Book Review - THE INDIA DOCTRINE (1947-2007)

[BanglaBhoot]

Congrats for ur bk.but it is quite painful to see how this generation of bangladeshis hav given into fundamentalism in a big way and are ful of hatred.this is not so much a matter of influence by india than a feelin of jealousy towards the progress made by a secular india and its people.but things would have bn very diff if india was a islamic state.even that is evident how these bangali fundamentals like most of the members here are ceremoniously supporting the terroists tat are operating from pakistan and causin attacks on indian cities and are blindly acceptin watever the pak members are sayin even on sensitive and wel known issues like 1971 war.i only pity these bengalis.watever u say abt india atleast show tat much amount of respect which is required because the only reason that u ppl are independant is because the ppl of india and its govt helped u ppl to gain that freedom.ar jadi ta na hoto to tomra aj o **** der gulam hoe thakte.is there any doubt in wat i said.thanks

Without even having read the book you have drawn a very broad conclusion. There is nothing fundamentalist about the book.

 

[kaminey]

one doesnt need to read such a book ful of mostly propaganda against india.the review itself is gud enough to c the above .what level of propaganda can speculate about mumbai attacks when it is very well evident that the lone survivin attacked kasab is a pakistani national.so u mean to say that indian raw has equiped him and his fellow terrorists wit arms to attack mumbai.lol.hw childish is that.even the pakistani authorities said that and then their media discovered his home.lol.now pakistani police is guarding their home.lol.u ppl cal urself muslims yet do and say everythin haram.i say better do some soul searching.wateva i had said in my earlier post is not broad conclusion but the truth.lol.nwadays u fundamentals associate wat eva that happens in bd to india and its agencies.get a grip.thanks

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Very odd that you should confuse the review with the actual book. The review may be propaganda but this does not mean the book is propaganda. I think this shows the narrow mindedness of some Indians. A similar comment was made to me by Maloy Krishna Dhar and I suggested he purchase a copy before passing judgement.

I should also point out that RAW is known to have sponsored elements of the Pakistani Taliban so one may legitimately speculate who else the Indians finance.

 

[kaminey]

u mean to say that they hav financed mumbai attacks .r u a normal human being or r u suggesting that u talk crap like this all the time.lol.its not at all gud that u speculate absurd things.btw do u hav any proof that raw is funding talibs or u simply daydream this kind of crap.secondly i dont knw whose idea is this crap that they are funding talibs.more over its only the pakistanis who r spreadin such propaganda al the time .so many nato countries are involved in afganistan yet they never find any indian involvement with the talibs.so u r suggestin they are fools and the only smart *** arnd are the pakistanis.
even durin wars also these pakistanis spread false propaganda that they are winning ,in the end all the truth comes out in the open.lol.so dont make ur views blurred by the false sermons of our pakistani friends ,analyse all aspects and dont speculate.speculation is more like gamblin which under shariyat is haram.thanks

 

[BanglaBhoot]

No I did not say they financed the Mumbai attacks but India does finance terrorist groups. In Bangladesh we have the example of the Shanti Bahini which was sponsored by RAW for 2 decades. Pakistan has produced evidence that India is sponsoring some of these Pakistan Taliban. Even the Americans have expressed annoyance about Indian activities in Afghanistan.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Ya pakistani evidence.wats in that evidence can u elaborate on that.lol history is witnes that these pakistanis hav sent army regulars posin as jihadis durin kargil was.even when they died for their nation ,their authorities refuse to take their bodies 4 burial.pity on these people who call themselves humans let alone being muslim.it was indians who buried them wit due respect.do u deny that.u cal these cowards ur brothrs.shame on u 2.allah wil judge u al.

Oh shut the f... up u coward .... and watch ur tongue yeh tumharay mata ka forum nahin hai.its PAKISTAN DEFENCE FORUM
Who were the cowards who violated siachin?
Wat bodies?
If there were bodies why didnt there familes ask GOP?Are they stupid?
U idiot it was NLI and mujahedeen who were making u soil ur dhotis and remember when u ran out of coffins?and asked uncle SAM for a cease fire like 48? and 65?

wat propoganda?
During 65 indian air force claiming to shoot 100 PAF jets?
or ur so called soldiers making phony tales of confronting pakistani troops on border and getting medals???and then getting caught??
Who created mukti bhani?
If we are so bad why our bengali brothers like us and hate u indians?
Why srilankans hate u?bhutan?china? all hate india why???
and have better relations with Pakistan then u indians?
Go satisfy ur tiny ego on sahara tv and B.S rakhsha..

 

[letsbefriends]

Oh shut the f... up u coward .... and watch ur tongue yeh tumharay mata ka forum nahin hai.its PAKISTAN DEFENCE FORUM
Who were the cowards who violated siachin?
Wat bodies?
If there were bodies why didnt there familes ask GOP?Are they stupid?
U idiot it was NLI and mujahedeen who were making u soil ur dhotis and remember when u ran out of coffins?and asked uncle SAM for a cease fire like 48? and 65?

wat propoganda?
During 65 indian air force claiming to shoot 100 PAF jets?
or ur so called soldiers making phony tales of confronting pakistani troops on border and getting medals???and then getting caught??
Who created mukti bhani?
If we are so bad why our bengali brothers like us and hate u indians?
Why srilankans hate u?bhutan?china? all hate india why???
and have better relations with Pakistan then u indians?
Go satisfy ur tiny ego on sahara tv and B.S rakhsha..

u shut the f*** up ****...may be this is ur abbu jaan's forum,dats y u r ranting and bullshitting continuesly without backing urself up with proofs,come over in any face to face debate or in international defence forums which r not biased and then we'll see...so u claim that the NLI of pakistan is not under the army???what a joke u r,were they not regulars of pak army???by the way ur nawaz sharif's salwar was wet wen he saw the indian retaliation and went to the UN for mercy as usual(typical **** attitude) we may have ran oiut of coffins but pakistanis ran out of respect..yes that is the reality now and will be forever..the coward army of pakistan didnt even accepted the dead bodies of ur soldiers hahaha,its not that ur bengali brothers hate us or nepal r sri lanka hates us,its the people here....but on the contrary check out what there state heads have to say abt india..sri lanka says india is like a big brother and hasina madam share the same feelings....but since u r blind by hatred u wont be able to see that.

and now wen we talk abt ur country,check out hw much it is loved by anyone,while u go on and beg for a nuclear deal like india from america,all obama did was show the middle finger

same goes with britain and EU,france doesnt gave u avionics coz it didnt wanted to P*** India off...russia is an all time ally ,and hence most of the countries we have good relations with unlike urs.now go n cry to the mod,dats all u can do mofo

 

[BanglaBhoot]

u shut the f*** up ****...may be this is ur abbu jaan's forum,dats y u r ranting and bullshitting continuesly without backing urself up with proofs,come over in any face to face debate or in international defence forums which r not biased and then we'll see...so u claim that the NLI of pakistan is not under the army???what a joke u r,were they not regulars of pak army???by the way ur nawaz sharif's salwar was wet wen he saw the indian retaliation and went to the UN for mercy as usual(typical **** attitude) we may have ran oiut of coffins but pakistanis ran out of respect..yes that is the reality now and will be forever..the coward army of pakistan didnt even accepted the dead bodies of ur soldiers hahaha,its not that ur bengali brothers hate us or nepal r sri lanka hates us,its the people here....but on the contrary check out what there state heads have to say abt india..sri lanka says india is like a big brother and hasina madam share the same feelings....but since u r blind by hatred u wont be able to see that.

and now wen we talk abt ur country,check out hw much it is loved by anyone,while u go on and beg for a nuclear deal like india from america,all obama did was show the middle finger

same goes with britain and EU,france doesnt gave u avionics coz it didnt wanted to P*** India off...russia is an all time ally ,and hence most of the countries we have good relations with unlike urs.now go n cry to the mod,dats all u can do mofo

Your rant is only helping to promote my book. Thank you very much ...........

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Sheikh Hasina Afraid of BNP and the Legacy of Ziaur Rahman?

Thursday July 22 2010 15:57:25 PM BDT

By Obaid Chowdhury, USA

As always, a number of interesting and thought provoking articles and letters covering the current political situation in the country were noticed in the columns of the News From Bangladesh (NFB). I would particularly like refer to the ones written by Zoghlul Husain, Jalal Uddin Khan and Shimul Chowdhury published recently. The writers deserve appreciation for articulating the terrible fiasco Bangladesh in today, as well as warning the public what disaster loomed ahead if the situation was allowed to continue. Mr. Khan suggested some home improvement measures for the BNP, and they need careful consideration by the party if it wants to survive and contribute meaningfully to national politics and development, as well as to carry the legacy of President Ziaur Rhaman.

The Sheikh Hasina administration had been doing everything possible to eliminate the name of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, the valiant freedom fighter and the most successful Bangladesh president to date, from the country’s history. His only ‘crime’ was he had the ‘audacity’ to declare the independence of Bangladesh from the Chittagong Kalurghat Betar station on March 27, 1971 when political leaders failed to do so in time. The Awami League (AL) had to seek a verdict from a willing court to ‘punish’ Zia. One can fool one person all the time or some people sometime but not all people all the time. One cannot manufacture or dictate history; it will speak itself.

It looks like the public is paying the price for the ‘forced’ and ‘farcical’ elections on December 29, 2008 after which the AL led ‘mohajote’ was installed to power. Many nationalist observers and analysts have since been warning that Bangladesh would soon be sucked into the Indian hegemony, conforming to Nehru’s India Doctrine, which envisaged an Indian supremacy in South and Southeast Asia. The AL, its sponsored media and the pro-Indian lobbyists have engaged themselves in allaying such fears, some for protection of their crowns while others for cash rewards. National interests have hardly been of any concern to them.

These elements find Indian ‘great friendship’ in the stoppage of waters at Farrakha, Tipaimukh and many other similar deadly contraptions! So what if our 52 joint rivers dry out at time of need and people keep crying Allah Megh De, Pani De in desperation? (Please read the article “India’s Dream, Bangladesh’s Disaster” by John Vidal published in NFB on July 16, 2010.) They feel nothing wrong at the regular BSF target shootings at Bangladeshis across the border, nor the Indian farmers encroaching inside our land. They do not care if we lose the South Talpatti or our maritime outlet to the sea. They think Bangladesh is out for sale and can be leased out for money, so let India use our ports and land routes for whatever purpose. They do not reason why Asian Highway had to enter Bangladesh from one side of India and exit to India again, reducing Bangladesh to a hapless transit point only. We need no military control in tribal areas in Chittagong Hill Tracts, so that India-trained miscreants and secessionists can keep it continually unstable. It is of no consequence to them if Indian goods and culture flood Bangladesh markets, even though Bangladesh can not export their goods to India for various ‘legal’ and ‘procedural’ reasons. The Hasina administration seems to move along the blue-print it was charted as a condition of its installation to authority.

The nation could not yet know the real story behind the February 25/26 BDR carnage last year, the worst since March 25/26, 1971, even though multiple connections with ruling elites were revealed. Fifty-seven senior officers, including the Director General of BDR, were massacred and their bodies brutally mutilated. Ladies and adult girls were not spared of the savagery during that period hitherto unheard in Bangladesh. Nobody would ever know why dozens of material witnesses were eliminated in the name of ‘heart attacks’ or ‘suicides’ while in custody. Perhaps as follow up of a greater plan, some of the brightest officers of the military were systematically sacked or retired and replaced with awamized officers. Yet, Sheikh Hasina does not seem to have faith in her politicized military. Otherwise, why would she engage Indian commandoes for her security and safety, if rumors were to be believed!

General Moin driven Caretaker Government instituted thousands of cases of corruption, graft and murder against political leaders, mostly belonging to Awami League and BNP, including the two former lady prime ministers. People had seen and experienced the highhandedness of those leaders over the past few decades and had no doubt about the correctness of the charges. Yet we found them coming out of the jails as puritans, and today sitting in the august national parliament and cabinet deciding the fate of Bangladesh and its dismayed sufferers. What an irony! Upon saddling in power, the Awami League took quick steps to withdraw thousands of cases against its men, thanks to an awamized and ever willing judiciary. At the same time, cases against the opposition BNP members are being strengthened with new cases being filed almost daily, particularly against the Zia family members, again thanks to a henpecked and spineless Duduk!

The current suppression and oppression to dissenting media reminds us of Sheikh Mujib’s emergency period in 1974 when all but four government-controlled newspapers were closed. The way Daily Amar Desh and its editor Mahmudur Rahman was thrashed, defying even court orders, can only be possible in a mythical ‘Mogher Mulluk’.

Awami League should in fact be thankful to the opposition BNP for not calling for any Hartal over the past 18 months. It should recall when it was in opposition in 1991-1996 and 2001-2006, how many days did it allow the BNP to run without a Hartal? Yet, it went wild to note the success of Hartal on June 27, 2010 and sent out its official and unofficial enforcement machineries to create trouble. The result was the arrest and persecution of thousands of opposition leaders and workers. The Deputy Home Minister publicly said that the opposition leaders should now ‘save their skins.’ Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, a disabled freedom fighter, the longest serving Foreign Secretary and an Ambassador to the US, was not spared of the harassment and continued to remain in custody.

Few disagree with a need of trial and punishment for the 1971 war criminals. In fact, the public in general and the freedom fighters in particular wonder why it had not taken place over the past 4 decades. However, that should not give a wholesale license to the AL to arrest, torture and harass the Islamic minded leaders on flimsy charges. Many observers suspect that it is in fact a deliberate effort by AL to keep a fictitious ‘Al-Quida/Taliban Connection’ alive in Bangladesh to solicit and maintain Indo-US-Israeli support. (Please read a letter by Shimul Chowdhury in NFB of July 16, 2010 titled “It is About Anything but the 1971 Liberation War.”)

Do all these mean that Sheikh Hasina is afraid of the BNP, the Jamaat-e-Islam and the legacy of Ziaur Rahman, or the public at large?

Obaid Chowdhury

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=327849

 

[Skies]

@Munshi Ji

Can you write a book on our Bangladeshi ideology? The name of that book will be: "Base and Belief". There you can explain what should be our ideology and thinking. There you can justify the base of Bangladeshi ideology and belief. Some people blindly believe hell-AL's ideology based on wrong bases.

 

[BanglaBhoot]

@Munshi Ji

Can you write a book on our Bangladeshi ideology? The name of that book will be: "Base and Belief". There you can explain what should be our ideology and thinking. There you can justify the base of Bangladeshi ideology and belief. Some people blindly believe hell-AL's ideology based on wrong bases.

I have already written a lengthy article on the subject just before the 2008 elections. It requires some changes now but the essence of the argument is there -

DeshCalling: A Nationalist Agenda for Bangladesh - By MBI Munshi Bar-at-Law

A Nationalist Agenda for Bangladesh

By MBI Munshi Bar-at-Law


The installation of the Caretaker Government after the proclamation of emergency on January 11, 2007 by military fiat provides an excellent opportunity for the conscientious citizen to thoroughly reappraise and also reassess our political ideals and national objectives prior to the return of democracy. While the political parties have been striving to reestablish their credibility and relevance to a disillusioned and apathetic public the issue of what ideological principles the nation should rest upon has been largely set aside although this is the most important question of all for the nation to tackle. This article is intended to provide an intellectual framework upon which nationalist debate may take place and covers the political arena occupied by the BNP, Jatiya Party and Jamaat-i-Islami and to some extent the now defunct Freedom Party and other smaller nationalist entities such as Gen. Fazlur Rahman’s newly established nationalist formation.

What is common to all these parties (except that of Gen. Fazlur Rahman which has only begun operations in Bangladesh) is that they have all failed miserably to uphold the nationalist ideal. The obvious reason for this failure is that there is no single accepted document or formal expression of the terms of the nationalist agenda for the 21st century (although there exists many outdated opinions on the subject) and the majority of the general public has largely relied on intuition to determine a party’s nationalist credentials in the modern era. There are several important books on the subject of Bangladeshi nationalism but they tend to over intellectualize the concepts and the basic principles put forward appear contradictory after closer examination. More often than not they involve matters that are subsidiary or ancillary to the main tenets of the ideology. This vagueness and ambiguity has allowed scope for the corrupt, opportunistic and mediocre to thwart and misuse the ideals of nationalism in favour of self-interest and greed. The main cause or reason behind this lack of ideological commitment is the absence of an objective standard or criterion for determining the legitimacy of decisions or actions approved by the party hierarchy when set against the requirements of nationalist ideology. A major consequence of this is that there exists an absolute minimum in ideological content and understanding within the party and an over reliance on charismatic leadership for guidance, however, misguided or irrational it might actually turn out to be for the country as a whole. It is due to this ideological failure that the Freedom Party and Jatiya party both fractured and then collapsed in quick succession during the early 1990’s and is also the cause of the BNP’s dramatic downfall after the 1/11 takeover by a military-civilian conglomerate.

The terms of the nationalist ideal according to this author may be explained through the use of the following four broad tenets or core elements of Bangladeshi nationalism–

1. Honouring the nation’s independence and sovereignty achieved through immense struggle, blood and sacrifice in the 1971 Liberation War.

2. Non-interference in the Islamic values and beliefs of the people as enshrined in the constitution [Art. 8 (1A) – Absolute trust and faith in the Almighty Allah shall be the basis of all actions]. The emergence of Bangladesh is a direct consequence of the Two Nation Theory and the Lahore Resolution and the war of 1971 was not intended to negate either of these ideas. Bangladesh remains a majority Muslim nation and the nationalist creed requires the respecting of Islamic values with particular emphasis on the virtue of toleration which is a peculiar characteristic of the people of this region who generally abhor all forms of fanaticism It is for this reason that compared to the secularist approach the non-interference method can accommodate Muslims, non-Muslims and even people of no faith since none will be interfered with provided that all practice toleration towards each other and adopt the policy of mutual respect [i.e. Art. 2A – The state religion of the Republic is Islam, but other religions may be practiced in peace and harmony in the Republic] (see below).

3. Adherence to the inclusiveness of Bangladeshi nationalism which is based on territorial exclusivity rather than on ethnic exclusivity. In other words, a Bangladesh national should be appropriately described as Bangladeshi [i.e. Art. 6 (2) – The citizens of Bangladesh shall be known as Bangladeshi] rather than a Bengali which tends towards territorial inclusiveness with West Bengal which is a part of India and where the Bengali identity is subservient to the superior and universal Indian one. A Bangladeshi can never accept his identity to be subsumed into a larger Indian one which is an entirely separate nation as per the partition of the subcontinent in 1947 into three separate territorial parts and two political entities (India and Pakistan). This separate consciousness of Bengali Muslims began during the 1905-1911 partition of Bengal which was vehemently opposed by the upper-class Hindu landlords whose power and influence over their Muslim tenants dwindled during this period but Hindu dominance again reasserted itself once the partition was rescinded seven years later and the Muslims were returned to their former slavish existence.

4. Aggressive promotion and advancement of the national interest and an uncompromising attitude to national security.

While all the parties claiming to uphold the nationalist agenda have been more or less consistent in protecting Islamic values this has often been done opportunistically or exploitatively. All that this condition requires is non-interference as opposed to the ‘excessive’ or overt promotion of Islamic values which tends to have a negative effect (a major reason why Islamic parties do badly in elections) on public sentiment which is still very much influenced by the secularist/Indian propaganda about the 1971 war which illogically views Islam as responsible for the atrocities committed by the Pakistan army. Bangladeshis are by nature and temperament moderate in outlook and sentiment and are equally tolerant in matters personal and so a too rigid approach on religion normally gets a negative or unfavorable response. Non-interference in Islamic values is the least onerous of the conditions in the nationalist agenda since it is a negative requirement requiring virtually no action to implement. This is not the same as the secularist agenda favoured by the AL and other leftist parties since they have promoted interference in the Islamic values of the people with the objective of eroding religion from society and rendering the state totally neutral in matters of faith and have even gone so far as to undermining Islam through propaganda and ill-motivated government policies - this is the complete opposite of non-interference and is widely resented by the general public.

The third condition has usually been a problem for the anti-nationalists such as the Awami League party as the notion of Bengali nationhood became untenable when West Bengal showed no signs of seceding from India after 1971 and even more importantly - from a nationalist perspective - after the CHT insurgency when the tribal groups refused to adopt Bengali customs even after the vocal and uncompromising demand of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that they do so. This issue was resolved when President Ziaur Rahman amended the constitution and designated all citizens of Bangladesh as Bangladeshis emphasizing the territorial rather than the ethnic aspect of our nationhood.

It is, however, in the area of national interest and security that sharply differentiates the nationalists from the other ideological inclinations. In the past, too much emphasis has been placed on the dichotomies raised by faith vs. secularism or Bengali vs. Bangladeshi but these are only indications of attitude and the real test is whether a party is prepared to assert the national interest and aggressively ensure the security of the nation and state. If the answer is in the positive in both cases then by necessity the party in power is advancing the majority faith and Bangladeshi nationalism as well. All the nationalist parties (BNP, Jatiya and Freedom) were established on the twin pillars of national interest and security. The events of 1975 (both 15th August and 7th November) were attempts to reassert the national interest against encroachments and interference from India (this statement is not intended as approval or disapproval of either of these events but simply of their occurrence as a factual and important part of our history. The question, however, needs to be posed whether the nationalist agenda could have reasserted itself so forcefully without these violent incidents having taken place. Similarly the ruthless suppression of communist revolutionary forces after Gen. Ziaur Rahman ascension to power could be described as a dire necessity since Indian infiltration into Bangladesh had been so extensive and pervasive that a lesser response may have been easily defeated) and Ershad is claimed to have wanted to establish another army division to thwart any possible invasion by Bangladesh’s big neighbour. It is the AL and other leftist parties that have continually compromised on the national interest and security in order to serve their real masters in New Delhi.

The national interest and security involve by implication the most complex political, social, economic and military questions. It is for the country’s political leadership to determine which economic or political system best serves the national interest or which social policies should be implemented to advance overall national well-being. There is no easy answer to these questions but what is needed is a set of practical policies that can produce a dynamic and fast growing economy that will sustain an educated and healthy workforce and in turn finance the internal and external security needs of the country. Sectional interests must not be allowed under any circumstances to become an obstacle or hindrance to national development and economic prosperity.

Gen. Ziaur Rahman, Gen. H.M. Ershad and Col. Syed Farook Rahman when they formed their political parties had these objectives in mind but gradually overtime the ideological elements of their party program became diluted and the pursuit of money became more important. While Gen. Ziaur Rahman and Col. Syed Farook Rahman were personally incorruptible their followers and the subsequent generations of leaders were far less inclined to follow this lead and became addicted to the pursuit of wealth and indirectly compromised on the fourth tenet of nationalism – national interest and security. It was with this new generation (especially in the case of the BNP) which saw the sidelining of committed nationalists and the promotion of the most disreputable and corrupted elements of the party and this is the surest sign of internal decay and clearly indicates the disintegration of the party as a united political force.

In conclusion one should evaluate where Bangladeshi nationalism stands today and especially in the light of the 1/11 change over. It is grievously unfortunate that even without the anti-nationalist parties (i.e. AL, JSD, Workers Party etc) at the helm of power Bangladesh has drifted very far away from all the four core principles of Bangladeshi nationalism. The most obvious failure of the caretaker administration in securing our national objectives appears to be the appeasement of India and the adoption of their foreign policy as our own. This assimilationist agenda has adversely affected our national interest and security and must be reversed if Bangladesh is to remain an independent nation. It is in the area of national security that Bangladesh must concentrate and policy-makers should not be fearful of offending India (which will naturally be the target of any security policy) since India has no qualms about offending Bangladesh which it often describes as a sponsor of terrorism and a threat to its security. The countering of Indian propaganda will also necessarily take a high priority in Bangladesh’s security policy but New Delhi’s canards against its neighbour has unfortunately been embraced by anti-nationalist parties such as the AL, JSD and Workers Party who have described the country as a hotbed of Islamic fundamentalism and an exporter of terrorism.

Bangladesh has yet to devise a security strategy even after almost 37 years of independence which is quite astonishing and at the same time completely unacceptable. One of the principal tasks of a government is to ensure the security of the nation from external threats and this can be best achieved if those responsible for the defense of the nation have a detailed security policy to guide them. National security in this broader sense refers to the requirement to maintain the survival of the nation-state through the use of economic, military and political power and the exercise of diplomacy. This may be accomplished on several different levels and should include the following –
• using diplomacy to rally allies and isolate threats
• maintaining effective armed forces
• implementing civil defense and emergency preparedness measures
• ensuring the resilience and redundancy of critical infrastructure
• using intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats and espionage, and to protect classified information
• using counterintelligence services or secret police to protect the nation from internal threats
To implement these features effectively in Bangladesh would require a National Security Strategy to be devised. The first step would be to set up a National Security Council which will bring together in one place all the relevant agencies, bodies and experts on this vital issue. This would include the President, Chief Executive, Chiefs of the army, navy and air force, intelligence heads, other security officials belonging to law enforcement, diplomats and experts from various fields who will be called in as the need arises or be allotted to an advisory board attached to the NSC. The NSC would be assigned the responsibility for coordinating policy on national security issues and advising the chief executive on matters related to national security. At regular yearly intervals the NSC would prepare a National Security Strategy document that will guide all elements of our defence, security and intelligence apparatus and also influence the manner and conduct of our foreign policy. The advantages to such an approach would be consistency and comprehensiveness in our national security outlook. While I have tended to concentrate on the defence aspects of security the NSS would give equal priority to strengthening economic security, expansion of trade and investment, and promoting economic development. The NSS would provide guidelines and proposals on economic security, energy security, transport security and terrorism finance. This would involve the business community as stakeholders in the nation’s security with direct input in policy formulation.

Probably the only reason that a National Security Strategy and NSC have yet to be established in Bangladesh is the apprehension of the adverse reaction it might generate in New Delhi. A truly nationalist party would disregard such considerations and put the nation’s interest and security first. India has never compromised on its national security requirements which usually targets Bangladesh so there should not be any hesitation on this side of the border in doing the same in regard to our own defense needs. Critics may argue that this would undermine democracy and put too much power in the hands of the military. This ignores the fact that political parties have continuously undermined the national interest requiring occasional interventions by the army. To prevent such occurrences this paper argues for the institutionalization of the nationalist agenda so that each arm of the state apparatus and machinery works to fulfill that objective. It would, however, only work effectively under a democratic system as the people will be the final arbiters in determining if any particular government is actually living up to the nationalist ideal. An extended military role in state affairs should not be considered since the present army is not the same as the army of Gen. Ziaur Rahman, Col. Syed Farook Rahman and even Gen. H.M. Ershad which actually fought a war and understood the meaning of the words national interest and security (this statement will probably seem unpalatable to many because of certain actions taken by these individuals but those unfortunate but necessary incidents of our history constitute the basis of Bangladeshi nationalism and also its defence. There is some dispute whether the Jail Killing incident of November 3, 1975 falls into this category since many suspect that this was orchestrated by RAW to prevent a strong leadership emerging around Tajuddin Ahmed. The acquittal of 12 accused in the case by the High Court lends credence to this view). The present army although describing itself as modern and democratic is actually more a peacekeeping force having the mentality of compromisers. The army’s approach to the national crisis since 1/11 has been superficial and wholly unprofessional (What is the objective and plan for this intervention and where is the exit strategy?). Rather than seeking the advice of committed nationalists and experts they have resorted to taking assistance from various individuals of dubious backgrounds and qualifications. A democratic political party representing the nationalist ideal would serve the nation better provided the top leadership remains incorruptible and appoints statesman to the helm of government affairs rather than amateurs and opportunists.

MBI Munshi

September 1, 2008

Dhaka

 

[Al-zakir]

@Munshi Ji

Can you write a book on our Bangladeshi ideology? The name of that book will be: "Base and Belief". There you can explain what should be our ideology and thinking. There you can justify the base of Bangladeshi ideology and belief. Some people blindly believe hell-AL's ideology based on wrong bases.

Our ideology should only be Islamic ideology. No need this Hindu Bengali crap that already made some of people Hindu minded.

I suggest change the name back to East Pakistan and restore old national anthem as well as use Arabic/Persian script instead. We have more than 8000 Farsi words in old Bangla which only will revive if we change this Hindu script. Understand.

 

[Vinod2070]

Too bad they are not listening to razakaars now a days and are going back to their glorious ancient Bengali heritage rather than foreign invader imposed shyt.

Good to see Bangladesh moving towards their roots and rejecting these foreigners and the foreign imposed crappy Taliban ideology.

 

[jeypore]

Even the Americans have expressed annoyance about Indian activities in Afghanistan.

Link Please...

Which annoyance and Which activities? A great book writer as yourself can easily provide a hard proof or link, But Ofcourse...

 

[BanglaBhoot]

Link Please...

Which annoyance and Which activities? A great book writer as yourself can easily provide a hard proof or link, But Ofcourse...

Gen. McChrystal in a report indicated Indian interference in Afghanistan. You couldn't have missed something that big.