I think a FAQ structure is appropriate here.
Ganj?
In Bangladesh, a lot of the towns and districts have the suffix 'ganj'. For example Sirajganj, Munshiganj, Zakiganj, Habiganj and (deep breath) Chapanawabganj. Farsi used to be the language of power in preBritish colonial times, until they banned it, and ganj means 'storehouse' in that language. Over the years the word ganj had transformed itself into more than a storehouse in my mind and those around me. Indeed the *Spirit of the Ganj* is a force to be reckoned with.
What is Ganjineering?
The processes and relationships through which we can interact organically with our ancestral homelands to learn and try to be of use.
You mean NGOgiri do you not?
Nope, though the waqf (the pious endowment), is an authentic means of engaging in collective action that we need to respect more if we expect our societies to advance. Ganjineers tend not to play on the poverty of others to assert any kind of ego trip and earn money using the Development Industry at the same time. They do not try to turn their communities into aliens from their religious heritage and culture, into savages to be civilised with fashionable empowerment speak, decontextualised development indices and glossy reports to donors.
Who are you to intervene? What makes you less imperialist than the NGO lords and sell outs that haunt you?
If you know your history, then you will know where you are coming from, then you wouldn't have to ask me, who the hell do I think I am. (Bob Marley)
Who does Ganjineering?
Ganjineers.
You pretentious fiend give us an example!
Ok, i feel that Akhtar Hameed Khan was the epitome of the Ganjineer. May we learn from people like him.
26.3.07
24.3.07
New word : BlogSlip
This is an important term for Our knowledge culture. BlogSlip is a habit enabled by the onset of the Internet, whereby the voice of the fool is drawn further into prominence than is necessary. An important characteristic of BlogSlip is in the empowerment of flawed ideas and bitter thinking
I can BlogSlip when drawn into commenting upon that I shouldn't really get into, because the 'others' ears are filled with lead and/or I really don't have any special knowledge on the matter. BlogSlip also explains BS in the press. The UK Guardians entire 'Comment is Free' section is full of BlogSlip.
In the age where the electronically endowed and righteously indignant collide through the facilities of Web 2.0 as well as the corporate media, there is the strange idea that having an opinion, or carrying an opinion on everything is desirable, a sign of not being apathetic.
This poor attitude can only lead to trouble and gunah, for the one who really believes in Accountability.
Beware.
I can BlogSlip when drawn into commenting upon that I shouldn't really get into, because the 'others' ears are filled with lead and/or I really don't have any special knowledge on the matter. BlogSlip also explains BS in the press. The UK Guardians entire 'Comment is Free' section is full of BlogSlip.
In the age where the electronically endowed and righteously indignant collide through the facilities of Web 2.0 as well as the corporate media, there is the strange idea that having an opinion, or carrying an opinion on everything is desirable, a sign of not being apathetic.
This poor attitude can only lead to trouble and gunah, for the one who really believes in Accountability.
Beware.
10.3.07
Tribute to Prof Syed Hussein Alattas
This post is adapted from a few months back, when i was in less of a bloggy mood. I guess there are people who never knew who he was in the first place, to be able to mourn him.
So here goes.
A mighty Muslim warrior in the intellectual and political battle against evil (corruption, captive minds, parochialism and foolishness) passed away on the 23rd of January 2007 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, of a heart attack.
Our Ummah, Our World is poorer now.
Please pray for him, for his family, friends, supporters..
So here goes.
A mighty Muslim warrior in the intellectual and political battle against evil (corruption, captive minds, parochialism and foolishness) passed away on the 23rd of January 2007 in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, of a heart attack.
Our Ummah, Our World is poorer now.
Please pray for him, for his family, friends, supporters..
I had the good fortune to squeeze his brain at his home one night in mid August 2006, he was hilarious and had a complex sociology of the 'fool' and of flattery ticking over in his brain. Into the silly hours we went. One of the few people i have heard of who was an original thinker (Books on; The myth of the lazy native, Problems facing intellectuals in developing societies, Captive minds, The sociology of corruption:nature, efffect and function, Corruption and the future of asia), and contributed to the progressive political scene.
As a justice seeking individual he suffered at the hands of the malaysian state and the pretty gutless intelligensia there. This was particularly apparent towards the end, where he was character assasinated (6 months press barrage) out of his job as the VC of University Malaya under some trumped up political corruption ruse. This happened at the time when he was tackling intellectual corruption (plaigarism) and economic corruption (catering contracts) on the campus. irony is not dead.
Never a fan of the once fashionable 'Islamisation of knowledge' brigade (a movement to sort out our knowledge culture that started in the 70s'), he reflected that this resulted in the creation of an exclusivist discource for the political benefit of some 'islamists', in muslim students not reading as widely as they should and in 2nd ratedness. He felt it that that alleyway was blind and had done a lot of damage.
He was very keen on the regionalisation of sociology. Given 1000s of sociologists in the third world we have a very strong base, but little collective discussion, the eu has a collective discussion, they have a regional interest. I really hope that his thoughts on south east asian sociology (including desh!!) are heeded.
As a sociologist he understood how knowledge is produced and constrained and struggled hard all his life to free our 'Captive Minds' and point out various 'Manifestations of the fool'. He advised us not be be jargonists, to hide defective reasoning in layers of jargon, that its a battle between valid concepts and jargon.
When we spoke last summer, i really wanted him to come to the UK, we never invite original contrubuters like this. He seemed very game but his health was basically a limit. I also hadnt sorted my life out enough to know where i would be and when i would be where. I was also worried that UK folks are too far gone, salafised, foolish and parochial to appreciate him.
Still i really do hope that his writings and ideas are read more widely in the colonising, decolonising and especially muslim worlds. I hope young undergrads and postgrads find motivation and clues in his work, that its inspired and helps them to 'go for it', as it were. i implore you to go out there and search hard for his books and writings on the web. SOAS library and British library stock his stuff, so probably do the Other India Bookshop.
"I concentrated on the captive mind because the captive mind is most urgent as far as the developing society is concerned. We are not concerned with the slave holders, we are concerned with the enslaved. And a change, as we all know, can only be achieved if there is an awakening of the downtrodden, of the slave community. Without the change in the slave community, the attitude of the slave community, there can never be any change. As far as the slave holders were concerned, they will not give the freedom away. It had to be wrenched from them. The slave must wake up to wrench the freedom the slave holders."
(Multiversity Meeting on 'Redesign of Social Science Curricula', Penang 2004)
Multiversity was a project through which i first met the Prof, http://www.multiver
Farish Noor's Obituary is here
New word - PragmatoMarxist
The PragmatoMarxist is often found working in the Development Industry, and harbours the belief that he or she is bringing something Southern to the table.
Such characters are common in Bangladeshi Society. I hope I am not one of them.
Definition of terms
Development Industry - The range of interests and God complexes that contrive to convince people that they are working to 'develop' communities and individuals.
Its complicated.
The Development Industry is hard to argue against and resist, it has a virtuous vocabulary and is worth Billions every year. I hope I do not become part of that industry. We should think and act in terms of the Post-Development era.
Southern - Implies a degree of authenticity and autonomy from the hegemon, call it The North, Anglo-Saxonia, 'Western Hegemony', OECD Countries, Orientalist gaze, entrenched powers, recolonisers, victors of WW1 and 2 or whatever. *Southern* politically correct way of referring to Developing countries which in itself is a distraction from the idea that these are decolonising societies and resurgent societies.
Authentic Southern figures I feel include people like Ali Shariati, Hugo Chavez, Franz Fanon, Hussein Al Attas, Mahathir and the like. People who might not fit 100% with readers political-ideological sensibilities, but who really are a different breed. Such characters dont play the Development Game, they just do it.
Such characters are common in Bangladeshi Society. I hope I am not one of them.
Definition of terms
Development Industry - The range of interests and God complexes that contrive to convince people that they are working to 'develop' communities and individuals.
Its complicated.
The Development Industry is hard to argue against and resist, it has a virtuous vocabulary and is worth Billions every year. I hope I do not become part of that industry. We should think and act in terms of the Post-Development era.
Southern - Implies a degree of authenticity and autonomy from the hegemon, call it The North, Anglo-Saxonia, 'Western Hegemony', OECD Countries, Orientalist gaze, entrenched powers, recolonisers, victors of WW1 and 2 or whatever. *Southern* politically correct way of referring to Developing countries which in itself is a distraction from the idea that these are decolonising societies and resurgent societies.
Authentic Southern figures I feel include people like Ali Shariati, Hugo Chavez, Franz Fanon, Hussein Al Attas, Mahathir and the like. People who might not fit 100% with readers political-ideological sensibilities, but who really are a different breed. Such characters dont play the Development Game, they just do it.
28.12.06
Nintendo potential, tenacious d, hajj and Bangladeshi politics!
few warblings today. mostly useless.
i wish somebody somewhere would exploit the nintendo ds and wii capabilities to teach the handwriting and calligraphy of unusual scripts (arabic, chinese, japanese, bengali...) and create 3d art. come on folks, someone out there must have headspace, im sure its not too geeky.
the wii controlers use these funky accelorometers and some crazy IR jive to translate live 3d movement into 3d control
...
Do not watch borat, i almost laughed my way to hell. its a dehumanising experience.
However, 'Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny' is a fine pice of entertainment.
BattleStar Gallactica is a fine series, though its sad how decent galactic-political sci-fi has cranked up the randiness in recent years.
...
Lots of would be hajis got messed around this year. visa and flight procurement. it is a real 'sabr' (patience) workout for those involved. Anyway, im not a haji, so am i free to go nuts and distribute an adequate supply of slaps to the fools who buggered up? I'm wondering how blameworthy and sincere a 'im not going on hajj until the saudi occupiers sod off' attitude would be. I mean, its the fifth pillar, a major conference, the performance of ancient and soulfully powerful acts of ritual worship in the sacred geography and history of islam, its the real deal.
...
The Awami League party in bangladesh has got itself in a pickle by signing an MoU with an Islamic party Bangladesh Khelafatul Majlish (BKM). BKM is actually a sub splinter of the Khelafatul Majlis party which is still in the BNP led coalition. Abdul jalil, the gensec of the Awami league, famous for repeatedly threatening to 'pull down the government in 30 days' and wearing a rather dangerous looking moustache, met with the hadith scholar Allama Azizul Huq and soon after was being hung drawn and quartered by his other political pals.
The content is quite blindingly obvious (dont legistate against quran, sunnah and shariat, dignifying madrassa teachers and students, insulting the prophets of god isnt a good idea, Muhammad (pbuh) was the last messenger etc.) but the predictable hoohaa was stirred amongst the usual suspects amongst the ultras (self confessed civil society, 'progressive', right thinking individuals, human rightists and my favourite... 'intellectuals).
Society is too polarised. effing democracy accentuates and creates these fissures.
I think this occurance is interesting because in recent decades bangladesh's people and institutions have been steadily deislamised. It is so bad in places that it is impossible to have informed knowledge seeking public debate about concepts and institutions like... shariah, madrassa, fatwa and alim with many bangladeshis, especially the ones with anti islamic ideals plinging around their skulls. They can get quite agro, hateful and presumptive. Its like an angry wasps nest, fueled by DFID, USAID, the UN and all elements of the 'development industry'.
I remember challenging a dhaka uni prof who was spouting some inteligent sounding crap about madrassas to 'flipin come with me and empirically study the people and the institutions with a supportive mindset, you do the girly ones ill do the boys'. She was not interested in anything more than being demonisingly unhelpful.
Maybe this is a sign of the pendulum swinging the other way? Away from the secular end and towards the spiritual end. Maybe its just election weirdoness. The Awami League are always changing their minds about things. Its a high stakes game, however loses the election next month will find themselves under physical attack, vulnerable leaders and students will die.
Democratic tradition.
Many would say that the Awami-khelafat relationship is a temporary marriage. like muta! I see it as more of a sign of where the culture is heading sourcing its moral, ethical framework. Thats probably what id like to see!
So lets also get real. The electoral tactition from the awami view wants to assure the public that a vote for them is not against islamic principles, so it needs to cover its arse. I wonder if it will work. so much of the election result will depend on local personality cults, thug networks and whatnot, i doubt that fundamental paradigmatic differences mean a thing.
'vote for this guy, he is your uncles son inlaws buffallo keepers second owners grandfather, he protected our arses the other day, from the raging buggalo theives'
Personally I find bangladeshis of my generation(in desh and abroad) more and more interested in mentally and spiritually engaging with their islamic identity. The book stores are better stocked, the cultural invasion is being modulated, the institutions are becoming more rubust and accustomed to religious practice. Cultural J is a slow and a fast process, but i feel its well underway. Elections cant really stop it. no matter how worker up we get by the temporary change in the fleecers political outlook.
a few posts ago i mentioned 'Probe News' an english weekly from dhaka. Well i found the link. www.probenewsmagazine.com
its really fab. kooky fresh, thoughtful and a pleasant suprise.
i wish somebody somewhere would exploit the nintendo ds and wii capabilities to teach the handwriting and calligraphy of unusual scripts (arabic, chinese, japanese, bengali...) and create 3d art. come on folks, someone out there must have headspace, im sure its not too geeky.
the wii controlers use these funky accelorometers and some crazy IR jive to translate live 3d movement into 3d control
...
Do not watch borat, i almost laughed my way to hell. its a dehumanising experience.
However, 'Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny' is a fine pice of entertainment.
BattleStar Gallactica is a fine series, though its sad how decent galactic-political sci-fi has cranked up the randiness in recent years.
...
Lots of would be hajis got messed around this year. visa and flight procurement. it is a real 'sabr' (patience) workout for those involved. Anyway, im not a haji, so am i free to go nuts and distribute an adequate supply of slaps to the fools who buggered up? I'm wondering how blameworthy and sincere a 'im not going on hajj until the saudi occupiers sod off' attitude would be. I mean, its the fifth pillar, a major conference, the performance of ancient and soulfully powerful acts of ritual worship in the sacred geography and history of islam, its the real deal.
...
The Awami League party in bangladesh has got itself in a pickle by signing an MoU with an Islamic party Bangladesh Khelafatul Majlish (BKM). BKM is actually a sub splinter of the Khelafatul Majlis party which is still in the BNP led coalition. Abdul jalil, the gensec of the Awami league, famous for repeatedly threatening to 'pull down the government in 30 days' and wearing a rather dangerous looking moustache, met with the hadith scholar Allama Azizul Huq and soon after was being hung drawn and quartered by his other political pals.
The content is quite blindingly obvious (dont legistate against quran, sunnah and shariat, dignifying madrassa teachers and students, insulting the prophets of god isnt a good idea, Muhammad (pbuh) was the last messenger etc.) but the predictable hoohaa was stirred amongst the usual suspects amongst the ultras (self confessed civil society, 'progressive', right thinking individuals, human rightists and my favourite... 'intellectuals).
Society is too polarised. effing democracy accentuates and creates these fissures.
I think this occurance is interesting because in recent decades bangladesh's people and institutions have been steadily deislamised. It is so bad in places that it is impossible to have informed knowledge seeking public debate about concepts and institutions like... shariah, madrassa, fatwa and alim with many bangladeshis, especially the ones with anti islamic ideals plinging around their skulls. They can get quite agro, hateful and presumptive. Its like an angry wasps nest, fueled by DFID, USAID, the UN and all elements of the 'development industry'.
I remember challenging a dhaka uni prof who was spouting some inteligent sounding crap about madrassas to 'flipin come with me and empirically study the people and the institutions with a supportive mindset, you do the girly ones ill do the boys'. She was not interested in anything more than being demonisingly unhelpful.
Maybe this is a sign of the pendulum swinging the other way? Away from the secular end and towards the spiritual end. Maybe its just election weirdoness. The Awami League are always changing their minds about things. Its a high stakes game, however loses the election next month will find themselves under physical attack, vulnerable leaders and students will die.
Democratic tradition.
Many would say that the Awami-khelafat relationship is a temporary marriage. like muta! I see it as more of a sign of where the culture is heading sourcing its moral, ethical framework. Thats probably what id like to see!
So lets also get real. The electoral tactition from the awami view wants to assure the public that a vote for them is not against islamic principles, so it needs to cover its arse. I wonder if it will work. so much of the election result will depend on local personality cults, thug networks and whatnot, i doubt that fundamental paradigmatic differences mean a thing.
'vote for this guy, he is your uncles son inlaws buffallo keepers second owners grandfather, he protected our arses the other day, from the raging buggalo theives'
Personally I find bangladeshis of my generation(in desh and abroad) more and more interested in mentally and spiritually engaging with their islamic identity. The book stores are better stocked, the cultural invasion is being modulated, the institutions are becoming more rubust and accustomed to religious practice. Cultural J is a slow and a fast process, but i feel its well underway. Elections cant really stop it. no matter how worker up we get by the temporary change in the fleecers political outlook.
a few posts ago i mentioned 'Probe News' an english weekly from dhaka. Well i found the link. www.probenewsmagazine.com
its really fab. kooky fresh, thoughtful and a pleasant suprise.
5.11.06
Political Situation in Bangladesh 101
Something a little regional but timely. You may have heard that things are going a little more ape than usual in Bangladesh, please remember the whole society in your duas.
Some people feel that all the parties are the same in Bangladesh. I wrote this for those people but hope you like it, and will be better informed about the contemporary politics in the lands of my ancestors, International relations, Development and 'civil society.
I think the best way of knowing what somebody is like it to look at what they do and find out how they deal with problems. Studying natural disasters is one of these ways. Extrapolating stuff onto a ridiculous scenario is another. Its a bit like the 'you have two cows' email.
Imagine a huge swarm of carnivorous locusts the size of Jackfruit (see image ) land in a packed Dhaka Stadium and start making a meal of Mohammeddan and Abohani(two famous sporting clubs) as well as the spectators.
What do our various social forces think and do?
BNP: Blame RAW(Indian intelligence). Faff around until figuring that it is in their interests to actually do something. Deploy the military (minus any important people), sit on the political 'credit' for decades. If that doesn't work, because the army is busy making startup capital in Africa as UN peace keeper, induce some Afghan jihad veterans to have a go.
Jatiya Party: Something very crafty indeed, I'm too young to know anything other than FAP (Flood Action Plan - big money investment after nasty floods of 87/88) and cant extrapolate. Suggestions are welcome.
Awami League: Invoke the spirit of liberation, electronically hack into the commentators box and lead the spectators in an earthshaking rendition of Amar Sonar Bangla (national anthem), from Singapore of course. kinda like on the Titanic.
Communist Party of Bangladesh: Declare Mohamedan Sporting a class enemy and the others some kind of collateral damage. Make any other initiative difficult.
Centre for Policy Dialogue (rubbish thinktank): Write an agreeable sounding technocratic proposal to the queen of the locusts praising her population control methodology but urging a little more of a participatory approach. Because Bangladesh is the next Switzerland ( a claim one of their founders made around the time of the creation of the country).
Susheel Samaj(NGOs and civil society): Run away from dhaka, in planes and neat cars.
Tablighi Jamaat: Try to improve the character of the players and the spectators while their own limbs are being fiendishly nibbled at.
50% of ricksha walahs, CNGs and cabbies: Make a killing on getting people out of there.
JamaateIslami: Think "Lets turn dhaka stadium into an Islamic State!(don't ask what that means, its what we do!)" Deploy a weary but willing shibir (student wing) to kick some arse.
US: Send a multidisciplinary team of hot scientists to study and learn from the behavior gnawing insects. Create a climate of panic with an exaggerated sob-story account of one of their citizens that got eaten to further manipulate International institutions and geopolitics in their unipolar favour.
UK: Urge UK citizens not to travel to Bangladesh and mumble something to whatever victors of the conflict to act with restraint, protect democratic institutions and uphold the rule of law. Threaten to stop funding shushil samaj.
China: Probably contribute something very useful like, 'We faced this problem 100000 years ago, try this out'. We try to apply it, but can't read the instructions.
Japan: Send in JICA(their foreign technical assistance outfit), who conclude that we aren't disciplined enough to make any of their plans work.
India : "I guess you wont be needing this water then."
Greenpeace: This is further evidence of the biological mutations enabled by climate change. whoopee!
Christian Science Monitor (News agency): "Political scenario in Bangladesh might favour the Islamists." "Bangladesh's minorities fear persecution."
Half of Malaysia : Send us their peace corps.
The other Half: Wonder how they are going to get rid of these foreign workers.
My fellow Sylatians in the UK: Fund the expansion of Osmani Airport in Sylhet.30.9.06
Remembering Prof Aftab Ahmad
It is sad when gifted people are taken away from us.
Professor Aftab Ahmad died in the morning of the 26th, he had been attacked and shot a few days in his University residence. He was one of those brave and forward thinking intellectuals, proud and knowledgeable of his religion, and not, as is too often the case in this country, afraid to think with it. He was the ex VC of the National University and a professor of Political Science at Dhaka Uni. He was an illustrious son of Noakhali. May Allah accept his good works and sacrifice, forgive him for his mistakes and raise him in the akhira. May Allah continue the works he was involved with and grant his servants in this region a little more clarity of thought, unity and efficacy.
Coining very catchy slogans like "Joi bangla" and "Amader Thikhana, Padma, Meghna, Jamuna", he was an active physical and intellectual freedom fighter in '71, sustaining a gunshot wound for his efforts. After the war was over, he opposed more and more of what he saw going on, starting a newspaper going to jail, yknow ... the usual! In 1983, he wrote a doctorate thesis at the University of London on 'The Mujib Era', when i get home i dearly want to check it out. People of most political leanings will have heard of him or worked with or against him at some stage in Bangladesh, as he was into the lefty thing as a student leader, which was a rite of passage here.
For his time as VC of the National University, he was in the favour of the present government. The falling out, about which my knowledge is sketchy and secondary at the mo is important to investigate. Generally the group in power are stubborn, ignorant and understand only money, especially the 'younger section'.
So Who-dunnit? and Why? Between the complete ballsup concerning treatment at the military hospital, the profs spinefulness and orientation of thought theres enough to sustain a healthy speculation. Prof had no doubt made some enemies amongst the ultra nationalist block over the years with his ability to penetrate nationalist taboos, but its hard to identify who carried out this act of jahiliya, and on who's instruction. This is not an 'Islamist' alleged operation either, so i would not expect any hue and cry in the overseas press. What chance have the small people of this country got of being 'tolerant', when the high ups are so senile?
Professor Aftab Ahmad died in the morning of the 26th, he had been attacked and shot a few days in his University residence. He was one of those brave and forward thinking intellectuals, proud and knowledgeable of his religion, and not, as is too often the case in this country, afraid to think with it. He was the ex VC of the National University and a professor of Political Science at Dhaka Uni. He was an illustrious son of Noakhali. May Allah accept his good works and sacrifice, forgive him for his mistakes and raise him in the akhira. May Allah continue the works he was involved with and grant his servants in this region a little more clarity of thought, unity and efficacy.
Coining very catchy slogans like "Joi bangla" and "Amader Thikhana, Padma, Meghna, Jamuna", he was an active physical and intellectual freedom fighter in '71, sustaining a gunshot wound for his efforts. After the war was over, he opposed more and more of what he saw going on, starting a newspaper going to jail, yknow ... the usual! In 1983, he wrote a doctorate thesis at the University of London on 'The Mujib Era', when i get home i dearly want to check it out. People of most political leanings will have heard of him or worked with or against him at some stage in Bangladesh, as he was into the lefty thing as a student leader, which was a rite of passage here.
For his time as VC of the National University, he was in the favour of the present government. The falling out, about which my knowledge is sketchy and secondary at the mo is important to investigate. Generally the group in power are stubborn, ignorant and understand only money, especially the 'younger section'.
So Who-dunnit? and Why? Between the complete ballsup concerning treatment at the military hospital, the profs spinefulness and orientation of thought theres enough to sustain a healthy speculation. Prof had no doubt made some enemies amongst the ultra nationalist block over the years with his ability to penetrate nationalist taboos, but its hard to identify who carried out this act of jahiliya, and on who's instruction. This is not an 'Islamist' alleged operation either, so i would not expect any hue and cry in the overseas press. What chance have the small people of this country got of being 'tolerant', when the high ups are so senile?
The last time i saw him in the flesh was before leaving dhaka for a bit last month, he said to fetch him something by ibn miskaweh (on political ethics) from a library. I fished it out but didnt have the chance to reach it to him in person, in fact i was going to see him before my recent trip to a ganj in the north, but his wife said he had gone out and i needed to catch my bus. Later i find out that he had received it. I did however catch him on the TV, on the very night he was shot on ATN Bangla (prerecorded slot on the election commission controversty). He was on good form.
The Muslim Ummah really needs to nurture its brains in the current era, this week however, Bangladesh shot itself in the head, again. There are plenty more bullets where that came from, but maybe not so many targets.
His janaza was held at Dhaka University Central Mosque, amid all sorts of posthumous respect (too little too late i reckon) from all the usual suspects (government kitchen cabinet, Dhaka Teachers, vc of dhaka uni ...).
Riding through the Uni campus later that day, I notices that the Liberation War statues were wearing black blindfolds. Later I inquire as to what this symbolises...This was apparently to symbolise the blindness of those in power.
Riding through the Uni campus later that day, I notices that the Liberation War statues were wearing black blindfolds. Later I inquire as to what this symbolises...This was apparently to symbolise the blindness of those in power.
The impression of Dhaka Uni teachers amongst the ordinary citizenry has been defined of late by the late Dr Humayun Azad (Bangla department). He recieved (nonfatal) , severe injury near his uni residence ~18months ago, in apparent retribution for his anti-islamic, pro-atheist stance (Danish cartoons are nothing on what used to allegedly come out of his mouth concerning the prophets). I cant be bothered to recount the chap's history. If you like, read his own contribution on his own terms in the universe of this very bitter nutjob bangladeshi 'freethinkers' forum and see for yourself.
I bring this up because, in a conversation with a random, i heard something along the lines of 'Bhalo hoise, tara shob nasthik' (a good thing happened, they are all atheists).
Bit of a bummer approach to things, but it gives us an idea of how different the values of this portion of the Mukti group are to the identity of local people. Its a bit like the Taliban i guess, winning an independence war against a formibable foe with outside help and then falsely imagining they could run a country and failing, bringing ruin upon the society.
Anyway, Prof Aftab's assassination sets a further precedent of assassins going into a teachers home and shooting them.
It s political showdown time in Bangladesh, anything is possible, chances are that he was removed as a precursor of what might come to be.
Anyway what a time to check out of here, Ramadhan.
23.9.06
jai Gaibandha (i'm off)
Armed with my maps (ooooh that was a time consuming aquisition) and a gps, I spent the past ~7 days in Gaibandha, 'ganj-tripping'. Covered the required ground, albeit on very slow forms of transport and in the wet. this area isnt so affected by the main branch of the jamuna, it tends to get the smaller threads(ulnike further south), which you'd expect would make it easier to control. NOT REALLY. next time im there it will get juicy as I get my self up the noses of the engineers and politicians.
I went to Juma in the field yesterday, a small tin shed of a mosq on an alluvial island, that had been moved several times over the past five years. These folks were not as isolated from the riverbank as most, because the government had built an embankment-cum-road connecting it to the mainland
The flood was mud with sack covering, and soft to kneel on, very kneelable indeed. There was a line from the khutbah that struck me particularly,as the gale outside squeesed through the holes in the corrugated tin. It went along the lines of 'Every day we are getting closer to Allah'.
Ive learnt heaps from all the schools, mosques and madrassas ive seen over the passed months (100+), about community, relocation, cultural reproduction and the general islamic flavourings of communities in desh. This might sound very unlike me, but...I can't wait to analyse this data and get onto the second stage.
Establishing madrassas(READ EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION) is a part of the natural philanthopic urge of Muslim societies. A family with a the resourecs and status willset up a mosque, plan for a madrassa (ebtedai (that is hybrid), or hafizia(learning the whole quran), plan for an etimkhana (orphanage). How far they get on this plan depends on how well they do monetarily their organisiational and intellectual ability.
Yes, i just used the 'i' word to give a sense of the partiallysighted leading the not-yet-even-partially-sighted.
The 'alarming growth' of madrassas that bingos harp on about, is probably more to do with the improvement of peoples wellfare to the point where they can organise their own institutions, with their own valued character. If they cant get further than a mosque, they make do with a maktab arrangement in the mornings after fajr to impart the basics of religion to their kids. Also, a lot of these institutions probably already existed but were not registered with government.
Ok, its not islamic renaissance, in the 16th Century AH ummahtic detonation wavefunction sense (the madrassa detractors im on about arent interested in that anyway), but there are quality mutlifunctional people with an islamic world view emerging from these places. Its in the alignment of the well resourced that the 'Envelope' will be extended, it would be foolish to expect otherwise.
Diversity in education is the way forward. and ongoing support, communication and synthesis between the flavours... Islamic, English and Bangla mediums.
Thursday was lost to a simultaneous storm and strike by the Awami league. Oooh well at least i did some writing and planning. Little inconveniences like rain, dumb power boards and crap roads affect locals far more boneshakingly. Many hundreds of families lost their only bread winner as tons of fishermens trawlers got caught in the depression in the bay of bengal. I dread to think how much potential advancement has been frustrated by the crapness of the road from Ullobazar to Shaggata. The crapness of the road can be attributed, apparently to the local MP. Her goons were not getting the contract so she directed 'development' elsewhere.
Now I'm back in Bogra, waiting for Ramadan totake a hold of me and polishing of 3 small, but probably institutionally rich areas before heading back to the capital. Have been watching too much TV(at least when ther was electricity at the hotel, i shall leave the story of the kanjos hotelier-engineer for another day, mosquitos are biting), some of it surreal.
'Almost Famous' is one of my favourite 70's rock road movies, it was on some random star movies channel the other night. hearing alvin and theodore the chipmunks and simlutaneously seeing arabic usbtitles was very very odd. what a sad life i..
oh, had a rather interesting journey home last night, several miles walk along the dark, rainy windy river side through bogged roads, with pretty much all my data on my person followed by dodjy rickshaw ride, followed by dodjy driver of a 4x4 microbus giving us a lift to earn some extra cash .
Thankyou Gaibandha for not bumraping me. Thankyou nokia for having very bright mobile phone sreens.
off now, Salaam, ... i wonder if this will publish.
I went to Juma in the field yesterday, a small tin shed of a mosq on an alluvial island, that had been moved several times over the past five years. These folks were not as isolated from the riverbank as most, because the government had built an embankment-cum-road connecting it to the mainland
The flood was mud with sack covering, and soft to kneel on, very kneelable indeed. There was a line from the khutbah that struck me particularly,as the gale outside squeesed through the holes in the corrugated tin. It went along the lines of 'Every day we are getting closer to Allah'.
Ive learnt heaps from all the schools, mosques and madrassas ive seen over the passed months (100+), about community, relocation, cultural reproduction and the general islamic flavourings of communities in desh. This might sound very unlike me, but...I can't wait to analyse this data and get onto the second stage.
Establishing madrassas(READ EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION) is a part of the natural philanthopic urge of Muslim societies. A family with a the resourecs and status willset up a mosque, plan for a madrassa (ebtedai (that is hybrid), or hafizia(learning the whole quran), plan for an etimkhana (orphanage). How far they get on this plan depends on how well they do monetarily their organisiational and intellectual ability.
Yes, i just used the 'i' word to give a sense of the partiallysighted leading the not-yet-even-partially-sighted.
The 'alarming growth' of madrassas that bingos harp on about, is probably more to do with the improvement of peoples wellfare to the point where they can organise their own institutions, with their own valued character. If they cant get further than a mosque, they make do with a maktab arrangement in the mornings after fajr to impart the basics of religion to their kids. Also, a lot of these institutions probably already existed but were not registered with government.
Ok, its not islamic renaissance, in the 16th Century AH ummahtic detonation wavefunction sense (the madrassa detractors im on about arent interested in that anyway), but there are quality mutlifunctional people with an islamic world view emerging from these places. Its in the alignment of the well resourced that the 'Envelope' will be extended, it would be foolish to expect otherwise.
Diversity in education is the way forward. and ongoing support, communication and synthesis between the flavours... Islamic, English and Bangla mediums.
Thursday was lost to a simultaneous storm and strike by the Awami league. Oooh well at least i did some writing and planning. Little inconveniences like rain, dumb power boards and crap roads affect locals far more boneshakingly. Many hundreds of families lost their only bread winner as tons of fishermens trawlers got caught in the depression in the bay of bengal. I dread to think how much potential advancement has been frustrated by the crapness of the road from Ullobazar to Shaggata. The crapness of the road can be attributed, apparently to the local MP. Her goons were not getting the contract so she directed 'development' elsewhere.
Now I'm back in Bogra, waiting for Ramadan totake a hold of me and polishing of 3 small, but probably institutionally rich areas before heading back to the capital. Have been watching too much TV(at least when ther was electricity at the hotel, i shall leave the story of the kanjos hotelier-engineer for another day, mosquitos are biting), some of it surreal.
'Almost Famous' is one of my favourite 70's rock road movies, it was on some random star movies channel the other night. hearing alvin and theodore the chipmunks and simlutaneously seeing arabic usbtitles was very very odd. what a sad life i..
oh, had a rather interesting journey home last night, several miles walk along the dark, rainy windy river side through bogged roads, with pretty much all my data on my person followed by dodjy rickshaw ride, followed by dodjy driver of a 4x4 microbus giving us a lift to earn some extra cash .
Thankyou Gaibandha for not bumraping me. Thankyou nokia for having very bright mobile phone sreens.
off now, Salaam, ... i wonder if this will publish.
8.9.06
Shababaraat, Newspaper and Collective Ijtihad
doh, I'm still in Dhaka. But to my credit I have a new keyboard now.
Shababaraat
After Magrib today, Dhaka is gonna be getting namazi for Shababaraat.
Every year in the UK, theres a discussion on whether its an innovation in worship, or whether its ok. In Bangladesh too theres an emerging diversity of views. Some organisations take pride in ignoring it. However i think its one of those islamic cultural 'bells and whistles' that does more good than bad.
Im intrigued and looking forward to seeing what goes on. In case any hardcores wish for a justification on theological grounds Sunnipath have something for you. The concept is that is a weak hadith recommends a virtue, go for it.
If you would like to laugh at an arch secularist loony promotion of the event, read this Daily Star Editorial. Wait untill the end of it for Mahfuz Anam's 'medicine'. Awww bless
Mean while the Dhaka Ploice have banned fireworks.
Newspaper
Picked up an issue of the NewAge newspaper yesterday (during a marathon hour long search for a CNG scooter to go to Tejgaon), they were celebrating some knd of anniversity and had a special supplement of Education, Knowledge and politics. Sterling effort, if a little rabidly anti-Islamic organisation for one whole article. In 'The Green Serpent Rises' a journo gives a very superficial, ahistoric and incomplete portrayal of the history of Islami student activism. Political production of 'evidence', all negative, for the english readership.
All the cliches are drawn on, the spirit of the liberation war, 'inflitration of Islamists everywhere', vien cutting and what not.
All in all, im sure that the supplement raised a little discussion about knowledge culture in this country, and its political manufacture. Its expose on Dhaka University was unusually tempered with optimistic.
This week has been a little frustrating with regards to fieldwork, its been out of my hands, i cannot complete the institutional survey without 6 more mouza maps. i've taken to reaarranging stuff , reading more, visiting people, printing some maps and business cards. This week i think i'll go up north and do a bunch of surveys (without naqsha daag numbers) anyway.
can also do some data processing of the 6 mouzas that i have all ready.
Collective Ijtihad
Bumped into the concept of collective ijtihad a few days back.
I'm reading a new version of Prof Kamali's 'An introduction to Shariah' (2006, Ilmiah Publications, KL). He is much more contextual and has an eye on the present day situation than i have noticed before. However it doesnt read like its a political piece, promoting any particular organisation or self interested actor. Parts of it read more like something from the history/philosophy of science literature. His rendering of the history of ideas in fiqh, and the archaeology of the discipline is fascinating.Shababaraat
After Magrib today, Dhaka is gonna be getting namazi for Shababaraat.
Every year in the UK, theres a discussion on whether its an innovation in worship, or whether its ok. In Bangladesh too theres an emerging diversity of views. Some organisations take pride in ignoring it. However i think its one of those islamic cultural 'bells and whistles' that does more good than bad.
Im intrigued and looking forward to seeing what goes on. In case any hardcores wish for a justification on theological grounds Sunnipath have something for you. The concept is that is a weak hadith recommends a virtue, go for it.
If you would like to laugh at an arch secularist loony promotion of the event, read this Daily Star Editorial. Wait untill the end of it for Mahfuz Anam's 'medicine'. Awww bless
Mean while the Dhaka Ploice have banned fireworks.
Newspaper
Picked up an issue of the NewAge newspaper yesterday (during a marathon hour long search for a CNG scooter to go to Tejgaon), they were celebrating some knd of anniversity and had a special supplement of Education, Knowledge and politics. Sterling effort, if a little rabidly anti-Islamic organisation for one whole article. In 'The Green Serpent Rises' a journo gives a very superficial, ahistoric and incomplete portrayal of the history of Islami student activism. Political production of 'evidence', all negative, for the english readership.
All the cliches are drawn on, the spirit of the liberation war, 'inflitration of Islamists everywhere', vien cutting and what not.
All in all, im sure that the supplement raised a little discussion about knowledge culture in this country, and its political manufacture. Its expose on Dhaka University was unusually tempered with optimistic.
This week has been a little frustrating with regards to fieldwork, its been out of my hands, i cannot complete the institutional survey without 6 more mouza maps. i've taken to reaarranging stuff , reading more, visiting people, printing some maps and business cards. This week i think i'll go up north and do a bunch of surveys (without naqsha daag numbers) anyway.
can also do some data processing of the 6 mouzas that i have all ready.
Collective Ijtihad
Bumped into the concept of collective ijtihad a few days back.
What this, and i think the whole maqasid movement is about, is the kickstarting of the Islamic knowledge framework, with an eye to demystifying Islamic disciplines and promoting interdisciplinary scholarship.
Collective ijtihad is not meant as a replacement of that of individual scholars, but highlighted in order that it be recognised for its validity. It makes people of other fields more useful. Prof Kamali quotes an idea that Allama Iqbal proposed, that the Muslim Legislative Assembly would be a zone of this collective ijtihad, this fills me will hope but makes me despair when i think of how far apart the knowledge and power actors are today from this sort of culture.
"Another problem we face at present is that despite the door os ijtihad having been declared wide open, we do not see any effective movement toward making ijtihad an engaging process of law and government. A great deal has been said about ijtihad for about a century, that is, ever since the days od al-Afghani and 'Abduh, but the repeated calls for revitalisation of ijtihad has brought about only mdest results. With regard to the qualification that the theory of ijtihad has demanded of the mujtahid it is said that these are heavy and exacting. But this is, in my opinion, just another taqlid-oriented assertion by those who wished to bring ijtihad to a close. The qualifications so stated were not excessive and were frequently fulfilled, as al-Shawkani has stated, by a long series of prominent scholars across the centuries even during the era of taqlid..." p156-7
the discussion continues interestingly until the end of the chapter :-)
In short i like it cos,
-lowers the unrealisable qualificational burden on the individual
-can draw together a fuller disciplinary blending
-very 'shura'.
2.9.06
Phulbari coalmine, the Good list, Starfruit and mental waste
I came back to Dhaka (to get some naqsha maps i hope) before the strike concerning the Phulbari Coal Mine. It turns out that news has reached the London Stock Exchange and World newspapers. Its a story about a country with a crap decisionmaking and powersharing structure, an opportunistic opposition party, libhely left academics, daft police action... and perhaps a little justice winning out in the end.
Asia Energy (london based, with many australian share holders) wanted to start an open pit coal mine in a northwest district, it was going to displace a lot of tribals and kill many trees. both sides dispute the number. Anyhow, the desh gobht has changed its mind, Asia energy has already inbhested 24 million in the area so id imagine there will be a legal mess arising from this.
Desh does not lack energy resource, just the scaledup techno know how to exploit it in its own interest. for instance on the island of bhola, and in many other parts of the country, people drill for water, and find the added benefit of natural gas. This has been domesticated by and large in Bhola my plumber types (not engineers) , quite safely it would seem. I need to check it out. it need to be mapped and the basic piping and techniques refined to maximise safety and benefit.
BAPEX, the national exploration and eextraction outfit has been steadily immasculated obher the years by bad political decision making and the awarding of tenders to obherseas firms. it is fitting that the experise of such a body should reflect this microscale gas enbhironment as well as the meso and large scales.
Geographic intermission
The Independent, the UK newspaper, published its good list today. It is a bhirtuous play on the Times 'Rich List' and is full of noble people, a lot of them thinkers and doers. I am sure theres a lot more to each of the personalities mentioned and plenty of political critique to be written, but this list does tell us about the more enlightened section of Brit society.
For example Robert Chambers, a debhelopmenty chap whos work at IDS in Sussex has popularise the bluddy obbhious idea of participatory debhelopment.
Another sciencey one is John Houghton, meteorologist extrordinare who has done a lot for pushing the Climate Change science mobhement. He has had some sucess in persuading religious people in the US that Climate change is a clear and present danger. I read his text book when i was younger, studieng atmospherics. Like all disciplines i feel now that it obher emphasised the role of the atmosphere, as a geographer im feeling that natural and social processes on the earths surface and subsurface need emphasis now. How can somebody predict doom and gloom for so much of bangladesh by taking an estimate for sea lebhen rise andcolouring in an elebhation map of the country. Theres so much more going on...
Plenty of religious types on display, Md Abdul Bari from the MCB (politically correct or what?!)Bishop of Oxford, Tariq Ramadan and the young founder of Muslim Youth Helpline.
Its a great list just to communicate the range of actihity going on out there for public consumption and inspiration.
Geographic intermission 2
On a slightly different note, I brought up my star fruit fascination at my uncles house yesterday. It turns out that they grow at my baumuniz bari in Narayanganj. Folks were talking dreamily of juicing the creatures and spicing them up before consumption and ebhen about the fruit's potential with fish (chuto mas). It turns out that its quite cheap and can be found at school children fodder at the right times and places in the city.
Are intellectuals in Muslim societies always subject to humiliation and slander and criminal educational wastage.
Im thinking specifically of the Bengali Muslim Islamic thinkers that were totally shafted by the new 'Bangladesh' system. Their precense is sorely missed and is sought after. Truth doesnt matter to cultural plunderers, the misunderstandability of the public is used to ruin reputations and thereby cut the general people off from sources of enlightenment. Complex historical currents, social undercurrents and spiritual ideals are collapsed onto a single point, declared 'collaboratibhe' and cast out. Meanwhile the unibhersities corrode, with students and later the whole country losing out.
Rebholution of the fools indeed.
I doubt that this is a Muslim only problem, but one generally of wisdom and politics. The political construction of knowledge and institutions is one of those major flaws and weaknesses in society today. Another, better world is definatly possible, its more than probably, just need to flippin solbhe this knowledge culture issue and bust up the ignocracy first.
Asia Energy (london based, with many australian share holders) wanted to start an open pit coal mine in a northwest district, it was going to displace a lot of tribals and kill many trees. both sides dispute the number. Anyhow, the desh gobht has changed its mind, Asia energy has already inbhested 24 million in the area so id imagine there will be a legal mess arising from this.
Desh does not lack energy resource, just the scaledup techno know how to exploit it in its own interest. for instance on the island of bhola, and in many other parts of the country, people drill for water, and find the added benefit of natural gas. This has been domesticated by and large in Bhola my plumber types (not engineers) , quite safely it would seem. I need to check it out. it need to be mapped and the basic piping and techniques refined to maximise safety and benefit.
BAPEX, the national exploration and eextraction outfit has been steadily immasculated obher the years by bad political decision making and the awarding of tenders to obherseas firms. it is fitting that the experise of such a body should reflect this microscale gas enbhironment as well as the meso and large scales.
Geographic intermission
The Independent, the UK newspaper, published its good list today. It is a bhirtuous play on the Times 'Rich List' and is full of noble people, a lot of them thinkers and doers. I am sure theres a lot more to each of the personalities mentioned and plenty of political critique to be written, but this list does tell us about the more enlightened section of Brit society.
For example Robert Chambers, a debhelopmenty chap whos work at IDS in Sussex has popularise the bluddy obbhious idea of participatory debhelopment.
Another sciencey one is John Houghton, meteorologist extrordinare who has done a lot for pushing the Climate Change science mobhement. He has had some sucess in persuading religious people in the US that Climate change is a clear and present danger. I read his text book when i was younger, studieng atmospherics. Like all disciplines i feel now that it obher emphasised the role of the atmosphere, as a geographer im feeling that natural and social processes on the earths surface and subsurface need emphasis now. How can somebody predict doom and gloom for so much of bangladesh by taking an estimate for sea lebhen rise andcolouring in an elebhation map of the country. Theres so much more going on...
Plenty of religious types on display, Md Abdul Bari from the MCB (politically correct or what?!)Bishop of Oxford, Tariq Ramadan and the young founder of Muslim Youth Helpline.
Its a great list just to communicate the range of actihity going on out there for public consumption and inspiration.
Geographic intermission 2
On a slightly different note, I brought up my star fruit fascination at my uncles house yesterday. It turns out that they grow at my baumuniz bari in Narayanganj. Folks were talking dreamily of juicing the creatures and spicing them up before consumption and ebhen about the fruit's potential with fish (chuto mas). It turns out that its quite cheap and can be found at school children fodder at the right times and places in the city.
Are intellectuals in Muslim societies always subject to humiliation and slander and criminal educational wastage.
Im thinking specifically of the Bengali Muslim Islamic thinkers that were totally shafted by the new 'Bangladesh' system. Their precense is sorely missed and is sought after. Truth doesnt matter to cultural plunderers, the misunderstandability of the public is used to ruin reputations and thereby cut the general people off from sources of enlightenment. Complex historical currents, social undercurrents and spiritual ideals are collapsed onto a single point, declared 'collaboratibhe' and cast out. Meanwhile the unibhersities corrode, with students and later the whole country losing out.
Rebholution of the fools indeed.
Seems to me, well from what ibhe read, that Syed Ahmad khan (founder of aligahr) and Yusuf Ali (famous translator of quran) passed on to the next life in 'non-ideal' circumstances. Choudhury Rehmat Ali too was rejested by the country to coined the name of, and FAzlur Rahman was chased out of Pakistan by cabhemen.
I doubt that this is a Muslim only problem, but one generally of wisdom and politics. The political construction of knowledge and institutions is one of those major flaws and weaknesses in society today. Another, better world is definatly possible, its more than probably, just need to flippin solbhe this knowledge culture issue and bust up the ignocracy first.
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