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It is very pitiful for the nation to see respected university teachers being humiliated under the present caretaker government. Teachers were picked up from their residences and then were taken to unspecified locations. They were produced before the court after 36 hours and were placed on remand in reply to a petition of Shahbagh Police Station. The acting vice chancellor of the university got assurance from the chief of the caretaker government that the dignity of two Dhaka University teachers would be taken care of while they would be on remand.
   The law adviser has commented that this is a military-backed national government. The army chief differed from him telling that this is a caretaker government. I believe both are partially right and partially wrong. The former is wrong because he is unaware of the concept of national government, but right because the government is backed by the military. The latter is theoretically right but factually wrong. It has become very much visible that the current attitude, activities and the role of the military in the affairs of the government and the state can only be compared to a situation of martial law. I agree that the Constitution has not been suspended as it happens under martial law, but the level of human rights violation, as in case of the two Dhaka University teachers in particular, gives me every impression that the extremely suppressive character of this military-backed caretaker government can be compared to that of a government of martial law. Referring to the comment of the army chief, I want to make my point clear. If this is not a military-backed government, then comparing it to a government of martial law is ridiculous. If so, then why even the police station under which the two teachers were placed on remand initially had no idea of their whereabouts? Law is not following its on course. This is a gross human rights violation and should be subject to extreme condemnation and protest.
   When this government took over on 1/11, they were hailed by the people of all segments of the society. They did some laudable jobs, anti-corruption drive being one of them. But to a significant extent, this anti-corruption drive has lost its neutral character. Pro-reform political leaders and regrettably an Islamist party have been untouched. Reform initiatives of the political parties have appeared to be a ‘divide and rule policy’ of the government. People have been suffering from extreme price hike of the essentials. Street vendors and slum dwellers have been evicted without offering the victims any alternative and sustainable income source and living space respectively. All these have raised question about the credibility of the government. People have been watching everything. To label the recent spurt of violence throughout the country following the Dhaka University incident as a conspiracy of evil force is, therefore, an attempt on the part of the government to bypass the ground realities. Such conspiracy theories can be compared to those developed and used by autocratic rulers in the past. Unfortunately, a section of print media has been tamed. They have appeared to be the government’s media partner echoing the government’s conspiracy theories. They are trying to assassinate the character of the respected university teachers. How shameful it is to see the silence of some senior lawyers in regard to the violation of human rights by this government!
   Till 1/11, these senior lawyers were very vocal about the rule of law. In the post-1/11 days, they have appeared to be pro-establishment. Eminent educationists have been taken to unspecified places in violation of the rules of remand, but they are keeping a blind eye on this advising people (not the government) to show restraint.
   Message of this letter is very clear. By tradition Dhaka University is unique in the world in the sense that it has led many successful national movements in the past. The recent student unrest in breach of the state of emergency and its spread throughout the country joined by common masses signals not only the end of government’s honeymoon period, but also indicates the unique capability of Dhaka University to lead national movements when other institutions fail to do so. Harassment of teachers and students of the university will not bring any good result for the military and the government. The government cannot suppress the voice of the university by simply imposing curfew or on the pretext of the state of emergency. Certainly the university will rise to the occasion should the government does not rectify itself. My plea to the government is: please don’t create further complexities by humiliating university teachers and students; please release the teachers and the students to avoid any further scar in civil-military relations. This letter should not be treated as anti-government, but as an advice for the military backed caretaker government to rectify themselves.
   Hasan Mahmaud
   Jackson Heights, New York, USA

City dwellers at different areas have been facing an acute crisis of water due to problems of supply and sewerage authority lines.
   The people at areas including Lalbagh, Kanalbagh, Islambagh, Nababpur, Khilgaon, Mirpur, Hazaribegh, some parts of Mirpur and Mohammadpur, central Badda, Shewarapara, Pinkpara, Kalabagan, Naya Paltan, some parts to of Maghbazar and Bashabo complained about water crisis in their areas.
   In this situation, when Dhaka city faces a dire shortage of water, there appears to be an exactly opposite situation at the journalists’ colonies in Mirpur section 11 where inhabitants regularly waste supply water with utter disregard to the plight of millions in the capital.
   In fact it is not only in the case of water but also for other utility services especially electricity and natural gas. These are not only useful but also valuable national assets. We as a poor nation should learn the value of conserving these services and using them only when necessary. We certainly should not engage in the luxury of wasting these resources simply out of callousness.
   There should be a countrywide programme to increase awareness of the people and motivate them to conserve energy and water so that more and more people can utilise these.
   Rumana Khan
   Dhaka
   

I refer to Shahjahan Ahmed’s feedback published on August 22 in response to my letter dated August 16. While I value his argument, I would like to draw his kind attention to the fact that Hindus and Muslims co-existed for years in this subcontinent in peace and harmony. The British sowed the seeds of communalism among the Hindus and Muslims, to which Ahmed has also agreed. The native politicians (both Muslims and Hindus) who in the name of ‘azadi’ again instigated the communal aspect claimed millions of lives through bloody riots.
   I would like to mention here that one of my close ancestors was also killed in one of such riots. Therefore, I have better understanding of the legacy, and I do not have to refer to the twisted history for any fact.
   What I wanted to point out in my letter was that the grand narrative of the history of partition, which concentrates on the politics and main perpetrators, on deals and negotiations, on the exchange of territories and reckless redrawing of borders, ignores this crucial human aspect.
   If we want to recapture this essential human history, this epic saga of suffering and struggle, we have to gather the memories of every man/protagonists with the help of interviews, which constitutes an important segment of oral history and by examining diaries and memoirs. These hidden histories, once revealed, will compose their own partition narrative where the veil of silence that has shrouded people’s experiences, especially that of women, will be lifted.
   Kazi Nasim Ahmed
   Zigatola Notun Rasta, Dhaka