The New Nation - Internet Edition

For better fire-fighting capability

A DEVASTATING fire in the old part of the city on Friday gutted some 500 slum-houses and left at least ten persons injured. The fire rendered hundreds of slum dwellers homeless creating a humanitarian crisis. Most of the victims are reported to have lost all their belongings. The poor slum dwellers usually do not have houses elsewhere in the country. They are to suffer during the winter season and are in need of rehabilitation on a priority basis. The concerned agencies of the government should be prompt in action to minimise their sufferings.

The fire reportedly originated from a kitchen in the shanty. Fire in shanties is a recurrent phenomenon in the city. While carelessness of the inhabitants may be a cause of the fire, possibility of deliberate arson by rival forces for establishing control over the slum area should not be kept out of the purview of investigation.

It is reported that the fight against the fire was seriously hampered by lack of approaches to the place. This is a common picture in many areas of the city. The city administrators should ensure earmarking of spaces between houses and buildings to allow easy movement of fire fighting vehicles and ambulances. People must be convinced about the necessity of such spaces. Lack of water sources has emerged as an obstacle to the quick fire fighting. Loss of the natural canals and other water bodies has led to the situation. WASA's pump houses may facilitate the supply of water to fire fighters. Involvement of the people through raising awareness is necessary to prevent and fight fire. The incident of fire in a multi-storied building at Karwan Bazar last year showed the inadequacies of fire fighting arrangements. Fire service should be strengthened to meet the growing fire emergencies.

Govt. doctors' private practice

PRIVATE practice by government-appointed doctors at government-run hospitals and other medical centres, has a long history. The country's greater number of poor patients come to the public hospitals and medical centres where they expect treatment at nominal costs or for free and, more significantly, sincere attention from the doctors. The doctors, on their part, are also the beneficiaries of highly subsidised medical education. The government appoints doctors at its medical centres for discharging service in exchange of the payment of salaries and other perks. A section of doctors appears to forget how they become qualified medical professionals at the public expense and remain away for their private practice neglecting their official duties in the public hospitals.

Such unconscionable practice on the part of the doctors has been defeating the aim to provide proper medical service to the poor and limited income group people. Allegations are there that doctors are found absenting from their duties while their agents tell the poor patients to go to their private chambers for better treatment. It was therefore, encouraging to note that a joint meeting of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the Health Ministry on Saturday, declared that henceforth zero tolerance would be shown towards this malpractice. But how this decision will be enforced is a big question mark. Will it be again a callous slipping back to the old order of doctors doing private practice during their official duty hours. ACC must stress on policy continuity in this matter. Only tough and sustained law enforcement will likely be of any use in making doctors to take their duties in government medical centres seriously.

Friendship in rivalry

Maswood Alam Khan

Before a painfully hushed crowd, where many of his supporters were blinking back tears, McCain in his speech conceding defeat told: "Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. However, these are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face."

Two weeks later, last Monday, in a joint statement President-elect Barack Obama and his defeated Republican rival John McCain have pledged a "new era of reform" to solve the US economic crisis, transform energy policy and safeguard national security.

Obama's earnest wish for working together with rival republicans has been influenced to a great extent by Abraham Lincoln, his political guru, the sixteenth president of the United States, who most successfully led his country through its greatest internal crisis: the American Civil War. Abraham Lincoln, it may be mentioned, had assembled a hard-driving "team of rivals" drawn from his opponents for the Republican nomination in 1860.

Those of us who has a dream to see a bright future of Bangladesh must be feeling bad and down when they have to juxtapose such mutuality of respect and camaraderie among great politicians of the world with cantankerous and rancorous relationship among our political leaders on the question of holding and sharing power.

Camaraderie among politicians on the welfare of nation is the beauty of democracy ingrained in the teachings of statesmanship and showing such magnanimity to a political rival is possible only on the part of those politicians, like Abraham Lincoln, Maulana Bhashani, or Barack Obama, who are eager to enter history as statesmen---not simply as politicians.

The basic difference, in fact, between a politician and a statesman is: 'a politician looks up only to the next election and a statesman extends his vision far and far beyond. A statesman leaves behind footprints that inspire future leaders of next generations to follow in their patriotic footsteps now and long after their departure from this world'.

Today Bangladesh is at a crucial crossroads when we have to choose and elect the fittest possible leaders who can fulfil our cherished goals and aspirations by navigating us through a stormy climate of global recession. At a time when the whole world is reeling with financial meltdown and when Bangladeshi people are quite frustrated with bitter rivalry among main political parties, casting a vote in the next parliamentary election for anyone among wrongly nominated candidates would be fatal from both the economic and the political points of view.

Giving nominations to the best candidates, in respect of honesty and true leadership quality, for the next parliamentary election should now be the cardinal policy of all the political parties. A miss of an ounce of imagination at this hour will yield tons of miseries in future!

Let us see what is happening in Bangladesh economy. In a single month of July, 2008, Bangladesh exported goods worth US$ 1 billion and 543 million which is US$ 71 million more compared to exports worth US$ 902 million in July of 2007. Export in 2007-2008 was worth US$ 14 billion and 110.80 million which is about US$ 2 billion more compared to exports worth approximately US$ 12 billion in 2006-2007. In this financial year of 2008-2009 exports may settle at US$ 18 billion---a phenomenally unprecedented expected growth in spite of world recession---if only what is now prevailing in the commercial arena of Bangladesh is simply retained till the end of June, 2009.

There are three main secrets behind this stupendously staggering success in our exports: one is total absence of political violence and the other is keeping of Taka currency more or less stable in spite of dwindling value of US dollar during the last two years.

And the third is: even highbrowed consumers of the west are nowadays frantically searching for commodities of world class---not those of first class or high brands---in the wake of the present recession. Compared even to China or Vietnam Bangladesh is the best place for outsourcing those commodities of 'world class' shoppers in the West are searching in their malls.

In the world market, 'timely delivery of goods' is more lucrative than 'an offer of cheap price for goods' as the present trend of consumerism is highly time-sensitive.

Clients of our exports who have of late been used to our better sense of time management and many of whom have also turned their attention from Vietnam, China, and Cambodia to Bangladesh will immediately show their backs to us if the 'hartal' culture accompanied by as-usual political hooliganism is revived after the next parliamentary election and exporters start failing to meet the deadlines of their shipments.

That is why on the 15th November Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce organized a grand conference where business leaders literally begged for a consensus among the major political parties to ban 'hartal'. Have our leaders---one of whom is our next opposition leader in the waiting line---heard what the business leaders have shouted for?

If we observe minutely what our export entrepreneurs did achieve in the last two years, when there was no political government and as such no political violence like strikes, hartals, blockades of factories, roads and offices etc. during the tenure of the caretaker government, many neutral observers, we are afraid, may develop a notion---though wrong---that a non-political leadership could be a better option---not realizing that an undemocratic government lulls the governed into a false sense of security only to rob them blind later.

It is reassuring to note that the care taker government is going to prove wrong and groundless people's all the doubts about the government's sincerity of holding a parliamentary election. It is now more or less certain that 2009 will see a new democratically elected civilian government. We earnestly hope the two most important leaders, people would elect as one in the treasury bench and the other in the opposition bench, would have the mental capacity and the leadership quality to uphold national interests far above their personal dogmas and sufferings that may emanate out of their political rivalry.

These two leaders of ours must possess statesmanlike vision. S/he should have the mental equipment to wish his/her opponent success after conceding defeat in the next election. They must declare before election that they would not allow anybody to deprive us of our basic right of will---to follow their call for hartal or not to follow at our own free will. They should assure us that they or their followers would not resort to coercion to make us their followers under compulsion.

They should also assure us of their sincerities in not abetting demolition and destruction of public and private properties in the name of political campaigns. They should promise that they would be frame a law that would prescribe to try anybody found in indulging in any activity that may impede our economy as a seditionist.

If our leaders fail to assure us of their truest patriotism, if they fail to place the right nominees in the right constituencies in the next parliamentary election and if they fail to keep their pre-election promises they will rather pave the way for gagging democracy. People then next time may demand a nonpartisan government not merely for three months. The demand may be for three years or more. Our leaders must now realize that time has changed. They must show their political sagacity not as populist politicians but as statesmen; they should have followers who too must be truly patriotic.

Treading a patriotic path is not an easy job. Not any Tom, Dick and Harry can be a patriot. Delivering before a mammoth gathering a fervent patriotic speech ahead of an election is easy. But, shaking hands with a rival immediately after being defeated is not so simple. Writing an essay on patriotism depends on the essayist's skill in articulation. But, sacrificing life or the last piece of personal wealth for safeguarding motherland requires hard practice and supreme dedication.

Patriotism in a way is an addiction. Once one is addicted to patriotism s/he will go to any length to give up anything personal for the greater interest of his/her beloved homeland. A true patriot leaves behind a tale of heroic deeds and a voluble person with feigned patriotism leaves behind a mountain of blatant lies and grabbed wealth.

Tragically our nation has been blessed with a very few leaders who are or were imbued with true patriotism. In our country many leaders are picked by auction and most people are hoodwinked by their contrived political speeches.

And a few emerging leaders with their proven ability to salvage our country from ruination who once led us to peek into rays of hope have either been assassinated or been made to leave the political theatre under duress. We normally don't hear the faint sounds of most of their silent footsteps.

Expectations attached with Barack Hussein Obama

Asif Haroon Raja

In the 16th and 17th century the Americans forcibly carted away African youth from Africa in ships like animals and employed them on their plantations to till their lands under most subhuman conditions. Practice of forced slavery continued till Abraham Lincoln came on the American scene and was elected president in 1860. He won the elections on the basis of his resolve to end slavery in USA and to harmonise relations between the whites and blacks. Once he took over, the southerners who favoured continuation of slavery rebelled and formed Confederate States of America. It propelled Union of Northern States to wage a war which raged for four years in which 620000 soldiers died. The culmination of civil war in 1864 led to abolition of slavery but the prejudice against blacks continued unabated. Racial segregation in public schools, restaurants, transportation remained in vogue till as late as 1964. However, despite the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibited discrimination of all kinds based on race, colour and creed, race tensions did not die down. Signboards reading ?dogs and blacks not allowed' in Whites dominated areas were seen till recent. A notorious gang Ku Klux Klan surfaced in America which comprised of hired assassins to assassinate blacks and those soft towards Afro-Americans.

Other than the race prejudices in USA, the American society is sharply divided between the liberals and the conservatives. The former is aligned with Democratic Party and the latter, also known as Christian fundamentalists, with Republican Party. The Afro-Americans are 44 million; non-white Hispanics from Latin America are plus of this figure and the Asians are nearly 20 million. All told, the non-whites in America are about 100 million strong and yet they have been denied higher posts in USA as a state policy. Collin Powel and Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of States and Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General were exceptions, but we also know how Powell and Alberto were used, humiliated and fired. We also know the fate of Martin Luther who had demanded civil rights for the blacks. Rice managed to sail through because of her pro-white and anti-black behaviour due to which she is the most despised women among the black community.

The Pew Global Attitudes Project survey of 24 countries as well as other surveys carried out had found Barack Hussein Obama to be the clear favourite in the 2008 presidential race. Within the Muslim world, except for Jordan, Egypt and Lebanon, the rest had favoured Obama and had attached lot of hopes in him. One survey had showed majority of Israelis expressing scepticism about Obama. Amidst streaks of racial discrimination, superiority complex and egotism among white Americans, election of Democratic Party senator from Illinois Obama as the 44th president of USA on 4th November was a huge surprise and a monumental shift in world history. His colour and tag of half-Muslim added to his disqualification but he still made it to the White House despite a very close race with McCain. His election as the first black president has transformed a fanciful and wishful dream of the Afro-Americans into reality. His phenomenal rise to stardom inspires hope and it is wished that his era might herald a refreshing change from confrontation to conciliation, from intolerance to tolerance and making the world a safe place to live. Obama has promised change, both at home and internationally.

Obama's selection of his confidantes is meaningful and provides a food for thought for those who really desire to draw correct inferences based on logic and reasoning and not on whims and wishful thinking. Bruce Riedel who retired from CIA in 2006 has been appointed adviser on Pakistan. It is he who had fed Bush with the idea that Pakistan was the most dangerous country in the world. He had pressed Clinton in 1998 to fix Pakistan.

He sees Pakistan army as a source of all evil in the region and strongly advocates that it must be cut to size and turned into a police force. There is no reason to believe that Riedel would now change his mindset on Pakistan.

Ignoring 100 million Afro-Americans, Hispanics and Asians, Obama has chosen a white American Joe Biden as his Vice President. Selection of Hispanic origin Vice President would have fetched Obama tremendous political advantages and led to Afro-American-Hispanic political alliance. He has chosen a white Jew Rahm Emanuel as his chief of staff which is again intriguing. It is an established fact that neither any American can hope to win presidential race without Jewish support. Even if he manages to win he cannot survive for long if he adopts anti-Israeli policy. Besides their hold on media and economy, the Jewish political strength can be gauged from the fact that it has 13 senators in 111-member strong Senate and 31 members in House of Representatives. In short, the Jewish lobby determines the fate of every president of USA and is in a position to make or break him. Every president endeavours to become the protector of Israel.

Hence it can be safely presumed that the Jews had a definite hand in Obama's election and would now like to extract their pound of flesh in return for the great favour bestowed upon him. Selection of Emanuel becomes all the more astonishing when seen in the background of his shady past. He is son of notorious Benjamin M. Emanuel who was an active member of terrorist Zionist group Irgun which carried out series of terrorist acts in Palestine from 1931 to 1948. It was declared as a terrorist group by UK as well as leading Zionist and Jewish organisations but USA refused to do so. After the creation of Israeli state, Irgun became part of Israeli government but did not refrain from terrorism.

This group supported by Bibi Netanyahu played a key role in masterminding 9/11 to trigger war on terror against the Muslims. Emanuel is a staunch supporter of Iraq war and is not expected to advise Obama to bring a change on war on terror to provide relief to the Muslims.

The nucleus of Democratic Party picked up Obama at an early stage and groomed him to assume higher responsibilities. In this, Pete Rouse who worked as Obama's COS soon after he became a Senator, John Podesta and Valerie Jarret played important roles.

Besides, Emanuel helped in arranging funds and in providing issues. As per Chicago Tribune story, he was the golden boy of Democrats who recruited the right candidate and did what no one else could do in seven cycles. Hillary Rodham Clinton, a darling of the Jews, has been tipped to take over as Secretary of State. She is known for her pro-Israel posture and had repeatedly declared during election campaign that she was committed to the cause of Israel. Mindful of Jewish and Indian sensitivities, she had returned campaign money from Pakistanis. Judging by these selections, it is likely that Obama too would follow Israeli centric policies. He has already announced his unconditional support for undivided Jerusalem as Israeli capital and his opposition to dialogue with the Hamas. He is unlikely to force Israel to settle Palestinian conflict against its wishes.

Induction of Indian-American Sonal Shah in his team rings another alarm bell. Like Emanuel, he too is linked with a terrorist group Vishwa Hari Prashad (VHP), which has an established history of terrorism. VHP hands are dripped in the blood of Indian Gujarat pogrom in 2003 and in the recent carnage of Christians in Orissa state of India. Besides Sonal, three other Indian-Americans have been inducted in the transition team namely Preeta Bansal, Nicholas Rathod and Anjan Mukherjee. Indian-American community in USA had overwhelmingly supported Obama and are being rewarded. Obama is likely to further reward India by solving the Kashmir dispute to its liking and making

Pakistan accept its hegemony in the region under the garb of collectively fighting the menace of terror. No Muslim has so far been selected despite this community being 17 million in USA and Muslims being the worst affected in war on terror unleashed by Bush in October 2001.

Obama has inherited a plate full of pressing and challenging problems. The most pressing one is the economic recession and the war on terror which has stuck American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan with little hope of their early retrieval. This war has become a bleeding wound for USA. It has so far spent over $6 trillion on this futile war which has badly damaged US reputation and credibility. USA defence expenditure is over $500 billion, its national debt is $10 trillion and domestic savings rate well below 10% of GDP and the unemployment is rising. It is the biggest debtor nation of the world since it over relies on debt as a state policy. Eight years of Bush misrule has left a bitter legacy all over the world and has badly bruised US image and credibility particularly among the Muslim world where anti-Americanism is on the rise. It is in this particular context that Obama has become relevant for White Americans. They want him to do what his predecessor could not achieve and finish the unfinished agenda.

Obama is mindful of the domestic challenges but he cannot overlook the resurgence of Russia and the economic challenge posed by China. Iran's nuclear ambitions and defiance of its leadership would bug his mind.

The Israelis that have all along pressed for a tough stance including military action against Iran would expect Osama to deal with Iran more aggressively than his predecessor. Unresolved Palestinian problem which is widely believed to be the root cause of instability in the world as well as Israeli sensitivities would figure high in his list. The Israelis would like him to deal with Hamas as well as Hezbollah firmly and resolve the Palestinian issue to their liking.