10 June 2016 His Excellency Kazi Imtiaz Hossain The High Commissioner to Australia for the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Re: Community Consultation in Sydney on the 1st of June 2016 Dear High Commissioner, I’d like to join Mr Anisur Rahman from bangla-sydney.com and others in thanking you for the first-time ever community consultation organised by the HC. You might not be remembering me individually but I was present at the meeting and very briefly I proposed for considering a visit to Sydney by the Hon Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In fact, I feel that now that Sydney hosts the largest gathering of the Bangladeshi people in any community event outside Bangladesh and one such gathering is reaching its 25th year in the coming Boisakh, it’d be a genuine expectation that the Prime Minister spends a bit of time with us here in Sydney at that time. At the meeting I was rather keen to learn the very purpose of the gathering and the facts and figures that you shared with us. I must say, it was quite informative and most importantly, your frank, open and assertive disposition touched my heart. Thanks once again and you deserve personal congratulations. I commend most of the proposals and suggestions made by distinguished community leaders present at the meeting. Also, I did not want to take-up a lengthy time in raising some items that I’d in my mind. I thought that’d deprive others from sharing their views. I don’t want to repeat those important points here. Instead, I take this opportunity to write this open letter to you. Hope this is ok with you. Being so closely involved with the Bangladeshi community and also looking at other communities from our neighbouring nations from the sub-continent for the past 20+ years, I feel that time has come for us to consider a few things a bit more seriously; perhaps more strategically. I’ve pointed these out below in no particular order of importance. Some of these items may be already in the minds of the HC but I am not aware of any definitive developments. I beg your pardon for writing this letter in English. I’m especially keeping in mind Gen-Y and people from non-Bangla background political and alike, who have been already closely associated with or would be interested to get involved with our community here in Australia. I’d be happy to elaborate these points at length and/or discuss at the right forum, should this be needed. 1. Federation of Registered Associations of Bangladesh background By now there are in excess of 100 registered Incorporated Associations and groups that operate in Australia. Most of whom are naturally in Sydney and Melbourne. Apart from quite a large proportion of these groups engaged primarily in religious or political activities, many have been involved in true socio-cultural and humanitarian services. Whilst I admit that an initiative of a ‘Federation’ or similar has to be taken by the Bangladeshi community itself, nevertheless, the HC can act as a catalyst and encourage making a one-voice that officially and democratically represents the Bangladeshi Community is Australia. This initiative is far too overdue. Most other communities do have this type of body and it acts as a Spokes Agency for that community; at the same time maintains the much needed identity distinction between the community and the HC. 2. Bangladesh House for the community For a 50-plus thousands of Bangladeshi people living in Australia, a permanent address other than the HC in Canberra, is a logical demand of the time. Again, such an initiative must come from the community but the HC can do its part in inspiring the community as well as seeking avenues of funding potentials for such an address. Though the Boisakhi Mela at the Sydney Olympic Park serves as a ‘destination’ and the International Mother Language Day Monument at Ashfield Park (Shahid Minar) serves as a ‘political address’, don’t we need a ‘home address’ of our own? The community, with assistance from the Australian governments, should be able to fund this. 3. National Monument in Canberra Sydney has the Shahid Minar at Ashfield Park, which represents all linguistic people in the world, however, most certainly signifying the sacrifices made for Bangla. Canberra can have a National Monument built instead of building another Shahid Minar. I believe it could be inside the HC’s territory and let all Bangladeshis make contributions to build this! 4. Introduction of Bangla as a HSC subject Amongst four remarkable meaningful achievements that the Bangladeshi community has made in Australia, introduction of Bangla in government education system has been one, along with the Boisakhi Mela, the International Mother Language Day Monument (Shahid Minar) and Good Morning Australia Fund-raising. Despite the community’s last 20 years’ struggle to introduce Bangla as a HSC subject (ATAR or similar), it would be of immense long-term value if the HC can also play its part in running soft diplomacy - where and when possible. 5. E-Visa E-visa is now an obvious means for many diplomatic missions in Australia and I strongly suggest the HC introduces this as a matter of priority. This can dramatically increase tourism in Bangladesh and help the nation’s economy. The modern Bangladesh being the ‘digital Bangladesh’, e-Visa should be a logical outcome. Digitisation can be a great weapon against any corrupt or undue conducts. 6. Climate Change Adaptation Fund Bangladesh has been one of the worst affected nations due to consequences of Global Warming, hence Climate Change-induced impacts. I trust, within its diplomatic bindings, the HC can facilitate a (transparent) fund-collection campaign, both from the community at large and the Government of Australia, for this Fund. Billions of dollars would be needed to stop mobilisation of ‘Climate Refugee’ from fleeing the nation. On the contrary, by taking pragmatic mitigation and adaptation measures, this emerging human catastrophe can be avoided. 7. Water and Environmental Management It’s a pity that a nation that goes under so much of water during monsoon, hardly any of this water is conserved for utilisation during non-monsoon needs. Australia being a ‘dry continent’, have has evolved wonderful tools and techniques in water and environmental management. Could not the HC harness opportunities for borrowing some of the wisdom and knowledge from Australia? The HC might also examine how might it inspire Australia to take a bolder role in ensuring Bangladesh gets its fair-share of the Ganges flow through Farraka Barrage at the dire times of her needs. Bangladesh’s agriculture, forestry and the culture as a whole, including the very existence of the mighty Sundarbans Mangroves have much to suffer from these unilateral and inhumane water withdrawals. Certainly, international pressures and persistent trans-boundary water dialogues can help alleviate this situation. 8. Solar Technology and Renewable Energy Australia being the first country that has phased out commercialisation of solar technology; how might Bangladesh borrow some of its knowledge in empowering the rural Bangladesh through a solar revolution! Might the rooves of the country boats, the rickshaws, bullock carts and similar small-scale but numerous outlets harness solar benefits? Along with this, should all educational facilities and government establishments have solar systems on the rooves? I believe, Australia has much to offer in this area. 9. Scholarships and Exchanges The existing sports scholarship has huge potential to expand in new horizons. The nation that gifted the first Bangalee swimming legend from Asia, Brojen Das (70), to cross the English Channel in 1958; could not it again gift more Brojen? Australia being such a successful swimming nation and Bangladesh having this heritage, I believe there is more to benefit from each other’s’ accomplishments. Similarly, the uniqueness of the nation’s sacrifice for language and the deep-rooted connection with the first ever Nobel Laureate from Asia Kobi Guru Rabindranath Tagore, literature is a natural ground of huge potential for exchange. Poverty alleviation prescriptions that are developed in Bangladesh by another Nobel Laureate Prof Mohammad Yonus can be barters for diplomatic exchanges! Other areas such as agriculture, veterinary, offshore science, supply chain and logistics, judiciary and parliamentary democracy, events management, systems management, health and medicine, forensic detection, electoral processes, women empowerment, domestic violence, tourism, etc are few of many areas where several-times more scholarships that present could be demanded from Australia. 10. Identity Crisis My personal observation has been that many of the second generation migrant Bangladeshi youth in Australia find it hard to relate themselves to Bangladesh. I believe it’s mainly an image issue. They see Bangladesh as a nation of unrest, unruly, anarchy, corruption, inequality, chaos, environmentally degraded, economically backward and, above all, a corridor for natural calamities. Unfortunately, added to these have been some poor choices that some Bangladeshis happen to make here in Australia in displaying their national and cultural identities, which have made this image situation even worse. Perhaps, only Cricket saves us at the moment! Actually, a willingness to relate with Bangladesh by especially religiously minor second generation migrant Bangladeshi youth is alarmingly low. It’s a shame. My claim is, neither the community nor the HC has been doing anything fruitful to improve this situation. This is frustrating! We need to construct new bridges between these generations and I believe the HC can help changing these images. 11. Fifty-50 Milestone Finally, I believe, Bangladesh has been given a wonderful cause to try to turn around and change its fortune and image, by utilising the year 2021 as a milestone, when she will celebrate her 50th Birthday. Could the nation take just 50 achievable targets that can truly change the nation and at the same time improve the world’s view about Bangladesh. One way could be by making sure that through all her HCs and other spokes-avenues, she invites rest of the world to celebrate with her this remarkable day. Another way could be by inviting the world to visit Bangladesh and part-take in her progress and prosperity in any way they can. However, before inviting others, Bangladesh needs to demonstrate that it has the institutional, political and genuine commitments as well as mechanisms in place towards the Turn Around. It has five years to do this. Not only that, let it draw down a roadmap for the coming 50 years, with specific targets for each five-year block! I believe, all expatriate Bangladeshis, including those in Australia, would be willing to do their bits in attaining this remarkable milestone. Thank you Mr High Commissioner. Yours sincerely, Dr Swapan Paul Sydney, Australia swapanil@yahoo.com Ex-President, Bangla Prosar Committee Inc Ex-President, Bangladesh Society for Puja & Culture Inc Ex-Advisor, Migrant Resource Centre Parramatta Vice-President, Ekushe Academy Australia Inc Convenor, Bangladesh Environment Network (BEN) Sydney |
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