Naming an institution
Most dailies on February 9 reported about renaming of our only international airport at Dhaka. We should calmly and logically look at the issue, and in the fitness of things, analyse the background and history, and the hidden implications of the matter dispassionately. Using names of military and political leaders for any place should be avoided. If they are worth their salt; their names will naturally come into the history of the country automatically, after proper interval, two or three decades hence by virtue of their thoughts, words and deeds.
Giving their names to geographical locations, just on the basis of political majority, within a few years after their death is not proper.
Political organisations, private institutions, commercial organisations and such entities can do so, but not at the national level. Should the BNP desire, they can freely change the name of their party to Zia National Party, without let or hindrance from any quarter!
Geographical names of places, traditionally are named honouring national social leaders, religious saints, poets, writers and philosophers; who are apolitical; like Iqbal Hall, Nazrul Avenue and Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital among others. Rare political leaders, with no ambition for state power, who are more philosophers than politicians and acceptable to all, like (Late) Maulana Bashani, are the few exceptions for us accepted without any dispute by the nation.
Calling a place by the name of an army general, then CMLA and later President, who came through the aftermath of army coups, and finally died in another army coup is not the thing to do, particularly for the only airport in Bangladesh, that is on international flight routes. It does not seem right to invoke the background crated by the many army revolts in Bangladesh's history; particularly as the official name of our country is the People's Republic of Bangladesh!
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