Friday, August 28, 2009

Hold PM to her pledge NO MORE EMPTY WORDS

It is generally said that one shouldn't promise what won't be delivered and that one shouldn't speak of action unless willing to take action. Politicians, from any country, are notorious for this sort of obnoxious behavior. When they do it is known alternatively (depending on the speaker) known as pandering, politicking, promising, or just being idealistic. Keep it simple - they're lying.

If Bangla Nation was a Bangladeshi voter; it would cry from the lack of choice. If the caretaker government could not sort out the "battling begums," who else might? The people? We wait. The international community? Not likely, particularly, Beijing which is far more interested in selling Bangladesh electricity than institution and nation-building.

Yesterday PM Hasina gushed to a Catholic delegation that the Awami League government is "strongly committed to building up a non-communal, democratic Bangladesh where people of all faiths will live in peace and plenty." In addition the PM stated 'people of every religion and ethnic group would live in this land with their respective dignity and rights' (Independent).

Was it not PM Hasina's Awami League that joined hands with Ershad's Jatiya Party, which amended the Constitution to make Islam the state religion in 1982? Was it not the same PM Hasina and Awami League that subsequently welcomed the Jamaat-e-Islami in Opposition in 1995 in order to overturn the Bangladesh Nationalist Party at the time (Hashmi, Women and Islam in Bangladesh, 190)?

Is it not the same current Awami League government that has stood by while adhivasi communities in Tangail, CHT, and Naogaon remain landless and exploited (see, see)? Is it not the same Awami League government that has failed to protect the Khasi community from terror and crime (Daily Star)?

And why has there been no inquiry into the 'missing' millions of Hindus. The PM has high praise for Christians, but no such words for the millions of Hindu devotees who have simply vanished from Bangladesh.

Bangla Nation says that talk is cheap, and while these words come from a blog, Bangla Nation is not the Prime Minister nor even a voter of Bangladesh. Bangla Nation hopes that Bangladesh's voters and media hold PM Hasina to these statements and each of the political parties for their past actions and omissions. The international community should also hold these individuals and parties responsible.

Bangla Nation hopes that when the 1971 War Trials are concluded, than an inquiry and trials are opened to atone for the disappearance and terrorizing of millions of Bangladeshi Hindus. If PM Hasina "pledged" that, Bangla Nation would not believe it. If PM Hasina proposed it to Parliament, well before elections, the Bangla nation would have hope.

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