EDITORIAL: THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

 

Playing with share scam

Come out unedited report

It is a strange position that the finance minister has taken -- to get an investigation done into the stock manipulation but not to publish it. Stranger is that the same report that the finance minister is trying to keep away from public eye so steadfastly is being published everyday in every newspaper. The question then arises why this secrecy with a report that millions have been waiting for with the hope that the real culprits behind the scam would be exposed.

The finance minister's rather simplistic explanation that the reputation of the people named in the report is valuable and therefore should not be tarnished without proper check is appreciable but not enough to justify the secrecy. The people who were in the committee are of high professional integrity and wisdom, and when they had named anybody in the report they must have not forgotten the accused persons' reputation that might come under clouds. So whatever they have done have been done with full knowledge of the implications and with judiciousness. Let the probe body and not the government take the onus of their investigation.

What would remain of the report if it is edited? In our view, the report will lose its fundamental thrust as it is full of names of both individuals and companies who had done dubious deals.

The report, we believe, should stand on its own. Any attempt of the government to tinker with it will amount to withholding information from people.

It is understandable that many of the actions of these persons mentioned in the report are not illegal per se. They had done many of the things under the existing law as one of the named persons has already told the media. But mention of such deeds is important as this only shows the gaping holes in the law that need to be plugged immediately. Moreover, one's actions can be covered by the law but it still would not exonerate him from the charge of manipulation if his willful actions lead to artificial price inflation. So we need this probe report to be published officially and in full.

Publication of the report in its entirety has now become a test of credibility for the government. Any kind of deviation would only make people wonder whether entrenched interests are being shielded.

Disgracing Lalon devotees

The fanaticism should stop

This time the mystic singers, whom we call 'baul' in Bengali, have become the target of wrath of some self-appointed saviours of religion. It is alarming that a section of the so-called religious figures, who are nothing but fanatics, would arrogate to themselves the right to determine who is a good or a bad Muslim.

It was an appalling report that appeared in this daily yesterday that some fanatics in Habashpur of Pangsha Upazilla in Rajbari forced some Lalon devotees to shave off their hairs and moustache to, what these extremists termed, “make them conform to Islamic ways.” They were also forced to express penance in a local mosque and made to promise to shun the path of Lalon.

The bauls, who are mystical musicians and devotees of Lalon, a renowned mystic poet of Bengal, have been living in their own traditional ways, seeking the Truth in their own ways and living a life of mendicancy since the time of the great mystic poet and singer. And so far, nobody has treated them in the manner that they have been treated in this instance.

We have been observing with a good deal of concern the rise of intolerant and extremist behaviour on the part of some people in the name of Islam that border on bigotry and chauvinism. We also noted with alarm the harassment meted out to two female journalists by another religious organisation very recently. And the latest act is not only a blow to religious tolerance and the teachings of Islam, it is also a blow against our tradition and culture. These are outrageous acts that should not only be condemned, these must be also harshly put down.