Merry Christmas to You All!

Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus in the manger

Artwork by Mary D'Costa (Dec. 24, 2015)

The Quotation of the Week (December 20 - 26, 2015)

A quotation of Pope Francis on 'Christmas,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (Christmas decorations outside a house in Scarborough, Toronto: Nov. 25, 2015) © Jerome D'Costa

Today Is the 45th Victory Day of Bangladesh

Jatiyo Smriti Shoudho (national war memorial) at Savar, Bangladesh

Artwork: Mary D'Costa (Toronto: Dec. 15, 2015)

Today is Bangladesh's 45th Victory Day. On this day we specially remember the dead, who, during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971, gave their lives to make the deadly struggle for independence and freedom a reality. Due to the sacrifices of these departed souls, freedom fighters, sacrificing population of the country, and foreign support, Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation. 

The people of the then East Pakistan always had to struggle against the Pakistani ruling elite (big landlords or zamindars, government bureaucrats, and military leaders, mostly belonging to West Pakistan) since the independence of Muslim-majority Pakistan in 1947. The emergence of Pakistan itself was based on lies -- the populaltions of both the wings (East and West Pakistan) would live in freedom, prosperity and peace! The promises and actions of the ruling elite were always based on lies, and, even after independence of Bangladesh, the Pakistan government spews lies about the Liberation War. They are even using their money and material to influence some foreign governments and organizations as well as their local agents in Bangladesh to disrupt the war crimes trials in Dhaka. 

To understand the reality of the Bangladesh War of Independence (also called Liberation War) and the childish lies and hoodwinking efforts of Pakistan regarding the War, please read the following series of write-ups and videos published in the online edition of The Daily Star of Dhaka: 

• Genocide plot conceived at duck shooting trip
• Genocide coolly planned, carried out
• The blueprint for massacre
• Bangladesh's Liberation War: The night of horror 
• Pakistanis tried to keep foreign journos away
• Cables of genocide  
• Partners in genocide
• A living proof of Pak army's atrocities  
• It's Pak carnage with US supply (Declassified cables show how strongly America backed Pakistan)
  
• They did everything to block trial by Bangladesh 
• Shame they hid for 28 years (Non-publication of the Hamoodor Commission Report)
• Pakistan used Nazi Killer Eichmann's argument 
• Pakistan still in denial and self-deceit 
• Pakistan lying, still 
• 195 Pak soldiers can still be tried for genocide  
• The Diplomat monk (Venerable Sangharaja Jyotipal Mohathero)
  
• Opinion: Pakistani war criminals of 1971 still free [Brigadier R. P. Singh, VSM  (Retired) of India]
• Opinion: Demanding apology from a myopic establishment (Mohammad Nurul Huda, The Daily Star columnist)
• Opinion: Between Liberation and Freedom: Reflections on the Constituent Assembly Debate (Nazmul Sultan, Ph.D. student of Political Theory, University of Chicago, USA)
• Opinion: So we really remember? (Sushmita S. Preetha, activist and journalist)
• Opinion: It is important to remember 1971 (Julian Francis, former OXFAM official in India and Bangladesh and a recipient of the Friends of Liberation War Honour from the Government of Bangladesh)
  
• Opinion: BNP-Jamaat must explain what is Hanadar Bahini (occupation forces) (Sharier Khan)
• (Opinion) Atrocities by Pakistan Army: Why so shy to mention it? (The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islam party leaders use hanadar bahini (occupation forces), shying away from saying Pakistan occupation army, Razakars, Al-Badr, and Al-Shams) (Rashidul Hasan)
• [Video] Sector Commander Shafiullah (Part 1 & 2)
• [Video] 'Intellectual killings brainchild of Pak collaborators' (Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed)
• [Video] Pakistan lying about 1971 genocide  
• [Video] Gobinda Halder: 1971 war lyricist 
• [Video] War crimes researcher Shahriar [Kabir] (Part 1)  
• [Video] Guerrilla fighter Shahzaman [Mozumder] (Part 1 & 2)
  
• Freedom in the Air (Film and video footages of 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh) 

Pope Francis Inaugurates the Holy Year of Mercy (December, 2015 - November, 2016)

Pope Francis opens the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on December 8

Pope Francis opens and enters the Holy Door of the Basilica of St. John Lateran on December 13

Photo courtesy: Rex, via The Telegraph, U.K.

Pope Francis, on December 8 -- the feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary -- inaugurated the Catholic Church's Holy (or Jubilee) Year, called this time The Holy Year of Mercy, by opening and entering the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI along with scores of cardinals, bishops, and priests was also present at the ceremony.   

The main purpose of this special year is to demonstrate the merciful and welcoming aspect of the Catholic Church rather than it moralizing , judging, and condemning aspect. 

Pope Francis said: "How much wrong we do to God and his grace when we speak of sins being punished by his judgment before we speak of their being forgiven before judgment and in any event God's judgment will always be in the light of his mercy."

Unprecedented security measures were taken for the pilgrims and attendees to the outdoor ceremony. Due to security concerns, due to previous Islamic State (ISIS) threat to the Vatican, only about 50,000 people participated in the inauguration ceremony. 

The Holy Year of Mercy, beginning from December, 2015, will last until November of 2016.

For details on the inauguration of the Holy Year of Mercy (or Jubilee Year), please read the following:

• Holy Year is a reminder to put mercy before judgment, pope says (Catholic News Service, USA)
• Pope Francis Opens Holy Door, says: "We Have to Put Mercy before Judgment" (America magazine, USA)
• Pope Francis Opens Door on His Holy Year of Mercy (NBC News, USA)
• Francis opens Jubilee Year with call for church that puts mercy before judgment (National Catholic Reporter, USA)
• Pope Francis opens St. Peter's Holy Door to launch jubilee (BBC News, U.K.)
• Pope Francis opens doors to 'Year of Mercy' in a time of fear (chron.com)
• Opening the Holy Year, Francis says mercy always trumps judgment (cruxnow.com)
• Cathedrals around the world throw open Holy Doors on order of Pope (The Telegraph, U.K.) 
• Holy Year of Mercy (The National Catholic Reporter, USA) 
• Holy Year of Mercy (cruxnow.com)
• Full Text of Pope's Homily for Opening of Jubilee of Mercy (zenit.org) 
• Why a Jubilee of Mercy? Because the Church needs it, Pope Francis says (CNA, Rome)
• The Year of Mercy and theology: a conversation with Cardinal Muller (CNA, Rome)
• What is the Catholic Year of Mercy? (BBC News, U.K.)
• Hebrew origin of the Jubilee in the Old Testament (zenit.org)
• Everything you need to know about the Holy Year of Mercy (cruxnow.com)
• Francis announces wide indulgences for mercy Jubilee, grants Lefebvrites faculties (The National Catholic Reporter, USA)
• Vatican unveils logo, prayer, details of Holy Year of Mercy (The National Catholic Reporter, USA)
• Francis: If church forgets mercy even for one moment, its work is 'useless' (The National Catholic Reporter, USA)
• What I am supposed to do for the Year of Mercy? (The National Catholic Reporter, USA)  

The Quotation of the Week (December 13 - 19, 2015)

A quotation of Charlie Parker on 'music,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Photo (A musician at Dundas Subway Train Station in Toronto: Oct. 25, 2013) © Jerome D'Costa

The Quotation of the Week (December 6 - 12, 2015)

A quotation of George Carlin on 'three types of people,' compiled by Jerome D'Costa

Artwork © Ujjal Peter D'Costa

BANGLA KAGOJ: A Publication of Toronto

Bangla Kagoj -- a Bengali-language weekly -- from Toronto

The Bangla Kagoj weekly provides news, features, articles and columns on Bangladesh, Bangladeshi communities in North America (Canada and USA), international events and issues, arts, culture, economy, education, literature, politics, health and fitness, entertainment, sports, and more. 

Contact Email: thebanglakagoj@yahoo.ca

 This weekly is also available online at: Bangla Kagoj