Azfar has only a few photos from his childhood--here they are! The baby he's pulling behind him on the bicycle is Rosy. And check out the young philosopher in the top photo!
Showing posts with label Azfar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Azfar. Show all posts
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Azfar's childhood photos
Azfar has only a few photos from his childhood--here they are! The baby he's pulling behind him on the bicycle is Rosy. And check out the young philosopher in the top photo!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Azfar got his visa!
This just in: Azfar got his visa!!! Yay! We are both shocked. We really didn't think it would happen, or at least for a while. The current plan is that I (and Salma, of course) will go to Bangladesh in December, and then we'll come back to the US together in early January.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
News on 6 article on Azfar
Here's yet another (short) article on Azfar, from News On 6 in Tulsa. Read the original here.
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Visa delayed for OSU scholar
Associated Press - September 7, 2008 5:55 PM ET
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A scholar who is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University is instead in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time.
Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa - a U.S. citizen - and the couple's young daughter are waiting for him in Stillwater.
Melissa Hussain had planned to care for their daughter while finishing her dissertation. But she had to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU to pay the bills.
Azfar Hussain is a Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages. He is also a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.
His wife says that's part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved. She says her husband is NOT a terrorist.
-------------------
Visa delayed for OSU scholar
Associated Press - September 7, 2008 5:55 PM ET
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A scholar who is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University is instead in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time.
Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa - a U.S. citizen - and the couple's young daughter are waiting for him in Stillwater.
Melissa Hussain had planned to care for their daughter while finishing her dissertation. But she had to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU to pay the bills.
Azfar Hussain is a Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages. He is also a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.
His wife says that's part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved. She says her husband is NOT a terrorist.
Article on Azfar: Free Exchange on Campus
The website Free Exchange on Campus picked up Azfar's story, too. Click here for the original.
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Another scholar caught in the visa dragnet
Written by cjg
Monday, 08 September 2008
In what's becoming an all-too-familiar theme, another foreign scholar is enmeshed in the bureaucratic visa nightmare that has evolved in the last seven years. There seems to be a common thread which links all of inaction around granting visas to these researchers:
Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
Aside from depriving the students of Oklahoma State University from the benefits of learning from a world-class scholar, this particular visa snafu is also keeping Professor Hussain away from his wife and child. As it stands right now, there is plenty of evidence that points to the rank politicization of the visa process for foreign scholars. It's a situation that is in desperate need of a fix.
----------------------
Another scholar caught in the visa dragnet
Written by cjg
Monday, 08 September 2008
In what's becoming an all-too-familiar theme, another foreign scholar is enmeshed in the bureaucratic visa nightmare that has evolved in the last seven years. There seems to be a common thread which links all of inaction around granting visas to these researchers:
Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
Aside from depriving the students of Oklahoma State University from the benefits of learning from a world-class scholar, this particular visa snafu is also keeping Professor Hussain away from his wife and child. As it stands right now, there is plenty of evidence that points to the rank politicization of the visa process for foreign scholars. It's a situation that is in desperate need of a fix.
Article about Azfar: on a local news station website
Here's a blurb about Azfar that appeared on the website of a local news station. Read the original here.
-----------------------
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A scholar who is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University is instead in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time.
Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa - a U.S. citizen - and the couple's young daughter are waiting for him in Stillwater.
Melissa Hussain had planned to care for their daughter while finishing her dissertation. But she had to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU to pay the bills.
Azfar Hussain is a Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages. He is also a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.
His wife says that's part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved. She says her husband is NOT a terrorist.
-----------------------
TULSA, Okla. (AP) - A scholar who is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University is instead in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time.
Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa - a U.S. citizen - and the couple's young daughter are waiting for him in Stillwater.
Melissa Hussain had planned to care for their daughter while finishing her dissertation. But she had to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU to pay the bills.
Azfar Hussain is a Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages. He is also a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.
His wife says that's part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved. She says her husband is NOT a terrorist.
Chronicle of Higher Education: Article on Azfar
The Chronicle of Higher Education came out with a story about Azfar's situation, which is kinda a big deal, in the sense that they have huge publicity nationwide. Whether or not that will actually affect his visa, I have no idea. Read the story on their website here. Once again, the comments posted at the end of the story are mostly rather disturbing.
------------------------------------
Visa Delay Keeps Bangladeshi Scholar From Taking Post in Oklahoma
September 7, 2008
A lengthy visa delay has prevented a Bangladeshi scholar from taking a teaching post this fall at Oklahoma State University, where his American wife has already relocated, the Tulsa World reported. The scholar, Azfar Hussain, is not a terrorist and “has never advocated violence of any kind,” his wife, Melissa Hussain, told the newspaper.
Mr. Hussain is just one of a number of foreign scholars who have been denied opportunities to teach or attend conferences in the United States in recent years because of visa delays or denials. Civil-liberties groups say the Bush administration has stepped up the use of heightened security measures to keep out scholars whose politics or ideas it does not like.
Mr. Hussain, who applied for a marriage visa in 2005, was supposed to receive his visa in May, but has received no word on its status. Melissa Hussain said she believes her husband’s criticism of U.S. government policies is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
—Charles Huckabee
----------------------------------
Comments
1. Shouldn’t you add that the unnamed “civil-liberties groups” and Mr. Hussain’s wife have offered no better evidence in support of the claim that that the U. S. government is trying “to keep out scholars whose politics or ideas it does not like” than the KKK typically provides when criticizing blacks and Jews?
Shouldn’t you make clear that the U. S. government regularly admits a large and diverse number of critics into the country — for periods ranging from days to years — for example: Scottish politician George Galloway and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as such academics as the late Edward Said and a large number of other foreign-born scholars now at American universities?
Finally, if you want to be objective journalists, shouldn’t you also remind your readers that many nations — possibly in solidarity with liberal and radical groups on U. S. college campuses — allow no dissenting voices at all in their countries from either foreign or domestic sources?
I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
— Trancel Ruckus Sep 8, 05:35 AM
2. Mr. Hussain has the right to critizize policies of the American government. Has he also condemned the violence of jihad, the slaughter of innocents by islamists in Darfur, the daily curriculum of hate taught to students of christianity and Judaism taught in Saudi Arabia, and the Iranian government’s publicly expressed desire to wipe a sovereign state and democracy off the map?
— Marty Sep 8, 08:30 AM
3. Mr. Hussain criticized the United States, a country that is open to all irrespective of their race, gender, national origin and religion. He wants special privileges since he is a Muslim.
— kvc Sep 8, 09:24 AM
4. Are all you commentators aware that the State Department denied visas to all of the Cuban scholars invited to attend meetings of the Latin American Studies Association during the entire span of the Bush Administration? Now LASA holds its meetings outside the U.S. and at the last meeting, In Montreal, over 200 Cuban scholars attended. That is a sad commentary on the U.S. government’s fear of criticism—or its abject submission to the wishes of the Florida anti-Castro lobby.
— Sandy Thatcher Sep 8, 09:54 AM
5. Gee, why would the good old USofA ever let anyone in?
— perplexed Sep 8, 11:56 AM
6. This is an honest question to #1; #2; and #3: I was surprised that you appear to be so familiar with this junior scholar who has been apparently very active but remains very little known to the public.
Trancus: How did you find out what that civil liberties
group brought up in his defense? Could you please tell me, I would like to know more about the case! Thanks.
To Marty. I think the answer to your question might be: Yes. Although I have only seen his poetry on the issue, and art seems to communicate in indirect ways (so I might be wrong).
To KVC: Is he a Muslim? My impression was that we are dealing here with a true Marxist.
Let me know if you know more! Thanks.
— LaBamba Sep 8, 01:36 PM
7. Shouldn’t the first three posters also write in to say that they have no evidence to support their claims about Mr. Hussain’s religion, his possible support for practitioners of mass murder, and the political freedom or lack thereof in his home country? Should they not also mention that the lack thereof may be the reason that he is outspoken about politics in his own homeland? Finally, in the interest of objectivity, should they not also admit that their only reason for posting at all has nothing to do with Mr. Hussain, whom they have little or knowledge of, and more to do the with the enormous chip planted firmly on their shoulder?
I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
By the way, gentlemen, contrary to the old joke, having a chip on both shoulders does not make your opinion either fair, or balanced. Hope this helps.
— michael Sep 10, 12:01 AM
------------------------------------
Visa Delay Keeps Bangladeshi Scholar From Taking Post in Oklahoma
September 7, 2008
A lengthy visa delay has prevented a Bangladeshi scholar from taking a teaching post this fall at Oklahoma State University, where his American wife has already relocated, the Tulsa World reported. The scholar, Azfar Hussain, is not a terrorist and “has never advocated violence of any kind,” his wife, Melissa Hussain, told the newspaper.
Mr. Hussain is just one of a number of foreign scholars who have been denied opportunities to teach or attend conferences in the United States in recent years because of visa delays or denials. Civil-liberties groups say the Bush administration has stepped up the use of heightened security measures to keep out scholars whose politics or ideas it does not like.
Mr. Hussain, who applied for a marriage visa in 2005, was supposed to receive his visa in May, but has received no word on its status. Melissa Hussain said she believes her husband’s criticism of U.S. government policies is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
—Charles Huckabee
----------------------------------
Comments
1. Shouldn’t you add that the unnamed “civil-liberties groups” and Mr. Hussain’s wife have offered no better evidence in support of the claim that that the U. S. government is trying “to keep out scholars whose politics or ideas it does not like” than the KKK typically provides when criticizing blacks and Jews?
Shouldn’t you make clear that the U. S. government regularly admits a large and diverse number of critics into the country — for periods ranging from days to years — for example: Scottish politician George Galloway and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as such academics as the late Edward Said and a large number of other foreign-born scholars now at American universities?
Finally, if you want to be objective journalists, shouldn’t you also remind your readers that many nations — possibly in solidarity with liberal and radical groups on U. S. college campuses — allow no dissenting voices at all in their countries from either foreign or domestic sources?
I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
— Trancel Ruckus Sep 8, 05:35 AM
2. Mr. Hussain has the right to critizize policies of the American government. Has he also condemned the violence of jihad, the slaughter of innocents by islamists in Darfur, the daily curriculum of hate taught to students of christianity and Judaism taught in Saudi Arabia, and the Iranian government’s publicly expressed desire to wipe a sovereign state and democracy off the map?
— Marty Sep 8, 08:30 AM
3. Mr. Hussain criticized the United States, a country that is open to all irrespective of their race, gender, national origin and religion. He wants special privileges since he is a Muslim.
— kvc Sep 8, 09:24 AM
4. Are all you commentators aware that the State Department denied visas to all of the Cuban scholars invited to attend meetings of the Latin American Studies Association during the entire span of the Bush Administration? Now LASA holds its meetings outside the U.S. and at the last meeting, In Montreal, over 200 Cuban scholars attended. That is a sad commentary on the U.S. government’s fear of criticism—or its abject submission to the wishes of the Florida anti-Castro lobby.
— Sandy Thatcher Sep 8, 09:54 AM
5. Gee, why would the good old USofA ever let anyone in?
— perplexed Sep 8, 11:56 AM
6. This is an honest question to #1; #2; and #3: I was surprised that you appear to be so familiar with this junior scholar who has been apparently very active but remains very little known to the public.
Trancus: How did you find out what that civil liberties
group brought up in his defense? Could you please tell me, I would like to know more about the case! Thanks.
To Marty. I think the answer to your question might be: Yes. Although I have only seen his poetry on the issue, and art seems to communicate in indirect ways (so I might be wrong).
To KVC: Is he a Muslim? My impression was that we are dealing here with a true Marxist.
Let me know if you know more! Thanks.
— LaBamba Sep 8, 01:36 PM
7. Shouldn’t the first three posters also write in to say that they have no evidence to support their claims about Mr. Hussain’s religion, his possible support for practitioners of mass murder, and the political freedom or lack thereof in his home country? Should they not also mention that the lack thereof may be the reason that he is outspoken about politics in his own homeland? Finally, in the interest of objectivity, should they not also admit that their only reason for posting at all has nothing to do with Mr. Hussain, whom they have little or knowledge of, and more to do the with the enormous chip planted firmly on their shoulder?
I don’t think I’ll hold my breath.
By the way, gentlemen, contrary to the old joke, having a chip on both shoulders does not make your opinion either fair, or balanced. Hope this helps.
— michael Sep 10, 12:01 AM
Yet another news article on Azfar's visa situation
Here's an article that came out in Tulsa World. For the article on the original site, click here. The comments from readers at the end are, for the most part, very disturbing and scary!
----------------------------
Visa delayed for man whom OSU wants on staff
By Shannon Muchmore
Tulsa World Staff Writer
9/7/2008
A Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University now. Instead, he is in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time to get approved.
"No, he's not a terrorist, he has never advocated violence of any kind," said Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa, who is a U.S. citizen.
She and the couple's daughter, Selma, 3, are waiting for him in Stillwater and trying to make ends meet. Melissa Hussain had planned to stay home and care for Selma while finishing her dissertation, which has a December deadline.
She had to scramble to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU so she could pay the bills. Azfar Hussain's position is open for him next semester, but his wife isn't sure that his visa will be approved by then. Azfar Hussain applied for the marriage visa in 2005, but the Fulbright scholarship required him to return to his home country, Bangladesh, for two years.
He was supposed to receive his visa in May, but the month passed without any word on its status. Melissa Hussain said her brother eventually found out through his congressional representative that the Department of Homeland Security is running a security check before it issues the visa.
"There's no timeline attached to that," she said.
Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
Carol Moder, the head of OSU's English department, said she had never seen this problem with a visiting professor before.
"It's very unusual for a person in that position to have difficulties," she said.
OSU could not apply for a work visa for Azfar Hussain because concurrent visa applications are not allowed, she said.
The uncertain date for Azfar Hussain's arrival may force the department to cancel spring courses on post-colonial studies and non-Western literature, because only he has the qualifications to teach them. Students start enrollment for spring in the middle of next month, she said.
The courses are important to students because of their global nature and are particularly necessary for those who are studying education, Moder said.
OSU staff members have made phone calls and written letters to try to find out more about the visa's status and why it is being held up, but it seems that all they can do is wait. If Azfar Hussain does not arrive in time to teach spring classes, the school will no longer hold a position open for him, she said.
His credentials are impressive and rare, and his presence at OSU would be a boon for the school, Moder said.
"He would be an enormous addition to the department," she said.
The Hussains met in 2000 as graduate students at Washington State University, which he attended on the Fulbright scholarship. They married in 2002 and returned to Bangladesh in May 2006 so Azfar Hussain could apply for his immigrant visa while teaching at North South University in Dhaka, the country's capital.
When Azfar Hussain received the OSU job offer, they planned their move to Stillwater.
Wife and daughter miss Azfar Hussain, and she is having to struggle because of the unexpected income change. Otherwise, Melissa Hussain is enjoying her new city, she said.
"People are really friendly, and there's great Thai food," she said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reader Comments
PAN, (9/7/2008 4:12:35 AM)
According to the wife - 'Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.' If this is true, WHY would he have been hired to teach at OSU in the first place? This is just not very bright. I understand that we need to know the views of others in the world, but do we take chances and hire people who have spoken out against U.S. government policies at THIS time in the history of the country and world? When did the country decide to play games with our security and safety?
a, (9/7/2008 7:15:09 AM)
Hey, I'm a leftist who has spoken out against U.S. government policies, too!!
Democrat, (9/7/2008 7:25:53 AM)
PAN: Read the First Amendment to the Constitution and also research the case of John Peter Zenger. The perpetuation of our liberties depend upon our willingness to listen to contrary viewpoints. If this man's views are in error, I trust that his opponents will have the facts to defeat him in a fair debate.
a: excellent comment. I join with you in opposing the march towards the tyranny of "group-think."
Isaac Parker, Tulsa (9/7/2008 7:38:33 AM)
"Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved."
If the above is true, I hope his visa is held up forver. Shame on OSU for even considering this guy. Our universities are full of looney, leftist, anarchist professors influencing our kids, of which "a" is a good example.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 8:12:11 AM)
Dr. Carol Moder, are you sure his credentials are all that rare? If the subject matter is so esoteric, are you sure your department should necessarily be spending so much energy on this matter? I venture to say you have a person in your very department that could teach the same subjects to the ten or twenty students that MAY be interested in that particular subject. In addition, there are many other subjects, just as academic, just as controversial, just as exciting, just as non or pro-conformist as Mr. Hussain's subject specialty. As you know, it's a big world in literature.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 8:22:45 AM)
Check out Azfar Hussain's ratings on RateMyProfessors on the web . If it's the same guy (English professor, leftist), he previously taught at Washington State. The students have various opinions of him... some good, some not so good.
righton, (9/7/2008 8:31:40 AM)
too bad that OSU can't produce enough graduates that can be professors in their own schools. now they want to hire a U.S. hatemonger to be a prof. the States school wants to hire a woould be terrorist.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 9:09:46 AM)
Dear righton, In all fairness, universities generally do not prefer their own graduates be hired as professors. This is to prevent intellectual "inbreeding". But, yes, a professor that presents opposing viewpoints is good. Unfair promotion of personal bias to impressionable 18 through 21 year olds... not a good thing. Remember, Dr. Moder, hiring of a controversialist does not necessarily mean promotion of open-mindedness.
Graychin, Eucha (9/7/2008 9:28:29 AM)
a, (9/7/2008 7:15:09 AM) said: "Hey, I'm a leftist who has spoken out against U.S. government policies, too!!"
And so am I. Great comment, "a"
He has "Hussain" in his name. That's probably the hangup. You know how some of us are about people with "Hussain" in their names.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 9:59:32 AM)
Graychin, Don't you think our government would be remiss if it failed to check out somebody with the name Bin Laden? No, it's not a case of unfair discrimination to pay attention to these names. Just due diligence. You would do the same in your personal life, bub.
So, don't fly the flag of how unfair our government is to check these people out. Amazing how, again, our government turns out to be the great bad force in the world when it is just taking care of itself.
Graychin, you are one of the fortunate 1% to live here in the U.S. Gratitude may be in order.
diamond jim, (9/7/2008 10:36:05 AM)
at least his name is not BUSH.the name hussain didn't start a war.try bin laden
Bart78, (9/7/2008 11:03:14 AM)
"Credentials are impressive and rare" according to Carol Moder -- it is to laugh, US-born leftists with an axe to grind and Bush Derangement Syndrome abound, hire one of them instead. The students will be properly "instructed" in post-modern, post-colonial, non-Western "literature" and they might actually be able to understand the professor. Sounds good all around...
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 6:58:31 PM)
Diamond Jim, Ummm.... Saddam HUSSEIN started a war (noncompliance to UN edicts) and your friend Osama Bin Laden started the war... In addition, global terrorism was unchecked... Bush did NOT start the war. Move to Venezuela... you'll like their rational politics.
peaceful1, (9/7/2008 9:08:25 PM)
I can't believe you people. Why are you throwing around such strong language about a person you know nothing about except his name and a vague "leftist politics" reference? You are calling him a terrorist and hoping that he never gets to come to live with his family just because he has some different views of government than you personally hold. Who are you to think you have all the "right" views and he is necessarily "wrong" and therefore a terrorist? Many people born and raised in the US also have leftist politics, also are critical of the current administration, and also hope for change for the better in politics around the world, not just in the US. Are they also, am I also, a terrorist?? This is an illogical argument. I know Azfar Hussain well and personally. He is a peaceful, peace-loving man and is hurt by such accusations. Persecution of this great man is uncalled for. He deserves the respect due a fellow human who has worked long and hard to become one of the foremost scholars in his field.
Cov, Okmulgee (9/8/2008 11:03:29 AM)
peaceful1....maybe because the one he loves and is intimate with, his wife, has shared that he hates American policy. Strong language against a country that gives this planet its biggest base for freedom would draw attention. He is getting his respect.....they are checking him out. He is not jailed and is welcome to stay where he is until the background is done. If he realy is peaceful and not trying to teach another leftist policy on a State campus then great.
tulsaGuy, (9/8/2008 1:57:21 PM)
Dear fellow Oklahoma Citizens, please read the comments from students regarding this professor on RateMyProfessors . com .
If these comments concern you, please contact the OSU Provost, Dr. Marlene Strathe at Marlene.Strathe at okstate dot edu.
----------------------------
Visa delayed for man whom OSU wants on staff
By Shannon Muchmore
Tulsa World Staff Writer
9/7/2008
A Fulbright scholar with a doctorate in English and fluency in six languages is supposed to be teaching at Oklahoma State University now. Instead, he is in Bangladesh awaiting an immigration visa that his wife says is taking a suspiciously long time to get approved.
"No, he's not a terrorist, he has never advocated violence of any kind," said Azfar Hussain's wife, Melissa, who is a U.S. citizen.
She and the couple's daughter, Selma, 3, are waiting for him in Stillwater and trying to make ends meet. Melissa Hussain had planned to stay home and care for Selma while finishing her dissertation, which has a December deadline.
She had to scramble to get a position as an English lecturer at OSU so she could pay the bills. Azfar Hussain's position is open for him next semester, but his wife isn't sure that his visa will be approved by then. Azfar Hussain applied for the marriage visa in 2005, but the Fulbright scholarship required him to return to his home country, Bangladesh, for two years.
He was supposed to receive his visa in May, but the month passed without any word on its status. Melissa Hussain said her brother eventually found out through his congressional representative that the Department of Homeland Security is running a security check before it issues the visa.
"There's no timeline attached to that," she said.
Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved.
Carol Moder, the head of OSU's English department, said she had never seen this problem with a visiting professor before.
"It's very unusual for a person in that position to have difficulties," she said.
OSU could not apply for a work visa for Azfar Hussain because concurrent visa applications are not allowed, she said.
The uncertain date for Azfar Hussain's arrival may force the department to cancel spring courses on post-colonial studies and non-Western literature, because only he has the qualifications to teach them. Students start enrollment for spring in the middle of next month, she said.
The courses are important to students because of their global nature and are particularly necessary for those who are studying education, Moder said.
OSU staff members have made phone calls and written letters to try to find out more about the visa's status and why it is being held up, but it seems that all they can do is wait. If Azfar Hussain does not arrive in time to teach spring classes, the school will no longer hold a position open for him, she said.
His credentials are impressive and rare, and his presence at OSU would be a boon for the school, Moder said.
"He would be an enormous addition to the department," she said.
The Hussains met in 2000 as graduate students at Washington State University, which he attended on the Fulbright scholarship. They married in 2002 and returned to Bangladesh in May 2006 so Azfar Hussain could apply for his immigrant visa while teaching at North South University in Dhaka, the country's capital.
When Azfar Hussain received the OSU job offer, they planned their move to Stillwater.
Wife and daughter miss Azfar Hussain, and she is having to struggle because of the unexpected income change. Otherwise, Melissa Hussain is enjoying her new city, she said.
"People are really friendly, and there's great Thai food," she said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Reader Comments
PAN, (9/7/2008 4:12:35 AM)
According to the wife - 'Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies.' If this is true, WHY would he have been hired to teach at OSU in the first place? This is just not very bright. I understand that we need to know the views of others in the world, but do we take chances and hire people who have spoken out against U.S. government policies at THIS time in the history of the country and world? When did the country decide to play games with our security and safety?
a, (9/7/2008 7:15:09 AM)
Hey, I'm a leftist who has spoken out against U.S. government policies, too!!
Democrat, (9/7/2008 7:25:53 AM)
PAN: Read the First Amendment to the Constitution and also research the case of John Peter Zenger. The perpetuation of our liberties depend upon our willingness to listen to contrary viewpoints. If this man's views are in error, I trust that his opponents will have the facts to defeat him in a fair debate.
a: excellent comment. I join with you in opposing the march towards the tyranny of "group-think."
Isaac Parker, Tulsa (9/7/2008 7:38:33 AM)
"Azfar Hussain is a prolific leftist writer and lecturer who has spoken out against U.S. government policies. His wife said she thought that is part of the reason his visa has not yet been approved."
If the above is true, I hope his visa is held up forver. Shame on OSU for even considering this guy. Our universities are full of looney, leftist, anarchist professors influencing our kids, of which "a" is a good example.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 8:12:11 AM)
Dr. Carol Moder, are you sure his credentials are all that rare? If the subject matter is so esoteric, are you sure your department should necessarily be spending so much energy on this matter? I venture to say you have a person in your very department that could teach the same subjects to the ten or twenty students that MAY be interested in that particular subject. In addition, there are many other subjects, just as academic, just as controversial, just as exciting, just as non or pro-conformist as Mr. Hussain's subject specialty. As you know, it's a big world in literature.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 8:22:45 AM)
Check out Azfar Hussain's ratings on RateMyProfessors on the web . If it's the same guy (English professor, leftist), he previously taught at Washington State. The students have various opinions of him... some good, some not so good.
righton, (9/7/2008 8:31:40 AM)
too bad that OSU can't produce enough graduates that can be professors in their own schools. now they want to hire a U.S. hatemonger to be a prof. the States school wants to hire a woould be terrorist.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 9:09:46 AM)
Dear righton, In all fairness, universities generally do not prefer their own graduates be hired as professors. This is to prevent intellectual "inbreeding". But, yes, a professor that presents opposing viewpoints is good. Unfair promotion of personal bias to impressionable 18 through 21 year olds... not a good thing. Remember, Dr. Moder, hiring of a controversialist does not necessarily mean promotion of open-mindedness.
Graychin, Eucha (9/7/2008 9:28:29 AM)
a, (9/7/2008 7:15:09 AM) said: "Hey, I'm a leftist who has spoken out against U.S. government policies, too!!"
And so am I. Great comment, "a"
He has "Hussain" in his name. That's probably the hangup. You know how some of us are about people with "Hussain" in their names.
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 9:59:32 AM)
Graychin, Don't you think our government would be remiss if it failed to check out somebody with the name Bin Laden? No, it's not a case of unfair discrimination to pay attention to these names. Just due diligence. You would do the same in your personal life, bub.
So, don't fly the flag of how unfair our government is to check these people out. Amazing how, again, our government turns out to be the great bad force in the world when it is just taking care of itself.
Graychin, you are one of the fortunate 1% to live here in the U.S. Gratitude may be in order.
diamond jim, (9/7/2008 10:36:05 AM)
at least his name is not BUSH.the name hussain didn't start a war.try bin laden
Bart78, (9/7/2008 11:03:14 AM)
"Credentials are impressive and rare" according to Carol Moder -- it is to laugh, US-born leftists with an axe to grind and Bush Derangement Syndrome abound, hire one of them instead. The students will be properly "instructed" in post-modern, post-colonial, non-Western "literature" and they might actually be able to understand the professor. Sounds good all around...
tulsaGuy, (9/7/2008 6:58:31 PM)
Diamond Jim, Ummm.... Saddam HUSSEIN started a war (noncompliance to UN edicts) and your friend Osama Bin Laden started the war... In addition, global terrorism was unchecked... Bush did NOT start the war. Move to Venezuela... you'll like their rational politics.
peaceful1, (9/7/2008 9:08:25 PM)
I can't believe you people. Why are you throwing around such strong language about a person you know nothing about except his name and a vague "leftist politics" reference? You are calling him a terrorist and hoping that he never gets to come to live with his family just because he has some different views of government than you personally hold. Who are you to think you have all the "right" views and he is necessarily "wrong" and therefore a terrorist? Many people born and raised in the US also have leftist politics, also are critical of the current administration, and also hope for change for the better in politics around the world, not just in the US. Are they also, am I also, a terrorist?? This is an illogical argument. I know Azfar Hussain well and personally. He is a peaceful, peace-loving man and is hurt by such accusations. Persecution of this great man is uncalled for. He deserves the respect due a fellow human who has worked long and hard to become one of the foremost scholars in his field.
Cov, Okmulgee (9/8/2008 11:03:29 AM)
peaceful1....maybe because the one he loves and is intimate with, his wife, has shared that he hates American policy. Strong language against a country that gives this planet its biggest base for freedom would draw attention. He is getting his respect.....they are checking him out. He is not jailed and is welcome to stay where he is until the background is done. If he realy is peaceful and not trying to teach another leftist policy on a State campus then great.
tulsaGuy, (9/8/2008 1:57:21 PM)
Dear fellow Oklahoma Citizens, please read the comments from students regarding this professor on RateMyProfessors . com .
If these comments concern you, please contact the OSU Provost, Dr. Marlene Strathe at Marlene.Strathe at okstate dot edu.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Another article on Azfar's visa situation
Another article came out on Azfar's visa situation today, this time in the Oklahoma State University student newspaper. Read the story here: http://ocolly.com/2008/09/02/visa-woes-trap-professor-overseas/
Or, if the link doesn't work, once again, here's the full story:
Visa woes trap professor overseas
By Nour Habib
Features Writer
Published: September 02, 2008
At one point, he had nearly 800 books checked out from the library.
He knows five languages. He was told he did four dissertations in one. He knows the English language better than most native speakers. And he could have been a part of OSU this semester.
But Azfar Hussain is in Bangladesh awaiting “additional administrative processing” on his visa.
Hussain, who was supposed to work as a professor in the English department this fall, lost his job for the semester because he was not able to make it to the U.S. in time.
His wife, Melissa, and daughter, Salma, who returned to the U.S. in February because Melissa’s father was sick, are in Stillwater waiting for him.
“I have no guarantee how long the processing will take,” Melissa said.
Melissa, who planned on teaching one class while staying home to work on her dissertation this year, is now a full-time lecturer in the English department.
She was in Morrill Hall for the orientation for new freshman composition teachers when she found out her husband couldn’t come.
“I went in immediately to talk to the department’s secretary, and I kind of broke down and started crying,” she said.
The department gave her a job within the hour.
“I have to say the English department [has] been wonderful,” Melissa said.
Without this job, she said she would have been in “a really precarious situation.”
“I moved here with no job, our 3-year-old daughter, all our stuff, a new apartment with a lease, all these bills coming in to pay,” she said. “I assumed [Azfar] would be the main provider for the family.”
The department promised to hold the position for Hussain if he is able to make it by the spring semester.
“But I really have no idea if he will get here by January,” Melissa said. “I don’t think I’ll know till January rolls around. I don’t think I can plan for it.”
Meghan Sutherland, an assistant professor of screen studies, was on Hussain’s hiring committee.
“Based on [Azfar’s curriculum vitae] alone, I immediately thought that he was far more accomplished than the other applicants,” Sutherland said. “But it was only when I spoke to Dr. Hussain in the course of our phone interviews that I felt certain his accomplishments would translate into something really useful and exciting for OSU students and faculty.”
Sutherland witnessed the Hussains try to “navigate a bureaucratic labyrinth,” receiving different answers about the status of the visa.
“The whole situation is representative of a disturbing lack of transparency and disclosure on the part of our government agencies, and specifically, a lack of openness about the nature of the rules and procedures that the Department of Homeland Security uses to vet immigration and visa cases,” Sutherland said. “To me, at least, it seems entirely unfair and unjust, not to mention undemocratic.”
Hussain first came to the U.S. as a Fulbright Scholar on a J-1 visa in 1995. He met his future wife at Washington State University, where they were attending graduate school.
In 2006, Hussain and his family went to Bangladesh to fulfill the residency on a J visa, which requires visa holders to return to their native country for two years before they can return to the U.S.
“According to the rules that we were told, he should’ve had his visa as of May 2008,” Melissa said.
The Hussains submitted all their paperwork on time, and did everything “by the rules,” she said.
In his verbal interview, Hussain was told that he should receive his visa by Aug. 13, and was assured that there would be no problem if he booked a flight on the 14th.
“So we bought a ticket for the 14th,” Melissa said. “That day came and went. That ticket is lost. So all that money is down the drain as well.”
After several phone calls, e-mails and inquiries made of congressmen, all the Hussains were told was that the visa needed additional processing.
The State Department said it cannot comment on individual cases, and that without the specifics of a case, additional administrative processing cannot be defined.
Hussain, teaching at the North-South University in Bangladesh, is worried about his wife and daughter.
“The situation has forced my wife to lead the life of a single mother, while forcing a 3-year-old child to lead a miserable life away from her dad,” Hussain said.
Melissa is concerned that her husband’s open criticism of the U.S. government will cause him trouble.
Victor Villanueva, Hussain’s Ph.D. adviser at Washington State University, said it wouldn’t surprise him if Hussain’s public political positions would put him under particular scrutiny.
Villanueva says that there are people who have a “love-it-or-leave-it way of looking at the world,” and do not understand why someone as critical of the government as Hussain would want to come to the U.S.
“I think it’s unfortunate, since Azfar, I believe, thinks the country and its people are wonderful,” Villanueva said. “How else would students who think Azfar is flat wrong still respect and like him? [Azfar] is more bookish, but no more critical of the current state than, say, most Democrats.”
Villanueva called Hussain the “best-read student” with whom he’s ever worked.
“At one point, the university library had an injunction against Azfar because he had withdrawn nearly 800 books,” Villanueva said.
“The thing is, he likely had read all 800.”
Sutherland sent a letter around the department, encouraging others to take an interest in the case and contact their government representatives.
Sutherland sees one good thing that can come out this situation.
“It presents us with an opportunity to remember that we need to participate in our democracy, and actually speak to the government, as educators and as citizens, to demand clarity and openness about the policies to which our colleagues and friends around the world are being subjected.”
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Article on Azfar's visa situation
The Stillwater, Oklahoma newspaper published an article about Azfar's visa issues on the front page of the Sunday edition today! Here is the link: http://www.stillwater-newspress.com/homepage/local_story_243233441.html
And if the link doesn't work, here is the story:
Stuck in red tape
• Former Fulbright Scholar not alllowed to return to U.S.
Jacob Longan - NewsPress
Oklahoma State University’s English department thought it had made a hire that would have a tremendous benefit for students.
Then bureaucracy got in the way.
Dr. Azfar Hussain was hired to fill a one-year vacancy in the department. As a Fulbright Scholar, he was required to teach two years in his native Bangladesh after earning his doctorate and master’s degree from Washington State University.
Hussain married an American citizen, California native Melissa Tennyson, in May 2002, and applied for a U.S. visa while he was still here in 2005.
This summer, he was led to believe the visa would be approved before he needed to be in Stillwater in mid-August. After repeated inquiries, word finally came that it was conditionally approved but “waiting on further processing.”
“They didn’t tell us if that meant two days, two weeks, two years, two decades,” said Melissa. “We really had no, no, no idea what that meant.”
Azfar was supposed to teach classes beginning earlier this month but it is unclear when he will be able to return to America, where he lived from 1995 to 2006. The government told the family Azfar is going through a standard waiting period of three to six months that applies to all male immigrants from Bangladesh. Calls to different governmental offices, including congressmen, and an immigration lawyer have not ended his exile. Neither has a letter from OSU to the U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh.
A call to the Homeland Security Department seeking comment was referred to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Sharon Rummery, a spokesperson for USCIS, said she could not comment on specific cases and “it would be pointless for me to speculate” why Azfar’s visa has been held up.
“On a spousal petition we are going to adjudicate and make sure it’s a valid relationship,” Rummery said. “Then before the person enters the U.S., the State Department will interview them.”
The Hussains say they have had their interview with the State Department but their understanding is the holdup is because of Homeland Security’s investigation into Hussain.
Steve Royster, a spokesman for the Consular Affairs Bureau of the State Department, also said he could not comment on specific cases but the department tries to issue visas “as expeditiously as possible.”
“In the vast majority of cases, 97 percent of people approved get their visas in a matter of days,” Royster added. “In cases with further review, we do this as quickly as possible.”
Azfar’s fall semester classes have been canceled and it is not known if he will be here in time to teach in the spring.
“It’s a great loss for the program and students at OSU as well as the faculty,” said Dr. Meghan Sutherland, assistant professor and member of the committee that recommended Azfar. “In the global age it’s more important than ever for us to be building conversations with scholars from other parts of the world with different views and resources and having a genuine engagement. That was an exciting opportunity.”
She added, “He is a very well-known scholar over there who was willing to come here and talk with American students. Because he was trained here he uses tools that make sense to them. He brings concepts that are often difficult for students to master immediately. He makes them familiar through popular culture and that sort of thing without reducing the idea.”
Dr. Carol Moder is the English department head who said she had never seen anything like this before.
“This is a person who is a Fulbright scholar,” Moder said. “For the most part, they are the best and brightest individuals from their home countries. The whole point of the program is to establish good relations between the U.S. and foreign countries. It’s unfortunate that an individual like this is getting caught in this post-9/11 security screening. It’s unfortunate for the students at OSU that they are being deprived of a prominent and interesting faculty member who could really contribute to their program.”
It’s unfortunate for the Hussains as well.
Melissa and their daughter Salma, 3, haven’t seen Azfar since they left Bangladesh to be with Melissa’s ill father in February.
“I am haunted by the specters of U.S. immigration visa bureaucracy,” Azfar said during a telephone interview Friday. “Anything that disrupts a loving, happy family is inhuman.”
Melissa planned to teach one class at OSU and finish the dissertation for her Ph.D. while Azfar’s work paid the bills.
Fortunately for her, the university has provided what help it could.
“The English department has been wonderful,” she said. “It was literally within half an hour that we found out he couldn’t come that they handed me a full-time job.”
She is a lecturer with the department and Azfar is still teaching in the English department at North South University in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Melissa said she believes Azfar is being held up for three reasons — because he is from Bangladesh, because his last name is Hussain and because he has “leftist politics.”
Azfar admits to being an activist, not a terrorist.
“Me, a terrorist?” he asked. “If I’m a terrorist, every peace-loving citizen of the U.S., one who loves democratic values, is also a terrorist. But surely that’s not the case.”
In fact, he said he feels terrorized by the immigration bureaucracy.
Added Melissa, “He has never written anything promoting any kind of violence or hurting anyone. He has been very critical of the U.S. government, but so are plenty of people in this country. He’s a peaceful guy.”
Sutherland said the experience has been eye-opening for her.
“The kind of imprecision of all of this and the lack of clarity is hurting our universities on a broad scale,” she said. “This was a wakeup call that we need to be more proactive and demand some clarity here about these processes so it doesn’t all evolve into a secretive, racial-profiling case that is hiding behind sprawling bureaucracy.”
Dr. Victor Villanueva was Azfar’s Ph.D. adviser at Washington State University in Pullman.
He replied to an e-mail seeking comment.
“Just this week I saw a movie (I don’t remember which one, though it was from Pakistan, I think) in which one of the characters complains about the brain drain, the ways the best and brightest are leaving that country for better lives in West,” Villanueva wrote. “Bangladesh can take pride in realizing that one of their truly brightest — and I have mentored many, many graduate students; and he is by far the brightest and best and most-read I’ve ever known — will not get drained away, at least not yet. For Oklahoma State, though, for all those students wanting to engage in conversations about land and labor and society, there is a loss.”
Published: August 30, 2008
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Monday, July 9, 2007
Do you know this guy?
Azfar was on TV again the other day, giving an interview on the poet P.B. Shelley. Here's the famous man himself!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Azfar on TV again
Here's a shot of one of Azfar's TV programs--for this one, he was talking about one of his favorite books. He did this "book of the day" program for a couple of months, in which he discussed one of his favorite books each day of the week. That quickly added up to a lot of books!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Daddy and Baby
I love this picture of daddy and baby--they've got the same smile here, don't they? This was taken at the Bengali New Year festival.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
In Azfar's home village
We just got back from a trip to Rajshahi. We went to Azfar's home village and to his cousin Shammi's wedding. We were there for a week. Here's some shots in Azfar's village. The top shot is a view looking out into the rice fields that surround the village. The shot below that is of a hay stash for the cows, who often roam through the village. The third picture is of a typical clay house in the village. The clay is really strong, and holds together even through the monsoons. And clay has its own built-in air conditioning system! Sitting inside the clay rooms on a hot afternoon, you would think there was an AC running! But of course most of the houses in the village don't have any electricity. The fourth shot is of fresh red peppers that had just been picked--drying in the sun. In the fifth shot you can see what people use for firewood in the village: cow dung dried on sticks. There's just not enough firewood to go around, so dung works very well to keep the fires going. Very ingenious, if you ask me! Nothing goes to waste in the village, not even cow dung! The last shot is Azfar and Salma--this is Azfar's first trip to his home village in eleven years! Some of his family members there just cried when they saw him. They've been waiting such a long time to see him again. It was really moving. Anyway, his family in the village was very welcoming to me, and extremely hospitable. What little they had to offer, they shared willingly, and served us a huge feast, something I'm sure they couldn't really afford to do. We also went to two other villages--Azfar's dad's brother's village (in other words, Azfar's uncle), and Azfar's mom's home village. In his mom's village we saw the mud hut where Azfar was born, which is now part of his uncle Tuku's house. Azfar's mother also wanted the midwife who helped her give birth to Azfar, to see him again. We went to the midwife's house, and it was really sad to see her lying basically on her deathbed. Azfar's mom brought her a sari and told her who Azfar was, but she could barely open her eyes and I'm not sure she was fully coherent, but she did say hello. We all had tears in our eyes. So that was three villages in one day. Whew! It was a long but special day.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Azfar the TV Star
Here is Azfar giving one of his interviews on TV! He has been appearing regularly on tv, giving interviews and discussing various topics including world literature, Baoul music, literary theory, and current politics.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
My Two Favorite Men
Here's dad and Azfar, my two favorite men, at "Spaghetti Jazz," a fabulous Italian restaurant in Gulshan that we went to the other night.
Monday, December 18, 2006
Azfar's Birthday Party
Here's some photos of Azfar on his birthday. We had fun celebrating with his family, although Azfar is currently not taking any questions in regards to his age. But we managed to squeeze lots of candles on that cake, as you can see.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Our Little Family
Here is our little family on my birthday. (This is taken in our apartment.) We had Azfar's parents and brother and sisters over to celebrate. It was a fun time. We put on some Hindi music and danced around in the living room with Salma and Jasra. When the the two babies are together, they keep us all very entertained. I can't believe we've already been here for seven months. Time is just flying by. Salma has changed so much since we first got here. She's no longer a little immobile baby anymore--now she's running around like a toddler! And getting her to hold still for a picture like this is a real challenge. She is literally running around all day long, until she falls asleep from exhaustion. It's so much fun watching her develop! I'm especially enjoying observing the way she's learning Bengali and English at the same time. Pretty soon she's going to be acting as my translator! (Check out my other blog on Salma to see her new Bangla words -- allaboutsalma.blogspot.com)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Monsoon rain
Hi family and friends,
Thought I'd send a little longer update, since I haven't in a while. So here you go...sorry if I already talked to you and I'm repeating myself!
Salma's doing good! She's pulling herself up on furniture all the time now. I think she's gonna walk soon. And she's learning words like crazy--Bengali and English. Her new word today is "brishti" (rain). We're having a monsoon today, so I guess it made an impact on her! There's about 3 feet of water in the road right now. The road is literally a lake. It's quite entertaining watching the cars go by--they look like boats. And I feel sorry for the poor rickshaw drivers who are trying to peddle through this rain--they're completely soaked. It's supposed to keep raining for 3 days. Guess we'll have to hole up in our apartment till then. I'm not brave enough to venture out in the monsoon.
Well, we just had our first trip outside of
Teaching is going well. I'm really enjoying it. We just finished our first semester about a week ago. I think students like me so far. I've had alot of fun with them, anyway, especially in the literature class. Next semester I teach American literature again, and public speaking and composition. We don't get much of a break between semesters--just a couple of weeks, so I'm just trying to catch my breath before plunging in again!
Azfar says hi. He is certainly is in the limelight here. TV interviews, newspaper articles, journal articles, political lectures, all kinds of stuff. I went to my first Bangladeshi political rally the other day--it was in protest of police killing of some organizers against a coal company that wanted to do open-coal mining and destroy the land of lots of poor people. Although at least 6 people were killed by the police, the people had a small victory in this battle! They managed to kick the coal company completely out of the country. It was pretty exciting to watch all this happen!
Anyway, I am trying to get some work done on my dissertation before the fall semester starts up next week...I'm plodding away, doing some reading now. I found a book called _Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day_, by Joan Bolker, which is helping me feel less panicked and a bit more organized about the whole thing. I've also gotten involved with a women's reading group here--a group of feminist activists. So I'm excited about where these conversations with the group will lead--not only for my dissertation, of course, but for working in solidarity with them.
Well I hope to talk to you soon! Love you all!
Love,
Missy
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