Khaleda's article in Washington Times: The thankless role in saving democracy in Bangladesh

[Navo]

I'm surprised that this hasn't been shared here yet. A blatant call for American intervention.

[Allegedly Khaleda] Zia: The thankless role in saving democracy in Bangladesh
Corruption and stealing threaten a once vibrant nation

Wednesday, January 31, 2013
The Washington Times

"Will 2013 be a watershed in U.S.-Bangladeshi relations? My country of 150 million people, located between India and Myanmar, has been independent since 1971, when the United States was one of the first nations to recognize our right to self-determination. Yet in the past year, relations have been strained to the point where the United States may be accused of standing idle while democracy in Bangladesh is undermined and its economic allegiance shifts toward other growing world powers.

This is not to say that the U.S. government, Congress or agencies they help lead have done nothing. Six months ago, the World Bank withdrew nearly $2 billion in funding for a four-mile bridge project, the largest single infrastructure project in Bangladesh for 40 years, and demanded an inquiry into ministerial corruption and misappropriation of funds."

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[HereWeGo]

Originally Posted by Navo
I'm surprised that this hasn't been shared here yet. A blatant call for American intervention.

[Allegedly Khaleda] Zia: The thankless role in saving democracy in Bangladesh
Corruption and stealing threaten a once vibrant nation

Wednesday, January 31, 2013
The Washington Times

"Will 2013 be a watershed in U.S.-Bangladeshi relations? My country of 150 million people, located between India and Myanmar, has been independent since 1971, when the United States was one of the first nations to recognize our right to self-determination. Yet in the past year, relations have been strained to the point where the United States may be accused of standing idle while democracy in Bangladesh is undermined and its economic allegiance shifts toward other growing world powers.

This is not to say that the U.S. government, Congress or agencies they help lead have done nothing. Six months ago, the World Bank withdrew nearly $2 billion in funding for a four-mile bridge project, the largest single infrastructure project in Bangladesh for 40 years, and demanded an inquiry into ministerial corruption and misappropriation of funds."

Read More

I can only laugh at the irony of the whole speech....

LOL!! Her party tried to save democracy through grenade attacks on than opposition. Shot on broad daylight 2 out of handful of honest leaders our country produced (ahsanullah master, SAMS Kibria). Her workers publicly humiliated (pulled B. Chowdhury by hair) Dr B Chowdhury after he formed his new party.

Her sons are known to loot and transfer money abroad (According to FBI), her leaders were similarly accused of corruption by foreign officials (ex Danish embassador against the than Shipping Minster).. and lets not even talk abt the endemic corruption in the communication minstry by N.Huda...
So I can only laugh when such a leader talks abt saving democracy..

[reverse_swing]

জাতীয় সংসদে সাংসদদের তোপের মুখে পড়েছেন বিরোধীদলীয় নেতা খালেদা জিয়া। তাঁরা ‘ওয়াশিংটন টাইমস’-এ বিএনপির চেয়ারপারসন খালেদা জিয়ার নিবন্ধকে দেশের স্বার্থবিরোধী ও রাষ্ট্রদ্রোহ অপরাধের শামিল বলে উল্লেখ করেছেন। সাংসদেরা বলেছেন, এ জন্য খালেদা জিয়াকে জাতির কাছে ক্ষমা চাইতে হবে।

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/da...31/news/325593

[Rabz]

Its not about what Khaleda said in that article. It is an unprecedented event that an influential US newspaper publishes her viewpoint against the incumbent Prime Minister. The Bangladesh-US relation probably never have been this low as much as it has been during this BAL govt's tenure. It is a clear message from the US that they have had enough of this Hasina and is ready to deal with Khaleda, who is probably taking the opportunity to garner some foreign support for her comeback to power though her party is nowhere near ready to take part in an election at the moment.

First it was Delhi, officially invited Khaleda and giving her a pretty damn good reception during her visit few months back. Now, Washington, with whom Dhaka have had a cold relation over Dr Yunus and World Bank, seems like giving Hasina the final warning. The Tazrin garments incident and the Govt's hapless silence due to BJMEA's powerful influence hasn't really pleased anyone in Washington either and talks are going on about cancelling Bangladesh's GSP quota facility.

The Sauds and their Al-Oil cousins in the neighbourhood turned their back a long time ago, Hasina has managed to piss Beijing off pretty well with their "look only India policy", Tokyo not happy with the way the funds are being managed and tired of seeing projects get delayed and cancelled, Copenhagen didnt agree to increase the loan for the airport runway renovation and was almost about the cancel it altogether and Brussels keeping mum about the whole situation.

This govt is almost done and dusted. They dont have any friends. They only have one big daddy and even that big daddy is talking to Khaleda on a well published official tour to their country. BAL has lost the plot completely.

[kalpurush]

Nicely summarized Rabz.

BAL - BNP - BAL- BNP ... how long it will continue? We saw both party how they are.
I hope to see a new leadership ...some day! NOT Jamat though!

[Navo]

^ Some valid points there Rabz bhai but I would disagree with the idea that being published in the Washington Times is some sort of 'endorsement' of Khaleda Zia by the US administration. We all know that column inches in newspapers and magazines can be easily bought. No journal or newspaper is above it.

I agree though that the US administration is 'concerned' with developments re: Grameen Bank, Tazreen etc. but my meeting with a group of american politicos/academics recently in Dhaka tells me that they are not thrilled by the opposition either.

Dark days ahead.

[Rabz]

^^ The fact that they are not thrilled by opposition either is the only trump card Hasina has.
As bad as she looks like to US, Khaleda potraits even a gloomier picture, thanks to her association with Jamaat.
Yes, this is not an endorsement by any means, but does serve its purpose in sending a very clear message.

"They" have been trying to bring a "third force" without much success.
We have a very eventful year ahead of us.

[mufi_02]

Originally Posted by kalpurush
Nicely summarized Rabz.

BAL - BNP - BAL- BNP ... how long it will continue? We saw both party how they are.
I hope to see a new leadership ...some day! NOT Jamat though!

How about Ershad, father of BD cricket?

On topic - 3rd party will never be elected in BD. Respected and powerful politician such as B Chowdhury who was just president of the country then, was humiliated with his bikolpo-dhara party. They have been ostracized and now he went back to practicing in his chamber. His son was a rising politician then and now can't even election. Even Dr. Yunus' attempt after Nobel Prize went nowhere (although can be blamed on his over-paknami like getting parent's signature to participate in student politics). It will always be BAL - BNP - BAL - BNP.

But why would such a reputed newspaper like Washington Post publish such one-sided article. Any American or outsider with no knowledge of our politics will think Khaleda Zia is the savior. While in reality, her son sucked the blood out of all Bangladeshis 5 years ago. This op/ed article are never fair and balanced. With all these bickering and finger pointing, our garments industry will lose trade benefits (US Congress already contemplating ending tax/quote advantage for BD this year). The two begums will keep fighting and will slowly kill the only industry that has kept the economy going.

[al Furqaan]

I don't think the WT is endorsing BNP. She probably didn't even write the article...yeah that article is too gramatically corrent to have been written by a BD politican. Either way, its pretty funny to see the opportunistic hypocracy.

Chor, meet dakaat.

[Naimul_Hd]

If its a thankless job, then why so desperation to get that chair back Madam ?

You can copy-paste this article in MS Word and do 'find-replace' for the word 'Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina' with 'Prime Minister Khaleda Zia'. That new article would be completely the same and all the charges would be as accurate as the first one.