Who tallies us tonight?

Rubana Huq
Published : 13 August 2011, 01:46 PM
Updated : 13 August 2011, 01:46 PM

I failed math when I was in seventh grade and showed no remorse. I scored a 94 the next quarter with equal indifference. The reason was simple, I learnt at a young age that score cards oscillate with the winds of time. Even winds have moods that may either drowns someone or carries them off to Prospero's shores with a promised Miranda, all ripe and ready to reach for newer stars in yet other newer skies.

The Economist's readings on our land somewhat comparable, and reflect questionable assessments.

The Economist of 30th July and its attack on Bangladesh attracted much attention. Afsan Chowdhury wrote his piece on that and many like us, shared in the social networking sites, just to ensure that there are people in this same land who see through clear lenses.

In the previous issue, on the 23rd of July, the Banyan section covered remittances of the non resident Bangladeshis and applauded the Diaspora. On the 23rd of April, it referred to the PM 's decision to flexibly and quickly withdraw her "pet" project of the new airport. Then of course came the 23rd July one with Indo-Bangladesh inseparable duo featured in all caps.

After the July 30th version, there have been considerable revisions in The Economist's stance. The latest round on Bangladesh appeared on the 13th of August in the Banyan section. While the July 30th one launched a full fledged attack on the Indo-Bangladesh, the most recent issue in the Banyan segment reads as a tempered revision of the original bias. While the 30th July one clearly states: "A tendency to vote incumbents out may unseat Hasina in 2013", the Banyan this time corrects and states: "Facing a general election in a couple of year, Sheikh Hasina might hope to embed democracy and persuade voters to re-elect her."

When The Economist's Banyan initially appeared, it started with Tagore and his trans-nationalism. Today it has travelled many miles away from its original position and has carefully positioned itself in a well cushioned corner critic of democracy.

This recent article paints a better picture of the land except for the part where it reports that civil servants address her as "sir". The animosity between the PM and the opposition leader has been more than amply covered. Prof Yunus and sins performed by both the government and himself have had an encore in this issue as well. The angle on a highly politicised judiciary has also taken up substantial space there along with mentioning Mahmudur Rahman's torture. The reference to witch hunt as far as the opposition figures are concerned also has mentionable grounds.

As per the latest piece in The Economist, the Orwellian tangent that the present government is indulging in could mean death for many well-meaning practices of the current political rule. At the same time, the article itself refers to the AC-Nielsen survey in January lauding the government for its good job. The piece then moves on to the PM's obsession to fashion the country as per the mould that her father had set for us and of course, all is being done in his name, accuses the magazine.

True, there is an added emphasis on restoring Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to his rightful place, but that has more endorsement from the people of this country that is assumed by the Western media. None need to be forgotten. Neither do we want Zia to lose his place in history, nor do we want the Father of the Nation to be erased from our sensitive historical landscape. A little compromise in the pages of history may prevent serious cracks in our national evolution. Not doing so would only give the Western media to bark at us and put us back in kennels that they have been designing for us for ages.

The Economist must know that there is a specific difference between Bangladesh and Pakistan. There may be endless articles on drone attacks, bad Talibans, ISI et al in all its issues and there may not be many Pakistanis reacting to those reports, but we Bangladeshis have an uncanny urge to rise up against any smear attempt from any corner of the world except from our own. After all, mirrors are better than assumed perceptions and constructed holograms.

Let us look at these Western writings as an opportunity to teach the Caliban within ourselves to speak in a new, sincere, communicable language that our own Prosperos should have encouraged and inspired long ago.

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Rubana Huq is Managing Director, Mohammadi Group.