“The more we will delay in gas exploration at the off-shore, the more we will loose and crisis will increase further as well - Shubid Ali Bhuiyan

A parliamentary committee yesterday recommended that the government finalise the production sharing contact (PSC) with two foreign companies on gas exploration bids for three offshore blocks soon as it feared further delay might hamper the country's interests.

In defence of the recommendation, the parliamentary standing committee on power, energy and mineral resources ministry observed that crisis might occur due to delay in starting the exploration.

“India and Myanmar have already started gas exploration in their offshore blocks, and if we delay, they might capture our gas resources using sophisticated technologies,” Maj Gen (retd) Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, chairman of the committee, told reporters after the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

“The more we will delay in gas exploration at the off-shore, the more we will loose and crisis will increase further as well,” he said.

Shubid Ali, also a ruling Awami League lawmaker, said many wars and conflicts are seen over oil and gas issues in the past and it may happen again in future.

Read full story here.

Enact law banning export of coal - Shubid Ali Bhuiyan

Speaking at the roundtable, Maj Gen (retd) Md Shubid Ali Bhuiyan MP, Standing Committee Chairman on the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources said that the electricity supply situation is now worse in the country. "Some of dishonest Politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen are responsible for such a sorry state in the power sector here," he noted.

He further that the Awami League government has taken initiative to reduce system loss to a tolerable level very soon and introducing of prepaid meter.

Bhuiyan informed that the government was now investigating into corruption in the power sector. Read more

Pakistan, next Taliban regime?

Today Pakistani president, Asif Al Zardari, signed a treaty with militant Taliban's to establish saria law in Swat region. This is very alarming to me. Taliban's are controlling lawless Afghanistan and now starting to take control over Pakistan. What's next?

This is a significant threat to the south East Asia’s stability. I think Bangladesh and Indian's leadership needs to take aggressive measure's to stop the Taliban militancy further east. Bangladesh just had a free and fair election and already faced with terrorist attacks (BDR Massacre). I would strongly urge Prime Minister Sheik Hasina and her leadership to crack down on Islamic militants. Start awareness program aimed at youth, so Islamic militants can't recruit them to expand their influence and militancy. Awami League govt. should take the Pakistan incident very seriously and implement countermeasures in Bangladesh immediately.

If we failed to do so, Bangladesh will be the next victim of Islamic militants group like Taliban. And Afganistan is an example of a Taliban regime.

BDR Massacre - Will we ever find the truth?

The blood stains of fallen Army officers have not been washed away yet, but our political parties already started pointing fingers at each other. Many conspiracy theories have been established. Many to blame depending on who you are talking to or media outlet you subscribe your news from. Looks like everyone has an answer. Bottom line is, we lost many of our bravest soldiers, proud sons of Bangladesh. Their wives, their orphan children, will never see their husband or father. Nothing will heal their pain and sorrow.

I do not want to say my version of who did it and why. It does not really matter at this point. I would like to beg our political leaders to refrain from giving partisan baseless comments. If you can, please help our newly elected democratic Govt. and Bangladesh Army to capture the “monsters” who is responsible for this atrocity. If you cannot, please do not make comments to gain cheap political points. This is not a time for politics. This is time for national unity to find these “monsters” and bring them to justice.

Unite Bangladesh just like we did in 1971 against evil Hanader’s. Let’s find the truth behind this cowardly act. Let’s build a strong Bangladesh.

Election hangover is over; reality setting in!

"A polling agent at the Char Boro Dhopli government primary school polling centre in Companiganj, Noakhali is seen trying to manipulate a voter into casting her vote for a particular candidate.Photo: Focus Bangla, Source: Daily Star, Jan 23rd, 2009."

Yesterday Upazilla election ended on a very different note than that of Dec 29th parliament election. Just by reading at the daily newspapers, it looks like the Upazilla election was a joke. Bangladesh just achieved a milestone towards a mature democracy on Dec, 29th. Now it looks like we can't even have a free and fair election when a political party is in power!

Prime Minister Sheik Hasina and EC warned minister's and MP's not to influence the Upazilla election, but did they listen? Sheik Hasina has a big challenge ahead of her just like US president Barak Obama. When people gave landslide victory to Awami League in the last parliamentary election, people put their trust and faith on AL leaders. Bangladesh Awami League needs to respect that trust and faith.

Prime Minister Sheik Hasina had a very good start with forming her cabinet with clean-honest MP's. That was game changing and got popular support. Then series of violence created by AL's student wing, home minister's partisan comment about the post election violence, robbery in Bangladesh railway, and at last Upazilla election makes me wonder, are we sliding back to the good old partisan politics of revenge and "do anything to stay in power" sort of political environment?

If AL Minister's and MP's don’t stay above the partisan politics, the hope of 15 million Bangladeshi's will fade very soon, just like before. Their dream of a prosperous Bangladesh will be destroyed again, just like before. If AL electorates don’t stay above the partisan politics, the Digital 2021 vision will not be realized. It will just be a vision then.

I urge our honorable Minister's not to think about how they can be re-elected in five years, but to think about how they can help build our beloved country. You are in power because of people, please don’t forget us. You are our hope, please don’t destroy that. I am counting on you and you have my support. But remember, I will question and criticize you when you are looking after your self interest than our peoples, because I love my country above anything else.

People of Megna and Daudkandi said NO to corruption :: Corrupt Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf defeated in Comilla-1

Major General (Retd.) Shubid Ali Bhuiyan defeated BNP heavy weight candidate and ex-minister, Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf in 2009 Bangladesh parliamentary election by 19,000 votes. It is the biggest achievement for Bangladesh Awami League. This is the first time in 33 years, an AL candidate won this seat.

I campaigned for my father, (Shubid Ali Bhuiyan) for over two weeks. It was great to see how people responded to our campaign message, "durnitir biruddey shangram". Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf tried to buy vote with his corruption money (kalo taka), but people of Megna and Daudkandi rejected "vote buying" scheme of corrupt Dr. Mosharraf.

I reached Dhaka on Dec 18th and left for Daudkandi same day. I didn't notice any BNP campaign activities since Dec 26th. I truely felt that, people of Daudkandi wanted a positive change and the change was in favor of Major General (Retd.) Shubid Ali Bhuiyan. Three days before the election night, we have heard that Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf and his "vote chor" allies where trying to buy votes. They were going door-to-door and giving people 1000 taka/vote. So we started a campaign to resist his "kalo taka" distribution. We setup nightly patrol (My brother and I personally participated), so "kalo taka" distribution is disturbed. This campaign effort caught on at the grass-root level and people were forming committees to stay awake all night to resist "kalo taka" distribution of Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf. This grass-root effort helped our campagin a lot.

This was amazing to see, how people responded to our campaign against corruption. This victory is a victory of the people of Megna and Daudkandi and victory against corruption. Now Shubid Ali Bhuiyan has long list of task to accomplish in next five years to bring "development" back in Daudkandi. I wish him best of luck and I will try my best to help him along the way. I am also very happy that democracy is being restored in Bangladesh. Thank you CTG for arranging this free and fair election.

Teacher to a billionaire :: Dr. Khandaker Mosharaaf's history on fast track to wealth

Read the full story here.



More on Khandaker Mosharraf's family's corruption charges.

"Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, son of detained former BNP minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, and transport leader Murad Siddique, younger brother of Kader Siddique, were released from Dhaka Central Jail on bail yesterday.

“Khandaker Mahbub and Murad were freed separately at about 7:30pm,” Jail Super Towhidul Islam told The Daily Star.

The joint forces arrested Khandaker Mahbub from his Gulshan residence on September 2 in connection with a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on charges of misappropriating Tk 48,51,080 from the government fund, abusing power and fraud.

Murad was first arrested at Tangail on January 30 last year. He was released from the jail on bail on August 12 only to be arrested under section 16 (2) of Emergency Power Rules (EPR) soon afterwards.

Source: The Daily Star, 20 September 2008"

Major General (Retd.) MSA Bhuiyan - Candidate for Bangladesh Parliamentary Election, Dec 29th, 2008

A valiant freedom fighter, a true patriot, Major General (Retd.) MSA Bhuiyan. In 1971 he took up arms against Pakistani aggressors to fulfill a dream of an independent Bangladesh. As a young army officer, he led his troops with courage and valor. After nine months of bloody war, Bangladesh earned her independence on December 16th, 1971. Major General (Retd.) MSA Bhuiyan's contribution to the Bangladesh liberation war will be remembered for years to come.

Now after 38 years of independence, Gen. Bhuiyan has declared war against corruption. His honesty and integrity collides with the mind set of corrupt politicians in Bangladesh. His patriotism led him to the liberation war, now his patriotism is leading him to fight against corruption. To fight against corruption and to improve the lives of the people of Daudkandi and Homna, Comilla; he has decided to run for the election on Dec 29th, 2008 as member of the Parliament endorsed by Bangladesh Awami League, a party for democracy and for the people.

Vote for a change, vote for a true patriot, give Gen. Bhuiyan one chance. A vote for Major General (Retd.) MSA Bhuiyan is a vote against corruption.

Visit Gen. Bhuiyan's campaign website: msabhuiyan.info

Bangladesh, fighting for democracy since 1971

Before independence we were fighting against the Pakistanis oppressors for our rights, now we (political parties) are fighting against each other for power. Just listen to this great speech by the father of the nation, "Sheik Mujibor Rahaman" and you be the judge.

When this fight will end? When we will unite? And when we will start building our nation?

Bangladesh, greedy corrupt politicians are back

I haven't blogged for a while due to different reasons. Just plain busy with work, school, and life in general. Also I am losing interest in Bangladesh politics. I feel like our country will not change in years to come. I hate to believe that, but what can I say.

So Army backed CTG came in power almost two years ago. They put corrupt politicians in jail, staged some trails, tried to make some changes, and then realized, these corrupt politicians are very powerful backed by the money they stole while they were in power. Now they (CTG) is letting them out one by one. What was the point of arresting them begin with? In Bangladesh, rich corrupt politicians are just above the law, that’s just plain old truth.

Today I heard that most corrupt ex-minister of Bangladesh, Khandaker Mosharraf is freed from jail. Just few months back, we heard how much money he looted from Bangladesh. The number was enormous. Newspapers were buzzing about the amount he stole while in Govt. for two terms. What happened to all those charges! Now he is going to run for the election again? Oh wait, he is above the law as well.

"Mosharraf Hossain and his wife Bilkis Akhter will be sued on charge of hiding information on their wealth of Tk 3.11 crore and owning wealth of Tk 12.51 crore beyond their known sources of income, a commission official said. Source - independent-bangladesh.com"

I also think our journalists are biased, maybe there are few honest journalist are out there. Couple of months ago they were reporting how much money corrupt politicians looted from the country. What happened to those news! They just vanished in the air, as if nothing happened. Now journalists are feeding the news with political bickering between parties, just like before. Looks like CTG took care of the corruption problem in Bangladesh!

CTG announced an election date, Dec 18th, 2008. Now BNP is saying they will not participate in the election because the environment is not “level playing field”. I thought CTG was working hard last two years to create a level playing field! I guess not, looks like we are travelling back in time before Jan 22, 2006 election date. Will there be democracy in Bangladesh? Or we just to live with these greedy corrupt politicians forever?

For now, I will stay optimistic and keep believing that change will come one day to Bangladesh.