Moeen accuses politicians of trying to vex govt. Says it’s time to help flood victims, not for politics
The chief of army staff, General Moeen U Ahmed, Saturday accused the political parties of trying to embarrass the government by deliberately abstaining from flood relief activities.
‘The political parties have deliberately refrained from taking part in relief operations in the flood-affected areas in a bid to tarnish the image of the present government,’ he told a gathering after exchanging views with a cross-section of people at the deputy commissioner’s office in Manikganj.
Moeen said, ‘We do not have time for politics right now and relief operations have nothing to do with politics.’
‘Please, forget about politics! We have had enough of politics in the last 36 years. Let us now stand by the affected people,’ he added. The army chief urged all to stand by the marooned people and help them by every possible means.
Gen Moeen said, ‘Only a handful of people have come to the aid of the flood-affected people. But I would like to see more people coming forward soon.’
Source : New Age, August 5 2007.
General Moeen has cancelled his trip to India and Pakistan to be able lecture the nation about not doing politics with flood. Thank you general. By the way I have a question for the general, “What, in fact, is meant by doing politics with Flood? Can you explain it please?”
Cabinet decides to meet demands of flooded areas
Moeen U Ahmed, Masud Uddin attend
United News of Bangladesh . Dhaka
Our Dear General Masud has finally got the flood promotion to the cabinet. We were just gettig used to seeing one general, the Army chief visiting cabinet meetings. Now lets start making it a habit to see the second baton weilding general in the cabinet meetings.
And the third M, Moinul Hossain, the only M without a baton, has also warned not do do politics with flood. According to him, let me quote him, in response to request for some monetray help, ” What you will do with money? Everything flooded, nowehere to spend money”. Then when asked to give food and shelter, he replies, ” Pray to Allah, He will solve the problem. ”
Good! Then why we need to do politics with flood. The nation have been so stupid for so long.
In the Middle of Nowhere 
August 6, 2007 at 10:23 am
Why would not be a politicians be fearful of what he/she would do now would not be looked down or used against him/her. As an example if any one of them would distribute cloths, tins, foods then after bad time is over they could be investigated.
August 6, 2007 at 11:42 pm
Thanks Asad for making a very good point. Whoever knew Tin OR Gam(Wheat) distributing culture before election, he/she could exclaimed with sorrow(ALAS !) to see diasporas calling recognized loving, giving politicians as TIN CHORS. See, little learning is indeed a very dangerous thing, especially in a complex scenario like BD’s politics and puking nose without substantial understanding is bound to make one HISTORIC KALA MIA, who happened to learn only three english words(YES, NO AND VERY GOOD) and boasted for English literacy.
August 7, 2007 at 12:10 am
[…] state of emergency is in place, open political activities are not allowed. In the Middle of Nowhere reports that the Government has criticised the politicians saying that it’s time to help flood victims, […]
August 7, 2007 at 10:33 am
A software model can be created based on topography, weather info and many other necessary parameters, through which a realistic predictable flood scenario can be presented. An early warning can help to be ready for necessary preparation.
A core flood force will be created with proper training who in needs can expand their work force using volunteers.
If Farakka is a major reason of problem, then young group with foreign politics knowledge/savvy can work in foreign nation to put pressure on India, where our armed force can prepare for measurement.
Local engineers can build levies to minimize damage. Out of 14 koti pair of hands, enough strong hands are available to reshape ground to minimize damages and better managing water way.
A new course/curriculum will be made and will be part of mandatory course/research in University level through which a possible direction/planning will come out. In fact for any major national problems, Universities should get involve in a serious way to come up with proposed model of solution. Government must interact with Universities to find solution and implement that solution in a trial basis.
All kind of data will be collected during flood time and these data will be used to better model for course of actions/preparation.
Slowly but surely Bangladeshis can minimize many national level suffering. It is very much possible, doable.
August 7, 2007 at 10:48 am
Excellent point raised Asaad. Its about time to do something above and beyond the knee jerk response to sending relief. Advocacy groups may be formed, flood issues should be part of national curriculum, ask force, think tanks can be set up. NRBs can take a leading role in this matter.
We have a very welfunded and welequipped flood warning center, however i do not know what is the impact of it. I see them talking to TV camera and forecasting which river will be flooded tomorrrow etc. Then why people remain water logged? Isn’t it imperative that warning is meant to act on it in advance and remove people before flood hits?
August 8, 2007 at 4:10 am
People are under deluge, suffering, starving & languishing with water-born diseases, yet some of us only care about politicizing & critiquing what people in the power say or do. Can we just come out of this sick mentality of looking into everything with political lenses? Can’t politics wait?
Really, just come out of this horrific political shell, you’ll see a bigger & wider pictures of the problems faced by Bangladesh.
Now, we just visited some of the affected areas for last few days. The problems, according to our assessment, has two facets. One, inadequate preparations & the other, the people’s indifference to combat the floods effectively.
Yes, the government & NGOs didn’t make in-advance preparation to mitigate the suffering & property loss. A big flood protection centre with good facilities( electricity, pure water, cooking facilities, etc) could be a lot more helpful to minimze the losses as the affected people could immediately move to the centre with their belongings. Surprising, the flood is not new in Bangladesh, despite, there’s no such centre where people could move to & shelter themselves, specially in Shirajgonj.
Then, the people themselves wait for the last minute to seek for alternative places to stay. The flood warning was made but people were reluctant to move to other places, like the places up west of Shirajgonj or move to other cities temporarily. Once the disaster strikes, every body begins hue & cry. Even without the flood warning, it’s monsoon season- a season of flood. Thus, accordingly, the preparation should be made so that the losses are minimzed.
The permanent flood control can only be done if the long stretch of banks of rivers around Shirajgonj, Bogra & Rangpur are built with concrete metals ( the way actually Japanese have done in the Niigata prefecture to protect the entire coastal belt from the flood & erosion). Japanese style may be very expensive & needs advanced technology, but something along the line could be done to stop water flooding into the cities & town along the river side.
Then, more flood protection centres can be set up to house the flood victimes. During off-flood season, those centres could be used for community works (rental).
Then, of course dry season dredging should be intensified to shift the mud to lower area of lands & increase the depth & width of river navigability. There are encroachers also along the rivers, specially around Meghna river banks, who should immediately be evicted to allow the natural flow of river charter.
you don’t have to political to understand politics, but you do have to be apolitical to see the damage our style of politics does. Life is more than masticating political gibberish.
Thanks everyone.
August 8, 2007 at 4:33 am
CTG is doing politics with flood not the politicians. This is the responsibility of the present government to organize relief activity and participation of all section of people. They are trying to shift their failure to politicians shoulder like previous typical Bangladeshi nature. People are expecting more from them but they are busy with politics with politicians. Shame for the nation!
August 8, 2007 at 11:10 am
Everything is politics when comes to government. Rhetorical statement “do not do politics with this & that” is again only a statement that goes no where. It is the difference between good politics and bad politics that affects people.
Present power people are simply playing bad politics just like some bad politicians & suddenly found them in an unfamiliar territory. I bet when flood & misery is over they will claim it is them who did everything (just like a politicians) and back to bashing opponent politicians.
Therefore M uttering “do not do politics” is how he initiates bad politics with flood situation. Any individual, who supports him or his saying, is a political supporter and doing politics with flood. Although he illegally wears uniforms, but he better be addressed as leader of a political party name “Bangladesh Dakati Politics Party (PDPP)”.
August 8, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Fine. Debate can go on forever on what’s good politics or what constitutes bad politics on the subjective perception of each individual. But, how does this nose-flattening & highly emotionally-charged debate help the people in misery?
My friends, every one has got a right to criticise, fulminate & bash the other, but that has to be in the practical interest of helping our country men. Those of us who are fortunate enough are only invloved in bickeing & flexing our ever-inflating egoes on what’s right or who’s right & who’s wrong. But, this mentality does not help ourselves, nor does that help our people who need out attention & assistance. I don’t really care what other has done, what I care as an individual that how much I’ve contributed to lessening the misery of those who are suffering.
The blame game can go on & on. But then, with this blame game, you waste your time & energy. Off-the glasses that blind us. We can do more than getting entangled in perpetual bickering. Thanks
August 9, 2007 at 5:02 am
Mohi
First two para of comment # 6 and all of comment # 9 is nothing but politics and blame game.
If you could restrain yourself to the rest of your comment #6, you would have the moral superiority over the others.
But with your bickering, you just proved you are no better that Gen Moeen, Moinul etc who are doing freestyle politics with flood.
August 9, 2007 at 11:29 am
Mohi,
This discussions here more on national level with mass impact situation. It is not about deciphering individual’s characters or their bed manners. Please, do care and be critical of what individual does or not in national level. Each individual opinion does matters. Such diversion of opinions and expression should not be look down.
August 10, 2007 at 2:14 am
Yes, right, the discussion is about the horrendous impact of flood & climate change on our nation. In this context, it’s very reasonable to assess what each capable individual is doing to leesen the misery in lieu of bashing each other. If there were people other than Moinul & Moyeen in power, we would still rip off their ass with our fiery mouth & linguictic gymnastics. That’s how we’re.
Can’t the blame game or this guy is bad or that guy is good wait?
Do you guys really care that flood embankments built at the cost of millions of dollars are an ineffectual flood protection remedy? Do you guys
really care that even an individual efforts, no matter how small it is, can make a huge difference in the lives of many in our country? Do you really care that the dynamics of flood is changing due to climate change? Perhaps you do, or perhaps you don’t have to care, because you care more about Moinul & Moyeen Co & what they’re cooking. It’s like you squabble on having bed room when the entire house is on fire.
Mark Twain once said: ” I don’t detest politicians nor the politics, but I just love Missisipi river too much”.
August 10, 2007 at 4:35 am
Well I am going to be unapologetically ‘political’. We had been hearing about a government made up of talented people/third force/techocratic/civil society for at least a few years prior to 1/11. We had been told that such a government would be free of politics, and they’d perform much better than the political governments. Well, we now have such a government. Compare how this government had handled the flood so far with how 1998 or 2004 floods were handled. So much for the efficiency of a non-political government.
August 13, 2007 at 9:28 pm
What about PDP motorcade relief politics ? Ferdous Quereshi is even holding meetings with the DCs.
Do you think it is a level playing field for all the political parties ?