In the recent past, the Bangladesh superior courts have taken many decisions to remove imbalances that can change the countrys culture. One of these was the restoration of the secular status of the country. Now, in confirmation, the government has ordered the reprinting of the countrys constitution to restore secularism as a fundamental state principle.
The prime minister however told a cabinet meeting that the country would remain an Islamic state and did not ban political parties bearing names of religions. This appears to be a modification of a judgement by the superior court in July 2010, which had reinstated the ban on religion-based parties, a cornerstone of the original 1971 constitution, by striking down a key constitutional amendment introduced in 1975 by an army-led government after the coup.
It can be safely assumed that this is a balancing act as the government is under opposition fire for assuming an overtly pro-India stance. Of late there has been an apparent increase in economic activity with its neighbor investing heavily in the infrastructure and business acquisitions including the granting of a US$ 1 billion loan for infrastructure development which is the single largest loan provided ever by India,
Be this as it may, it was really an eye-opener to see last weekend the celebration of the Durga Pooja festival by all walks of life, not only the in the city of Dhaka, but all over the country. By this I mean even the important Muslim political figures participated fully; the elite, regardless of religious beliefs, in the rural areas visited the multiple celebration events set up all over. It was participation on a national scale.
So different to what we do. And rather ironical too. For one, Bengal was at the forefront of the movement for the Muslim homeland, in fact the prime mover. Look around, there was a unionist government in the Punjab; in NWFP, Badshah Khan was pro united India, Baluchistan was indifferent, and in Sindh, G.M Syeds was the lone voice in support. And then to achieve a level of tolerance that allows other cultures to be an inherent part of the national pride, while remaining a predominantly Muslim country, is a fact to be greatly admired.
In our part of the sub-continent other religions celebrate all Muslim festivals especially Eid while we barely recognize theirs. The inability of successive governments, including the allegedly enlightened government of Pervez Musharraf, to remove the draconian blasphemy and other laws that have allowed the willful persecution of the minorities is undoubtedly shameful.
I had the opportunity to ask a diplomat in Dhaka as to why Bangladeshis are able to obtain visas with such consummate ease. She responded with a very quick question. How many Bangladeshi terrorists do you know of? Need I say more?
It is only befitting then that Bangladesh is set to play host to a regional counter-terrorism centre supported and financed by the European Union. This centre is intended as a focal point of exchange of ideas and expertise, as well as a hub for training on combat against terrorism, between the South Asian nations. An EU envoy announced in Dhaka that India and Pakistan have agreed to Bangladesh being the host of the centre.
Times have changed, quite drastically. In the past, when you thought of a country ravaged by natural disasters and poor governments, it was not Pakistan that came to mind, it was Bangladesh. Dubbed by Kissinger at its birth as a basket case, its early history can be summed up as a blur of political protests and natural disasters punctuated by outbursts of jihadist violence and the occasional military coup
This certainly is the case no longer as is evident by the prestigious UN award received by prime minister Hasina Wajed a couple of weeks ago. Bangladesh was one of six countries in Asia and Africa recognized for its progress in reaching its Millenium Development Goals, a set of targets that seek to eradicate extreme poverty and promote health and education, and importantly the status of women worldwide by 2015.
As the Wall street journal writes, Nearly 40 years ago, only the most reckless optimist would have bet on flood-prone, war-ravaged Bangladesh over relatively stable and prosperous Pakistan. But with a higher growth rate, a lower birth rate, and a more internationally competitive economy, yesterdays basket case may have the last laugh.
What happened, and where did we lose the plot? Somewhere deep within, we Pakistanis need to light the fire that will trigger the response required in physical and intellectual terms to rise to the occasion and fight for our country. Rise beyond the personal desires and fortunes that we are so enamoured with and focus on one thing alone, national pride. For this is what we have lost and without can never reach our promised destiny
The writer can be contacted at [email protected]
