U.S. to detain more asylum seekers in Mexico

Sunday, March 03, 2019 

The U.S. is aiming to ramp up in coming weeks a program that sends asylum seekers from Central America to Mexico to await U.S. court dates, according to a U.S. official, a policy that is likely to overwhelm migrant shelters south of the border.

Jailed women's rights activists to face trial in Saudi Arabia

Detainees 'enjoy all rights preserved by the laws', prosecutor's office says, after reports of torture in custody.

2 Mar 2019

Saudi Arabia's public prosecution office has referred detained women's rights activists to trial, saying those charged "enjoy all rights preserved by the laws in the kingdom" after they were reportedly torturedin custody.

The detainees, who include activists in their 20s as well as mothers, grandmothers and retired professors, have been accused of undermining the kingdom's "security, stability and national unity", according to the prosecutors.

The prosecution office issued the statement late on Friday night, referring to an earlier statement in June that marked the arrest of five men and four women just before Saudi Arabia granted women the right to drive.

At the time, international rights groups reported the detention of at least 11 prominent activists, mostly women. Some were later released.

Friday's statement did not give a date for court proceedings.

British MPs, lawyers request access to 'tortured' Saudi activists (1:44)

Several people with knowledge of their arrest have told AP news agency that some of the women detained have been subjected to caning, electrocution and others were also sexually assaulted.

All spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal and to protect personal details about the detainees.

The Saudi government has rejected the allegation with Friday's statement saying "all detainees in this case enjoy all rights preserved by the laws in the kingdom".

Those still detained include Aziza al-Yousef, a retired professor at Riyadh's King Saud University, and Loujain al-Hathloul who was held in 2014 for more than 70 days for attempting to drive from neighbouring United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Saudi Arabia.

Following their arrest, state-backed newspapers published front-page pictures of some of the activists with the word "traitor" stamped across them in red.

Dozens of other activists, intellectuals and clerics have been arrested separately in an apparent bid to stamp out opposition to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has consolidated power with a sweeping anti-corruption campaign.

'Signature repression'

Human rights groups have criticised Saudi Arabia for the arrests.

"The Saudi prosecution is bringing charges against the women's rights activists instead of releasing them unconditionally," said Michael Page, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

"The Saudi authorities have done nothing to investigate serious allegations of torture, and now, it's the women's rights activists, not any torturers, who face criminal charges and trials."

Samah Hadid, the Amnesty International's Middle East campaigns director, said: "These women's rights activists should be released from detention for their peaceful activism not referred to trial. The Saudi Arabian authorities continue their signature repression."

Canadian criticism of the arrests saw Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties to Ottawa.

The kingdom also faces widespread international criticism over the assassination of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October, allegedly by members of Prince Mohammed's entourage, as well as over its years-long war in Yemen.

Inside Story: Will Saudi Arabia be held to account for Jamal Khashoggi's murder? (25:41)

When the mentor scores a hundred the protege too is batting well at 68 Saga of RAF-SLAF nexus

Fighter aircraft SLAF used during the war.

Air Force Chief attends RAF  centenary celebrations in London last July 

Bill to raise and maintain Air Force  ratified by Lord  Soulbury in 1949

AVM D.C. Perera first to undergo US Air Command and Staff Course 

D.S. Senanayake reviews inaugural parade at Air Force Headquarters in 1951

President’s Colour awarded to Combat Training School Diyatalawa in 2018 

2 March 2019 

His Royal Highness, the Duke of Cambridge KG GT, more familiar to us as Prince William, from Kensington Palace eulogizing on the Royal Air Force (RAF) Centenary, drawing attention to his great grandfather, His Majesty King George VI (then Prince Albert) who as an instructor at Cranwell in early 1918, mentions being the first ‘Royal’ pilot, forging a strong link with the service since then. Not only his great grandfather, but his own father, uncles donned ‘Wings’ though may be of different hues.   

As one who had served in RAF as a full-time member with stints even to Afghanistan on operational duty, he was eminently suited to acclaim the professionalism of the service with these sentiments. 

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in her missive draws attention to the anniversary of the world’s first independent Air Force. Her Majesty articulating on the RAF Motto ‘Per Adua ad Astra’ (Through adversity to the stars), says, “May the glory and honour that all ranks have bestowed on RAF light its pathway, guarding our skies and reaching for the stars.”  

Espousing in this after manner these were not mere royal sentiments per se, but the patriotic fervour of a grateful nation acclaiming its Air Force with outpouring admiration, for sparing them from the nightmare of being subjugated by a Hitler on the march, post Dunkirk, with their backs to the wall, wanting only that command of the air to get Operation Sea Lion rolling the invasion of the UK from across the English Channel. 

For both the Air Forces to be what it is today on their 100th and 68th  anniversaries respectively, all those who contributed towards it should  be remembered with immense gratitude, and they in every way deserve to  be bestowed with that immortal epitaph

With the passing of the Air Force Act (Constitution) 1917 in Parliament, and it receiving Royal Assent by King George V on November 29, 1917, the Royal Air Force was formed on April 1, 1918 by amalgamating the air elements of the British Army and the Royal Navy, the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Navy Air Service (RNAS). 

King George V issuing a congratulatory message to Lord Rothermere at the Air Ministry wished that the union would preserve and foster the esprit de corps of the two separate forces so far had created. 

With the imminent cross channel invasion, Adolf Hitler angered by the outright rejection of the peace offer through King of Sweden, issued the famous Directive No.16 for a full scale invasion of the UK on a 225-mile front by 13 divisions, from Ramsgate to Isle of Wight. However, Reichsmarschall Hermann Goring, Commander in Chief of the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) was expected to achieve ‘air superiority’ as a prerequisite to such invasion. ‘Alderan grit’ or attack of the Eagles was to be launched on the code word Adlertag (Eagle day). 

By this period, August 1940, Royal Air Force had in position a formidable air defence capability optimizing the emerging radar technology and having a surveillance radar network in place facilitating ground controlled interception (GCI) by vectoring fighters to intruding aerial targets. 

Although outnumbered 3 to I, Luftwaffe’s aim of air superiority proved elusive with very high attrition rates, which made Sir Winston Churchill on August 20, in a packed House of Commons, to pay his immortal homage “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” 

Eagle Day Victory (known as Battle of Britain too) though achieved by the ‘few,’ Hitler’s folly in straying away from the ‘aim’ shifting to bomb London from the air defence assets also helped in some way to this situation. Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Downing of RAF Fighter Command had achieved the ‘mission impossible.’ 

Apart from the enviable gallantry of RAF fighter pilots, it is also said that the Luftwaffe which has been trained and equipped essentially as a supporting arm for the German army and navy, the German Air Force, as a whole, was a tactically-oriented force with no inherent capability of mounting any independent strategic operation. 

Air Marshal M.J.T. De S. Gunawardene (later ACM) took over command in  1990 and in no time got the SLAF back into the Jet fighter league with  F7’s. He also experimented with a zonal management concept and the  present SLAF Motto ‘Surakimu Lakabara’ too was introduced

However, the success of the ‘Blitzkrieg’ up to the English Channel saw air – land integration warfare at its zenith, which went to form the US doctrine of ‘Airland battle’ post Vietnam, worked out successfully in ‘Operation Desert Storm’ the invasion of Iraq. 

Hitler lost interest in this endeavour and turned his attention to the invasion of Russia (Op. Barbarossa) ironically here too, when Field Marshal Von Leeb was speeding towards Moscow it was changed to the industrial area of Leningrad and Ukraine. If not Moscow would have probably been captured and consequently the whole outcome of World War II.  Prince William will be pleased to note that when his great grandfather King George VI passed away in 1952, the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF) was represented at the funeral in London by a contingent led by Flt. Lt. Nagarajah. They along with Army, Navy contingents took part in the funeral march from Buckingham  Palace to Paddington Station. Even at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London on July 12, 1953, a RCyAF contingent led by Flt. Lt. Wijendran took part with the rest of the Commonwealth troops. 

When the young royal couple, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh visited Sri Lanka in 1954, the ‘street lining’ along Parson’s Road and the Royal Guard of Honour when they boarded SS Gothic on April 21,  1954 at the end of the State visit too was by the RCyAF. When Queen Elizabeth II visited Sri Lanka in 1981 on a State visit was accorded a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lankan Air Force at the Bandaranaike International  Airport. 

By April 2, 1942, Admiral Nagumo’s fleet was heading towards Sri Lanka. On April 4, 1942, Sq. Ldr. L.J. Birchall, a Canadian in his Catalina spotted the Vanguard of Nagumo’s fleet and got a message through, before the Catalina was intercepted and the crew captured. 

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 1942, a Jap force of over 125 aircraft, screaming and whining, led by Commander Mitsua Fushida of Pearl Harbour fame attacked strategic targets in Colombo. Perhaps, due to an intelligence lapse, aircraft based in the Race Course ‘HMS Berunda’ escaped this onslaught to spearhead a gallant air defence, frustrating the aggressor to achieve air superiority to explore the possibility of a subsequent invasion. 

In March 1946, after been voted out of office, when Sir winston Churchill was asked what he considered was the most dangerous moment of the war was he said, “It was when news received that the Japanese fleet was heading for Sri  Lanka’s Port  of Trincomalee. He went on to say that Britain was spared a further disaster by an airman on a reconnaissance flight, who though shot down, was able to warn (Ceylon) of the impending attack thereby element of surprise denied. Subsequently, it had been cleared that the missing airman was Air Commodore Birchall of the Canadian Air Force who in Sir Vincent Churchill’s view had made one of the most singular contributions to victory in World War II. Air Cmde L.J. Birchall OBE, DFC, CD of the Canadian Armed Force after many visits to Sri  Lanka on April 5, 1995 established the memorial for 413 ‘Tusker’ Squadron at Sri Lanka Air Force Koggala. 

Post-independence there was a growing awareness amongst the country’s leaders for Sri Lanka to have her own Air Force. Meeting this aspiration, on August 9, 1949, the Air Force Bill to raise and maintain an Air Force was presented and on October 3, 1949, with the Governor General Lord Soulbury ratifying it, the Air Force Act was born. 

As a sequel to the defence agreement of February 4, 1948, with the British Government, Rt. Hon. D. S. Senanayake sought the assistance of the UK and they seconded a RAF officer to organise the Royal Ceylon Air Force (RCyAF). 

Group Captain G.C. Bladon started work from a room at Galle Face Hotel and then moved to the Rifle Green House later (Presently SLAF Colombo Station). 
On March 2, 1951, Gp. Capt. Bladon was appointed the Commander of the Royal Ceylon Air Force and Sri  Lanka’s Air Force was born. Ironically, it was on this day, 136 years before, that Sri  Lanka lost her independence to the British. 

On July 1, 1951, D.S. Senanayake, Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, reviewed the inauguration parade at Air Force Headquarters in Parson’s Road. 
Although RCyAF was formed six years earlier, it came to its own only on November 1, 1957, with the take over from RAF of the Katunayake Base with its Air Field. Thus, Royal Air Force station Negombo became Royal Ceylon Air Force Station, Katunayake. RAF continued to use the Kat base jointly until they relocated theirs in Gan  Island, Maldives end of July 1960. 

In 1958, Air Commodore G.C. Bladon relinquished command of the RCyAF and was succeeded by Air Commodore J.L. Barker. He was a veteran of the RAF’s North African campaign in World War II and was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). He in turn relinquished command in November 1962 in the rank of Air vice Marshal (AVM). 

Succeeding AVM Barker was Air Commodore E.R. Amarasekara who was an RAF bomber pilot with over 52 missions to his credit and most of them over Germany. His valour had won him a DFC and bar (Re award). He assumed command in November 1962. When he returned to Sri Lanka from the RAF after the war as a Flt. Lt., he joined the Department of Civil Aviation as the Airport Manager, Ratmalana. His erstwhile buddy and namesake, also a bomber pilot, C.H.S. Amarasekara too joined as the Commandant of the Civil Aviation flying school and went to become the Director General of Civil Aviation. AVM Amarasekara was a Wesleyite and Capt. C.H.S. Amarasekara was a Richmondite. We as students were to be mesmerised by his flying over the Galle Esplanade when Mahinda-Richmond Big Match was being played those days. 

During AVM Amarasekara’s command, Air Chief Marshal Ellworthy, Chief of Staff RAF, visited Sri Lanka. On January 1, 1979, he handed over command to Air Commodore P.H. Mendis, the youngest Service Commander since then, at the age of 38. 

AVM P.H. Mendis revamped the Command and Control structure that existed since then on taking over, and it was put to test with the April 5, 1971, insurrection breaking out. Not only did the new command management system function admirably, it also optimized the available resources to meet this unprecedented threat that had come up post independence. 

Air Force going beyond the ‘Air Role’ also extended ground troops as could be met. RCyAF came of age with this campaign meeting the influx of technology with the induction of MiG 15/17 Aircraft, Bell and KA 26 helicopters. Service met the air support to ground troops, supply demands with flying colours. In this campaign the Air Force has placed on record the gallantry of the Ceylon Police personnel spread out countrywide facing the initial onslaughts. As a ‘Police product’ these sentiments are fully endorsed by this writer too. 

The 25th anniversary fell during this period and President’s Colour was awarded to the SLAF in1976 with Maithripala Senanayake doing so on behalf of the President, William Gopallawa. The Air Force Board of Management and the independent formation systems continue to this day almost encompassing the same tenets introduced by Air Chief Marshal ‘Paddy’ Mendis. 

Following ACM Mendis, AVM W.D.H.S.W. Goonetileke (ACM later) took over the reins. He was a resource multiplier and worked on the nuts and bolts of command and administration. He being an outstanding sportsman boosted AF sports in a big way. During his period Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beetham, Chief of Air Staff, UK visited Sri Lanka, last to do so till today and was later promoted as Marshal of the Air Force. During AVM’s time SLAF Families Welfare Association was formed headed by his wife Marian Goonetileke. He managed to get a rugby coach, Sq. Ldr. French from RAF to help SLAF rugby. His two sons Roshan and Shirantha also followed in the father’s footsteps and joined as pilots. Roshan went to command the Air Force during the crucial period of the humanitarian ops, promoted Air Chief Marshal when in service, and went to become the Chief of Defence Staff too subsequently. Gp. Cpt. Shirantha was one of the best professional pilots produced by the SLAF, went down to the missile, he along with Air Cmdr D.S. Wickremasinghe, soon after a RAF missile course in the UK, when tasked investigating, was shot down at Palali. ACM Harry’s grandson, ACM Roshan’s son, too is a pilot in the SLAF. 

AVM D. C. Perera (ACM later) took over in 1981. He was the first to undergo the US Air Command and Staff course. Fortunately for the SLAF and the country, ACM had taken a great liking to his young pilot days exercising with RAF in the Air Fields then operational. He, without waiting for external resources commenced reactivating these one by one. When the civil disturbance in the North broke out most of them were operational like, in their young officer days. ACM’s son Mario too joined the SLAF as a pilot, thereafter SriLankan Airlines. ACM’s granddaughter, Mario’s daughter, too is a pilot at SriLankan Airlines. 

Air Vice Marshal A.W. Fernando (Later ACM) came to the helm in 1985 and he had to face the brunt of the IPKF induction issues and was determined to defend the airspace, in a planned programme at least. He was the earliest to undergo RAF staff College Course at Bracknell, UK. ACM’s son Priyantha too followed his father and joined the SLAF, but later faced the consequences of ‘war,’ at that young age (Sqd, Idr) when on an air operation. ACM got the AF Museum rolling, then the first ever in this part of the world, to its present glory. He went to become the Secretary Defence, the first to do so from the AF, up to now. 

Air Marshal M.J.T. De S. Gunawardene (later ACM) took over command in 1990 and in no time got the SLAF, back into the Jet fighter league with F7’s. He also experimented with a zonal management concept and the present SLAF Motto ‘Surakimu Lakabara’ too was introduced. Although on the chubby side, he excelled as an AF goal keeper, doing so for his alma mater too – Wesley  College. 

The journey from a hotel room, even though it was the Galle Face Hotel, to the present day edifice in down town Colombo was not an easy one. Air Marshal O.M. Ranasinghe (later ACM) taking over Command in 1994 was determined to take the AF to the ‘skies’ literally. ACM who was a former AF Cricket Captain embarked on then AFHQ building project knowing very well that he would not see the day to regale in it. This is deemed a sense of duty of the highest level, with selfless dedication. 

For all purposes a departmental head, to find the land, phased funding, particularly when most others are at ground level, is indeed a formidable ambition. He may be very proud of this fete today. The generations who habit this ‘skyscraper’ should go to emulate such leadership traits. 

Not only the AFHG building, but the two chalets he bench marked at Koggala as ‘Tusker’ and ‘Catalina’ honouring Air Cmd Birchall’s legacy, were a generation ahead in vision-for such facility, until the array of ‘Golf abodes came into being in recent times. 

In fact, the AFHQ building was occupied with a soft opening only in October 2004 by Air Marshal GD Perera (later ACM) who went to become the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), first from the AF, during the height of the humanitarian operations. Later, he served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Israel. On reaching the distinct milestone of 50 years, there was a grand golden jubilee bash observing all formalities for such a unique occasion. Not only the Head of State and the Commander-in-Chief, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga took the salute at Ratmalana, the No.1 Flying Training Wing and the SLAF Base Katunayake also was awarded President’s Colours. 

Many Regional Air Forces were represented at the invitation of Air Marshal J.W. Weerakkody (later ACM). The crowning glory to the show was the Indian Air Force aerobatic team ‘Suryakiran’ going through its breathtaking displays. ACM Werakkody went to serve as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Pakistan. 

Right along its illustrious history, the SLAF continued to maintain a ‘Balanced Air Force,’ commensurate with the resources the nation could send its way. Every AF Commander left his indelible mark. Accordingly, ACM H.D. Abeywickrama, during his time added the Eagle’s Lakeside where Commonwealth Business Forum was staged. ACM Kolitha A. Gunatilake went to become the CDS on relinquishing command. ACM G.P. Bulathsinghala is currently Sri  Lanka’s Ambassador in Afghanistan. 

Incumbent Air Force Commander K.V.B. Jayampathy at the invitation of RAF Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Hiller attended RAF centenary celebrations in London, July last year. 

The present commander introduced a doctrine to the Air Force (followed suit by the Army) which previous generations have been yearning for. He being receptive to numerous proposals for the benefit of ex-AF personnel is indeed timely and praiseworthy. In a vision statement for a smart air force, the further development of maritime policing along with the Navy is deemed to give a return many-fold, leaving aside the quest for Indian Ocean power rivalries. 

In April 2018, the President’s Colour was awarded to the Combat Training School Diyatalawa by Maithripala Sirisena. The Colour Parade and the ceremonies took all of us down memory lane - where it all began. Incidentally, this writer recollects on commissioning, taking up appointment as Adjutant Training Wing in 1975 and thereafter serving two tenures as the Commanding Officer. 

Although not intending to dwell on the intricate subject of National Security in this instance, suffice to keep it in focus on the dictum that any impairing of it, as shown over and over in history, is bound to cost in blood, toil, tears and sweat, as Sir Winston Churchill exhorted on taking over reins as the new Prime Minister with the invasion force across the English Channel. 

Just detaching the Air Power dimensions of the military component of National Security, it will be sobering to reminisce, the generations who were not privy to Admiral Nagumo’s manifestations to win air superiority over Sri Lanka, would have perhaps got a notion of it when the Czech built Zlin 143 L TIE aircraft made a few forays over the Colombo skies. Maybe a glorified ‘Mosquito Menace!’ 

On this momentous occasion, if we do not salute our sportsmen and women, who not only excelled at the national level but internationally too, bringing honour to the country, will be not fair at all. Restricting the fetes to RAF/SLAF nexus, Sqn. Ldr. Ajith Jayasekera (later Air Commodore) an SLAF Cricket Captain, when at RAF Cranwell did play for the RAF team (main team) and toured the Far East with them. 

For both the Air Forces to be what it is today on their 100th and 68th anniversaries respectively, all those who contributed towards it should be remembered with immense gratitude, and they in every way deserve to be bestowed with that immortal epitaph. They shall not grow old as we that are left to grow old Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them when you go home tell them of us and say 
“FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE GAVE OUR TODAY” 

From this hallowed cenotaph, I am constrained to seek your indulgence to list the two of my batch mates, Wing Commander Eksith Pieris and Air Commodore D.S. Wickramasinghe, a Royal-Thomian duo, of boundless patriotism and professionalism, who made the supreme sacrifice for the sake of our motherland. 

The Passing Of A Truly Decent Man In Bangladesh Journalism

by Anwar A Khan

“Death diminishes me,
                          because I am involved in mankind” – Poet John Donne

Good, kind, decent, insightful: these are the adjectives most frequently can be used to describe Shah Alamgir, a veteran newsman of Bangladesh who suddenly passed away on 28 February 2019 at the age of 62. He was measured, reassuring, organised and efficient. For all his achievements, I, being like his elder brother and friend, admire him most.

More than four decades ago, Shah Alamgir and Mozammel Haque (former DGM, BKB), both are classmates and friends of the Bengali Department of Dhaka University became resident students of Sergeant Zohurul Hoque Hall, Dhaka and took abode in Room No. 327 with me. I was then a student of Master’s class. They just admitted into the DU as first year B.A. Honours class. They were then serious student leaders of Chhatra Union (Matia Group). As their elder brother, I always received highest regards from Alamgir unto his death. Mozammel has always been more advance in showing respect to me. Yesterday morning, Mozammel broke this very sad news to me over phone and he was about to weep to tell me many things about him. He was completely broken down while communicating this sad news to me. I was then too busy otherwise, but I could not bear this unendurable death news of my younger brother like Alamgir. Once upon a time, while I was a student, somebody told me not to be filled with melancholy in the morning time, but the whole day of mine passed away with deep mentation about Alamgir.

Grief is a deeply physical as well as psychological trauma. In the aftermath, we experience shock and often deep anxiety and guilt, as the part of the brain that copes with our readiness for fighting goes into overdrive: our brain releases a higher-than-usual level of cortisone, which also lowers our immune systems (hence all the stories of people "dying of grief"). An over-stimulated nervous system wreaks havoc on our ability to understand and react to the world. So grief can seem endless, formless, and painful; physically as well as mental debilitating. I was so shocked that I am not feeling well as yet.

He was born in Brahmanbaria district, but due to his father's job, he spent a large part of his life in greater Mymensingh. I hail from Kishoreganj District (Kishoreganj town which was once a part of greater Mymensingh District).  If I look back, I always found him in beamish face, exhibiting courtesy, politeness and benignancy. If I made a phone call to him, he made several phone calls to enquire about my well-being showing extraordinary respectfulness.

After Bangabandhu Mujib’s brutal murder in 1975, both Alamgir and Mozamme could clearly fathom that Bangladesh would lose its glorious spirits that we achieved through our Liberation War in 1971. Along with other Chharta Union activists risking their life, they in disguise pasted protested words on the walls of the DU campus and elsewhere of the country to raise voice against the killer military regime days after days in the darkness of the nights. They toured the whole country to organise students and people against this dark episode of our history to bring back the values for which Bangladesh was fought and attained in 1971. Those days were so struggling for them under the barbarous military rule, but they all carried forward their mission ceaselessly. I am a witness of their struggles which they went on taking all hardships with diligence.

In country’s journalism arena, Shah Alamgir walked through with all his powerfulness, but without any proud-fullness. His journalism career started from his student life. He started his journalism through joining the first child-teen weekly Kishore Bangla. He worked as co-editor here from 1980 to 1984. Then he worked Dainik Janata, Banglar Bani, Daily Azad and Daily Sangbad. He was involved with the Prothom Alo from 1 November 1998 to September 2001, he served as joint editor. Then he started working on television media. After that he worked Channel I as Chief News Editor, Ekushey Television as Head of News, Jamuna Television as Director (News), and Macharanga Television as Head of the news. Along with journalism Alamgir served as president and general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists. He is also the President of Children's Welfare Council and Children's National Institutes Chader Hat. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Bangladesh Shishu Academy.  Prior to joining Press Institute of Bangladesh in 2013 as its Director General, he served as the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Editor of the Asian Television.

He was laurelled with awards like Poet Abu Jafar Obaidullah literature award, 2006,     Chandraboti gold medal, 2005, Rotary Dhaka South vocational excellence award, 2004,         Cumilla Youth Samity award, 2004 and Rotary International Life Achievement award, 2016 because of his commendable chores.

When I did office at a large private business house at Sena Kalyan Bhaban, Motijheel Area, Dhaka during the time of 19991 to 1999, he frequently came to see me there. We discussed on many things including the country’s politics. Since he was a newsman and did politics whole-heartedly, he expressed his opinions freely based on strong logic and truth. I used to enjoy his conversations with deep attention.

When Alamgir was with Macharanga Television as its Head of the news, on my way back to Mohakhali office after seeing-off a foreign friend of mine at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka, I suddenly visited Macharanga Television office. Once he came to know my presence at their premises, he immediately came down and received me with all his warmth, took me to his chamber, offered me with coffee and biscuits with all his hospitality. He was so happy to see me at his office that I can’t now express in appropriate words. We passed about two hours’ time together and discussed on many important topics. When I was leaving him, he invited me to go his house at Uttara, Dhaka.

When Mozammel was Deputy General Manager of Bangladesh Krishi Bank at Banani Branch office, he invited Alamgir and me to have a lunch with him at a nearby Chinese restaurant. We took lunch together, nostalgia engulfed us remembering those days of yore that we passed in the Dhaka University campus, its library premises, Sergeant Zohurul Hoque Hall, its canteen, dining hall, TV room, Suhrawardy Uddan, Bangla Academy, New Market and in many more places. I raised the question of moral degradation of some key leaders of Chhatra Union who once had high morality in politics, under whose leadership they did politics. They were aware of those leaders’ abasement and expressed their strong resentment against their not adhering to ethical or moral principles.

Shah Alamgir was a man of high moral principles all along in life. So is Mozammel Hoque.


Outstanding scholar Prof Dr. Ahmed Sharif was the Chairperson of the Bengali Department and Dean of Arts Faculty during our last part of the Dhaka University and he was canonized as ‘the nation’s conscience.’ We revere him like anything because of his high morality, scholarly knowledge, courage and patriotism for the country. Alamgir had tutorial class with him, but he was a whole time student politician. So, he could no appear at two tutorial classes with him in time. His B.A. Honours examination was almost knocking at the door, but without those two tutorial examinations, he would not be able to sit for the examinations. Sharif Sir was very angry with him because of that reason. Sharif Sir always wanted to see that a boy or a man should be very courageous like a lion. Alamgir knew this attribute of Sir. So, he entered into the chamber of Sir and asked for taking his remaining examinations. Dr. Sharif became very furious upon him, but he liked Alamgir’s spirit of boldness and finally allowed him to sit for those examinations. Later on, he shared this experience with us. Today Sharif Sir is not alive. Alamgir has left this mundane world. Where shall we keep our pains stored now?

Being the DG of Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB), Alamgir invited me politely to go his place on many occasions. I nodded. I went there several times. Every time, he received me very cordially as his elder brother. When I am writing this piece, my eyes were welling up every moment because of his humility, caring attitude and respectfulness towards me.

He was an avid reader of all articles of mine which appeared in the English newspapers of both at home and abroad. He used to make comments against those articles which are of thought-provoking. I shall now miss his ever smiling face, phone calls, comments, invitations and many more things. 

He used to come to the TV talk-shows. I used to listen to him attentively. He was a very good debater, but he did never use any abrasive words. He politely engaged in the debate of TV talk-shows, but his logic was highly praiseworthy. I spoke to him over phone every time whenever I found him in the TV talk-shows. He was very happy with my words. After joining PIB, he could not attend at any TV talk-shows and he had tremendous sorrows for it.

PM Sheikh Hasina picked up a right person for heading PIB like an institution. He did many commendable initiatives for PIB for its better image and functioning. Shah Alamgir was a decent persona in Bangladesh’s journalism. Honourable President Abdul Hamid has aptly said, “His (Shah Alamgir) death is an irreparable loss to the journalism of Bangladesh. His ideal and ethics will remain exemplary for the journalists."

Fellow journalists were shocked and saddened by the surprise news.  Most recalled him as both a talented colleague and a generous mentor, with many citing his acts of friendship and support for fellow newsmen. He is hailed as one of the best journalists of his generation — "the best of the breed."  Rarely does a journalist die and the world is different, but without Alamgir we will know less, and settle for less nuanced, less human truth.  I am personally devastated by the loss of this brilliant, kind, inspiring man. Knowing him meant learning from the best.


Shah Alamgir was the gold standard of journalism in Bangladesh because of language skills, hard work, compassion and toughness. I can't believe it. Alamgir is gone. His courage, intelligence, grace, fluency and determination to tell us the truth... unequalled. One of his friends Mujibur Rahman, a veteran freedom fighter of our glorious Liberation War of 1971, told me in his remembrance that "he found humanity amid the rubble, compassion in the tableau of violence” in the persona of Alamgir.

We had a lot of intimate talks during the last four decades or so. Dear Alamgir, my younger brother, do you hear me? We are mournful here for you. Please accept my fond affection. The echoes of his name have travelled the canyons of the world of Bangladesh and back, to await him in a silent grave. But the throb of our hearts will forever beat out a refrain in his memory. He was a person not easy to forget. And now he is gone. We have lost a star, a man big in stature, intellect and heart.

 We pray for eternal peace of the departed soul of Alamgir and express sympathy for his bereaved family members. To finish-off today, we wish to read out a few lines of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay:
“Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave
Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind;
Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave.
I know. But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”

-The End –

The writer is a senior citizen of Bangladesh, writes on politics, political and human-centred figures, current and international affairs

Foreign influence: With China, it’s a blurry line between corporate and state

Australia’s Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act obliges individuals to register if they act on behalf of “foreign principals”. Source: Shutterstock

FORMER federal trade minister Andrew Robb says he has quit his AU$880,000-a-year (US$632,000) consultancy job with Chinese-owned Landbridge Group because it didn’t have anything for him do.

Former Victorian premier John Brumby says he has quit as a director of Chinese tech giant Huawei in Australia because he has too much else to do.

Former federal foreign minister and ex-NSW premier Bob Carr has quit his job as director of the Australia-China Relations Institute, an organisation bankrolled by a Chinese billionaire with a history of using donations to cosy up to politicians.

It might be just a coincidence that these decisions have come just days before new foreign influence transparency laws come into effect on March 1.

The new laws are supposed to make visible the “nature, level and extent of foreign influence on Australia’s government and political process”.

There is more than enough evidence that greater transparency is needed. But the extent to which the new rules will achieve this is questionable.

SEE ALSO: Is China playing the North Korea card?

Money talks

Federal parliament passed the Foreign Influence Transparency Scheme Act (FITS) in December. The Act obliges individuals to register if they act on behalf of “foreign principals” – be they governments, government-related entities, political organisations or government-related individuals.

Failing to apply for (or renew) registration, providing false and misleading information or destroying records may lead to a prison term of up to six years for individuals and fines of AU$88,200 (US$63,000) for companies.

Registrable activities include:

• parliamentary and political lobbying on behalf of a foreign principal
• communications activities for the purpose of political or government influence
• employment or activities of former cabinet ministers.

An example of the latter is Andrew Robb.

In February 2016 Robb resigned as federal trade minister and announced he would not recontest his seat. He left parliament in July. Three months later he had his new job, getting paid way more than the prime minister as a consultant to the Landbridge Group.

In February 2016 Robb resigned as federal trade minister and announced he would not recontest his seat. Source: AFP PHOTO / TARKO SUDIARNO

It is always instructive to note the first jobs taken by politicians after they leave parliament. Those appointments generally reflect relationships already well-groomed.

Landbridge is a privately owned Chinese company, but like many Chinese companies has strong ties to the ruling Chinese Communist Party. Its substantial interests in petrochemicals and ports includes a 99-year lease over the Darwin port, which is considered of strategic importance in China’s diplomatic dance with the United States.

Qualitative differences

China isn’t the only foreign power interested in having influence in Australia, of course.

Historical ties have meant that Britain once dictated Australia’s foreign policy. Since World War II the United States has had almost as much power.

Now China, Australia’s largest trading partner, taking about 30 percent of our exports, looms large. But the power exercised by the Chinese regime is qualitatively different.

For all its economic liberalisation since the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, China remains a one party state, with repression worsening under Xi Jinping. On freedom of the press, for example, China ranks 176 out of 180 countries.

Commercial, military and political influences are wrapped up together. Lines between state and private enterprises are blurred.

When Chinese business interests curry favour with foreign politicians and officials, there’s a high chance that statecraft is also being advanced. “Soft power” is used extensively.

SEE ALSO: Is the future of Australia’s ‘Asian invasion’ dystopian or utopian?

Agent of influence

This is what made the tawdry scandal involving former NSW senator Sam Dastyari so alarming.

Though a humble senator, Dastyari was a key Labor Party fundraiser and powerbroker. He later admitted that vanity and arrogance made him susceptible to the charm offensive of Huang Xiangmo – the billionaire who courted Bob Carrto head up the Australia-China Relations Institute.

Dastyari accepted financial gifts from Huang’s company, including a AU$44,000 (US$32,000) payment to settle a legal dispute, along with payments from other donors connected to the Chinese Communist Party.

Such payments made it obvious why he defied his own party’s policy and defended China’s militant stance in the South China Sea. He was subsequently labelled a Chinese “agent of influence”.

These revelations resulted in Dastyari resigning from parliament in 2017. Earlier this month it was revealed the federal government had rejected Huang’s bid to become an Australian citizen and stripped him of his permanent residency visa.

On the basis of these examples highlighted above, there’s a strong case for making influence peddling open and transparent.

Whether the new laws can achieve that is another matter. They may curtail flagrant scenarios where those leaving public office sell their wares to the highest bidder.

But to work effectively, the laws and their enforcers will need to constantly adapt and evolve as agents look for creative ways to wield influence from the shadows.

By John Garrick, Senior Lecturer, Business Law, Charles Darwin University. This article is republished from The Conversationunder a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.