11.4.13

Lets talk about futures of political Islamisms in desh

As the Deoband-Madani oriented Hefazat ul Islam's points of contention and (intentionally) limited scope still ringing around society in Bangladesh, the place, potential, translation and movement of Islamic socio-political principles and shapes comes to attention.

With today's arrest of Amar Desh's editor and past BNP energy adviser Mahmudur Rahman, and the sealing of its press, the dissenting voice of 'Islamic forces' has been muzzled. I remember how Amar Desh broke the TribunalGate story in December that sent the War Crimes Tribunal into a headspin and magically began the corrosion of 42 years of powerful guilt tripping and rumour mongery that has made a self-mutilating laughing stock of the country.

That said, I don't think he is the Mahdi or the Sonar Bangla Bullet. I pray he is returned safely to his family ASAP (just like everyone else who is unjustly confined) and see this arrest as just one part of the actions of a despicable, dissent-crushing and murderous government. I just wanted to take the moment to ponder beyond dinosaurs, clones and religious tribalisers.

The more I think of the political autisms of Shahbag and and LongMarch the more I feel that we need to reconnect, critically, with the politics of Maulana Bhashani, the 80 day president Khondhokar Moshtaque Ahmed, and the erudition of Kamal Hossain. [The Kissinger Cables hyperlinked provide a one-click time machine to them]

It is sad that the country is probably not even hungry for a creative generation of Islamic thinkers, justice and serenity makers. The tail end batsmen can only last for so long, especially now that they have acquired a habit for self harm.

Imagine

  1. A public sphere more inclusive of Islamic and other non secular contribution and social imagination.
  2. Hefazat-un-Nisa, a radical Islamist Begumhood dedicated to ensuring dignity and a living wage for garments workers, male and female and the vibrancy of the sector.
  3. The country's apparently Islamic types inspired by the work, talent and martyrdom of Shaheed-e-Kormi Aminul Islam .
  4. Political formations and actions that rupture the firewalls between rightist-Islamist and leftist-Atheist. 
  5. A Jamat happy to admit mistakes and nuance and Islamic alternatives.
  6. A left that is co-operative with political Islam.
  7. Greater dialogical relations between Islamic, social and physical sciences and scholars.
  8. A vibrant, Islamically moved creative class providing social yeast, not decoration or nostalgia.
  9. A world-class weekly publication to carry the conversation and raise the tone. 
  10. That the judiciary had integrity.
  11. That talents would be nurtured and given scope, not hamstrung, embittered and cleft asunder.
  12. In the coming years there are fewer blockheads in every camp.
  13. A new political grammar to supercede hartals, encampments, marches and naff renditions of whiteous indignation.
  14. Ecological politics, not confrontational politics.
  15. Bangladesh as an ummahtic destination for more than the Tabligh, Tawfique Chowdhury and Zakir Naik.
  16. Real, confident and credible engagement in the Asian regional scene.




1 comment:

Talukder Shaheb said...

Wistful thinking. Boy I love it!