The New Nation - Internet Edition

Relocating climate refugees

SPEAKERS at a conference in the city the other day suggested that Bangladesh should raise the demand for planned migration of around 30 million people to developed countries. Mentioning Bangladesh's vulnerability to climate change impacts, they underscored the need for adopting integrated development policies and pursuing a foreign policy towards realising compensation from developed countries. They opined that achievement of goals of poverty reduction would fail if climate change was not made a part of the overall development strategy.

Bangladesh's share in world carbon emission is near zero percent. According to sources, Bangladesh stands at the 66th position in the list of countries emitting carbon into the atmosphere with its annual emission of 0.1 percent. But this country is going to be one of the worst sufferers from climate change impacts. According to an IPCC report, Bangladesh is 'especially at risk' from sea-level rise and its implications like coastal erosion and land loss, inundation and sea flooding and increasing salinity of inland river water.

About 16 percent of the total land area of the country are feared to go under seawater for a rise of only one metre in the sea level and cause huge damage to agriculture and forestry and seriously affect the national economy. This is likely to force about 17 million directly affected people to migrate to other areas. With increasing rise of the sea level, more and more people will be forced to join the mass exodus. Being a densely populated country, Bangladesh does not have the land to rehabilitate them. So the demand for migration of the likely affected people is very much legitimate. The Pacific island of Nauru has reportedly managed to send many of its people to Australia while the Maldives has begun searching for land elsewhere to rehabilitate its entire population.

NBR's startling revelation

THE National Board of Revenue made some startling revelations as it carried out a survey as appeared in the press the other day. According to the findings of the survey, more than 50 per cent tax-payers' identification numbers, better known as 'TIN number', used for purchasing land and receiving credit cards from banks and over 30 per cent used in buying cars are 'fake'. The findings on evasion of tax has been described as an 'alarming trend' on the use of tax documents for availing regulatory and utility services. Only a few taxpayers' identification numbers were detected in two more areas covered by the survey-while opening letters of credit and receiving loans from banks amounting to more than Tk 5 lakh.

Overall, 131 or 35 per cent of the 371 TINs examined by NBR's special teams were found fake. Following the findings, the NBR chairman issued a note of stern warning that no one would be able to dodge all laws including the one on tax all the time and if found guilty, law will take it own course and the evader will 'lose both ways'-cancellation of benefits and punishment. The revenue board would soon conduct a full-fledged survey to identify fake TINs used for various official purposes and then take necessary measures to pursue all of them to come under the tax net. As reported by media, relevant government departments have already been requested to help the revenue board to identify fake number holders and take steps accordingly. The board will also review the situation every three months to monitor and keep track of the actions to be taken in this regard.

ZEE TV dramas, SAB comedies and BBC's keeping up appearances

Dr. M. S. Haq

Saat Phere and Kasamh Se are among the present day drama serials of ZEE TV. They are now-a-days shown in Bangladesh - 4 days a week, Monday through Thursday. A brief examination of those serials against the backdrop of a variety of developments at local, national, global and other levels would reveal - relative to time, space and other variables, though - several things. A few of them have been presented below - not in the order of priority or importance, per se.

1. Saat Phere and Kasamh Se are light dramas with a variety of marketing and other agendas - crafted or promoted or both by all concerned, either deliberately or otherwise. Sarees, ornaments and shoes that are used by for example, actresses (I mean, actresses of above dramas) during various episodes of those dramas are being reproduced at varying market rates for consumptions by various markets and market segments in India, per se. Interesting though, those products are now-a-days attracting - in varying degrees - Bangladeshis and others - visiting Kolkata and other places of India. It is likely the marketers of above products are at present attempting to sustain and promote inter alia a solid market for those products by attracting at least initially the fans of drama serials, among others. Perhaps, a good example of what I would call media-market plus market-media diplomacy.

2. The nature and the scope of lessons and best practices that could be derived from above drama serials are not - on an average basis and in pertinent areas - conducive, at this point in time, to promoting in societies: rational behaviors; an acceptable level of objectivity and realism; the rule of law with a tolerable face; a reasonable amount of respect for the law of land; anti-terrorism; anti-extremism (so many religious functions); and contemporary visions of India; to mention a few.

3. The drama serials have been suffering from say, poverty of new ideas as the turn of drama events over a period of time has so far unfolded inter alia striking similarities between Saat Phere and Kasamh Se in relevant areas. The bottom line is: the serials are - in certain respects - entertaining but they lack a critical mass of constructive messages for promoting the future of India and the world at large via the domain of electronic entertainments through the 21st century.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah and Main Kab Saas Banoongi are among the present day comedy serials of SAB TV of Sony. They are, among other things and in many respects, interesting, full of fun, and lesson bearing - in particular, Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah. It will not be out of place to mention here: the story; the performance of actors and actresses; the direction; the production; and the end product at the user end; all pertaining to Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah have - so far - tended to suggest, in an average sense and as appropriate, number of things.

For example: the comedy serial is a product that has been designed to satisfy a variety of market needs and expectations (used in a wider sense) - an intelligent, balanced and conscious effort, indeed; the comedy serial is a product that represents a good mixture of say, ground realities and fantasies in pertinent areas; the comedy serial is a product that is sensitive, in a diplomatic fashion, to social problems and limitations - both existing and evolving; the comedy serial is a product that is aware of its moral, ethical and social responsibilities, and the comedy serial is a product that is responsive - to an extent - to overall wellbeing of societies. Well done! Keep up the good work.

Specially speaking, the performance of for example, Jetha's father has so far been found to be of a high average standard - Jetha's wife has at times found to be overacting a little bit, though.

It is expected Mr. Taarak Mehta, the writer of the serial will step up further efforts towards transforming his product into a window of opportunities for reforms - covering a wider and diversified areas such as human rights, secular rights, poor people's rights, right to life, disparities, deprivations, elimination of wastage, equity and equality - at various societal and other levels in India and the world at large. It is also expected the Sony including its able teams will help enable concerned societies and others to benefit from the end product of for example, Taarak Mehta Ka Ootah Chashmah in a more meaningful, useful and diversified fashion than that at present - through the foreseeable future.

I wrote previously in the newspapers about the BBC's comedy serial - Keeping up appearances. It appears to me the serial is one of the best products of BBC. One of the reasons for that is: the serial is nearer to a number of common traits of human beings and societies of human beings, among other things.

The serial is, on one hand, reasonably filled up with for example, fun. It, on the other hand, attempts to creating inter alia opportunities for self-reflection and through that self-correction - among the serial viewers and others. Now that BBC entertainment is currently operational in Bangladesh, it is the expected the people will be able to watch - Keeping up appearances - in the country at the soonest.

The last word: let us ensure a maximum utilization of the power of art and culture via ICT and other relevant technologies in pursuits of for example, promoting civilization renewals through the future.

The post-election sceneries

M.T. Hussain

It is known that forty seven or forty eight percent of votes polled in favor of the winning party in Bangladesh on the 29th December election for the Boat symbol of the Awami that included not only the Awami League candidates but also some other parties combined in the 14 party's alliance. Believing the figure to be near about the truth it can safely be presumed that though they secured over 260 seats in the 300 member 9th parliament have had consent of less than 50% majority people. The rest 53 or 52 percent did not see eye to eye with the programmes and manifesto of the14 party's alliance. However, the 7% of the 53/52% lend support to the Ershad's Jatiya Party (JP) that could be taken not fully with the alliance, or even as distanced from the alliance in case Ershad is not given the position of the President of the country as had been the pre-condition of his support for the alliance that is now almost certain that Awami League's own oldest person Zillur Rahman is almost certain to be the President of Bangladesh. In such certain case they have to remain happy with the 47/48 percent support for the Awami League, and so less than 50% people's support. This is a weakness of the parliamentary democratic election we inherited from the colonial master, and unless and until the system would not be changed, say, likely for proportional representation, Bangladesh would have to bear the weakness and vulnerability of the Parliamentary democracy.

I use the term vulnerability to remind many of us that in the immature culture of political democracy and ignorance of many people about sovereign rights of the people and their duties to perform in exercise of their citizenship rights, some crooks have been telling many of our less prudent people to believe that because the nationalists got only a few seats in the election compared to the 14 party's alliance, they have been totally vanquished and also their ideological stance for nationalist and Islamic values eliminated from the soil of Bangladesh. Is that really so?

Bangladesh has a clear history of landslide victories in elections during the past six decades. One may recall such facts of landslides since the one in 1946 followed by in 1954, then 1970, 2001 and this time in 2008. It was not only the landslides fifth in record in 62 years but what also happened in victory each time due to fall out of the anti- incumbency factor. The 1946 factor was the colonial British and their native lackeys whom the common people wished to eliminate, in 1954 the anti-incumbency factor was the Muslim League, in 1970 the Dictator Ayub Khan, in 2001 the Awami League and this time in 2008 the BNP and to some extent the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh. Unusually raised hopes in all those cases of victories followed despair each time.

In addition, the winners took all each time giving damn to the defeated group. This time things look little different though but not only facing resistance from the day one but also that the majority (53/52%) people was out of the lot. In other words, majority people in the country did not agree with the issues they put up as pre-election promises.

That was quite likely .because, they had put up many issues that either had been settled long ago or of no factual anything but only propaganda rhetoric for advantage of the enemy to exploit.

Let us take the example of the 'war criminal' issue of 1971. Apart from the fact that the listed 195 war criminal, all serving army men, had been set free having had boasted 'we know how to forgive' and so done without any legal prosecution following the 1971 war, how could there be anybody left for prosecution not listed then and then, and not prosecuted during the last 38 years? The witch hunting under the so-called collaborators Act of 1972 had to be shelved after adopting the Constitution of the country in December 1972, because, the basic rights of citizens guaranteed in the Constitution automatically made the law inoperative as that contradicted with the fundamental rights of citizens. The Special tribunal formed for trial of specific cases of arson, looting, rape, murder etc could not be morally pursued. The legal prosecution as well became complicated as in most of the families there were divides, one for Bangladesh and the other for Pakistan even among the Bengali speaking population.

We know that the Awami League has proposed in their manifesto to try the 'war criminals'. That is their commitment. Now they have to look for their mode to do it. As is known war criminals are tried in the International Court of Justice at The Hague. I know a few such cases.

One such case was tried for three years from early 2005 to April 2008 against Ramush Haradijina, former Prime Minister of Kosovo. In the final court verdict he was found not guilty as there was no sufficient evidence and so he was freed on the 4th April 2008, and then returned as hero on the 5th April to his own country. One must wonder if any Bangladesh's attempt to try any would end in a fiasco not without cost to the State not only in terms of money and effort but also of in terms of prestige and image, particularly, in the Muslim countries.

Further, the party has promised to fully secularize Bangladesh politics by reviving the 1972 Constitution and 'banning religion-based politics'. Could this be any simple task?

The first hurdle is in annulment of the 5th Amendment of the Constitution.

Should they attempt to do this by the brute force of majority, it would certainly create emotional outburst with Islamic religious fervor among the people not only among the 53% but may rise to 90% because, Islamic religious sentiment is extremely strong in Bangladesh. Further more, many Muslim countries would take exception to it that may create enormous difficulties of multi-facet nature. What I intend to drive at is that the nationalist and Islamic values remained pre-dominant ethos of the people. The common people have not abandoned this issue by voting the alliance. The common and overwhelmingly poor people who constitute over 50% of the 150 million people voted in the hope that they would get cheaper goods for bare sustenance. Should they fail to deliver this bare minimum expectation, the swing is soon to surface and be repeated as the extreme of pendulum. In other words, it can safely be concluded that the nationalists and the Islamic forces are certainly poised for next and sixth landslide to swing in their favour. The 47% would then reduce to anything for the rest 53% to swell to victor for the nationalist and the Islamic forces. This is what the remote history would also tell for this land has been a land of the forces of values that made its start in the beginning of the thirteenth century with the start of the warrior Ikhtiaruddin Muhammad Bin Bakhtiar Khiljee in 1203 A.D.

I would rather say, cheers for the nationalist and forces adhered to Islamic values for equality of human beings, justice and fair play to put right now all sincere and honest efforts directed to realise the dream our forefathers had for centuries in this land of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina's carte blanche

Kazi S.M. Khasrul Alam Quddusi

Even some staunch supporters of Bangladesh Awami Leauge (AL) were found pensive instead of being over the moon following the landslide victory of AL-led grand alliance in the recent landmark election. Yes, kind of apprehension was at the centre of their concern as to whether the AL leadership will be able to deliver the promises and live up to the trust reposed in them by the teeming millions who have provided Sheikh Hasina with a free rein to move ahead through a silent vote revolution.

Some have warned of dreadful recurrence of history in context of South Asian politics where there was either debacle of such majority-winning parties or army takeover. I, however, feel like being positive deep in my heart because I sense a clear tinge of confidence for the complete freedom provided to Sheikh Hasina by the people. I thus thank the judicious electorate of the country for strengthening the hands of Sheikh Hasina to the greatest extent possible for executing her charter of change.

Yes, the equation is quite simple. She has so many numbers of parliament members under her belt that none and no vested quarter in her party will be able to stand in the way if she wants to deliver the promises she made to the nation. Such an overwhelming majority she now commands that no quarter in her party will dare to sabotage her good intentions in fear of being politically obliterated for good. She has been given the liberty to impose draconian rule in her party so that none from her party can torment anybody in her name.

The common people expect a cabinet from Sheikh Hasina, which will comprise people of clean image and good track record. However, if control is exercised in good faith, there will always remain room for rectifications. She is now in a such a position so as to send down instant marching orders if any of her cabinet minister or incumbent is found wanting. She does not have to worry about genuine information. She can easily draw on the reports of the objective media for this very purpose.

If she cannot manage time to glance over the newspapers, she can employ some dedicated people to do that for her and update her from time to time. Based on mere media information followed by thorough yet quick validation, she would always be able to ditch any minister or incumbent without a second thought for possible repercussions. As long as the interests of the people as well as the country are upheld, the countrymen would mind little for her enlightened despotism against the budding corrupts and criminals.

I believe Sheikh Hasina has now become a true statesman. Years of vicissitudes and wealth of experience of politics and governance are behind her. In addition, presence of enlightened and competent people around her make one even more assured. Absolute caution, however, should be in place so that so called well-wishers in the garb of close relatives and party stalwarts cannot divert her concentration and devotion even for a while.

It is now common knowledge that role of close relatives has been invariably negative in tarnishing the image of political leadership in the past Khladea Zia being the most recent victim. One feels particularly happy for the fact that none will be able to single out his or her contribution for this resounding victory of AL-led opposition. Yes, no specific leader (leaders) -- senior or young -- was exceptionally influential in this victory. It is only the masses who were instrumental in this massive victory of AL-led opposition.

With a new government starting its journey, there will be many new appointments in many posts. One, however, expects that the new government will not try to tinker with the constitutional bodies constituted or reconstituted during the military-backed caretaker government.

Admittedly, one of the caretaker government's achievements was that it staffed almost all crucial bodies with competent and efficient people. Thus, mere strengthening them will serve the honest purpose of the new AL-led government.

However, in terms of new appointments in posts other than constitutional ones, competence and commitment rather than rewarding party lackeys should be the criteria. Only fools will dare to forget the outcome of manning important bodies with incompetent people in the recent past. How can one forget that people like Mr. Aziz, Tahmida Begum were not less responsible for BNP-led coalition's humiliating defeat in the elections?

To many, this landslide victory is a big challenge for AL. Thus, there are more warning bells than applause, and rightly so. To my mind, however, it is more of an opportunity than a challenge. There is a lot to be sanguine that the new government, led by the daughter of the father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Sheikh Hasina is wise enough to make utmost of this grand opportunity. Million thus join me in the prayers so that Shiekh Hasina's government can thwart tragic repetition of history and succeed in rewriting the same.