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Friday, April 9, 2021 | Vol. 40, No. 15

Indo American News

April 9, 2021

Published weekly from Houston, TX

www.indoamerican-news.com

Special Reports Community Briefs Local Politics South Asians in the News

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Food Distributions

America’s Gun Culture is Killing South Asians

P 3, P5 Aamir’s Song & Dance

Indo-American News • Friday, APRIL 9, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

COMMUNITY

April 9, 2021

Murder-Suicide: Six Bangla-American Family Members Shot in Texas By Andrea Salcedo

Allen, Texas: The lengthy note from Farhan Towhid, a 19-yearold Texan, went up on Instagram over the weekend, beginning with an alarming claim: “Hey everyone. I killed myself and my family.” When a family friend saw the 11-page letter, they quickly called police to request a wellness check, warning that Towhid was suicidal. On early Monday, police forced their way into the red brick house in Allen, Tex. Inside, they found six people dead: Farhan Towhid; his brother, Tanvir Towhid, 21; his father, Towhidul Islam, 54; his mother, Iren Islam, 56; his grandmother Altafun Nessa, 77; and his 19-year-old twin sister, Farbin Towhid. They had all been shot to death, police said, by Farhan and Tanvir Towhid as part of a suicide pact the pair had planned out for over a month. “It looks like the two … sons entered into an agreement that they were going to [die by] suicide and that they were going to take their family members with them,” Allen Police Department Sgt. Jon Felty told KRLD. Police have not confirmed when the deaths took place but said it is likely the brothers killed their family members on Saturday night. The mass killing of the family, which moved to the United States from Bangladesh about 15 years ago, left friends and neighbors in shock. “We just can’t believe it happened to this family,” family friend Sied Chowdhury, 60, told The Washington Post. “They are a very loving family. We didn’t see anything wrong with the family, any problems.” The Towhid family first settled in New York before moving to Allen, a northern suburb of Dallas, Chowdhury said. Towhidul, the father, worked in information technology while his wife, Iren, took care of the house and their children. A neighbor told the Dallas Morning News that Altafun, the grandmother, was visiting from Bangladesh and was sched-

Farhan Towhid, 19, and Tanvir Towhid, 21, shot their parents, sister and grandmother before killing themselves after forming a suicide pact, police said. The grandmother is not pictured. (Bangladesh Association of North Texas).

uled to return home last week, but her flight got postponed because of the pandemic. Farbin, Farhan’s twin sister, had recently accepted a full scholarship to attend New York University, KDFW reported. According to Farhan’s note on Instagram, he and his brother Tanvir had struggled with mental illness for years. Farhan wrote that he had suffered from depression since the ninth grade and had repeatedly harmed himself. His family had tried to help him, but he said that his mental health issues had recently worsened. He had been studying computer science at the University of Texas at Austin, he wrote, but was expelled from his dorm in the winter after telling a

roommate that he planned to kill his family. He moved home, where Tanvir, whom he described as “depressed and socially anxious,” was staying. Eventually, the pair decided to kill their family and then themselves, he wrote. “Instead of having to deal with the aftermath of my suicide, I could just do them a favor and take them with me,” the note reads. The pair bought guns, he wrote, adding that “gun control in the U.S. is a joke” because the pair lied when asked if they were suffering from mental illness. Police did not confirm how many guns were used in the shooting, adding that Tanvir was able to legally purchase a gun “recently,” KXAS

reported. It is unclear when exactly Farhan allegedly posted the note to Instagram, but police said officers arrived at the home around 1 a.m. on Monday. “We have never had an incident like this in the 21 years that I’ve been here,” Felty told KXAS. “It’s just a tragedy. There’s no other way to describe it.” Felty said none of the neighbors reported hearing gunshots and that police received no reports of gunfire in the area. The family had never reported any issues to the police, he added. Chowdhury said the Bangladeshi community in the area is still grappling with the news. The loss of the family, which was active in the Bangladesh Association of North

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Sahnewaz Hossain said she got to know Iren Islam well through a religion class. “The mom always talked about the boys, how they were good in studies, how they’re getting into good schools with scholarships,” she said. “Every time I would come home, I’d tell my kids how good they were doing.” Fazia Rahman and Angelina Biswas graduated from Allen High School with Farbin and Farhan Towhid. “Their parents were genuinely the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life,” Rahman said. “So friendly and so caring ... They treated everyone like they were their own kids, they’d be like ‘Come in, we have food for you, come eat.” -- Dallas Morning News

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Texas, leaves a void in the tightknit community. The association’s general secretary, Nahida Ali, called the news “horrific” and “shocking” in a Facebook post on Monday. The University of Texas at Austin also mourned the death of the brothers, whom the university described as former students. “Today we received extremely sad news about the deaths of two former students,” the university said in a statement shared with KTVT. “The news is devastating to our university. We express our deepest sympathies to their extended family and friends.” Some members of the Bangladeshi community arrived at the scene early on Monday morning and did not leave until the family’s bodies were removed from the home around 6 p.m., Chowdhury said. “I’ve never seen a crime like this,” Chowdhury said. “This is hard to swallow. They had a lot of friends in the neighborhood. It’s pretty heartbreaking for the community.” -- Washington Post If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

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COMMUNITY

April 9, 2021

Free Food & Celebrations at India House with CG, Cong. Al Green

Houston: On March 31st, 2021 India House was buzzing with volunteers busily unloading groceries from the Houston Food Bank mobile truck, and cars were lining up in front of the building patiently waiting for the food distribution to start. The food distribution is an ongoing bi-monthly event organized by India House where 200 families are served each session. The March 31, distribution was a part of the “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahostav” celebration, a program launched by the Indian Government to cel-

Congressman Al Green (center) presented proclamations to India House representatives with India’s Consul General Aseem Mahajan.

Volunteers gathered for a group photo after the food distribution.

ebrate India’s upcoming 75 years of independence. Indian Consul General, Aseem Mahajan and Congressman Al Green were in attendance to celebrate the event with India House. Consul General Mahajan, who is a regular volunteer at India House for the Food Distribution praised India House for its service to the community. He said, “service to humanity is service to God.” He called the Indo-American community of the greater Houston area “vibrant” and commended them for coming together to help the community during difficult times. He also thanked Congressman Green

for his support of “India-America friendship” and said he is looking forward to working with him. Congressman Green acknowledged India House’s community service by awarding India House a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition. Manish Rungta, President of India House and Col. Vipin Kumar, Executive Director of India House, received the Congressional certificate. In addition to India House, Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition were also awarded to The Consulate General of India for their participation, Agrawal Association of American for spon-

soring the event, Maharaja Bhog & Srini Suraparaju for sponsoring volunteers’ refreshments, and lastly Houston County Sheriff Department for offering security service during the event. Congressman Green thanked everyone for their “time, energy and effort for the noble cause.” He also called India House a “community house” for helping people and addressing the needs of the community. Mr. Suraparaju sponsored the volunteer refreshment to celebrate his daughter, Deeksha’s birthday.

Indo-American News • Friday, APRIL 9, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

Congressman Green joined in the celebration along with the volunteers and staff. Congressman Green said “In Deeksha, we see a future US president.” As a token of gratitude, India House distributed free T-shirts to all the volunteers. The t-shirts were sponsored by India House Trustee Hari and Anjali Agrawal. Apart from the ongoing bimonthly food distribution, India House offers other myriad of free services to the community to keep them mentally and physically fit. Since COVID-19, we have moved most of our services online. India House offers: Yoga classes, BollyX fitness classes, Relationship coaching, Telehealth services, Technology classes for seniors, and Legal consultation on immigration and family law. In addition, we offer soccer and art classes for children. India House is partnering with ShoShin to offer personality development workshops for ages 10 – 18 starting April 19, 2021. Registration is open. For more information, please check: http://www.indiahouseinc. org/

April 9, 2021

Celebration of School Naming for Sonal Bhuchar

COMMUNITY

The group, which conducted a community campaign to nominate Sonal Bhuchar for naming of a newly constructed Fort Bend Independent School District school, gathered to celebrate their success.

Sugar Land: The Fort Bend ISD board of trustees unanimously approved naming two upcoming district schools after leaders in local education during its March 29 meeting. Elementary School No. 53 will be named for Sonal S. Bhuchar, a former FBISD trustee and longtime associate of the Fort Bend Education Foundation. The Indo-American commuity in the greater Houston area mounted a successful nomination campaign on behalf of Sonal Bhuchar, spearheaded by Shefali Jhaveri. A district biography of Bhuchar describes her as a trailblazer in Fort Bend County. Bhuchar—a physical therapist—served on the board of many nonprofit and local organizations, including Child Advocates of Fort Bend, the Literacy Council of Fort Bend, AccessHealth, Sugar Land Cultural Arts Foundation and the Texas Medical Association Alliance, among others. While on the board, Bhuchar led several district initiatives, including

the Student Leadership Program, the Legislative Advocacy Program, the Fort Bend Education Foundation’s Annual International Festival, WATCH—a lifestyle education program—and scholarship opportunities. Bhuchar died of cancer complications at the age of 58 on April 20, 2019. Several current board members spoke about how Bhuchar encouraged them to serve the community. Trustee Jim Rice sat on the school board alongside Bhuchar for two years. “The first year she was my mentor, and I came to know her very well,” Rice said. “She was a lady who worked very hard in our community to help build bridges of understanding between our very diverse community.” Trustee Grayle James ran for the Bhuchar’s school board seat when she decided to not seek re-election in 2012. “While I did not sit on the school board with Sonal, I did try to sit in the seat and fill the shoes that she

left here,” James said. “She supported me as I learned my role on the school board. I’m so grateful and proud that we’ll be able to name an elementary school for her.” Furthermore, Almeta Crawford will be the namesake of the district’s 12th high school. Crawford was an educator of 49 years—30 of which she taught at Dulles High School, where she was honored as Teacher of the Year prior to her retirement, according to a district biography of Crawford. More than 300 names were recommended for both schools and a naming committee met this past week to review each nomination, said trustee Dave Rosenthal, who served as the board representative on the committee. Almeta Crawford High School will open in the fall of 2022 in the Hightower and Ridge Point area. Sonal S. Bhuchar Elementary School will open the next year in January 2023 in the Riverstone community. -- Claire Shoop, Community Impact Newspaper

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COMMUNITY

April 9, 2021

Orissa Culture Center “Food for Families” Food Drive: World is a Family Houston: Humans have been time and again challenged by circumstances, some of which are our doing and some of which are just what it means to be part of this vibrant nature. Year 2020 in that regard is certainly one of the toughest times we have encountered in recent memory. The pandemic brought with itself an upheaval not seen before, it not only affected our health but also hit our emotional, social and financial well-being. Social inequity was brought to the fore, with many people failing to get access to timely health care as well as being affected by joblosses as many businesses started going kaput given the new social paradigm. Many of our communities were found struggling to make ends meet, even basic survival items like food and water were and are still out of reach. All this happening right in the world’s most advanced economy, just showing how the powerful can still be vulnerable. Houston has been one of the hardest hits, given the large population as well as being a center of business in the south of the country. The administration working in tandem with medical infrastructure has done very well to minimize the damage and keep the City ticking. A great role is continuously being played by the social infrastructure, of which we in the South are so proud, the result of this has been a marvelous and self-less effort from

tirely from within the OCC community and are spearheaded by the kids. The food packet was put together with help of donations from the generous members of the OCC community and consisted of non-perishable items ensuring a balanced meal. With vaccines available and vaccination being carried out with utmost importance, we can certainly look forward to a better future and hope for safer tomorrow and we at OCC will continue our small yet determined effort to support our community and our City. Houston Strong.

Kids leading the OCC food drive.

the Houston Food Bank. As per recent numbers, Houston Food Bank distributed 270 million pounds of food since last March, in and around Greater Houston area, no words will be enough to fathom the profound impact of such an effort. The herculean effort has inspired and continues to inspire many such food donation and distribution drives across the city, state and the country. We at Orissa Culture Center (OCC), are motivated to do our bit, to show our solidarity with our city

and neighborhood. This in our opinion is not only the right thing to do but also resonates well with the core of Jagannatha Parampara where Universalism and providing food is key. The Shri Jagannatha Temple in Puri, Odisha, India hosts a grand kitchen where food in enormous quantity is cooked by between 600 to 1000 chefs daily. It goes without saying that world is a family and to emphasize that OCC began with donating food items to Houston Food

Bank and then started organizing “Food for Families” food drive right in the center of Houston at 3101 Fuqua St, Houston TX. The food drive provides a free meal kit with supplies for a meal for a family of 4 to 5 people. Considering given social distancing measures, this is a contact-less initiative, where people drive up to the entry of our premises and volunteers place the food packet either in the trunk or rear-seat of the vehicle. The volunteers are en-

‘Food for Families’ drive

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INDIA

April 9, 2021

Arabian Coins Found in US Unlocks Piracy Against Mughal Hajj Ships

Hartford, CT: A handful of coins unearthed from a pick-yourown-fruit orchard in the US state of Rhode Island and other random corners of New England may help solve a centuries-old cold case. The villain in this tale: a murderous English pirate who became the world’s most-wanted criminal after plundering a ship carrying Muslim pilgrims home to India from Mecca, then eluded capture by posing as a slave trader. Jim Bailey, an amateur historian and metal detectorist, found the first intact 17th-century Arabian coin in a meadow in Middletown. That ancient pocket change – the oldest ever found in North America – could explain how pirate Capt Henry Every vanished. On 7 September 1695, the pirate ship Fancy, commanded by Every, ambushed and captured the Ganji-Sawai, a royal vessel owned by the Indian emperor Aurangzeb, then one of the world’s most powerful men. Onboard were not only the worshippers returning from their pilgrimage but tens of millions of dollars’ worth of gold and silver. What followed was one of the most lucrative and heinous robberies of all time. Historical accounts say Every’s band tortured and killed the men onboard the

Until now, historians knew only that Every eventually sailed to Ireland in 1696, where the trail went cold. But Bailey says the coins he and others have found are evidence that the notorious pirate first made his way to the American colonies, where he and his crew used the plunder for day-to-day expenses while on the run. The first complete coin surfaced in 2014 at Sweet Berry farm in Middletown, a spot that had piqued Bailey’s curiosity two years earlier after he found old colonial coins, an 18th-century shoe A 17th-century Arabian silver coin that research shows was struck in buckle and some musket balls. 1693 in Yemen. Photograph: Steven Senne/AP Waving a metal detector over the soil, he got a signal, dug down and found a darkened silver coin he initially assumed was either Spanish or money minted by the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Peering closer, the Arabic text on the coin got his pulse racing. Research confirmed that the exotic coin was minted in 1693 in Yemen. That raised questions, Bailey said, since there was no evidence that American colonists struggling to eke out a living in Pirate vessels attacked the Mughal ship Hajj convoy in 1695. the New World travelled to anyIndian ship and raped the women sure from a scandalised India and where in the Middle East to trade before escaping to the Bahamas. the East India Company trading until decades later. Word of their crimes spread giant – put a large bounty on their Since then, other detectorists quickly, and King William III of heads. “Everybody was looking have unearthed 15 additional AraEngland – under enormous pres- for these guys,” said Bailey bian coins from the same era – 10

Indo-American News • Friday, APRIL 9, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

in Massachusetts, three in Rhode Island and two in Connecticut. Another was found in North Carolina, where records show some of Every’s men first came ashore. “It seems like some of his crew were able to settle in New England and integrate,” said Sarah Sportman, the state archaeologist for Connecticut, where one of the coins was found in 2018 in the ongoing excavation of a 17thcentury farm site. “It was almost like a money laundering scheme,” she said. Although it sounds unthinkable now, Every was able to hide in plain sight by posing as a slave trader – an emerging profession in 1690s New England. On his way to the Bahamas, he even stopped at the French island of Réunion to get some Black captives so he would look the part, Bailey said. Obscure records show that a ship called the Sea Flower, used by the pirates after they ditched the Fancy, sailed along the eastern seaboard. It arrived with nearly four dozen slaves in 1696 in Newport, Rhode Island, which became hub of the North American slave trade “There’s extensive primary source documentation to show the American colonies were bases of operation for pirates,” said Bailey. -- AP

INDIA

April 9, 2021

Bridge Over Chenab Connects India

The world’s highest railway bridge, over river Chenab. (Courtesy: Afcons/Northern Railway).

Srinagar: A half-a-kilometre long arch, the defining feature of the world’s highest railway bridge over river Chenab, is set to be completed on Monday. And with this, the biggest civil-engineering challenge faced by any railway project in India in recent history will be over. The 5.3-metre last piece of metal will be fitted at the highest point on Monday and join the two arms of the arch that currently stretch towards each other from both the banks of the river. This will complete the shape of the arch that will then loom over the treacherous Chenab, flowing some 359 metres below. The arch, the most difficult part of the Rs 1,400-crore bridge over Chenab, is a major leap towards the completion of the 111 km long-winding stretch from Katra to Banihal. It will symbolise the Kashmir rail link, to be ready for at least a century. In other words,

a train from Kanyakumari can reach all the way to Kashmir uninterrupted. At present, the Kashmir link means a 25km stretch from Udhampur to Katra, an 18km stretch from Banihal to Qazigund in the Valley and thereafter the 118-km Qazigund to Baramulla line. All these have been operational for years. The only missing piece in the link is the Katra-Banihal stretch, and the bridge over Chenab was the main engineering hurdle holding up the progress all these years. The cable crane that will do the job of completing the arch itself measures around 900 meters, and is said to be the longest in the world, made especially for this project. “Up there, the winds are so rough that we have to stop work several times and resume only when the wind calms down and the weather is right,” said Vijay Sharma, head of the Rail Link National Project. -- IE

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April 9, 2021

‘Koi Jaane Na’: Only for Aamir’s Song

ENTERTAINMENT

A Case of Shock and Yawn

By Kelly Lawler

‘Koi Jaane Na’ features a dance number by Aamir Khan and Bollywood reality star Ellie AvRam.

By Shubhra Gupta Cast: Kunal Kapoor, Amyra Dastur, Neha Mahajan, Ashwini Kalsekar, Atul Kulkarni, Karim Hajee, Achint Kaur, Vidya Malvade, Aditya Lakhia, Raj Zutshi Director: Amin Hajee Rating: Half star ‘Koi Jaane Na’ translates as No One Knows. So prophetic, you think, as soon as the film opens. Because no one quite seems to know just what’s going on, for every excruciating minute of two hours. Kunal Kapoor is a writer with a block. Said writer’s vengeful ex (Vidya Malvade) scrunches her face and declares war. Why does she hate him so? We don’t know. The only way for our pal to save

himself is take off to a picturesque Panchgani cottage, and churn out yet another motivational tome. Trouble is, he has a secret, and it has to do with books which are cheap thrillers, not the one he is feted for by his fawning fans. How long will he be able to hide? A bunch of people are out to dig the truth, whether he likes it or not. Ditsy girl with a dark past (Amyra Dastur), lusty wench with a sliding ‘pallu’ (Neha Mahajan), scowly cop (Ashwini Kalsekar), smart-mouthed full-time sleuth, part-time reporter (Karim Hajee), stealth photographer (Aditya Lakhia), ballsy agent in a shock of mahogany hair (Achint Kaur), kindly doctor with a long gaze (Atul Kulkarni), and a Labrador who goes by the name of Charm-

er. So, what is this about? Writers seeking inspiration? The merits of pulp fiction versus serious, noble-minded literature? Damaged young women looking for closure? Why do the bodies begin piling up? Why are there portraits of caped crusaders in a secret room? Why do killers channelling Jack Nicholson roam around wearing hoodies? Questions, questions. Were there writers on the job? Is this really a film? Who knows? The only thing I can tell you with any conviction is that Aamir Khan is still as sexy a dancer as he has always been, and his item number with Elli AvRam is the only thing worth watching in the movie. That, and the lab. -- Indian Express

With slick costumes, gorgeous locales and a bright cast, “Serpent” looks the part of a sleek true-crime thriller. The gem of the series is Rahim, who received a Golden Globe nomination this year for his performance in “Mauritanian” alongside Jodie Foster. Rahim has the natural good looks and magnetism that helped Sobhraj attract so many people. The actor turns on his charm during scenes of violence and terror, fully embracing the role of an unfathomably cruel monster. At one point, Sobhraj beats a woman in broad daylight, in the middle of a crowd, but the onlookers pay no attention, assuming their genteel neighbor is just horsing around. While Sobhraj’s story made headlines, he is not as well known to younger generations. The series’ writers do a fine job keeping the mystery alive for those unfamiliar with the case.

But as much as “Serpent” benefits from its shocking real-life story, it also falls victim. The last three episodes lose their momentum so significantly in part because the real hunt for Sobhraj slowed to a crawl. The final half-hour jumps through several decades and developments (and unfortunate aging makeup) in a rushed, anticlimactic conclusion, even if it remains true to the story. Fewer episodes, more creative license and fewer twists would have helped condense “Serpent” into a consistently stirring series. But unfortunately, this “Serpent” quickly loses its bite. Herman Knippenberg (Billy Howle) and Angela Knippenberg (Ellie Bamber) in “The Serpent.” ‘The Serpent’ is streaming on Netflix

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April 9, 2021

After giving an insight into the ‘arranged marriage’ set up with Indian Matchmaking, Netflix is all set to celebrate the big fat Indian wedding with The Big Day. The series will take a deep dive into the multibillion-dollar wedding industry, and gives the audience a chance to be a part of the most unique and lavish modern weddings. The trailer of the first season of The Big Day was released on Monday. The video is nothing short of a live Pinterest board on dream weddings for millennials. From lavish settings, designer clothes to some exciting themes, the series showcases it all. The show will also have couples talk about crafting their happily ever after. The makers have chosen six different stories, and each of these couples do not believe in toeing the line. From planning a truly sustainable wedding, which is the need of the hour, to a bride that does not believe in following traditions blindly, the stories would definitely touch a chord. Celebrity makeup artist Daniel Baeur, who got married to partner Tyrone Braganza in 2019, also features in this special wedding series. Produced by Conde Nast India, The Big Day will have couples navigating their way through an eye-opening list of shenanigans and soul-stirring moments that go into creating spectacular Indian weddings. There would also be a dash of family drama, unique personal struggles, triumphs and much more. The Big Day will start streaming on Netflix from February 14.

Indo-American News • Friday, APRIL 9, 2021 • www.indoamerican-news.com

April 9, 2021

Impossible Choice in Bengal

The elections in Bengal seem to have become something of a national pastime. I cannot recall a period when the national media has spent this much time pondering over Bengal’s future. This must surely be an anomaly. The word future in the context of Bengal challenges even the most resolute. The once-mighty Bengal’s perceived fall from grace and consequent loss in national eminence is such a long-drawn work-in-progress that many have lost track of what Aristotle would call the telos. Rather, one tends to speak of Bengal — in both jest and angst — as a Platonic idea, something outside time and historicity. In this election, however, Bengal seems to have emerged into the national consciousness as a material object, with the unenviable task of confronting its innards, so far hidden from electoral optics. These internal injuries, it is being presumed, will play a decisive role in Bengal’s tilt this summer. The most rib-tickling claim to that effect has been made by the BJP. In the armature of Hindutva’s national populism, Bengal is a sideshow, but has great symbolic value if it falls to the BJP. To ensure it does, the BJP has decided that Bengal is full of agonised Hindus dying to climb aboard the galloping North Indian mothership. The BJP has couched this dogma with the gobbledygook called Sonar Bangla. The CPM-Congress-ICF alliance is, in comparison, tenseagnostic. It cannot bet on the past; neither can it claim the untested, future-reliant terrain that the BJP is banking on. Unless one is born in the new millennium, CPM’s three-anda-half-decade rule — a mixed bag of agro-reforms, mass politicisation of institutions, widespread de-industrialisation, and reckless hubris — is a lived experience. The memory of the Congress, even if more faded than that of the Left, is worse. Together, they cannot promise a return to an operable past, neither have they fought this election on real issues, having been bereft of ideas, political strategising and informed debate. Rather, standing firm on their epic distaste for TMC, the Left has fallen into the predictable template of blurring Mamata with the BJP, trying to flog the much-maligned monster of her monocracy. The Left’s unwillingness to see the difference between the fatuous personality cult of Mamata and the diabolic nature of BJP’s takeover is a sign of it having learnt nothing from its own past as a party with similar authoritarian tendencies. It has also inducted, as an empowered ally, a local cleric to win away Muslim votes from the TMC. Entrenched realities? Certainly of the kind that would make the BJP cheerful and Marx shift in his grave. Here too, the Left, has sought umbrage under a perceived imagination of a Bengal full of the vulnerable minority. Only in one aspect is the Left alliance different from the BJP. Apart from the dregs of TMC who have swam to the saffron side, the BJP has fumbled with finding candidates, able or not. In comparison, the Left’s elderly leadership have let their senility take the backseat, letting a set of young faces emerge, who seem to stand out with a sincerity of purpose long alien to their older comrades. -- Sayandeb Mukherjee in Indian Express

How Did Bangladesh, Pakistan Reconcile? By Ashok K. Mehta On March 26, Bangladesh will recall three glorious chapters of its young history: Fifty years of the Liberation War of 1971; the birth centenary of the founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman; and 50 years of India-Bangladesh bonding. This is the story of how peace was brokered by West Germany between Pakistan and Bangladesh after the war. The frosty relations between Islamabad and Dhaka turned hostile after the recall and expulsion of each others’ diplomats in 2015/16 over allegations of indulging in activities exceeding diplomatic license, that is, spying and subterfuge. These mutually-inimical exchanges were already exacerbated by Pakistan’s condemnation of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, established in 2010 to prosecute Bangladeshis who actively collaborated with the Pakistan military’s crackdown on March 26, 1971, resulting in war crimes by members of the Jamaate-Islami, who were also opposed to the country’s independence and separation from Pakistan. Of the 24 convictions, six death sentences were promulgated between 2015-17. After Pakistan’s defeat in 1971, Bangladesh had identified and separated 195 military personnel from the 90,000 POWs for war crimes who Pakistan had promised to put on trial but which never happened. Unknown to many, including history books, the Federal Republic of Germany (then West Germany) played a stellar, transformative role in cooling tempers and creating an environment for the safe passage of 195 Pakistani soldiers, allowing them to return home. Stanley Wolpert, in his book Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan: His Life and Times, says that if Bhutto had abided by the election results, there would have been no Bangladesh nor any reason for India to step in. India also facilitated the return of 195 POWs charged with war crimes by persuading Bangladesh to be lenient. But the heavy lifting was done by German Chancellor Willy Brandt and his foreign minister, Walter Scheel, in 1973.

Brandt’s pleas for leniency were laced with Deutschmarks, badly needed by Dhaka. I have read the collection of letters and interviewed leaders of the Brandt regime Through protracted negotiations with the emissaries of Zulfiqar Bhutto and Mujibur Rahman and by exchanging letters with them, they succeeded in convincing Rehman that he should forego the trials, citing the German experience after the war and the Nuremberg trials. Bhutto had made the recognition of Bangladesh contingent upon the repatriation of all POWs and Pakistani nationals in Bangladesh. Brandt’s pleas for leniency were laced with Deutschmarks, badly needed by Dhaka. I have read the collection of letters and interviewed leaders of the Brandt regime surviving in Germany in December 2015 and made a presentation in December at the Berlin Centre for Cold War Studies on these little-known facts. On April 9, 1974, a tripartite agreement was signed by India, Pakistan and Bangladesh in which Dhaka showed clemency to 195 Pakistani POWs for war crimes, which, in turn, led to the two countries’ mutual recognition of each other. Bonn played a deeper role in the 1971 war than is known by becoming one of the first western and European countries to recognise Bangladesh on February 4, 1972, with Bhutan becoming the first country to raise the new Bangladesh flag. According to an

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article in Der Spiegel on November 30, 1975, the price Germany paid for persuading India to delay establishing full diplomatic relations with the German Democratic Republic( East Germany) so that it could be the first to sign a treaty with GDR was its early recognition of Bangladesh, which was not in sync with the US’s thinking, as it would encourage other western countries to follow suit. That is precisely what happened. Forty years on, between 2015-17, Bangladesh — sensing the international mood towards war crimes and human rights violations as one of zero tolerance — took the cold and courageous decision to bring to retributive justice its nationals who colluded in the perpetration of war crimes. In post-conflict Sri Lanka, the template is different. It is part of the accountability, reconciliation and transitional justice on which the UNHRC voted this week against Sri Lanka and India abstained. In Nepal, due to political instability and lack of willl, the accountability process following the civil war between Maoists and the Nepal Army has not taken off. The recent political turbulence in the Maldives involving paramilitary excesses will also require an accountability mechanism and so will Afghanistan if the war ever reaches an end where the Taliban can be tried. Many countries have formally apologised for war crimes, including Japan and Germany in World War II. An apology from Prime Minister Imran Khan on behalf of Pakistan on March 26 would be a grand gesture of regional reconciliation. Khan, when he was not prime minister, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, late human rights activist Asma Jahangir and journalist Hamid Mir have all recommended that Pakistan should own responsibility for war excesses in 1971. It would be a victory for accountability and humanity and a new beginning for Pakistan-Bangladesh relations. In his writings, BJP leader Jaswant Singh used to call Bangladesh geography’s revenge over history, in which India lost nearly 2,000 soldiers. -- Indian Express The writer is an Indian Army Gorkha regiment officer

SUDOKU/RECREATION SUDOKU/COMMUNITY Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Blood Donation Drive at Arya Samaj with HGH

Send us the correct answer before April 14, 2021. Email us at indoamericannews@yahoo.com and send us your solved Sudoku for your name to be published.

Solution Next Week

April 9, 2021

Houston: Notwithstanding the current Covid atmosphere, Arya Samaj Greater Houston went ahead with its annual health camp last Saturday. The challenge was enormous for our volunteers because three events appeared back to back. Sunday, 28th March saw the Holi celebration. The members had been confined to their homes for more than a year, and the festival’s spirit warrants coming out to meet and greet friends and neighbors. Holi is a festival of colors reflecting the mood of the new harvest and full moon brightness. Members came in large numbers to display their high enthusiasm. Saturday, 3rd April was the annual blood donation drive with prior registration. The slots were almost filled that some donors took the chance as walk-ins and

they were not let down by the cooperating staff. Arya Samaj Greater Houston & Hindus of Greater Houston truly appreciates the spirit of blood donation by many donors, higher than the numbers we had in the pre-Covid years. Everybody is legitimately concerned with the health of the self in the current Covid-era, and for this reason, we salute the people coming out to donate blood for the sake of others. Apart from volunteers of Arya Samaj and the board members from Hindus of Greater Houston, the staff of Blood Bank deserves our hearty thanks. Our events represent the wideranging objective of Arya Samaj, namely to promote the wellbeing of all – physical, spiritual, and social progress of every human being. This is the Sixth one from

the Ten Principles of Arya Samaj. Arya Samaj Greater Houston reminds itself of its responsibility to the community every year around this time on its Foundation Day, Arya Samaj Sthapana Divas. Interestingly, the day almost coincides with Chaitra Shukla Panchami when the first Arya Samaj was founded in Mumbai by Maharshi Dayanand Sarasvati in the year 1875. Arya Samaj Greater Houston will complete its 30 glorious years with a celebratory function next Sunday, 11th April morning. All three events – Holi on 28th March, Blood Donation Drive on 3rd April, and the forthcoming Arya Samaj Sthapana Divas on 11th April – were planned to maintain the health precautions related to Covid. We wish good health to all!

Forbes: Ambani Dethrones Jack Ma in Asia

Last Week’s Solution

Asia’s Billioinaire’s Club includes India’s Mukesh Ambani, Japan’s Tadashi Yanai and China’s Jack Ma.

Last Week’s Winners Sanchali Basu Kirit Suthar

New York: India has the third highest number of billionaires in the world after the US and China, according to a new list by the prestigious Forbes magazine, which said Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani reclaimed his spot as Asia’s richest person, dethroning Chinese business tycoon Jack Ma who was the richest person in the region a year ago. Forbes’ 35th annual list of the world’s billionaires is topped by Amazon CEO and Founder Jeff Bezos for the fourth year in a row. His net worth is USD 177 billion, up USD 64 billion from a year ago as a result of surging Amazon shares, Forbes said. On the second spot is SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who was the biggest gainer in dollar terms.

Musk’s fortune ballooned to USD 151 billion, a USD 126.4 billion more than a year ago, when he had ranked 31 and was worth USD 24.6 billion, it said. “The main reason: a 705 per cent climb in Tesla shares,” Forbes said. Ambani, the richest person in India and also the wealthiest in Asia, is ranked 10 on the global billionaires’ list. He reclaimed his spot as Asia’s richest person with a net worth of USD 84.5 billion. Ambani “has become the richest person in Asia, ranked Number 10 and worth an estimated USD 84.5 billion. He nudges out Jack Ma of China, Asia’s richest person a year ago, whose rank dropped to 26 (from 17 last year) despite a nearly USD 10 billion jump in his fortune to USD 48.4 billion,” Forbes said.

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Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, the second richest person in India, is ranked 24th on the global list of billionaires with a net worth of USD 50.5 billion. Chairman of the Poonawalla Group and founder of the Serum Institute of India, the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, Cyrus Poonawalla is ranked 169th on the Forbes list of the world’s billionaires with a net worth of USD 12.7 billion. Poonawalla ranks seven on the list of Indian billionaires. Founder of HCL Technologies Shiv Nadar, the third richest person in India, is ranked 71st globally and has a net worth of USD 23.5 billion. “The three richest Indians alone have added just over USD 100 billion between them,” Forbes said.

April 9, 2021

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