Shahjalal University : Restore Sanity
Mijanur Rahman
The Daily Star
Monday's meeting between the education minister and the authorities of
Shahjalal University of Engineering & Technology highlighted a
disquieting reality: the situation still remains tense at the university
and the teachers, especially ones on the syndicate, are in fear of
mortal danger.
Evidently, nothing much has changed ever since the controversy over the
naming of some academic and administrative buildings at the university
took violent proportions. As it now stands, the entire town of Sylhet,
not only the university campus, is held hostage by the belligerent
students and political activists opposing the syndicate decision. With
the pro-decision activists drumming up public support in their favour
through signature campaign and erection of the Mukta Pratibad Manch
(open stage for protestation), the end of bellicosity and violence
looks highly unlikely. Restoration of sanity at the Shahjalal University
and resumption of normal academic activities thereby remains a far cry.
More importantly, future of general students in their thousands hangs in
balance.
As we have commented in an earlier editorial, the position taken against
the syndicate decision is doubly disquieting. Firstly, it undermines the
authority of the syndicate and secondly, and disturbingly, it smacks of
anti-liberation sentiments. Also, death threats issued to the syndicate
members bore, in our view, a resemblance with the evil design of the
marauding forces in 1971 to extinguish the spirit and ideal of the War
of Liberation. By extending their support to and joining hands with the
protesters, the mainstream opposition parties have not only made the
situation worse but also tarnished their own image and raised a question
over their political agenda.
We demand an immediate end to the standoff and request the authorities
to force the violence-mongers to back off. The government should take it
as a breach of law and order and political parties should refrain from
adding political colour to the issue. Overall, we want sanity restored
to the university and academic activities resumed.
Mahesh Rao
1998 Flood in Bangladesh. We are using satelling Imagery (NOAA-14) and would
like to get other spatial data (digital) pertaining to Bangladesh such as
Rivers, Boundaries, roads, etc.
We would greatly appreciate if anyone could help us out or point out some
sources?
Thanks in advance.
Mahesh Rao
Oklahoma State University
jamaluddin muhammad
You can contact SPARRSO (Space Research & Remote Sensing Organization),
Agargaon, Dhaka, Bangladesh. They are the only place in Bangladesh who keeps
the satellite images. Unfortunately, they consider most of the images are of
security risk meaning do not allow to be taken outside the premises.
Hope this helps,
Bye.
nkdat...@my-deja.com
28 January, 2000
http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news
Commentary
An appeal from the heart to Dean Zafar Iqbal of Shahjalal University
By Jamal Hasan
po...@hotmail.com
Dear Dr. Zafar Iqbal:
I am writing this open letter to you as a last resort to get you out of
a quagmire, which is worsening as the days go by. After lots of soul
searching, I am taking advantage of a bold and dynamic Internet
journal,
News from Bangladesh (NFB) to get my points across.
It was probably eight or nine years ago, you were living in New Jersey
while I was located in the Sunshine state called Florida. You and I
were working for the common cause with a similar philosophical
grooming. The New York-based monthlies, Voice of Bangladesh' and
Parichoy' were the two platforms where you and I could express our
hopes and frustrations. Our close-knit literary circle was aspiring to
achieve something very big. We were upholding the cause of Bangladesh
Liberation Struggle then.
When Shaheed Janani (mother of the martyr) Jahanara Imam started to
organize her movement in USA, you turned out to be a bright star in the
collective struggle. You were not involved in Awami League politics in
post-liberation days. Rather, you were one of the staunchest critics of
Awami League's misrule in 1972-1974 period. Nevertheless, you realized
the need for forging a broad coalition with the ex-Awami Leaguers and
others to revive and strengthen the then dormant spirit of 1971.
I recall you and many other unsung heroes were directly involved in
energizing the last vestiges of Ekattur'er politics' in the US
frontier. The ever-growing frontier was instrumental in sending an
attorney from this part of the world to Bangladesh. Of course, you do
remember later that legal eagle attended the People's Trial' of Golam
Azam and his cohorts. Before his departure to Bangladesh, at the last
moment you needed to construct a working paper on Bangladesh Genocide
in English text. I recall, I provided you with some of my earlier
essays on the topic.
Your love for our motherland knows no bounds and it seemed to be much
stronger than many of us. Most of us do not ever dream of sacrificing
the comforts of living in a developed society. That includes
secularists to ultra-orthodox Islamists. When most of the developing
countries were suffering from the proliferation of Brain Drain, you
were of the opinion to follow the path of rare reverse migration. Like
your older brother, writer Humayun Ahmed, you thought of going back and
resettling in Bangladesh. Your
shiny academic credential that is catchy in the demanding technology-
related job markets (the highest degree from Princeton), your high-
paying job at Bell Core and the nice house in New Jersey failed to pull
you to hold you down here in America. Conversely, for many of us USA is
gradually becoming less of a foreign entity. You wrote me once that it
gave you a very depressing thought whenever you foresaw you would spend
the rest of your life in an alien land. In the early nineties, you were
thinking of going back to your roots. At that time, you were also quite
encouraging my idea of organizing an US Congressional Hearing on
Bangladesh Genocide. I was elated to find that Shaheed Janani thought
the idea bore enough merit. Like me, you were convinced that such
hearing could exert tremendous impact globally and definitely, that
could put sustainable pressure on the Razakar-dominated Khaleda Zia
administration.
Our recently formed pro-Muktijuddho (Liberation War) e-Group,
Bangla_Nuremberg' appeared as a vibrant political force on the horizon.
Thanks to Internet-based technology. The Nuremberg members rather
smoothly networked with like-minded people all around the world. From
Amnesty International representative to the Legal Scholar on Bangladesh
Genocide issues, we could bring diversified political forces under the
same umbrella. And we did just that. This is ushering in a new type of
movement, which is quite unique in our culture. Nobody is going for
photo opportunity, and each contribution to the movement from any part
of the world is equally respected. Our main motto is: Larger objective
is more important than self aggrandizement. You would be heartened to
know that the Bangla_Nuremberg' activists have already approached
Bangladesh government that acknowledged its presence as a strong pro-
Muktijuddho lobby overseas. Many of them also reached different
branches of US and UK governments, and are continuously lobbying to
achieve its goals.
In US society, time and again, relics of dark past do reappear. The old
divide of the tragic civil war has not gone away totally. Till today,
there is pro-confederacy (which the African-Americans perceive as pro-
slavery) public opinion visible in some parts of the country. The
recent Confederacy Flag controversy of South Carolina brings back the
burning issue today. The African-Americans from all across the nation
are heading toward South Carolina to show their distaste for hoisting
of Confederate Flag in the state capital. Needless to say, a
significant number of white South Carolinians have sympathy for the
Confederates and the Flag. Old habit does not die easily, isn't that
true! In Sylhet, where you teach, the old anti-71 sentiments have just
resurfaced after all these years. Thus, whether it is South Carolina or
Sylhet, the reactionary forces would succumb to old ideas and habits.
Let me now bring into the fore the Shahjalal University dormitory-
naming controversy. While presumably a great majority of the
Bangladeshis would like to retain the Shaheed Janani's name as part of
Shahjalal University (considering 85% Bangladeshis want a War Crime
Trial), a significant percentage of the local residents are showing a
different opinion. What we are seeing is a simple matter leading to a
volatile situation. An undesired polarization is evolving rapidly that
could be detrimental to the greater interest of the country.
Dr. Iqbal, events are deteriorating fast. We have to look at the bigger
picture. Wouldn't you agree with me that at this moment it is more
important to bring the issues of Bangladesh Genocide and the Trial of
the War Criminals into the limelight? I am quite sure if the Shaheed
Janani were alive today, she would urge everybody to stop this charade.
The Bangladesh government would do a big blunder if it fails to respect
the wishes of local community. In fact, inadvertently the Hasina
Administration is helping the Razakar-tainted opposition forces to give
them more political mileage in this issue than they deserve. You may
agree with me the present administration could be last resort that
could give a minimum support in broader issue of Bangladesh Genocide.
God forbid, if Golam Azam's friends like Khaleda Zia and Ershad come to
power, we cannot expect any cooperation from the Bangladesh
administration in sending any killers of 1971 to the docket whether it
is in Bangladesh or abroad.
It came to my knowledge that unknown miscreants firebombed your house
in Sylhet. Also, some known political activists with ties to the
opposition camp have threatened you in an open public forum.
Dr. Iqbal, now is the time to reconsider your priorities. Do you
remember what have I said to you in 1994? I told you that someday you
might be included in the Black List of the killers and collaborators of
1971. At the time, I was not sure that my warning would turn out to be
such prophetic. Today, the fate and destiny made you the 'Eye of the
Storm.'
My final request to you is at this very moment the time and situation
are not favorable for you to continue your job as Dean of the Shahjalal
University. I believed it then and am confidently saying this now, "It
is
possible to serve our native land from abroad." Please consider my
request seriously. Leave your current position at Shahjalal University
and come back to America. Your talent and expertise are crucial to the
creative research at the corporation that you left behind. You can pick
up the pieces and move forward.
Dr. Zafar Iqbal, America needs you, and we need you too. Your arrival
to USA would give our movement a new jolt and a momentum. Let our voice
be heard in US Capitol and 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue. From here, we can
do things for mother Bangladesh that might seem to be unattainable over
there back home.
Finally, I am hoping you definitely would agree with me, if we conquer
America, we could conquer the whole world.
Sincerely,
Jamal Hasan,
Your pal from the distant past at the US Capital
In article <388FBA...@education.monash.edu.au>,
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
nkdat...@my-deja.com
of the most popular novelist in Bangladesh.
Their father was murdered in 1971 during
the Muktijuddho.
Nalinaksha Bhattacharyya
: An appeal from the heart to Dean Zafar Iqbal of Shahjalal University
: By Jamal Hasan
: po...@hotmail.com
: My final request to you is at this very moment the time and situation
: are not favorable for you to continue your job as Dean of the Shahjalal
: University. I believed it then and am confidently saying this now, "It
: is
: possible to serve our native land from abroad." Please consider my
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: request seriously. Leave your current position at Shahjalal University
: and come back to America. Your talent and expertise are crucial to the
: creative research at the corporation that you left behind. You can pick
: up the pieces and move forward.
: Dr. Zafar Iqbal, America needs you, and we need you too. Your arrival
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: to USA would give our movement a new jolt and a momentum. Let our voice
: be heard in US Capitol and 1600, Pennsylvania Avenue. From here, we can
: do things for mother Bangladesh that might seem to be unattainable over
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: there back home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: Finally, I am hoping you definitely would agree with me, if we conquer
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
: America, we could conquer the whole world.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I don't know what Zafar Iqbal would do, and I don't doubt the sincerity
of tone of Jamal Hasan. However, I would like to point out that the kind
ofhope expressed by Jamal Hasan about doing more things for Bangladesh
sitting in America than being in Bangladesh is at best wishful
thinking. We are here because of our situations, circumstances and
aspirations. Given the fact that we are here, we can possibly do some
things for our people back home. But it is definitely wrong to think that
we can achieve more for our people by staying here than by going back. Our
countries (India,Bangladesh,Pakistan) will be changed by people who are in
our countries and are fighting from the trench lines and not by
Non-Residents basking in their self importance.
I don't know what Zafar Iqbal will do. After all he is the man on the
spot. And he may choose not to take the heat any more and he is perfectly
entitled to do so. However, if the Government gives in to this threat then
it would be a victory for the reactionary forces.
--
Nalinaksha Bhattacharyya
http://finance.commerce.ubc.ca/~bhatta
"The lifestyle of the Indian elite is amazing...I've never seen
such opulence even in America"---Noam Chomsky in New Delhi in 1996
Zahidul Alam Khandaker
My salute to you for deciding to abandon a comfortable life in an advanced
society and going back to a society not so advanced and BE AN AGENT OF
CHANGE. It's for people like you (and Prof. Yunus, and Mahfuz Anam, to name
a few others) who have gone back to your roots where you came from that this
nation of 120 million poor and honest people can hope to see lights of
advancement.
May you succeed in your mission of eradicating the corrupt and greedy
politicians and bureaucrats and administrators who have taken the country
and its people as hostage to promote their narrow self-fulfillment and
giving the country back to the 120 million poor and honest souls to whom it
belongs and for whose advancements, you have dedicated your life.
MAY ALLAH BE WITH YOU FOR YOUR JUST CAUSE. AND, PLEASE DON'T GIVE UP.