The economy has grown 5-6% over the past few years despite inefficient state-owned enterprises, delays in exploiting natural gas resources, insufficient power supplies, and slow implementation of economic reforms. Bangladesh remains a poor, overpopulated, and inefficiently-governed nation. Although more than half of GDP is generated through the service sector, nearly two-thirds of Bangladeshis are employed in the agriculture sector, with rice as the single-most-important product. Garment exports and remittances from Bangladeshis working overseas, mainly in the Middle East and East Asia, fuel economic growth.

Thursday, August 23, 2007

It would take courage to love the flag and its protector

It would take courage to love the flag and its protector
By GM Solaiman
August 23, 2007

Before I jump into any discussion, let’s just say I am a very believer of the saying “a nation gets a leader it deserves”. That’s the bottom line. So, no need to get over board. At the end of the day, it will all be fine. If not, at least it will be well justified, as that’s what we deserve any way.

No savior will fall from the sky to give us a golden country. “We the people” have to build one. For that we need to learn how to behave. No nation in today’s world became prosperous because their teenagers go to street and burned some cars. Not in the planet earth. Some other planet; may be, who knows. This is the curse we get from centuries of ruled by foreigners.

Burning down the system, just simply will not works. How many times we have to try it? It is like those smart folks in centuries ago, who were trying to build a divine machine that will give output of energy with out any input. They had no clue what’s they are up against. It’s the thermodynamics law that they had to break, and of course they were no match for it. Likewise, we are no match for law of physics and it’s no different for Bangladesh. The sooner we learn it the sooner we will be free.

We all get so excited talking about 52 and 71. Every thing we do, some how, some people, would like to link it to 52 and 71. That’s great. But that’s also very immature. Why is that? Shouldn’t we learn from our past? Shouldn’t we feel proud about our past heroes? Make no mistake; we should …… as long as we understand that they are “past”. Confused? Let me explain. The heroism in 52, 69 and 71 (you can even go back as early as 1757 and 1857) was for a freedom-less nation against their foreign masters. Just like any classic heroism. Those were to end slavery and to be free. If we can’t feel free, then all those heroes sacrifice will go in vain. Like I said, it’s hard to remove physical slavery. But it is even harder, if possible at all, to root out slavery form one’s mind. Bringing back 52 is not helping, because along comes slavery (in our mind). All the strategy of getting out of slavery just simply fails when we need to use them to build a nation. That’s why probably; the heroes of freedom movements are often a failed nation builder. A stunning example could be Gandhi vs Jinnah/Mujib. I am not a history analyst, but one could go back and analyze the success of “Gandhi to Nehru transition” vs. the failure of Jinnah & Mujib as a nation builder.

I saw some Bangladeshi columnist aka buddijibi getting so nostalgic. To them, so called jolpai rong is synonymous to Ayub khan. In fact every thing is about Ayub Khan to them, either for or against. This is so funny. But I don’t blame them. I feel very pity for them. What can you do? They have born as a slave. No matters how many independence our brave sons bring to them, their mind won’t be free. It’s a curse they can not get out of. They are still kept inside in the independence war. That makes sense. The 71-minus generation, who born as a Pakistani or Indian, are in constant battle inside their mind. The poor fellows feel like they have to prove that they belong to independent Bangladesh. That’s why every thing is about Pakistan-ponthi or India-ponthi to them. It’s like something inside ask them constantly, which side are you in? Who can blame them? I am like, dude, the war is over long ago. Now, just get over with it. I have born into independent Bangladesh. I got only one side. I don’t need no stupid question, stop making fool out of yourself. Freedom is a blessing, not everyone can feel it.

Comparing our brothers and sons who take the oath to protect us, for whom we can say that March 25th of 71 will not repeat, to those of enemy soldiers are not only silly, it’s also unethical. It’s like comparing your brother with the criminal who have just raped your sister-in-law. After all, both of them do the same. ARE THEY??

Just because you & I earned few degrees, does not necessarily make us better then the soldiers. While I headed to buet after HSC, few of my best friends take the oath. I always look up to them (not down) for their courage. My uncle/mama was a very brilliant student, one of the best that I have seen. He joined the force and now he is flying with a Bangladesh flag and bringing peace to world ahead. Trust me; you are not necessarily smarter than him, neither am I. If we judge our nation’s brave sons by few rotten apples aka dictators, we would be very wrong.

It may take a little brain to find pin holes and criticize. It may take an evil mind to push our teenagers in the street and encourage them on burning. But it would take courage to love the flag and its protector.

posted by x86 @ 10:32 PM

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