EDITORIAL

Greetings for new President

We congratulate Zillur Rahman, senior citizen and one of the country''s most respected politicians, on his assumption of the office of the President of the Republic. His more than six decades in politics convinces us that in him we have a person who would restore the glory and honour of the Bangabhaban. " All my life I have worked for the people and I shall continue to do that for the rest of my life," he said tearfully after severing his ties with Awami League. We are sure that the people of Bangladesh believe him.
At eighty Zillur Rahman is one of that rare breed of politicians who dedicated their lives for the cause of the people. As a young man he was drawn into student politics during the early Pakistan days and later joined the Awami League. His association with the AL is more than six decades old and he is also one of the few senior leaders in whom Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had infinite faith and trust. He had actively participated in the Language Movement and was one of the key leaders who organized the Liberation War that led to the birth of Bangladesh. Here is a leader without any blemish. He may not have been a fiery leader but his sobriety, honesty and loyalty earned praise of everyone. These days there is hardly any politician in the country without some bad air about him or her but Zillur Rahman? No! Indeed a clean slate.
That is what convinces us that in spite of his old age and failing health he would give the Presudent''s House the honour, glory and dignity it deserves. In the long line of people who have occupied the Bangabhaban since liberation not many will match his records. True, the presidency is a ceremonial post in a parliamentary democracy, but if the incumbent is a man of honour he can contribute a lot in the proper running of the state. With his party in power we have every hope that the new President will not hesitate to use his weight and influence to keep the executive branch of the government on the right path.
Zillur Rahman enters the Bangabhaban when prestige of this establishment is perhaps at its lowest. The years of Iajuddin have inflicted a wound on the honour and glory of this symbol of nation''s unity. The whole nation would like to forget these horrible years when a President had acted almost as a slave of the ruling party. Not only that Iajuddin had violated the Constitution so glaringly that it was a national shame. But we would like to put that chapter behind us.
At the same time we also hope that the ruling Awami League will not create problems for the new President in the discharge of duties. AL can only benefit from his matured judgment and counsel. We wish President Zillur Rahman a long healthy life and success in what probably his life''s last equation with the people of Bangladesh. We also say that we are also proud for being able to honour a leader who deserves every bit of it.

Ensure timely farm credit

Bangladesh needs to build adequate food stocks in view of many exigencies. While imports of costly food grains to feed millions can never be a permanent solution, no time should now be lost by one and all in recouping the losses the natural calamities have caused to agriculture. Unless farmers are given help right now in going for food production, the future days will really be fraught with grave dangers. Against this backdrop, the failure of private commercial banks (PCBs) to meet their commitment of agriculture credits to supplement the efforts of making up the loss should be dealt with very seriously. The Bangladesh Bank’s warning is timely. The central bank governor expressed dissatisfaction over private commercial banks’ poor disbursement of agriculture credits compared to their voluntary commitment to contribute to the sector. The governor had earlier offered incentives to the private banks for contributing to the agriculture sector.
It is really unfortunate that 15 of the private commercial banks did not disburse any agriculture loan. Only five PCBs have disbursed about half of their target. The governor asked the PCBs to submit immediately their agriculture credit disbursement statement.
Farmers need capital at this moment and on top of it, no harassment for old debt. They have brought a silent revolution giving hard labour and deserve to be spared of some failures. The banks should immediately withdraw all certificate cases and warrants of arrests against defaulting farmers. They should reschedule old loans and start payment of new loans. They can provide loans for storage and marketing of agriculture products. The banks should make up their low return out of agriculture credit from other sectors.

Comments & Analyses

United in anger

The bloody progress of the conflict in Sri Lanka has united many diaspora Tamils across the political spectrum, writes Saroj Pathirana

The bloody progress of the conflict in Sri Lanka has united many diaspora Tamils across the political spectrum.
The Sri Lankan military has made major gains in its attempt to defeat Tamil Tiger rebels (LTTE) fighting for a separate homeland.
But Tamils around the world have protested in their thousands about the fate of civilians trapped amid the fighting and among those taking to the streets are Tamils profoundly critical of the Tigers.
Nesan Shankaraji of the Alliance for Peace and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka (APRSL) and a strident critic of the LTTE says moderate Tamils have been extremely disappointed by what they see as the Sri Lankan government’s attitude towards civilians caught in the conflict.
“We will be pushing for a United Nations resolution for an immediate ceasefire...” he says, underlining the critical role of the diaspora in pushing forward the Tamil cause.
British politicians including Foreign Secretary David Miliband and his deputy Lord Mark Malloch-Brown heard the concerns of the community during a tense meeting at the Houses of Parliament last month.
“Foreign Secretary, I will be failing in my duty if I do not convey the anger and hurt feelings of British Tamils,” Suren Surendiran, spokesman of campaigning group the British Tamils Forum (BTF), said opening the discussion.
“The Sri Lankan government might defeat the LTTE but it will never defeat the 1.5m Tamil diaspora worldwide,” BTF leader Sen Kandiah told the packed committee room.
Angry Tamils accused the British government of not doing enough to stop the bloodshed in Sri Lanka.
Many point to video footage of civilians injured in shelling allegedly by the Sri Lankan security forces.
The LTTE is accused by the government and human rights groups of using civilians as a “human shield”. The Tigers deny the accusation.
Saba Navalan, a political activist in London, accuses both the government and the LTTE of trapping civilians.
“Two fascist ideologies, the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, have been waging a war for decades. Both parties do not care about the plight of the civilians.
“So the Tamil diaspora will have to carry on with their struggle against both ideologies,” he says.
More than 50,000 Sri Lankan Tamils marched in London a fortnight ago urging the British authorities to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to call a ceasefire.
Tens of thousands of Tamils staged a similar protest in Toronto and protests are set to continue.
Many of those demonstrating were young Tamils, a large number of whom may well have been born outside Sri Lanka.
Subanki Kala, a political science student at the University of Toronto, left Sri Lanka at the age of three and has never returned because of the civil war.
“I am proud to be identified as a Tamil Canadian but I don’t think Tamils in Sri Lanka are proud to be Tamil Sri Lankans,” Ms Kala said.
For seasoned campaigners the involvement of youth such as Subanki Kala is critical. Some Tamil nationalist news websites publish in English specifically to reach Tamil youth brought up outside Sri Lanka and who don’t speak Tamil.
But as the LTTE finds itself on the back foot militarily, there is potentially a crisis brewing for Tamil nationalist hopes for a separate homeland.
Dr Camilla Orjuela, a researcher at the University of Gothenburg’s School of Global Studies in Sweden, says that the defeat of the LTTE “will lead to a major crisis for all those Tamils in the diaspora who gave their support to and believed in the struggle”.
She has extensively researched the opinions and behavioural patterns of the Sri Lankan diaspora.
“Tamil nationalist feelings will not be gone even if the LTTE leadership is gone. The question is if and how it will be politically mobilised,” she says.
“Isolate Sri Lanka” in the world stage is one such strategy Tamils are working on, says David Poopalapillai, spokesperson for the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC).
“We are calling for the international community to impose an economic embargo on Sri Lanka and we will also boycott Sri Lankan products and urge foreigners not to travel there,” he said.
Dr Orjuela points out that the cost, in terms of human lives as well as other aspects, of the 25 years of struggle has been immense and the disapora will be very reluctant to support another wave of violence.
“But the future of Tamil nationalism will depend very much on the Sri Lankan government and whether it will be able to sustain a peace which is not built on Sinhala domination, but which respects the rights of the minorities.”
Marking 61 years of independence from colonial rule, President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently invited the diaspora to return home.
Poornima Karunakadacharan, a charity worker in London, meanwhile, says that support for the Tamils’ struggle will die down with time.
“I don’t know whether they will carry on protesting for ever. The new generations already have a comfortable life abroad so won’t bother any longer.”
Suren Surendiran of the BTF disagrees.
“The LTTE insurgency will go on and we will support the struggle through political means until Tamils in Sri Lanka get a genuine political solution.”

The Revelation

All Revelations should repeat the same
universal Guidance – sincere demonstration of gratefulness to the One who holds our souls, writes Yousuf M Islam, PhD

Belief is universal. To help realise the universality of belief I quote a story below from the “Laugh!” section of the February 2009 issue of Reader’s Digest. 
A man, frantically looking for a space to park his car was late for an important meeting. He looked up and said, “God, if you help me find a space, I will religiously attend church every Sunday for the rest of my life!” After his sincere supplication, suddenly, miraculously, he saw a space right in front of his building. He looked up again and said, “Never mind, I just found a space”. 
We are supposed to laugh at this story! What is our assessment of the person? He supplicated as he knew that only God could help him, yet he gave himself the credit that God deserved! Does he have the powers of God? What message does such behaviour send to God? Would you have a similar story to tell? Universally, the major commandments of every revealed religion require firm belief. For example, Exodus 20:3 commands: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” To help us understand, this part of Sura Baquarah directs us to follow the way of Abraham [2.135] as he set examples of approaching his Lord with sound logic or a “sound heart” as:
 “But only he/she (will prosper) that brings to Allah a sound heart” [26.89] 
Logically, therefore, all Revelation should repeat the same universal Guidance – sincere demonstration of gratefulness to the One who holds our souls: 
2.136 “Say: “We believe in Allah and the Revelation given to us and to Abraham, Isma`il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes and that given to Moses and Jesus and that given to (all) Prophets from their Lord we make no difference between one and another of them and we bow to Allah.””
Allah has repeatedly sent the same Guidance [42.13], confirming each Revelation in turn [6.92] and has arranged Guidance via persons that have demonstrated belief in Him with a sound heart. We individually have to provide evidence of our sound approach to Him on the Day of Judgment.
“Say: “O People of the Book! You have no ground to stand upon unless you stand fast by the Law{1}, the Gospel{2} and all the Revelations{3} that have come to you from your Lord{4}.”  It is the Revelation that comes to thee{5} from thy Lord that increases in most of them their obstinate rebellion and blasphemy...” [5.68] 
Allah invites those who received Revelations previously:
“…but say “We believe in the Revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow.”” [29.46] 
All original Revelation is Guidance from the Creator. Unfortunately, each deviation rejoices in its own derived form of religion.
“”And believe no one unless he follows your religion{6}” Say: “True guidance is the guidance of Allah;…Say: “All bounties are in the hands of Allah: He grants them to whom He pleases; and Allah cares for all and He knows all things.”” [3.73] 
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam (i.e. submission to the Creator), it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [3:85] 
All apostles to their own people effectively said the same thing:
“Their apostles said: “Is there a doubt about Allah the Creator of the heavens and the earth? It is He Who invites you in order that He may forgive you your sins and give you respite for a term appointed!”…” [14.10] 
So, if they believe: 
2.137 “So if they believe as you believe they are indeed on the right path; but if they turn back it is they who are in schism{7}; but Allah will suffice thee{8} as against them and He is the All-Hearing the All- Knowing.”
Logically, belief is binary in nature, either 1 or 0. Can we believe in the Creator 50%? Can we say we trust the Creator 50%? Can we say we believe in 50% of the Creator’s Wisdom? Each of us has to examine our individual approach to the Creator!
 “Say: “See if this Revelation is (really) from Allah and yet you reject it? Who is more astray than one who is in schism far (from any purpose)?”” [41.52] 
What type of person demonstrates belief in the Creator’s Wisdom, Creator’s Words, Creator’s Protection, Creator’s Provision, Creator’s Power, Creator’s Blessings, Creator’s Tests, etc., only when convenient? Is such a person a hypocrite? To cover tracks of disbelief, hypocrites create diversions that not only fool themselves but divert others from true religion.
“Say: “Call on those besides Him whom you fancy: they have neither the power to remove your troubles from you nor to change them.” [17.56] 
Clearly understand that since there is only one Creator there can only be one truth. Being the Manufacturer, He knows all our weaknesses and helps us on to the straight path of piety once we start to look for Him.
www.walkrevelation.com, ymislam@gmail.com
{Notes}:
{1} Law: the original Law as Revealed to Moses (pbuh)
{2} Gospel: the original Gospel as Revealed to Jesus (pbuh)
{3} All Revelations: including the Qur’an given to Muhammad (pbuh) and all other original Revelations, e.g. that given to Abraham (pbuh).
{4} Lord: As directly revealed by your Creator, without the alterations or additions that have been made by man. “The Revelation of the Book is from Allah the Exalted in Power Full of Wisdom.” [46.2] See also 10.37.
{5} Thee: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). As this is the Revelation that has been protected [15.9] and as it shows the straight way it increases hypocrites in rebellion and blasphemy.
{6} Your religion: illogically concocted religion. True Guidance can only be provided by the Creator [2.147], as it is only He who has full knowledge of His creation being the Manufacturer. We are all equally His Creation and He cares for all. There can only be one religion, one that acknowledges the Creator sincerely! This is what the first commandment of each religion implies – “Your Lord is one Lord”. One Creator - one humanity!
{7} Schism: broken Revealed religion into (self-concocted) factions.
{8} Suffice thee: Allah is the best witness as to what each is doing. 

Social divide sparks India violence

The recent alleged gang-rape of a Delhi college student, the latest in a series of assaults on women, has led to an outcry in the Indian capital. The victim was allegedly attacked by a group of teenagers returning from a cricket match after they discovered her sitting inside a car with a male friend.
The incident took place in Noida, an upmarket Delhi suburb dotted with glitzy shopping malls and software companies, fuelled by India’s economic boom.
The police have since arrested 11 young men who belong to village, one of several rural settlements on the edge of the suburb. While women’s groups and the general public have voiced their shock over the incident, the villagers have reacted angrily, saying those arrested are innocent.
It is a classic clash of two cultures drawn together economically but still divided culturally. Noida police say they have strong evidence to indict the young men and there is little doubt in their mind that they were involved.
“We have certain clues, mobile phone records, DNA evidence, cricket bats that were used in the assault - this led us to the main accused,” says Noida police superintendent AK Tripathi.
“After interrogating him we came to know that there were 10 other people who were involved. So we arrested them.” Just a short drive from the police station lies the village of Gadi Chaukhandi, from where the police arrested the teenagers.
Locals tell me that 20 years ago, the area was covered by jungle and farmland. Now a six-lane highway runs through it, connecting it to the city and bridging two vastly contrasting worlds.
Proximity to the city has brought the villagers wealth - they live in large houses, built of brick and marble with large cars parked in the driveway.
But outside the opulent houses - time appears to have stood still. Buffaloes graze as children play in the dirt tracks that pass for roads. Women still use hand pumps to draw water.
It is a story that can be replicated in any part of Delhi or, for that matter, India. “As the city grew, large numbers of people who were farmers sold their land to large developers and instantly became millionaires,” says sociologist Sanjay Srivastava.
“What that has meant is that they have large amounts of money which they spend on acquisitions but many of the social attitudes haven’t changed.”
It is this that leads to a perception of the attack on the college student that is in complete contrast with the world outside. “We respect our women,” village elder Ranbir Yadav tells me.
“But we also have our traditions,” he adds, gesticulating at a young woman who hurries away from us with her face averted, her head covered. As he explains, unmarried women in the village cannot travel unescorted or reveal their face to men.

Letters to the Editor

Family Planning

Permanent method to reduce birth rate has become urgently necessary in Bangladesh. Nobody can deny that the country is set to face a very dangerous population explosion in 25 years. Population density in the country’s every square kilometer of land would gradually increase to 1,540 by the year 2030 from the existing 1000. It will demonize cultivable land and forestry and subsequently usher in a food crisis. The rate of illiteracy will also rise with this. The ratio of surface water per head will also dwindle alarmingly.
We therefore underscore the need for taking permanent method to reduce birth rate for greater interest of the country. We must understand that one child family can bring happiness.
The number of birth method user rate has to be increased to at least 72 percent from the existing 58.1 percent and reduce the total fertility rate (TFR) from 3 to 2.2 by 2010. The male participation in birth control process must be increased to achieve gender parity and the target of fertility rate.
The failure to adopt permanent method to reduce birth rate will surely lead us to an extremely dangerous situation. The man-land ratio is meager in our country. Population growth will create new pressure on cultivable land. It will gradually shift to forest areas. This will destroy the ecological balance. Crisis of food and water will be inevitable. The only solution to these problems is family planning. The government has to enforce draconian laws to ensure birth control. The rate `of population growth has to be reduced. Any dilly-dally in doing so will be literally dangerous for the nation.

Sohag Biswas
Bashabo, Dhaka

Modern education

Students must keep themselves abreast with modern education based on knowledge, science and technology. Modern education will build students up as human resources in the era of globalization. This would ensure their access to information and communication technology (ICT). Through the use of ICT services, students could find new income earning opportunities and improve their livelihood. This would also help to alleviate their poverty. But first of all the rural people must get access to education, especially information technology-based education.
Moral qualities, information technology (IT)-based education, and skills in English language are urgently needed in Bangladesh.
We have many degree-holders. But a large number of them are unemployed. They cannot find suitable jobs for their own deficiencies. Many of them lack moral qualities. Then their education is not IT-based. Besides, their command of spoken and written English, an international language, is very poor. These prevent them from securing foreign jobs. Unemployed degree-holders are burden to their families, the nation, and to themselves. To turn them into welcome manpower, we must give them the scope to learn IT and English.
Our age is an age of Information Age. Most of our works are done with the help of computers. Computers also ensure our access to knowledge. We can acquire all sorts of information from the Internet. We therefore cannot make ourselves fit for the modern world without proficiency in IT.
A society becomes developed when everyone performs his or her duties with conscience and the spirit of serving greater national interest. We have to perform our responsibilities rightly for flourishing our spiritual and moral qualities. We should also learn the English language and acquire competence in IT for survival in this competitive global context. We should encourage our children to learn social and moral values so that they can go ahead to serve the nation.
The government should introduce IT-based education for the progress of the country. The money spent for this will be a profitable investment. So the government must manage to introduce IT-based education in the country without any delay. All universities, public and private, must play more effective role in building knowledge-based society.
Dilruba Khanam
Mirpur, Dhaka

Child Marriage

Child marriage is a very big curse in our society. It prevents couples from enjoying peace and harmony. Marriage at premature ages often causes death during deliveries. Children of child mothers are mostly unhealthy. Child marriage also prevents the couples from pursuing education. It hampers their mental growth as well. It creates unrest in family lives. The country therefore becomes a nation of unhealthy citizens.
Panelists have therefore stressed the need for creating mass awareness against child marriage. They were speaking a seminar at Mongalbari in Dhasmoirhat upazela (sub district) recently. According to them, awareness against child marriage is essentially necessary to build a better and healthy society.
The curse of child marriage has gripped our society very tight. There are many reasons and superstitions behind this peril. The poorer section of the society and backward people are the most effected by it. They wrongly think that it is their moral duty to marry their children at tender ages. This encourages them to ignore legal bar against child marriage. Law forbids marriage of girls under the age of 18 and boys under the age of 20. But many illiterate parents defy this law in the name of religion. The actual victims are the children married at extremely premature ages. The marriage stops their pursuit of education. The girls become pregnant and give birth to unhealthy babies. Sometime they also die during the pregnancy or delivery.
Now it is clear that law alone cannot defeat the peril. The most effective weapon against it can be mass awareness. Everybody in the society should understand that child marriage is a very serious curse. We must shun it to build a healthy society. We must not compel young girls to become mothers before they are full grown and understand about the reproductive health. Let us say a final goodbye to child marriage and build a better society in the country.
Sabur Khan
Munshiganj