Feeling sorry for Mahmudur Rahman
There is a lot to like about Mahmudur Rahman. Student of BUET and DU's IBA — Bangladesh's two most prestigious higher education centres. A successful entreprenuer whose business was exporting manufactured goods. He left that venture, and took a huge paycut, to work for the government in technocratic capacities. As the country's investment and energy czar during the last BNP government, he could have been mired in the muck that was Hawa Bhaban. But neither the 1/11 regime nor the current government could even remotely accuse of corruption.
And do they wish Mahmudur Rahman was corrupt. This guy was the first loud voice denouncing the 1/11 regime for what it really was — a slow motion military takeover. And he has been the loudest critique of the current Awami League government. Much earlier than Khaleda Zia, Mahmudur Rahman pointed the finger at Hasina's family. For this affrontery, they locked him up. A very lucid writer, he recounted his days in jail in Amar Desh, the daily he edits.
The thing is, they locked up Mahmudur Rahman for a thought crime. They couldn't find any money laundering allegation. No one could point the finger at him for any misuse of government or private power or property.
We talk about politics not having any bhadralok – who can be better than a brilliant student turned successful entreprenuer turned honest technocrat turned a vocal editor to lead one of our major parties? And that was the speculation in 2011.
Since then, things haven't been so good for him.
While he wants to continue a 1000 year jihad against the Brahmanical aggressor that is India, Khaleda Zia has gone to India and said okay to transit and shutting down terrorism, without mentioning Teesta or Tipaimukh.
While he wants BNP to launch a tough agitation against the neo-Bakshalis, BNP continues with mickey mouse stuff like manob bandhan.
In disgust, he turned to Jamaat, praising their tough, ideological dedication last autumn. He was seeing signs of Arab Spring in Dhaka. Alas, Jamaat too disappointed by apologising to the Americans for the attack on an embassy vehicle.
I feel sorry for Mahmudur Rahman. Not only is he not valued in BNP, even Jamaat is going to break his heart by joining AL, left and JP in a repeat of 1986 (what's that you ask — that's the straightforward reading of the Kader Molla sentence).
I suggest Mahmud shaheb stop editing Amar Desh, take up hard liquor, and start writing poetry.
http://alalodulal.org/2013/02/06/mahudur-rahman/#more-3394
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