What Does Bhola Violence Portend?

An unprecedented jingoistic and communal movement swept across the country since Bangladesh and India had agreed to implement coastal surveillance system under Indian defense credit line. Many did not like the deal and voiced strong opposition to such deal. Ultranationalists tried stir some movement, capitalizing this feverish anti-Indian feeling harbored by a tiny group of people, but did not get the desired momentum.

First sign of troubles was definitely the brutal death of BUET student Abrar, whose last Facebook post deemed critical of Indo-Bangladesh cooperation. Any tragic death at university usually triggers anti-government movement. That was what happened in the past. This time his fellow classmates keep protesting for a change in party politics at campus and do not demand anything for the national politics. They successfully limit their movement within the campus and give it apolitical look. Death of Abrar, in the end, turned out to be a brutal manifestation of student politics.

Second incident took place in the frontier. A raiding team of elite force, chasing a group of drug traffickers, crossed the border near Tripura and surrounded by Indian villagers. After a brief spell of humiliation, they were handed back to Bangladesh Border Guards by BSF. Few days later a group of Indian fishermen were catching fish near Bangladeshi waters in Rajshahi. BGB caught them red handed and brought them to camp for further questioning. Then plain clothes BSF personnel entered Bangladesh and unofficial talk at one stage went horribly wrong. Pandemonium reigned in the spot until a BGB shot killed a BSF sergeant. Two BSF men were also detained and later released at a flag meeting. The incident caught military bureaucrats and the press off guardis. Press accounts however differed greatly across the border how the event was unfolded but never stirred any hyper nationalistic feeling among the readers.

The last incident struck in Bhola. A Hindu young man's Facebook post was hacked and a group of men tried deliberately to cause some trouble out of that post. District administrators and police officials were outnumbered by a mob while they were holding meeting inside a building. To disperse the angry mob, police fired few shots , killing four and injuring hundred more. The number of the wounded gave an idea to understand the gravity of the situation prevailed in the ground. A certain quarter tried to stoke the fire of communalism. Hefajet chief appealed his followers for restraint. The disciples obeyed and protected a century old temple in Hathajari, setting a fine example of communal harmony.

Meanwhile Police with the help of Facebook team in Singapore identified two people in the hacking and alleged defamatory post. The two and the young man whose Facebook account was hacked were arrested for questioning. Another school of seminary however joined the fray and kept stoking the fire of ultra nationalism and communalism. I myself witnessed few of such gatherings in Dhaka. Their endeavor receded fast for lack of popular support. So the whole anti-Indian campaign turned into a damp squib.

Why did this happen?

Role of India in Bangladesh politics and economy has changed significantly over the years. India has emerged as a development partner by offering several billions dollar of credit line. In addition, it also opened up its market for Bangladesh RMG industry. Bangladesh 's export to India is about to touch the $1 billion mark. In the wake of slowing down of global economy, greater access to Indian market came as a boon for Bangladesh, diversifying its export market and giving it a cushion for adverse time in traditional export destinations.

In the cultural arena too, we see great changes taking place. Indian Film Industry opened up its door for Bangladeshi actors, actresses, directors. Collaboration projects are being undertaken. Literary festivals and musical soirées are bringing noted musical and literary personalities closer.

Press and cultural people, who shape and mould public opinion, and businessmen, who keep running economy, did not join this fray. They did not lend their support to this anti-India movement to initiate a nationalistic air among the crowd.

For long, defense, or defense procurement to be precise, remains an exclusive matter to a certain group, which raised all sorts of obstacles to talk about it and to demand explanation or transparency in this sector. Press has been kept aside for the sake of "national security or interest". Unfortunately, on many occasions this interest has been compromised by the same forces who are about to uphold it.

Lack of transparency in defense procurement opened a route of steady benefits to this privileged group. In India, press is free to cover defense related issues, even the controversial one. Bofors debacle dethroned Congress party. It was first reported on the Press. Rafale deal controversy tarnished the image of BJP. Again it was covered and raised by the press. In addition, other defense corruption issues like Adarsha Housing scam were on the press radar and brought to the book because Indian media's relentless efforts to expose the murky truth.

Bangladesh partisan media never treaded that path as such adventure may jeopardize its bread and butter. Many of the crucial defense deals signed with friendly countries have never been discussed in the parliament, a place where issues of great national interests should be discussed at length. We also see by ignoring parliament and the press, this kind of defense agreement is leading to send troops in conflict zones where no multilateral body is present. Maybe some institution and military bureaucrats get benefited from such deal , but Bangladesh as a whole suffered a lot. In many of these conflict zones, security personnel of neighboring countries are working and earning huge forex. Perhaps this may lead to ink this cooperation, keeping the parliament in the dark.

We also see the internal reward-punishment system, which needs to be done in a transparent manner, of the Armed Forces is very weak. No news of the verdict of the offenders has been divulged. For instance, the press is eager to know the fate of the two commanding officers involved killing councilor Ekram in Cox's Bazar. What lapses of security establishment did make Bangladesh a Tk 5000 crore yaba market? Parliamentary committee never convene special hearing or summon people or organization's head to question about defense related corruption, abuse of power by security personnel and injustice purported on civilians under the cover of immunity.

The more transparent and open our defense sector is, the more strong will be this institution and democracy. At the same time, understanding of the relationship between defense and the civilian will be lot easier.

This much needed transparency is detrimental to the ecosystem, developed over the years and feeding a certain group, exists already in this sector. Bangladeshi press may overlook defense procurement issues but Indian press will question on every rupee spent on the procurement program and demand explanation. This pressure will prompt to change the things that have been going on over the years. For this reason, we see voices strong against possible defense cooperation took resort to stoke anti-Indian wave and to spur nationalist movement. This tactics is passé as people do not fall into that trap and have easy access to information.

It is indeed silly to hear that with the installation of coastal radar system India will have greater access to Bangladeshi coast and keep a close tab on the Bay of Bengal. Without official channels India has means to oversee things at Bay of Bengal. Official cooperation will augment our capability as well as keep us abrest of Indian plans and motives about this part of the world.

Another crucial aspect of this defense cooperation is that it will dilute the influence of that quarter inside the Armed forces that keeps a link with ideological groups and promotes misadventures.

Gone are the days when this kind of feverish hostile feeling towards different religion equated with hatred towards a country was used to resurge nationalist movement. People start to ask questions why the suited-booted patriots' children are not there in street agitation, why retired military bureaucrats kept mum about wrongdoings inside garrison. At the same time, let this kind of cooperation between democracies ushers in wider transparency and accountability in defense sector.

Social Credit Score For Bangladesh

Death of a child domestic help, resulted in the arrest of wife of a government engineer, has almost gone unnoticed in the social media and the press. She was recruited when she was 8 years old as her father could not bear expenses of her and her siblings.She lasted in this profession about 4 years, enduring all kinds of hardships and tortures. At 12, she finally gave in. Freedom at last! Her body bears all the marks of torture.

In Dhanmondi, another domestic help was choked to death after electric short circuit caused fire to a flat. She was too old to evacuate the building in time. Landlords of the flat where the fire originated were out when the tragedy struck.I am appalled to see no significant reaction, even lukewarm, to death of these people. Having read this sort of news on too many occasions, the society has grown inured to such tragedies.

Culprits purport this kind of crime to working class often perch on upper rung of the social ladder and often go scot free.

Often we see that people get fired or get scolding from school or college authority for social media posts that deem unacceptable to certain quarter. It is because they hurt their values or do not get along with their policies.

Different groups of people and companies have different policies. And they reward or punish their employees or disciples who do comply or do not comply with these policies. Apart from that we also see too many incidents of fake news, cyber bullying and social media account hacking. This kind of conduct destroys life, property and social harmony.

To check this kind of behavior, we should take cue from China that is introducing a unique social credit score for citizens and businesses.Based on this social credit score, individual and business will be rewarded and punished.

How one interacts with others, treats his surroundings, performs his role as a social creature, leads a lawful and ethical life, upholds consumer rights, pays taxes , undertakes corporate social responsibility and patronizes good initiative will be reflected in the Social Credit Score.

You may be a topper in the class but you regularly bully one fellow classmate at school, give troubles to your teacher and spread hatred through Facebook. It will reflect in your Social Credit Score and ultimately downgrade you in your year-end final school report card, which will take into account a student's Social Credit Score.

You may be a government employee, got the job by passing BCS exam, but shirk your duties, take bribes to delay a project, overrun project costs to gain benefits, mistreat subordinates and intimidate others who hold different views than yours. Your Social Credit Score may cost you your next increment or promotion or downgrade you to an inferior position.

By the same token, Social Credit Score can do a lot of benefits to improve business environment. A businessman who fails to repay his loans in time, launders money abroad and cheats friends and clients is worthy of a poor Social Credit Score. It may cost his exclusive right to a business association, MP seat, his children's right to get admitted into elite schools and further loans.

Obviously communist China envisaged such score to carry out massive surveillance on its own citizens and dissenters. It presented Social Credit Score in such a way to convince others and to hide its true intentions. Whatever the motive is, the idea sounds good and if it is implemented by welfare countries where market economy is already functioning by stripping of some of the transgressions.

Despite being a dysfunctional democracy, there is no wrong to get inspired from an idea, mooted and popularized by a communist country. I think this concept of Social Credit Score will find huge audience in democratic west, where it will be put in to test and will work more properly because there already exists enlightened societies who know how to put new ideas into action.

You will alter your conduct towards housemaid if mistreating housemaid costs you your job or promotion. In this sense Social Credit Score nudges one change his or her behavior to others.

Individual traits , good deeds have never been reflected in formal dealings and transactions. Social Credit Score has the potential to formalize our good behavior into our day-to-day dealings and affairs.

It may not root out the social evils overnight, but its nudging effect will reduce the incidence of social vices and value good conducts in the society. Its impact on society is enormous, leading us to the ultimate welfare country that we have been harboring for far too long in our minds.

Doomed is the society that does not recognize contributions of an honest individual ,who does not engage in evil doing but suffers all sorts of evils of an unlawful society, and prizes the evildoers. Swollen bank balance, property and show of wealth cannot distinguish the type and contributions of the two categories of people. Time has come to float Social Credit Score that duly recognizes good conducts of a citizen.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(18 octobre --- 25 octobre)

Selon un reportage, une cour bangladaise a condamné à mort 16 coupables pour avoir brûlé à mort une étudiante d'un séminaire. La tuerie a attiré l'attention du monde. Le frère de la victime a dit à la presse que la famille était inquiet suite au verdict.

Selon un reportage, police a appréhendé un conseiller pour extorsion et terrorisme. Il était un rebelle du parti en exercice.

Selon un reportage, il y a une éruption de violence à Bhola, une île de la mer de Bengale , laissant 4 morts et centaines blessés. Un poste ,présumé diffamatoire, dans le compte de Facebook d'un homme hindou, a déclenché la violence. L'homme a porté plainte dans la gendarmerie locale sur piratage de son compte. Police bangladaise avec l'aide de Facebook  a appréhendé deux pirates.L'homme hindou et deux pirates ont été placés en détention préventive.  C'était le troisième grand incident après Premier ministre a encré un accord avec l'Inde pour mettre en place le système côtier de surveillance au Bangladesh. Il y a beaucoup de gens qui n'aiment pas coopération entre Inde et Bangladesh dans la défense.

Selon un reportage , un médecin, connu comme «médecin pour les pauvres», a été tué par coup d' arme blanche à Chittagong devant chez médecin, fondé par lui.

Selon un reportage, 3000 Rohingyas ont exprimé la désir pour se rendre à Bhashan Char , une île où l'armée de la mer a installé des camps pour Rohingyas.

Selon un reportage, un dirigeant indigène a été tué par balles à Rangamati.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(11 octobre --- 18 octobre)

Selon un reportage, l'organisation des droits de l'homme, ASK, dans son rapport s'est dit que la tuerie extrajudiciaire avait coûté 309 vies dans 9 mois de cette année. De plus, 160 événements violent de politique ont péri 34 vies et blessé 1867 personnes.

Selon un reportage, la force frontière a tiré vers dans une escarmouche pendant élection municipale et tué deux indigènes et blessé trois autres à Bandarban.


Selon un reportage, la société française Sanofi cherche des acheteurs pour ses affaires au Bangladesh. Son PDG a affirmé la nouvelle à la presse.

Selon un reportage, El Chapo de l'Asie, un homme d'affaires thaï, avait des laboratoires d'amphétamine dans la forêt de Shan State en Birmanie.

Should It Be Stopped?

The brutal killing of Abrar Fahad, a BUET student, brought to forth an age old issue: should student politics at public university be banned?

The unsettled issue has already divided the society into two broad groups: those who advocate student politics at highest learning centers and those who voice strong opposition against such politics.

Another group emerged slightly moderate by holding a middle ground and sticking to the point that no student wing of political parties will be allowed at the campus but students' representatives should be at the campus to speak for the grievances and woes of the students.

Student politics shares a glorious part of creation of Bangladesh. Often this glorious part is presented in such a way that any criticism towards the anarchic behavior is brushed aside as attempt to silence freedom of expression at universities.

Many veteran politicians also feel certain apprehension of rise of fundamentalism at universities in absence of student politics.

Student politics took a virulent form immediately after the independence of Bangladesh. I am not going to touch the details what led to such a violent student movement that ultimately contributed to the brutal assassination of Bangbandhu, contaminating neutral political atmosphere of the cantonment.

As soon as the politics of ruling elite took a U-turn after 1975, student politics turned violent. Islamists were let loose on the lefts at key public universities. Instead of encouraging debate at universities, students were indoctrinated with regimental belief and course of action. They later never learnt to appreciate different views and engage in any constructive debate. And the picture is more or less apparent at the national level: there is no reconciliation among the feuding parties, even over petty issues.

From the very beginning, students have never been in charge of student politics. It is steered and controlled by a certain quarter outside of the campus. Intervention is always there. Students are being used as pawns to protect regimented interests.

Many of these behind-the-curtain string pullers prefer to hide their pug marks. Sustaining this anarchic form of student politics yields tangible benefits to them: winning contracts of building infrastructure, roads etc, keeping a firm grip over extortion revenue generated by this kind of politics, maintaining businesses and office spaces at business centers and university adjacent areas with the assistance of party cadres.

Student politics and universities earned a bad name while many of these string pullers went scot free. However, many of them do not dare to introduce student politics at private universities. Why? Is there a collateral damage? Many members of board of directors and trustees are former and current politicians, who rose to prominence through practicing anarchic form of student politics. Or their party cadres turned academic hold important positions at these universities. Public universities are run by public funds whereas private universities hinge on students to run their expenses. Many view setting up private university a lucrative business. By introducing student politics into private universities, they do not want to put their business interests at risk or draw the ire of elites.

On the other hand, deteriorating learning environment at the public universities compelled parents to send their students to private universities.

Most of the sons and daughters of our former student leaders and politicians are never admitted at public universities. In fact, they go to abroad to pursue higher education. They lost the moral high ground to put argument in favor of current trend of student politics at public universities and colleges, where sons and daughters of ordinary citizens face full brunt of it.

I am appalled to see many of the former student leaders, who brought the academic activity to a complete halt by locking into fratricidal and rival clashes, managed to settle abroad. Many amassed huge wealth and started new life there. It is true for leaders irrespective of their political creeds.

In independent Bangladesh, student politics gave rise to another form of colonialism, where troublemakers of the campuses are the rent collectors of a foreign lord. Unabated anarchy in the pretext of student politics produced a breed of graduates who forget to pose questions to authority, to offer solutions to social and personal problems, and to elevate the society to a higher ground in terms of intellectual advancement, innovation and entrepreneurship. During their formative years, they have been coerced in such a way that they have become docile instruments at the hands of the ruling class who influences and shapes their future.

This status quo tremendously helped the quarter who does not want to see democracy flourishes, corruption dissipates and people get empowered. "Hold your ground", "Do not cede an inch", "Do not compromise with the enemy" are found in the lexicon of regimented groups. They could be a political party or an organized group like men-in-fatigue. A student who is being mentored at a learning center should know the difference between "competitor" and "enemy".

Often in the name of student politics,party cadres are tasked with "campus policing". They possess fire arms and beat black and blue students who do not comply with their rules. This should be stopped. Only police will do policing and in a sensitive place like university special police units can be formed. Harvard, MIT, Princeton all the universities have their own campus police. Since we are concerned about freedom of expression at the learning centers citing examples of first world, we should take cue from them to allow campus police at the tertiary learning centers. In this regard existing laws have to be amended or new laws have to be introduced.

Many of the anarchist leaders, who somehow got empowered and absorbed into the society, eulogized their anarchist conducts in their memoirs, anecdotes and interviews accorded to the press. This kind of conduct should not be encouraged and sold as part and parcel of a healthy student politics. A shameful conduct, acted upon an individual whom one did not like, should not be replicated as a reprisal.

While other nations are sending robots and satellites to the moon and Mars , we do not tolerate debate or dissident voices in the campus,which is our beacon of hope.

It is a pity that parties, rigid in belief and ideology, take full advantage of student politics and freedom of expression at the campus. Will they allow such practices when they form government? Look at the communist and theocratic countries.

Student politics needs to evolve. Laws should be amended to bar parties raising student wing at the universities, laws should be introduced to bar former and current politicians, student leaders, teachers taking part in bidding process of development projects at universities, a grievance redress system should be installed, harsher measures should be introduced against law enforcement agency / personnel who tries to stir trouble at the campus in connivance with student wings or anarchists. Moreover, foreign teachers should be allowed at the highest learning centers. It will improve the learning environment there. Laws should be amended to make this happen and UGC can maintain a roster of foreign teachers who are willing to work in Bangladeshi universities.

There is no doubt that most of our graduates are not on  par with graduates churned out by other South Asian universities. The education-industry ecosystem developed over the years due to anarchic student politics is turning our employers to recruit foreign workers to ward off future troubles. While saboteurs of a new kind of colonialism act with impunity at the campus, our highest learning centers are becoming lawless jungles. Our inertia to ongoing trend of student politics is only accelerating that process.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(04 octobre --- 11 octobre)

Selon un reportage, des fidèles du parti en exercice ont battu à mort un étudiant de l'Université de technologie ,BUET. La tuerie a bouleversé le pays. Police a appréhendé 11 coupables. La tuerie a aussi causé condemnation internationale. Le chef de l'ONU a été appelé chez ministère des Affaires étrangères et a été demandé explication.

Selon un reportage, une personne indigène a été tuée par balles à Rangamati. Il n'est pas appartenu aux groupes rebelles.


Selon un reportage, un garçon a été tué par un coup d'arme blanche à Narsinghdi. C'était le dernier jour de la fête de déesse Durga.


Selon un reportage, la société japonaise Zerra a acheté 22% des actions de Summit Power.


Selon un reportage, une raide par police afin de couper les câbles d'électricité à campe de Mohammapur s'est soldé par une escarmouche entre police et des Biharis, laissant 50 personnes blessées.


Selon un reportage, une cour de travail a ordonné un mandat d'arrêt conte Prof Muhammad Yunus, fondateur de Grameen Bank. Deux salariés licenciés ont déposé plainte contre lui dans cette cour.


Selon un reportage, un conseiller de Mohammadpur a été appréhendé depuis Brahmanbaria. Il recueillait frais électricité et locations depuis les marchés clandestins de Mohammadpur. Deux CasinoMoghols
étaient ses fidèles. Un journaliste en exil dans son compte de Facebook s'est dit que le frère de ce conseiller avait été tué par un frère de chef de l'armée de la terre.


C'était une mauvaise semaine pour moi. J'ai eu un accident le 7 octobre. Un bus de Transsilva,où je montait, a été percuté par un autre bus de Baishakhi Paribahan (Dhaka Metro Ba- 13 04 60) devant House & Building Research Institute à midi, laissant moi légèrement blessé aux pieds et une personne gravement à la tête. Le bus assaillant était complètement vide. Le conducteur et son adjoint ont fuit la place et il n'y avait pas de passager dans le bus de Baishakhi. Il se peut que le bus ait de mauvaise intention. Le bus coupable a foncé à la derrière de Transsilva. Je m'assoyais avant de la dernière place de Transsilva. J'ai déposé une plainte à ce propos dans la gendarmerie qui avait saisi le bus de Baishakhi.

La Semaine Dernière A Mes Yeux

(27 septembre ---- 04 octobre)
Selon un reportage, le parti en exercice continue son purge contre casino. La Banque centrale a demandé  info sur les comptes opérés par les dirigeants qui opéraient casino dans les clubs de sport.

Selon un autre reportage, presque 100 Népalais ont franchi la frontière Indo-Bangladesh suite à commencement de la raide contre casino. Ils assistaient à l'opération de casino.

Selon un reportage, National Board of Revenue a imposé restriction sur importation des équipements de casino dans un communiqué.

Selon un reportage,  l'achat de microscope et oreiller pour l'école de médecin à Chattogram, en payant prix exorbitant , a causé polémique dans la presse.

Selon un reportage, la force élite a appréhendé un homme d'affaires pour avoir opéré casino sur le cyber monde. Des Nords Coréens ont été identifiés pour l'avoir aidé. Un parquet l'a condamné à six mois de prison pour avoir gardé des animaux sauvages.


Selon un reportage, Henley & Partners a baissé le classement de Bangladesh par deux points dans l'indice de passeport. Bangladesh est classé au 99ème en 2019.Bénin et Djibouti ont révoqué l'avantage d'arrivée sans visa pour Bangladais. La décision a influencé le classement de Henley & Partners.


Selon un reportage, prête bouddhiste Satyapriyo Mahathero est mort. Il travaillait toujours pour les âmes pauvres.

Fading Passport, Fading Identity

This week Henley International Passport Index 2019 downgraded Bangladesh further, severely weakening the green passport for another consecutive year. Previous year it was ranked 97 but this year it slipped down two notches due to Benin and Djibouti's revocation of on arrival Visa facility for Bangladeshis. These two African countries are in far better position in terms of GDP per capita but the size of their economies is not as good as ours. In Benin, the Muslims constitute the second largest group of the population whereas the Muslims dominated the population in Djibouti, where both the Americans and the Chinese have strong military presence.

The group feeling did not come into play when the countries took their decisions regarding Bangladeshi nationals. The Henley Passport Index ranks passport of a country in terms of its national's ease of access to other countries. It extensively used International Air Transport Association's database to create the index.

Immediately after the country's worst terrorist attacks, Sri Lanka temporarily suspended on arrival visa facility for foreign nationals. Sri Lanka's biggest heroin seizure also occurred because Bangladeshi drug traffickers misused the facility to a great length.

Even Bhutanese parliament did not approve a bill to allow free movement of vehicles of South Asian countries in fear that small Bhutanese law-enforcement personnel will not be able to deal with an overwhelming number of vehicles and foreign nationals.

And there is more , neighboring Myanmar is still dilly dallying to take back 700,000 of Rohingyas, unjustly dubbing them illegal Bangladeshi.

The point of bringing all these examples here is to underscore our neighbor's view about us. This simply does not make us proud, give us a feeling of grandeur and an aura of being special.

Even small island nation Vanuatu, one of the few countries that give visa free access to Bangladeshis , is likely to review its decision after more than hundreds of Bangladeshis stranded in the island nation falling into the lure of human traffickers.Stranded Bangladeshis were promised to be taken to Australia. Instead, traffickers brought them to Vanuatu to extract money from them, taking full advantage of visa free facility. The Vanuatu court was taken aback by the fraudulent incident and urged the International Office for Migration to intervene.

The weakening of our passport has been going on for the last six years. In 2013, our passport was ranked 85 in HPI. In 2017, the green passport was slided down by 10 places to 95. In 2019, its rank worsened further to 99. Perhaps not all the countries are buying our staggering economic success stories.

Henley Passport Index Source:Henley & Partners

In many countries of Europe, Bangladeshis topped the list of boat-riding asylum seekers. War-torn Syrian refugees, whose 14-year of quality schooling made them more sought after refugees, are welcomed in many countries but not the Bangladeshis, whose 14-year of schooling is not as good as that of other refugees.

This is also writ large on the quality of nationality index (QNI), conceived by Dimitry Kochenov and Christian H. Kälin. QNI ranks qualities of nationalities based on factors like economic strength, human development, ease of travel, political stability and overseas employment opportunities. In 2012, Bangladesh was placed at 129th position. In 2015, it was downgraded to 138. In 2017, it was further downgraded to 149. Like HPI, QNI is also maintained by Henley & Partners. I am sure these guys did not start a malign campaign against us.

Quality of Nationality Index Source:Henley & Partners

Another interesting measure of how other nations view us would be the kind of foreign envoys they send to our country. Last three of the US diplomats were at the last leg of their diplomatic careers. State Department did not give them new assignment. At least two of them, including the current ambassador, are close to defense establishment and held important posts in war-ravaged and corruption-stricken countries.

Previous British High Commissioner to Bangladesh was sent to Afghanistan. At least two of the former British High Commissioners to Bangladesh were sent to the Caribbean islands as envoys. One of them, who played an instrumental role during the 1/11 government rule, was recalled by the UK foreign ministry on disciplinary grounds and the other one was never integrated into the system.

Meanwhile, we sent our crème de la crème of career diplomats to these countries. However, during the 80's and early 90's we sent controversial political appointees to developed countries. One powerful EU country even refused to accept one such appointee as ambassador because he was not worthy for the position. It appeared that he was father of a secret lover of the then powerful dictator. Government changes but this kind of behavior left a negative impression on bilateral relations, which is often reflected in reciprocal conduct. Even Myanmar receives career diplomats of powerful countries as top envoys since its resumption of democracy.

Much trumpeted social indicators and economic achievements did not bar others to quarantine us in barbed wire encampments. Now we see this barbed wire also exists in bilateral relations. It is evident that sweat-money filled forex reserves, inequality driven GDP growth rate, eye dazzling structures and military strength did not convince others that we deserve to be treated as equal global citizens.Downgrading of our passport and nationals is an eye opener to the fact that we need to do lot more to develop our human resources.