21-09-2021

TUESdAy, SEPTEMbER 21, 2021
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Tuesday, September 21, 2021
The greatest Bengali
of a thousand years
We are led to wondering when we are observing the
Mujib Year in 2021, how our lot would be today, if
Bangabandhu's life was not cut so short by his
heartless and conscienceless killers. We would surely be so
much the better off in all respects if this larger than life
person who was described from various forums as the
greatest Bengali of a thousand years, had lived on fulfilling
the ardent prayers of his people to get the services of this
extraordinary leader who blessed this part of the Indian
subcontinent in the last century.
Was Bangabandhu born for Bangladesh ? Did Providence
send him to us for conclusively freeing us from the last
vestiges of the colonial ogres, first the British and then
Pakistan. Indeed the two words-Bangabandhu and
Bangladesh-- are inseparable. It's like an umbilical
relationship, like an infant and mother in the womb. One
cannot be thought of minus the other.
Bangabandhu's contribution towards the creation of
Bangladesh and then leading it very successfully for a brief
period was so great that without recalling his role any
discussion on the nationhood of Bangladesh remains
incomplete. The distinct socio-cultural identity of the
Bengali people, the different Bengali language and racial
characteristics of the Bengalis in the eastern part of the
Indian subcontinent , had been anathema to the artificial
unity between the two halves of erstwhile Pakistan 1,500
miles apart.
But the move for realization of a nation state based on the
principle of Bengali nationalism remained dormant under
the leadership of hesitant and reactionary leaders who were
Bangabandhu's much the seniors by age and experience.
It was Bangabandhu who felt the deceit of Pakistan when
he was a very young man. He rebelled against the then
dominant and communal Muslim League and succeeded in
forming a breakaway faction of the Muslim League as early
as 1949 only two years after the partition of the subcontinent
in 1947.
It was young Bangabandhu's tremendous enthusiasm and
organizing skills that this faction called the Awami Muslim
League - including the older leaders-- had sowed the seeds
of a sovereign state of Bangladesh so soon after the birth of
Pakistan. Later it was the singular pressure and persuasion
from Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman that the word
Muslim was dropped from the nomenclature of the
breakaway faction to manifest its motivation and intended
direction.
The older leaders clung to their position and powers
within the Awami League but in reality had to concede
significantly to the groundswell of Bengali nationalistic
feelings whipped up by Bangabandhu and his supporters.
The weight of the Bangabandhu was increasingly bearing
down on the Awami League. After the Language Movement
of 1952 Bangabandhu's hold on the Awami League became
virtually unchallengeable and by 1962 when he declared his
6-Points Demands, Bangabandhu had become the supreme
Leader of the Awami League. Subsequently, Awami League
contested the national election in 1970 under the supreme
leadership of Bangabandhu and the election result gave him
absolute mandate over the fate of the eastern part of
Pakistan-whether it would remain in Pakistan or not.
The writing was on the wall. When Bangabandhu in his
historic speech of March,1971 thundered " this struggle is
the struggle for freedom, this struggle is for independence "
amid a sea of people (the biggest ever recorded such
assemblage at Dhaka race course ground with the flag of
Bangladesh already raised and fluttering high) the notion of
united Pakistan from that time was buried for good.
Bangabandhu got less than five years to rebuild his
beloved country-- greatly devastated and crippled by the
liberation war--on return from captivity in Pakistan. A
person of lesser caliber than Bangabandhu would surely be
daunted by the Herculean tasks of rebuilding. But
Bangabandhu proved himself more than equal to the tasks
that lay ahead. Ports were cleared of mines and sunken
ships and foreign trade and communications resumed ;
roads and railway tracks were repaired ; the financial sectors
or structures were smoothly back to functioning ; the
government or state machinery started working effectively.
A crop failure in 1974 and conspiracies leading to
diversion of grain laden ships away from Bangladesh that
threatened famine was successfully overcome and a bumper
harvest was reaped in the following year. Consumers
became satisfied with market prices specially because large
scale sale of daily essential goods by government at fair
prices eased their sufferings.
Indeed, the killers of Bangabandhu were in a hurry.
Bangabandhu's dynamism would make hollow their claim
of an inept administration. So, they had to strike sooner
than later for their propaganda to have any chance of
sticking. But dispassionate historical accounts and analysis
did not fail to highlight that Bangabandhu's short lived
administration was uniquely successful in more than
coping with the conditions that confronted war ravaged
Bangladesh.
It is not feasible to list here the multifaceted achievements
of Bangabandhu's administration . But the same could be
accomplished because Bangabandhu was at the helm and
steering the wheel as always with his utmost dedication.
Above all, this dedication and sincerity of his made what
things were seemingly impossible, possible.
What is Bangabandhu's legacy ? It is that lesson that like
him we should never give up or feel intimated or frustrated
in doing the right thing or what is in the highest interest of
the people and the nation. Fired by Bangabandhu's spirit
and example , the Bangladeshis have gone on in the decades
after his death to do the things that have brought
Bangladesh very near today to banishing poverty and
underdevelopment that Bangabandhu aspired for so much
when he lived.
Have to look at the mineral and natural resources
The developing
countries of the
world are working
towards reaching the
peak of rapid
development. They
are taking all the
necessary development programs to
survive in the competition of free
economy. In different decades, each
country has been emerging as an
economic power in the world. Even a
decade ago, China was hardly heard of. At
present, China is considered as one of the
most economically powerful countries in
the world. A recent survey shows that
China is far ahead of the United States in
terms of economic power. In just a
decade, China's changing economic
position has become an unimaginable and
surprising thing for world economists.
Economists predict that China will be the
world's largest and most powerful
economy. China is now being called an
'economic superpower'. China is the
world's second-largest economy after the
United States, according to an IMF
survey. Even then, the United States is
seeking a loan from them. Chinese
leaders, however, have been modest in
saying that they have not really improved
the way China is positioned in the world
economy. The reason for their humility,
they think, is that the pressure of the
ongoing global recession may fall on
them. Different countries of the world can
reach out to them for economic
cooperation.
Among the Third World countries, civil
war-torn Somalia is also making steady
progress. According to the CIA report,
Somalia is moving forward quite well
economically. The main strengths of their
economy are livestock, remittances and
telecommunications. Ethiopia, on the
other hand, is said to be the fastest
growing country in the world. Amid
political instability, they are improving so
much that, according to the IMF, from
2004 to 2009, the country achieved a
stagnant state with economic growth
above 10 percent. Now it has increased a
lot. Similarly, other poor countries in
Africa are now moving towards economic
development. In other words, in the
changing world economic competition,
the poorest countries are moving towards
rapid development through maximum
utilization of their resources. Bangladesh
is being called the 'Emerging Tiger' in
terms of economic progress among the
South Asian countries. The powerful
countries of the world are often expressing
their interest and positive comments on
the development of Bangladesh. We can
guess from the frequent visits of
foreigners, reports in the international
media on economic and political issues in
Bangladesh and concerns about the
problem. If it is not important, there is no
reason to waste their time worrying so
much about Bangladesh. Ordinary people
can also feel that Bangladesh is moving
towards continuous improvement.
Especially in a country with a huge
population of 16 crore compared to its
size, there are almost no deaths due to
starvation. Which is a wonderful event for
Bangladesh. However, the fact that people
do not die of starvation is an early
indicator of development but not an
indicator of progress.
Political stability, economic
development, improvement of law and
order, above all, progress in improving the
quality of life of the people are considered
as key indicators. There is no doubt that
Bangladesh is moving forward as an
economic power. The economy has been
THE Afghan Taliban's retaking of
Kabul may be the climax of a 20-
year-long war in Afghanistan but it
is difficult to suggest that this will put an
end to the proxy warfare being fought on
Afghan soil since the 1970s between
multiple external and internal actors. It
has been one of the longest irregular wars
fought in recent history. There may be a
hiatus after the Taliban 'victory' but the
religiously inspired radical group
conceives itself as an ideological force, and
ideology certainly provides the perfect
breeding ground for both hybrid and
proxy wars.
From an ideological standpoint, despite
their internal differences over
interpretation of the text or political
strategies they follow, most religious
extremist and terrorist groups will remain
ideal partners for the Taliban. Those
sharing a worldview different from that of
the Taliban will remain in the opposite
camp unless co-opted by the latter in a
political arrangement. This could be a
favourable situation for external actors,
who can find like-minded friends among
the domestic actors desperate to win
external support.
Apparently, external stakeholders want
moving forward, albeit at a slower pace,
amid decades of volatile political
conditions. Had there been consistent
political stability, Bangladesh might have
become a middle-income country by now.
Even then, Bangladesh's economy has
remained stable for the past decade. GDP
averages 7. The GDP target for the next
financial year has been set above 8
percent. The calculation of GDP is trapped
in the circle of relativity. The World Bank,
the IMF and other agencies and
economists disagreed. Their accounts do
not match those of the government. The
country's economy is moving forward in
this average. It can be said that it is
moving at a lower speed than the medium
speed. If it had run at a moderate pace,
Bangladesh would have quickly become
the number one richest country in South
Asia. Presumably, we are now ahead of
India and Pakistan in terms of economic
progress. But our goal should not be India
or Pakistan. Our goal should be
Singapore, which has prospered from
scratch. Even four and a half decades ago,
Singapore, known as the fourth tiger in
Asia in terms of economic power, had
nothing to speak about. A small country of
728 sq km, the country gained
independence from Britain in 1963 and
joined Malaysia. In 1965, a Malaysian riot
with the Chinese living in Singapore led to
a 126-0 vote in Parliament separating
Singapore from Malaysia. Then the Prime
Minister Lee Kuan Yew lamented, "What
will happen to us now! How can we live!
'Singapore has no land, no way to
cultivate. In this situation, they insist on
import and export of goods to become
self-sufficient. Utilizing the geographically
important location, it uses the port as an
important center for import and export.
Grabs a market-based economy. This
economy is now its foundation.
Purification and export of core energy
imported goods. Singapore ranks 14th in
the world in terms of exports and 15th in
terms of imports. Corruption-free
environment, skilled manpower, strong
infrastructure and low tax rates have
made it the world's most foreign direct
investment country. That is to say, a
picture can be obtained from the
economic activities and steps of the
developing countries about how fast
different countries of the world are
moving forward and rising from almost
zero and poorest conditions. As a
developing country, we have time to think
about our position and potential in a fastmoving
economy. We are not zero, we
have natural abundance. There is a huge
population. The only requirement is to
properly utilize and utilize one's own
resources. One of the foundations of
Bangladesh's economy can be the huge
amount of discovered and undiscovered
natural resources. Experts think that
Bangladesh can be one of the economic
powers in Asia by grabbing these
resources. All that is needed is the
perception of the government and the
political parties and the proper use of
resources. The Geological Survey of
Bangladesh (GSB) is already conducting
various surveys. However, it is not yet
possible to determine exactly how many
NAyEEM ISlAM NIbIR
different types of valuable mineral
resources are underground. Often the
news of the discovery of valuable mineral
resources surprises us. For example, the
discovery of valuable iron ore mines in the
Mashidpur area of Hakimpur Upazila
(Hili) in Dinajpur has surprised.
According to GSB estimates, magnetic
minerals, hematite, magnetite and
limonite have been found at a depth of one
and a half to two thousand feet and a
thickness of one to three feet. At the same
time the mine is 1,200 feet deep with
limestone. The discovery of iron ore mines
is very important for the country. Experts
believe that this discovery will increase the
prestige of Bangladesh in the outside
world and will also improve the situation.
Needless to say, various very valuable
mineral resources have already been
discovered in Bangladesh. In addition to
gas, oil and coal, uranium has been found
to be more expensive than gold. Other
valuable minerals include limestone, hard
rock, gravel, glass sand, white clay, brick
clay, peat, mineral rich beech sand.
Geologically, Bangladesh covers a large
part of the 'Bengal Basin'. The northern
part is covered by 12 per cent sedimentary
rock, the north and northeast by 8 per
cent Pleistocene and the north-western,
central northeast and east by 80 per cent
sand, silt and mud. This means that this
part of the country is known as the belt of
different types of mineral resources. GSB
has already conducted a survey in 42 per
cent of the country's territory, which has a
Among the Third World countries, civil war-torn Somalia is
also making steady progress. According to the CIA report,
Somalia is moving forward quite well economically. The
main strengths of their economy are livestock, remittances
and telecommunications. Ethiopia, on the other hand, is
said to be the fastest growing country in the world.
bright prospect of finding different types
of minerals. Experts believe that if these
resources can be properly utilized and
used, the face of Bangladesh's economy
will change. One of the main reasons why
Bangladesh is being considered as an
emerging tiger is its rich reserves of
discovered and undiscovered valuable
mineral resources. Bangladesh has an
ample supply of uranium that the world's
superpowers have used to acquire nuclear
energy. The first uranium was discovered
in Moulvibazar in 1975. Then in 1985
uranium was found in Jaintapur in Sylhet
and in 1989 in the Someshwari river
which surrounded the Garo hills of
Mymensingh. A recent GSB survey found
heavy mineral and extractable uranium in
the riverine sands of the Padma,
Brahmaputra, Jamuna and Sylhet and
Mymensingh. The GSB has collected sand
from 20 meters depth at about 10 places
in Padma-Jamuna and tested it. The
amount of heavy minerals and chemicals
to be extracted is about 9 percent. 7
percent is sufficient for commercial
production. Once 1 gram of uranium is
found in 1 ton of sand, it is considered
commercially obtainable. Bangladesh
could benefit greatly from the use of this
extractable uranium. With the approval of
Bangladesh to set up a nuclear power
plant, there is a bright prospect of using
uranium. If uranium is used in it, it will be
possible to generate electricity
economically and also reduce the energy
crisis.
Extremely valuable heavy minerals were
found in the sand of the coast several
years ago. This mineral is called 'black
gold'. Experts tested the beach sand and
Concerns of proxy wars
MUhAMMAd AMIR RANA
stability in Afghanistan, and the US and
its Nato allies are no longer interested in
extending financial and military support
to the country. Their priority will be to use
political coercion to ensure the Taliban
don't deviate from the commitments they
made to the international community.
Meanwhile, China, Pakistan, Russia and
Iran are engaging with the Taliban,
thinking of ways to deal with the terrorist
networks threatening their security.
Though optimism about the Taliban
fulfilling their promises is on the wane,
even partial fulfilment can take the wartorn
country on a new journey and away
from another phase of proxy warfare.
Otherwise, there is a strong probability
that Afghanistan will become a much
uglier front for proxy warfare, which can
trigger political agitations and violent
movements against the Taliban regime.
A lobby in the US favours a plan for
proxy warfare so that America can sustain
its global influence.
Pakistan and India have had their
favourites in Afghanistan, and both have a
long history of fighting proxy wars against
each other. India has openly opposed the
Taliban during the last 20 years and
projected them as Pakistan's proxy. With
Apparently, external stakeholders want stability in Afghanistan, and
the US and its Nato allies are no longer interested in extending
financial and military support to the country. Their priority will be to
use political coercion to ensure the Taliban don't deviate from the
commitments they made to the international community. Meanwhile,
China, Pakistan, Russia and Iran are engaging with the Taliban.
the Taliban's return to power, the risks are
high for another round of India-Pakistan
proxy war in Afghanistan. Many conceive
the Taliban takeover as the defeat of
India's soft power and covert strategy in
Afghanistan. India will continue to use all
its overt and covert tactics to take revenge,
which can keep political temperatures
found that it contained zircon (1 lakh 58
thousand 117 tons), rutile (70 thousand
274 tons), ilmenite (10 lakh 25 thousand
558 tons), leucoxane (96 thousand 709
tons), kyanite (90 thousand 745 tons). ),
Garnet (2 lakh 22 thousand 761 tons),
magnetite (80 thousand 599 tons) and
monazite (17 thousand 352 tons). If we
can extract and use this huge amount of
valuable minerals, the position of
Bangladesh will be much better
economically. An Australian company has
already applied to the government for
permission to conduct a survey to extract
these resources. In addition to uranium
and black gold, more valuable mineral
resources have been found, ranging from
white clay for ceramics, glass sand for
glass, brick clay for bricks, and peat coal
for fuel. How much more valuable
mineral resources are underground is still
unknown. Besides, it is already known
that there is endless oil and gas in the vast
sea border of Bangladesh. This is proved
by the abundance of natural precious
minerals and the latest iron ore mines,
Bangladesh is no less than any other
country in the world in terms of natural
resources. There is no doubt that
Bangladesh can surpass Singapore if these
resources can be extracted and made
usable. This requires a master plan and
initiative.
There is no doubt that if the valuable
mineral resources that have been
discovered so far can be properly
extracted and made usable, a
revolutionary change will take place in the
economic field of Bangladesh. With one
uranium, Bangladesh can go a long way.
Although there is no direct use of uranium
in Bangladesh, it is possible to earn a lot of
foreign exchange by exporting it. If other
mineral resources are added to this, it is
easy to guess where the economic
indicators of Bangladesh will stand. It is
undeniable that we have technical
limitations in extracting these resources.
The planned initiatives that we have to
overcome this incapacity are not being
observed. We are limited to the joy of
receiving news of wealth. We cannot
afford to enjoy wealth. If this is the case,
what if you do not discover the resources!
So there is no point in dumping natural
resources after discovering them. To
prosper in the economy, there is no
alternative but to focus on the extraction
and use of these huge natural resources. If
left unused, this resource will only be
destroyed, to no avail. Political parties
need to pay attention to this sector. Their
focus should be on the economy and not
on the masnad of power. In a changing
world, not only the developed countries
but also the developing countries are now
adopting the policy of moving the
economy to power with the main agenda.
If the political parties of Bangladesh do
not adopt this policy, no matter how much
it is called Emerging Tiger, it will be just a
matter of words. Will lag behind in the
global economic competition. If
Singapore can quickly become the fourth
tiger in Asia from scratch, then we too can
become the fifth tiger in Asia after Hong
Kong, South Korea, Taiwan and
Singapore by exploiting the vast natural
resources. This requires adopting the right
plan and implementing effective
measures accordingly. It is hoped that this
goal will be achieved soon if economic
progress is given the highest priority.
Nayeem Islam Nibir is a young
generation political leader and
columnist in Bangladesh.
He can be reached :
nayemulislamnayem148@gmail.com
high in the region. The situation can turn
grimmer if India and its favourites in
Afghanistan succeed in winning US
support; India will certainly lobby for that
scenario to become a reality.
Factcheck: Ex-Indian army officer
shares picture from movie set as 'truth'
about Pakistan Army's presence in
Panjshir. There is a lobby in the US that
favours a long-term plan for proxy
warfare so that America can sustain its
global influence to achieve strategic
objectives which cannot be attained
through regular warfare. Containing
China is the 'legitimate' excuse for the
strategists in Washington, D.C. to keep
China busy in its immediate
neighbourhood. Iran could be another
excuse. Anti-Pakistan sentiments are also
high in Washington as the country is
portrayed as the sole reason for the US
defeat in Afghanistan. Pakistan can be
both a player in and victim of the new
proxy warfare if it is initiated.
Though secret wars do not stay secret
for long, these are cost-effective and the
political fallout is far less compared with
direct interventions.
Source: Dawn