If the rise of one eleven empowers former British ambassador in Bangladesh Anowar Choudhury to play foul diplomacy inspiring by the theory of, so called ‘liberal imperialism’ of Tony Blaire, then how much the September 9’s ‘Britain-Bangladesh Climate Change Conference’ can significantly prove their changed mind set? The conference was waved by the music like of that ‘Sabash Bangladesh’ instead of the last two years’ classic music, that of corrupt Bangladesh. The struggle, courage and patience of Bangladeshi people to challenge and to survive the natural disaster are not a new story at all. But the British ratification regarding this and the international efforts to prepare Bangladesh as a model of climate change issue is really very significant.
In that conference of controlling the changing climate, the talk of controlling politics was not even pronounced for once in Royal Geographical Society Hall. That, Anowar Chaudhury was also absent but he was present in the dialogue of ‘Democracy in Bangladesh’ organized by the British Government on June 23. Surprisingly on the very same day last Bengal Ruler was lost to British in Palashey battle field in 1757. The local people who were loud against corruption remained surprisingly tight-lipped about corruption in September 9 conference. So one can thank them for their latest realization on corruption issue but the issue of political commitment to fulfill their action plan of $500 crore to control climate change was unrealized yet. Provably initiators have enough confidence in British Government’s capability to motivate the future political government in Bangladesh, to continue their project. Again political parties too need the votes of the natural disaster prone areas of 5 crore people where there are 1.5 crore solid votes. The world is warmer than any time today because of the omni and continuous industrialization of the rich nations.
As a result, the countries of low lining like Bangladesh have been suffering from regular flood, cyclone etc. Sidr and serial floods of 2007 in Bangladesh is a big example. As a result of sidr and flood the agricultural activities were stopped and the infrastructures were destroyed. The struggles of Bangladeshis to overcome these challenges were well noticed by the global people. The total ability of individuals crossed the ability of government. Because of the global warming three cores of people in Bangladesh will lose their land and profession in near future. Considering this, government and specialists have been working hard to highlight Bangladesh at international level. Though no nation in the world could do, Bangladesh has prepared an action plan. Before presenting the action plan in that September 9 conference, British government had donated $150 millions to Multidonar Trust Fund. As an amount though it is tiny but the British initiative is really unthinkable. Someone hissed into ear ‘Bengal was first British love’. I asked someone how is Anowar Choudhury? ‘He is fine, working in foreign department but in a low profile’ he answered. So far understood, probably his illicit diplomacy in Bangladesh was also disliked by British government. The present British ambassador in Bangladesh was also active in the September 9 conference but silently. He did not search TV cameras or journalists and even did not show extra interest to promote himself.
What Bangladesh will do?The cruel tragedy is that, Bangladesh produces only .02% carbon, but she has been suffering for producing carbon by the other countries. China and India will build 700 coal driven electric plants within 2012. But being the owner of huge coal, Bangladesh could not utilize those to ensure progress and development of her. In the above mentioned action plan, the talk of open pit mining is inscribed. China, India and western countries have been following this method. But unfortunately Bangladesh has to obey the obligation that is not producing poisoned carbon. According to the data of government, the rate of using electricity per person is 140 KW/h in Bangladesh. Where as it is 325 KW/h in Sri Lanka, 408 KW/h in Pakistan, 663 KW/h in India, around 8000 KW/h in Europe and 10 000 KW/h in USA! 70% of Bangladeshis are not getting electricity. According to Power Sector Master Plan, Bangladesh will produce 43 thousand Megawatt of electricity within 2025 to meet the demand, among which 33 thousand Megawatts of electricity will be produced from coal only. But if we agree with rich countries to reduce carbon gas, how will we meet the demand of power and energy and how will we ensure our development?
The big question, what will happen, if according to Kiyoto protocol and Bali Framework Convention, after 2012 the mining of dirty coal be stopped? To avoid that declaration, Bangladesh has to produce coal at large scale before 2012. Data shows that Bangladesh has 1 thousand and 542 million tons of usable clean coal in five different fields. Among this, 1374 million tons coal can be produced through open pit mining and 463 million tons by close method. If we follow underground method, then we have to incur lose of one thousand billion dollar. In London conference finance adviser and specialists told that Bangladesh has to utilize oil-gas-coal to ensure her development. Where rich countries are not obeying Kyoto protocol and China-India-Brazil go for massive use of coal, why Bangladesh will keep coal underneath the soil and tolerate the sufferings of climate change? The agents of developed countries inspire country like Bangladesh not to use their coal. They bought shares of poor countries to add those points to their share to continue to produce carbon gas. The practice is known as carbon trade or carbon colonialism. It is heard that some environmentalists and economists are given huge bribe to build mass movement against coal mining. This fascist environmentalism is a new problem for Bangladesh.
Aren’t we backtracking?Where is Bangladesh, in international politics of environment? Officials of Environment Ministry can make their vision gloomy. With the G 77 nations, Bangladesh is a supporter of reducing carbon by the rich nations by 50% within 2050. Through signing agreement with Britain, Bangladesh is backtracking and she will join Copenhagen World Environment Conference in 2009 holding the hand of Britain, where there will be huge disputation on carbon trading and carbon issue. Bangladesh may face hate of poor nations. Bangladesh was kept out in Uruguay Round Dialogue by the poor countries once. Foreign and Environment Ministry, civil societies are in one side and ERD is in opposite side. Foreign Ministry was against of signing that day and they protested welcoming the declaration of G 8. They were also against of making World Bank as an administrator of Multidonar Trust Fund.
World Bank always prefers debt not donation. Poor countries always demand to get donation, as they sufferer for the activities of rich countries. But why our finance adviser signed the treaty with Britain and made World Bank an administrator was not understood. Replying to the question of the journalists finance adviser told that they had to understand the reality. The private members of Bangladesh contingents did not ask any question though they were loud in another meeting with British NGOs. Now the million-dollar question is why Britain was proactive to sign the treaty? Why they completed the work with caretaker government whereas election is going to be held within few months? The reasons can be well explained in many ways.
Interest of BritainThe apathy of Republican led white House inspires Britain to lead the international environment politics. Why Britain will not grab the easy credits by giving some donations to Bangladesh though Bangladeshis faced disasters by their chest, which was the first capital of British colony? British Environment Minister Fil Ullas said that the development of Britain and Bangladesh is designed on same formula. Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the world to look at the courageous people of Bangladesh in a Video message. International Development Minister crosses all, saying, “We thought we will provide 30 million pound after sidr but now we have decided to give 75 million pound.”
Britain is an especial friend of Bangladesh since one eleven. British ministers and officials have been stepping their feet regularly in ZIA. British foreign minister David Milliband visited Bangladesh on 8-9 February after one era of any British foreign minister’s visit. His speech in Dhaka was echoed by Gordon Brown. Miliband said,” Britain and Bangladesh have entered the phase of ‘a new special partnership’. The out of date relationship that centered on aid and Britain’s colonial past has ended to make way for a shared agenda based on co-operation in trade and facing climate change and terrorism.” Besides, Britain wants Bangladesh against the so called war against terrorism. Britain strengthens the monitoring of fundamentalism activities in Bangladesh. But Britain has to understand communist fundamentalism is an old problem for Bangladesh. And the problem of climate change is always with us.
Liberal ImperialismWe need to rethink and understand the speech of Milliband especially ‘colonial past’, according to him, at the end of that new possibilities rise. With that we want to mention the preface of ‘Freedom Next Time’ by the leftist writer John Philgar. He said that poor nations believe that if Democrat in USA and Labor party in UK stay in power, then the world would be war free, but this is wrong. During the regime of Clinton and Blaire, they went to more countries to take part in war. He said west is not regretful about their colonist role; rather they are proud of that. Britain was back from the mentality of ruling other countries after 2nd world war. But after the fall of Soviet Union in 90 decade, the rise of price hike, capital and money crisis, fall of share markets in developing countries paved the way for colonials to come back through the tool of World Bank and IMF. On January 15, 2005 the then finance minister, now the ruling prime minister, Gordon Brown, said to Daily Mail, “The days of Britain having to apologies for the British Empire is over.
We should celebrate.” Before that, Nial Farguson, an Oxford professor of political science wrote appreciating the new imperialism of Tony Blaire, “Imperialism may be a dirty word, but when Tony Blaire is essentially calling for imposition of western values, democracy and so on- it is really the language of liberal imperialism imposing your views and practices on others”. [Guardian, October 31, 2001] Western theorists started to say that new imperialism would solve the problems. They started to advocate operating human intervention in poor countries to remove corruption and to implement rule of law. Japan sent armies to Manchuria saying that. However, it started the politics of condition. Pilgar informed,” Michacl Ignatief, former professor of human rights at Harvard and an enthusiastic backer of the West’s invasions, prefers liberal intervention. From the same lexicon of modern imperial euphemisms have come ‘good international citizen’ (a western vessel) and ‘good governance’ (a neo liberal economy run by the world Banks/IMF). Once noble concepts have been appropriated: democracy (pro Washington regime) and reform (dismantling genuine social reforms) and ‘peacekeeping’ (war) … imperialism of the liberal may be more dangerous because of its open-ended nature- its conviction that it represents a superior form of life.
A group of civil society and its various activities like movement for good governance and honest politician have been flourishing in our country since 90s by the financial and psychological favor of USAID, DFID and others. Their role proves their relationship with liberal imperialism. If there is any commitment of one eleven to clean the politics, that was engulfed by the civil society. They used one eleven to fulfill their own agenda. They leveled politicians as enemy. They had been promoting own people in all big positions of the government. Some of them declared that the one eleven is empowered by the United Nations and liberal imperialism. But the failure of realizing this by the politicians and the limitless corruption opens the door for liberal imperialist and civil societies. The foul diplomacy of Butenis and Anowar Chaudhury and the dependence of politicians on them make many to be worried.
What is Bangladesh’s route?Britain may help Bangladesh to pocket Bangladeshis vote in favor of troubled labor party in upcoming election or Britain may be regretful for foul diplomacy of Anowar Chaudhury, but we want to concentrate on a theory of eminent editor and journalist Fareed Zakaria. He said in his book ‘Post American World’ that though the rise of China-India-Brazil by the side of USA-UK power centres is clear but the influence of USA-UK will not end soon. Bangladesh is desperate to stand on her feet and to raise her GDP, but still weak comparing with India. Present government is full of the people of free market economy, past people were not different, in future they may be same. But we have to understand why Bangladeshis like to go Washington through Dubai-Qatar route avoiding Kolkata-Delhi. Bangladesh has to walk through this way with caution and balance. British people did not get big projects during present regime, rather Indian and American companies are being benefited.
What are the big challenges for Bangladesh in 21st century of liberal imperialism? To uphold own identity, developing power and energy sector, to walk with west to improve business and to control terrorism with caution, to deepen the relationship with China and to work to change the mindset of India are the most important challenges for Bangladesh. Own dignity, religiousness, liberalism, democracy and the combination of China’s economic democracy and west’s political democracy be the new features of Nationalism. Big political parties like BNP, AL, JP and JI definitely will try to get the support of disaster prone 1.5 crore votes. Besides this we have to ensure the safety of environment and to produce massive power to fulfill future electricity demand. Let us demand to lift disaster prone people of Bangladesh to west. We can demand on UK to facilitate huge employment opportunity for Bangladeshis. No treaty can be made against the interest of Bangladeshis. China and India have been progressing by utilizing the opportunity of foreign investment.
Couldn’t finance adviser tell that next elected government will decide on giving the responsibility to World Bank? Couldn’t he ask Britain to declare the declaration of the conference without signing?
Let us go to Rabindranath to rescue ourselves BangladeshRemove the dust; stop weeping and no begging sighRevamp the face, hold the vigor and keep the head highThe flat world invites you to join its marchAwake, run on the track, and overlook the call of slavery, catch the torch
In that conference of controlling the changing climate, the talk of controlling politics was not even pronounced for once in Royal Geographical Society Hall. That, Anowar Chaudhury was also absent but he was present in the dialogue of ‘Democracy in Bangladesh’ organized by the British Government on June 23. Surprisingly on the very same day last Bengal Ruler was lost to British in Palashey battle field in 1757. The local people who were loud against corruption remained surprisingly tight-lipped about corruption in September 9 conference. So one can thank them for their latest realization on corruption issue but the issue of political commitment to fulfill their action plan of $500 crore to control climate change was unrealized yet. Provably initiators have enough confidence in British Government’s capability to motivate the future political government in Bangladesh, to continue their project. Again political parties too need the votes of the natural disaster prone areas of 5 crore people where there are 1.5 crore solid votes. The world is warmer than any time today because of the omni and continuous industrialization of the rich nations.
As a result, the countries of low lining like Bangladesh have been suffering from regular flood, cyclone etc. Sidr and serial floods of 2007 in Bangladesh is a big example. As a result of sidr and flood the agricultural activities were stopped and the infrastructures were destroyed. The struggles of Bangladeshis to overcome these challenges were well noticed by the global people. The total ability of individuals crossed the ability of government. Because of the global warming three cores of people in Bangladesh will lose their land and profession in near future. Considering this, government and specialists have been working hard to highlight Bangladesh at international level. Though no nation in the world could do, Bangladesh has prepared an action plan. Before presenting the action plan in that September 9 conference, British government had donated $150 millions to Multidonar Trust Fund. As an amount though it is tiny but the British initiative is really unthinkable. Someone hissed into ear ‘Bengal was first British love’. I asked someone how is Anowar Choudhury? ‘He is fine, working in foreign department but in a low profile’ he answered. So far understood, probably his illicit diplomacy in Bangladesh was also disliked by British government. The present British ambassador in Bangladesh was also active in the September 9 conference but silently. He did not search TV cameras or journalists and even did not show extra interest to promote himself.
What Bangladesh will do?The cruel tragedy is that, Bangladesh produces only .02% carbon, but she has been suffering for producing carbon by the other countries. China and India will build 700 coal driven electric plants within 2012. But being the owner of huge coal, Bangladesh could not utilize those to ensure progress and development of her. In the above mentioned action plan, the talk of open pit mining is inscribed. China, India and western countries have been following this method. But unfortunately Bangladesh has to obey the obligation that is not producing poisoned carbon. According to the data of government, the rate of using electricity per person is 140 KW/h in Bangladesh. Where as it is 325 KW/h in Sri Lanka, 408 KW/h in Pakistan, 663 KW/h in India, around 8000 KW/h in Europe and 10 000 KW/h in USA! 70% of Bangladeshis are not getting electricity. According to Power Sector Master Plan, Bangladesh will produce 43 thousand Megawatt of electricity within 2025 to meet the demand, among which 33 thousand Megawatts of electricity will be produced from coal only. But if we agree with rich countries to reduce carbon gas, how will we meet the demand of power and energy and how will we ensure our development?
The big question, what will happen, if according to Kiyoto protocol and Bali Framework Convention, after 2012 the mining of dirty coal be stopped? To avoid that declaration, Bangladesh has to produce coal at large scale before 2012. Data shows that Bangladesh has 1 thousand and 542 million tons of usable clean coal in five different fields. Among this, 1374 million tons coal can be produced through open pit mining and 463 million tons by close method. If we follow underground method, then we have to incur lose of one thousand billion dollar. In London conference finance adviser and specialists told that Bangladesh has to utilize oil-gas-coal to ensure her development. Where rich countries are not obeying Kyoto protocol and China-India-Brazil go for massive use of coal, why Bangladesh will keep coal underneath the soil and tolerate the sufferings of climate change? The agents of developed countries inspire country like Bangladesh not to use their coal. They bought shares of poor countries to add those points to their share to continue to produce carbon gas. The practice is known as carbon trade or carbon colonialism. It is heard that some environmentalists and economists are given huge bribe to build mass movement against coal mining. This fascist environmentalism is a new problem for Bangladesh.
Aren’t we backtracking?Where is Bangladesh, in international politics of environment? Officials of Environment Ministry can make their vision gloomy. With the G 77 nations, Bangladesh is a supporter of reducing carbon by the rich nations by 50% within 2050. Through signing agreement with Britain, Bangladesh is backtracking and she will join Copenhagen World Environment Conference in 2009 holding the hand of Britain, where there will be huge disputation on carbon trading and carbon issue. Bangladesh may face hate of poor nations. Bangladesh was kept out in Uruguay Round Dialogue by the poor countries once. Foreign and Environment Ministry, civil societies are in one side and ERD is in opposite side. Foreign Ministry was against of signing that day and they protested welcoming the declaration of G 8. They were also against of making World Bank as an administrator of Multidonar Trust Fund.
World Bank always prefers debt not donation. Poor countries always demand to get donation, as they sufferer for the activities of rich countries. But why our finance adviser signed the treaty with Britain and made World Bank an administrator was not understood. Replying to the question of the journalists finance adviser told that they had to understand the reality. The private members of Bangladesh contingents did not ask any question though they were loud in another meeting with British NGOs. Now the million-dollar question is why Britain was proactive to sign the treaty? Why they completed the work with caretaker government whereas election is going to be held within few months? The reasons can be well explained in many ways.
Interest of BritainThe apathy of Republican led white House inspires Britain to lead the international environment politics. Why Britain will not grab the easy credits by giving some donations to Bangladesh though Bangladeshis faced disasters by their chest, which was the first capital of British colony? British Environment Minister Fil Ullas said that the development of Britain and Bangladesh is designed on same formula. Prime Minister Gordon Brown called the world to look at the courageous people of Bangladesh in a Video message. International Development Minister crosses all, saying, “We thought we will provide 30 million pound after sidr but now we have decided to give 75 million pound.”
Britain is an especial friend of Bangladesh since one eleven. British ministers and officials have been stepping their feet regularly in ZIA. British foreign minister David Milliband visited Bangladesh on 8-9 February after one era of any British foreign minister’s visit. His speech in Dhaka was echoed by Gordon Brown. Miliband said,” Britain and Bangladesh have entered the phase of ‘a new special partnership’. The out of date relationship that centered on aid and Britain’s colonial past has ended to make way for a shared agenda based on co-operation in trade and facing climate change and terrorism.” Besides, Britain wants Bangladesh against the so called war against terrorism. Britain strengthens the monitoring of fundamentalism activities in Bangladesh. But Britain has to understand communist fundamentalism is an old problem for Bangladesh. And the problem of climate change is always with us.
Liberal ImperialismWe need to rethink and understand the speech of Milliband especially ‘colonial past’, according to him, at the end of that new possibilities rise. With that we want to mention the preface of ‘Freedom Next Time’ by the leftist writer John Philgar. He said that poor nations believe that if Democrat in USA and Labor party in UK stay in power, then the world would be war free, but this is wrong. During the regime of Clinton and Blaire, they went to more countries to take part in war. He said west is not regretful about their colonist role; rather they are proud of that. Britain was back from the mentality of ruling other countries after 2nd world war. But after the fall of Soviet Union in 90 decade, the rise of price hike, capital and money crisis, fall of share markets in developing countries paved the way for colonials to come back through the tool of World Bank and IMF. On January 15, 2005 the then finance minister, now the ruling prime minister, Gordon Brown, said to Daily Mail, “The days of Britain having to apologies for the British Empire is over.
We should celebrate.” Before that, Nial Farguson, an Oxford professor of political science wrote appreciating the new imperialism of Tony Blaire, “Imperialism may be a dirty word, but when Tony Blaire is essentially calling for imposition of western values, democracy and so on- it is really the language of liberal imperialism imposing your views and practices on others”. [Guardian, October 31, 2001] Western theorists started to say that new imperialism would solve the problems. They started to advocate operating human intervention in poor countries to remove corruption and to implement rule of law. Japan sent armies to Manchuria saying that. However, it started the politics of condition. Pilgar informed,” Michacl Ignatief, former professor of human rights at Harvard and an enthusiastic backer of the West’s invasions, prefers liberal intervention. From the same lexicon of modern imperial euphemisms have come ‘good international citizen’ (a western vessel) and ‘good governance’ (a neo liberal economy run by the world Banks/IMF). Once noble concepts have been appropriated: democracy (pro Washington regime) and reform (dismantling genuine social reforms) and ‘peacekeeping’ (war) … imperialism of the liberal may be more dangerous because of its open-ended nature- its conviction that it represents a superior form of life.
A group of civil society and its various activities like movement for good governance and honest politician have been flourishing in our country since 90s by the financial and psychological favor of USAID, DFID and others. Their role proves their relationship with liberal imperialism. If there is any commitment of one eleven to clean the politics, that was engulfed by the civil society. They used one eleven to fulfill their own agenda. They leveled politicians as enemy. They had been promoting own people in all big positions of the government. Some of them declared that the one eleven is empowered by the United Nations and liberal imperialism. But the failure of realizing this by the politicians and the limitless corruption opens the door for liberal imperialist and civil societies. The foul diplomacy of Butenis and Anowar Chaudhury and the dependence of politicians on them make many to be worried.
What is Bangladesh’s route?Britain may help Bangladesh to pocket Bangladeshis vote in favor of troubled labor party in upcoming election or Britain may be regretful for foul diplomacy of Anowar Chaudhury, but we want to concentrate on a theory of eminent editor and journalist Fareed Zakaria. He said in his book ‘Post American World’ that though the rise of China-India-Brazil by the side of USA-UK power centres is clear but the influence of USA-UK will not end soon. Bangladesh is desperate to stand on her feet and to raise her GDP, but still weak comparing with India. Present government is full of the people of free market economy, past people were not different, in future they may be same. But we have to understand why Bangladeshis like to go Washington through Dubai-Qatar route avoiding Kolkata-Delhi. Bangladesh has to walk through this way with caution and balance. British people did not get big projects during present regime, rather Indian and American companies are being benefited.
What are the big challenges for Bangladesh in 21st century of liberal imperialism? To uphold own identity, developing power and energy sector, to walk with west to improve business and to control terrorism with caution, to deepen the relationship with China and to work to change the mindset of India are the most important challenges for Bangladesh. Own dignity, religiousness, liberalism, democracy and the combination of China’s economic democracy and west’s political democracy be the new features of Nationalism. Big political parties like BNP, AL, JP and JI definitely will try to get the support of disaster prone 1.5 crore votes. Besides this we have to ensure the safety of environment and to produce massive power to fulfill future electricity demand. Let us demand to lift disaster prone people of Bangladesh to west. We can demand on UK to facilitate huge employment opportunity for Bangladeshis. No treaty can be made against the interest of Bangladeshis. China and India have been progressing by utilizing the opportunity of foreign investment.
Couldn’t finance adviser tell that next elected government will decide on giving the responsibility to World Bank? Couldn’t he ask Britain to declare the declaration of the conference without signing?
Let us go to Rabindranath to rescue ourselves BangladeshRemove the dust; stop weeping and no begging sighRevamp the face, hold the vigor and keep the head highThe flat world invites you to join its marchAwake, run on the track, and overlook the call of slavery, catch the torch
Source: Weekly Economic Times, Bangladesh
Date : 28/09/0/
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