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The ‘road map’ to peace has been much hyped and much fretted about, for far too long in its tortured and tortuous course, without getting anywhere close to a peace goal between Israel and ‘Palestinian authority’; the journey to that end has been riddled with hiccups and hesitations from both sides. This is the story of peace settlement between an occupying power and a mere authority without a state. Where the road map leads to is beginning to be clear by the realities on ground rather than by lofty but essentially hollow and misleading chorus of rhetoric of a ‘vision’, a distant dream. The road map like its predecessor acrobatics is destined to obliterate the promise of a ‘viable’ Palestine state. The contesting parties are so unequal and the brokers are so biased if not blinded no other destination seems probable at least if there is no miracle on the journey to ‘peace’. And miracle or magic cannot happen by mere wish.
   The ‘road map’ conceived and delivered by its many authors appear to be stillborn; its midwives have been trying to resuscitate it by abundance of verbal gymnastics from time to time. The ongoing London conference convened by Britain one of the authors is the latest such act. But no one had the courage or honesty to expose the road map for what it really is: structurally (genetically to be more apt) flawed contraption that is high on process but low in substance; it avoids all the core issues that lie deep into the Palestine-Israeli conflict.
   The road map fails to address the heart of the conflict, to affirm the end point of travel on that road, notably the final borders of the Palestine state-to-be, its capital of Jerusalem, or the right of return of the refugees. In doing so, the road map begins a journey without destination defined. Given all past experience with numerous peace process journeys, such an open ended course  does everything for the stronger party to continue expansion of settlements and encroachment of Palestine territory; it allows (and it has in the past) creation of ‘new realities’ on the ground that acquire legitimacy of its own make though not by law. It seems ever more clear that Israel is creating a new reality, a virtual fait accompli of physical annexation that acquires permanence and a legitimacy by creating a new reality on the ground written in stone.
   Negotiations and serial agreements led to nowhere excerpt in increasing frustration on the Palestinian side and unending occupation, oppression and encroachment by the Israeli side. While Israel is the gainer by its intransigence and by enjoying exceptional sympathy and immunity the Palestinians have been on the losing side; they have been fed on visions and promises without borders or timeline.
   It is not a prediction though highly probable that mounting frustrations of Palestinian population will only open the present lid on militancy; that will promptly kill the ‘peace’ process and return to even further violence while annexation and occupation continue unabated and unchecked.
   The Palestine Authority (PA) will come under twin pressure: Israel demanding its security to be provided (a queer proposition where the occupied are held responsible to be policing security of the occupier) and the Palestine militants demanding end of occupation and oppression. The PA will at best dutifully ‘condemn’ acts of violence; the Israel will reflexively mount ‘incursions’ and aerial assassinations. The road map will go into a deeper coma till it is declared dead and a new ‘something’ is crafted.
   Zakir Husain
   Dhaka

Some recent actions of the government taken against the radical Muslims clearly indicate that Bangladesh has opened a new sector to confront with political radicalism. This has become an added burden to face challenges from two directions, left and right. The rightist Muslims believe their right duty is to make the country an Islamic republic, but the geographical and strategic position of Bangladesh is not favourable at all for such a movement. Muslims are friendless everywhere, whereas secular group attracts confirmed support from inside and outside the country. Our politics would face a serious setback if it lacks the competence of bridging the gap over ideologies.
   I am confident enough that Muslim leaders are very much aware that unity is the strength. If they go for creating divisions within the population they will certainly work to ruin our economy. They should work for a prosperous Bangladesh and not to destroy it. If activities of Muslim leaders being representatives of the majority people contradict with the economic growth there will be no ethical difference between them and the secular group whom we used to blame as a destructive force against our economy.
   Although, democracy as the operating system of a government has many loopholes and takes longer version of time to achieve the development goals even then democracy is a system that has less risk of converting to a tyranny. To achieve economic emancipation democracy needs a set of educated leadership acquainted with specific knowledge about economic development. Without a sustainable economic power independence of a country is meaningless. Those who have the mindset to destroy our economy are not friends of the country. It depends entirely on the government how to deal with those unfriendly political forces. In the current globalisation era economic advancement should get first preference to plan and organise any political movement. Development plan cannot go ahead without intelligent actions backed by qualified engineers, economists, and administrators to maintain law and order.
   We should not disrespect any religious sentiments and the elected government has to handle religious factions carefully and technically putting ears on the people’s pulses. If the secular group is allowed to be reinforced by any means it may not be possible to restrain the religious sentiment, whereas both the groups are equally harmful to economic development and meaningful independence.
   For finding out an acceptable solution frequent political and economic dialogue sessions may be arranged by different non-political forums inviting representatives of political and non-political bodies under indirect government patronisation. Discussions will unveil political differences, stresses on unity, development, and independence will get preference, and untiring efforts to attain the goal would have to continue with a view to creating a congenial atmosphere. We need a high-quality vision and stable mission to fulfil it. Handing the exercise of blaming practice over to people, our leaders should come up with the confidence that people know them explicitly well. Essentially, it is time for them to realise that people know ahead of time what they are going to talk. People are fed up on their lectures. Please change your leadership quality or allow others to come up with quality leadership for a better Bangladesh.
   M Hoque
   Dhaka

Indulgent son turns out to be over indulgent when the loving parents condone his initial acts of transgression into others’ rights and privileges. Exactly this is what has happened with the rising neo-Islamic groups in our country.
   Once, police in the northern region were happy to see Bangla Bhai come down heavily on the members of the outlaws, and they even let them do parading in the city streets with their chests puffed up. Soon after Bangla Bhai along with his followers let loose a reign of terror there. Bangla Bhai could not be brought to justice even when the prime minister desired his arrest later. So were the events in Dhaka and Khulna: the fundamentalists bombed Ahmmadya prayer house in Khulna and then attempted attack on Ahammadya mosque and establishments in Dhaka. These acts of subversions and aggressions were open and proven, yet the government meekly yielded to the unjust demands of the fundamentalists asking government to ban Ahammadya publications. The latest targets are the NGOs, however.
   The lenient government has to face the music now. The neo-Islamic militancy has its roots deep down and spread all over the country. Dr. Ghalib allegedly has received so far a huge amount of money from sources abroad to support publications containing his doctrines of waging armed struggles and to establish madrassahs and recruit diehard followers. In most instances madrassah education is free for boys and girls, including the student’s food and boarding. Any one can go in around Dhaka city and in the suburbs and see himself madrassahs spiralling every here and there. Our education departments seem to be least concerned about the mushrooming madrassahs, their curricula and their funding sources. Abdur Rahaman of Jamalpur, a new arrival but a veteran subscriber to establishing codes of Islamic conducts in the country. They all are working in unison to achieving a common goal, replacing secular democracy by Islamic rules. National media have been focussing on these events for years and months. New Age has had exclusives on Bangla Bhai, including editorial comments; but alas, they all have fallen into deaf years, so it seems.
   Now that the Western media and the governments have taken a rigid stance on these issues, our government is feeling the heat and coming out of its long, deep slumber. A lot of debris has accumulated by now, and the government may find it difficult to clear them all, for the alliance has in it sympathisers for the Islamic militants. We believe the people will be with the government if it means business, and not assuaging, in bringing a complete halt to proliferation of fundamentalism. Bangladesh is a nation of pious believers and not of fundamentalists.
   Moni Khan
   Dhania, Dhaka

A few days ago, the government of Bangladesh suddenly lifted its head from the sand and decided to take care of the so-called radical Islamists. Even Bangla Bhai had the privilege to have his name in the list. But why the sudden change of heart? One, and only one reason, but it is not what we might think.
   All those months and weeks, newspapers (from home and abroad) have been investigating and publishing reports, and all our people have been requesting time and again to the government to do something about the increasing number of bomb blasts, but the government kept silent. It said no Bangla Bhai existed in our country, it was all media and opposition propaganda. But now that our foreign lenders, donors and development partners have decided to sit down in Washington and address this issue, suddenly our government acknowledges the existence of radical Islamists and even Bangla Bhai. Khaleda Zia realises that if those foreign lenders stop writing cheques then her government will not be able to start ‘development projects’ here and there. No development projects mean no chance to make funds disappear into thin air and no chance for her MPs and ministers to steal 5/6 luxury vehicles and claim lakhs for petrol money! And if you can’t do that, then what’s the purpose of becoming the ruling party?
   So there you have it people. Our safety, our pleas, our requests, moral and legal obligations, our basic rights, the image and the economy of our country or even the survival of our country means nothing to people like our leaders. The fact that we paid these people handsome wages and they didn’t perform their duties, doesn’t seem to make them feel guilty, at all.
   Azad Miah
   Oldham, UK

I am saddened by hearing that MV Maharaj was capsized resulting in the death of 149 people. These tragic accidents are the symptoms of many deep rooted problems. The core problem is overpopulation. Well meaning people should do all they can to educate people about the hazards of overpopulation and urge the people to take appropriate actions to prevent overpopulation. But it will take a long time.
   In the mean time everything should be done to explain to people to not to get into an over crowded launch in the festive season. It should be explained to them that it is better to see the relatives little later than not seeing them at all (by being drowned).
   The government should take some actions as well. The launch owners should pay a big penalty if they take too many passengers.
   I am sure there are many other actions people can take. Taking no actions is not an option.
   Waheed Nabi
   Sheffield, England

Promoting tourism is not by festival; tourism has come of age and is an industrial enterprise demanding comprehensive planned strategy with innovation and high resilience. That demand is not met by ceremonial festival or even clever publicity without investment of resources and energy.
   Sorry to see Bangladesh has not the fundamental strategic decision to embrace tourism as a national industry of high priority; has not found and put resources where the aspirations are; has not even bothered to give a sense of basic security to domestic and foreign tourists. We are not yet talking of highly competitive entertainment marketing for first things must come first. Those include minimum if not luxurious physical infrastructure. One cannot sell natural beauties without some natural amenities that are taken for granted say in Thailand, Malaysia. Before we even talk of competing with established tourist locations we have much work to do and less to talk.
   Yes, no one can deny we have big potential. But mere potential possibility needs to be converted into reality. Where is the evidence of that planned medium term investment, in building the kind of atmosphere, attractions, and incentives? Where are the policies to attract domestic and foreign investments?
   Husain
   Dhaka

The USA Patriot Act of 2001, generously advocated for by former Attorney General John Ashcroft, is an act that was made with discriminatory intents, as well as being an infringement on the rights of the people living in and visiting the USA. It is a discreet yet blatant attempt to further the Bush Administration’s control of the lives of US citizens and members of the international community.
   The popular claim that the Act was created in order help disable terrorist links and networks within the country, is merely a cover-up of the government’s increased liberty to spy on people living on American soil. If the government had really wanted to target terrorism, then they would have used more effective measures, such as setting up better port security and air cargo checks. Under the Act, the government has the right to investigate practically anyone’s life, whether they have a link to terrorism or not, and it does nothing to stop terrorists from getting into the country in the first place.
   The infringement of privacy that the Act poses is a severe violation of a citizen’s civil rights, equivalent to making a person’s life public information. The Bush Doctrine of ‘pre-emptive strikes’ or ‘pre-emptive investigation’ (‘pre-emptiveness’ will be a new term in the dictionary soon enough) allows federal investigators to run an investigation with barely a shred of evidence. The USA Patriot Act makes one wonder, among other things – whatever happened to the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution?
   While in effect, the Act renders numerous other hard-earned and justified statutes and acts defunct. One of the main institutions affected by the Patriot Act are libraries, as well as bookstores. The FBI received the power to obtain a record of books borrowed by or sold to a person, without a subpoena, without a probable cause, and under a gag order.
   In addition to library confidentiality statutes being completely overridden, materials that everyone used to have access to has suddenly become restricted information. An illustrative example is when in August 2003, Dr. Susan Whalen, a researcher and professor from the Loyola University School of Law, visited the US National Archives and was prevented from viewing Saudi Arabian documents stored there. In response to Dr. Whalen’s reproach, the clerk told her, ‘It’s part of the Patriot Act. The US State Department records you requested are indeed declassified and theoretically available. But they also may contain information that terrorists can use, like names and addresses and information of US citizens.’ When she persisted, saying that the records were nearly 30 years old, making the possibility of any such information being irrelevant by now, the clerk threatened to call the police and have her removed.
   Religious discrimination is brought into the story easily enough. Under the Patriot Act, the INS started a program called the National Security Entry and Exit Registration System (NSEERS), where males of age 16+ from a list of foreign countries specified as terror-risk states are required to register with immigration authorities. Otherwise, they have the choice of facing arrest. What bothers immigration advocates as well as others is the fact that only one of the countries on the list is not predominantly Muslim (North Korea). Because of this and America’s influence throughout the world, a message is sent to everyone that terrorists are predominantly Muslim, an invariably incorrect fact.
   Recently, President Bush has started pushing for the renewal of the USA Patriot Act, many aspects of which are set to expire by the end of 2005. Hopefully, the President will not get what he wants this time, bringing an end to the current privacy invasion, unwarranted restrictions, and discrimination caused by the Act.
   akifalcon
   Lansing, MI

The caption of the lead photo of New Age’s February 26 issue was: ‘Faraway so close: Farmers at Hemayetpur in Savar, only 20 kilometres from Dhaka, sell eggplants at a ludicrous Tk 1.5 per kilogram. Consumers in Dhaka buy the same at Tk 12 per kilogram - eight times their original value. With almost no access to the local markets, farmers sell off their produce to traders. These middlemen reap the most benefit depriving the farmers of a better price and the consumers from cheaper food.’
   The photo and this caption are very catchy ones. But I like to suggest some solutions of the marketing problem of the vegetable harvesters. For this the harvesters must have to be organised enough to directly enter to the Dhaka or other nearby bigger markets. NGOs and similar organisations may play a vital role in this regard.
   The harvesters must have to be free from the claws of the highly depriving middlemen traders by empowering themselves with unity and money of their own little equity deposits plus borrowing from the NGO. I think in this way our hardy harvesters can get their deserving value for their produces as well as the price level of this type of food will prevail within normal limits throughout the country.
   Saifuddin Ahmad
   North Badda