The New Nation - Internet Edition

Supporting agriculture

NEIGHBOURING country, India, offers an example of how the government can come to the rescue of the predominantly rural and agriculture-oriented population of a country with timely policies. The government of India submitted recently its national budget for the next fiscal year in Parliament. A very conspicuous aspect of it is the measures proposed in it to help the farmers who are, still, the greatest segment of the population. The government has proposed to write off the accumulated debts of the farmers amounting to some 60,000 crore Rupees.

The non performing loans of the farmers in different banks, cooperative bodies and other societies have been declared void. The government will now pay off to these bodies on behalf of the farmers. This step has been taken with the objective of creating incentives for farmers so that they can become unencumbered and engage in farming with more enthusiasm. The same will be also helpful for the country to build food security when setbacks in agricultural production in India have been noted after many years.

The preparation of the Bangladesh budget for the next fiscal year is progressing. Now is the time to consider suggestions to incorporate measures that would be helpful for the farmers after they have faced a bad time.

Agricultural production faced setback in Bangladesh during the current fiscal year. Recovering from the setbacks and optimising production in the farming sectors call for incentives laden policies on the part of the government. The government can consider writing off farmers' debts on a large scale. In addition, it should increase subsidies under different heads for agriculture and devise effective means to deliver the benefits of such subsidisation to the farmers. This is seen to be the bigger challenge. Such measures would help agriculture to make a turnaround benefitting the entire economy.

Addictive video games

COMPUTERS have opened up opportunities for many faceted entertainments and one of them is the video game. The games are the favourites of children and teenagers. There would be nothing wrong in the games but for their ill effects on the young ones. There are many urban homes in Bangladesh where computers are available and the young ones in such families are seen prone to playing video games for long hours at the expense of sports and academic activities.

Specialists in the developed countries warned people long ago about children spending disproportionate amount of time to watching television at the cost of academic activities, reading and sports. Now, they are saying the same about video games which are proving to be 'addictive' for the young ones and wasteful in all respects. Newspaper reports are noted about the sprouting of video game shops in the rural areas. The shops are doing good business alluring children away from schools to pass most of their time in these shops to play video games.

The children go out of homes telling their parents that they would be going to schools but go instead to these video shops. The craze has so much afflicted them that sometimes they are also found stealing money from their parents to pay the video shop operators. All these things mean good business for the video game operators but what are the costs of the same for the victims and their guardians? Considering their corrupting effects, these so-called video shops need to be strictly regulated. Video game shops need to come under strong regulation for the same reasons. Awareness should be created on the bad effects of video games on children so that their guardians play a role in making the young ones understand how an overdose of video games can be harmful for them.

Delayed demand raises doubts

Md. Masum Billah

The trial of war criminals seems to gain momentum very recently. The Sector Commanders Forum has surfaced as a new platform to bring the war criminals under trial but interesting enough and with dormant questions in mind why after thirty seven years of our independence? What did these sector commanders do for so long years? Why did they hibernate? Which thing has instigated them to take the stand now when the whole country is under the grip of skyrocketed price hike making the life of the middle, lower middle and the working class almost stranded and impossible? What is their role to mitigate the sufferings of the people who feel a fish out of water to stride their lives? Wasn't the dream of our liberation war to bring smile on their face, to emancipate them from the clutches of poverty, disease and illiteracy? What steps have they taken to materialise the dreams which touch the common Bangladeshis every hour and every day? What did they do during the elected government? Even, some of them were in the government and with the government but was not as vocal as seem today. Now the question arises can this crucial national issue which has remained unresolved for long thirty seven years be addressed during the limited period of this interim government? why are they making haste to deal with this thing just now?

I simply get astonished to see the prioritising of national problems and the steps to address them. Which things or phenomena have instigated them to take to the streets and pressurize the interim government to materialise their dream? Why didn't AL and BNP take steps to deal with this crucial thing during their tenure? It is not an easy matter that caretaker government will desire and it will happen automatically. It claims national consensus and it cannot not be done scattered and hastily, rather through a concrete, convincing and agreeable process which will claim no less trouble than holding a national election. The previous elected government avoided the matter realising the magnanimity of the hustle. Number two, not only Jamat Islam but also other opportunist must be brought under trail. Who derived benefit through them and using them must be taken into serious consideration. What role was played by whom and which party during the liberation war must be viewed through a critical eye. Only claiming the credit does not guarantee and ensure the genuine role the parties in achieving freedom. Who failed to arrange the trial for them must be identified? Why dilly dallying game did they play? Whys still more than fifty percent of our people live below the poverty line? Why after thirty seven years of our independence fifty three percent drop out in the secondary level education? Who will give the answer of these questions?

The laudable steps and measures taken by the interim government have brought some ray of hope and change in the police depart education department, Rajuk Bhaban and in many state owned enterprises and service sectors. Still far away from satisfactory stage. I heard and observed several incidents took place with police. Quite encouagring and hopeful. Police has started changing their behaviour and they are trying to become service and people oriented. Definitely this credit goes to the caretaker government. But serious failure of the caretaker government is to bring the price spiral under control. Though many measures have been taken, situation continues to prove odd. We are not sure how fare the party government could address it in its true perspective but this government has invited all sorts of wrath from the people only for this reason because people need to survive first, then the question of corruption or ill governance of party governments mean good work to them .

The first and foremost duty of this government is to present a free, fair and acceptable election in the country. In doing so, they have started dealing with some basic problems without which the establishment of meaningful democracy would be impossible. It was long overdue but no government took any realistic or pragmatic step which resulted in the serous chaos in the political arena of the country and its upshot is this sort of government without direct voting of the public. Definitely some positive changes the country has witnessed but price hike has paled all sorts of better performances of this government. So, the government finds it very difficult to face and deal with it without any political background. The dishonest businessmen and rising price of commodities in the world market contributed a great deal to make the situation worse. The election is going to be held under a new voter identity card which has ever been done in the country. Surely it is a gigantic task. They have to face the sidr and many other odds. Sometimes doubts peep in our mind whether election is going to be held on time. In the midst of these phenomena suddenly a group of our liberation war commanders strongly raised their voice to try the war criminals during the tenure of this government ; it does not sound pragmatic at this moment. It might be a conspiracy not to allow this government to hold a free and fair election. They want to hold rally and all kinds of gathering in the name of war criminals' trial which will broaden the way to make street demonstration by political parties. Simply it will create chaos and encourage other political parties to start their usual business of calling hartal and anarchy in the country. They countrymen have refused this politics for ever, at least from their mind. They don't want to be the hostage and plaything of the politicians and their nasty games.

Who has/have given them shelter and incorporated them into politics must be sought for? How they have been rehabilitated in the country ? Still I remember the scenes and sights and dangerous days of liberation war. I remember how my tears rolled down to see that our houses had been down by Pak army. We were in the hiding. Sometimes I think that was our sacrifice to free the nation. But what we see still? The heap of corruption has arisen to the sky, the rich have fattened richer, and the poor are becoming poor. No pragmatic or sustainable step has yet been taken. But sometimes a storm of demand which surfaces suddenly tries to outdo the normal activities of alleviating poverty of the country.

Those who played the questionable and heinous role during our liberation war have been identified and the curses have been hurled towards them by the nation. They also don't feel mental peace living in this free soil which they didn't want for some mysterious reasons. They are already treated otherwise. With the passage of time, they country and next generation will erase the politics they belong to , I mean religion based politics which inspired them to play the questionable role in the name of Indian occupation of this country. What kind of trial our sector commanders want to mete out to them now ? They will be in jail or hanged?

Have you ever thought of its after effect? It will just divide the nation into two and once again the country will plunge into a deep chaos and crisis as international conspirators are associated with this thing. The ongoing peace and harmony of the nation will be destabilized. Foreign gurus will once again find their ways to intrude our internal affairs and the opportunists will derive benefit from it.

All the sinners must face divine justice. I am sure for whatever reasons or causes they collaborated the Pak army to kill the innocent people of this sacred soil must not go unpunished. At least their mental agonies stand as a divine punishment. Their internal debate of mind and public hatred are no less justice they face everyday. We, human beings, don't have any right to kill even an ant. In that cage if we help or kill thousands and lakes of men and women , the divine representatives, must not go unpunished.

We do appreciate the present government's concern and stance to invite some war heroes of India to attend our thirty seventh Independence Day anniversary. We must develop good relations with our neighborly countries. We have to follow the ideals of Fidel Castro who believes that producing crops is more important than producing arms and ammunition. Its result is every child of Cuba goes to school; everybody has access to medical treatment. Being a small country and in the nose of America, she still exists with pride and its own way of socialism in spite of the fall of socialism in the entire Eastern Europe.

Creating enmity with people and international community never brings happiness and any solution for the developing country like ours. The static policy of the country will be jeopardized if the sector commander's proposal and demonstration are materials.

Now our first and foremost duty is to help this government hold a credible election and form a national welfare government whatever party or parties it or they may be. Let them identify the basic problems of the country and take steps to resolve them.

And the matter of war criminals trial will be decided by them taking the national consensus and an acceptable way which will in no way hamper the poverty alleviation programme and other programs to achieve the Millennium Develop Goals. Sudden, emotional, guided or inspired from any quarter to deal with this sensitive national and historical issue will further make the situation dark. We must give importance to prioritising the problems and take timely steps in respect of anything.

Pakistan in interesting times

Aijaz Zaka Syed

MAY you live in interesting times! A Pakistani colleague often revisits this ancient Chinese curse when discussing the state of affairs in his country. Given the eventful history of Pakistan right from its birth in 1947, you would think the Chinese curse is at the very core of the land of the pure.

And the never-say-die people of Pakistan, many of whom happen to be close friends of mine, have developed an amazing resilience living from crisis to crisis; from one military tyrant to another, from one corrupt politician to another and from one bout of instability to the next.

And just as it's true of my own country next door, there's never a dull moment in Pakistani politics. The country does live in interesting times.

Remarkably, the people of Pakistan have endured all this without ever giving up on their hopes and optimism about a better tomorrow and a better country - as envisioned by its architects.

Just look at the watershed developments this past week. Who could have ever thought that Benazir Bhutto's Peoples Party and Nawaz Sharif's Muslim League would come together to form the country's first, largely democratic coalition government? Benazir and Sharif, both former prime ministers, were more than bitter rivals; they were once sworn enemies.

But after the cataclysmic events of the past few months, especially after the tragic assassination of Benazir, it seems anything is possible.

This is what the people, weary of the long military rule as well as the corrupt misrule of elected politicians, expected from their leaders.

The Pakistanis would not have forgiven any more self-serving, petty games on the part of their politicians at a time when their country is going through one of the most challenging existential crises in its history.

Whatever their past, Sharif, the former PM who returned home only recently after a decade in exile, and Benazir's widower Zardari deserve kudos for rightly gauging the popular mood and responding to it in the best possible manner.

Another critical message that the coalition partners have got it right is that the people are not prepared to accept any more headstrong tyrants and spineless puppets. They want Pakistan, plagued by a myriad problems created by its own leaders and friends who are not so friendly, to break free from the past and make a fresh start.

They want the leaders who are accountable to them, the people who have chosen them, not to some distant masters in Washington and London.

One can't be too sure how long this coalition of the PPP, Muslim League and other smaller parties will survive and how it's going to shape in the months and years to come. But early signs look promising.

And given the remarkable success of coalition experience in neighbouring India, Pakistan's twin and the world's biggest democracy, there are reasons to be optimistic about this new era in Pakistani politics. Ultimately, what people want is good and clean governance; a government that works and delivers on its promises.

The electorate does not give two hoots if it's a single party rule or a coalition government. What they do not want is yet another long night of misrule and abuse of power. Besides, a coalition government by its very nature ensures that parties in power keep their totalitarian tendencies that come so naturally to those in power in check.

More important, a widely representative coalition enjoys greater popular support and mandate needed to take some really bold and path-breaking steps. Pakistan badly needs such forceful action to heave it out of the unholy mess that it finds itself in today.

And this mission impossible begins with undoing what has been inflicted on the country over the past few years.

To be fair to the General, unlike the men in khaki before him, he did not force himself on Pakistan. Rather, the power was thrust on him when Sharif, the then prime minister, tried to sack him as the army chief. The army rebelled and sacked Sharif himself. The rest, as we know, is history.

Let's give the man his due. Musharraf began well and did help the country stand up economically once again, after years of political and economic mismanagement.

However, somewhere along the way, he did what most men in power invariably end up doing. He fell in love with power and with himself.

He persuaded himself he is God's gift to his people and that the country of 170 million wouldn't survive without him. And ever since, the reasonable General who once championed Enlightened Moderation has gone to absurd lengths to perpetuate his power. This is what has proved the fatal flaw of our hero. Like Faust, he bartered his soul for eternal power.

Pakistan has paid a truly incalculable price for this long preoccupation with power of his men in khaki. The reckless abuse of power and messing around with the country's institutions, essential for a civilized and peaceful society, has shockingly weakened Pakistan. The man once credited with freeing the media proved its worst enemy when he saw it as a threat to his survival.

But more than the Press, it is what the General did to the judiciary that heralded his downfall.

The new government has to undo this catastrophic damage to the nation's institutions and do it fast. Pakistan urgently needs initiatives restoring order and healing in all areas.

The process has already begun with the freeing of Supreme Court judges including chief justice Chaudhry.

Chaudhry and his fellow judges have come to symbolise hope because of their courage under fire and steadfastness in standing up to the regime.

Pakistan's new leaders appear conscious of the historic nature of their mandate. Which is why the very first order Prime Minister Gilani issued brought freedom to the judges.

Another and bigger challenge before Pakistan is the equation with the US, its traditional ally, friend and the source of many of its current woes.

For his own survival, Musharraf gave a free rein to the Americans putting the entire country and its resources at their beck and call. Pakistan and its people have paid a monumental price for the disastrous and directionless US war on terror. Thousands of innocents have died and hundreds have disappeared into the US gulags around the world, without the so-called due process.

For the first time in Pakistan's history, the bulk of its troops are fighting their own people along the border with Afghanistan. The whole of northwest frontier with Afghanistan has turned into a battlefield. Yet the Americans led by their 'fair and balanced' media continue to push Pakistan to do MORE!

If the Prez is today loathed by his own people -- with his popularity ratings at 18 per cent, he is less popular than his friend Bush -- Musharraf has to thank no one but his American friends.

This is why Pak-US equation needs to be urgently recalibrated. Sharif was right in bluntly telling the visiting US officials the day the new prime minister was sworn in that Pakistan is not a one-man show anymore and that all decisions including those about relations with US would be taken by the new parliament.

Sharif voiced his people's anger when he told John Negroponte that Pakistan couldn't fight the US war converting itself into a slaughterhouse any more. It's a message the Americans should have got long time ago. Too much of innocent blood has been spilt. It must stop and stop right away.

Pakistan, thanks to its sheer size and its nuclear power status, is the leader of the Muslim world. It must lead by example.

It cannot remain the shady henchman of a reviled neighbourhood bully terrorising its own people.

It should show the world that Islam, democracy, progress and enlightenment can go together.

(Aijaz Zaka Syed is a senior editor and columnist of Khaleej Times.)