I’M HARUN BAUL SPEAKING (19)

On Baul Philosophy

If the mind is not simple and straight, there is no benefit in searching. It is fruitless to pretend to be good. When mind is pure, even if someone’s expressions are blunt; God is not displeased with that – says Lalon).

লীলা দেখে লাগে ভয়

নৌকার উপর গঙ্গা বোঝাই

ডাঙ্গায় বইয়া যায়। - লালন

Lile dheke lage voy

Naukar upor gonga bojhai

Dangai boia jai – Lalon

(To observe a play is fearful when ‘the river is loaded on the boat to race through the dry land’).

My guru Aziz Shah Fakir did clearly mention in I‘M HARUN BAUL SPEAKING (part 18) revealing that unnecessary discussions with corrupted political parties were going to be the greatest of all blunders for the DRIVERS of present Bangladesh. This prophecy of the guru is coming clearer day by day. The indication to free the top corrupts under the threatened pressures from some political terrorists leads the guru to believe that the DRIVERS are conceding defeat. They also seem to have lost the strength for running the country to maintain the law and order situation functional as expected.

The guru stresses that the DRIVERS are responsible for the emerging fearful situation. The reason lies in the songs my guru sings these days more frequently than ever before:

যখন ভিটায় হাও বসতি

দিয়া এলে খোস কবলুতি

হৃদামে নাম রাখবো স্থিতি, ভুলেছো কিরে।

আইন মাফিক নিরিখ দেনা

তাতে কেনো ইতরপনা?

ঐ দিন যাবে রে যাবে রে জানা, জানা যেবে আখেরে - লালন ফকির

Jokhon vitai hao bosoti

Dia ele khosh kobluti

Hrdame naam rakhbo sthiti, vuleso kire.

Ain mafik nirikh dena

Tate keno itorpona?

A din jabere jabere jana, jana jebe akhere - Lalon

(When you were established in the seat (of Driver), you pledged (in) a covenant that you would always remember your duties – have you forgotten that? Why deviate from discharging legitimate functions? You must bear the consequences at the end.)

The guru’s present spiritual craving is especially directed to MORALITY and PATRIOTISM related matters of the DRIVERS of the country. The DRIVERS seem to have grossly deviated from their initial VOWs for a fair election with the participation of HONEST and COMPETENT candidates; and uprooting of rampant corruption. Now the DRIVERS’ leaning towards things beyond the original VOWS are being increasingly questioned by people making the DRIVERS disrespectable, insecure.

The above song should helps the DRIVERS recollect about their promise for a fair election consisting of HONEST and COMPETENT citizens at all levels. They also promised to purge and uproot corruption at all levels of government, non-government and corporate bodies. At this stage of DRIVING the country, it appears that the DRIVERS have now grossly deviated from their original commitments. Now, they are unwisely, unnecessarily and often counter-productively negotiating with political parties widely known to people as non-patriotic, exploitative, power hungry, out and out corrupt and misuser of power and money, and political terror.

The guru prophesies that if the arrested politicians are released without being properly investigated, they, in association with their party terrors, will again contest in all levels of elections. As usual, they will use money and muscle power, and apply vote terrorism. The voters will be forced and compelled to vote for their party candidates. They will win. Kicking off all the good laws against corruption, they will, naturally, try their utmost to make good all their losses, and realise much wanted profits. DRIVERS will be in similar situation as many top corrupts are in at the moment. Many of the DRIVERS’ innocent subordinates would also be under revengeful actions.

The guru also prophesies that the defeated parties will unite, start the hartal (general strike ) culture again, blockade supplies, facilitate socio-economic crimes to sky rocket and so on. The guru asserts that a good possibility of civil war to break out between the exploiters and the exploited will arise. All these are known to the DRIVERS, if they have read history. Knowing all these why are the DRIVERS engendering counter-leadership to emerge is yet to be known. However, the guru is of the opinion that the DRIVERS are in a gross deviation from their original two pledges.

The guru now seems to believe that the DRIVERS are not as SIMPLE and as PATRIOTIC as they initially appeared to be; and that is why they are not morally strong enough to go for the pledged socio-political reformation with the conviction: Montrer shadhon kimba sharir pothon - ‘to do or die’.

SIMPLICITY and PATRIOTISM – these two essential moral values and their synergistic outcomes are the only need for our country at the moment to stay ‘THRIVING’ instead of the present condition of ‘STRIVING’ in every respect. This is why the guru also sings:

না হলে মন সরল কি ফাল হবে কথা ধরে।

হাটে হাটে বেরাও মিছে তওবা পড়ে।

মন যার হয়েছে খাঁটি, মুখে যদি গলদ পড়ে;

খোদা তাতে নারাজ নয়রে, লালন ভেরে। - লালন ফকির

Na hole mon sarala ki phal hobe kotha dhure.

Hathe hathe berao mise tauba pore.

Mon jar hoese khati, mukhe jodi galad pore;

Khoda tathe naraj noyre, Lalon vere – Lalon Fakir

(If the mind is not simple and straight, there is no benefit in searching. It is fruitless to pretend to be good.

When mind is pure, even if someone’s expressions are blunt; God is not displeased with that – says Lalon).

With the recession of bomb-terrorism countrywide, an increasing emergence of political terrorism to nullify corruption charges against the top corrupts of the major political parties is getting furious day by day. The proverb ‘CHORE CHORE MASTUT BHAI’ – all thieves are cousins - is coming clear. The DRIVERS’ (legitimate) administrative steps in order to prevent the corrupts and incompetent from taking part in the forthcoming elections is suffering from a complete uncertainty.

Under the above unsustainable and chaotic situation, the guru has sought advise from his wife guru ma Laily Shah Fakirani, who is known as a multi-genius feminist activist amongst their devotees. It may be mentioned here that male Bauls treat their wives as guide-cum-associates (guru). Decision-making leadership is vested with women – the source of Sakti (vital energy) for individual, family, social, political, economic and ecological sustainability (holistic sustainability) of a country.

Guru ma Laily Shah Fakirani first gives her views on the recent and still unresolved issue of women’s equal rights demanded by some feminist of pro-Western Godless secularism. The guru ma asserts that if the issue is resolved in favour of the so called secularist’s claim and implemented before the forthcoming national and local elections, then in accordance with equal rights claim women cannot deserve 30% reserved seats in the parliament any more and must compete with the men candidates. It would be a disaster for women. Neither many women would compete in the rural areas, nor the voters including women voters would vote for the women candidates because of some practical impediments.

The most obvious one is that women members cannot cope with the diverse political and social situation where their physical presence is required. This is not practical in rural areas because of women’s physical, social, and unfavourable natural and environmental conditions that normally restrict women’s movement freely. Regarding the issue of 50% of inheritance, the guru ma says that it would drag in the concept of 50% of everything including family’s economic responsibility where women will be the worst looser, on the one hand; and it will ruin the family-life structure, bondage, and upbringing and engendering of children, on the other. It would be totally disastrous as it has been in the West where marriage between the same sex is rightful in the name of human rights.

At this ponit, the guru ma asks the guru to sing in order to indicate the pathway for the DRIVERS.

চাতক স্বভাব না হইলে,

অমৃত মেঘের বারি

কথায় কি মেলে - লালন

Chatak swavab na hoile.

Amrita megher bari

Kathai ki mele?- Lalon

(Without acquiring the values of the bird Chataka (swallow), is rain water available only by prayer?)

চাঁদ ধরা ফাঁদ জানো না মন।

নেহার নাই তোমার লাফালাফি সার।

এক লাফ দিয়ে ধরতে চাও গগণ। - লালন

Chand dhora fand jano na mon.

Nehar nai tomar lafa fafi shar,

Ek laaf die dhorte chao gagan.- Lalon.

(You do not know how to trap a thing. You do not have a conviction. You are busy for nothing productive. You wish to cross all the barriers with one jump).

In the first song the guru ma suggests that the DIVERS should acquire and manifest the value ‘perseverance’ like the swallows do and wait for rain to come as their drinking water. In the second song it is indicated that the DRIVERS are not artful enough to accomplish the desirable outcome. They rather want to reach the unreachable. This would not work in the current situation. The DRIVERS need to concentrate on their pledge for free and fair election with honest and competent associates. This would facilitate the DRIVERS to become strong enough to address the threatening demand for freeing arrested.

In order to strengthen the DRIVERS’ position, the guru ma repeats the essence of the discourse I’ M HARUN BAUL SPEAKING (part 18) that was first published on April 29, 2008 and continued till May 7, 2008. It pleaded for an inclusivistic Sufistic political party with religio-cultural inclusivism like that of Tariqat Federation in order to address and fill the ongoing widening of political vacuum. Practicing religio-cultural intellectuals such as Fatemolla and socio-economic reformist civil servant like Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Chairman Hon. Lt Gen (retd.) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury are suggested to come forward with their voices in support of the stated election manifesto and guidelines for recruiting HONEST and COMPETENT candidates that guru Aziz Shah Fakir has revealed:

1.Fish and fruit/tree for everyone

(Everyone needs fish and fruit trees. They can be achieved if the people in power want them and know how to implement the project. To avail fish and fruits for everyone will warrant a massive work in the area of water resource development, reduction of unsustainable fishing and fish export, and reduction in the cost of irrigation. Plantation of fruit trees on the roadsides throughout the country will alone help avail fruits for those who have no place to grow them).

2. Full support for the people willing to work overseas

(Almost every family wants to send a family member overseas. The government can implement this project giving financial support to those who are in need. To produce exportable manpower with ‘quality and skill’ will lead the education sector to introduce moral (values) education at the primary level and appropriate skill development education and training at the secondary sector).

3. Facilities for small-scale industrial productivity

(80% of families need extra income; it will minimise imports to a great extent and employ lot of women at home. To support rural households and city slums with cottage industries will benefit low income earners in the one hand, and reduce imports, on the other).

4. To narrow down the lifestyle gaps between rich and poor

(This can be achieved through a national policy which motivates the rich to come closer to the poor in their dress and food habit; addressing elderly poor with ‘Apni’ instead of ‘Tumi’; and sharing each other’s joys and sorrows. Once this policy is widely known, both rich and poor would accept it. According to guru ma, a national policy with wide manifestation of better off people’s brotherhood/sisterhood mannerism with the worse off folks (sub-ordinates, employees, servants, labourers); a habit of sharing food, dress, affordable money, and joys and sorrows with the have-nots; the well off’s visit to poor neighbourhood and hospitals; modest and simple lifestyle in terms of dress –all these will automatically bring down poverty both materially and psychologically. The poor will be friends of the rich. Alleviation of poverty is neither possible in the geo-environmental and cultural conditions of Bangladesh, nor it is at all desirable for the sake of a long-term sustainability of the county. A poverty-like modest (i.e. sustainable) lifestyle is, therefore, an imperative not only for this country, but also for the globe).

5. Equitable foreign policy

(Relationship with foreign countries on the basis of social, economic and environmental sustainability equity)

Suggestions on recruiting HONEST and COMPETENT Associates

4 ward Associates including a female;

2 union Associates, a male and a female);

1 Thana and 1 constituency Associates.

(the Associates will be trained before the election on how to present the five election agenda as above and the national and local development commitments as bellow, along with the implementation procedures (yet to design). InshAllah, voters will come forward to vote for these candidates and bear the essential election costs, where needed).

Selected Associates’ Election Commitments

1. National Commitments:

a. Establishment of a national TV centre, namely the Tariqat TV

(the TV centre will be dedicated to promote sustainable development including cultural reformation, values education and exportable manpower development)

b. The religious leaders would be financially supported where needed

c. The teachers would be subsidised for excursion

2. LocalCommitments:

a. Wardwise institution development where needed (mosque, primary or high school, madrasa or maktab, mazar, dargah or khanka based community centre)

b. Wardwise cooperative society cum fair price stores

c. Wardwise colour television

d. Wardwise cultural development group

e. Wardwise female welfare worker (there is no elected female member)

f. Wardwise pond-cum-fruit tree garden to serve the local poor

g. Wardwise Charity (Zakat) fund to help the needy.

My guru ma says that No political party – large or small – should rely on the backdoor negotiation of the present DRIVERS of Bangladesh. At the same time, no DRIVERS should give any unspecified support to any political party. Political partnerships between the politicians and the bureaucrats have often caused the partners into the jail afterward.

What is urgently needed is that the present DRIVERS of the country ought to publicly allow the ACC Chairman to speak about the above manifesto and commitments for the Tariqat Federation. If they fail to grasp the latent potential and viability of the manifested agenda and commitments; then, on behalf of the Election Commission itself, a campaign should be soonest initiated in order to form a Sufistic inclusivistic new political party (namely, Bangladesh Sufi Party – BSP) to be established under the guidance and leadership of the present ACC Chairperson himself, and the Fatemolla's home and abroad.

The following is a DRAFT Application Form for recruiting HONEST and COMPETENT associates:

. Type of associate you are applying for: Ward/Union, Thana, Constituency

. Name, address, age, education etc.

. Income, expenditure, assets and liabilities statement.

. What has made you honest?

. List the development works needed in your area.

. What percentage of votes you would expect with the above manifesto and commitments?

. Number of voters willing to go overseas from your area requiring financial help.

. Number of aged/widows need support.

. What percentage of voters would like the Tariqat TV centre?

. What percentage of voters support NGO activities?

. What percentage of voters would appreciate a community centre with a cooperative shop, ponds, fruit trees, a library, a colour TV and sewing and handicraft training?

. What percentage of voters would appreciate a male and a female development worker for health care and agricultural training in your locality?

. What percentage of votes would for you if the above are pledged?

. How many persons are likely to stand against you in the forthcoming election?

. Will your voters donate for printing of pamphlets and for campaigning?

. If you are selected by the party, would you like to communicate the central office of the party directly or through your local office?

. If you win the election, how would you start your activity?

. If values and skill development education is made compulsory at primary and secondary level, how will it benefit the country?

Please get 4 respectable persons (2 religious leaders and 2 teachers) from within your election jurisdiction to sign below to testify that you are HONEST and COMPETENT, and YOU WILL WIN THE ELECTION.

Tuesday June 03 2008

Md. Amzad Hossain

a.hossain@curtin.edu.au