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Friday, February 1, 2008

Re: [chottala.com] What terrific damage CTG has caused to bangladesh????????

Before conducting Election CTG must needs to complete jobs of
1)                       Political party reforming works.  
2)                       Education Section reforming works.
3)                        Corruption trialing works.


mahathir of bd <wouldbemahathirofbd@yahoo.com> wrote:
Before conducting Election CTG must needs to complete jobs of
1)                       Political party reforming works.  
2)                       Education Section reforming works.
3)                        Corruption trialing works.
.


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[chottala.com] Chief justice not a roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh but such Awami minds set is a real road block to establish democracy in our country

Dear brothers!
Real road block is our Awami mindset of Razakar phobia. They smell jamaat every where. Justice Ruhul Amin a muslim by religion may utter few words from his own religion. For that we can not term him Razakar. So

Syed Aslam <Syed.Aslam3@gmail.com> wrote:
Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?
A roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh !
 
WRT:
 
Above all,  Justice Ruhul Amin, a politically and ideologically motivated Supreme Court
Chief Justice has proven himself to be a roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh.
 
Syed Aslam


"Kamal Das"@yahoo.com wrote:
WRT: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mukto- mona/message/ 46341

Anyone who believes that religiosity improves morals lives in a fools
paradise.
 
AudreyM. Wrote:
Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46112

The problem with religion and its laws is very simple.

1. Believers have not made a choice to believe unless
they have converted in adulthood.
2. Religion would impose its laws on unbelievers.

AudreyM.
 
"Arshad Khan" wrote:
 
Re: Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46088

Mr. Hannan,

If you say that minorities should not have any problem with Islamic
law as long as "there is no problem of non-Muslims in any fundamental
or essential matter.", then why would muslims have any issue living
under secluar law as long their human rights are not violated? That
way no religion has upper hand over the other. If it is injustice to
ninety percent muslims (a laughable number, since there are lot of us
who want secular law) to live under secular law, then it equally
unjustified to the 10% people of other religion.

Does it even matter to you if the minorities in Bangladesh or any
other muslim majority country don't feel that their human rights are
upheld under Islamic law? Look at the human rights record of all the
countries you have mentioned - minority groups in all of these
countries are suffering.

Given your track record though, I would not expect you to see things
logically.
 
"S A Hannan" Wrote:
Re: [mukto-mona] Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46076

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.I do not see anything wrong in the statement of the Chief
Justice.Present consttution says that faith in Allah is the basis of all actions
of the state.This means that all laws should be based on Islam.However Islam
says that no religious, human rights will be violated and civil and rights
will be same.(Please see the constitution of Bangladesh, Pakistan aand Iran and
also OIC declaration of human rights).So there is no problem of non-Muslims in
any fundamental or essential matter.

It will be injustice to ninety percent Muslims if they are denied to live under
Islamic public law and forced to live by American nor English or French code for
all times.

Shah Abdul Hannan

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[chottala.com] Deutsche launches Bangladeshi access platform

Deutsche launches Bangladeshi access platform
By Nick Ferguson  |  1 February 2008 
New suite of derivatives products give investors exposure to Dhaka's stock market. 
 
 
 
( A note to NRBs: All the NRBs around the world should take advantage of this developing oppoturnities so international banks increasingly focuses on BD market and also, develops new innovative financial instruments to invest in Bangladesh)
 
 
 
Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries in the world, but smart investors have
quietly been making money there for the past few years on the back of strong economic
growth and a booming stock market.

The growing level of interest has prompted equity derivatives desks at the big
investment banks to start offering hassle-free ways for investors to buy into the
Dhaka stock exchange. Deutsche Bank yesterday launched an institutional platform,
aXess Bangladesh, and Citi started offering such access trades last May.

Investors who bought the index at the start of 2007 pocketed an 87% return by the
end of the year, compared to a 38% return on the MSCI Asia ex-Japan index. Just
four years ago the Dhaka stock exchange was worth only $1.7 billion and daily turnover
was barely $1 million. Today, the market is worth $10.6 billion and turns over almost
$20 million a day – still tiny, but growing  fast.

 

"Bangladesh offers an exciting alternative to other high-growth Asian markets," says Ben
Chandler, Deutsche's head of synthetic equity sales in Asia, who adds that the exchange
is modern and fully automated. "It provides an efficient market for foreign investors."

And a friendly one too. Bangladesh is more open to foreign investors than many of its
neighbours, with full foreign ownership allowed in most industries and no capital gains
tax.

The economy grew 9.3% in 2007 and has averaged growth of 7.3% during the past five years,
thanks largely to the success of the country's garment industry. For that growth to continue
Bangladesh needs to build better transport links and more power stations, and to fund that
investment it needs to attract overseas investors into its stock market.

Access products such as the ones launched by Deutsche yesterday will make it easier for
those funds to flow into the country. Using equity derivatives structures – participatory
notes, zero-strike warrants, total return swaps and so on – investors can get a synthetic
exposure to stocks on the Dhaka exchange or the index itself.

These types of products are not particularly risky in themselves, but Bangladesh is still
a dicey place to invest. Liquidity is thin, the market is small and the economy is heavily
reliant on agriculture. Like most indices in the region, Dhaka has traded down in January
and during 2007 it was very closely correlated to other markets in Asia, but Deutsche
strategists say the market is still worth a look, particularly for small-cap investors and
those in the private equity and infrastructure sectors.


Copyright FinanceAsia.com Ltd., a subsidiary of Haymarket Media Ltd

 

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Re: [chottala.com] Publication of People's View

Hi, Dear chottala group:
 
As a chittagonian, I'm very happy to see a fantastic English daily news. I hope it will bring us many happy and great news for those of us who has deep feelings for our lovely chittagong. I wish them great success.
 
Munir
Al Khobar
K.S.A

Helal Ahmed <huahmed@yahoo.com> wrote:
Assalamualaikum Sir.
Thank you very much for sharing the only Chittagonian English daily with us. I'm looking fwd to read it.
Fi Amanillah.
Helal


Abdul Mannan <abman1971@gmail.com> wrote:
Publication of the Daily People's View from Chittagong has resumed. Once popular English Daily eidited by late Nurul Islam is now being Edited by Osman Gani Mansur (Previously the Bureau Chief of Ittefaq) while Hassan Shahriar acts as the Chief Editor. You may read the daily in: www.peoples-view.org
 
 
Prof. Abdul Mannan


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[chottala.com] Hasina trial 'wholly without merit': Akhhavan

Hasina trial 'wholly without merit': Akhhavan
Fri, Feb 1st, 2008 1:33 pm BdST

Professor Payam Akhavan

Payam Akhavan
 

Payam Akhavan is internationally renowned in the area of human rights particularly in the international criminal law area. He has been involved in the prosecution of war criminals before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the International Criminal Court.


Dhaka, Feb 1 (bdnews24.com)—Shiekh Hasina's trial was "wholly without merit", while there was "pressure to get her convicted", her Canadian counsel Payam Akhavan said on Friday.

He urged the government to free Sheikh Hasina immediately as the Awami League president was not implicated by the plaintiff Azam J Chowdhury.

"I had reviewed the file of the Azam Chowdhury case and found the prosecution case to be wholly without merit," Akhavan told reporters at a press conference at Hotel Sonargaon prior to his departure from Dhaka ending his five-day visit to Bangladesh.

"There is pressure to get her convicted. There is no basis for keeping her confined. Sheikh Hasina must be immediately released", he said.

"I should note that my observation that this trial falls far short of human rights standards is by no means isolated or unprecedented".

He said if there was no interference in the judicial process, Sheikh Hasina should be freed tomorrow.

"I come with no political agenda beyond asking that her rights to a fair trial and fundamental freedoms be respected in accordance both with the constitution of Bangladesh and its obligation under the United Nations human rights covenants to which it is a signatory," he said.

Terming the makeshift court trying Sheikh Hasina a "semi-camera court", Akhavan asked the government to allow public access to the trial.

"This is a semi-camera court in the sense that a few people were allowed to witness the trial. Even the court was smaller. Hundreds of people, who were barred by the police, have the right to witness the trial," said the Canadian lawyer.

Payam Akhavan, a former lawyer of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, hoped that his client would get a fair trial.

"My optimism is conditional. I have deep regard for Bangladesh's judiciary which is the guardian of the rule of law," said Akhavan.

He said he would continue his legal fight to free Sheikh Hasina.

"I will spare no effort in utilising the procedure of the United Nations human rights system, to ensure that her fundamental human rights are respected in accordance with international law," the lawyer said, adding that a travesty of justice is not a precedent that would usher in a new era of transparency and accountability.

Canadian Payam Akhavan was appointed as international counsel for Sheikh Hasina in August last year. He came to Bangladesh at the invitation of the detained AL president's lawyers to assist in the legal battle.

Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was arrested on July 16 last year.

She was later shown arrested in a Tk 3 crore extortion case filed by businessmen Azam J Chowdhury against Hasina and Selim.

Chowdhury alleged that Sheikh Selim collected the money from him in the name of Sheikh Hasina to accelerate a government contract on construction of a power project implemented by a Russian company of which Chowdhury was the local agent.

However, the plaintiff Chowdhury testified in the special court on Jan 30 that he had filed only against Sheikh Selim for extortion, and knew no others involved in the case
 
Q & A - Payam Akhavan

International Human Rights Law – From Rhetoric to Reality

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Re: [chottala.com] Publication of People's View

Assalamualaikum Sir.
 
Thank you very much for sharing the only Chittagonian English daily with us. I'm looking fwd to read it.
 
Fi Amanillah.
Helal


Abdul Mannan <abman1971@gmail.com> wrote:
Publication of the Daily People's View from Chittagong has resumed. Once popular English Daily eidited by late Nurul Islam is now being Edited by Osman Gani Mansur (Previously the Bureau Chief of Ittefaq) while Hassan Shahriar acts as the Chief Editor. You may read the daily in: www.peoples-view.org
 
 
Prof. Abdul Mannan


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[chottala.com] Bangladesh: Labor Activists in Export Sector Harassed - Misuse of Emergency Powers

Bangladesh: Labor Activists in Export Sector Harassed

Recent Arrest Shows Government's Misuse of Emergency Powers

(New York, January 31, 2008) – Bangladesh's interim government should immediately end the recent harassment of labor rights activists who are conducting legitimate activities to protect the rights of workers in the country, Human Rights Watch said today.

" The interim government is abusing its emergency powers to target individuals who are trying to protect workers' rights in Bangladesh's most important export industry. "
 
Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch
  
 
On January 24, 2008, Mehedi Hasan of the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) was arrested and detained by National Security Intelligence in Dhaka. His arrest is believed to be directly linked to the labor rights monitoring that he carried out for WRC, an nongovernmental organization that investigates labor practices at apparel factories, largely on behalf of US colleges and universities.  
 
Hasan is being held for violating Articles 3 and 4(1) of the Emergency Power Rules of January 25, 2007, which prohibit processions, meetings, assemblies and trade union activities. After his arrest by National Security Intelligence, Hasan was transferred to Pallabi police station in Dhaka, where he has been seen wearing shackles. On January 25, 2008, he was brought before a court and remanded into police custody for four days. On January 30, he was remanded for an additional three days.  
 
"The interim government is abusing its emergency powers to target individuals who are trying to protect workers' rights in Bangladesh's most important export industry," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "This should set off alarm bells among donors and governments who don't seem to understand or care how the authorities are using the state of emergency to systematically suppress basic rights."  
 
Hasan's arrest is part of a recent pattern of harassment of labor rights activists that has followed clashes between workers and police in Dhaka's Mirpur area earlier this month. On January 22, a Bangladeshi staff member of the American Center for Labor Solidarity was arrested and briefly detained. On January 24, a Danish national who serves as the South East Asia field director of the Worker Rights Consortium was held for questioning at Dhaka's international airport before being allowed to board a plane for Thailand.  
 
In recent days, the authorities have invoked Emergency Power Rules and have filed criminal cases against dozens of trade union members, including leaders of the Bangladesh Independent Garment Workers' Union Federation.  
 
Many other labor rights activists have complained to Human Rights Watch about being threatened and being under constant surveillance. According to police sources, a number of international organizations and their staff members are currently being monitored for allegedly engineering or inciting subversive activities within the garment industry.  
 
Garments are Bangladesh's main export, and have been a major contributor to the country's economic growth in recent years. The industry has also been important in creating jobs for women.  
 
"International companies that source garments in Bangladesh should insist that the Bangladeshi government end harassment of labor rights activists," said Adams. "They should make it clear that labor organizing and activism is part of the deal when operating in the world economic system and that they will not accept it if activists are jailed, intimidated or harassed by the authorities."  
 
Bangladesh has been under a state of emergency since January 11, 2007. The emergency rules have placed serious limits on civil and political rights, and have severely diluted constitutional protections of individual rights. In a letter to the government dated August 1, 2007, Human Rights Watch called for the lifting of the state of emergency.
 
 
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[chottala.com] Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog? A roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh !

Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?
A roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh !
 
WRT:
 
Above all,  Justice Ruhul Amin, a politically and ideologically motivated Supreme Court
Chief Justice has proven himself to be a roadblock to the fair trials in Bangladesh.
 
Syed Aslam


"Kamal Das"@yahoo.com wrote:
WRT: http://groups. yahoo.com/ group/mukto- mona/message/ 46341

Anyone who believes that religiosity improves morals lives in a fools
paradise.
 
AudreyM. Wrote:
Re: [mukto-mona] Re: Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46112

The problem with religion and its laws is very simple.

1. Believers have not made a choice to believe unless
they have converted in adulthood.
2. Religion would impose its laws on unbelievers.

AudreyM.
 
"Arshad Khan" wrote:
 
Re: Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46088

Mr. Hannan,

If you say that minorities should not have any problem with Islamic
law as long as "there is no problem of non-Muslims in any fundamental
or essential matter.", then why would muslims have any issue living
under secluar law as long their human rights are not violated? That
way no religion has upper hand over the other. If it is injustice to
ninety percent muslims (a laughable number, since there are lot of us
who want secular law) to live under secular law, then it equally
unjustified to the 10% people of other religion.

Does it even matter to you if the minorities in Bangladesh or any
other muslim majority country don't feel that their human rights are
upheld under Islamic law? Look at the human rights record of all the
countries you have mentioned - minority groups in all of these
countries are suffering.

Given your track record though, I would not expect you to see things
logically.
 
"S A Hannan" Wrote:
Re: [mukto-mona] Fwd: Chief Justice Ruhul Amin - A Jamaati ideolog?

WRT: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mukto-mona/message/46076

Dear members,

Assalamu Alaikum.I do not see anything wrong in the statement of the Chief
Justice.Present consttution says that faith in Allah is the basis of all actions
of the state.This means that all laws should be based on Islam.However Islam
says that no religious, human rights will be violated and civil and rights
will be same.(Please see the constitution of Bangladesh, Pakistan aand Iran and
also OIC declaration of human rights).So there is no problem of non-Muslims in
any fundamental or essential matter.

It will be injustice to ninety percent Muslims if they are denied to live under
Islamic public law and forced to live by American nor English or French code for
all times.

Shah Abdul Hannan
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[chottala.com] The Bangladesh Military Tilts At Windmills

Mehedi Hasan

The newspapers in Bangladesh fed us the party line. They declared that a "foreign body" had been provoking labor unrest in Bangladesh's garment industry. Never mind that rising food prices and unpaid back wages have driven those who already live on the edge over the edge. The military government, faced with the fruits of its incompetence, has found the convenient foreign bogey man. The Daily Star tells us about this foreign hand:

Law enforcement agencies have confirmed that a foreign organisation and leaders of a section of garment workers were involved in provoking the recent unrest in garment factories in the city's Mirpur area.

After investigation, an intelligence agency arrested Mehedi Hasan, Bangladesh representative of the Washington-based Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), at the Zia International Airport prior to his departure for Bangkok on January 24.

Court sources said Mehedi reportedly confessed to interrogators that he used to collect information about workers' problems and send it by email to the WRC headquarters in Washington DC in the USA. He was also learnt to have disclosed that he incited garment workers to press for their demands and held several secret meetings with the leaders of a section of garment workers.

The Bangladesh military has arrested Mehedi Hasan, a man who works for Workers Rights Consortium (WRC). The job of WRC is to collect information about worker's problems and report it to its affiliate schools. You see, WRC represents 178 American colleges and universities (including my alma mater, Vassar College) who buy garments from brands with factories in countries like Bangladesh. WRC defends the rights of garment workers against abuse. Its reports hold the garment factories' feet to the fire. WRC's affiliated colleges and universities use these reports to pressure garments companies to protect workers' rights.

In short, the Bangladesh military has arrested a man and have accused him of doing his job. The Bangladesh military has discovered that a "foreign body" is working to improve the working conditions in Bangladesh's garment industry. So they have put a stop to it.

Bangladesh generates much needed income from the garments business. According to the Associated Press, the garments industry brings in more than $10 billion a year from exports to mainly the United States and Europe. Arresting a worker who represents WRC for doing his job can only raise concerns amongst American buyers of Bangladeshi garments. There are reports already in the American media of such concerns:

A labor rights investigator was arrested by the Bangladeshi government, prompting U.S. companies to lobby for his release.

Mehedi Hasan, an employee of the Washington-based Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), was arrested Thursday, according to the organization. The WRC said yesterday that he was arrested in retaliation for his efforts to protect the rights of workers in factories that sell U.S. brands.

Gap Inc. spokeswoman Melissa Swanson said the company is "looking into this situation, working with appropriate authorities and local organizations, and we are hopeful for a prompt and just resolution," she said.

Kazi Shamsul Alam, commerce counselor at the Bangladeshi Embassy, said yesterday that he received calls from the WRC, Nike and Gap expressing concern, but did not know the charges on which Mr. Hasan was being held.

The report further adds that Mehedi Hasan had been under surveillance by Bangladesh' military intelligence and one of his colleagues was also harassed at the airport:

WRC Executive Director Scott Nova said, "There have been thousands of political arrests [in Bangladesh] and numerous reports of physical mistreatment of prisoners. We just hope that the attention the arrest has got will provide Mr. Hasan with a level of protection."

Mr. Hasan's role was to scrutinize factories and their treatment of workers in Dhaka, ensuring that clothing was not produced under sweatshop conditions. WRC monitors conditions for 178 universities and colleges that lend their brands to Nike and Gap.

The WRC said yesterday that another employee was detained at the airport and subjected to "aggressive interrogation" earlier this month, during which his interrogators made clear that both he and Mr. Hasan were under surveillance by the security forces.

Tonight Human Rights Watch issued a press release citing Mehedi Hasan's arrest and calling on the Bangladesh military to stop harassing labor rights activists. According to the press release:

"The interim government is abusing its emergency powers to target individuals who are trying to protect workers' rights in Bangladesh's most important export industry," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "This should set off alarm bells among donors and governments who don't seem to understand or care how the authorities are using the state of emergency to systematically suppress basic rights."  

UK-based Labour Behind The Label has also called for his immediate and unconditional release.

In one year of emergency rule the Bangladesh military has presided over spiraling food prices, has tortured and killed its own citizens, has jailed nearly half a million people, has jailed students and professors, has created a climate of fear in the business community, and has now seen labor unrest in a key sector of the economy. Its fix to almost all problems has been to pull out the gun.

Today that gun points at Mehedi Hasan. However, behind him stand the millions in Bangladesh and around the world who say no to exploitation of workers, who believe in the right to a living wage, and who believe in humane working conditions. Behind him stand the foreign apparel brands that purchase Bangladeshi garments, the colleges and universities that buy those brands, and the organizations that ensure that human beings are not being treated inhumanely along the way. It seems to me that the Bangladesh military would serve Bangladesh, its people, and its economy best by putting down the gun.

 

 
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2008/01/31/the-bangladesh-military-tilts-at-windmills/
 
 
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[chottala.com] What terrific damage CTG has caused to bangladesh????????

কি ভয়াবহ সর্বনাশ হয়ে গেছে তা টের পেতে আরও কিছুদিন সময় লাগবে।

০১ লা ফেব্রুয়ারি, ২০০৮ সকাল ১০:৩৭

                       
 


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কয়েক মাস আগে 'প্রথম আলো'র এক জরিপ হয়েছিল বর্তমান তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের কাছে জনগণের প্রত্যাশা এবং এ সরকারকে কতদিন ক্ষমতায় তারা দেখতে চান সে সম্পর্কে। ওই জরিপের ফলাফলে দেখা যায়, ৬৫ শতাংশের বেশি মানুষ এ সরকার এক বছর ক্ষমতায় থাকুক তা প্রত্যাশা করেছিলেন।
সে বিবেচনায় এই সরকার এখন শতকরা ৬৫ ভাগ মানুষের আকাক্সক্ষার বিপরীতে অবস্থান করছে

সরকার ক্ষমতায় আসার পরে সংস্কার, রোডম্যাপসহ নানা শব্দের সঙ্গে আমাদের পরিচয় ঘটে। আমরাও তখন আশান্বিত হয়েছিলাম যে, এ শব্দগুলোর বাস্তবায়ন ঘটবে। কিন্তু বাস্তবে এর বিপরীত চিত্র এখন দেখা যাচ্ছে। সরকার যে দুর্নীতির বিরুদ্ধে জেহাদ ঘোষণা করেছিল, তা কতটা সফল হয়েছে তা আমরা বুঝতে পারছি। আমরা বুঝতে পারছি, দুর্নীতির বিরুদ্ধে অভিযান এখন একটা বাকসর্বস্ব বিষয়ে পরিণত হয়েছে। বরং বাছবিচারহীন ও পরিকল্পনাহীন দুর্নীতি দমনের অভিযান অর্থনীতিতে মন্থরতা, গতিহীনতা এবং অস্থিরতার সৃষ্টি করেছে।
ভয়ভীতি দেখানো আর দুর্নীতি দমন এক করে ফেলেছিলেন হাতেগোনা কয়েকজন মাত্র ব্যক্তি।

অবস্থাটা তখন ছিল এমন এবং যার কিছুটা এখনও আছেÑ তাতে তারা ধরেই নিয়েছিলেন, উপদেষ্টা পরিষদের ১১ জন এবং দু'-একটি প্রতিষ্ঠানের কয়েকজন মানুষ বাদে দেশবাসী সবাই দুর্নীতিবাজ। এভাবে পুরো দেশকে প্রতিপক্ষ ভেবে দুর্নীতি দমনের অভিযান যে সফল হয় না তা এখন প্রমাণিত হয়েছে। আর দুর্নীতি দমনের জন্য বেশি কথার চেয়ে পরিকল্পনা, সুষ্ঠু তদন্ত এগুলো যে বেশি প্রয়োজন সে বিষয়টিও তাদের মাথায় ছিল কিংবা এখনও আছে বলে মনে হয় না। তালিকা প্রকাশের ভয়ে কিংবা আয়কর বিভাগের এক ব্যক্তির তর্জন-গর্জন পুরো দেশকেই পরিণত করেছিল এক আতঙ্কের দেশ এবং সে আতঙ্ক এখনও আছে। ব্যবসায়ীদের মধ্যে আস্থা ফিরিয়ে আনার জন্য নানা কাগুজে প্রতিষ্ঠান প্রতিষ্ঠা হলেও বাস্তবে কোন সুফল পাওয়া যায়নি। অর্থনীতি এখন স্থবির এবং নেতিবাচক দিকে এগিয়ে যাচ্ছে।

এ অর্থবছরের প্রথম ছয় মাসের বার্ষিক উন্নয়ন কর্মসূচি বাস্তবায়ন হয়েছে মাত্র ২১ শতাংশ। যা পুরো এক যুগের মধ্যে সর্বনিম্ন।

গ্রামের খোঁজ-খবর যারা রাখেন, তারা এটা খুব ভালভাবে জানেন যে, মানুষ এখন কর্মহীন বসে আছেÑ কোন কাজ নেই। এর ওপর দ্রব্যমূল্যের যে আকাশছোঁয়া গতি তা সরকার কোনভাবেই নিয়ন্ত্রণ করতে পারছে না। মূল্যস্ফীতির এমন লাগামহীন গতি গত ২০ বছরেও ছিল কিনা সন্দেহ। কিন্তু এক্ষেত্রে সরকারি নীতিনির্ধারকদের সঙ্গে কথা বললে মনে হয় সবকিছু ঠিকঠাক আছেÑ যা দোষ শুধু আন্তর্জাতিক বাজারের। কিন্তু বাজার নিয়ন্ত্রণ এবং এর ব্যবস্থাপনার যে বিষয়গুলো আছে সে বিষয়ে সরকারের কোন ধারণা আছে বলে মনে হয় না। আমদানি-রপ্তানির কি অবস্থা তা সবাই জানেন। খাদ্যশস্যের মজুত কতটা তার কোন স্পষ্ট হিসাব সরকারিভাবে দেয়া হচ্ছে না। দেয়া হচ্ছে না সম্ভবত পরিস্থিতি খুব সঙ্গিন এ কারণেই। গত বছর পর পর দু'দফা বন্যার পরে বিশেষজ্ঞরা যখন বলছিলেন যে, খাদ্যশস্যের ঘাটতি এ বন্যায়ই ১০ লাখ টনের বেশি হবেÑ তখন সরকারের কেউ কেউ বলেছেন, কোন সমস্যা হবে না। আবার ঘূর্ণিঝড়ের পরে যখন আবার বলা হলো, এই ঘূর্ণিঝড়েই খাদ্যঘাটতি হবে আরও ১০ লাখ টন তখন স্বয়ং অর্থ উপদেষ্টা বলেছিলেন, কোন সমস্যা হবে না। আমার কাছে বিষয়টি মনে হয়েছে যে, অনভিজ্ঞতা চূড়ান্ত পর্যায়ে গেলে যা হয় সরকার খাদ্যশস্যের ব্যাপারে সে বিষয়টি দেখিয়েছে। অর্থনীতির অন্যান্য দিক যদি আমরা ধরি তাহলে দেখা যাবে বিনিয়োগ কমেছে, ব্যবসায়ীদের উদ্যম কমেছে, কমেছে মানুষের আস্থা।

কি ভয়াবহ সর্বনাশ হয়ে গেছে তা টের পেতে আরও কিছুদিন সময় লাগবে।

কারণ সেনাবাহিনী কিংবা বিডিআর দিয়ে বাজার ব্যবস্থার স্থায়ী সমাধান হয় না। আর দেয়ালে টাঙিয়ে দিলেই বাজারদর ধপ করে পড়ে যাবে না। অতীতেও বাজার ব্যবস্থাপনার যে বিষয়গুলো ছিল তা এখন পুরোটাই ভেঙে গেছে।

এ তো গেল অর্থনীতির বিষয়, রাজনীতির কথা যদি আমরা ধরি তাহলে দেখা যায় রোডম্যাপ, সংস্কারÑ এগুলো এখন বাকসর্বস্ব বুলিতে পরিণত হয়েছে। রাজনৈতিক দলের সংস্কারের বদলে দল ভাঙন কিংবা দলের মধ্যে অবিশ্বাস সৃষ্টি ছাড়া কি হয়েছে? পুরো রাজনৈতিক যে কাঠামো তাকে লণ্ডভণ্ড করে দেয়া হয়েছে।

এ অবস্থা থেকে উত্তরণ খুব সহজে সম্ভব হবে না। রাজনৈতিক দলের সংস্কার এখন আর কোন উচ্চারিত শব্দ নয়, রোডম্যাপের রোডের এখন বেহাল দশা। বলা হচ্ছে, গাড়ি এখন সঠিক পথে উঠেছে। কিন্তু আসলে গাড়িও নেই, রোডও নেইÑ এমন একটা পরিস্থিতি আমজনতা দেখতে পাচ্ছে।

১১ই জানুয়ারি এ সরকার ক্ষমতায় আসার সময় জনগণের সমর্থন এবং প্রত্যাশা ছিল আকাশছোঁয়া। কিন্তু এ এক বছরের মাথায় এসে এ জনপ্রিয়তা দ্রুত কমে এখন একেবারে তলানিতে চলে এসেছে। বরং বিপদ যেটা এখন দেখা যাচ্ছে, সরকার আসলে যারা চালান তাদের মধ্যে সমন্বয় কতটা আছে তা এখন হয়ে পড়েছে প্রশ্নসাপেক্ষ বিষয়। একটি বিষয় খুব ভাল বোঝা যায় যে, 'ক্ষমতার কেন্দ্র' (ঈবহঃৎব ড়ভ চড়বিৎ) এখন অনেকগুলো হয়ে গেছে। এ কারণে বর্তমানে যে চরম একটা সঙ্কটকালীন অবস্থা চলছে তার উত্তরণ খুব সহজ সরলভাবে, এক গতিতে চলতে পারছে না।

প্রধান উপদেষ্টা জরুরি অবস্থা প্রত্যাহারের কথা বলেছেন। কিন্তু কবে কখন তা তিনি বলেননি। আর তার পক্ষে বলাও সম্ভব নয়। কারণ আসলে যারা সরকার চালান, তাদের সিদ্ধান্ত ছাড়া এ জরুরি অবস্থা কবে উঠবে তা কেউ বলতে পারবে না।
আর এ বিষয়টি মাথায় রাখা প্রয়োজন তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকারের রাজনৈতিক সিদ্ধান্ত আসে অন্য স্থান থেকে। আর এ কারণে সমস্যাগুলোর কি সমাধান হবে তা সুস্পষ্টভাবে কেউ বলতে পারছেন না।

এ জন্য একেক সময় একেক কথা শোনা যায়। এখন শোনা যাচ্ছে, সংলাপের কথা। এ সংলাপ কবে কখন কিভাবে হবে তার কোন সুস্পষ্ট ইঙ্গিতও নেই। কিন্তু আমরা অবিরাম বলে যাচ্ছি সংলাপের কথা। এ সংলাপ কেন হবে? আমার মনে হয়, যারা ক্ষমতা চালান তারা চান সংলাপকে একটা সমঝোতার মাধ্যম হিসেবেÑ কিভাবে এ পরিস্থিতি থেকে নির্বিঘেœ বেরিয়ে যাওয়া যায় সে জন্য। এটা যে তাদের সবার ঐক্যবদ্ধ সিদ্ধান্ত আমার কিন্তু তা মনে হয় না। এখন দু'টো বিষয় নিয়ে আলোচনা হচ্ছেÑ এক. কোনভাবে একটা নির্বাচন করে পরিস্থিতি থেকে নিজেদের বাঁচিয়ে নেয়া; দ্বিতীয়ত. একটি বিকল্প ব্যবস্থা বের করা। এই বিকল্প ব্যবস্থার একটি হতে পারে জাতীয় সরকার। এই জাতীয় সরকার নিয়ে এখন নানা দৌড়-ঝাঁপ হচ্ছে, রাজনৈতিক নেতাদের সঙ্গে কারও কারও বৈঠক হচ্ছে, আর রাজনৈতিক দলগুলোর মধ্য থেকেও কোন কোন নেতা এর পক্ষে কথা বলছেন। কোন কোন নেতা দলের মধ্যে একটা সুস্পষ্ট রাজনৈতিক অবস্থানও নিতে চাইছেন এই জাতীয় সরকারের পক্ষে। যতদূর জানা যাচ্ছে, তাতে বিভিন্ন রাজনৈতিক দলের নেতাদের এবং অতীতে রাজনীতি করতে এসেছিলেন এবং ব্যর্থ হয়ে ফিরে গেছেন এমন লোকদের দিয়ে এ সরকারটি গঠন করা হবে। কিন্তু এই জাতীয় সরকার সত্যিকারের জাতীয় সরকার হবে না, বরং ক্ষমতার যারা মূল শক্তি তাদের রাজনৈতিক লেবাস পরিয়ে ক্ষমতার স্থায়ীকরণের একটা নতুন কৌশল হবে মাত্র। আর এর একটি গুরুত্বপূর্ণ উদ্দেশ্য হচ্ছেÑ এতদিনের ব্যর্থতা বেসামরিক রাজনৈতিক ব্যক্তিবর্গের কাঁধে চাপিয়ে দেয়া।

অনাবাসী বাংলাদেশী (এনআরবি) সম্মেলনে সেনাবাহিনীর ঊর্ধ্বতন একজন কর্মকর্তা জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা কাউন্সিল গঠন এবং সেনাবাহিনীর ভবিষ্যৎ ভূমিকা কি হবে সে প্রশ্নে সুস্পষ্ট কিছু বক্তব্য রেখেছিলেন। আমার ধারণা এ বিষয়টি তারা এখনও সক্রিয়ভাবেই বিবেচনা করছেন। জাতীয় সরকারের সঙ্গে সঙ্গে এ প্রশ্নটিও সামনে চলে আসবেÑ এমনটা ধরে নেয়া যায়। জাতীয় নিরাপত্তা কাউন্সিল এখনও গঠন করা যায়, কিন্তু তার একটা রাজনৈতিক আবরণ প্রয়োজন। এক্ষেত্রে জাতীয় সরকার একটা বড় আবরণ হতে পারে, এমনটা তারা মনে করছেন।

আমার মনে হয়, জাতীয় সরকারের দাবি যত জোরালো হবে ততই নির্বাচন নিয়ে আমাদের মনে সন্দেহ প্রবল হবে। কারণ এই জাতীয় সরকার হচ্ছে নির্বাচনের বিকল্প পন্থা। ২০০৮-এর মধ্যে নির্বাচন হবেই এমন ঘোষণায়ও মানুষের মনের অবিশ্বাস দূর হচ্ছে না। সংলাপ, জাতীয় সরকার এসব নিয়ে ব্যাপক আলোচনা প্রমাণ করে ওই অবিশ্বাস এবং সন্দেহ অমূলক কিছু ছিল না কিংবা এখনও নয়। আরেকটি বিষয় বলা প্রয়োজন, মাইনাস টু অর্থাৎ দুই নেত্রীকে বাদ দেয়ার বিষয়টি কিন্তু এখনও বাদ যায়নি। কিন্তু বাস্তব অবস্থা হচ্ছেÑ দুই নেত্রী এখনও প্রধান দুই রাজনৈতিক দলের প্রধান নেত্রী হিসেবেই রয়ে গেছেন। এ অবস্থায় যতই জাতীয় সরকারসহ যে কোন ধরনের রাজনৈতিক সিদ্ধান্তই নেয়া হোক না কেন তাতে যদি এই দুই নেত্রী সমর্থন না দেন তাহলে কোনই লাভ হবে না। কাজেই জাতীয় সরকার বর্তমান সঙ্কট এবং সমস্যা সমাধানের কোন বিকল্প ব্যবস্থা হতে পারে না। এতে বরং সঙ্কট আরও বাড়বে।


একজন উপদেষ্টা বলেই দিয়েছেন, সংলাপে নির্বাচনের পরে কি হবে সে বিষয়েও আলোচনা হতে হবে। এখানে তার ইঙ্গিত সুস্পষ্ট। তারা একটা সেইফ একজিট বা নির্বিঘেœ ক্ষমতা থেকে কিভাবে চলে যাবেন তার একটি সুস্পষ্ট নিশ্চয়তা চান। কিন্তু এই নিশ্চয়তা কেউ দিয়ে ভঙ্গ করবেন না, এমনটা নিশ্চিত করে বলা যায় না। [/sb


তাদের দুর্ভাগ্য হচ্ছে, এতদিন ক্ষমতা চালিয়েও তারা একটা সুস্পষ্ট অবস্থান সৃষ্টি করতে পারেননি। ক্ষমতা গ্রহণের স্বল্প সময়ের দুর্নীতি দমনের একটি কাঠামো সৃষ্টি করে, নির্বাচন দিয়ে চলে গেলে 'সংবিধানের অভিভাবক' (তুরস্কে যাকে 'গার্ডিয়ান অব দ্য কনস্টিটিউটশন' বলা হয়) হওয়ার সম্ভাবনাটা ছিল উজ্জ্বল। এখন আর ওই সুযোগ নেই বললেই চলে।
 
 

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