Updated on March 4, 2007

Pan's Labyrinth - a Good Movie to See

Just like Maher Arar. Except ...

Do You Believe in Magic?

By Mahbubul Karim (Sohel)

February 10, 2007

Do you believe in magic? I don't. But many do.

People believe in all sorts of things. Like ghosts in the closet waiting to scare the life out of you. Guardian angels standing by to protect from danger. Living God or Goddesses materializing from antiquated scriptures. Whatever.

Do you believe in immortality? Maybe you do. Maybe not. To me, this question is losing its relevancy. What is the point of being immortal if pain and sufferings follow you from this life to "another"?

For most mortal beings, life is a battlefield. From the early childhood in the midst of bullies, muscular competitors in the soccer field, to mathematics tutor who had grumpy face, life throws so many obstacles to overcome, so many "wars" to win, that in the end, reaching certain age and wisdom, all the tidbits and pleasantries that may surface time to time, seem so mundane, useless.

I know there is beauty to be observed in that flying butterfly, so colorful, vibrant in its energetic movement from one flower to another. If I look at the sky above, in a dark night when all the lights are switched off, not a single shred of cloud is visible, I could see the magical celestial bodies, sparkling and twinkling stars scattered around just like precious white diamonds. So many unknown "worlds", galaxies, dark matters and universes beyond our imagination perhaps exist in this or other dimensions, that it will surely boggle down any truth seeker's lofty head.

Even in the relentless waves of oceans, slamming on pungent coral reef, or sweeping granular sands from decimeter to millimeter in an abandoned beach, you can feel the undercurrent virtuosity of our visible world intermingling with the possible invisible ones. Visibility itself has its limitation. Only a tiny fraction of spectrum that we the human beings can see. Other animals can see different part of the spectrum, or they may have better perception of visibility than our super egotistic self.

What a bloated head we have! We the humans. The kings and queens of our world. The tramplers. The ravishers. Misfit for this natural world. Our infatuated ego have blinded us from differentiating right from wrong. Our endless greed has put an unmovable curtain over our glossy eyes.

Perhaps, once upon a time, far and far away from our contemporary atrocious reality, magic did exist in that magical world. In that world of tranquility and immeasurable beauty, human beings were indeed embodiment of purity, like the living God or angel that most so crave for in our world. In that pleasing world, poverty was indeed only to be looked at the "Poverty Museum". No fighter jets or cruise missiles existed, neither any crude weapons like box cutters or elongated swords were required since magic had taken away all the ferocity, murderous vengeful instincts from fellow beings. In that infinitely charming world, the conspirators, fabricators of "truth"simply vanished in magical labyrinth or celestial black hole.

Do you believe in magic? I don't. But many do. 

To Your Lord!

By Mahbubul Karim (Sohel)

February 7, 2007

To your lord

I say, bless me lord

I'm in pain

in restless shape

my mind clutters

around hallucinogenic debaucher

musical tone

and deepened stare

To your lord

I plead for absolution

of imminent perfidy

soothe me lord

take me away

from wretched smile

flickering eye lashes

and innocence, purity!

Lord! O! your Lord!

I'm in pain

my soul trembles

like a bird in a shuttered cage

my anemic senses left me stranded

in barren land

a land I didn't know existed before

I implore within, explore beyond

anguish and rage

"Usually, when we talk about journalists being threatened for what they write or broadcast, we're talking about places other than Canada. But today we aired a story of how powerful forces of censorship are actively at work here at home ... a story that begins two years ago with the debate over Sharia law. We heard from some Canadian Muslims with their divergent views on a proposal to allow Sharia law arbitration decisions to be legally enforceable in the settlement of divorce and custody issues for Muslims living in Ontario. ...But the debate revealed a deep divide within the Muslim community and accusations from some in the community that their voices were being suppressed and they were even facing threats."

Introspection Time. Part-II

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by Saroj Shabaj

Dhaka, 16th February, 2007

At last now following mega-combine's 10^th January declaration of election boycott the questions started to get to rolling answers. National conscience and hopes of freedom was raised by General Moyeen from the ashes of tumultuous times. Emergency was declared by Iajuddin effectively scrapping the one-sided election hysteria of the 4-Party Alliance relinquishing him from self-occupied post of non-party caretaker chief. The wind of change began to blow with Fakhruddin's appointment as the second Chief of the caretaker administration.

Now Fakhruddins's caretaker administration has successfully completed one months of his time. Steps taken by his Government so far have been widely welcomed by the citizens of Bangladesh. Scores of the stalwarts who thought small hands of law will not be able to ever touch them started to fill the empty cells of the jails. Others are on the run to save their skins.

However, mild discomfort are getting expressed against rampant ravaging down of the unauthorized urban shanties of the poor destitute and small shops run by very low income group of people erected on Government lands.

With massive show down of men and machines pulling down of the shanties housing the urban poor and destitute making no alternative shelter for them but to throw them out in the open harsh weather was quite inhuman. Throwing the street vendors or road-side small shop owners out of business increasing the rate of unemployment of the country was not so much show of wisdom shown by the administration. Hopefully, given the overall socio-economic reality of the country by now the Government has realized that even if lawful but these harsh measures need some restrain.

How much, the state which fails to guarantee shelter to the homeless, the rural or urban poor, cannot provide employment to the millions hungry mouths, have right to throw the homeless or small self employed vendors out from their shelters and self employment for being unauthorized and illegal occupiers of Government lands is more a moral and ethical issue than a legal question.

Doubtlessly, erecting unauthorized houses on Government land by the urban godfathers and collecting rent from the poor thus financially strengthening their vile muscles was the target of dismantling operation, but unfortunately in the process the poor homeless destitute and very low income self employed group becomes the ultimate victim.  We all hope, when Fakhruddin's caretaker administration is taking steps in non-partisan manner at the same time it will be class-neutral when taking steps against the law breakers.

Therefore, it is expected that Fakhruddins's Government shall not totally ignore their moral responsibility to the poor homeless people and the small self employed vendors and shopkeepers because those unfortunate populace cannot be the victim of the unbridled lawlessness and corruption of the political godfathers operating rampantly to grab Government lands to raise illegal income for relentless perpetuation of crime in the society.

I shall not elaborate here all the steps of Fakruddin's Government further because the bold steps positively being taken by this Government which are already known by the readers had been the demands of the people of this country for quite a long time now. Only that, those steps were expected from the system of politically represented elected Governments who successively failed to deliver and now that an unelected Government had to be in a compelling situation to extend those actions boldly in favour of people's demand is a matter of shame to the political parties of our country who had been relentlessly claiming to have been practicing democracy, upholding constitution and engaged in creating `tides of development'.

Therefore, it is not yet the intermediate reckoning time for Fakhruddin's Government who has been met with a long wish list on which it needs time to make substantial progress even for the most essentials and the actual doable. Nevertheless, to make the upcoming 9^th Parliamentary election free from influence of extravagant use of money and muscle power needs multi-dimensional action.

After the utter failure of Iajuddin's caretaker administration to do so, the heightened expectation on Fakhruddin's Government has definitely entrusted and emboldened his administration with people's support for them to take all needed actions in uncompromising manner which they are so far fulfilling satisfactorily. The people wish to see the end of the corrupt godfathers and the partisan bureaucrats flexing their muscle and occupy the noble profession of social and state service shattering the image of the judiciary and the democratic institutions those could ensure and advance equitable human rights for establishment of an egalitarian society enshrined in our constitution.

No doubt the people is prepared to allow time to fulfill the most minimum needed for making a congenial atmosphere for a credible election and most importantly to establish an effective machination at place so that continuation of `honest practice of democracy' is no more disrupted and people can fully and freely engage their time, energy, talent and labour to look forward for a prosperous future of Bangladesh.

The agenda set by the Government outlined in the address to the nation delivered by Dr. Fakhruddin   put in line with the four counts of specific responsible tasks indicated in the Presidential speech of proclamation of emergency notwithstanding but all of them complementary to the steps to be taken for holding a free, fair, transparent and credible election to constitute the next parliament, definitely needs time, and there is no qualms about that. Progress being made so far so good and the people is quite happy albeit that raises level of apprehension within the circle of the political parties and corrupt business houses, few of them are quite disturbed when some of their leading personalities have been arrested under special power act with allegations of malpractice and corruption.

Sheikh Hasina has welcomed the actions of reforms being taken as those were the demands of the mega-combine. Regarding actions being taken against corrupt leaders, adding in her statement, she stressed that all the bigwigs who were engaged in corrupt practice using political power during last 25 years should be apprehended. However that raises the question too that during that last 25 years she was also in power for five years (1996-2001) when she did not take necessary steps to bring some of the corrupt elements active in the political parties to book or to strengthen democratic institutions of the state so that rule of law and justice could be in place.

On the other hand, Begum Khaleda Zia is still under the impression that the bigwigs of her party who have been arrested by the joint forces are result of political victimization. Needlessly, this attitude is not going to help her politically when now it is quite strongly apparent that it is time for deep introspection and try rectifying the ways and means of the political parties and be ready to accept this reality that for long time now people of this country had been demanding for meaningful qualitative change in the ongoing practice of politics as usual, as such is keenly expecting `honest practice of democracy' pursued in the days to come.

This practice may be achieved only through getting rid of corrupt godfathers and introduction of practice of democracy in the political parties run with transparency and accountability in all respects including in its internal and external management of party funds. It is expected that necessary reforms in the law shall be introduced by the present caretaker administration to ensure reforms in the internal and external conduct of the political parties and their members.

Therefore, in fact and indeed it is time now for deep introspection for all the political parties of our country. The left or the right, the centre-right or the centre-left, of all colours and creeds of political parties who wish to provide social service to the people and are looking forward to see them representing the people in the Parliament or in the local or central Governments.

Politics in the past might have failed for getting overindulgent but democracy has not. The army and the emergency act are very much part of the democratic institutions of the state of Bangladesh. However, from the state of `emergency' the country need to gradually return power to the institutions of the political parties to run the democratic state, for which there is no alternative to revival of honest and healthy political process rather than that we had been experiencing so far.

Therefore, until and unless it is ensured that political process run by the political parties provide the country with enduring `honest practice of democracy' Dr. Fakhruddin's administration must continue relentlessly to take all the steps of reforms necessary to make it happen. It is the expectation of the people of the country and there is no room for doubting that to the least.

4.

If always, the end had justified the means or in other words or if ill means should have justified a good end, these debates have no meaning to human welfare. Because it is abundantly evident that in the long run, unless both the means and the end had been ethically and morally benignant, never a lasting benefit of peace ably blessed the society. Even when it is said, war is a necessary evil; the necessity to serve evil interest is fashioned with lies.

Therefore, whether there was any other option left or how much sigh of relief was brought through forceful imposition of peace ending couple of months of commotion is not the question. The real question was and still is how to pierce through the dark cloud of the succession of unhealthy politics, which is hanging on our sky, already too long a time for the nation to afford.

When democracy is faced with problem of deadlock, more democracy is the enduring solution. When the goal is empowerment of the people, advancement of democracy and strengthening of healthy political trend, ultimately that is achieved through political struggle of the masses. In the given situation, the necessity of determined positive mass mobilization and struggle of the masses against the unhealthy undemocratic elements of the society should not get ignored to bring about an enduring solution. 

Because that is the correct path, even though in the given circumstances, it is toilsome but advance preparedness with building blocks of fighting `mass organisation' should rescue democracy from the clutches of unhealthy trend of `feudalistic culture' of our national politics.

Intervention of `army' is never a complete democratic political solution because the roles of `professional army' in the modern capitalist democratic states have best served in aide to civil power led by politically mature and prudent leaderships.  As such, hope and aspirations that the current arrangement will help to strengthen democratic institutions for return to healthy democratic politics but without active support and involvement of positive political mobilization of the masses is well a daydream prescription being written by clever doctors. 

Needless to say, due to severe lack of farsightedness the saner section of political forces and the citizens' guilds could not stress from early on their determination and courage to distinctly distant and distinguish them from the ongoing unhealthy political process.  It was essential task for them to have courageously stood firm and committed to create examples and reach out to the masses to attain confidence. Because, only through such healthy process the country could have been restrained from moving away from the democratic path and pathetic turn back to aspire solution for democracy again from the `benevolent' section of the civil-military bureaucracy. But do we have a successful track record, or can we truly expect result when we are left with a civil bureaucracy undergone massive onslaught getting involved in the trend of politicization, cronyism and sycophancy?

In 1975, Bangabandhu's political Government was ousted through a bloody coup-de-tat. In justification of the coup, the leaders of the coup-de-tat had claimed that there was no other way but to kill him to free the country from the reign of autocracy and corruption. After that, corrupt and autocratic rule of the civil-military bureaucracy continued for 15 years, until and unless the corrupt coterie was overthrown through mass struggle in 1990.

The evil trend of unhealthy politics and the bunch of criminalized politicians which the military autocrats created to work as subservient to their rule made their subtle inroad to democratic politics. Unfortunately, conscious effort to undertake political programme for effective mass struggle to destroy those evil remnants of the autocratic rule were not taken by the political leaderships with feet deep in muddy contest of crude power. As a result the society gone under the grip of opportunist political-business class which has now created the impasse in the path of advancement of the democratic process.

But fortunately enough, during last fifteen years following the legacy of General Nuruddin and later opportunity of international exposure with the modern World, the army has grown with tremendous maturity of respecting democratic values. Similarly, a section of talented pool of bureaucrats and free media has grown which today have emerged as strong catalyst to lead the effort of bringing qualitative change in the future mode of political governance. Let us all hope that this administration gradually take people in their confidence and come out successful at the end transferring power to an elected Government in a committed environment for continuation of a reincarnated healthy political process and honest practice of democracy under rule of law and justice.  

5.

People of Bangladesh united them time and again to struggle for establishment and advancement of democracy and human rights. Inspired by humanist values, have fought uncompromisingly against religious communalism. Laid down their lives fearlessly to defeat all oppressive forces and free the nation from cultural, political, economic and social discriminations. To foil conspiracies and palace intrigues against covert attempts of extension of veiled and vile tentacles aimed to grab our national resource.

For this reason, when Bangladesh temporarily  suspend political activity to make it free from influence of black money and godfather-politics for return to `healthy political process' and `honest practice of democracy', in the meantime the social activists and the media must keep the people united with vigilant consciousness so that during this intermediate time of transition, any conspiracy to foil the move for return to `healthy political process' and `honest practice of democracy' led by the reorganized popular political parties come elected through a credible election process is not jeopardized by so called blue boys of multinational corporations or religious obscurantist elements who do not have real popular patriotic relation with the people of Bangladesh.

Introspection Time. Part-I

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by Saroj Shabaj

Dhaka, 16th February, 2007

Iajuddin's 11 January's `address of realization' following his resignation from the post of the Chief of CTG sent an electrocuting jolt of surprise to the coterie of the `vested interest'.  It was like the bolt from the blue to them who were impetuously moving ahead taking indiscriminate and insolent step to hold the one-sided farcical election on 22 January as prelude to their desperate bid to take full control of the Government and the Parliament for five years to come. As Dr. Yunus recently remarked, `politicians do politics for money'. They are just hordes of mercenaries and not doing politics for the sake of people or democracy, per se. The slang is, as if this land is anybody's Zamindari.

Irony to them, as it was just matter of 11 days time because once the election was over with 50% plus turnout of voters on the sheet of paper fabricated as planned, then this was no problem they thought to claim legitimacy of the one-sided poll drama.  Yet, alas! Iajuddin, et tu brute! The Garden of Eden slipped out of hand of the BNP-Jamat clique though it was so near but merely 11 days away.

How incredible, but in this motley land, wonders unfold in each twists and turns of the thousands of the riversides. As we, Bangalees are living here for thousands of years in the land of deltaic tides, so we know it. The colour of the land with low and high tides changes twice in a day and the nature, thirteen times in twelve months. So the foreign invaders or the travelers of times from distant past but had to admit these facts, though anyway those had been histories or the myths of the past. In these modern days, when people of independent Bangladesh wish to surge ahead rising high cutting through the hard realities of global competition like a razor blade, how long can we continue to live in these romanticisms of changing colours.

Just compare Iajuddin's press statement of 6 January with the midnight speech of 11 January. How much turn of events can change a man. Yet, he is our President. "My government has ordered the law enforcers to take stern measures so that no quarter can disturb law and order in a planned way to thwart the upcoming elections." Iajuddin said on the sixth, and then he added, "Steps have been taken for the people who will choose their candidates by casting their vote fearlessly. The government firmly believes that the January 22 election will be held in a free, fair and impartial manner."

But reality was altogether different, may well could be termed to be just the opposite. There was nothing at place on that date that could give us a minimally free, fair and credible election on 22 January. This type of willful blindness from the seat of the President who was a teacher once of the highest educational institution of the country is a matter of great shame for the nation.

As such, one wonders the limit of the contradiction from him when on 11th in the midnight address to the nation, the same Iajuddin non-belligerently admits, "It is not possible to hold an acceptable election within the stipulated 90 days, without correcting the voter list." As if, he had been expecting a miracle to happen that will correct the overwhelmingly flawed voter list within those previous five days but for some reason  such miracle did not materialize.

To justify his ultimate steps, including the state of emergency, he said that, he apprehended outbreaks of violence, which would be difficult to control. "The whole nation is plunged into an abyss of concern, instability and uncertainty. Discipline is seriously affected."… "Any election without participation of all the parties will not be acceptable at home and abroad," he said indicating deferment of the polls. In that address, he also announced his decision to resign as chief adviser to the caretaker government for the reason of nationally divided acceptability of him as the chief of caretaker administration and promised to form a new council of advisers in a day or two to hold a credible election within the shortest possible time. In the same address, he recognized that boundless corruption and lack of confidence on the judiciary of the country emerged as major deterrent to create a level playing field for a fair election. Did all those stumble blocks on the road to free and fair election suddenly emerged out from the blue within just few days time from that instance when he was `firmly' believing on 6 January that  the January 22 election was going to be held in a free, fair and impartial manner?

2.

With the return to Parliamentary system from 1991, elections were peacefully being held once after 5 years term under non-party caretaker administration and moreover through the Governments run successively by the two major political camps both of whom were having commitments to democracy earned through long history of their participation in people's movements – in that situation no one had considered the possibility that disintegration of the political system could continue.

Incredibly, Bangladesh slowly degenerated into a corrupt police state in which economy stumbled and an unequal society flourished with increasing unemployment and impoverishment. Entered an unhealthy culture of negative mobilization, in which people was purposefully divided only in the view that common goals and hope for a better future were repeated on as banalities, empty rhetoric of demagogues, and blether.

The ruling elite class, with their insolent intent on continuity of the inherited system of the autocrats rather than reform, engaged them in boundless plundering of national wealth alongside unfettered attempt to manipulate and politicize democratic institutions to make those bodies subservient to partisan interest.

They blamed their failures in turn on the agitating parties in the opposition and come hard on the political disturbances created out of antagonistic relation between the two camps yet the winner forgets that their winner-take-all policy with repression forced the opposition to intolerable bouts of street agitations. Justice became hard to come by not only for the common people but also even to the victims of the high profiled political repressions, carnage and assassinations.

During these 15 years, unleashed elements of demonization prevented ordinary members of society from understanding the role of the democratic State. As a result, instead of democratic political activism, the society tainted by cynicism, periodic bursts of violence, emotional coldness or indifference make a terrifying loss of ability to make certain value judgments.

Moreover, tearing apart long held tradition of multicultural and egalitarian fibers of the society the country gradually moved on to the precipice of religious communalism, fanaticism, and different brands of radicalism. Yet the elite put a blind eye and compromise for narrow gains of numerical counts of electoral votes and hence did not hesitate to share power with the corrupt, boisterous or obscurantist elements of the society. This was not at all for which the martyrs laid their lives in 1971 to free this nation, or Nur Hossain and Dr. Milon  did not have dared to take bullets in their chests in 1990 to `rescue democracy' from the clutches of the corrupt civil-military bureaucratic rule of preceding 15 years.

3.

With the background of three (1991, 1996 & 2001) successful elections under non-party caretaker administration, the question is obviously being raised as to why the Iajuddin's caretaker administration failed this time to hold an election. To elaborate an answer, a quick back track of history is necessary to lay the background of non-party caretaker concept getting included in Bangladeshi constitution. In addition, to remind once again that unless all major political parties had participated in the election in all such previous occasions always the Parliament had been short-lived.

After the partially participated and widely manipulated election of 1986 under General Ershad, the initial concept of Non-Party Care Taker Government to take charge for conducting a free, fair and credible election with participation of all major section of the people's vis-à-vis all major political parties started to get ground. The 1986 parliament lasted for less than two years time. The 1988 election was also not participatory of the major political parties, as the demand for holding election under a neutral Government was not fulfilled. Ershad made one domesticated opposition in the Parliament in the futile effort of its survival.

However, the mass upsurge of 1990 overthrew the civil-military rule of Ershad and brought through consensus a temporary arrangement of the first non-party caretaker government to conduct election in 1991 with participation of all political parties. The result was viewed and observed favourably as to that Bangladesh had a free and fair election. Although meekly the then opposition tried to question the result, claiming it to be consequence of a `subtle design' but their claim could not be substantiated with proper evidence. Hence for the first time in the history of Bangladesh the national election was accepted both nationally and internationally to be fair and credible.

The 1991 Parliament of Bangladesh re-introduced Parliamentary system of Government through constitutional amendments 11 and 12, opening a new political chapter in its history.  The return to parliamentary democratic system also created a favourable environment for enhanced socio-economic activity of the people. Nevertheless, the then BNP Government led by Khaleda Zia performed very badly in the bye-elections held under her political Government. For this reason, the demand of non-party caretaker government entrusted to conduct national election came back again. Hence, the provisions to that effect were adopted through the 13th amendment made in the constitution.

A thorough reading of the provisions of the 13^th amendment of the constitution reveal that it was made in a way where the successful outcome of election under non-party caretaker administration assumed great responsibly of non-partisan neutral performance of the , (i) President, (ii) Judiciary, (iii) civil administration and (iv) the election commission.

During their tenure in 1996-2001, the Awami League Government appointed Justice Shahabuddin as President, M.A. Syed as Chief of the Election Commission and Justice Latifur Rahman as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Awami League Government however took some step to make the civil administration favourable to them but which could be easily depoliticized by the caretaker administration of 2001 led by Justice Latifur Rahman who enjoyed strong support from the President.

But, from early on and as soon as BNP-Jamat came to power through the 2001 election they started to roll on an incredibly  massive conspiratorial  plan, design and action to make the election scenario scheduled early 2007 to become completely in their favour.   From the beginning of their tenure, they took all necessary steps to manipulate and politicize the posts of the President, the Judiciary, the members of the civil administration and the Election Commission. The steps were taken in such a manner that it became an impossible task for Iajuddn's caretaker administration to assume the minimum level of non-partisan neutral position conducive for holding a free, fair and credible election. I do not wish to put those details in repetition because by this time those stories have become quite known to the readers and the nation.

4.

No doubt today at an important juncture of our history, following the resignation of Professor Iajuddin on 11 January, the next day Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed has been appointed as the new Chief of caretaker administration to give the 13^th amendment a second chance. At the same time, the country is to take this opportunity to acknowledge the cumulative and collective guilt of the political impasse so that everybody become mentally prepared and take appropriate steps to move toward a better Government elected now than those of the past.  What I believe that it is time when we take our steps to the election ahead but before doing that deep reflection is necessary and the overall ground realities need to be thoroughly assessed, so that country may rid off bouts of political instability and turmoil.

We have to contemplate that, although Bangladesh is generally considered to be a secular democracy but in past years, there have seen a steady erosion of this important principle underlying the ideological position taken through the freedom struggle that liberated the country. The political system is severely mired in conflict as the two mainstream political camps battle for control of the country and its resources.

Antagonistic politics is underlined with additional facts that the issue of the 1971 war crime is still unsettled and the trial process of the assassins of the Father of the nation, his family members and four national leaders who led the country through the war of liberation is not completed. These unsettled and unfinished issues continue to create extreme psychological pressure on the leaderships of one of the political camps while the other continue to patronize those who have been implicated as the convicts believed to be involved in these crimes.

With neither party being able to win a majority, both have sought alliances of convenience to secure power. Neither party has addressed pervasive corruption and systemic failure to provide good governance and law and order. The choices made, more critically, are permitted to make in the coming months, will have great impact for the country's future. Because politics in Bangladesh has become a zero-sum game with no meaningful political role for the opposition, the stakes are high for both camps led by Awami League (AL) and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Increasingly, Islamist parties have emerged as political kingmakers with newfound legitimacy. In the 2001 elections BNP came to power because of its alliance with key Islamist parties, even though the latter commanded few votes on their own. Since 1998, bands of Islamist militancy have spread throughout the country, raising questions about Bangladesh's internal security and the consequences for South Asian regional security. From cultural functions, cinema hall to Sufi shrine, murder and assassination attempts on key political personalities, including the serial bombings of August 2005 shocked most observers.

The upcoming election, among other issues such as corruption and violence, appears in many ways also as referendum on the competing visions about Bangladesh of the two political camps' vis-à-vis nationalism and role of Islam in the public and private spheres. Unfortunately, the encouragement received from within and outside enhanced Ulema (jurist version) activities have severely given way to more orthodox, Wahhabi and Deobandi interpretations of Islam eroding at its heart the fate of Bangladesh's traditional observance of heterodox Sufi Islamic practice.

A Scaffold's Dark Portrait of Iraq

Rang De Basanti - Give Me Color, Basanti

By Mahbubul Karim (Sohel)

What is activism? What can it do for this world of ours?

Only 12 men stood against the British slave trade in the late 18th century. The odd was heavily against them. Economic reality of that distant world made slavery as essential as today's fossil fuel driven world. Against their own economic interests, these valiant men from various background and upbringing did not falter from their steadfast goal. There were obstacles. There were frustrations. Setbacks were common. Success was only a rarity.

For years after years, Thomas Clarkson traveled thousands of miles, talking to witnesses to slavery's cruelty. Years after years, Granville Sharp pondered and plotted new schemes against slavery. Olaudah Equiano, a former slave, wrote a successful memoir in the hope of slavery's demise. John Newton, the slave ship captain, who changed in his later life, pitched in with his own memoirs. William Wilberforce, the parliamentarian, the short statured but an eloquent voice in the late 18th and early 19th century British politics had put forward  consecutive bills only to be humiliated each time by overwhelming defeat. But his passion remained unwavered.

Slavery was immoral. Slave trade was hideous. It took more than four decades from the beginning of their arduous struggle. Many of them even passed away before the final showdown. But in the end, they were successful. Slave trade and slavery itself was outlawed in the entire British empire.

Rang De Basanti - Give me color, Basanti. An Indian movie made in Bollywood. 5 young men, a young lady and a foreigner from faraway place. Playing part in a historical drama awaken their conscience. Their newly awakened eyes could see the rude reality of India's corrupted political process. The homefree boys and girls, the party going, dancing and silly hillibillies, crashed at the forefront of harsh choices to be make. Like the Bhagat Singh and many ohter Indian Independence Movement pioneers more than three quarter centuries ago, they made that daring connection between past atrocities committed by the imperial British government and their own Indian government in independent land. What a similarities. Injustice does not change its color. It may change its name and shape, but it remains the same, only the executioners and implemenors change. Like Bhagat Singh, Azaad and others, these young men fought back.

What is activism? What can activism do?

Think again. Think Rosa Park. Think Martin Luther King Junior. Think Gandhi. Think Shirin Ebadi. Think Amnesty International, moveon.org.

Activism can change the world!

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