In Praise of M. Sanjeeb Hossain

On the 37th occasion of murder of the four National leaders, M. Sanjeeb Hossain has an op-ed in bdnews24. Who is M. Sanjeeb Hossain? Mr. Hossain’s bio is here. It should be further mentioned that he is the son of Prof. Anwar Hossain of Dhaka University, and thus, nephew of the late hero and Sector Commander Col. Abu Taher.

First, what is the point of this op-ed? From the concluding paragraph:

The more this unity is strengthened, the greater the chances that Bangladesh will move ahead in a positive direction. The Awami League must learn from it’s mistakes from the era of 1972-’75 just as the ‘left’ should comprehend how its immediate shift to an oppositional position after Liberation was a premature step. We need to know our true foes – the defeated anti-liberation forces of 1971, which are still lurking around waiting for an opportunity to strike back. Also, we need to identify our true friends. We can not afford to distance ourselves from each other like we did in 1972 and in the years that followed. The unity of democratic and progressive forces infused with muktijuddher chetona was successful in 1971 and there is no doubt it shall be successful again if it takes lessons from the errors of the past.

So, in his own words, he is concerned about strengthening the alliance between JSD (the party championed by his uncle that he will head one day). That part is perfectly understandable; it is by dint of this alliance that JSD now has Members of Parliament and even, miracle of miracles, cabinet ministers. The second part is more subtle, and thus, interesting. “We need to identify our true friends”- so, to warn Caesar of enemies lurking both externally and internally, so to speak.

I very much enjoyed reading this op-ed. Because of his personal background and family history, Mr. Hossain is more pro-Awami League than actual Awami League leaders. Yet, because of the admittedly complex agenda he inherits, he cannot write the usual anti-Zia diatribe portraying Bangladesh between 1972 and 1975 as the land of milk and honey that all went horribly wrong on August 1975. He does the best with the hand he is dealt.

 

One Nafis, Many Problems

Source: bdnews24

Let me start by asking you all a question. You may have a very strong religious affiliation; your faith may be impeccable. Or you may be deeply indoctrinated with a political ideology. Passion runs deep in your vain in favor of your faith or ideology. But does this passion permit you to break the basic law of humanity, i.e. kill innocent people? And if you do any such act out of this strong political of religious conviction, can you get away saying that it’s not my fault, some religious or political leader used my passion to make me commit such crime?

 

The formidable 14 year old

This a 14 year old girl from one of the most socially backward, deprived and uncivilized areas of the World — Swat Valley pakistan.

Her name is Malala Yousufzai. Although she is only a 14 year old 8th grader, she definitely is not like any other 14 year old in the world.

She is an embodiment of passion, bravado, activism. She is the example what ‘standing up for right’ means in real life.
She probably is the youngest and most inspirational politicians in Asia, if not in the World. Just search her name in Youtube. You will see hundreds of TV interviews of Malala — some 30 minute, some hour long. You will see her fiery stump speeches.

 

A photo that will anger PM Hasina

Muhammad Yunus in front of a capacity crowd of young people on a Saturday evening in Central Park, New York.

“Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus addressed the audience of young people of the Global Poverty Project concert. Artists Neil Young, Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, John Legend and many others performed at the event to raise awareness about global poverty”

 

 

 

The Hazy Mirror of Bangladeshi cartoons

A cartoon in the Daily Star During Awami league regime.

The cartoon is nice. That is not the point. The point is that if any such cartoon was drawn by the Daily Star and it’s sister concern daily Prothom Alo’s Shishir Bhattacharya on similar issue during BNP government time, among the three bad guys looting the money, you would have seen a Tarique rahman look alike, a Jamaat look alike and Safari clad man with a dark glass and a briefcase. But in this cartoon the absence of a Mujib coat is very obvious.

Another cartoon at Daily Prothom Alo, done by leading cartoonist Shishir Bhattacharya. In this cartoon too, conspicuously absent is a Mujib coat figure. This trend raises serious questions about  the social responsibility of our cartoonists.

 

That Video — Two Years On

Elected local Government leader, Upazilla Chairman Sanaullah Nur Babu was chopped to death in broad day light in front of rolling cameras. National TV broadcast the footage. But PM Hasina personally defended the killer and as a result the killer became the most powerful man in that locality.

 

The Guns of Bretton Woods

The following is a documentary on Joseph Kony of Uganda Lord’s resistance Army. The documentary vividly describes the despicable crimes committed by Kony.

The man who was dispatched by the global community- International Criminal Court to be more specific, to investigate and prosecute this Joseph Kony, was Argentine Luis Moreno Ocampo. He led the investigation and prosecution. Before his assignment of leading the prosecution of Joseph Kony, he was instrumental in prosecuting the notorious military junta in Argentina. After Joseph kony, Mr Ocampo prosecuted Sudan’s Omar al Bashir and issued an arrest warrant for his involvement in Darfur atrocities.

So it seems after dealing with monstrous Joseph Kony, murderous Generals  of Aregentina and radical Mullah of Sudan– Ocampo finally seems fit to investigate Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government!