Suggestions for a productive dialogue on a national issue
Comments on M. T. Hussain's "India’s Farakka Barrage to Tipaimukh: Bangladesh’s Options"
One would like to believe that as an elderly writer Dr. M.T. Hussain, who claims to have had a very close rapport with (late) Mr. B.M. Abbas, is better positioned to guide our younger generation on a complicated issue like India’s construction of a hydroelectric dam at Tipaimukh. In the past, his articles have shown a penchant for demeaning everything Awami League (AL) – more like opposition for the sake of opposition, something that he may have learned quite well from his iconic leader – Mowlana Bhashani[1] who was termed the “prophet of violence” by the Time magazine in 1969.
If we were expecting something constructive this time, Dr. Hussain has disappointed us again. Like most of his articles, this one, too, is rich with rhetoric that outruns facts. It is loaded with accusations, mostly unfounded as I have shown elsewhere [2], against the AL leadership for the problem with the Farakka Barrage but short on substance offering meaningful solutions that we could have taken in the past and what our generation could do today with the latest threat of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam. He ought to know that his deplorable partisanship is counterproductive, let alone being silly, for a healthy and objective dialogue that we need today on a plethora of issues that matter to Bangladesh. As the recent election in Bangladesh has adequately demonstrated, the new generation that is born after 1975 is not as narrow-minded, dwelling upon the old past but is more concerned about things that affect them presently. As much as the days of political idolatry are absurd these days, politics for the sake of politics is equally insane!
Instead of wasting time of his readers reading silly accusations that belie facts, let him invest his valuable time to offering suggestions that are meaningful to our generation so that we can defeat hegemonic powers like India on issues that affect our people. Can he do that?
Endnotes:
[1] http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,844753,00.html
[2] http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord&7807
One would like to believe that as an elderly writer Dr. M.T. Hussain, who claims to have had a very close rapport with (late) Mr. B.M. Abbas, is better positioned to guide our younger generation on a complicated issue like India’s construction of a hydroelectric dam at Tipaimukh. In the past, his articles have shown a penchant for demeaning everything Awami League (AL) – more like opposition for the sake of opposition, something that he may have learned quite well from his iconic leader – Mowlana Bhashani[1] who was termed the “prophet of violence” by the Time magazine in 1969.
If we were expecting something constructive this time, Dr. Hussain has disappointed us again. Like most of his articles, this one, too, is rich with rhetoric that outruns facts. It is loaded with accusations, mostly unfounded as I have shown elsewhere [2], against the AL leadership for the problem with the Farakka Barrage but short on substance offering meaningful solutions that we could have taken in the past and what our generation could do today with the latest threat of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam. He ought to know that his deplorable partisanship is counterproductive, let alone being silly, for a healthy and objective dialogue that we need today on a plethora of issues that matter to Bangladesh. As the recent election in Bangladesh has adequately demonstrated, the new generation that is born after 1975 is not as narrow-minded, dwelling upon the old past but is more concerned about things that affect them presently. As much as the days of political idolatry are absurd these days, politics for the sake of politics is equally insane!
Instead of wasting time of his readers reading silly accusations that belie facts, let him invest his valuable time to offering suggestions that are meaningful to our generation so that we can defeat hegemonic powers like India on issues that affect our people. Can he do that?
Endnotes:
[1] http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,844753,00.html
[2] http://www.newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord&7807
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