Rajuk.
Tapader Md. Khalilur Rahman
Advocate
Judges' Court Dhaka
Points to ponder
The nation is in hysteria with the landslide mandate that one party received in national elections. The media, both electronic & print, are abuzz with the excitement of experiencing a 'free' and 'fair' election. The spontaneity of the
voters is also being praised. The CHANGE we have been looking for in the last two years, the 'din bodoler pala' we have been eagerly awaiting has finally arrived. ...Or, has it?
In the past two years, we have been hoping for a positive change in our political system, including the process and the players. We have been talking about 'jogyo prarthi' and 'amaar vote ami debo, dekhe, shune, bujhe debo' in all the local TV channels and seminars and symposiums. But have we really been successful in making that change we yearned for? We wanted a change in the system; we wanted to change our representatives in parliament; we wanted a big change in our political culture. The change we have been waiting for was not about merely changing the regime of one political party or alliance; the change we wanted was for changing the character of our politics for good. Have we achieved that change?
Have the citizens of our country diligently cast their votes, or have they only stamped on a particular 'marka', rejecting the other one that they trusted in the last elections and later felt betrayed? When a voter was inside the polling booth with the rubber stamp in her/his hand, what exactly was going through in her/his mind? Was it a sense of rejection, an urge for revenge, or loyalty towards a marka, or was it the competency of the candidates? I am afraid if the voters did not vote as per the EC slogan 'dekhe, shune, bujhe debo', then the change that she/he brought in as the outcome is not the change we wanted.
The 'No' vote was an excellent opportunity this time to bring the real change. And this option was chosen by many, mostly youth -- the first-timers, trying to bring the real change we have been dreaming about. Unfortunately, this option was not enough publicized by the EC or the media, and therefore went unutilised in the rural areas. The uneducated people have long been familiar with various 'marka', and they could not make any sense out of the 'No' vote option. If this had been properly explained, the results would have been different.
The only positive change that the people have brought in through their franchise is the rejection of the fundamentalist groups. I hope my fellow citizens will continue using their intelligence and not get influenced by emotions, false religious decrees, and money. Interestingly, the candidates who won against these fundamentalists not necessarily got all popular votes. The 'No' vote, not being properly explained to the voters, helped them in getting the advantage of the negative votes.
Being an optimist, I am still waiting for the CHANGE we have been longing for. Like many of you, I am a patient citizen of this country.
Syed Almas Kabir Gulshan North Dhaka
EC's positive role
It has been a hard fought two years for some. The EC has done a good job. We should appreciate CEC ATM Shamsul Huda, Commissioner Shakhawat Hussain and Commissioner M Sohul Hussain and all other EC officials for the service they have rendered to the nation. Tahsin Hyder
Dhaka
Thanks to caretaker government We know that after 1/11/2007 the present caretaker govt, took charge of Bangladesh. The main duty of this govt, was to hold a free, fair election. They achieved their goal in on 29 December, 2008. They formed an efficient Election Commission and this Commission organised a black money free, fair election. Voters went to the polling centres without any fear and the turnout was 87 percent, which broke all the previous records.
The caretaker govt, was not fully successful in removing corruption, but they opened our eyes. This govt, arrested our former prime ministers, ministers, MPs and many hardened criminals.
The govt, established an independent Anti Corruption Commission. We hope the new political government will continue the drive against corruption.
Ratan Adhikary Ratul Dept, of Business Administration
SUST, Sylhet
Greatest moment!
It is the greatest moment for the many who lived through the tumultuous days of Bangabandhu's uncompromising and unyielding role, that he played for the emancipation and freedom of his beloved Bangalees from the clutches of Pakistanis, and for those still alive by His mercy to see Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina trying to translate Bangabandhu's hopes and aspirations for Sonar Bangla into a reality. Sheikh Hasina again made herself uniquely and unequivocally popular to the people of Bangladesh, irrespective of their cast, creed, race or religion, poor or rich which has been impeccably reflected in the 29th December election giving her a grand victory. So our mirth and measure of delight knows no bounds, and I, on behalf of my family and friends, convey to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina my heartiest congratulations and felicitations.
The nation intensely expects you to be the Prime Minister of all people of Bangladesh without caring about who belongs to where and strive relentlessly to evince qualities and worthiness to be the ablest daughter of the greatest ever son of the soil and accomplish what you are committed to.
A. H. Dewan South Kafru I Dhaka Cant..Dhaka
"Bangla, not Bengali"
A letter under the above heading was published in The Daily Star on 5 Jan 09. The letter was highly rated and was very popular with the readers.
I would like to point out that in Muslim era the rulers (such as Hussain Shah etc who also were the initial patrons of development of Bengali language) called the land Bang-Ala or High Bang. Bang was the abbreviation for Bhangadesh or Bangadesh describing a broken up riverine land mass.
The early..Portugese map* makers in the 16th century termed the area Bengala because of this reason and all over India it was known as Bangala or further abbreviated to Bangal or Bengal and its people and language Bangali or Bengali. During the British era with the prominence of Hindu writers and academics the land Bang-ala with Arabic connotations was changed to Bangla, but in other parts of India the land was still known as Bangal and its people remained the same as before i.e. Bengali or Bangalee.
The word Bangla for people and language of Bangladesh on the wider sub-continent and hence in the wider world has no historical or etymological basis. As such Bangalee or Bengali would convey a truer rendition in other languages of the history of the people and language of Bangladesh.
It should be noted that it was the Muslim rulers who introduced such phraseology without any attachment of derogation or shame in the use of such appellation, and not the English colonial rulers.
Engineer Shafi Ahmed London, UK
Congratulations!
My heartiest congratulations to you and your team on winning the election with such a huge mandate. I also second the opinion of those who say that this election is comparable to the election your father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won in 1970. That too was in the month of December. Had my father been alive, he too would have been a very proud citizen today. The people have indeed spoken clearly. This election has been a verdict against unbridled corruption that has taken endemic proportions in our society.
As a conscientious citizen of this country, my humble request to you would be to select your team very judiciously. With the global financial crisis knocking on our doorstep, competitiveness in every sector is tremendously high, and only individuals who are enlightened, bold, professional with high integrity can take Bangladesh to the next step. We are now competing globally in almost all the sectors.
Shumon Sobhan Jikatola
Dhaka