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The government of Bangladesh responds

Zabaniyah

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Aug 5th 2011, 14:52 by The Economist | LONDON

The Economist received the following letter from the government of Bangladesh in response to a recent article:

"Our attention has been drawn to an article on India and Bangladesh, “Embraceable you”, published in The Economist in its issue dated July 30th. We are disappointed, as the report is less than well researched and contains elements of misinformation and a misrepresentation of facts. What is more unfortunate is that the writer uses some words and sometimes draws analogies which lack decency and professional ethics. We are furnishing relevant information to put the issues in the right perspective.

The writer is of the view that the ruling Awami League (and its allies) came to power through “bags of Indian cash and advice”. This is a blatant lie and aptly speaks about the writer’s utter disrespect for responsible journalism. The international community, including independent observers, hailed the historic elections in December 2008 as the freest ever in the history of the country, which was reflective of the aspirations of the people. His comment is also a slur on the democracy-loving people of Bangladesh – one of the largest democracies in the world. His observation that the transit facilities between the two countries are to meet Indian security needs at the expense of the interests of Bangladesh is also misplaced as both countries are expected to benefit immensely from it.

Bangladesh attaches the highest importance to its relations with India. These relations are time tested and based on shared history, culture, language, religion, traditions and values. The traditional relations were infused with a new dynamism following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in January 2010 as the leadership of the two countries agreed to embark on a new era of co-operation for mutual benefit with the objective of fighting the common enemy of poverty and under-development. This signifies closer engagement in areas as diverse as joint water resources management, land boundary demarcation, trade, power, connectivity, infrastructure, culture, education, etc.

The writer may be interested to know that as a part of the initiative of the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to return to the values and spirit that inspired the nation during the war of liberation, it has undertaken an exercise to honour those foreign friends who stood by the people of Bangladesh and contributed to the attainment of statehood in 1971. In this context it is widely felt that the seminal role played by the then Prime Minister of India, Mrs Indira Gandhi, deserves a special recognition. Thus she was conferred with the Bangladesh Freedom Honour (posthumously), the highest state honour for foreigners which was handed over to Mrs Sonia Gandhi when she visited Bangladesh to attend a special conference on autism. The writer has undermined both Bangladesh’s struggle to attain statehood through its glorious war of liberation as well as the hand of friendship and support extended by India to Bangladesh when he refers to the Freedom Honour as ‘a gong’ in a negative manner.

It may be noted that the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken a proactive policy for building up relations with not only India but with all of her neighbours in South Asia. Towards this end, there have been exchanges of high level visits from Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. One of the most significant developments in this regard has been the decision of the government to grant both Nepal and Bhutan use of Chittagong and Mongla ports for transit trade to third countries. In addition to this, Bangladesh is working to provide smooth and seamless connectivity between Bhutan, Nepal and India and to extend it through Myanmar to the countries of South-East Asia and beyond. Perhaps unknown to the writer is that this connectivity is not only through rail and road; Bangladesh has offered use of two airports situated in the north of the country to Bhutan for its own use. Bangladesh is also working on intensifying shipping linkages with Sri Lanka which will benefit not only bilateral trade but will also help to enhance trade relations with the Maldives, which has so far been stymied by a lack of air and shipping linkages between the two countries. Taking connectivity and regional co-operation one step further, Bangladesh is also working towards a joint water resources management in a sub-regional context involving Bhutan, Nepal, India and Bangladesh. This envisages water resources management for flood control and mitigation as well as augmentation of dry season flows of common rivers. An added benefit will be hydro-power generation to meet the incremental energy requirements of one of the most economically dynamic areas of the world today.

While mentioning about opposition’s boycott of Parliament, the writer says that the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is “becoming increasingly autocratic”. This speaks about his poor knowledge about the numerous initiatives taken by the government to institutionalise democracy in the country. The writer is perhaps aware that the Dauphine University, a prominent Parisian university, awarded a gold medal to Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 25th May 2011 in recognition to her outstanding contribution to institutionalising and strengthening democracy, and also for her achievement in empowering the women of Bangladesh. In line with the spirit of accommodation, the present government, for the first time in history, has allocated the chairmanship of the two important standing committees of the Parliament to the opposition parties who hold only 40 seats out of 345. Even the post of deputy speaker was offered to the opposition. Despite the welcome gesture from the government, the opposition parties, quite ironically, have been boycotting parliamentary sessions for narrow political gains which undermines the country’s democratic process.

The initiative of the present government to try the people involved in genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and other crimes under international law, stems from the fundamental norms of a civilized society. It is reflective of the primacy of the rule of law and the rejection of impunity. The initiative draws from the overwhelming popular support for putting the perpetrators of war crimes on trial and is not prompted by any feeling of vendetta against any individual or any political party.

Without giving any research-based statistics, the writer mentions that “corruption flourishes at levels astonishing even by South Asian standards”. Fighting corruption and establishing good governance has been one of the priorities of the Government and neither any member of the present Prime Minister’s family nor any Cabinet member bears the stigma of being corrupt though corruption remains a major challenge for the country. Keeping with the election mandate, the present government introduced an electronic public procurement system to ensure transparency which was possible due to the government’s determination to digitalise the country. The allegation of building a personality cult around Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Father of the Nation of the Prime Minister, is just another example of poor judgment about the role of the great leader in the epic struggle of the country. The government, as per its election mandate, is trying to uphold the true history of the independence of the country which was subjected to distortion by successive military and pseudo-military governments. As regards to the “vindictive” treatment shown to Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate, the writer should have known that it was Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself who had a distinct role in patronizing and thus in making micro-credit, Grameen Bank and Professor Yunus familiar globally. The government’s recent actions about Grameen Bank were taken to uphold the rule of law and not to harass anyone. The verdict of the courts, which are fiercely independent, was just reflective of the facts on the ground.

A closer look at the article indicates that the writer is carrying out the agenda of a quarter who are out to wage a smear campaign about Bangladesh and its present government led by the Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who has, through her extraordinary courage, personal sacrifice and inspiring visionary leadership, brought the country back on track of democratic governance, made the country a model for women’s empowerment, food security, disaster management, poverty alleviation, and pursuing a people-centric peace building policy nationally as well as regionally and internationally. People in the region have already started enjoying the benefits of her government’s strong stand against terrorism and extremism."

Md. Shameem Ahsan
Director General (External Publicity)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Dhaka

Source: Our article on Bangladesh and India: The government of Bangladesh responds | The Economist
 
As regards to the “vindictive” treatment shown to Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel laureate, the writer should have known that it was Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself who had a distinct role in patronizing and thus in making micro-credit, Grameen Bank and Professor Yunus familiar globally. The government’s recent actions about Grameen Bank were taken to uphold the rule of law and not to harass anyone. The verdict of the courts, which are fiercely independent, was just reflective of the facts on the ground.

Amusing, most amusing.
 
You are a very cunning person.

How come?

You all say the Hasina is evil and all I am saying I support you!

How can you all ensure that she is not allowed to do what she does is what I am asking.

I find no way one can jettison her so long as there is no elections.

But that does not mean I support your favourite, Khaleda. She too is evil.

It is time that Bangladesh finds a ruler who is for Bangladesh and not a person who is only interested in furthering their family.

Both Hasina and Khaleda are only using political power to cover their evilness and evil deeds as I understand from the BD news and from you all's posts.
 
Once upon a time Sheikh Hasina introduced Professor Yunus in some meet or get together to some people. She now claims that is what made Yunus popular. Basically the propaganda campaign says that it was our honorable PM who was behind Grameen Bank, Mohammed Yunus and microcredit as a whole so she should get the nobel prize. :lol:
 
Once upon a time Sheikh Hasina introduced Professor Yunus in some meet or get together to some people. She now claims that is what made Yunus popular. Basically the propaganda campaign says that it was our honorable PM who was behind Grameen Bank, Mohammed Yunus and microcredit as a whole so she should get the nobel prize. :lol:

Even if that is the case, it is rather juvenile to claim the limelight!

It shows the immaturity of Bangladeshi politics.
 
Zabanya

Check this on the Economist that you so believe as if it were the scriptures.

The Economist on Iraq

The Alex Jones Channel Infowars store

Political Theatrics
September 2, 2010

The Economist is always an interesting newspaper to read. For myself, I’m especially fascinated with the uniquely Western perspective that it portrays as neutral and balanced. In their recent issue they ponder over Iraq’s uncertain future and in one part of the article they say:

For their part, the people of Iraq never learned to trust, let alone like, the Americans. Yet public opinion has shifted remarkably in recent weeks. After countless American warnings of their imminent departure, all met with stubborn Iraqi insistence that the “occupiers” would never leave, the penny has suddenly dropped. [Emphasis added]

This is a nice paragraph. In one fell swoop it addresses that Arab mind and its love of conspiracies, it affirms the importance of America’s invasion and occupation of Iraq and it continues the enduring myth that the natives cannot go it alone without Western arms and brains.

What does The Economist mean when it says “the penny has suddenly dropped”. It means that these pesky natives were always suspicious of the well-meaning White Man’s intentions. These suspicions were fuelling insecurity but now the clever American has called this bluff and really done it – the newspaper is saying “let us see these children sort themselves out now”, because the Arab will never be able to do anything on their own. It’s the Arab mind you see…

» The Economist on Iraq Alex Jones' Infowars: There's a war on for your mind!

So, Zabanya, it cunning means not being gullible, then I am proud to be cunning as per your definition.

You may like to buy everything hook, line and sinker, but I do not.

One of the dictum of military training is that do not believe what you see. The enemy wants you to believe what you see. See through it, for that is where the reality lies!

On the Iraq War (you feel that the US is justified with that silly reason - spreading Freedom and Democracy as a reason for War?) this is what give away your so called responsible reporting of your beloved Economist.


The commentary by Alex Jones:

In one fell swoop it addresses that Arab mind and its love of conspiracies, it affirms the importance of America’s invasion and occupation of Iraq and it continues the enduring myth that the natives cannot go it alone without Western arms and brains.

I assure you that though I am on a forum and have the fun that it gives (as also views), I am not a cyber geek.I read many newspapers, books and magazines, and guess what, I write including in newspapers of repute! Not an investigative dustbin seeker, but articles that joggles the cerebral space.
 
Well, imo Alex Jones is nt the most trustworthy guy out there either. I mean he has his fair share of critiques as well who believe him to be a different kind of disinfo agent. In any case, lets not get into the conspiracy theory guys, because conspiracy theory and proof never got along with each other.
 
I don't take Alex Jones as the Luke or John.

I go by what he writes and if it coincides with the events.

I wonder how many would agree that Freedom and Democracy is a just cause to go to war!!

Economist feels it so in it own devious way that most of us gulp down hook, line and sinker.

I, for one, admire the good of the West, but I daresay I believe every word they say or print as the Gospel!
 
@ How come the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh can write such a big page of protest to the Editor of Economist, London, never heard in the history. How many protest letters they would write to the international press ?

@ Thank God they have not issued arrest warrant against the Editor like the Editor of "Amardesh ".
 
@ How come the Ministry Of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh can write such a big page of protest to the Editor of Economist, London, never heard in the history. How many protest letters they would write to the international press ?

@ Thank God they have not issued arrest warrant against the Editor like the Editor of "Amardesh ".

Notice how nervous Mickey Moni looked?

As far as arresting people from other countries go, they don't have jurisdiction there, and unlike Bangladesh under AL (or even BNP for that matter), there is freedom of speech in the West. And even if they try to arrest the fellow, they don't have the brains or the organization to do it alone.
 
Notice how nervous Mickey Moni looked?

As far as arresting people from other countries go, they don't have jurisdiction there, and unlike Bangladesh under AL (or even BNP for that matter), there is freedom of speech in the West. And even if they try to arrest the fellow, they don't have the brains or the organization to do it alone.

@ zabanya, tell Mickey Moni that he should not visit Bangladesh otherwise something strange might happen ?????? AL can do and undo anything with the help of their beloved dadas. Than Mosad may also join hands with the Indians.
 
The economist stated the obvious truth and everyone in the BD gov is having lose motions over it...choor ke darhi me tinka!
None of my BD associates have a position video of sheikh hasina government..they all call her an indian agent.
 

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