Changing our colonial mentality

In this respect the situation in Bangladesh appears to have become rather acute. It was not so some 30-40 years ago. It has taken a dramatic turn over the years since the birth of Pakistan and thereafter Bangladesh.

In Bangladesh today, not a day passes without the news prominently displayed in the media of some seminars, workshops, or discussions held under the kind participation or even patronisation of some senior diplomats of some of the foreign missions of the western countries. These diplomats, most of whom are non-entities in their own countries, often give deliberations ranging from security issues down to the day-to-day political management and culture of the country. It is my feeling that most of these deliberations are often tantamount to indirect interference into the internal affairs of our country.

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This matter of colonial mentality has been most distinctly displayed following the bombings of August 21. The number of diplomats of the western nations who visited our venerable Leader of the Opposition following the incident amazed me. There was nothing wrong with it had they done so to express their sympathies, but clearly to an intelligent mind there were more to it than met the eye.

I could not help suspect that these super diplomats of the West are engaged in the act of turning 8/21 into a 9/11 -- and turning it to the advantage of their agenda.

Like all others, I am also concerned as to what happened to the terrorist attack on the life of the British High Commissioner in Sylhet. The FBI was here, Scotland Yard was here. Political leaders of all shades and opinions, particularly those belonging to the opposition, were angry as to the slow and no progress made in all these high profile bombings in as far as none of the findings are yet to be made public. I wonder as to why these highly concerned individuals are unable to ask representatives of the foreign agencies to at least make their findings public.

The matter of this hidden agenda has been best explained in a statement by famous author Arundhati Roy in one of her most recent publications under the title War Talk. The statement is in connection with the 9/11 incident: "What we are seeing now is a vulgar display of the business of grief, the commerce of grief, the pillage of even the most private feelings for political purpose. It is a terrible, violent thing for a state to do to its people."

In this instance, it is not the state but the opposition who, in a desperate bid to gain access to power, seem to be indulging and displaying that mentality. Besides, it also helps the western diplomats to carry a step further their agenda of confirming Bangladesh as a terrorist nation.

Is our venerable Leader of the Opposition falling into a trap? Admittedly the ruling party is guilty of failing to resolve many more issues of no less significance, but consider this: while the Leader of the Opposition gladly gave audience to the series of diplomats she simply refused to meet the Leader of the House even on a specific written request. Before I turn to other related issues, let me remind our readers of a particular statement made by a senior US Sate Department official recently while visiting the Leader of the Opposition where in he lamented the lack of probe progress.

Without going into the track record of credibility of the ruling party, taking into consideration the comprehensive resources available at the disposal of the country, coupled with the involvement of the relevant foreign agencies into the enquiry, I believe the remark of the concerned diplomat is not only premature, but also provocative.

Of particular relevance is the fact that countries whose agencies have so far been involved in the enquiry of the 21 August bombings are also expressing their dissatisfaction over the investigations. Whereas the diplomats representing these countries are also not willing to shed any light, yet we continue to demand the so-called international and or foreign investigations. This too is a matter of a kind of colonial mindset.

As I say this, I also know of my own knowledge that in no other third world countries like Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, or Nepal, foreign diplomats are "involved" in such extensive way in the generally perceived internal affairs of the country, like they are in Bangladesh. It is time for us to realise that dimensions of world politics have changed around the globe since 9/11. Top of the agenda today is fiercely protecting one's own interests -- territorial, economic, security, or otherwise. The cry for democracy, peoples' rights, and freedom is a hoax. The pre-emptive invasion of Iraq by the US and the systematic violations of human rights including continued genocide of the innocent Iraqis are glaring proofs.

We simply must learn to manage our own affairs ourselves. Over the years we have solicited the services of innumerable western advisors, consultants, experts, etc. Admittedly because of the tag of financial support attached to these so-called high profile expatriate individuals, we may have to agree to a limited number for a limited number of years. But I have come across many such experts in the country hopping from one project to another for a period extending to a decade. On the other hand, volumes of these consultancy and advisory reports serve the purpose of merely decorating the shelves of respective ministries and departments.

A careful observer also must have noticed that as compared to the crowding of diplomatic dignitaries at the residence of the Leader of the Opposition there have been far fewer visits or serious enquires into the bombings either with the Prime Minister's office or any one calling on her personally. The diplomats obviously found it convenient to visit the Leader of the Opposition since it suited their purpose. Besides the media too is giving extended support to her and thereby giving a wide coverage to the views of the "highly concerned diplomats."

The time for trusting the powerful West is over after the 9/11. It has in reality blown the US cover of freedom and democracy. It is all a matter of subjugation and domination of the relatively poor and the helpless by the powerful in order to meet its selfish economic and political interests.

Look at it whichever way you wish to, at the root of our failings in political, social, and economic management also lies this colonial mindset of our leaders, and if I may say so, a large section of the civil society too.