Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
বাংলা
   
Thursday | 16 January 2025 | Epaper

News Analysis

Noble Sheikh Hasina, ignoble Suu Kyi

Published : Monday, 9 October, 2017 at 3:18 PM  Count : 1229
Observer Special
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returned home on Saturday morning,  attending the U.N General Assembly session in New York, to a ticker tape reception by thousands of people from her party and all sections of the citizens. The spontaneous and tumultuous welcome was accorded to her for her international laurels which she gained for the humanitarian role she played at the world body for the Rohingyas fleeing from Myanmar persecution and taking refuge in Bangladesh.
The Prime Minister not only earned the fame as 'Mother of Humanity' and 'Star of the East' but she has raised the image of Bangladesh in the world as an unique example of showing courage and humanity in giving shelter to more than half a million Rohingyas fleeing from Myanmar persecution.
To welcome the Prime Minister the jubilant crowd lined up the road leading from Hazrat Shahajalal International Airport to Ganobhaban, the PM's official residence, chanted welcome slogans, waved flags and held up banners and placards. The people demonstrated love and respect to the Prime Minister as she had raised the country's image abroad setting a positive example of facing the Rohingya crisis with humanitarian considerations. She drew attention of world leaders to the continuing atrocities and persecution against Muslim Rohingyas in Myanmar by the army and Buddhist vigilantes - who have reportedly killed thousands of Rohingya men, raped hundreds of women, beheaded scores of children and burned their homes to drive them from western Rakhine state - the home to Rohingya Muslims. The UN described this mayhem as 'ethnic cleansing'.
Others, watching the horrors the Muslims facing in the Buddhist-majority Myanmar, termed it as genocide. The Rohingyas who have lived in Myanmar for generations are denied citizenships and human rights and subjected to inhuman persecution by Myanmar government and army. Myanmar government accuses the Rohingyas as illegal "Bengali" migrants from Bangladesh - which Dhaka persistently denies and the UN does not accept. Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her army deny the Rohingyas their rights notwithstanding the historic evidence that they are part of Myanmar's ethnic mosaic for centuries. Nicholas Kristof of New York Times writes that Rohingyas featured in ethno-linguist Francis Buchanan's Asiatic researches as far back as 1799.
Prime Minister Hasina rattled the world conscience by telling the leaders at UNGA of the brutal army actions in Myanmar that have already forced over half a million Rohingyas to take refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh since August 25. The UN reports say thousands more are queuing up to cross the border taking the life risk  ignoring the landmines the Myanmar army planted along the way.
The refugees brought a huge burden on overpopulated and economically strained Bangladesh. Yet, Sheikh Hasina seized the honour as 'Mother of Humanity' for her brave and extremely humanitarian gesture to open Bangladesh's doors to the fleeing Rohingyas in order to save them from the guns and unending human rights violation in Myanmar. She also promised to feed and take care of the homeless, stateless Rohingyas until they to back home safely with their national rights.
The Bangladesh PM urged the world leaders and the UN to expedite efforts to arrange their repatriation soon and put pressure on Myanmar government of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi to stop the 'ethnic cleansing'. Instead of saving lives, it is alleged that Suu Kyi is the main perpetrator of brutality in the guise of a democratic leader only to appease the Myanmar army for clinging to power.
This raises a question as to whether Suu Kyi's Nobel Peace Prize was justified? Many around the world have demanded the award should be called back and declared void by the Nobel Committee. The debate gained ground amid worldwide speculations that the Bangladesh Prime Minister was among the top choices of the Nobel Committee for the Nobel Peace Prize 2017.
The speculations were based on Sheikh Hasina's enviable image as the world's top humanist leader now who certainly deserves the award. But we also knew the decision rests entirely in the hands of the Nobel Committee often influenced by powerful lobbyists and different governments, especially the US.
The 2017 Nobel Peace Award announced on Friday went to the Anti-Nuclear Campaign ICAN, a forum of NGOs alerting the world for years against the horrors of nuclear wars. That sounds fair, if not the fairest of the choices.
Meanwhile, watching the run up to the Nobel Committee's declaration of the winner on Friday, people ask if Suu Kyi, Myanmar's democracy leader, could receive the peace prize then why not 'Mother of Humanity' Sheikh Hasina, who is pursuing a much bigger mission to save millions of Rohingyas whom Suu Kyi's government and army have pushed at gun point across the border to Bangladesh? In the Nobel Committee's picking of winner, whether a democracy "icon" under military's control or a leader trying to save million lives should have carried more weight!.
Responding to Sheikh Hasina's call, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss the Rohingya crisis, where world leaders have voiced their concern and started putting pressure on Yangon to stop the Muslim persecution or face sanctions. The UN, the United States of America the UK, EU and other western countries are exerting pressure on Suu Kyi to stop Rohingya persecution and take them back to Myanmar with all their rights. India, Russia and China who so far stood beside Myanmar are also likely to change their stances on the Rohingya crisis.
When Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina could rise to the occasion showing humanity to Rohingyas, Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi failed to keep her promise as 'democracy icon.' Suu Kyi's present stance to defend Myanmar army's 'ethnic cleansing', only to fulfill her lust for power, has been widely condemned by her fellow Nobel Peace Prize laureates including Desmond Tutu and Malala Yusufzai. In reprimanding his "dearly beloved younger sister," Tutu observed with anguish "if the political price of your ascension to the highest office in Myanmar is your silence, the price is surely too steep". In contrast, neither Sheikh Hasina nor his father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, our Father of the Nation, ever compromised with the army for power. For power Suu Kyi forgot her own writing in her book Freedom from Fear that says "fear of loosing power corrupts those who wield it."  
Suu Kyi's government and Myanmar army are now using the attacks by Rohingya militants on the security forces as an excuse for their atrocities of the Rohingya Muslims. But in her acceptance speech of the Nobel Peace Prize she said "wherever suffering is ignored there will be seeds of conflict, for suffering degrades and embitters and enrages." How Suu Kyi will now deny the reality that the Rohingyas' retaliation is growing according to her words "suffering degrades and embitters and enrages".
Bangladesh, in the meantime, is ready to demonstrate feelings - as the PM says we can feed the Rohingyas even by skipping one meal a day, if necessary. Our PM's brave and passionate assertion surprised the U.N audience and earned her the acronym "Mother of Humanity". This is no less an honour than the Nobel Prize that Suu Kyi has demeaned by her stance against Rohingyas. Sheikh Hasina is all for saving humanity and that she is pursuing unlike any other leader in today's world.
Her action, courage and boldness in trying to protect the sufferers and saving the dying Rohingyas entering Bangladesh by thousands everyday have also spruced up Bangladesh's image in the comity of nations. The all or most world leaders view the Bangladesh PM as a role model they would like to follow.
By helping the Rohingyas Sheikh Hasina is also promoting peace. If she is able to convince Myanmar, with cooperation of other governments and the UN, to stop the genocide it would add to her laurels that can outshine Nobel Prize. Nobility showcased by serving humanity is much bigger (what Sheikh Hasina now symbolises) than an award, we should not forget.






LATEST NEWS
MOST READ
Also read
Call to probe allegations of Khaleda, Tarique’s money laundering
BD joins 'Nuclear Club' for power generation
PM Hasina sways the world, pressure builds on Suu Kyi
Labour hour and wage problem in our rural economy
Noble Sheikh Hasina, ignoble Suu Kyi
Durga Puja ends: Communal harmony reigns all along
Rohingya crisis: PM Hasina’s assertive role
Pakistan ISI, ISIS backing Rakhine imbroglio
Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Online: 41053014; Advertisement: 41053012.
E-mail: district@dailyobserverbd.com, news©dailyobserverbd.com, advertisement©dailyobserverbd.com, For Online Edition: mailobserverbd©gmail.com
🔝
close