Listening to Sheikh Hasina

[Thus was published in Dhaka Courier on 09 May 2014]

Focus on the mindset of Sheikh Hasina is repeatedly inevitable since she is now the centre of politics, statecrafts and power in Bangladesh. Everyday number of articles, talks and so on, positive or negative or both, are being presented on her from different points of views. All these together imply that nothing new is verily left for her.  From these standpoints, the write-up in issue has been made through extension and reconstruction of the article ‘Listening to Sheikh Hasina’ published on 01 November 2013 in Dhaka Courier.

Hardly there is a debate on Sheikh Hasina’s becoming a legend in the politics and statecrafts in Bangladesh. In most of the time Sheikh Hasina likes to keep people with and around her in an atmosphere of suspense and tense about what she exactly thinks and foresees about the issues and problems before her. It is on record that she first listens to all, individually or collectively,, or in the both ways, passes time and at the end point opens her mind which is decisive and irrevocable. In politics and statecrafts it is called a ‘leadership strategy’. One may like it or not, but this is what Sheikh Hasina feels, believes and sticks to. I made attempts several times to write on her but was in vain again and again because I could not fix up where from I start and at where I stop. Therefore, finally I determined to make Sheikh Hasina speak about her and the following prose-poetry presentation is the product of this very mindset of mine.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

There is none to challenge me both from position and opposition(s) on any plea

Either in politics or in statecrafts at home and abroad;

Leading the largest political party Awami League over the period of long thirty five years onward

Plus further experiences in the statecrafts as Prime Minister as well as leader of the opposition in Parliament(s)

Having constant inputs from intelligentsia and experts of various backgrounds, folds, scales and dimensions

On all counts I am aware of

What politics and statecrafts in practice are.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

I am not startled and perturbed at the definitions, elaborations and interpellations of concepts

Like politics, statecraft, patriotism, good governance, democracy and transparency

Being put forward by so many think-tanks, academics, researchers and so on since

Since I am aware of what politics and statecrafts in practice are.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Truth it is whether you believe me or not that

That never, never I allow cronyism, philistinism and sycophancy in and around me

Even though I am being leveled by many for doing so

Alas! What can now I do?

 

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

To me practice of democracy within party is a misnomer

At this stage of getting grown and developed;

To me, opposition in Bangladesh context implies broadly

Opposing the activities of the party/alliance in power sans

Arts, science, technology, logic and mathematics

Under the all the circumstances, favorable or not, as

I find them taking so-called pride all the time in doing so valiantly

Alas! at the exclusion of the bona fide role of opposition in parliament as

Being understood, cherished, depicted and publicized by

Connoisseurs and non-connoisseurs in the germane lines and bye-line.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Neither I am far away from the understanding and lessons of

Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Ferdousi and others in the line-up

Nor I am so close to Abraham Lincoln, Nehru and Nelsen Mandela and so on;

To me, politics and statesmanship are art, mathematics, science and technology

It is an art when it works so suitably to suite the purpose(s)

It is mathematics when it remains within range and target

It is a science if it yields coveted domino effect accordingly and

It is a technology provided it generates so well.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

I am one of the two survivors (other being my youngest sister Sheikh Rahena) of the historic tragedy of

15 August 1975

Reality bears testimony more is that I am one of the survivors of

21 August 2004 Grenade attack

Profoundest belief is that I survive and continue since Allah, Creator of universe(s)

Want me to get some missions done by me even in the face of  Himalayan challenges.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

I am a sweetie child of democracy, and was born and brought up at an atmosphere of

Democracy, human rights and secularism

I am neither autocrat nor a believer in demagoguery

I am a democrat after the model and spirit of the soil and people in Bangladesh

And I will continue in the line with all my might and merits until I die.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

Let me repeat, I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

I stick to the belief with all firmness and sophistication that

Politics is a kind of music and the chairs of the position and the opposition rotates

Rotate following the rules of game and music wherein

Wherein remain the people as the deciding factor in the end that’s why

That’s why, Article 7 should be living document for all in politics and statecrafts!

Therefore, time is matured enough to tell us that the very days of

Non-Party, Neutral CTG are over for ever

For elections to Parliament, better it is for us to go for an

Election-time government of Westminster model

After the ongoing model of parliamentary government

Believe me or not

Tell I frankly to you all

Yes, I accept it as true since

I am a democrat after the model and spirit of the soil and people in Bangladesh

And I will continue striving for parliamentary democracy after this very model.

Yes, never think of All-Party poll-time government or anything else ever

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

Let me repeat, I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Behold, behold single in the field I am on question of establishment of

Democracy, human rights and good governance

Everybody talks high giving priority to emotions and recklessness

Nobody at the end remains in the fields when asked for;

To me national consensus is now an issue of urgent nature while

To the opposition(s) it is just a mere rhetoric to baffle the people

Putting me into further troubles and complications in all forms and dimension.

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

Let me repeat, I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bagabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Never I bow down head to anybody either at home or abroad since the interests of the nation

Remains as the centre of policies and issues, internal or external, as a whole

Critics call me pro-Indian while the unfolding truth goes in favor of

Calling me a nationalist in the face of so many challenges, limitations and dilemmas;

O the people of Bangladesh and the world at large

Let me repeat, I am Sheikh Hasina, eldest daughter of the father of the nation

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and now Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Let me sigh a sigh of relief with a sense of satisfaction

Sheikh Hasina is one and unique in the history of Bangladesh.

With this, I am in a full disposition that Sheikh Hasina like all other leaders in the democratic world carries her own vision and mission, which may be necessarily an object of criticism and applause for others. Let us pray to Allah so that Sheikh Hasina’s love for Bangladesh and its people guard her all the time to put her in a more august position in the coming days and help her to get rid of the limitations squeezing her constantly. Let her be the ‘daughter of democracy’ not in words but in action. Let her be realistic to take note of the feedbacks of the so-called elections to the 10^th parliament. Let her be statesman in the true sense of term going above chains of parochialism, sycophancy, cronyism and philistinism. There is no doubt that Bangladesh and its people have meanwhile given her much and it is her turn to reciprocate standing by them like a true friend, guide and philosopher. Yes, she has to prove pointedly that she is of the people, with the people and for the people. Yes, we have been listening to her with due care and diligence. We are overloaded, almost against the wall. Shouldn’t she now listen to us with more attention and care?