Bangladesh News and Discussion

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 28 Jan 2010 08:57

SSridhar-ji,
In the past,before BNP came to power, AL was at the helm too, but things didn't
move.
........

But this time things are at a different level. May be there are a few hidden actors behind the curtain - unkil, unty, big bro, you name them.

1. Let's start from the begining - about six months before the last election. Has BNP-Jamait
lost its hold completely? My answer is a humble No. It is deeply entrenched, it has
consolidated its roots very solidly, especially in the last five/six years - which is very very alarming IMHO. In the southern belt of BD it is solidifying its gains for a long haul. AL, especially top leaders know it very well. It is very much well known to unkil, unty and big bro. As if AL has been given a mandate by these unseen players to clean up the mess ASAP.
About six months before the election, when the countours of electoral fights were getting a little clear, suddenly there was an awakening in the media circle about the danger of BNP-jamait alliance. With some unseen hand herding the BD media in a particular direction, there were an explosion of anti Jihadi, anti-Jamait articles, discussions, debates. It affected the young generation, especially students, young professionals deeply. Suddenly people realized how BNP-Jamait was playing a divisive politics and ruining the country. A few prominent newspapers, who till the other day had a little pro-right tilt, suddenly corrected the direction and backed AL.

2. After coming to power, AL is in a mad rush to execute the promises it madebefore the election. It promised a new division would be created oby curving out Rangpur from Rajshahi division. On Jan 25th, Hasina delivered it. Northernmost eight districts (Nilfamari, lalmonirhut, etc) were taken out of Rajshahi division to create BD's newest and seventh division. People have been celebrating for the last three days now. In normal circumstances it would have taken years to deliver. This new division is the most backward among all divisions. rapid economic growth here is the goal.

3. Work is progressing well on fifty point Indo-bangla joint declaration. To settle the maritime boundary both countries are now meeting to finalize the list of five member arbitration committee. Indian team has already surveyed the Ashuganj port for its modernization.

4. One should look at the execution of five accused of Mujib killing in this light. No time should be wasted to deny BNP-Jamait any ground. Very reliable sources inform that in the last one year there has been a sudden increase in cultural and literary activities all over the country. There has been a new emphasis to involve women in this renaissance. This is to highlight the cultural and progressive heritage of Bengali way of life which is very anathema to backward looking petro-dollar supported fundamentalism.

More later.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 28 Jan 2010 10:31

SSridhar saar, this hanging business can be looked at either way. Just like one may want to see the ah-so-swiftness of BD justice, one can also see facts as they are. The Bongabandhu was assassinated in 1975. I have no love lost for the Bongabandhu himself given his trucking with the OIC, KSA, US, china and pak, and dissing of India in the post-72 accord phase. The folks who assassinated him had patronage from the takeover regime of Khondaker Moshtaque Ahmad. In fact, JND in his book claims that KM Ahmad was dethroned as furrin mantri in the 71 war time due to his hobnobbing with the paki folks. SS Ray tried to help in having KM Ahmad around because he thought if we did things openly, there would be a severe loss of morale in the Mukti Bahini.

That said, there are claims and counter-claims that KM Ahmad was a part of the conspiracy of Mujib assassination. At the very least, the assassinators got indemnity due to his decision. Army officers got promoted. Zia-ur-Rahman became the army chief, four senior AL leaders of the Mujibnagar government were assassinated in prison, would you believe it?! Do folks in BD even remember it except for occasional reminders from the daily star folks? KM Ahmad himself was overthrown first by pro-Mujib forces before Zia came aboard in a ring-a-ring-a roses between factions of the army. Nevertheless KM Ahmad died peacefully in 1996, so much for justice.

SHW ruled the country from 96-2001, but since she did nt have overwhelming numbers in the Jotiyo Songsad, she went slow. And things got put away for a good 8 years after that, first with the 4 party league and then with the 1/11 caretaker government. Do you think SHW would have done something tangible if she had not won an overwhelming majority in the elections of Dec 28, 2008? I doubt it. She went double speed ahead cos she had numbers. Even then Pilkhana happened to "request" her to go slow. And Pilkhana trials and arrests and counter-arrests are going on and on, and noone including anyone in the country has a clue as to who did what. Perhaps GoI has a better clue than all the morons that report in BD about Pilkhana. SHW had an assassination attempt in 2004 and there are evidences that BKZ played a major role in it. At the very least, Tarique Rahman, BKZ's son, seems to be the X-factor that people openly claim was responsible for the attempt on SHW's life. Yet Tarique Rahman is untouched, and is happily in London. SAMS Kibria was assassinated due to his closeness with the Mujib family. Nothing happened to his killers. For the five years from 01-06, Haba bhaban became the murky underworld where assassination attempts were planned, arms shipments were made, JMJB folks got patronage and J-e-I and HuJI folks had a free run. 500+ simultaneous and coordinated blasts happened in 2005 due to the JMJB efforts. Would you believe it? In any sensible country, people will go nuts if 1 blasts happens, 500+ all coordinated and centralized, can you guess the manpower that is needed for making this happen, the infra, the money power, the humint? Yet what did we see? We saw the hanging of Banglabhai. One or two small kingpins get caught once a while.

We could all look at Md Yunus and his microcredit and admire BD for getting things done, despite issues that they face. Or we could take a nuanced look at what goes on, and heave a sigh of relief that we are not Bangladeshis. There are a 1008 things that are wrong in India and 10008 things that are wrong with India, but the elephant when it marches gets things done, by hook or crook. We can and should learn the lessons that we have to learn from BD, in terms of microcredit, in terms of chugging along despite the cyclones, despite the riots, despite the utter hopelessness of political dimwits, despite the rivers that change course at the drop of a hat, despite arsenic in water, despite this, despite that, but taking lessons from them on politics, lessons on swiftness of justice esp when only 5 of the 12 pawns in the game are hanged a good 35 years after the assassination, and the main culprits are all happily with Allah and noone has a clue as to who did what, cmon sir, should I say "huh?!"

rohitvats · Post by **rohitvats** » 28 Jan 2010 16:03

OT Alert:

Stan_Savljevic wrote:SSridhar saar......<SNIP>

Stan garu, I'm still awaiting the inputs on the LTTE-Western Countries nexus and chorus in dying days of LTTE from the Millband and Co.What did the western goverenments stand to gain from LTTE?

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 28 Jan 2010 17:20

^^ Sure, remember. Will get back sooner than later. Have a ton of stuff to read though.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Jan 2010 17:37

Stan, all I have said was that the time frame between SC order, clemency rejection and the execution itself was quick. Nothing more and nothing less. And, in a high profile case. One needs a certain determination for doing that. Whether it happens all the time in BD or not is not what I was stating. I was not talking about the entire case taking such a long time or Sheikh Hasina herself unable to do much in her earlier stint etc. That was why I said, " . . .the present regime in Bangladesh went about the hanging of the killers of Bangabandhu." The present regime itself may dilly-dally on so many other things, of which I am not interested. I was specific about this particular incident. My point is that once the SC clears the death sentence, the clemency petitions must be disposed of quickly one way or the other and the execution/release take place quickly thereafter.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 28 Jan 2010 18:03

SSridhar wrote:Stan, all I have said was that the time frame between SC order, clemency rejection and the execution itself was quick. Nothing more and nothing less. And, in a high profile case. One needs a certain determination for doing that.

Saar, this excerpt from the daily star report will put things in context:

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed told reporters that as per jail code, the jail authorities should execute the convicts between the 21st and 28th days after the trial court issued death warrants against them. The death warrants were issued on January 3 and the countdown started the same day, Shafique said, adding that this means the last date for execution is January 31.

So the unusual speed, even in this case as a stand-alone, can also be seen in different ways. But taking a collective view of what goes on in BD....

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Jan 2010 18:49

Stan, this is what I understand is the latest sequence of events:

Nov. 19, 2009 - 5 ex-army officers lose their appeal in the SC to be tried in a military court. Their review petition against the death sentence is still pending.
Jan. 3, 2010 - Dhaka Sessions Judge issues death warrants for the five.
Jan. 9, 2010 - Last date for the submission of clemency petitions. The execution will take place between 21 and 28 days of the death warrant or wait until clearance of the mercy petition and/or review petition.. Mercy petitions to the Home Ministry submitted by four out of the five, on Jan 9th.
Between Jan 10 & Jan 26 - Sheikh Hasina had rejected the clemency petitions, one after the other.
Jan. 24 to 26 - SC hears arguments on the review petition
Jan. 27, 2010 - The Supreme Court rejects the review petition against the death sentence of the five.
Jan. 27, 2010 - The jail authorities receive the copy of the rejection of the review petition by the SC in the evening.
A few hours later, the five were executed.

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 28 Jan 2010 19:31

I know I am nitpicking, but allow me to post the timeline in a more elaborate detail:

1) The deafening sound of gunshots broke the stillness of dawn on August 15, 1975 on road No 32 of Dhanmondi residential area. In less than an hour, the darkest chapter in the political history of Bangladesh was written on that fateful morning. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the following members of his family were assassinated in three separate attacks: his wife Begum Fazilatunnessa, sons Sheikh Kamal, Sheikh Jamal and nine-year-old Sheikh Russel, daughters-in-law Sultana Kamal, Parveen Jamal, Bangabandhu's brother Sheikh Naser, brother-in-law Abdur Rab Serniabat, 13-year-old Baby Serniabat, Serniabat's son Arif, four-year-old grand son Babu, a visiting nephew, three guests, four servants, Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, a nephew of Bangabandhu, his wife Begum Arju Moni, and Bangabandhu's security chief Colonel Jamil Uddin Ahmed.

2) Khondaker Moshtaque Ahmad immediately took control of the government, proclaiming himself president. Several of the army officers, including Syed Faruque Rahman received promotions. Major General Ziaur Rahman was appointed as the army chief after removal of Major General Shafiullah. Khondaker also ordered the imprisonment of pro-Mujib leaders Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmad, A. H. M. Qamaruzzaman and Muhammad Mansur Ali. He proclaimed the Indemnity Ordinance, which granted immunity from prosecution to the assassins of Mujib. Mujib's daughters Sheikh Hasina Wazed and Sheikh Rehana were barred from returning to Bangladesh from abroad.

3) Pro-Mujib officers Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf and the Dhaka Brigade under Colonel Shafat Jamil made a counter-coup on November 3, 1975, and Ziaur Rahman was forced to resign and was put under house arrest. Khondaker Moshtaque Ahmad was ousted from power on 6 November, 1975 and imprisoned.

4) A third coup was staged under Colonel Abu Taher and a group of socialist military officers and supporters of the left-wing Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal on November 7, called the "National Revolution and Solidarity Day" (Sipoy-Janata Biplob) (Soldiers and People's Coup). Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf was killed and Colonel Jamil arrested, while Colonel Taher freed Ziaur Rahman and re-appointed him as army chief.

5) Following a major meeting at the army headquarters, an interim government was formed with Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem as chief martial law administrator and Zia, Air Vice Marshal M. G. Tawab and Rear Admiral M. H. Khan as his deputies. Zia also took on the portfolios of home affairs, finance, industry and information along with becoming the army chief of staff.

6) Fearing that Colonel Abu Taher, who in fact rescued him few months earlier, would attempt to organise another revolt, Zia ordered his arrest. Following a secret trial in a military court, Zia authorised the execution of Colonel Taher on July 21, 1976. Zia became the chief martial law administrator following Justice Sayem's elevation to the presidency on November 19, 1976.

7) Major General Ziaur Rahman became the 6th President of Bangladesh on April 21, 1977 following Justice Sayem's resignation on grounds of "ill health." The Indeminity Ordinance proclaimed by President Mustaque was ratified in the Parliament when Zia's party BNP had a landslide victory in the national elction of 1979. The ordinance thereby became Indemnity Act. He allowed Sheikh Hasina, the exiled daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to return to Bangladesh.
------
Interregnum with dances by Maj Gen Hossein Mohd Ershad following the assassination of Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman. During the tenure of President HM Ershad, the Indemnity Act was incorporated as the 5th amendment to the constitution. This is followed by BNP electoral victory in 1990 where nothing happens on the case-front.
------
9) Upon winning the elections in 1996, the Awami League, led by Mujib's daughter, Sheikh Hasina, repealed the Indemnity ordinance. The Bangabandhu murder trial commenced, and Faruque, and some other coup leaders were arrested. Rashid, however, escaped arrest as he was reportedly in Libya.

10) On November 8, 1998, Dhaka Sessions Judge Golam Rasul handed down death sentences to 15 of the 20 defendants in the case.

11) A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice Md Ruhul Amin and Justice ABM Khairul Haque on December 14, 2000, delivered split verdicts on death reference appeals in the case. First judge Justice Md Ruhul Amin upheld the death sentences of 10 and acquitted five -- Muhiuddin Ahmed, Ahmed Shariful Hossain, Md Kismat Hashem, Nazmul Hossain Ansar, and Moslemuddin. Second judge Justice ABM Khairul Haque upheld the death sentences of all 15 convicts.

12) On January 15, 2001, Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim was appointed as the third judge to adjudicate the appeals. He delivered the final High Court verdict in the case on April 30, 2001, affirming the convictions and death sentences of 12 of the 15 defendants. The three that he acquitted are Md Kismat Hashem, Ahmed Shariful Hossain, and Nazmul Hossain Ansar.

13) Following BNP-alliance's victory in the 2001 elections and formation of the four party government, case again goes into suspended animation.

14) The third Caretaker government in Bangladesh history is formed after the tenure of the government of prime minister Khaleda Zia ended in October 2006. The Caretaker government of Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed functioned without legislative authority as it continued to function after its scheduled tenure of 120 days ended on 12 May 2007.

15) On June 18, 2007, one of the conspirators who had been sentenced to death, Mohiuddin Ahmed, was extradited to Bangladesh from the United States. On August 07, 2007, the murder case hearing resumed after 6 years.

16) On September 23, 2007, a three-judge special bench of the Appellate Division comprising Justice Mohammed Tafazzul Islam, Justice Mohammed Joynul Abedin, and Justice Mohammed Hassan Ameen granted the leave to appeal petitions filed by the five convicts.

17) Convicts Lt Col (sacked) Syed Farooq-ur Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Lt Col (retd) Muhiuddin Ahmed, Lt Col (retd) AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed, and Maj (retd) Bazlul Huda, who were behind bars, filed the appeals with the apex court in October 2007 against their convictions and death sentences by a lower court. On October 5, the Appellate Division started hearing the appeals on five points - whether Bangabandhu was killed along with most of his family members as a result of a mutiny in the army; whether the witness statements were contradictory; whether the delay in filing the first information report had been reasonable as thought by the lower court; whether there was any conspiracy behind the murders; and whether disposal of the death references appeals of six defendants out of 15 by the 3rd judge in the High Court was correct and legal.

18) The national election of Bangladesh was held on 29 December 2008 under the Caretaker government and Sheikh Hasina Wajed wins overwhelming majority.

19) After 34 years of the brutal killings of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members, the Appellate Division of Supreme Court [SC] finally delivers its verdict in the murder case on November 19, 2009.

20) ...

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 28 Jan 2010 19:42

Stan, in my original post and in my later post I had said very clearly that I was only referring to the short timeframe between the disposal of the final application, clemency and execution. I am very well aware of the timeline you have posted.

sugriva · Post by **sugriva** » 28 Jan 2010 19:54

The BNP/JeI strongholds seem to be in the west and the south, that are relatively more poverty prone than the rest of the country.
Witness this
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=25412

The researchers said Barisal (52.0%), Rajshahi (51.2%) and Khulna (45.7%) have the highest incidence of poverty compared to the remaining divisions.

Barishal in deep south and Rajshahi and Khulna in west are known hotbeds of Islamic fundamentalists in BD
and

Dhaka division recorded the lowest level of poverty followed by Sylhet (33.8%) and Chittagong (34.0%)

The east of the country, viz Dhaka, Sylhet, Chittagong are the AL home areas.

ramana · Post by **ramana** » 29 Jan 2010 01:00

The five killers were hanged today.

putnanja · Post by **putnanja** » 29 Jan 2010 04:13

Scream of the assassin - Last hours of the plotters hanged in Dhaka past midnight

Dhaka, Jan. 28: Bazlul Huda, a bespectacled man in his 60s, was the first to walk to the gallows, his face covered with a black hood and hands cuffed behind.

As the guards escorted him to the brightly lit gallows inside Dhaka Central Jail, the former major and one of the plotters of Mujibur Rahman’s assassination struggled to free himself and screamed for his life as loud as he could.

Within minutes, he was on a wooden platform with a manila rope round his hooded neck. A jail official waved and dropped a red handkerchief to the ground — a signal for the executioner to go ahead.

As the executioner pulled the lever, the wooden planks under Huda’s feet slid open, letting his lanky frame swing into the void below.

“It’s over,” said a government doctor examining the body after it had been brought down from the gallows. “He is dead.”

It was just past midnight.
...
...
Huda was followed to the gallows by Muhiuddin Ahmed. Faruk and Shahriar were next, followed by Mahiuddin Ahmed.
...

Malayappan · Post by **Malayappan** » 29 Jan 2010 07:08

Bitter legacy of Bangladeshi hero's killing BBC weighs in. A short overview of Zia vs. Mujib history writing in B'desh. Pity!

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 30 Jan 2010 18:29

IDSA COMMENT
A Year of Revival of Democracy in Bangladesh ----- Anand Kumar
http://www.idsa.in/idsacomments/AYearof ... mar_290110

ISI behind counterfeit Indian currency racket, says Bangladesh
http://news.rediff.com/report/2010/jan/ ... ladesh.htm

Bangladesh executions may force Canada not to deport Toronto suspect
http://www.theprovince.com/news/Banglad ... story.html
The oiseaules of canada harbor terrorists of all ilks, from the khalistanis to the ltte scumbags to the osama-lites to the H-u-T, no love lost for the canadians, definitely none after the Kanishka charade. Fck em, and immigrate there and take the damn place over, that is the least Indians can do.

Now living in Toronto, the 59-year-old Chowdhury has been challenging a Canadian deportation order on the grounds that he will be put to death if returned to Bangladesh. Canada, which abolished capital punishment in 1976, requires foreign nations to guarantee that any suspect extradited or deported from this country will not be subject to the death penalty for alleged crimes committed abroad.

Bhutan to export oranges to Bangladesh
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/det ... an3010/ne2

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 30 Jan 2010 23:01

Check Bangladeshi newspapers. They are running exposes giving details of
Fake Indian Currency (FIC) groups activities in bangladesh. How and when
"Pakistani Military Intelligence" (read ISI) is recruiting and helping them,
their modus operandi, contact people, connection with BNP leaders, etc.
etc.are are now being published.

pak agents, in the disguise of cloth/garment traders have settled in BD,
married local women, and running these FIC groups for several years now.
Important aspect - these BD wives have lured more women now in this FIC
business because they would draw less attention. recent arrests of FIC
members and their interrogations for the last two weeks have provided vital info.

sum · Post by **sum** » 30 Jan 2010 23:19

pak agents, in the disguise of cloth/garment traders have settled in BD,
married local women, and running these FIC groups for several years now.

ISID actually sends agents over to BD with a cover story ( great illegals in Russian terms) just to set up FICN networks?

These guys are truely a twisted breed.

SureshP · Post by **SureshP** » 31 Jan 2010 06:42

A lot of gobledegook and attempts at selfjustification

Before and After August 15
In eyes of Gen Shafiullah

In this exclusive interview with The Daily Star, Maj Gen (retd) KM Shafiullah, Bir Uttam, who was the army chief when Bangabandhu was killed on August 15, 1975, tells Inam Ahmed and Julfikar Ali Manik what was happening in the army before and after the killings.

The artillery and armoured divisions of Bangladesh Army were into regular night training twice a month. Thursdays and Fridays were chosen for the training and incidentally the August 15 night fell between these two days.

"One big problem [at that time] was that the army did not have any organised intelligence wing," Shafiullah says. The usual norm is that the army intelligence wing is developed along with the force. The Directorate of Forces Intelligence that was raised with the army was supposed to report directly to the chiefs of the three forces. But in 1974, the DFI was suddenly placed under the president's secretariat. This put the army chief in an information void as the DFI director general was reporting to the president directly.

It was then that Shafiullah took an initiative to reorganise the army and proposed a complete structure for setting up five divisions and the military intelligence directorate that exists today. However, the proposal got stuck at the defence ministry and it was taking time.

It was around this time that a startling information "accidentally" surfaced, says Shafiullah.

Some time in 1975 before August 15, an NCO was caught in Dhaka Cantonment with leaflets calling for an uprising in the army. The leaflets spewed venom against the newly-formed Rakkhi Bahini, arguing that this paramilitary force was set up to replace the army and that army men would lose their jobs.

"I went to the then deputy defence minister Prof Nurul Islam with the leaflet to inform him about it and then we met the president and requested him to approve the portion of Military Intelligence Directorate with priority so that he could at least organise it and train people to put them on their job," says Shafiullah.

He also told the president to shift the DFI under the army headquarters until the proposal is approved.

After a few moments of silence, Sheikh Mujib asked Shafiullah: "Does [Brig Gen] Rouf not keep you posted on intelligence affairs?"

Rouf was then the director general of DFI.

Shafiullah told Bangabandhu that he was not sure if Rouf had informed Bangabandhu about the leaflet found on the NCO and showed it to him. "Bangabandhu did not answer and I took it as a sign that he already knew about it. I was surprised because here was an intelligence gap--here is something that the president knew but I did not although I was the person who was supposed to be the first to get the information," says Shafiullah.

Shafiullah told Bangabandhu that his new intelligence plan had not been approved yet. He said if it took a long time for the whole organorgram to be approved, the president could at least approve the military intelligence set-up.

The intelligence unit was about to be approved and knocking at the door. But the proposal finally got through only after the killing of Bangabandhu--sometime in September 1975.

Bangabandhu was supposed to be present at the convocation of Dhaka University on August 15, 1975. In the afternoon of August 14, there were some bomb explosions around the university zone where he was supposed to distribute certificates. The then IGP Nurul Islam called Shafiullah and sought army's help as police had no explosives experts. "I sent several detachments to sweep through the zone to detect explosives," says Shafiullah.

On the same day, an Indian helicopter, provided to Bangladesh for overseeing the just growing Shanti Bahini trouble in Chittagong Hill Tracts, crashed in Feni after hitting a vulture. All the Indian crew who were going to India to celebrate their Independence Day died in the crash. "I became busy sending the bodies."

After a long and tedious day, it was late in the night when Shafiullah went to bed around 1:30am. Roughly after the time of Fazr prayers, his batman woke him up and he saw the then director of Military Intelligence Col Salahuddin standing outside the door of his room.

"Have you sent the armoured and artillery forces towards the town?" Col Salahuddin asked Shafiullah.

A chill ran down Shafiullah's spine. "No, I have not. Why?" he said.

"The armoured and artillery divisions are heading towards the radio station, Ganabhaban and Bangabandhu's house on Dhanmondi Road-32," Salahuddin said.

"Does the Dhaka brigade commander know about it?" Shafiullah asked.

Col Shafayat Jamil was holding the post at that time.

"I don't know. I have come to you first," Salahuddin replied.

"Go and tell Shafayat Jamil to send 1, 2 and 4 Bengal battalions to stop the advancing artillery and armoured troops," Shafiullah ordered, saying he was also going to phone Shafayat immediately.

In the army, the chief of staff commands the army but not the troops. The brigade commanders command the troops.

Shafiullah picked up the red telephone to warn Sheikh Mujib about the information he received. The line was engaged. He then tried to get Shafayat Jamil, but that line was engaged too.

He then got hold of Col Jamil Uddin Ahmed, who had recently been posted to DFI from the post of military secretary to the president. Jamil told Shafiullah that Bangabandhu had called him and asked him to go to Bangabandhu's residence as some people were roaming around his house.

Shafiullah asked Jamil, who was killed by the disgruntled army officials in front of the Sobhanbagh mosque on his way to the president's residence, to take Bangabandhu somewhere else.

Shafiullah finally got Shafayat Jamil on the phone at his home. It was around 5:30am. "Do you know why artillery and armoured division troops are going to the city?" he asked Shafayat.

"No."

"I told him, 'Salahuddin has informed me about this...Send your troops of 1, 2 and 4 Bengal regiments to stop them immediately. Try to bring them back'," says Shafiullah.

Shafiullah also talked to the chiefs of the air force and navy who also said they did not know anything. A little later he talked to Brig Gen Khaled Mosharraf and Maj Gen Ziaur Rahman and they also expressed their ignorance about the matter.

"Is it?" Zia said when Shafiullah asked him about the troops' advancement towards the city. Shafiullah considered the reply as Zia's ignorance.

He asked both Khaled Mosharraf and Zia to come to his house immediately.

The two appeared within 15-20 minutes. Khaled came in his sleeping gown driving his private car and he was unshaven. Zia was shaven and in uniform even at that early hour. He came in his chauffer-driven official car.

Before Khaled and Zia reached his house, Shafiullah had once again tried to contact the president's house and this time he got Bangabandhu on the phone.

"When the DMI informed me about the troops it was probably between 5:15am and 5:30am and I talked to Shafayat Jamil between 5:30am and 5:35am. I got Bangabandhu on the phone 20-25 minutes after I had called him first. I do not remember the time of my talking with Bangabandhu but it was definitely before 6:00 in the morning," says Shafiullah.

"Your forces have attacked my residence. They might be going to kill Kamal [Bangabandhu's son]. Send your forces quickly," said Bangabandhu angrily as soon as he recognised Shafiullah's voice.

"Sir, I am doing something. Can you get out of the house?" Shafiullah said.

"Then I went on saying 'hello' as there was no reply from Bangabandhu and just a minute later I heard sounds of firing and then in a few seconds the line went dead," Shafiullah says.

Then Khaled Mosharraf and Zia came and Shafiullah along with the two left for his office.

It had been 10-15 minutes since Shafiullah talked with Shafayat Jamil and there were no movement of troops yet.

Shafiullah asked Khaled Mosharraf to go to 46 Brigade to activate them and report him back.

Shafiullah was sitting in his office with Nasim, Zia and Khaled Mosharraf, who had returned to Shafiullah's office to report that a tank was standing near his office.

A little later, two-three vehicles wheeled into the office compound and Major Shariful Haque Dalim, who had been sacked from the service a few days ago, entered the office accompanied by 15-16 soldiers.

"Where is the chief?" Dalim asked, entering Shafiullah's room.

Dalim and his soldiers had their arms trained on Shafiullah.

"I am used to seeing arms and using arms. If you have come with the intent to use arms, use it. If you have come to talk, talk leaving the arms outside," Shafiullah told Dalim.

"The president has asked you to go to the radio station immediately," Dalim said, lowering his weapon.

A few tense moments passed by and then Shafiullah said, "The president? As I know the president is dead."

When Shafiullah had reached his office, his ADC Capt Kabir informed him that the president was dead.

"You should know that Khandaker Mushtaque is the president now," Dalim roared back.

Shafiullah said, "Khandaker Mushtaque may be your president but not mine."

"Don't force me to do something for which I have not come here," Dalim said.

"You can do whatever you wish but I will not go anywhere with you," Shafiullah told Dalim.

Then Shafiullah got up from his chair and pushed through Dalim and his band of sepoys. He went straight to 46 Brigade. But to his surprise, he found that all troops and officers had sided with the coup plotters.

He met there Major Khandaker Abdur Rashid and the then 46 Brigade Major Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, who requested him repeatedly to go to the radio station.

Shafiullah told them that he would not go to the radio station alone.

He thought through the situation. It was clear that a large part of the army in Dhaka had sided with the rebels. It was futile to try anything at that time as none was obeying his command.

"First of all, I have to take my control back," Shafiullah told himself.

At that time the rebels also called Navy chief Rear Admiral MH Khan and Air Force chief Air Vice-Marshal AK Khandker and took the three chiefs to the radio station. He found Khandaker Mushtaque sitting in a room there with the then state minister for information Taheruddin Thakur standing near.

"Shafiullah, congratulations! Your troops have done a wonderful job," a cheerful Mushtaque said as soon as he saw Shafiullah.

"Now do the rest," Mushtaque said.

"What is that?" Shafiullah asked.

"You should know it better," replied Mushtaque.

"In that case, leave it to me," Shafiullah made an immediate reply and turned back to come out of the room.

Taheruddin Thakur told Mushtaque, "Don't let him go. We have some work left to do with him."

When Shafiullah was coming out he found Dalim and Rashid standing with their troops and they took him and the two other chiefs to another room.

Taheruddin Thakur came in the room and gave Shafiullah a written statement in support of Mushtaque and asked him to read it out. Shafiullah did and it was recorded.

After the recording, Mushtaque announced: "I need my chiefs at the oath-taking ceremony at Bangabhaban."

At the Bangabhaban things happened fast.

When the oath-taking was over Shafiullah wanted to go back to the cantonment, but Mushtaque did not allow him saying the new cabinet would be formed soon.

After the formation of cabinet on August 15 when Shafiullah thought it was time to go home, Taheruddin Thakur asked him not to go because there would be a conference at night.

Shafiullah had to stay in Bangabhaban until August 18. During this time, several sessions of the conference took place there and the main topic of discussion was whether to promulgate martial law.

At the conference, Shafiullah said there should not be any discussion about promulgating martial law because it had already been announced on the radio.

Mushtaque asked who announced the martial law.

Shafiullah said, "Dalim did."

"But Dalim is your [force's] man."

"If Dlaim were my man, he would have mentioned my name [while announcing the martial law]. But he mentioned your name," said Shafiullah.

Then Shafiullah suggested looking into the legal aspect of the matter.

Mushtaque said, "All is done. The only formality left is to issue the gazette notification [on promulgating the martial law]."

During August 15-18, Mushtaque once told the conference that he would draft the martial law promulgation and show it to others. The next day, Mushtaque, Shafiullah and air force chief AK Khandker and navy chief MH Khan were sitting together when Mushtaque pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Shafiullah.

"This is the draft promulgation," Mushtaque said, handing it to Shafiullah.

Shafiullah said they would go through it to see if there was any mistake.

"General Shafiullah, I have been working on it for the last three months," said Mushtaque.

Shafiullah said, "In that case, it must be flawless." He then handed the paper to AK Khondker to check.

On August 15, Shafiullah had asked Mushtaque about where to bury Bangabandhu.

"Bury him anywhere but not in Dhaka," was Mushtaque's tart reply.

On August 18, Shafiullah returned to the cantonment and the next day he held a conference of officers there "to bring all the troops under control".

At that time, Zia repeatedly told Shafiullah, "The Indian army might attack us."

"Zia wanted me to mobilise troops towards the border instead of bringing them back to the cantonment," Shafiullah says.

He called the conference explaining this backdrop and asked troops to return to barrack from Bangabhaban.

Abdur Rashid and Farooq Rahman, two of the killers of Bangabandhu, attended the conference after coming back from Bangabhaban.

Shafayat Jamil stood up at the meeting and, pointing at Rashid and Farooq, said, "These are the persons responsible for the whole situation and they should be tried in court martial."

Soon the conference ended and the two killers went back to Bangabhaban where their cohorts were staying.

On August 22, Shafiullah asked Mushtaque to return the officers from Bangabhaban. Mushtaque told him that the officers are still scared and they need some time to recover.

On August 24, Shafiullah heard a bulletin on the radio that Gen MAG Osmani had been appointed the defence adviser to the president. Immediately after the announcement, Mushtaque called Shafiullah and asked, "Did you like it?"

"Yes, it was good," said Shafiullah.

"I need you at 5:30pm," Mushtaque said.

As he reached Bangabhaban in the afternoon, an army officer asked him to meet Osmani first.

Seeing Shafiullah, Osmani started lauding him for his role in the army and the Liberation War. "We now need your service abroad," Osmani said.

Shafiullah understood that it was a farewell speech to him. He was then taken to Mushtaque who also repeated similar praises for him. Mushtaque told him that Shafiullah should go abroad to render his service.

"I am not ready to go abroad," said Shafiullah.

"Don't you know what happened to Sheikh Mujib and his family?" an angry Mushtaque barked.

"I left my family in the care of Allah during the war," Shafiullah said and left for home.

But even before he reached his residence, Shafiullah came to know that Ziaur Rahman replaced him as the army chief. The authorities asked Shafiullah not to leave home without permission.

On August 24 night, a letter reached him saying he was removed from the post of army chief.

Note: After the jail killing on November 3, Shafiullah changed his mind and went to Malaysia as an ambassador.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/n ... nid=124155

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 01 Feb 2010 10:11

1. After completing the first year in power with flying colors, AL/Hasina is
set to do an introspection. There is a growing gap between the party
MPs/ministers and grass-root level workers. (Pretty much same thing
happened to BJP also in power.) It is causing quite bit of heartburn among
party rank and files. Hasina has declared a house cleaning agenda. A big headache
is to control the student wing - 'Chharta League' which is getting involved in
nuisance acts. Reining in the student wing will be a challange.

2. To set the house in order, BNP is taking its efforts to grass-root level. It is
gearing up to increase its party membership, and endear itself to common people.
Keeping in view of BNP's initiatives, it is more important for AL to strengthen the
party structure.

3. RAB - the elite paramilitary force is getting training and assistance from the US
counter-terror experts. A SWAT team has been formed - for the first time in BD -
and getting special training provided by the US. Assistance worth $9 million has been
provided by the US taxpayers. US thinks that BD should have the mechanism to counter 26/11 type attacks on its own soil. This training started in 2008, and 6 weeks of training
has been provided to the first batch. The second batch is in the US undergoing training.
Itis reported that during the BDR revolt, SWAT team reached Pilkhana, but wasn't given the
order to mount the assult. It turned back. The SWAT team has been provided with
long-range AR-10 sniper rifles, M-8 carbine rifles, and Austrian pistols.

RayC · Post by **RayC** » 01 Feb 2010 12:17

Killers can’t hide: Hasina
Possible?

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 02 Feb 2010 22:23

Pak Bengali community being 'victimised' by government authorities

Karachi : Pakistani nationals of Bengali origin are a harassed lot these days, as reports regarding them being victimised by government agencies have increased manifold in the recent past.

The step-motherly treatment being meted out to thousands of Pak nationals of Bangladesh origin, who have been living in Karachi for years, has highlighted the Interior Ministry's awful way of handling issues at its end.

Bangladesh's Deputy High Commission also confirmed having received numerous complaints from Bangladeshi families, which visited Bangladesh to see their relatives and were exploited at Karachi airport on their return.

According to an unofficial data over 300,000 to 350,000 Bangladeshis are currently living in Karachi, with many playing important and active roles in the socio-political and socio-economic set-up of the city, but despite that they face the humiliation of being called 'illegal' residents almost daily.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 03 Feb 2010 03:59

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100203/j ... 060605.jsp#
Issue Date: Wednesday , February 3 , 2010
Blow to Bangla religious parties
FARID HOSSAIN

Dhaka, Feb. 2: The Bangladesh Supreme Court today upheld a ruling paving the way for banning parties which base their politics on religion.

The decision of the six-member Supreme Court panel is bad news for the Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest party seeking to establish Islamic rule, and ally Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

An alliance of the BNP and the Jamaat was in power between 2001 and 2008. The panel, headed by Chief Justice Md Tafazzul Islam, gave its decision after six days of hearing on the subject.

The high court had declared as “illegal and unconstitutional” a 1979 amendment of the Constitution by then military ruler Gen. Ziaur Rahman, the founder of the BNP.

That move, known as the 5th Amendment, struck down secularism as one of the four basic state principles, allowing religion-based parties to operate.

The change saw dozens of Islamic parties come up, challenging secular groups like the Awami League led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Propagation of anti-India sentiments has also been a feature of these Islamic parties.

BNP secretary-general Khandaker Delwar Hossain and three Jamaat lawyers had challenged the high court ruling in the Supreme Court.

Today’s ruling means Bangladesh is now free to restore the four basic constitutional principles: democracy, socialism, secularism and nationalism.

Banning religion-based politics is among the electoral pledges made by Hasina’s Awami League. Law minister Shafique Ahmed had recently said that the government would consider banning religion-based parties.

Sridhar · Post by **Sridhar** » 03 Feb 2010 23:09

This last year has seen a resurgence of the civil society of Bangladesh, establishment of rule of law and a return to the humanistic, secular principles that were in ascendant at the time of the Liberation War. This is great, but these changes are not irreversible, as the history of Bangladesh itself has shown. Hence, it is a time for the liberal elements in Bangladesh to consolidate these gains, show the people that this is really to their own benefit and that Bangladesh is on its path towards development and prosperity.

What can we in India do to assist Bangladesh along this path? It is in our own self-interest to do so. A peaceful, liberal and prosperous Bangladesh will contribute to peace within our borders and prosperity for our own people.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 04 Feb 2010 09:10

^^^^^
In the last one year Bangladesh has seen a spurt of cultural activities -
Poetry session, Debate competition, Discussions on women's life, etc etc.
Quite a contrast compared to the other neighbor on the west. The true intellectual
sside of bangladeshi society, just as the one in West bengal, comes out in full force.
This is the best antidote against islamic fundamentalism championed by jamait and BNP.
[Don't forget that BNP is the reincarnation of Muslim League of erstwhile East Pakistan.]

What can India do to promote a healthy Bangladesh? On some aspects India should take
a low key - especially in the diplomatic front. It should use her soft power more and more.
In two areas India should go in force - increase cultural exchange (which is already there)
many fold, and let the business flourish. As such 80% of the BD market is under the
control of Indian businesses, and hence there is very little chance that India would be
adversely affected if export-import restrictions are lifted. (One needs to be cautious
though to make sure that chinese don't use BD for trans-shipment.) Making sure that
quality is maintained, India should allow more import from BD. Automatically it would
help indian exports too. Indian pharmaceutical industry has a near monopoly there.
BD can import all its auto-parts, machinary, etc from India instead of china. But theese are
all under the radar. Over the radar, a big help would be if our Bollywood makes it a point to send some starts there once in every six months. ..........

Stan_Savljevic · Post by **Stan_Savljevic** » 04 Feb 2010 13:25

Kati wrote: What can India do to promote a healthy Bangladesh?

People such as Sehwag should realize what they speak and how much power they have to usher in pro-Indian feelings in the people who are neither here nor there. One Sehwag can do more damage not only to other teams, but also India in the short term, by shooting off his ass. IPL is power, use it wisely. Even if one cant use it wisely, they should learn to portray a sense of control over akshuns and reakshuns, instead of acting like clueless nutmegs.

abhishek_sharma · Post by **abhishek_sharma** » 04 Feb 2010 15:22

BDR men intrude into Indian territory, one detained

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/indi ... 534713.cms

BSF jawans fired in the air and detained a BDR personnel who along with two others tried to intrude into the Indian territory in Meghalaya this morning.

"Three Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) personnel tried entering the Indian territory at Muktapur near Dawki. The BSF troopers first warned them and later had to fire one round in the air," BSF DIG Ravi Gandhi said.

He said one of them was caught by the BSF and "he will be handed over to the Bangladesh authorities during a flag meeting later in the day".

There was, however, no casualty in the firing, the DIG added.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 04 Feb 2010 22:05

1. All the public support and sympathy that Hasina is enjoying today
can evaporate if Awami league doesn't control its student wing
'Chhatro League' (CL). The cadres of CL have become a public
nuisance in many areas, especially in college and university campuses.
For last two nights, two factions of CL have been fighting each other
on Dhaka University campus. The issue: capturing hostels. The
hostels, though university properties, are a good source of money
for student unions. Apart from this, CL is having infighting
to capture university tenders, bulk purchases, supplying construction
materials, etc. The CL is acting as if it has gotten the God given right
to dictate terms after AL came to power. They are acting similar
to SFI in India.

2. India is all set to handover 23 hardcore Bangladeshi criminals to Dhaka
who are currently lodged in various indian prisons. Apart from that Bangladesh
has handed over a master list of over one thousand ninety four wanted
criminals who are hiding in India and running their criminal syndicates
in Bangladesh.

3. Recent BD Supreme Court ruling that calls for banning religion based politics
has thrown the right-wing parties into a turmoil. jamait, islamic Oikkyojot,
and other parties have gone into a huddle to come up with a new strategy.
On the other hand, the banned JMB (Jamatul Mujahedin Bangladesh), which
doesn't have anything to lose, is on the upswing. it has recently killed one
of its cadre who had left the violent organization. JMB also tried to kidnap a
local AL leader, who was eventually rescued by villagers before he was killed.
JMB said that it wants to institute Allah's law. Who is supporting JMB to
do these hatchet jobs is a good question.

sum · Post by **sum** » 04 Feb 2010 22:09

2. India is all set to handover 23 hardcore Bangladeshi criminals to Dhaka
who are currently lodged in various indian prisons. Apart from that Bangladesh
has handed over a master list of over one thousand ninety four wanted
criminals who are hiding in India and running their criminal syndicates
in Bangladesh.

Are many more of the fugitive Indian/Paki scum also being handed over soon or the ULFA+ Mallu gang were the first and last such "pushback"?

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 05 Feb 2010 18:07

The purported text of the India Bangladesh joint communique (the poster writes: [This text is from my personal collection, as I got it it is published here. I hope it is, as it is in the actual signed officially. I am unable to authenticate.-P. Munshe]).

http://drppedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/jo ... sinas.html

The interesting stuff begins from point 18 onwards.

Also read this negative view:
http://drppedia.blogspot.com/2010/01/ha ... o-sum.html

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 05 Feb 2010 22:24

^^^^^
Is this M. Shahidul Islam the ex-BNP MP?

About the latest BDR-BSF shooting at Meghalaya-Sylhet border (jaintapur-Muktarpur sectior), it is better to find out exactly what happened. May be it is due to bangladeshis entering the indian territory for logging and running away (media published reports on that aspect and hence BSF was jumpy). However, BD media is giving a completely different account of the situation. According to them, BSF team entered about 50m inside the BD territory. Another version said that there was a day long shooting from both sides. When a three member BDR team challanged them, the BDR nayek Mujibur Rahman was taken by the BSF team, who was later released after the two sides had a flag meeting. The two sides earlier had planned to have a friendly exhibition match, which was cancelled after this incident. BD media report never covered that logging/wood smuggling by bangladeshis.

A_Gupta · Post by **A_Gupta** » 06 Feb 2010 09:22

World Bank paper on Indo-Bangla trade. (PDF)
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTB ... /Trade.pdf

negi · Post by **negi** » 06 Feb 2010 16:16

Most of this is noice from a blaring source .

New chapter for India & BD
Browning his pants and

about the past .

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 06 Feb 2010 22:42

Hindu temple attacked, idols destroyed in B'desh: Official
6 February 2010

Malayappan · Post by **Malayappan** » 11 Feb 2010 08:09

BCL attack 6 Shibir messes, jamaat offices in 3 districts Kati had referred to this earlier

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 13 Feb 2010 18:50

200 Jamaat, Shibir men arrested
Saturday, February 13, 2010

Police arrested around 200 people, mostly leaders and activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, in the capital, Chittagong, Sylhet and several other districts yesterday after Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with the law enforcers and Bangladesh Chhatra League.

skaranam · Post by **skaranam** » 15 Feb 2010 14:01

Dhaka airport to be renamed after Sufi saint

Bangladesh's Zia International Airport is to be renamed after 13th century Sufi saint Hazarat Shah Jalal, after deleting the name of former president Ziaur Rahman.

The move is part of an effort by the Sheikh Hasina government to rename places and institutions named after Rahman, a former freedom fighter and army chief who subsequently emerged as a military strongman and the country's president.

The choice of a Sufi Saint is interesting - No Shia, No Sunni....Of course the simplest explanation that this Sufi Saint is buried in present Bangladesh.

Avinash R · Post by **Avinash R** » 20 Feb 2010 22:43

Bangla, India agree to install power plants in joint venture

Dhaka: Bangladesh and India have agreed on an agreement to install two 1320 megawatt coal-fired power plants in this energy-starved country as a joint venture, in line with a deal inked during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's New Delhi visit last month.

Zia shifts stance, to take on Hasina without Islamist allies

Dhaka: In a change of stance, the main opposition party in Bangladesh --Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) -- is distancing itself from Islamist allies as it takes on the ruling Awami League (AL) led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The BNP and Islamist parties have launched separate movements against the government over the deals that Hasina signed during her visit to India last month.
...
Revival of the four-party alliance looks bleak as key component BNP is now indifferent on the issue despite high enthusiasm of the coalition partners -- Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Oikya Jote and Bangladesh Jatiya Party, The Daily Star newspaper said on Saturday...

negi · Post by **negi** » 26 Feb 2010 00:19

B'desh, India to remove all trade barriers: Pranab

DHAKA: Bangladesh and India are moving to remove all barriers to mutual trade to boost bilateral economic cooperation, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said today.

Muhith said the prime ministers of India and Bangladesh, following Sheikh Hasina's landmark New Delhi visit last month, asked their respective ministers and bureaucrats to "remove all obstructions" to bilateral trade.

Dhaka and Delhi are moving to remove all barriers to mutual trade, he was quoted as saying by the private-run bdnews online today.

Meanwhile, Tata's small car Nano will be show-cased at the fair, which is being organised by the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (IBCCI), to judge the interest of the people in the country.

"If we find the demand significant, we'll market the car here," said IBCCI president Abdul Matlub, who owns the TATA dealership in Bangladesh.

"We're also looking to manufacture 60% of the car parts in Bangladesh," he was quoted as saying in the report.

Kati · Post by **Kati** » 27 Feb 2010 04:51

...Took a break for the last few days to meet some people who are well aware of the ground realities regarding the maoist activities. Will discuss that under a different thread.

...Now back to Bangladesh......

Local media are reporting that Hasina's biggest headache under her successful one year is the activities of Hizbut Tahir (HT). It has become so unpredictable and so resourceful, and so
well networked that a large chunk of energy of intel agencies is focussed on it.

1. HT has been successful in recruiting youth from very well placed families - both in terms of money as well as connections. They are using religion very effectively to brainwash these youth.

2. HT has contacts with well placed govt bureaucrats who provide internal state info, as well as financial backing.

3. After HT was banned in Bangladesh in the recent past, HT's international contacts (branches in other countries) are doing the heavy lifting against the Bangladeshi govt. They have staged protests in front of bangla embassies in DCas well as London, and providing huge financial backing from outside.

4. Lately HT is putting up posters in Dhaka and elsewhere accusing India for orchastrating the BDR revolt last year. They are very active in mobilizing lower-level army personnel to over-throw Hasina govt.

5. Bangla intel agencies have found enough evidence of ISI backing HT actively, especially spreading rumors accusing India.

6. HT has extended its activities in Chittagong area - especially in Arakan/Rohingya refugee camps. They are trying to form a militia there.

.....

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 27 Feb 2010 07:28

skaranam wrote
The choice of a Sufi Saint is interesting - No Shia, No Sunni....Of course the simplest explanation that this Sufi Saint is buried in present Bangladesh.

He was trained in Islamism in Mecca, and either born or migrated as a child into Yemen. He joined the Muslim army sent from the Islamic stronghold of Gaur, and participated in the campaign that ousted the local Hindu ruler. He perfectly fits the so-called "Sufi" type in early Islamic expansion in India. All of them were militant and aggressive expanders of Islam in spite of modern whitewashing - and mostly carried on their spectacular "peaceful conversions" in close proximity to Islamic military power.

Jalal was a clever choice from AL because no diehard mullah in BD would protest - Jalal is a perfect fit for iconography of Islamist expansion. Only the Jia family would be upset.

brihaspati · Post by **brihaspati** » 27 Feb 2010 07:47

BD is at an interesting stage. I think people should seriously think whether it is in our interest to really go on protecting the section represented by AL. If we protect them, they are going to balance out both Islamists and India in order to preserve their personal clique and power (almost a mimic of Cong). So they will use Islamists to keep Indian interests at bay and use India to keep Islamists at bay - just like Cong - playing at siding with the other side if a side showed signs of rebellion. But such a situation, unlike the Cong case in India - actually provides opportunity for the majority religion to consolidate.

As long as BD remains independent, just like OWI, it will be amenable to western, Islamist ME and Chinese manipulations and penetration against India. This may sound cynical - but long term why not allow the Islamists to destabilize it so that eventually it can be taken back into the "fold"? The situation for "cleansing" will provide the natural excuse.

To those observing HT, maybe we should not give hint that we are studying them. They possibly have cross-border presence, and we do not want them to know that info about them is getting public. Activation of the BD front in the grand game of Islamists on the subcontinent is a matter of timing. The pattern would be clearer in the next couple of years.