Letters to the Editor: Bangladesh Crisis

Bangladesh crisis

Newton’s Third Law defines that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Ms. Sheikh Hasina, the disgruntled ex-Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has proved the law in its entirety. Ultimately, she had to flee her country and was forced to take refuge in India. Indulgence in high levels of corruption, nepotism, favouritism, crony capitalism, unemployment, and wielding absolute power to suppress her detractors with an iron hand, gagging press freedom, putting opposition behind bars, and reining in the judiciary also put the tiny nation into the vortex of turmoil. Hasina’s anti-people and undemocratic actions helped the anti-India and anti-minority/Hindu fundamentalist groups get a new lease of life. When one wields enormous influence in politics, then he or she becomes a dictator. We know for sure how dictators meet their ends from the annals of history. Today it is Hasina; tomorrow it may be somebody else! Situations and places may be different.

Now, let us come to the basics. India fought the Bangladesh liberation war with Pakistan and succeeded in liberating Bangladesh from the clutches of Pakistan in 1971. Many of our soldiers sacrificed their lives, and umpteen resources have been spent or wasted while liberating Bangladesh. People of India in general and people of Assam in particular suffered a lot during the Bangladesh war. To be precise, we are still suffering in different ways. As such, the government and people of Bangladesh should always remain grateful to the government of India and its people. Bangladesh came into being on the basis of language and culture. Religion has no role to play there. Thus, the Bangladesh government must ensure to protect the lives and properties of minorities and Hindus in Bangladesh at any cost. If need be, the Bangladesh government can seek help from the government of India. And the government of India would definitely extend full support to them.

However, the government of India seems to be in a weaker predicament in the eyes of anti-India forces after implementing CAA in the country. And the CAA is the weakest link in India’s chain of policies and stands so far as Bangladesh is concerned. The fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh know well that Hindus in Bangladesh will flee the country at the slightest provocation, considering that CAA is ready to accept them.

I hope the Narendra Modi government will take all measures to protect Hindus in Bangladesh. At the same time, India, along with its counterparts, must take all initiatives to nip the nefarious design of fundamentalist groups in Bangladesh at its bud, come what may.

Prafulla Dowarah

Guwahati

Sikkim’s model of farming

Mowsam Hazarika deserves appreciation for the article 'Sikkim's organic farming: Lessons for Assam' published in your esteemed daily on August 11. The Sikkim Organic Mission must serve as an eye-opener for the youth, especially the educated young generation of our state, who, instead of running after white collar jobs, should engage themselves in implementing organic farming practices. Soil organic matter is the epicentre of soil health. The health of the soil determines agricultural sustainability as well as environmental quality. Today, soil health degradation is a major problem worldwide. Soils enriched with organic matter play a crucial role in regulating water storage and availability. The famous quote 'A nation that destroys its soil destroys itself' signifies the importance of soil in human life. So, one must decrease reliance on harmful chemicals in order to restore soil fertility. Sikkim's blueprint for organic farming is gaining popularity in other Northeastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Mizoram. Now, it is time for Assam to opt for this agricultural transformation, as we have immense potential for organic farming due to suitable agro-climatic conditions and an agricultural base. The state government needs to prepare a roadmap to mobilize the state's farmers to embrace organic farming by initiating various supportive policies. Definitely, our learning from Sikkim's successful eco-friendly approach will help us transform ourselves from traditional practices to bring about an organic farming revolution in our state. The practice of using one or more sources of plant nutrients, such as organic, inorganic, and bio-fertilizers, leads to improvements in soil health and sustains crop productivity on a long-term basis.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.