Postscript
The New Bangladeshi Political Dictionary
It's funny how the meanings of words change over time, sometimes because of certain events, at other times for no apparent reason.
'Addict' in Roman times meant individuals who couldn't pay their debt and were given to their debtors as slaves. By the 1900s it became used for people who were dependent on morphine and other drugs, thus retaining the lowly status it had originated with. 'Gay' used to mean joyous and lighthearted but later was debased when the terms 'gay woman' and 'gayhouse' evolved meaning prostitute and brothel respectively. Now it is an acceptable term to refer to homosexuality. Similarly bully was once a term of endearment like 'darling' or 'sweetheart' until it became associated with those cowards who harass the weak and helpless.
Being a politically 'dynamic' country we too have given new meaning to many mundane words.
A 'political activist' is no longer an idealist who protests injustice and discrimination against the ordinary man. It is someone, who, in exchange of a small fee, has good throwing skills – to hurl cocktails and petrol bombs on target, who can bash a car's window into smithereens and stand against the elements for hours chanting slogans and clapping enthusiastically while leaders make vitriolic speeches. He must have no qualms about setting innocent people on fire or smashing a car while people are in it. He must have the ability to evoke as much terror as possible among the general public so that nobody dare goes to work, earn their daily bread, go to school or get essential medical treatment. Adolescent garbage pickers, expendable and invisible, are often given special consideration during recruitment.
A 'student cadre' is not someone who has enrolled into the military academy. He is a 'political activist' who has gone up the ranks and has proven his mettle with a few hackings, tendon cuttings, cold-blooded murders, forceful occupation of residential halls and of course 'securing' tenders for various construction work inside the campus. His power base comes from the fear he is able to spread around his perimeters by wielding accessories like rust-covered machetes, cut off rifles, pistols and revolvers.
A 'hartal' has strayed far away from the strikes by workers for legitimate demands for better pay and working conditions. Now it simply means a license to vandalise, burn, kill and disrupt the general people's lives and cause as much destruction and misery to the nation as possible.
'Political rivalry' has gone back to medieval definitions when hatred for one's opponent is so all consuming that leaders on opposite sides are willing to sacrifice peace, harmony, democracy and human lives, for the sake of holding on to their petty, personal dislikes.
The word 'jonogon' (meaning the people) has found a new status too. Political leaders use this word rather generously saying Jonogon has spontaneously supported this hartal' or 'jonogon does not want this corrupt regime' or Jonogon rejects the conspiracies hatched by the opposition'. Jonogon to a political leader means strictly party members, cadres, goons and a few hired hands. The rest of the people – coincidentally the majority – can go to hell.
It is logical therefore that other related words will also have new connotations associated with them. 'Andolon' (movement) is again a disruption of public life through fear and intimidation. 'Political rally/campaign' is not a way of telling the public how they will build the nation but a perfect platform for mudslinging against the opponent by spewing out conspiracies like accumulated betel juice.
'Bus', 'private car' and 'human life' are all collateral damage for making vague political statements.
A phone call is no longer just picking up a device and communicating – it is a historical event that is construed in many ways– a breakthrough in an impossible impasse; an opponent finally eating humble pie; a bitter pill to swallow; a delight for the media.
Consequently a dinner may not be a simple repast but the antidote for a deadly poison, the ultimate political icebreaker or something totally, utterly fantastic – taking the 14th century meaning: existing only in imagination.
Being a politically 'dynamic' country we too have given new meaning to many mundane words.
A 'political activist' is no longer an idealist who protests injustice and discrimination against the ordinary man. It is someone, who, in exchange of a small fee, has good throwing skills – to hurl cocktails and petrol bombs on target, who can bash a car's window into smithereens and stand against the elements for hours chanting slogans and clapping enthusiastically while leaders make vitriolic speeches. He must have no qualms about setting innocent people on fire or smashing a car while people are in it. He must have the ability to evoke as much terror as possible among the general public so that nobody dare goes to work, earn their daily bread, go to school or get essential medical treatment. Adolescent garbage pickers, expendable and invisible, are often given special consideration during recruitment.
A 'student cadre' is not someone who has enrolled into the military academy. He is a 'political activist' who has gone up the ranks and has proven his mettle with a few hackings, tendon cuttings, cold-blooded murders, forceful occupation of residential halls and of course 'securing' tenders for various construction work inside the campus. His power base comes from the fear he is able to spread around his perimeters by wielding accessories like rust-covered machetes, cut off rifles, pistols and revolvers.
A 'hartal' has strayed far away from the strikes by workers for legitimate demands for better pay and working conditions. Now it simply means a license to vandalise, burn, kill and disrupt the general people's lives and cause as much destruction and misery to the nation as possible.
'Political rivalry' has gone back to medieval definitions when hatred for one's opponent is so all consuming that leaders on opposite sides are willing to sacrifice peace, harmony, democracy and human lives, for the sake of holding on to their petty, personal dislikes.
The word 'jonogon' (meaning the people) has found a new status too. Political leaders use this word rather generously saying Jonogon has spontaneously supported this hartal' or 'jonogon does not want this corrupt regime' or Jonogon rejects the conspiracies hatched by the opposition'. Jonogon to a political leader means strictly party members, cadres, goons and a few hired hands. The rest of the people – coincidentally the majority – can go to hell.
It is logical therefore that other related words will also have new connotations associated with them. 'Andolon' (movement) is again a disruption of public life through fear and intimidation. 'Political rally/campaign' is not a way of telling the public how they will build the nation but a perfect platform for mudslinging against the opponent by spewing out conspiracies like accumulated betel juice.
'Bus', 'private car' and 'human life' are all collateral damage for making vague political statements.
A phone call is no longer just picking up a device and communicating – it is a historical event that is construed in many ways– a breakthrough in an impossible impasse; an opponent finally eating humble pie; a bitter pill to swallow; a delight for the media.
Consequently a dinner may not be a simple repast but the antidote for a deadly poison, the ultimate political icebreaker or something totally, utterly fantastic – taking the 14th century meaning: existing only in imagination.
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