Journal of a Disturbed Mind

Somehow this day seems to me very special, somehow in this day my mind wants to speak again. 56 years have passed and still this day holds its own significance. I feel that this day we, the Bangladeshis were actually born, we became conscious of the power and enrichment of our own language and culture. And we have lost our brothers, beloved ones who gave their lives to keep our language, our mother tongue - Bangla alive. I strongly feel this is the day we expressed ourselves to the world, we protected our culture and presented an one of a kind example to the world.

This day is special, this day makes me think that I am above all - a Bangladeshi, a proud citizen, an admirer of our true heritage. I am not an indian, not even an american, I don’t want to be one, even if I am addicted to hollywood movies and zee tv soap operas. I also think that I would rather feel comfortable to write these thoughts in Bangla, because I also think in my mind in Bangla. There is no denial about that. And I feel very proud to find a deep respect in me for our age-old culture, which is also evolving through us, the not-so-young generation. Yes, I am not getting any younger, but I believe if we can uphold our true identity, our young generation will have the reason to bear that Bangladeshi identity through them.

How often do we get the chance to know ourselves? To our life we are gifted with such a day, so overwhelming and glorifying that knocks on our consciousness, awakes our mind to be Bangladeshi again, to love our country and culture, to respect our martyrs, to value the millions of big and small sacrifices to shape up what we are today. Just one day is enough to get us back to track, we are not Bangladeshi or act like Bangladeshi for one day only, but this day comes every year to let us know what we really are, what we really should be - a true Bangladeshi in practice, a true Bangladeshi in heart.

The JDM joins the supporters of the peaceful revolution in Burma. Show your support at:
http://free-burma.org
http://www.avaaz.org

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Much of Dhaka city turned into a battleground yesterday as students continued clashing with police for the second day in the fallout from the beating of three Dhaka University (DU) students by army personnel Monday evening. - The Daily Star, Aug 22, 2007

Troops, inset, late last night pull out of the temporary army camp at Dhaka University gymnasium. Students, right, in front of Sir AF Rahman Hall of the university light candles in the shape of “BYE” welcoming their withdrawal. Photo: STAR 

If I were speechless that would be better. No wonder things would have happened like that, if the civilian and the army coexists. It happened before, it happened again. Did we forget about operation clean heart, where many innocent were victimized by army. We have an army backed government now and that does not mean armed force will be spread everywhere just to discipline the civilians, or at least make people afraid.

And I don’t really know, why the army personnel breaks rule to harass the civilians, every time they are put together, the story always goes like this. Is it because, nothing happens to them for breaking the rule and beating the civilian, or they are not really that disciplined. I wonder how would army control a country when it cannot control itself. We expected a better job from army under the neutral government, and army has disappointed us again.

But the situation has turned worse with attack after after attack to the student procession by the police. Procession and demonstration are not allowed in the state of emergency. But this could easily be stopped by showing a some benevolence to these protests. After all students have become the victim of injustice. They need to be calmed down. I am afraid that the lack of necessary attention to pacify by the situation through peaceful means have been given little importance. Student movement has been glorified throughout our whole history. Their power have been underestimated again. Guess another curfew is due, a stereotypical thing to do to tame students, which has been done before, which will be done again. History repeats itself. I only hope there is a better way to do things other than using force.

(continuation from the previous post)
It was a tough competition between IBA and NSU in the final debate, but from the adjudicators’ point of view, the decision was not hard to make - yes this time IBA has clearly outperformed its opponent and won the National English Debate Championship. IBA has learned a lot after the last year’s defeat to IUB, and this year the year’s result has spoken for it.

IBA team is receiving crest from VC of DU, Professor Faiz

The result was announced at the Championship Dinner in Radisson Hotel by Mr. Abdun-nur-Tushar. The award giving ceremony was followed by Dinner, Cultural show and Music performance of Ornob. About 300 guests, faculties, debators, adjudicators were present in the ceremony. And i came out with a happy feeling that the team opposing the topic “parliamentary government is not suitable for Bangladesh” won the final. Wish the parliamentary democracy is restored soon too in Bangladesh. Who says we can’t reform our deformed democracy? We sure can. Winner is IBA, winner is democracy and parliament. That’s all about 2007 debate. Tune in the next year… thanks

ornob performing before the guests and debators

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“The deformed can never be reformed…” was the theme of this year’s National English Debate Championship organized by the IBA’s communication club. This is the biggest English debate contest of the nation participated by 24 teams of 17 universities.

The final round of debate, NSU  vs IBA (right)

I was actually quite intrigued by the theme and the topics of the debate, like - “minus two, will do” and “the conformists cannot be reformists”. Bangladesh is going through a unique political situation, it was quite brilliant to set such topics in debate which are the topics of debate everywhere in Bangladesh.

The final debate was in between the two semi-final winners IBA team and NSU team. The topic of this debate was another very interesting one - “the parliamentary government is not suitable for Bangladesh”. The debate being parliamentary format, NSU team became the caretaker government arguing for the topic and the opposition IBA was arguing against it. Now you might be impatient to know which side won. Well its the customary of IBA communication club that the result will be announced one day later at the championship dinner. That means by tomorrow you will know who is the winner of national debate 2007. And maybe I will add a thing or two tomorrow to this blog about my political views under prolonged caretaker governance. Until then.. keep your fingers crossed.

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