[This was published in Burma Times on 10 November
2014]
Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed nom de plume ‘Joy’ is
neither Rahul Gandhi, only son of President of Indian National Congress Sonia
Gandhi and former Premier Rajib Gandhi, of India nor Bilawal Bhutto Zardari,
only son of former President Asif Ali Zardari and former Prime Minister Benazir
Bhutto, of Pakistan. Rahul is now Vice-President of Indian National Congress
while Bilawal is the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party. Joy is what he is in his own perspective in
Bangladesh. Wikipedia notes ’Sajeeb
Ahmed Wazed; born July 27, 1971, also known as Sajeeb Wazed Joy, is a Bangladeshi political campaigner and
PowerPoint scientist. Wazed is a member of the Awami League (On 25 February
2009, Wazed officially joined the Awami League as a primary member of the
Rangpur district unit of the party), one of Bangladesh's two main political
parties. He has worked as campaigner for League for several years and played a
key role in drafting Vision 2021, a manifesto which sets out goals for
Bangladesh's economic, social, scientific and technological development. Wazed
has been named by the World Economic Forum as one of the 250 Young Global
Leaders of the World (this write-up is an enlargement of my articles ‘Joy:
emerging leader of Awami League’,
Dhaka Courier, 20 March 2014 and ‘Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed (Joy): Apolitical or
politics-phobic?, Dhaka Courier, 05 June 2914.
Yes, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, only son of Sheikh
Hasina and Dr. Wazed Muah, who has been passing his days mostly in USA as a
resident, is likely to wear the cap of the president of Awami League if the
existing current and trend of dynastic succession in the politics and
statecraft of Bangladesh continues unbridled, logical or not. This may take
place in different moods and modes say, (a) Sheikh Hasina herself may decide to
quit in favor of him or (b) she may make grounds for her son for gradual ‘march
forward’ both politically and organizationally or (c) Joy may be chosen to fill
in the gap amidst power struggle and chaotic state of affairs in the party
following the sudden demise, natural or not, of Sheikh Hasina. Such leadership
may be instantaneous or delayed. If Joy ever comes to politics, he has to
embrace under the given circumstances any one of these options. More exciting
is that such eventuality may also take place during the premiership of Sheikh
Hasina. And in that case Joy has the brightest possibility to step into the
shoes of his mother Sheikh Hasina for taking lead of the council of ministers
as happened in case of Rajeev Gandhi, successor of Nehru-Indira dynasty in
India.
In the context of Bangladesh, it is said and
understood that Joy is likely to go ahead in line with Tarek Zia, eldest son of
Ziaur Rahman and Begum Khaleda and now senior vice-chairman of BNP who has at
present been passing his days in UK on medical grounds in accordance with
permission from the high court (In fact, just to avoid political harassments
covering arrest, Imprisonments etc). Perhaps foremost variations between Joy
and Tarek, apart from education and way of dealing with the people, might be
the mood and mode of getting involved in politics and/or statecraft.
If Joy decides to get involved in politics
and statesmanship under his mother, Sheikh Hasina, now or afterwards, he has to
face less challenges and risks indeed at the same time having more
opportunities to study, learn politics, statecraft and issues and problems in
and around accordingly in the context of local, national, regional and
international landscapes. Necessity and complexities of the working of
inner-democracy, making befitting opportunities and grounds for the growth and
development of leaderships leading to statesmanship and so on should duly be
weighed and prioritized if Awami League sticks to its decision to last and
continue with the head high in pride, not hung down in shame facing the
challenges and dilemmas of the 21st century. One must agree there
lies a sort of distinguishing space between the old and new generations on the
understanding, digestion and delivery of politics and statesmanship, intrigues,
factionalism and group politics of the day and age and Joy may/should be a
dependable bridge meticulously in this regard.
If he becomes a product of unexpected grave
circumstances following the departure of his mother (sudden or not), there is
no denying the fact more challenging landscapes shall appear before him. Here
he shall be supreme but inexperienced in the art of politics and statesmanship
in action. And it is almost reverse of his standing under his mother Sheikh
Hasina. For that reason, best for him is to start political journey right now
openly coming out of so-called ‘orbit of intellectual political exercise’. His
off and often ‘off the record’ and/or ‘on the record’ statements on vital
issues of weighty importance, national or international, need to be rethought
and reconsidered since he is the emerging loadstar of/for AL.
Whenever Joy enters politics and
statesmanship there is every possibility that in the end he has to meet Tarek
Zia either as leader of the government (Prime Minister) or as leader of the
opposition in parliament provided parliamentary democracy keeps on going in an
uninterrupted manner. Hence, his leadership, it is assumed, shall also be
crowned and characterized with democratic environ predominantly.
Shortcomings of Joy include his art of
delivery of speeches, choice and application of words, sentences and phrases
and embarking upon matters not becoming enough for him. True it is that he is
educated also with a Masters in public administration from the Kennedy School
of Government in Harvard University, knowledgeable, qualified, logical,
coherent, harmonious, magnanimous and up to date and possessed of a very
scientific and technological bent of mind. For his overall integrity, he is a
widely acclaimed personality within the circles, close or not too far away. He
carries the risk of being misunderstood gamely for his simplicity and
inquisitiveness. His greatest asset is his ‘evergreen meaningful smile’ backed
by a variety of thoughtful expression, expected or not.
Joy is with the government in his capacity as
adviser to the Prime Minister for IT and in his capacity as an IT policy
analyst, unveiled the concept paper and action plan for the government's
ambitious "Digital Bangladesh" scheme; to develop a strong ICT
industry in Bangladesh and initiate e-governance and IT education on a mass
scale. Therefore, there are reasons to conclude that he has meanwhile started
learning and practicing statesmanship being close to the heart of power. He is
not in active politics, although he is a kind of decision-maker behind the
curtain. It is in the air that he is getting prepared to take over in future
the helm of AL and as such he is intimately associated with his mother Sheikh
Hasina, who is currently wearing the three leading caps of power say, president
of Awami League, leader of the house and head of government in our context
Prime Minister, in taking major decisions of the party as well as the
government.
It is on record that cronyism, philistinism
and sycophancy and all other vices, diseases entailing cancers as well have
overshadowed almost all areas in Bangladesh and the blast of which is
necessarily vehement and vibrant in politics and statecraft. Joy is definitely
not unaware of such landscapes. Sometimes rumors are aired centering his
standing and interference (II am not aware of any document/proof) placing him
at par or above Tarek Zia, founder of Hawa Bhaban. Public perception,
impression and image are very important in politics and statecraft and Joy
should take utmost care of such essentials. He has to bear in mind that he is
carrying a legacy to which Bangladesh owes a lot for her birth and standing.
For becoming the son of renowned nuclear scientist Dr. Wazed Miah and avowed
leader and statesman Sheikh Hasina and a grandson of the father of the nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Joy should feel proud under all
circumstances, favorable or not.
If Joy is determined to place him on the
right track and fold with a vision and mission, he should be tactful, political
and diplomatic enough to recognize and confess the loopholes, errors and
blinders made voluntarily or recklessly or inadvertently by his predecessors in
the legacy. Meaningfully he must shout on a high volume against corruptions,
maladministration and initiatives and steps against democracy and human rights.
He must speak for the organization and bona fide, neglected activists, ranks
and files in the AL. He must guard against sales and purchases of nominations
for the offices of upazila parishads, district councils, city corporations and
parliament which fall into the fold of elections conducted by Election
Commission in particular. He must be far-sighted enough while passing comments
on national leaders and intelligential belonging to the folds of oppositions
including those of major opposition in parliament.
Therefore, from all standpoints let Sajeeb
Wazed Joy kick his coyness, confusions, hesitations and limitations off, get
involved in active politics formerly ,instead of being and remaining
merely a member of the Rabgpur district unit of AL, and start
his journey from the very soil of his home district Rangpur. He should be
confident sans any shade of doubt that root of his ‘Charisma’ lies in Rangpur.
To survive, stand and continue in politics and statecraft at least in the
politics of Bangladesh unavoidable ingredient is charisma, which I believe is
very much dormant in him. It essentially needs to get unfolded and it is within
his nails and fists since he has been carrying the legacy of Bangabandhu and
Sheikh Hasina. To suit the very purposes, he should/must settle and stay more
in Bangladesh. Otherwise, there is a possibility of his being called a ‘proxy
leader’ by the opponents, critics and oppositions. He must remain above the
slur that has in the meantime clouded the overall standing of Dr. Kamal,
President of Gono Forum’, and Syed Asraful Islam, General Secretary General of
Awami League.
People in Rangpur are ready to welcome and
embrace Joy from the very bosom of their minds because they are really tired
and fed up at the chronic change of mind in politics and statecraft of their
once beloved son jatio party chairman and former president H. M. Ershad. Ershad
is aged and disappearing leaving no political successor to bear the torch while
Joy is new and fresh with a radiating legacy, mood and mode.
For Joy my advice is: ‘O Joy, son of Sheikh Hasina and grandson of the
father of the nation Bangabandhi Shiekh Mujibur Rahman, never be marked as
apolitical (in a broader sense) nor be registered as politics-phobic as all
these terms are being leveled against you for your mystifying role in the
politics of AL. Never feel obligated to go in search of a Machiavelli, Hobbes,
Ferdousi, Kautilya and so on in the politics and statecraft of the 21st
century nor be encircled by those who apparently and strategically style themselves
as honest, helping- hands, friends, guides and advisers, transparent and
sacrificing but in the end take resort to practice and encourage sycophancy,
philistinism and cronyism for their own vested interests/benefits. Repose your
trust on the people and they shall accordingly take you to the point of
destination. Get involved in politics right now, learn practically and
organizationally the art of leadership and statesmanship and go on promisingly making
room in the hearts of rising generations of various backgrounds, folds, spaces
and dimensions.
You must not be oblivion of the maxim ‘Life
is not a bed d of roses’ and thus once in politics, please be stern and
hardnosed about it since in politics commitments, relentless labor, sacrifices,
dedications with due sense of responsibility and responsiveness play the most
pivotal role. You have to bear in mind
all the time that in politics there is no place for passivism, laxity and
cynicism and here befittingly gets activated as follows the aphorism of Martin
Luther King Junior:
‘’If
you can’t fly, them run
If you can’t run, then walk,
If you can’t walk, then crawl,
but whatever you do,
You have to keep moving forward’’
Therefore,
fix up your mind to start from the end point of your mother. That shall be your
greatest success for initiating a herculean journey full of challenges, opportunities
and possibilities, dilemmas and limitations both from inside and outside the
boundary of Bangladesh. Remember again and over that to mix with the people in
uninterrupted mood and mode is the first and foremost characteristics for becoming
a political leader and discontinuity even for a while may cause havocs. And if
such discontinuity lingers then political compensations stand very high’.
Notwithstanding anything being said and
passed by the critics about Joy, I would like to adhere to the credence and see
in practice that Joy has a great opportunity with necessary inputs to come to
politics markedly and raise head without any fear to stand by the people and
Bangladesh and utter in line with Bengali revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam
who roared against injustice, corruption, maladministration and so forth of his
time citing:
I am the burning volcano in the bosom of the earth,
I am the wild fire of the woods,
I am Hell's mad terrific sea of wrath!
I ride on the wings of lightning with joy and profundity,
I scatter misery and fear all around,
I bring earth-quakes on this world!
I am the rebel eternal
I raise my head beyond this world,
I raise my head beyond this world,
High, ever erect and alone!
And who breathed a sigh of relief by noting:
"Weary of struggles, I, the great rebel,
Shall rest in quiet only when I find
The sky and the air free of the piteous groans of the oppressed.
Only when the battle fields are cleared of jingling bloody sabres
Shall I, weary of struggles, rest in quiet,
I the great rebel."(From the poem ‘Bidrohi’ and translated by Prof. Kabir Chowhury)
Shall rest in quiet only when I find
The sky and the air free of the piteous groans of the oppressed.
Only when the battle fields are cleared of jingling bloody sabres
Shall I, weary of struggles, rest in quiet,
I the great rebel."(From the poem ‘Bidrohi’ and translated by Prof. Kabir Chowhury)
Hence, Joy has to prove factually and
documentarily that he is neither apolitical nor politics-phobic under any
circumstances, approving or not. He must have to show and set that he,
following the pursuits of his grandfather Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman and
mother Shiekh Hasina, is not for himself but for Bangladesh and its people as a
whole.
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