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Foreign policy needs evaluation
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Foreign policy needs evaluation

Published in the Financial Express on February 24, 2019

Since the foreign policy of a country is the first line of defence, therefore, further evaluation of the policy needs to be done in view of the emerging global scenario. Competing interests of two emerging powers in Asia need to be assessed in the interest of Bangladesh, because the country is sandwiched between the two: China and India.

Geographically, Bangladesh is located on three sides of India and it also borders Myanmar with the Bay of Bengal to the south. But the distance between Bangladesh and China is not that far either. Bangladesh’s close-door neighbour India is trying to flex its economic and political muscles in South Asia, apart from beyond its corridor while China in Far East did not keep quite either. China is bent upon becoming a global military and economic power. China turns out to be the second largest economy of the world by now. In fact, Bangladesh is sandwiched between two big neighbours. Therefore, Bangladesh should play an equidistant policy between two giant neighbours. There is no need to have hobnobbing relations between the two neighbours. Unfortunately, Bangladesh has no card in hand to resolve some vital issues that Bangladesh is confronted with India.

Uday Bhaskar, an analyst with South Asia Monitor, holds the opinion that “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been more receptive to India’s overtures so it’s easier to realise India’s objectives.” Recently the government of Bangladesh has provided an opportunity for India to reach out to the North-Eastern region through a narrow and tenuous land corridor. In fact, Arunachal Pradesh, one of the seven landlocked Indian states, has become a contentious issue between China and India.

There is no second opinion that water is vitally important to lower riparian Bangladesh indeed. As of now, Bangladesh is being deprived of the due share of water from the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Teesta in particular. During the monsoon period Bangladesh is at the receiving end, because sluice gates are opened by India on their dams. The BBC reported in September of 2000 that emerging releases from at least four dams in West Bengal added to floods across the border into Bangladesh. As a result, Bangladesh was flooded losing agricultural products that forced Bangladesh to import a substantial amount of food grains putting pressure on its balance of payment. While serving in the Bangladesh embassy in Germany as Charge d’ affaires in 1998 we faced a critical situation in Bangladesh which witnessed the worst flooding in living memory. This writer mobilised opinions in the government and private sector of Germany to assist the Bangladesh government in mitigating the disaster. The German government provided ten million Euros while water purifying machines were flown to Dhaka WASA by courtesy of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The private sector in Germany provided baby food and medicine as well.

As of now, there is no resolution in sight to the problem of sharing water of the Teesta and Feni rivers, although Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his maiden visit to Bangladesh on June 07 2015 pledged a fair solution to the Teesta and Feni water sharing. He said, “Water sharing is, above all, a human issue as it affects the life and livelihood of the people.” Absence of the due share of water during the lean period has caused enormous ecological damage to Bangladesh. It is high time that both Bangladesh and India make all-out efforts to resolve the water sharing problems for the benefit of both countries.

Since Bangladesh has been confronting a man-made disaster with the influx of Rohingya refugees since 2017, Bangladesh should press both India and China vigorously to put pressure on the Myanmar administration to take them back and resettle them as their citizens. Both India and China have their stake in Myanmar. Curiously enough to note, both China and India have invested heavily in the Rakhine state of Myanmar. Refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh, if the issue is not resolved peacefully, would likely create a breeding ground for terrorism and cutting of trees for using fuel would likely be a catastrophe ecologically.

Although Bangladesh has been acclaimed for success on the economic front and the UN committee for development policy declared that Bangladesh would likely graduate from the LDC status to a developing country by 2024, it has been termed 149th least corrupt nation out of 175 countries, according to the 2018 corruption perception index of the Transparency International.

This being the situation as of now no amount of diplomacy, including economic diplomacy will be fruitful, unless basic conditions in Bangladesh radically improve.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain, retired diplomat from Bangladesh and former President of Toastmaster International club of America, writes from Virginia .

An appraisal of the Trump administration
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An appraisal of the Trump administration

Published in the Financial Express on January 4, 2019

Since assuming presidency on January 20, 2017 of the United States of America, the oldest democracy and a global leader in the world, Donald Trump has been unlike any other president in the history of the US. He has constantly referred to the biggest names in news media as ‘fake news’. He has ignored numerous, authentic investigative reports by powerful intelligence agencies of USA.

The patience of Western leaders with his antics seem to be thinning as was reflected during his visit to France to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of World War 1 in November of last year. On arrival, President Trump picked up a quarrel with French President Emmanuel Macron about a piece of garbled press translation, which said Macron wanted a European army as protection against the USA. In fact, Macron is reported to have said such a force would reduce Europe’s reliance on USA. Macron criticised President Trump’s “America First” politics in his speech as he called it “a betrayal of patriotism”.

On November 10, 2018, President Trump also scrapped a planned visit to Aisne-Marne American Cemetery and Memorial for American soldiers who had died during World War 1 in France. The French President and German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid their respects to the war heroes together while Russian President Vladimir Putin paid respects to the fallen heroes alone on the day. The next day, following criticism back home, President Trump paid tribute at Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial in Paris. He was quick to blame the cancellation of the previous day’s trip on his Secret Service.

In January of last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping turned out to be a global leader while speaking about free trade concept at the World Economic forum in Davos, Switzerland. His stance was well-received by the rich and powerful business magnates and experts as well. It is interesting to note that Canada, a close neighbour of USA, joined Chinese-floated regional Development bank in 2015 while Australia, UK, Germany and France were among the founding members of the bank. Regional Development Bank is likely undermining the authority of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund established after World War II by the United States.

Japan, a close ally of the United States since the Second World War, and Europe agreed on a free trade deal as an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership floated by President Obama. But President Trump unceremoniously abandoned it. President Trump also pulled out of the Paris Climate Treaty when his administration warned of devastating impacts following climate change and the Iran nuclear deal-two international pacts that European leaders had worked very hard on.

  President Trump has never missed an opportunity to criticise NATO members for failing to spend enough on their militaries. He also shared with Russian President Vladimir Putin that NATO was an obsolete organisation. Following the NATO Summit in Brussels from July 11 till 12, 2018, USA Today’s editorial on July 16 pointed out that the US President’s “truculent attacks on close friends risk serious damage to the greatest alliance America has ever known-to the great delight of Russian President Vladimir Putin who wants to weaken and splinter the west.”

At a press conference on July 16, 2018, following a one-to-one meeting with Putin in Helsinki, Trump told the world that he continues to harbour doubts that Russia interfered in the 2016 US presidential election. He argued that the USA is as much at fault as Russia for “tattering relations between two superpowers”. Trump’s claims came under question after Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigations revealed explicit connections that Trump had with Russia before the 2016 US presidential election, through a flurry of bombshell court filings in the first week of December 2018.

While conducting foreign relations, President Trump announced on December 23 that the USA will pull out its troops from Syria. The move will give Russia and Iran free rein in the Middle East. Earlier, his decision to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in violation of international law also received criticism from leaders from around the world. He was also rebuked by bipartisan lawmakers for siding with Saudi Arabia following the killing of a Saudi journalist at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October of 2018.

Internally, President Trump is pushing for sweeping changes to US immigration. He is planning to close down the visa lottery system and make citizenship difficult for legal immigrants in the USA. He still plans to build a big wall around the US-Mexico border to stop the entry of illegal immigrants. He also banned entry of immigrants into USA from countries like Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and travellers from North Korea and certain government officials from Venezuela. Facing a growing wave of national outrage, President Trump signed an executive order on June 20, 2018 to halt his administration’s policy of separating migrant families detained at the southern border.

It is interesting to note that as many as 37 officials, including three Chiefs of Staff, have either resigned or been fired from the Trump administration. His first Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson was removed following disagreement with President on some international issues, including the Middle East. Trump’s Defence Secretary James Mattis also quit in December. Trump immediately assigned Patrick Shanahan as Acting Defence Secretary.

In December of 2018, Trump shut down the Federal administration as Congress is not okaying funds of around $ 5 billion required to build the wall on the US-Mexico border. Incoming Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Minority leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer said to the media on December 31, 2018 that if leader of the Senate Republican Mitch McConnell and senate republicans refuse to support the spending bill, then they are complicit with President Trump at continuing the Trump shutdown. In the process, said Pelosi and Schumer, the Republicans at the senate are holding the health and safety of the American people and workers pay-cheques hostage.

Also, in December, Trump made secret trips to US bases in Iraq to exchange Christmas greetings with American soldiers. In the process, he exposed covert Navy SEAL deployment. During the visit, Trump did not meet any Iraqi leaders. This angered them to the point that they demanded US troops leave Iraq as well.

According to the Washington Post, over 7,000 false or misleading claims have been made by President Trump during his two years as President. By and large, the situation in the United States of America is not at all healthy under Donald Trump’s presidency.

Mohammad Amjad Hossain is a retired diplomat from Bangladesh.

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Twists and turns in US and Bangladesh relations

The United States of America which did not support aspiration of the people of erstwhile East Pakistan for independence in 1971, accorded recognition of independent Bangladesh on 4 April of 1972 following withdrawal of Indian troops from the soil of Bangladesh. In his letter President Richard Nixon did not regret in supporting Pakistan. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in August 1972 bilateral relations have been developing in depth and dimension despite occasional twists and turns.

The Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came out with a statement following recognition by the United States by saying: “the recognition would open up a new chapter in the development of friendly cooperation and understanding between the United States and Bangladesh for mutual benefit of our two peoples” in spite of the fact that Nixon administration of the United States totally sided with Pakistan’s President Gen. Yahya Khan during nine months war of liberation.

Turn of events
The statement by the Bangladesh Prime Minister was unusual and in a way reflected the amount of importance he attached to the relations with United States. It was followed by a bilateral agreement signed in Dhaka on 30 May of 1972 between Bangladesh and the United States. The United States provided $90 million as a grant. This was the turning point for development of bilateral relations.

In spite of objection by hard core Awami Leaguer led by Mr. Tajuddin Ahmed, the unsung hero during war of liberation of Bangladesh in exile, the Prime Minister of independent Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman accepted foreign aid from the United States when Soviet Union did not come forward to assist the war ravaged Bangladesh having visited Moscow at the earliest opportunity from 1 –3 March of 1972 to express deep gratitude to the Russian people for their support.

Ironically, Soviet Union assisted freedom fighters along with India to liberate Bangladesh from clutches of Pakistan army but Moscow’s recognition did not come immediately. Soviet Union gave recognition on 25 January of 1972. Soviet Union of course helped Bangladesh in cleaning Chittagong port from mines and wrecked ships, apart from supply a couple of helicopters.

Bangladesh had been receiving food aid from United States under PL 480, which restricts the recipient county from trading with black-listed countries. Bangladesh, which was desperately in need of hard currency, used to export Jute and Jute goods to Cuba, which had been declared black-listed by the United States. The government of Bangladesh was advised in September of 1974 to cancel further export orders of Jute to Cuba in favour of US food aid.

Food aid & ’74 famine
In this context, Nobel laureate Professor Dr. Amartya Sen pointed out:
“only after Bangladesh gave in and sacrificed its trade with Cuba was the flow of American food resumed.” By that time, the food situation had gone from bad to worse, and the country was affected by a famine of a severe nature. Incidentally, Amartya Sen got Nobel Prize on economy on writing his thesis on famine in Bengal, including Bangladesh. Soviet helicopters were used during famine to supply food in distress districts.

Despite all these development, the government of Bangladesh attached importance to the visit of Dr. Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State under US President Gerald Ford—who was the master-mind (under President Nixon in 1970-71) to help Pakistan. Bangladesh was assured of financial assistance by Ford administration to reconstruct the war-ravaged economy of the country. As of now US has provided food aid amounting to $ 4.3 billion to Bangladesh.

Following the changeover in political scenario in Bangladesh, the western countries, including the US showed increasing interest in developing relations with Bangladesh primarily because President Ziaur Rahman’s policy to distance from Pro-Soviet bloc and to introduce multi-party democracy.

The United States has been of great help to Bangladesh in terms of financial assistance in the field of infrastructures in health, education, and energy sectors. Gradually, the US has reduced its assistance. Bangladesh received $ 114 million in aid in 2016 down 89 percent from 2015. Over time, the US became Bangladesh’s largest trading partner. Ready to wear garment has fetched $ 24 billion in export last year though export of the same to US declined last year.

Rana Plaza, GSP facility etc
Companies from the United States have become the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh in energy and natural gas sector. In recent years Obama administration had partnered with Bangladesh addressing in issues of global food security, health care and climate change. In 2012, US established strategic partnership dialogue during the visit of the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Rana Plaza tragedy plus Tanzeen fashion fire have caused serious concern in the US about SafetyNet for work force in garment industry in Bangladesh. In 2007, American Federation of Labour and Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) in a petition alleged a number of workers rights issues in export processing zones, the readymade garment sectors and seafood processing sector which compelled United States Trade Representative to suspend Generalized System of Preference (GSP) for Bangladesh. Till now the facility did not been restored.
Strikes which had begun at Ashulia garment factories on 12 December last year, following which arrest of thousands of workers have caused serious concern in the US Congress. Eleven members of Congress led by Congressman Janie Shakowsky reportedly wrote letter to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 23 February of 2017 to intervene to release the Union leaders and workers. RMG sector has become major source income for Bangladesh. Therefore, hardly any need to emphasis in improving working condition and wages of work forces in the Garment industry.
Being a least developed country (LDC), Bangladesh has been deprived of facility offered by Millennium Challenge Corporation program introduced by President George W. Bush in 2003. The countries are selected on the basis of the policies and programs that help the county achieve lasting poverty reduction, economic growth, just and democratic governance, economic freedom and investment in people and elimination of corruption.

HR abuse report
Bangladesh has been deprived from receiving a share of a cake from this millennium challenge corporation’s earmarked $ 2.3 billion because of high rate of corruption despite reduction of poverty and economic development. In its report for 2016 record of Human rights in Bangladesh, the State Department mentioned of extensive impunity of law enforcers misusing power, extrajudicial killings, illegal custody and continuation of abductions in Bangladesh as the Government refrained from taking strong measures against abuses and killings by law enforcement agencies, which the government denied.
Since presidential election in the United States in 2016 political climate has become chaotic and uncertain, government of Bangladesh should consider taking appropriate action for the interest of Bangladesh and its people.

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Remembering Ambassador M.M Rezaul Karim

Published in the Weekly Holiday on February 02, 2018

It is in fact a coincidence to write about Ambassador Mir Mohammed Rezaul Karim since I met his classmate, a former American diplomat in the State department at a recent gathering at Falls Church of Virginia. Both were student at Fletcher school of Law and diplomacy. The gentleman has spoken of Rezaul Karim’s brilliancy in the school because he saw him during day time dating with women students, but he passed out with flying color.

Having passed out from Fletcher school of diplomacy Rezaul Karim joined Pakistan foreign service in 1966.When Pakistan marauding army attacked innocent people of erstwhile East Pakistan in March of 1971 Rezaul Karim was posted in Pakistan embassy in London as Counsellor, one of the two seniors Bangladeshi origin serving London embassy. Another Salimuzzaman was Deputy Chief of Mission. Mohiuddin Ahmed was second secretary, who defected first to Bangladesh government in exile from London. Having pursued by Mr. Abdul Matin, a former correspondent of Pakistan Observer in London and former Bureau chief of United Press of Pakistan in Dacca and Professor Rehman Sobhan, who was representing Bangladesh government in exile, Rezaul Karim resigned from Pakistan embassy on 8 October of 1971. This was reported by London Guardian. Deputy High Commissioner Salimuzzaman,a Bengali diplomat, on the other hand, was elevated as Acting High commissioner as a result of Pakistan High commissioner Salman Ali was called back to Pakistan as he was unsuccessful in preventing access to the British Foreign office and office of the British Prime Minister Edward Heath of Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury, who was special representative in London of Bangladesh government in exile.

When Justice Abu Sayeed Choudhury was asked to join as President of newly created Bangladesh in 1972 Ambassador Rezaul Karim became de facto head of Bangladesh mission in London. Reazul Karim was fortunate enough to receive Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Heathrow airport on 8 January of 1972 when he was released from Pakistan jail along with Dr. Kamal Hossain. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was briefed by M. M. Rezaul Karim about the episode leading to the liberation of Bangladesh from clutches of Pakistan army. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was received by Prime Minister Edward Heath of the Great Britain breaking all protocol at 10 Downing street on 9 January. That was unprecedented indeed because the Bristish government did not recognize Bangladesh at that time. The Great Britain recognized Bangladesh on 2 February of 1972, but Bangladesh mission was allowed to operate in London.

While serving in the Ministry of Foreign affairs on return from London Ambassador M. M Reazul Karim joined as Director in the Ministry but our paths did not cross as most of the time Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim was on Ambassadorial assignments and was asked to open embassy in Riyadh. Incidentally, myself and Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim hailed from Kushtia district.

Somehow or other we came into contact after his retirement from the Foreign Office. I was avid reader of his column in the Daily Star: Point and counter point while I was one of the contributors to Daily Star. Sometimes we exchanged opinion on his write-up. Ambassador M. M. Rezaul Karim was possibly aspiring to become Foreign Minister of Bangladesh which made him to join Bangladesh Nationalist Party during the reign of Begum Khaleda Zia. Ambassador Rezaul Karim joined as member of advisorial council. Frequently he visited Kushtia to establish his base there. As a result, both of us exploited Saudi Ambassador in Bangladesh Ambassador Abdullatif A.Al-Maimanee for good cause. While serving in West-Asia desk of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs I had established friendship with Saudi Ambassador who was literary bend of mind to know more about Poet Nazrul Islam. That reflected in his letter to this writer dated July 17,1986 wherein Saudi Ambassador wrote:” it does not go without saying in this respect that, those valuable books will open a great window for me to have better understanding to the beauty of poetry as well as philosophy of that great poet of Bangladesh”. Ambassador Rezaul Karim had sought financial help from Saudi Ambassador to expand and renovate Grad old Jame Mosque in Kushtia town and this writer had sought help for Children hospital in Kushtia established by Justice Ruhul Islam and for Kachi-Kanchar Mela, largest children organization of Bangladesh. Ambassador Rezaul Karim got money for Kushtia Jame Mosque this writer succeeded to get around thirty thousand for Kushtia Shishu hospital. Child specialist Professor M.R khan was visiting professor at Shishu Hospital.

For some time, Ambassador Rezaul Karim was spokesperson of Bangladesh Nationalist Party, but he was replaced by Anwar Zahid. Ambassador Karim did not relish this change who had sought my advice. Incidentally, this writer was acquainted with Mr. A. M. Zahiruddin Khan of BNP. Having discussed with Mr.Zahiruddin Ambassador Rezaul Karim had regained spokesperson position of BNP who was seen briefing news media during first general election under caretaker administration in February of 1991 from Hotel Intercontinental where Mr.Abdur Rahim, former News Editor of Pakistan Observer, was Press Secretary of BNP. At time this writer saw Ambassador Rezaul Karim was accompanied by another stalwart of former Pakistan foreign service officer Mr. Kaiser Rashid, younger brother of Mr. Humayun Rashid. Mr. Kaiser Rashid Choudhury was Private secretary of Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr. Z. A. Bhutto but he resigned from Pakistan Foreign service after the fall of Mr.Z.A.Bhutto.This writer had developed excellent relations with Mr. Kaiser Rashid choudhury from Kuala Lumpur where he was frequent visitor to meet his wife, who was sister of Prime Minister Datuk Hussein Onn of Malaysia.

This writer came to know from writing of renowned journalist Mr. Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury that Ambassador Reazul Karim was the President of Commonwealth Society of Bangladesh who served as an International observer during parliamentary election in Sri Lanka in 1994,in Cameroon in 1997 and Pakistan in 2002.

Ambassador Rezaul Karim had sought nomination from Kushtia but he was deprived of. The nomination was accorded to a business tycoon by BNP.Possibly as a consolation Ambassador Rezaul Karim was appointed on contractual basis Ambassador to Egypt who is longest serving Bangladesh Ambassadors in history of Bangladesh. Ambassador M. M Rezaul Karim also handed over paternal house at Naya Paltan to Kushtia samity in Dhaka with nominal prices with consent of his brothers. He was great soul and amiable personality. He died in Egypt on 28 October of 2005 while serving Bangladesh as Ambassador.

 

 

The portrait of an ambassador: Anwarul Karim Choudhury
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The portrait of an ambassador: Anwarul Karim Choudhury

Published in the Financial Times:  December 9, 2017

Although I have had met Ambassador Anwarul Karim Choudhury on two occasions, I held him in high esteem for his sagacity to pursue diplomacy doggedly and for his personal amiable behaviour. Anwarul Karim Chowdhury had become a spokesperson for the government in exile of Bangladesh in Calcutta following his shifting of allegiance to the latter after quitting the post of third secretary at the Deputy High Commission of Pakistan in Calcutta along with Pakistan Deputy High Commissioner Hossain Ali on April 18 in 1972. For all practical purposes the Deputy High Commission had served as the office of the government in exile of Bangladesh led by Tajuddin Ahmed. The Pakistan government lodged a strong protest with the Indian government following hoisting Bangladesh’s flag at the Deputy High Commission by Ambassador Hossain Ali.

On his return to Bangladesh Anwarul Karim Chowdhury served as Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in mid 70’s along with another stalwart Bangladeshi diplomat K.M. Shehabuddin. Shehabuddin also shifted his allegiance to the government in exile of Bangladesh quitting his post of Second Secretary at the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi even before the government in exile was formed on April 17, 1972. It was my pleasure to invite both of them, apart from Mr. Akramul Qader, Section Officer who became Ambassador to Thailand and South Africa, to my residence at the city’s Bailey Road to join a farewell dinner before departing for Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia in April of 1977 to join the Bangladesh embassy there as third secretary under High Commissioner Maj Gen K.M. Shafiullah. That was my first interaction with Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury.

It is really heartening to note that Ambassador Anwarul Karim having served as Bangladesh’s emissary to under-developed countries in Africa was elevated to the position of Permanent Representative of the country to the United Nations from 1996 to 2001. During his tenure at the United Nations, Ambassador Anwarul Karim served as a coordinator of Least Developed Countries for about ten years. As coordinator of the Least Developed Countries he joined the five-member Bangladesh delegation to the G-8 Summit held in Cologne of Germany on June 7-8, 1999. The delegation was led by then Bangladesh Foreign Minister Abdus Samad Azad. This scribe also was one of the members of the delegation from the Bangladesh embassy in Bonn, including Ambassador Kazi Anwarul Masud. During presentation of the viewpoints of LDCs Abdus Samad Azad skipped some important points. Ambassador Anwarul Karim immediately pointed out the lapses. As a troika of the Least Developed Countries, Bangladesh put forth some points seeking commitments from industrially-developed countries to exempt debt burdens of the LDCs. It was a very successful effort as some under-developed countries in Africa were exempted from their debt burdens. The then US President Bill Clinton attended the G-8 summit.

After the summit, the foreign minister accompanied by members of the delegation along with newly-married wife visited the biggest historical cathedral in Cologne and the hilly region of Bonn in Petersburg plateau to have the glimpse of the romantic Rhine Valley of Bonn. Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury accepted the invitation to have lunch at my official residence in Bonn. The wife of the Foreign Minister was feted by my wife, because the wife of Ambassador Anwarul Masud was away to Bangladesh. That was the second time I interacted with Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury.

Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury also served as President of the Security Council, when Bangladesh became a non-permanent member of the Security Council from 2000 to 2001. We got commitment from the German government to support Bangladesh’s candidature for membership of the Security Council. This was the second time Bangladesh became a non-permanent member of the Security Council. From 1979 to 1980 Bangladesh became a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the first time by defeating Japan.

As President of the Security Council Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury succeeded in establishing the landmark resolution 1325 which reaffirmed the important role of women in prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiation, peace building, peace keeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction and stressed the importance of their equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for maintenance and promotion of peace and security.

Being an amiable personality as a diplomat, Anwarul Karim Chowdhury has made tremendous impact on the international body which was reflected in his appointment as Chairman of the Second Council Committee on Sierra Leone and President of the UNICEF executive board. His leading role resulted in proclaiming by the United Nations the year 2000 as International Year for Cultural Peace and the period of 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a culture of peace and non-violence for the children of the world. Ambassador Anwarul Karim also led as a UN culture of peace emissary in May of 2010, because peace efforts continuously failed until people embraced humanity’s oneness.

Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury also served as High Representative of UN for the Least Developed Countries, Land Locked developing countries, Small Island developing states in March of 2002. From 1990-1993 Ambassador Anwarul Karim served as Director of UNICEF in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Possibly Ambassador Anwarul Karim Chowdhury is the only Bangladeshi diplomat who got the honour of receiving the U Thant peace award, UNESCO Gandhi Gold medal for culture of peace while the Japan government conferred on him an honorary doctorate degree for his work on women’s issue, child rights and culture of peace and strengthening the United Nations. The government of Burkina Faso decorated him with the country’s highest honour L’ordre Nacionale on January 18 2007 for championing the cause of the most vulnerable countries.

Ambassador Anwarul Karim received Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa degree from Saint Peter’s University of the United States of America in 2012 and served as an adjunct professor at the school of diplomacy at Seton Hill University of the USA. He is the founder of the New York-based Global Movement for culture of peace while he is the founding Co-Chair of the International Ecological Safety collaborative Organisation (IESO) with its headquarters in China.

 

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Remembering Ambassador Fakhruddin Ahmed

A diplomat needs to be well-informed of the current and past situation coupled with negotiation expertise. Under no circumstance a diplomat loses temper while on a negotiating table. A diplomat could conduct any issue in a somewhat genteel atmosphere, unconstrained by the passions of public opinion. He must be suave and place his points of view in the context of the interests of the country he or she represents. Having said so, I felt Fakhruddin Ahmed represented Bangladesh as a diplomat par excellence as he possessed all the good qualities that a diplomat should possess.

Born in 1931 in Faridpur District of Bangladesh Fakhruddin Ahmed joined Pakistan Foreign Service in 1954 having obtained Master’s degree in International Relations from Dacca University. He had the privilege in serving in different capacities at Pakistan diplomatic missions in Jeddah, New York, Tehran, Accra and at the Pakistan foreign ministry office in Islamabad. It was a matter of coincidence that I met him first in 1970 some time in October in Pakistan foreign office in Islamabad where he was working as Director (personnel) to find out my position in the examination for the post as Information Officer in CENTO headquarters. Ambassador Humayun Kabir, who served as Ambassador in Bangladesh embassies in Iran, US and United Nations, was the invigilator. At that time he was serving as Deputy Chief of Protocol in Pakistan foreign office while I was working in the External Publicity Wing of Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and National Affairs in Islambad. I was the lone Bengali officer working in external publicity wing and the rest were from West Pakistan. Mr Fakhruddin Ahmad replied that it would take another three weeks or so to take a decision. By now Fakhruddin Ahmad had acquired praises from the Bengali community in Islamabad who pushed through Bengalis of East Pakistan origin in the menial posts in the administration without any hesitation. That showed his courage to promote the interest of erstwhile East Pakistani personnel.

Just before War of Liberation had begun in East Pakistan by marauding Pakistan army, Fakhruddin Ahmad was posted in Dacca branch of Pakistan foreign office in 1971 as Director-General, but he could not join because of an army crackdown on innocent people of East Pakistan. He was prevented from going to Dacca from Karachi. On return to Islamabad his mind did not rest and he had sought avenues to get out of Pakistan some way or other. Finally he along with his family slipped out of Pakistan via Kabul and Delhi. It was really dangerous adventure to sneak out of Pakistan at a time when Pakistan became hostile towards newly born Bangladesh because of prisoners of war held by Bangladesh and India jointly.

In 1973, Fakhruddin Ahmad joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an Additional Foreign Secretary. Initially he was given the responsibility to look after the administration of the Ministry. Enayet Karim joined the Foreign Ministry as Foreign Secretary on return from Pakistan embassy in Washington DC where he was posted as Minister. Both Enayet Karim and Fakhruddin Ahmad jointly made the foreign office active, lively and interesting to work at. During the formative period the foreign office witnessed a flurry of activities, including visits of as many as 12 heads of states and renowned writers and journalists. On most of the time my services were requisitioned by Chief of Protocol Nazrul Islam to become host officer to visiting heads of states or reputed writers and journalists by Director-General of External Publicity Division of Foreign Office, Humayun Kabir. Foreign Secretary Enayet Karim concentrated so much energy on the nitty-gritty of diplomacy that he succumbed to sudden heart attack while he was working in the office. In fact, Enayet Karim had been suffering from heart ailment since his diplomatic assignment in Washington DC in 1970-1971. Immediately after sudden demise of Enayet Karim Fakhruddin Ahmad was made acting foreign secretary and by December of 1974 Fakhruddin Ahmed was made foreign secretary.

Fakhruddin Ahmad had direct access to the charismatic leader of Bangladesh Sheikh Mujibur Rahman but Fakhruddin Ahmad stood boldly against the decision of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to make officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs join the Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BAKSAL) following the passage of fourth amendment to the Constitution. Fakhruddin Ahmed succeeded in resisting BAKSAL officers to join the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was directed by Fakhruddin Ahmad to watch who are the officers joining office of BAKSAL. Fakhruddin Ahmed served till November, 1975 as Foreign Secretary. In fact, Fakhruddin Ahmad was removed from this prestigious position by Khandakar Mushtaque Ahmad government as he did not comply with illogical and undemocratic decisions to make foreign postings of some disgruntled army officers who were involved in assassination of the President of Bangladesh. He was uncompromising with regard to principles. He was replaced by Tabarak Hossain who was until 1971  Director-General in Pakistan foreign office.

Fakhruddin Ahmed was an amiable and sociable personality. To corroborate his amiable personality I would like to narrate a story. It so happened that one day I was instructed to find out Syed Amirul Islam known as Hamdu bhai who had command over French language. Fakhruddin Ahmad gave some points to prepare notes, but Islam had lost the notes. Fakhruddin did not say anything. Incidentally, both of them were staying in central circuit house. I had been there for my personal affairs. Syed Amirul Islam was suffering from severe nature of disease for which no treatment was available in the country at that time. Fakhruddin Ahmed posted him to the newly established Bangladesh mission in Berlin on compassionate ground for his treatment.

From 1976 to 1986 Fakhruddin Ahmed served Bangladesh as Ambassador to Italy, Yugoslavia and as High commissioner to the United Kingdom. His contributions for the improvement of bilateral relations with the countries he served were commendable. During his tenure as High Commissioner in the UK the Queen Elizabeth along with her husband Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit to Bangladesh in the second week of November of 1983. It was a memorable visit of the British Queen, which paved the way for further improvement of bilateral relations between traditional friends of Bangladesh and the Great Britain. In this connection, I cannot resist temptation to narrate an anecdote. During her visit Queen Elizabeth was scheduled to go round a village at Sripur to know the way of lives of the rickshaw pullers and fishermen in the village. High Commissioner Fakhruddin Ahmed went along with the British entourage while I accompanied the British news media. A special train was arranged for transportation of the entourage and news media to Sripur from Dhaka and the Queen had the glimpse of the villages on both sides of the railways. At Sripur village the houses, trees and roads were beautifully decorated and the nearby pond there were plenty of fishes, which caused annoyance to High Commissioner Fakhruddin Ahmed. While walking along the pond Fakhruddin Ahmed shared with me the whole idea of showing a real village life of the people to the British Queen. The Duke of Edinburgh visited, on the other hand, two British tea estates in Sylhet. A number of host officers along with spouse, including this writer were present before the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on the concluding day of the visit. On the conclusion of the visit of the Queen I was presented a letter of appreciation along with signed photograph of the Queen by her Press Secretary which said, “I am commanded by The Queen to write to thank you for all the hard work which you have carried out in connection with the arrangements for Her Majesty’s state visit to Bangladesh with the Duke of Edinburgh. They are sorry that they did not have an opportunity to thank you personally, but have asked me to send the enclosed photograph.”

It was unique in diplomatic history of Bangladesh that Fakhruddin Ahmed had had the privilege in serving the Ministry as Foreign Secretary second time from 1986-1887, but  could not continue to serve the Ministry as a result of displeasure between the President and Foreign Secretary. He went on a leave before retirement from the service ending a long checkered career of diplomatic service.

During the period of first non-government caretaker government of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed after the fall of military-led government of Gen Ershad, Fakhruddin Ahmed was assigned as an adviser to serve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1991-1992. As an adviser his speech at the certificate giving ceremony of the newly recruited foreign service officers was illuminating and inspiring for the officers indeed.

As a member of election observer group Fakhruddin Ahmed observed elections in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, India and Zambia and Guyana and also participated in UN observer mission in South Africa.

After retirement Fakhruddin Ahmed concentrated on writings. His article on the foreign policy of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Ziaur Rahman and Ershad governments was illuminating and unbiased indeed which will be helpful to research-oriented students. His book: Critical Times: Memoir of a South Asian diplomat, makes an interesting reading which reflects an insight of a diplomatic role he played at difficult times of our history.

Last but not the least, my hats are off to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for designating a Memorial Hall in honour of Ambassador Fakhruddin Ahmed where present Foreign Minister A H Mahmood Ali, who was first diplomat in America to declare his allegiance to the exile Bangladesh government in India, unveiled on the 1st of January of 2015 the cover of a book: Regional Cooperation and Globalization: Bangladesh, South Asia and beyond. The book, a compilation of articles written in memory of Ambassador Fakhruddin Ahmed and Professor Zillur Rahman Khan, was edited by Dr Meghna Guhathakurta. Here both Foreign Minister Mahmood Ali and former foreign secretary Farooq Sobhan spoke of successful diplomatic services offered by Ambassador Fakhruddin Ahmed during his career.

Incidentally, Ambassador Fakhruddin Ahmed expired in foreign land at the residence of his daughter at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 02 November of 2001 after having suffered for long two years from cancer.

Published in the November 14, 2015 Edition of the Financial Express

by

A trip down memory lane: Dr Annemarie Schimmel

by Mohammad Amjad Hossain – published in the Daily Sun on 15 June, 2013

Today I would like to touch on a linguist-educationist woman whom this writer met more than once during a tour of duty as a diplomat from Bangladesh to Germany from 1996-1999. She is Dr Annemarie Schimmel who had obtained two doctoral degrees in Islamic languages and civilisation and also in history of religion and turned out to be an eminent scholar on Islam being a protestant German Christian.

It is difficult to understand her state of mind that was fluent in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, French and Urdu, apart from English and German. At age 7 Annemarie studied Arabic leaving aside piano lesson. Having obtained doctorate in Islamic languages and civilisation from the University of Berlin, when she was 19 she moved to teach at the University of Marburg, one of the oldest universities of the world, from there Annemarie did secure another doctoral degree in the history of religions. At age 23 she became a professor of Arabic and Islamic studies. A turning point in her educational career came when she was appointed as Professor of History of Religions at the University of Ankara, Turkey in 1954. During her 5-year stay in Turkish University she came to know more about Sufism. Islamic Sufism has been spread from Old Persian and Turkish to South Asian Subcontinent. Sufism has been defined by classical scholars on Sufism ‘as a science whose objective is the purification of heart and turning away from all else but Allah’. Sufism reflects the name for the “inner or esoteric dimension of Islam which is supported and complemented by onward or exoteric practices of Islam”. Zhigir, for example, in the name of Allah falls in the category of Sufism. I would like to quote poem from Jalal-Din-Mohammad Balkhi in Persia, who is popularly known as Rumi, but in Turkey he is known as Mevlana Rumi who laid to rest at Konya in Turkey. The poem said: Oh! Supreme lover! Let me leave aside my worries/ The flowers are blooming with the exultation of your spirit/ By Allah! I long to escape the prison of my ego and lose myself in the mountains and the desert. The poem was translated by Deepak Chopra, an Indian journalist settled in California.

First I met this great linguist and celebrated expert on Sufism at a seminar in Bonn in 1997 where she gave a lecture extemporaneously for an hour or so shutting down her eyes. It was sponsored by an Islamic Institute in Mannheim. Here too Annemarie quoted extensively from Rumi and Allama Mohammad Iqbal. I was amazed and mesmerised to listen to Annemarie speech. I have had very short meeting with her as she was surrounded by a lot of admirers of her. Annemarie also wrote a number of poems based on spirit of medieval Muslim mystics.

Another meeting took place in 1998 at a seminar at Grand Mosque of Bonn established by Saudi Arabia where I have had the privilege to hand over my article on status of women in Islam which Netz’s — a German non-government agency — carried in their journal. Netz had translated the article in German. In February, 1999 I have had the pleasure to enjoy the company of Annemarie Schimmel at our official residence along with Dr. Novak, former and retired ambassador of Germany to Saudi Arabia, Dr Jurgen Gehl, former ambassador of Germany to Bangladesh, and Doctor Mohammad Imran, First Secretary of Bangladesh embassy in Bonn, who is now Bangladesh Ambassador to Uzbekistan. She confided to this writer that she had been to Bangladesh two times to meet Pallikabi Jasimuddin where she met with his illustrious daughter Hasna Moudud. She was delighted to enjoy Bangladeshi cuisine and requested my wife Momtaz Hossain to send her recipe. On receipt of recipe Annemarie wrote to my wife thanking her by saying “I apologise for the delay in writing to you. I was constantly on lecture tours in England, Sweden, and Germany, and so it goes on”. The letter was dated 2.6.99. We had an extensive discussion on her career which mostly served as an ambassador of Islam to foster a better understanding of Islam and the Muslim world in the west. She also thanked me for meeting Dr Novak after 30 years. Lastly I bade my farewell call on her to her residence at Lennestr 42 in October 1999 on completion my tour of duty in Germany. She was in the midst preparing to visit Rawalpindi but postponed because of emergency situation arose in Pakistan. She had been to Pakistan several times and translated Allama Iqbal’s Javednama into German. She received three honorary degrees from different universities of Pakistan. She was decorated with the coveted civil award of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz by the Pakistan government.

Annemarie is on record by saying that “I have never seen anything in the holy Quran or in the traditional writings that called for or even allowed terrorism or hostage-taking”. On Salat, which is very important element in Islam, Annemarie Schimmel commented by saying: “belief in the purifying power of ritual prayer is intense. The Prophet (peace be upon him) compared it to a stream of water that washes off sins five times a day. The performance of prayer at the prescribed time constitutes ideally a means of educating Muslims to punctuality, cleanliness and since there is no ranking in the mosque, equal participation in the life of the community. Prayer can also lead to ecstasy experiences and when one observes a praying Muslim who is oblivious of anything and he seems to have drawn himself, as it were out of this world to stand humbly before the Lord, one realises best whence Islam thrives its vital strength”. I have never come across such explanation about Salat.

To her credit go 105 books, including translations. She was recipient of many international awards. She was the first female President of the International Association of the Study of Religion in 1980, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a recipient of the Grosses Bundesverdientskreuz. After retirement as a professor of Indo-Muslim culture from Harvard University, Annemarie Schimmel became Honorary Professor of Bonn University. Annemarie Schimmel chair for Indo-Muslim culture was established on her 75th birth day in 1997 at Bonn University. She used to reside near Bonn University. She breathed her last on January 26, 2003 at the age of 80. A commentator in writing obituary in the Guardian of London on February 6 wrote that she was a gifted teacher, sensitive interpreter of Islam and a bridge for intercultural dialogue.