I am a Muslim, because it's a religion that teaches you an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. It teaches you to respect everybody, and treat everybody right. But it also teaches you if someone steps on your toe, chop off their foot. And I carry my religious axe with me all the time.
Malcolm X, "Homecoming" speech, 29 Nov. 1964, in ‘By any means, p. 14 0
"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything."
"We are nonviolent with people who are nonviolent with us."
"Without education, you're not going anywhere in this world."
"Stumbling is not falling."
"There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance next time."
"I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action."
"If you're not ready to die for it, put the word 'freedom' out of your vocabulary."
"I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing. I believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation."
The thesis that you have presented in your write-up on NFB (the issues raised in this post are not confined to that forum but apply to all discussion groups in general) is basically a summary of my book The India Doctrine (Bangladesh Research Forum - 2006). Not once in your article did you credit me or my book. You should have mentioned that it was through my book that these ideas originated and that I am also the first person to present them to the general public in Bangladesh. In academic circles what you have done is called plagiarism and intellectual theft.
Your attitude is quite common and is the main reason why nationalist forces in Bangladesh always falter because their views are often based on dishonest grounds and second hand ideas. What would have been your loss if you had mentioned the book in your article? There is no point in denying that you have committed a serious offence and plagiarized my book.
This same approach of copying ideas but not crediting them has also been perpetrated by other eminent writers in Bangladesh including many politicians, columnists and university professors who have used my ideas but not once mentioned me or my book. I find this insulting and utterly disgraceful.
For these reasons I demand an apology from you. I would also request all writers in Bangladesh to abide by common rules of decency and credit ideas and views that are not originally your own and have come from other sources which should also be fully cited.
Protest continues against India's pressure for transit
Barbed wire fence between India and Bangladesh
"I think that India has been demanding transit facilities from Bangladesh for military purposes said Major General (Retd) Fazlur Rahman
Protest continues against India's pressure on Bangladesh to give transit facilities as on Wednesday, different organisations, Educationists, politicians and freedom fighters warned the government saying '14 crore people of Bangladesh will launch tough movement if the government responds to India's demand positively'.(The BD Today )
Leaders of Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Freedom Fighter Group (BJFFG) warned the government that they would resist if it shows keen interest to provide transit facilities to India ignoring mass people's opinions.
Addressing a press conference held at Khandoker Delwar Hossain's Nam flat residence in the city, leaders of BJFFG said that India is putting on Bangladesh for a long time to provide the country with transit facilities for its own interest.
"But the present caretaker government is yet to make its stand clear whether it will provide transit facilities or not during the bilateral meeting of Bangladesh-India foreign secretaries level scheduled to be held Thursday," they said.
"During the regime of different political governments, India had tried several times for getting approval of transit from Bangladesh but those governments did not respond to their demand. As the country is now under the state of emergency, the people would not be able to raise their voice against the government's move. Taking this chance, India again has started putting pressure on the caretaker government. If the government responds to India's call positively specially in transit issue, no emergency rule will be able to stop the people's movement," they said.
They further said "after a nine-month long liberation war, we achieved victory in 1971. If it is needed we will fight again to save our country's interest and sovereignty to foil the evil design and blue print of India."
Besides, if India is facilitated with transit by the caretaker government, Bangladesh will be attacked by ULFA activists and Seven Sisters who are engaged in fighting for freedom from India.
They said soon after independence, Bangladesh had made a request to India for using Kolkata port but India did not respond to Bangladesh call. "As both our sea ports Chittagong and Mongla had become unfit during the liberation war, our government had requested to India to use Kolkata port for six months but in reply India had said India would not give permission even for six hours," they said.
"The main job of the caretaker government is to hold the general election but ignoring the main responsibility, the government has been trying to divert the peoples attention from the election in many ways", they said at a discussion meeting on "Transit, Freedom, Sovereignty and National Security" at the National Press Club in the capital on Wednesday.
Terming the transit as corridor, Professor Emajuddin Ahmed, former Vice-Chancellor of the DhakaUniversity said, the caretaker government has no right to take any decision on transit issue. As it is a very sensitive issue, so the next elected government will take the decision in this regard.
"I think that India has been demanding transit facilities from Bangladesh for military purposes but it has been saying that it would boost economic and trade ties between the two neighboring countries", said Major General (Retd) Fazlur Rahman
7 Reasons Why Bangladesh Should Never Allow Transit to India
By Abid Bahar, Canada
The issue is, the CTG is not an elected government and transit is an issue related to sovereignty, security and economic factors. The News Today Monday July 14 2008 reported: "The [CTG] government earlier was sympathetic about the transit issue. It was in a mood to propose to India to conduct a feasibility study on the rail transit but the Indian High Commissioner’’s public statement on this sensitive issue has forced the government to change its earlier position" the source said. Why should CTG show interest in it is question repeatedly asked in Bangladesh!
Why Bangladesh should never allow transit to India. Here are the reasons:
1. India has proven itself as an untrustworthy friend. During the liberation war, while helping Bangladesh liberation, it secretly built the Farakka dam. "Farakka was commissioned on permission from Mujib on the condition that it will have test run for only 40 days. But unfortunately those 40 days is yet to be finished (even after 37 years) and Bangladesh is getting the pinch of dry rivers. Further 54 other international waters were stopped by the friend of BAL making barrage/dams/ groins virtually making lower riparian country Bangladesh's rivers dry."
During Mujib time, the Rakkhi Bahini head was made an Indian. The jute head quarter was transferred to Delhi. With the Mujib -Indira Pact, river demarcation based on the mid current was made a farce. Bangladesh is losing land. It is now a serious problem. Mujib was persuaded to hand over the sovereignty of "BERUBARI" in return of "Tin Bigha."But Tin Bigha was never returned. A Berlin wall was built in Bengal to so-called stop Bangladeshis cross the border. India jammed the Bangladesh TV. As a matter of target practice, India regularly kills Bangladeshi jawans in the border region. Even before the investigation, India blames Bangladesh for terrorist actions within its borders.
"Due to sinking of several ships in ChittagongPort during Liberation War..., it was difficult to import ...essentials for war torn Bangladesh. Bangladesh requested India to just to allow using CalcuttaPort for only six months in 1972. India refused the request." "Bangladesh wanted only 16 miles transit to pave for easy trade between two SAARC countries Bangladesh and Nepal." But it was refused. Now India wants 600 miles of corridor. Bangladesh should never allow transit to India.
2. Without the transit, India's seven non Indian sisters in the North East that now depend on Bangladesh for manufactured goods, but with transit, India will sell its own product to the region and Bangladesh will lose.
3. India doesn't want to allow Bangladesh to have land route with Nepal and Bhutan which is purely for trade purpose, India shows the excuse that it goes against its territorial integrity, using the same logic Bangladesh can not allow transit.
4. Financial benefit from transit fees would outweigh its other disadvantages. Bangladesh would risk destroying its own roads and highways, infect its citizens AIDS. Roads and highways will be neglected by the chauvinistic Indian traders and military personnel are passing through Bangladesh's heartland.
5. India is an unreliable keeper of promises. It failed to keep up to the signed treaties of Barubari/ Farakka. India first fix these problems than only trust building will lead to transit. RAW fed Indian chauvinistic government will never go for a fair deal because its sole purpose is to help Bangladesh into a failed state.
6. Transit through Bangladesh will allow India to increase its repression in its occupied North East. For such repression, Bangladesh suffered in the hand of Pakistan and now as a peace-loving country, it shouldn't allow India to increase its repression over its non Hindi/ largely Asian/ Christian and Buddhist minority people unfortunately made part of India. At the same time such a deal would make Indian separatists rebels make Bangladesh a target.
7. Indian treaties are politically motivated. While Mujib signed the Mujib-Indra Treaty 25 year treaty results in the beginning of trade deficit, water shortage, border issues dispute, and dependence on India resulting in the India friendly Mujib's unpopularity and within a short period of time made Bangladesh bankrupt, "the bottomless basket case" and brought his own death. If the past experience with India is a guide, it is believed that people in favor of transit to India are the ignorant India- lovers popularly known in Bangladesh as the "Indian Razakars" who are inviting trouble for Bangladesh. For such an issue we suggest for a national referendum. If people decide, let it be, if not, never!
Why the CTG to bother on the transit issue which the former two governments? It appears that the CTG was brought to power by groups aligned with foreign powers, one of them is India. The CTG brought to power through the excuse of anarchy. It seems it is showing its responsibility to its constituency-India.
It was through the AL led unrest and anarchy in late 2006-2007 that evaded the 90 days limit of the CTG duration. It appears that the CTG's corruption charges are not real but to have the minus 2 policy and to install a future Moin U military government! This is now evident in General Moin U receiving the Indian 7 horses.
As it appears, Bangladesh is infested with RAW agents and unrest in the cities and in tribal areas continues while countries like Vietnam and Singapore continues the pace of development.
If allowed transit within the country, it will be bringing crocodile through digging a canal. Once transit is given, Bangladesh will not be in a position to take it back. India is increasingly becoming powerful. It will kill Bangladeshis with the excuse of being terrorists or drug -dealers, as US does in Columbia with its puppet government. India also has super connection with the Super Power US- Israel. For Bangladesh, India is a danger in the making! Never allow transit to India!
India is building war fleets and torpedoes to keep its growing power from Africa up to Australia in the Indian Ocean. Without the transit, Bangladesh's existence is almost threatened but with transit, like the US-Pak former friendships, and today's Pakistan, Bangladesh will be a breeding ground for anti-US- Indian fundamentalism. Never allow transit to India!
Finally, why India is forcing Bangladesh's non-elected government for a deal? The answer is India is not a trustworthy friend. Its attitude is to create pressure and seek concession. Bangladesh to survive should never allow transit to India.
Bush’s New Cons in Bangladesh! Why Hasina is silent?
The other development that "US Marine Corps wants to survey BD-India border-Collecting detailed terrain intelligence. US has asked for detailed terrain information about major cities including Dhaka as well as for details of all airports and airstrips in Bangladesh." Who are these people taking advantage of the CTG government? Are these the Americans or Bush's New Cons? Link: The Bangladesh Today:
The US Marine Corps wants to assist Bangladesh in surveying and managing its borders with India with the ostensible purpose of identifying routes of movement of terrorists and religious extremists. Sources within the Home Ministry have confirmed (The Bangladesh Today)
that a secret meeting was held where this issue was discussed. The proposal for such a joint survey of borders with foreign military forces was violently opposed by intelligence agencies and the Armed Forces Division (AFD). Nonetheless, AFD has already received instructions from the Office of the Chief Advisor to allow such surveys with US Forces. Sources further confirm that US forces are already on ground carrying out those surveys and have in fact carried out visits to various bordering areas including Banglabandh. It may be mentioned that Bangladesh does not have any MOU or Status of Forces Agreement with US to carry out such activities and yet US Forces have been permitted to operate in Bangladesh on such a sensitive issue as border survey and management.
Although the BD-India border is being surveyed, India is apparently acquiescing to the presence of US forces along its borders perhaps on a understanding that such "intelligence" would be shared with India and its security forces.
In another development the US has asked for detailed terrain information about major cities including Dhaka as well as for details of all airports and airstrips in Bangladesh on the ostensible purpose of "disaster preparedness" for such events as floods, cyclones and earthquakes. In this regard the US is demanding a Command Post Exercise (CPX) between Bangladesh and US forces where the US has already requested for bringing in one of their Navel vessel right into Sadarghat, through the Buriganga.
Meanwhile, US, UK and Australia are all sending various proposals for joint exercises of various sorts with Bangladesh Armed Forces. These proposals are being sent to various ministries without intimation to the AFD. Under the circumstances the AFD has requested the concerned ministries to avoid such commitments without appropriate approval from the AFD.
Sources further confirm that these developments involving foreign military forces, particularly those of USA, have all taken place within the last six months and that US, UK and Australia are increasingly pressurizing Bangladesh to accept such commitments, sometimes bypassing diplomatic and other normal channels for such purposes. "It would appear that foreign military forces want to control training and intelligence of the Bangladesh Military. US military personnel are openly moving about in the DGFI offices. There is considerable commotion within the Bangladesh Army in this regard and many Officers are apprehensive and disturbed that a serious threat to the sovereignty of Bangladesh is developing", sources said.
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Name: MBI Munshi
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Barbed wire fence between India and Bangladesh
