Cometh the hour…
One common concern trolling among the Awami League supporters is regarding the leadership of the Jatiya Oikya Front — who is your leader, if you win, who will be your prime minister, who will be the real decision maker etc. The idea of collective leadership, cabinet governance, the party room deciding who will be its parliamentary leader — these notions are simply alien to Bangladeshi political culture. Meanwhile, in many seats, it’s hard if not impossible for many JOF candidates to present themselves before the voters — some are in jail, others are forced out of their areas by AL thugs, and violent interruption of electioneering is commonplace.
Does it matter? Perhaps the public doesn’t mind that JOF is a collective effort. Perhaps it’s all about the election symbol. Perhaps the public sentiment is: We don’t need another hero / We don’t need to know the way home / All we want is life beyond the Thunderdome.
If people come out to vote, is state machinery strong enough to suppress the public will? But will people come out to vote?
How soon is now?
It’s an iconic 1980s song, played in the stereo systems of many a nerdy college kid over the past decades. Along with Hanif Kureishi’s work, apprently it’s among the best commentary on the Thatcher era England. It was also one of the themes of this classic Aaron Spelling drama. And now, it seems to be a great commentary on Bangladeshi political scene. Reading the Economist’s recent editorial and news story on Bangladesh, I kept recalling Morrissey’s matter-of-fact statement: when you say it’s gonna happen “now”, well, when exactly do you mean? see I’ve already waited too long, and all my hope is gone.
Best and the brightest along the watchtower
My childhood was spent in a highly politicised and very much left-centre environment. Weekend breakfasts at our house involved shouting matches about Mujib’s decisions in 1971, or Khaled-Taher-Zia in 1975, or the Menon-Motia split in 1967, or about the best way to oppose Ershad, or the Soviet role in Afghanistan, or whether Bangladesh could have been a Vietnam had the Indians not intervened.
I never paid much attention to the Vietnam War until we moved overseas. Suddenly, Vietnam was everywhere. Platoon, Rambo 1 and 2, Born on the 4th of July, and Full Metal Jacket came out within a few years of each other. Tour of Duty was a big hit on the TV. A -Team and MacGyver had Vietnam backstories. There were lots of Vietnam related songs, from Born in the USA to Khe Sanh.
I lapped up the pop culture, but somehow never got into the War itself. I knew the broad outline of the conflict of course, from the Viet Minh and Dien Bien Bhu to the Tet Offensive and Agent Orange. But somehow, until now, I hadn’t read a serious book on the conflict. It’s changing now. More on that, later. For now, enjoy Jimmi.
(Thanks NM for getting me interested)
Mukti 
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