Opinion
Paris burning: Trouble in the 'sushil' paradise
Paris is on fire and it’s not just in reality but metaphorically as well. A North –African 17 tear old delivery boy called Nahel was killed at a traffic stop when police stopped him and then he at some point tried to start his car. A policeman fired on him from close range to apparently stop him and he was killed. The police initially made up stories that he was a threat to their life etc so they fired but video records showed otherwise.
Finally, the authorities owned up to the killing and have now pressed charges against the policeman. Meanwhile, Paris is up in flames as protests raged across the poor districts where most migrants of North Africa live. Nahel’s mother Mounia led marches in her area.
Unlike previous times, the authorities can’t blame that the boy was a jihadi or something and draw attention away from the police action. He was a simple lawbreaker and nothing political about it.
The land most “shushils” think is the paradise of human rights, ideas, and freedom has been acting remarkably unlike one, going by media reports.
North African and Muslim
What Western media has carefully managed to avoid is the fact that the killed boy is of North African descent and all North Africans are from French colonies and all are Muslims. The objective is obvious. Both France and the West want to avoid a global backlash and turn it into a cause of Muslims particularly during the hajj. The French are the most repressive of all colonial powers and have a systemic oppression policy against its ex-colonial subjects living in France, mostly Paris.
The anger against the French government and state is therefore socially led by the most denied group. To this has been added resentment against the near license given to the police to act as it wishes to preserve law and order. President Macron vigorously defended the police after the killing, saying it’s not their fault but that of an individual policeman. That the individual policeman is a product of the system may have escaped the President’s mind.
The violent protests
For the first couple of nights, it was the fireworks and flames. The police were outnumbered and couldn’t control the situation. Their number went from 9,000 to 40,000 immediately. But the media reports that it isn’t working. Street reports say that the police are acting more like cover for the fire crews . Once a fire is doused, they move on and the crowd is back in charge.
It's easy to say that the disorder can't just go on, but so far that's exactly what has happened. It won’t go on for long but the problem remains alive till the next outburst.
What France needs is a solution and it doesn’t have exactly that ingredient.
Wagner and Putin: What really happened?
Western media is lamenting the aborted “mutiny” by the Wagner Group's forces which they hoped would topple Vladimir Putin. What they were describing as the biggest challenge ever posed to Putin's grip on power, was eventually put down without a shot being fired. Putin is still in power and Wagner seems to have slipped as a potential threat to the Russian supremo. The story is a complex one, as it shows how the many forces including clandestine ones are involved in the Ukraine war on both sides.
Also read: Wagner chief breaks his silence after aborted mutiny
A chef's army?
Yevgeny Prigozhin is a colourful character who has remained in the Kremlin's orbit in some form or the other (including engagements that earned him the nickname 'Putin's chef') throughout the 23 years that Putin has ruled Russia. He has said he founded the Wagner Group PMC (private military contractor), modelled in form and function on Blackwater, an American PMC that enjoyed heavy deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, in 2014. Working as an auxiliary force under the Russian army's command, Wagner forces marked their presence in a number of countries where Russian troops were deployed over the last decade or so, from Syria to Mali.
Also read: US, NATO had no involvement in Wagner's 'short-lived' revolt in Russia: Biden
Last Saturday (Jun. 24) though, Prigozhin seemed to flip that script, as he mobilised around 8,000 of his men to march against Moscow. Western media outlets were quick to seize upon Prigozhin's public outbursts and frustration with the military leadership aired in recent weeks to conclude he had launched 'a coup'. To be fair, he himself was calling it “a march for justice”. At best, he was hoping to capture the Russian defense ministry in Moscow. Additionally, he demanded the resignation of the defense minister, Sergei Shoigu and the chief of army staff, Valery Gerasimov.
Wagner forces were apparently being led towards Moscow by its other founder Dmitri Utkin, a decorated former soldier who probably calls the real shots in the group (Prigozhin has no military experience to speak of) but last appeared in public in 2016. It all seemed serious enough that the mayor of Moscow actually cancelled all public events in the city scheduled for the following week, as if anticipating a bloody struggle for the capital once Wagner's convoy reached the city limits. But just as abruptly as it had all erupted, the Wagner rebellion fizzled out. Just 120 miles from Moscow, the convoy stopped and turned around.
Also read: Russian defense minister makes first public appearance since mercenary revolt as uncertainty swirls
Prigozhin himself never moved from his HQ at Rostov-on-Don, a garrison town near the Ukrainian border that Wagner now controls. From there he tried calling old friend Putin, who refused to talk to him.
Prigozhin suddenly found himself without the promised support, no mass movement, his troops facing certain annihilation and his family exposed to unspeakable danger. So he sought the support of old ally Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, to plead on his behalf. It worked - at least to the extent that he was provided safe passage into the arms of Lukashenko.
With Putin hovering in the background, a deal was struck. Prigozhin for now remains in exile in Belarus. Treason charges would be dropped. The Wagner army, said to number anywhere between 20,000 to 50,000 in total, would be offered contracts to be absorbed into the Russian army, or to exit home. Many have signed up.
Six months in the making?
Prigozhin had reportedly been planning this move for months, building up the situation by accusing the Russian army of corruption, failure to support him and losing the Ukraine war itself. In response the Russian army announced, all Wagner members would have to sign contracts and submit to Russian army orders.
Prigozhin refused and claimed the Russian army was attacking him.Unconfirmed reports on social media also say he made contacts with Ukrainian military intelligence around January this year. Others say he was instigating forces within Russia as well against Putin. Wagner is itself a product of Russian military intelligence, the GRU and Wagner co-founder –Utkin- is a GRU special operator.
So Russian military politics was part of the plan and it’s quite possible that he may have been egged on by forces within the Russian security apparatus who are anti-Putin, or at least anti-Shoigu & Gerasimov.
But the fact remains that no uprising took place as some expected whether from the civil or military forces.
War, ambition and exile
While it lasted, Wagner forces took down Russian helicopters and a transport aircraft killing almost forty personnel. This made accommodation by the Russian army impossible. Prigozhin was also accused of corruption: his companies sell goods apparently at inflated prices. Those contracts were canceled a week or so before Prigozhin went full-on rogue.
But the most serious accusation made by his foes is not just about the deals with Ukraine’s secret intelligence services, but the United States too. As these can’t be confirmed, they mean that whether true or not, Wagner can’t operate independently.
What didn’t happen in Russia was a general uprising and an open fracturing of the security apparatus. But it's obvious that the Russian military is rife with clandestine deals, conspiracies and lack of a common cause and leadership.
'Protest, not mutiny'
Speaking before leaving for his exile in Belarus, Prigozhin said his actions were a protest against the order to be placed under the Russian military and not an uprising. He also regretted shooting down the planes that caused so many deaths.
Putin meanwhile, thanked his armed forces for not just preventing an uprising but a civil war as well, even though they seemed to be enjoying a weekend off. As ever, nothing is certain and everything remains as mysterious as before in this “war of secrets.”
Why a cry for democracy shouldn’t be a cry for destabilisation in Bangladesh
Earlier this month, six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) sent a letter to Josep Borrell, high representative of the European Union for foreign affairs and security policy, and asked him to step in to ensure free and fair election in Bangladesh – if need be, under a caretaker government. The Embassy of the European Union in Dhaka considered it as solely their personal views, not those of the EU. Prior to that, six congressmen sent a letter to US President Joe Biden, asking him to protect the “persecuted” religious and ethnic minorities in Bangladesh. The timing of the letters is noteworthy, considering the visit of the UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, to attend the preparatory conference of the UN peacekeeping ministerial in Dhaka on June 25-26.
Let’s deal with the issues one by one. First, let’s delve into elections under the caretaker government system, then the state of minorities in Bangladesh, and lastly, the geopolitical connotations of the abovementioned letters.
Read more: Letter from 6 members of European Parliament reflects views of signatories, Ambassador tells UNB
Bangladesh Awami League was at the forefront of demanding a caretaker government in 1996. The erstwhile BNP government had to succumb to the popular demand articulated by the Awami League. AL came to power through free and fair election under the non-party caretaker government. In 2001, Awami League handed over the power peacefully, for the first time in Bangladesh’s history, to a caretaker government. AL got 40.13 percent of votes compared to BNP’s 40.97. The former secured only 62 seats and the latter, 193 seats. The Four Party Alliance, including BNP and Jamaat-e Islami, formed the government and got a two-thirds majority in the parliament required for amending the constitution. They raised the retirement age of the chief justice of Bangladesh, so that their chosen Chief Justice of Bangladesh KM Hasan could be the Chief Adviser to the next caretaker government – a move many political analysists refer to as “corrupting” the caretaker government system. The last nail was hammered by Iajuddin Ahmed, the then President of Bangladesh, who assumed the role of chief adviser to the caretaker government. The Supreme Court of Bangladesh declared this caretaker government system “illegal” in 2011.
Without an iota of doubt, our democracy is not perfect. We need to develop our democratic institutions, and we need support from our friends in the democratic West for building and strengthening the democratic institutions. But supporting a cause with no democratic future will not help Bangladesh progress in this regard.
Read more: 6 congressmen’s letter to Biden a ‘false projection’ of the state of Bangladesh’s minorities, community leaders say
The letter from six US congressmen to President Biden accuses the current Bangladesh government of “persecuting” ethnic and religious minorities along with other allegations. Several noted minority community leaders have already rejected this assertion, calling it “absolutely false projection” of the state of minorities in Bangladesh. Advocate Rana Dasgupta, leader of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, called the claim “a travesty of truth.” Bangladesh Buddhist Federation called it “baseless and fabricated.” Nirmal Rozario, president of Bangladesh Christian Association, also rejected the six US congressmen’s claim of persecution of the Christian community in Bangladesh.
The Awami League government reintroduced secularism in the constitution of Bangladesh. It also made provisions relating to the protection and advancement of the cultures of ethnic minorities of Bangladesh in the constitution.
The Bangladesh government was not always successful in fulfilling its commitments enshrined in the Chittagong Hill Tracts Peace Accord. However, we must not forget that this peace accord was made possible by the Awami League government back in 1997.
Read more: Letters from 6 MEPs and 6 US congressmen: Netizens point out curious similarities, including misspelling Bangladesh PM’s name
Let’s get to the heart of the problem. We are at a watershed moment in the geopolitical history of Bangladesh. Not by our choosing, our country has become a playground of international politics. It is both comforting and concerning. Comforting, because our economic development along with other things has made us geopolitically important. Concerning, because we have become a bone of contention between China and the US. Earlier, it was thought that BNP was a natural ally of China and Awami League was an ally of India. Interestingly, this has changed due to the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She adopted her father’s foreign policy of “friendship to all, malice towards none.” She extended her hand of friendship to both India and China – two regional powerhouses and competitors. She was never hostile to the United States. However, under the Trump administration, the US was folding its carpet of influence in South Asia – relying mostly on India on issues relating to Bangladesh. China has expanded its reach in Bangladesh and other countries in South Asia. Now, Western leaders seem to be waking up to this rise and expansion of Chinese influence in South Asia and beyond. Perhaps they feel the time is ripe for them to mount pressure on Bangladesh, disregarding the concern that this could instigate violence and instability in the region that might hamper their interests as well as those of Bangladesh and its neighbours.
Bangladesh, argues Jared Cohen in his article “The rise of geopolitical swing states” (Goldman Sachs, May 15, 2023), is a geopolitical swing state. The foreign policy stance of the present Bangladesh government, i.e., “friendship to all, malice towards none”, gives it strategic autonomy. It enforces the international relationship dynamics of no permanent friendship or permanent enmity. China opposed Bangladesh’s independence, of course, not to the extent of the US, in 1971. Despite that, Bangladesh never hesitates when it comes to Chinese and American investments. Bangladesh has engaged in multi-alignment, not in non-alignment. Jared Cohen thinks that non-alignment is not possible in today’s world. Perhaps he is right. To protect national interests, however, Bangladesh should remain non-aligned, even in the face of increasing geopolitical pressure – of which, the recent letters of US congressmen and members of the European Parliament are a few examples.
The writer is former chairman of National Human Rights Commission, Bangladesh.
Is plant-based, oral insulin next soon?
A plant based insulin on trial which could change the world for diabetics.
Insulin is the savior for serious and long term diabetics. But the pen delivered insulin often acts too rapidly causing hypoglycemia –extremely low blood sugar-, damaging body organs several ways and occasionally causing strokes and even death. Insulin pumps regulate better but are beyond the reach of most. For many, therefore a plant based insulin that is taken orally can be the answer. And it’s possibly going to be much cheaper. ( Medical News Today . 21/6/23)
The good news comes from researchers working at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine working on the project. This alternative contains all three essential peptides, shields insulin through plant cell walls, and regulates blood sugar levels similar to natural insulin, reducing hypoglycemia and other risks. It would revolutionize insulin therapy globally.
What is plant-based insulin?
Insulin pens work but also leads to a rapid absorption into the bloodstream which often drops blood sugar levels dramatically and quickly below the healthy level causing hyp+os.. Automated insulin pumps provide accurate doses but they are costly and only a fraction of diabetes patients worldwide can access them.
Machine produced insulin lacks one of the three peptides found in natural insulin. The plant based insulin developed by researchers includes all three peptides and can be taken orally. Gut microbes break the insulin down and then the released insulin is transported to the liver through the gut-liver axis.
Read: Diabetic patients to get free insulin at community clinics: PM Hasina
Clinical trials show that this insulin effectively regulates sugar levels within 15 minutes of ingestion like natural insulin. Traditional insulin given to the same lot of lab animals caused hypoglycemia.
A novel manufacturing process
The team of researchers had been working for some time on the project and believes its commercially viable. They first identified the human insulin genes and utilized a method known as a “gene gun” to break through the cell walls of the plants and introduce the genes. These insulin genes were then incorporated into the genome of the chosen plant, in this case, lettuce.
The plant seeds permanently inherited the insulin genes, and the mature lettuce plants were freeze-dried, ground, and prepared for oral administration in accordance with the regulatory guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the study team.
The traditional method of insulin production involves cultivating the hormone within bacteria or yeast cells. This approach is costly and requires purification and temperature control for transportation and storage. The plant-based insulin production method eliminates the need for expensive laboratory equipment. And it remains stable at room temperature reducing costly, cold storage needs.
Clinical trials of plant-based insulin upcoming
In the case of humans, utilizing plant-based delivery methods for medications has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of diabetes and various other diseases.
Read: Diabetes patients to get free insulin in future: Health Minister
The research is not without precedent, as the FDA has already approved drugs made in plant cells for oral delivery such as peanut plant cells to treat allergies.
Improving global access to medicines
Dr. Henry Daniell, vice-chair and W.D. Miller, professor in the Department of Basic & Translational Sciences, the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine, and lead researcher of the study, highlighted the key findings to Medical News Today.
He emphasized the issues around insulin accessibility, noting that “around the globe, one-third of the population earns $2 per day, and insulin is beyond their reach.”
In addition, Dr. Daniell noted how this research “addresses the high cost of insulin,” pointing to previous studies about the high cost of insulin and how patients ration insulin due to the cost, risking their health and well-being.”
This could well be one of the biggest breakthroughs in insulin management since insulin itself was developed.
Read more: MoU signed with US company to set up first ever vaccine producing plant in country
South Asia goes for strategic polyamory
Pakistan and Russia are trying their best to become friends. Reasons are as simple as they come. Russia needs to sell and Pakistan wants to buy "quick and cheap." Russia recently delivered crude oil to Pakistan through the Karachi port in mid-June. The deal struck was in April to send 100,000 metric tons of Russian crude to Pakistan, more than a year into Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The deal has implications beyond trade and economics. Everything that happens with Pakistan has an Indian angle and this is no different. Russia is not part of Pakistan’s close circle but it is of India. However, that relationship is supposedly under stress according to some sources, largely US.
The situation also shows that the older version of “friends’ forever” syndrome and “my side is your side” model has undergone some change. What is cutely called the global south isn’t full of leaders and people who are so dumb that they believe in permanent loyalty to any bloc including the West. Many are striking a balance to keep relations going with Moscow, the West, Beijing and even a few stray extra-terrestrial aliens if they came their way. And the Ukraine war has hastened the process.
Old wars, new friends
Read: ‘Asian Century’ presents an opportunity to South Asia: India
Russia and Pakistan were serious enemies particularly during the SEATO-CENTO days of the cold war. It peaked during the 1971 war when Russia supported India and of course the US supported Pakistan followed by China looking for new friends and allies against Russia.
Things however got better during the later stage of the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan as their interests found a common point around the issue of counterterrorism and reconciliation with the Taliban. In 2022 when Imran Khan, the then PM of Pakistan visited Moscow, energy was at the top of the agenda. By then Russia had invaded Ukraine. That however is a whole new mess and its outcome is still murky but the situation is uncertain and pushing countries to take very unusual decisions on the run.
The April oil deal was called a “trial run”, but obviously more is there in the barrel than that dribbles down . Apparently Pakistan is planning to fill one –third of its tank with Russian crude which means it also indicates a desire to rely less on ME crudes only. Global uncertainty is creating new alignments.
And Russia is not holding back the friendship bottle from pouring hard either. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov marked 75 years of bilateral relations with Pakistan by ending his speech with a “Long live Pakistan-Russia ties” in Urdu. Never mind what Tolstoy would think.
The blossoming of Russia and China’s friendship is a classic case of rekindling romance with the ex’s. Together both once were part of the “socialist” bloc which broke up in 1961. However mending is on and both are talking arms. That is worrying New Delhi a bit which thinks that Moscow may prefer its new beau China more and cut back on its arms co-operation but that is yet to happen.
Read: Urgent, coordinated actions needed to curb air pollution in South Asia: World Bank
New math, old foes
India friendly experts are cautious about the future of Russia’s new friendship with Pakistan arguing that it’s not a reconfiguration with either Pakistan or India. And the energy equation between Moscow and Islamabad is positive but not necessarily possible to carry on for long. In other words, Pakistan’s pocket is torn and it can’t pay Moscow for long whose own pockets are in need of a touch of repair.
But the biggest worry in Pakistan could be that too much snuggling with Russia will anger the US and the US controls the IMF and the WB. And Pakistan needs them desperately. So it must abide by the price cap agreed upon by Western countries or face U.S. sanctions. That is apart from standard political handshaking.
US Russia and South Asia
The US is telling that Russia is no longer a reliable supplier due to cash shortage but India is an old hand at the game. India is in a “thick and thin” mode with Russia even now while increasing its defense cooperation with the US. India wants to be certain that the US is a better partner than Russia in the strategic marriage if that happens. It won’t behave like a moonstruck teenager and jump in as it also involves matters of payments and prices.
No country in South Asia is going to sign up for an exclusive relationship contract with any supplier cum super power. And it’s not just India and Pakistan. Bangladesh has blocked dozens of U.S.-sanctioned ships from arriving at its ports but continues to deal with Russia in Chinese currency.
Read: Afro-South Asia in the Global African Diaspora
The pattern is clear. There will only be relationships of convenience and not just from the US side or Russian and the Chinese but the global south cuties as well. No exclusive clause will apply and that makes the old fashioned zones of influence model that much weaker. The global south has quietly on its own gone global while remaining in the South.
Serajul Alam Khan dies: Enigmatic personality, influential politician
Enigmatic person and politician, who influenced the passage of Bangladesh, Serajul Alam Khan , -dada to most- passed away aged 82 years. It was a long life but in the last few years of his life he had been ailing and politically less active.
Read: Dr. Zafrullah the warrior stops, his battles will go on
Books had been written about him particularly by Shamsuddin Ahmed and Mohiuddin Ahmed and both were best sellers. It showed that despite his absence from active political life he continued to be alive in the public mind. It was not only what he had done that people remembered but what they didn’t fully know about him . No doubt that the reasons behind calling him the “mystery man” of Bangladesh politics were justified.
The politics of the radicalized middle class
The person and the political cluster he was most influential grew after 1958 when politics of the middle class began to grow more radical vis a vis its relationship with central Pakistan. The period from 1947 to 1958 made it obvious that the artificial state of Pakistan could not survive. The organic limitations of the Pakistan state was clear to all and the imposition of the 1958 martial law by Ayub Khan made it even more clear.
Read: Don’t stop , Mubasshar Bhai
From then on , many groups and clusters began to initiate activities to make “East Pakistan” independent. “East Bengal Liberation Party” is well known and others were active too. The “Inner Group” which was active from before August 1947 continued their activities too. It was through this group’s assistance that Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went to India but was disappointed by India’s attitude and subsequently focused on public agitation as a facilitator of national politics.
It was in this turbulent 60s that Serajul Alam Khan set up the “Nucleus”, a secret cell within the leading party Awami League's student and youth wing to promote an independent state. He drew many young souls to it and became a cult figure of sorts. Many called him “kapalik”, the name heightening his mystery and stature. There is no doubt that he enjoyed prestige and respect within all the layers of the party and leadership. He became the thought-leader of the Leftists within the centrist Awami League’s younger edition.
Read: The Triumphant Return of the Greatest Bengali
While his followers have attributed credit of many actions by the national leadership to him during the March 1971 days and they have been contested as well, suffice to say that, he was a major factor that deserves to be taken into cognizance in constructing the history of that period.
The 1971 period and after
During 1971, he had his differences with the political leadership of Muibnagar as various statements show. This led him and Sheikh. Moni who was the Jubo League leader to work together and become leaders of the Bangladesh Liberation Forces (BLF) . This armed group of young activists known as the “Mujib Bahini” was not under the direct control of the Mujibnagar government. It was led by Indian army officer Gen. Uban and the episode is described in the book, “ The Phantoms of Chittagong”. While conflict existed within the Bangladeshis forces in exile, the common enemy of all forces was Pakistan including the BLF.
Read: Hero Alam's crusade goes on
Post 1971 and later
After independence, the loyalists of Serjaul Alam Khan formed the Jatio Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) led by ASM Rab and ex sector commander Maj. Jalil, who had been arrested for protesting the actions of the Indian army after 1971. Their slogan was “Scientific Socialism” and very soon it became the major political opposition party in Bangladesh.
However in 1974, its programme became confrontational which led to a crackdown by the AL government and incarceration for many leaders. Soon after, Gono Bahini was formed by the radicals in the party to promote armed activism. There were conflicts with state law enforcement members as a result of this.
Subsequently, the party and activists particularly those in league with Col. Taher were arrested for their involvement with the Nov 7 coup of 1975. SAK was tried and sentenced to jail by the military court.
Read: 1971 : Two memories of miracles
Although he was active with the JSD later, the party broke into factions and became less impactful than before. His political life was also less active. But his role and influence on Bangladesh politics particularly the 1960s and 70s decade including the independence movement are beyond question. May he Rest In Peace.
Radwan Mujib: From Bangladesh’s darkest hour to reinstating its glorious history
Puzzled by this question posed by his classmates in his school, Radwan Mujib had a hard time pitting it against the version narrated by his mother, who dubbed her father “a superhero.” Indeed, Bangabandhu fell nothing short of a superhero who led a nation to freedom in 1971 and whose voice is now registered as a memory of the world. Everything changed at the dawn of August 15, 1975 when a group of disgruntled army officers gunned down Bangabandhu and most of his family members at his Dhanmondi residence.
The assassination of Bangabandhu shoved the country into its darkest chapter that prevailed for a decade and half. With the takeover by military dictators came the strangest rule that Bangabandhu’s killers would be endowed with indemnity. In the 1980s, even uttering Bangabandhu’s name amounted to a crime. Radwan Mujib, Bangabandhu’s grandson, then a school student, had no idea of the political chaos that gripped the country and the struggle for democracy that was gaining momentum. The military regime left no stone unturned to wipe out the spirit of the Liberation War and the ideology of the Father of the Nation once and for all. Radwan was still in the dark about why a legend – as regarded by his mother – was not even heard of by his classmates. Growing up on a steady diet of graphic novels, he visualized a comic in which Bangabandhu would be portrayed as a superhero.
However, as Radwan celebrated his 43rd birthday, the country is now marked with a diametrically opposite scenario. Democracy has returned and so did the progressive ideology. Radwan has brought forth a series of creative projects to present history in the form of stories so that youths get engaged in the spirit of the Liberation War, for which three million martyrs shed their blood.
Radwan Mujib’s successful initiative demonstrates that words and pictures can revive the history that bullets and bombs try to bury forever. He undertook a number of projects, adding flesh and blood to history, to connect with youths.
Read more: Carrying Bangabandhu’s legacy
His brainchildren include Joy Bangla Concert (a concert themed on the wartime slogan “Joy Bangla”), Joy Bangla Youth Award (a countrywide initiative to award young changemakers), and “Mujib Graphic Novel” (a comic-style sketch of young Mujib, who would go on to become the Father of the Nation).
His idea of presenting history creatively through anecdotes and vignettes instead of mere dates and names can be traced back to his traumatic experience during his school life when military rulers made his grandfather Bangabandhu a forbidden name.
Growing up at a time following the 1975 assassination of Bangabandhu, the man who liberated this country, Radwan could not come to terms with the fact that the killers of a nation’s founding father were enjoying indemnity while his superhero grandfather was nowhere to be mentioned.
That devastating encounter at an early age shaped his life's mission, encouraging him to drawing youths closer to real history, the glory that makes this nation stand out.
The CRI trustee and London School of Economics graduate received birthday wishes and appreciation on May 21 from all quarters, especially youths who were recognized, groomed, and networked by his projects.
Radwan, who inherited his knack for knowledge from his mother Sheikh Rehana, co-produced “Hasina: A Daughter's Tale,” a docufiction poignantly narrating the real-life struggles of Sheikh Hasina after the murder of her father in a coup on August 15, 1975.
The editor-in-chief of WhiteBoard, the country’s first policy-based magazine, regularly interacts with youths through the projects he had set in motion. His sister Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, reputed for her fiery speech and biting wit, is a member of parliament in the UK. Another granddaughter of Bangabandhu, Saima Wazed, is a member of World Health Organization’s 25-member Expert Advisory Panel on mental health. Bangabandhu’s grandson Sajeeb Wazed is the ICT Advisor to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Despite the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members, his spirit and ideology reclaimed their foothold through the impossible comeback by his daughter Sheikh Hasina and the unstoppable efforts by his grandsons and granddaughters.
Tonmoy Ahmed is an engineer and coordinator of ALBD Web Team.
International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day: Accelerate Region-wide improvements in the nursing and midwifery workforce
To mark this year’s International Nurses Day (12 May) and International Day of the Midwife (5 May), WHO is urging countries of the South-East Asia Region to accelerate improvements in the density, skill-mix and distribution of the nursing and midwifery workforce, building on the strong progress made under the Region’s Decade for Strengthening Human Resources for Health (HRH) 2015–2024.
Globally, WHO projects a shortfall of around 10 million health workers by 2030. The world currently faces a shortage of around 900 000 midwives, which represents a third of the required global midwifery workforce. Evidence shows that midwifery-led models of care can avert two-thirds of maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths. As highlighted by the COVID-19 crisis, nurses and midwives are critical to building health system resilience and achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and health security.
Since 2014, WHO and its Member States in the South-East Asia Region have intensified action to strengthen HRH, in line with three of eight Regional Flagship Priorities: accelerating reductions of maternal, neonatal and under-five mortality; strengthening emergency risk management; and continuing progress towards UHC. Between 2014 and 2022, the Region improved the density of nurses and midwives by 83%, averaging 20.41 nurses and midwives per 10 000 population.
Throughout the COVID-19 response, countries have continued to implement national HRH action plans, and most have significantly improved HRH data. Nine of 11 Member States have in place a nursing council or other regulatory authority, and eight Member States report regulations on working hours and conditions for nurses.
Six Member States have a chief nursing officer or equivalent position, which all Member States should urgently adopt. Last year, Member States reiterated their commitment to fully implement the Regional Strategic Directions on Strengthening Midwifery 2020-2024, calling for a midwifery-led, primary health care approach to accelerate further reductions in maternal and neonatal deaths and stillbirths.
Today, to strengthen the nursing and midwifery workforce, WHO is calling for action in several key areas.
First, although the Region has made significant progress, we are still short of nurses and midwives. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Region needed as many as 1.9 million more nurses and midwives by 2030. New calculations are required after COVID-19 has pressured health systems even more and governments need to ensure population health needs are met to ensure health security in countries. Production rates must be re-evaluated to ensure we can meet the target for 2030. We must also be conscious of nurses, midwives and health workers leaving the profession or leaving the country to work in other countries.
Second, it is important to assess the current composition of health care teams and understand the optimal composition of health care teams to meet the needs of communities based on people-centred service delivery models. Introducing and regulating enhanced scope of practice for nurses and midwives where needed can help fill gaps. Specialist nursing programmes are essential for acquiring additional nursing skills for greater responsibilities in complex health settings. In a conducive environment, advanced practice nursing roles can provide effective health services that are instrumental to achieving UHC.
Third, distributional inequalities exist in addition to health workforce shortages. To increase production, recruitment and retention to rural, hard-to-reach or remote areas, interventions should be interconnected, bundled and tailored to each local context. Policy recommendations can include setting up new nursing and midwifery institutions in rural and hard-to-reach areas; targeting admission policies to enroll students with a rural background to nursing and midwifery education programmes, providing financial scholarships, bursaries or other education subsidies and non-financial incentives for nurses and midwives working in rural and remote areas and providing a safe and secure working environment.
Fourth, nurses and midwives along with health workers need safe, healthy, supportive and dignified conditions of work to provide respectful quality health services with dignity. Conducting assessments of working conditions and environments would give insight to which management and policy actions can be adopted. Interventions may include developing and improving occupational health and safety management systems; investing in areas of enabling work environments, fair and equitable remuneration and providing social protection; enacting and strengthening legislation against discrimination; and safeguarding rights such as providing the right of freedom of forming and joining trade unions and collective bargaining.
As we celebrate the International Day of the Midwife and International Nurses Day 2023, WHO reaffirms the commitment to strengthen these vital health workforce even beyond the Regional Flagship Decade for Health Workforce Strengthening 2015-2024 to progress toward universal health coverage and the sustainable development goals.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh is the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
Dr Wazed: Guiding Bangladesh’s entry into the nuclear era
In a war-torn country, the idea of an atomic energy commission seemed extravagant. At a science conference in Dhaka in 1972, headed by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a consensus was reached that a separate entity like the atomic energy commission in a newly independent country would be too expensive to continue. Rather, it could merge with the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR).
When all the voices spoke loudly against the idea of a separate atomic energy organization, Dr. M. A. Wazed Miah took a different stance. He stubbornly advocated for a dedicated commission for atomic energy in Bangladesh. He along with the former acting chief of the atomic energy commission, the late Dr. Anwar Hossain, met Bangabandhu to convince him. Bangabandhu obliged and finally, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) was established in 1973.
Dr. Wazed also introduced a division for nuclear safety and radiation protection under BAEC.
When Chhatra Dal leaders, equipped with the support of the ruling BNP, pressed for shifting the Atomic Energy Centre (AEC) premises from the Dhaka University campus, Dr. Wazed was the only nuclear scientist in the commission to raise his voice in public against this demand.
Before resigning from the commission in 1999 as its chairman, he established Radioactivity Testing and Monitoring Laboratory (RTML) in 1987 in Chattogram. All the imported food items had to pass through the laboratory of BAEC.
From the subtle, apparently intangible yet quantifiable world of atomic physics to the turbulent sphere of political movements, Dr. Wazed sketched a visionary roadmap leading the nation to remarkable outcomes. While the magnetizing spell of power and limelight pulls many brilliant minds, his world was immune to the faintest influence of such kind. As a researcher in nuclear physics, a seemingly futuristic field for a student to pursue five or six decades ago, he outlined the course of Bangladesh's entry into the nuclear era. The Rooppur nuclear power plant that he envisioned for meeting the electricity demand of this large population is not a faraway dream for the country but going to be a living reality soon. Dr. Wazed is often remembered for his passion for humanity and kindness which became even more prominent during some crucial junctures of history.
As a student of Dhaka University, he was entrusted by fellow students at the dormitory as its vice president, to which he did justice. He was one of the organizers for leading the movement against Ayub Khan's Education Policy in the 1960s during the regime of Pakistan from whose clutches Bangladesh would soon earn freedom through an armed struggle. At the end of his student life, he fully dedicated himself to research, proving his excellence in the arena. Deeply moved by the combination of academic mastery and political activities, Bangabandhu held Dr. Wazed high in his estimation. He later tied the knot with Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, currently the prime minister of Bangladesh. He was a lone voyager with no affinity towards name and fame or power and wealth.
As all hell broke loose in 1975 when some power-hungry army officers massacred Bangabandhu and most of his family members including his 10-year-old child Sheikh Russel, only Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana survived as they were abroad at the time of the coup. During this most deplorable and inhumane period, Dr. Wazed became a reliable shade under which Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana took shelter.
Remembering this silent revolutionary on his 14th death anniversary on May 9, his colleague Engr. Md. Muzammel Haque, former Chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) and chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Regulatory Authority (BAERA) recounted an anecdote reflecting on the level of commitment Dr. Wazed had towards his work.
"I worked with Dr. Wazed for over 12 years. During this journey, I found him to be a creative personality. One day when he was ill and was admitted to the hospital, many went to meet him as well-wishers. But, I decided not to go as I knew that he would bring up work-related issues. Finally, he called me and amid his illness, started talking about our work. His unwavering commitment to work led me to think that wherever he went – be it for leisurely traveling or some other purpose – he never stopped thinking of his work. It is due to his initiative that the head office of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC) was established at Agargaon. An Atomic Energy Research Establishment (AERE) was also set up on a 259-acre of land in Savar based on the model of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) to intensify the effort to exploit nuclear science and technology for the benefits of the nation," he recounted.
As India’s largest atomic research establishment was named after prominent nuclear scientist Dr. Homi Jehangir Bhabha, the atomic energy research establishment of Bangladesh should be renamed as ‘Wazed Atomic Energy Research Establishment’ to pay the utmost tribute to the eminent nuclear scientist.
His other colleague Dr. Md Azizul Haque, the former chairman of the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC), said, "Dr. Wazed's dream was to build a nuclear power plant in Rooppur, a dream he couldn't see materialize in his lifetime but now it is being implemented under the leadership of his wife, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In 1974, he was set to visit Germany for a post-doctoral fellowship but his leave was withheld then by the former chairman of Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission. Despite being a son-in-law of Bangabandhu, who was in power, he showed no interest in harnessing his influence."
According to the chief scientific officer of BAEC, Dr. A. F. M. Mizanur Rahman, if Dr. Wazed Miah's master plan for advancing nuclear science and technology is followed, the country would be unstoppable in its progress along its technological trajectory.
The writer is a nuclear scientist and ex-Cambridge Scholar.
Dr. Zafrullah the warrior stops, his battles will go on
He (Dr. Zafrullah) just never stopped fighting his wars even after liberation. It never probably occurred to him to make peace with his battles and move on. In so many ways, he was the closest to what we would call a permanent warrior. He passed away but his battles will go on.
It began in his college days when he was already infected by idealism which met his "revolutionary zeal". The two made a potent broth that Zafrullah bhai drank and never stopped fighting for his causes, no matter how great his opposition was. And it's amazing when both idealism and his sense of social justice are both collectively comatose, he remained loyal to them no matter what.
Zafrullah bhai stands above most of us because he dared to stand taller than most around him. In all the years that I have known him , he has not hesitated to be himself. He followed the right wagon with as much zeal as he did the occasional wrong one’s because he was a believer in people’s rights.
What separated him from the rest was that he was selfless, totally driven by the idea that health was a right that all had a right to claim. And that it was one of the biggest democratic causes of them all. And he never stopped until death finally called his name.
Read More: People to pay tribute to Dr Zafrullah at Shaheed Minar tomorrow
The man from Sector 2
In some way, Zafrullah bhai was the perennial man from Sector 2, 1971 war. He was the helmsman of the Bisramganj hospital that he helped establish in that war zone, not just treating the warriors but training nurses and paramedics too. For many who were part of the 1971 war, it never really stops and he was one of them.
The war days belonged to the warriors but as soon as the war was over, the new state generated new needs and causes and Zafar bhai became a warrior for them. Fifty years later, it’s impossible to understand the kind of impact he had on society, emerging from the ashes of the war, who needed a voice to speak as audaciously as he did.
The health establishment
He took on the health establishment like none had done before and in this fight, many of his fellow fighters were his old comrades from Sector 2, led by Shahadat Chowdhury, Editor of the weekly Bichitra. Bichitra gave him a platform to reach out and become a vanguard as Zafrullah bhai launched media campaigns, health rights volunteers and also began to mobilize supporters to begin his greatest adventure, the Gonosasthaya complex.
The health treatment infrastructure was not a problem but when he began his pharmaceutical company, he faced massive opposition, both national and international. But with all his warrior instincts, he fought back and though he didn’t triumph, it was not a sweat for a lost cause. Today, many aspects of the general health sector cause dismay, but in some ways, health rights are more accessible for many than they were in the early days of Bangladesh particularly in machine availability.
Read More: PM mourns death of Dr. Zafrullah Chowdhury
The political Zafar bhai
I am not sure how committed he was to politics but I think he truly believed that health rights could not be assured unless political rights were won. So from the early days he supported causes and campaigns, supporting candidates, causes and political platforms right from the birth days of Bangladesh. Till the last day, he was doing what he thought was the right thing to do. Due to media exposure, many will remember him more as the political person he had become in many eyes in the last decade or so than the health rights person I saw he was most committed to as a cause.
We have walked together for long though his increasing political commitments and my lack of interest in political media and talk shows made meetings less frequent. But I remember one day, when we were both being tried in the same case –contempt of court- for a petition we had both signed, and were being searched by the High Court security. His frayed trouser end and his keychain got tangled and as he bent down to separate them he laughed in his own way and said, “Sometimes, I think it would be the best if I could go back to my village and become the local doctor”.
Farewell Zafrullah bhai, you always were our greatest village doctor.
Read More: Home Minister mourns Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury's death