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Leading
News
Govt-AL pre-dialogue parley held
in capital
Political trends must be upheld :
Commerce Adviser
Free Hasina before final talks : AL
Sahidul Islam Rana and M Waliullah
The much-awaited pre-dialogue parley between the
representatives of the Caretaker Government and Awami
League on Sunday ended in a friendly atmosphere as both
sides reached a consensus favouring some demands of AL.
Held at the state guesthouse Padma, about two-hour long
parley between four advisers to the Government and the
seven –member AL team, reached a solution to some extents,
including the release of AL President Sheikh Hasina to
make the ensuing official dialogue fruitful, announcing
polls schedule through lifting of the State of Emergency
within the shortest possible time, completing the official
bilateral –dialogue by May next and ensuring the presence
of the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government in the
dialogue.
As part the ‘informal’ round between talks of the
Government and the political parties prior, some five
advisers–Dr Hossain Zillur, Major General (Retd) Golam
Quader, Anawrul Iqbal, AF Hasan Arif and Dr Iftekhar Ahmed
Chowdhury- to the Caretaker Government sat with the
seven-member AL team led by party presidium member Syeda
Sajeda Chowdhury. The other AL representatives are Amir
Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaque, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit
Sengupta, Motia Chowdhury and acting General Secretary
Syed Ashraful Islam.
Emerging from the informal talks, the government’s
spokesman Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur
said, "With a view to making the final dialogue
meaningful, we have to give priority to certain aspects
including venue of dialogue, creating an environment and
upholding the political culture and system."
Acting AL General Secretary Sued Ashraful Islam said, "The
discussion was held in a congenial atmosphere and we
placed our proposal to the government and all the issues
were accepted cordially. We reached a consensus that
forgetting the past, cooperation will be provided to
ensure a free, fare and credible election. The
Parliamentary Polls will be held first so that state-power
would be handed over to the elected representatives at the
earliest possible time. "
About the upcoming general election, the AL leader told
the newsmen, "The incumbent government is adamant to
arrange the polls within the stipulated timeframe in
December this year."
About the informal talks whether it was a fruitful or not,
AL Presidium Member Suranjit Sengupta said, "We made them
understand our proposals. We proposed that the final
dialogue between the Government and political party would
be bilateral. In the final talk, the Chief Adviser of the
Caretaker Government and AL president would be present."
Referring to bail system, Suranjit Sengupta said,
"Granting bail is a procedure of law and the detained AL
leaders may be provided bail. It also must be ensured that
they are not made ineligible for elections. Sections 16
and 19 under the Emergency Power Rule (EPR) must be
amended so that all cases are bailable."
The pre-dialogue parley began at 5.30 pm at the Padma and
continued till about 7.30 pm.
Besides, the five demands, the veteran AL leader
emphasised on arresting the price spinal and trial of the
war criminals and declaring them ineligible for any
election across the country.
Pahela Baishakh Today
Nation celebrates Bangla New Year’s Day
today
Staff Correspondent
Pahela Baishakh, the first
day of the Bangla New year 1415, will be celebrated by the
nation today (Monday) with due traditional fervour,
festivities and fanfare.
The sunset on Sunday marked the end of the year 1414.
The new year starting today is under the lingering shadow
of emergency, uncertainty of holding general election,
political unrest as well as economic hardship caused by
soaring prices of essentials and a serious food crisis.
Millions of Bangla speaking people around the world
including a large number of Bangladeshi expatriates, will
welcome the first day of Baishakh, the first month of the
Bangla calendar, to uphold the rich cultural heritage of
the country through rallies, cultural functions and
Baishakhi Mela.
Different socio-cultural organisations have chalked out
elaborate programmes on this occasion.
President Iajuddin Ahmed and Chief Adviser Fakhruddin
Ahmed issued separate messages on the eve of the day
welcoming the Bangla New Year and conveying their
greetings to the countrymen.
In observance of the day, traditional fairs and cultural
functions will be held in the city and elsewhere in the
country. The day is a public holiday.
With horrifying memories of the 2001 Ramna Batamul carnage
still haunting the minds of the people, unprecedented
security measures have been taken in the capital to ensure
peaceful celebration of Pahela Baishakh. Thousands of law
enforcers have already been deployed at different
sensitive spots to maintain peace today.
The Bangla year was introduced during the rule of Moghul
Emperor Akbar to facilitate tax collection. In keeping
with the tradition, traders and shopkeepers will open
halkhata (fresh accounts book) and offer sweets to their
clients and visitors.
On every return of Pahela Baishak, thousands of people
throng venues in different parts of the capital city,
including Ramna Park, Suhrawardy Udyan, Central Shaheed
Minar, Dhaka University, Shahbag, and Dhanmondi Lake
areas, to welcome the new year amid pageantry.
The most colourful celebration of the Bangla New Year
begins at the Ramna Batamul at dawn with an elaborate
programme undertaken by Chhayanaut, a leading cultural
troupe starting with Tagore's famous song "Esho hey
Baishakh, esho, esho" (come O Baishakh, come) under the
banyan tree at the Ramna Park.
Men, wearing panjabi-pyjama, women, attired in sari with
red borders, and children in colourful dresses all will
throng to traditional Baishakhi Mela (fair) and other
cultural functions in the city and elsewhere in the
country.
Strict security measures have been taken in the city and
across the country to ensure peaceful celebration of the
day. Strong contingents of 12,235 members of law-enforcing
agencies will be deployed across the country. In Dhaka
City, 6,094 law-enforcers will be on the alert to fend off
any unpleasant incident at venues of celebrations.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) declared off-limit to all
vehicles roads stretching from Matshya Bhaban to Shahbagh
and Doel Chattar to TSC of the Dhaka University. A total
of 24 CCTV cameras would be set up across the capital.
Members of the law-enforcing agencies will distribute
drinking water among people at Ramna Park during the
programme and Fire Brigade and Ambulance will also be in
place. Security measures would also be taken at the cinema
halls and diplomatic zone.
Absence
of Khaleda, Hasina will not make dialogue fruitful:
Goyeshwar
Staff Correspondent
BNP joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandro Roy on
Sunday urged the government to take immediate steps to
ensure the presence of Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina
in the government-sponsored dialogue aiming at making it
fruitful.
"Absence two leaders –Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina
–will not make the dialogue fruitful and the country may
plunge into political and thus other social crises, if the
dialogue fails," Goyeshwar told newsmen at the Nam
residence of BNP organising Secretary Mohammad Shahjahan.
"We want this caretaker government to play a neutral role.
The government can easily set the two leaders free. The
government could not even frame a charge against Begum
Khaleda Zia yet. Besides, in the same case, other
individuals are roaming freely which is a manifestation of
applying laws arbitrarily," said Goyeshwar Roy, adding:
"This is violation of human rights. I would urge the
government not to compel the BNP to launch a tough
movement."
Asked what if Khaleda Zia and Shiekh Hasina are not
present in the dialogue due to legal complications, he
said, "They can easily be freed on bail or on parole."
In reply to a question, he said, "If the Election
Commission again invites any splinter group except
Khandoker Delwar Hossain to the EC-BNP talks, it will be
clear that the EC and the government is hatching a
conspiracy to divide the BNP."
"Government’s invitation to Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed
to the national dialogue indicates that the government
wants BNP to remain divided," he alleged.
Referring to Hafiz’s statement that he would take along
Delwar, Goyeshwar and Hannan Shah to the
government-sponsored talks, Goyeshwar retorted, "Who is he
to take us to the dialogue? Court’s verdict cannot make
anybody a political leader. Nobody from BNP has made him
acting Secretary General or Secretary General in-charge."
Meanwhile, acting Secretary General of the reformist camp
Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed on Sunday reiterated his call
for the rivals to join their camp saying, "There is no
alternative to the unity of the party for ensuring victory
in the next general election by the nationalist force."
Asked if the loyalists do not want to sit for talks with
the government along with them, Hafiz said, "We have long
been requesting them to come with for talks with the
government. We will wait for them a little bit. If they do
not come, we will sit with the government soon under the
leadership of M Saifur Rahman."
UZ
polls either prior or with National Polls: CEC
Staff Correspondent
The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, on
Sunday reiterated that the Upazila Parishad polls must be
held by this year either prior to the national elections
or simultaneously with it.
Shamsul Huda said this when a 21-member delegation of
Bangladesh Union Parishad Oikyajote (BUPO) demanded of the
EC to hold the Upazila Parishad elections, if possible
even in phases, prior to the national elections as per the
announced election roadmap.
"We have long been saying that we will hold the upazila
elections as per the roadmap. Now we are considering a
method whether it will be held prior to the national
elections or simultaneously with it," the CEC said.
The BUPO members, led by its coordinator Golam Sarwar
Millon, met the CEC in the afternoon and placed their
9-point demand before the EC. They suggested that the
elections could be held in phases since 60 percent of the
voter lists have already been completed.
"The EC would hold all the elections mentioned in the
election roadmap announced on July 15 last year," said the
CEC said, "we cannot understand as to why the political
parties are now opposing the local government elections
especially Upazila polls as they did not oppose the idea
of holding local body polls before national polls when the
roadmap was announced."
Politicians on both sides of the partisan divide strongly
opposed the government’s plan to hold local government
elections, including city corporations, municipalities,
upazilas and union parishads, prior to the national polls
describing it as a political scheme. On March 10, the
Council of Advisers vested the full authority upon the EC
to determine the timeline for elections to upazila
parishads on its own.
Govt
urged to introduce rationing: Speakers at discussion on
food
Staff Reporter
Political leaders, teachers and journalists at a
roundtable on ‘Food situation in Bangladesh’ on Sunday
urged the government to introduce rationing system
immediately in a bid to overcome the current food crisis.
"Government will have to introduce rationing system
otherwise the people’s suffering will continue in future.
Simultaneously adequate reserve of food grain and proper
distribution boro crops will have to be ensured as the
harvesting of the crops has already started," they said.
Speakers apprehended that the prices of food grain would
not come down at tolerable rate like in the past. If the
government fails to take right decision in right time
about the procurement of boro crops, the country will have
to face another disastrous situation. There is no
alternative to producing more crops to face such critical
situation, speakers opined.
"We will have to come forward to save our cultivated land.
We also are urging the government to form a committee to
save the cultivated land. To control the market price,
activities of Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB) and
other organisation responsible to oversee the market
situation, will have to be intensified," they said.
They said in a bid to encourage the farmers, sufficient
subsidy will have to be given to them and the government
will also have to ensure smooth supply of fertilizer,
diesel and electricity.
"Besides, the government will have to disburse loan among
the farmers," the speakers opined adding, "With a view to
overcoming the existing food crisis across the country,
the government must enhance more allocation for the
agriculture sector in the upcoming Budget."
They called upon the People, irrespective of party
affiliation to become united in order to resolve the
prevailing crisis. "Mass media can play a significant role
in this regard" they observed.
Back Page
Incentives for
investment in thrust sector
under consideration : BB Governor
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr
Salehuddin Ahmed Sunday said the Government is considering
incentives for investment in the thrust sectors including
SMEs as well as char land development and food related
industries.
"Invest in the thrust sector and the government will
support," he told a roundtable at BRAC Inn. Businessmen
present there stressed the need for providing fiscal and
monetary incentives to the corporate sector as they
provide jobs as well as some philanthropic activities.
"Private sector consider philanthropic activities from
their own perspectives like donation to schools, colleges
and helping people like acid survivors," he said, adding
that the corporate social responsibility meant some
broader aspects.
BRAC Advocacy and Human Rights Unit (BAHRU) in association
with daily The Financial Express organised the roundtable
on "BRAC Ultra Poor Programme: Social Participation" to
present a special programme of BRAC with the ultra poor.
Programme chief Rabeya Yasmin made a presentation on how
the BRAC programme supports one-lakh households of ultra
poor to help them improve their lives. Moazzem Hossain,
Editor of The Financial Express, was moderator at the
roundtable attended by economists, poverty experts,
academics, social experts, senior journalists and NGO
representatives. BRAC executive director Dr Mahabub
Hossain presided over the roundtable.
The Governor said macroeconomic policies must be conducive
to poverty alleviation, but in last 30 years the country
failed to decentralise development to reduce poverty. "We
now understand it and it has to be done rapidly," he said.
Dr Salehuddin also stressed the need for bringing all the
people, particularly the poor, under the formal financial
sector to achieve a sustainable development in the
country.
He said the micro-interventions in poverty alleviation in
Bangladesh have been acclaimed worldwide, but the world
community question about our poor macroeconomic
performance. "Markets and institutions are not working
perfectly here to transmit properly the macro-policy
targets to the beneficiaries. As a result, poverty
alleviation has not been sustainable," he said.
Businessmen sought policy support to expand their
businesses and create employment opportunities as a means
of poverty alleviation. They also stressed the need for
bridging up NGO-Business operation for an effective effort
in this regard.
The businessmen were, however, challenged for their role
in the any critical situation of the country and were
blamed for trying to make irrational profit during the
recent price situation.
Legally
earned undisclosed money may be legalised next fiscal year
UNB, Dhaka
The government will not allow any undisclosed money,
earned illegally, to be legalized, but the undisclosed
money earned legally may get chance to be legalized in the
next fiscal year.
"We'll not consider the money having no legal source for
legalization, but the legally earned money that somehow
became undisclosed might get chance," Finance Adviser Dr
Mirza Azizul Islam said at a pre-budget discussion with
the editors of print and electronic media Sunday at the
National Board of Revenue (NBR) conference room.
NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid presided over the
pre-budget discussion.
The Finance Adviser said the government is trying to widen
the tax base and reduce the tax rates.
About harassment by the NBR officials, he said: "We are
trying to motivate the NBR officials to make the tax
system hassle-free.
"But it's a time-consuming matter. We've already curtailed
some discretionary powers of the tax officials and in the
next budget we will curtail more."
Dr Aziz said it is not possible overnight to radically
change the system and make serious changes in laws.
Replying to a query about tax holiday, he said, the
government is thinking some options for tax holiday. "We
may extend the tax holiday for 1-2 years more or make some
revisions in the existing process of tax holiday."
Earlier, the Finance Adviser unveiled the Annual Report of
NBR and a video containing motivational advertisement to
pay taxes.
450MW Bibiyana Power Plant
Five more weeks to submit bid
UNB, Dhaka
Final bid submission date for 450 MW Bibiyan Power Plant
has been deferred by five weeks responding to the plea
from the prospective bidders.
Now the bidders will have to submit their final bids on
July 15 instead of June 7, 2008.
A top official of the Power Cell, which will receive the
offer, said they have deferred the submission date
responding to the requests from two of the four qualified
bidders. He mentioned that the US-based AES Corporation
and Chevron have made the requests separately to defer the
bid submission date by two months. "But we have deferred
by 37 days," he said.
After the pre-qualifying round bidding held in December
last year, four international firms have emerged to be
eligible to submit their final tender-offers for the
proposed plant.
The pre-qualified bidders are Korea Electric Power
Corporation (KEPCO) of South Korea, AES Corporation of the
USA, Chevron Corporation of the USA, the consortium of
Powertek Berhad of Malaysia and Siemens Project Ventures
GmbH of Germany.
Later, the KEPCO and Powertek made a joint venture move to
submit their bids.
The Power Cell had asked the pre-qualified bidders to
submit the financial and technical offers as final bids to
the government under the Request for Proposal (RfP)
format. As per the bidding conditions, the successful
bidder will have to implement the Bibiyana Power project
on Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis as independent power
producer (IPP) in accordance with the Private Sector Power
Generation Policy 2004. The state-owned Power Development
Board (PDB) will purchase electricity from the plant for
about 22 years.
Three CCC staff held on charge of oil pilferage
UNB, Chittagong
Joint forces arrested three staff of Chittagong City
Corporation (CCC) during oil pilferage at Cement Crossing
in Patenga on Sunday.
The arrested were identified as account assistant Abu
Zaheer, office assistant Mohammad Alamgir and driver Golam
Nur.
The CCC sources said the forces arrested them at about 5pm
as they were allegedly selling 40 litres of fuel oil while
returning to their office with an oil-loaded tanker from
Eastern Refinery Limited in Patenga.
About four hours after arrest, they were freed but the CCC
authorities suspended them for the offense.
A show-cause notice was also served to executive engineer
Shamsul Alam Siddiqi and sub-assistant engineer Tohidul
Islam over oil pilferage, said CEO AKM Khairul Alam.
Crime
Two
terrors
killed in encounter with RAB
UNB, Keraniganj
Two suspected terrors were killed in an encounter between
RAB troops and their accomplices in Haji Abdul Barek Road
area of south Keraniganj on Saturday night.
The deceased were identified as Tiger Anwar, 30, and cadre
Babu, 27.
Acting on secret information that a group of terrorists
were holding a clandestine meeting behind a dyeing
factory, a team of RAB-10 raided the area and encircled
them at about 8:30 pm.
Sensing presence of the law-enforcers, the gang fired on
them, forcing them to fire back, triggering a
two-and-half-an-hour-long gunfight, RAB sources said.
"Both Tiger Anwar and Babu received fatal bullet injuries
in the gunfight and died on the spot," said an official of
the Rapid Action Battalion from the spot.
The RAB personnel also arrested three others of the group
while they were fleeing the scene.
Rapist, female aide arrested
A Correspondent, Meherpur
Meherpur police arrested two persons including one woman
on Saturday in connection with sensational rape and murder
case. The arrested persons are rapist and killer, Polash,
and his aide, Musila, wife of Younus Ali of village Kola
under Sadar Upazila of the district.
According to police sources, a minor girl Kabita, 8,
student of Class-II daughter of Samiruddin of the same
village went out of her home on Wednesday morning and did
not turn up. On the following morning (Thursday) her body
was found nearby her dwelling house in an abandoned
tobacco curing house.
On call police rushed to the spot and recovered the body
and suspected that she was raped and throttled to death.
After relentless haunting by the police, they managed to
identify the culprits and rounded them up. The rapist and
his kept Musila narrated their evil design for committing
such hatred acts before the journalists at Meherpur police
station. Hundreds of people of the village thronged to the
police station to express their satisfaction over the
prompt action of the police.
Eyes of 2 bandits gouged out by mob
UNB, Magura
An angry mob caught two of the dacoits while they were
fleeing after committing robbery at a house at Parlanduali
village in Sadar upazila early Saturday.
Police said the dacoits, numbering 5/6, stormed into the
house of engineer Saiful Islam of the village at about
2:30 am and started looting cash and valuables at
gunpoint.
At one stage hearing the hue and cry by the house-inmates
local people chased the dacoits and caught two of them.
They later gave the two robbers - Suman, 22, of Kashiani
upazila of Gopalganj, and Bashar, 22, of Jessore town area
- mass beating and gouged out their eyes.
Police on information, rescued the victims and admitted
them to the Magura Sadar hospital.
A case was filed.
Cops suspended for helping criminals to escape custody
A Correspondent, Rangpur
Two police constables and an assistant sub-inspector of
police were suspended twenty fours after an accused fled
away from the custody.
Additional superintendent of police Paritosh Ghosh issued
the suspend letter on charge of helping the accused Biplob
to escape from the custody.
The suspended cops are Ashraful Islam, Abdur Razzak and
Wheduzzaman.
Biplob of Babukha under Rangpur sadar thana.
The criminals were arrested on Thursday night against a
case under Children and Woman Oppression Protection Act.
One Biplob fled away while he was getting up in the police
van at Kotwali thana on Friday.
Sources said, police did not put up Biplob on handcuff and
he availed of the opportunity.
Editorial
Pahela Baishakh
The
nation steps into the Bengali new year 1415 today (Monday)
under the lingering shadow of a serious food crisis, economic
woes and political uncertainty. The year 1414 has faded into
eternity with the sun-set on Sunday, the 30th Chaitra, leaving
unsavory memories of natural calamities and economic disasters
and today's (Monday's) sun-rise heralds the beginning of a new
year amid cautious hopes.
This time the Bangla New Year begins against the backdrop of
one of the worst years in memory as the outgoing year was
marked by twin floods and a severe cyclone that had left
trails of deaths and devastation plunging millions into untold
miseries and suffering. Besides, in the outgoing year the
nation experienced and still continues to face the onslaught
of an unprecedented crisis caused by skyrocketing prices of
essentials, specially rice, atta, edible oil etc. The grave
situation, the people are plunged in has been described by a
former adviser of caretaker government as 'silent famine' and
by an incumbent adviser as 'hidden hunger'. An end to this
crisis is still a long way off and hence, the new year is
going to be greeted amid an ambience of joy marred by woes.
Yet the significance of Pahela Baishkh is immense as it is
part of the culture and tradition of the Bengali nation. It is
also our greatest socio-cultural festival celebrated by rich
and poor, urban and rural people alike in their respective
ways. Further, it is the reflection of our national identity
and our heritage.
We know that uncertainties loom large and tough days lie ahead
of us socially, politically and economically, yet we hope and
firmly believe that the new year will be better in all
respects than the outgoing one, and 1415 will bring about
respite, peace, democracy, prosperity and happiness for the
nation. We wish all a happy new year.
Shuvo Naboborsha.
Days of
Cheap Food are Over
The days of
cheap foods are over, globally but more particularly for
countries like Bangladesh which having got enamored by the
West’s theories of industrialization and capitalist economy
neglected its agriculture and rural economy. Experts cite a
battery of reasons for this food crunch: poor harvest around
the world since 2005; soaring demands for bio-fuels, in
response to rise in prices of mineral fuels, diverting away
crops and China and India consuming ever more food. Add to
that climate changes bringing about more natural disasters and
a significant decline in agricultural investments as
percentage of GDP world-wide and there is little surprise that
food security is a major problem from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
The underlying problems with global food supplies are
something to be really worried about. Throughout the decade of
1970s, agriculture saw a remarkable surge in productivity due
to the introduction of scientific farming techniques which
brought about a Green Revolution outpacing growing populations
and food demands. Since then populations have been growing and
so have demands for food but agricultural productivity has
significantly declined due largely to a neglect of agriculture
and emphasis on industrialization in most developing
economies. The food problem was largely invisible till 2000,
when poor Asian harvests and increasing regional demands drew
down global grain stocks from 37% to 17% in just three years,
almost wiping out surpluses that took a decade to build up.
The WB President on a recent visit to Bangladesh has said that
people in countries with low per-capita income, like
Bangladesh are spending as much as 75% of their incomes on
food whereas people in developed countries of the West do not
spend more than 15% of their income on food. Therefore,
today’s food shortages are hitting the poor the hardest not
because food is unavailable but because they simply cannot
afford to buy it. On the UN’s list of countries most
vulnerable to food shocks are Indonesia, Philippines and
Bangladesh in the 1st, 2nd and 4th places respectively. China
and India also make the top 10 with large rural poor
populations but these two countries have the wherewithal to
keep their populations supplied with food and they are
increasingly doing so putting a further crunch on the global
food markets.
The immediate crisis is one of confidence. As governments with
grain surpluses tighten their grips on reserves, countries
that rely on imports are falling over each other to secure
supplies. Speculations have also driven cereal prices up by as
much as 50% over the last two months. There are certainly
supply problems but experts blame governments for banning
cereal exports, speculators for betting on prices and
consumers making panic buys of cereals for further aggravating
the food crisis. Countries like India, Egypt, Vietnam and
Cambodia which have recently banned exports of cereals are
clearly putting politics ahead of economics in a sort of
“beggar-thy-neighbor” policy.
The food crisis has put rural and agricultural development
back on the global agenda in a bid to come off decades of
neglect in research, technological development and
infrastructure investments in agriculture – it is to this that
Bangladesh must subscribe, if it wants to survive as a viable
polity in the next few years. For the future, the people of
Bangladesh must come to grips with the fact that the days of
cheap food are over.
Analysis
Aspiration of Bengali New
Year
On this very auspicious and momentous occasion
of entertaining New Year, we shall have to ingrain the
following principles in ourselves to practice in real life: a)
Acquire knowledge. b) Evade corruption.
c) Reject envy. d) United for the sake of national interest.
General Moeen U Ahmed
Bengali
New Year in its absolute sense is the New Year for Bengalis;
which bears the essence of their congenital cultural heritage
and values that they nurture and cultivate from the ages
immemorial. On this day we all yearn for something new and
want to commemorate the occasion with enthusiasm and gaiety
irrespective of our material existence as rich or poor and
dwelling either in the urban or rural areas. As a nation we
were successful in our movement to secure our language in 1952
and then, in 1972, our struggle for liberation saw reality. In
1991, through a mass public uprising, the political scenario
changed and in 2006, we turned against the tide that was
misdirecting the nation. But even after all this there is a
marked discrepancy between what we achieved and what we still
want to have. Why so happened? Like everybody, this question
also haunts me. What we do not have in our possession? We have
a golden land endowed with marvelous fertility; we have very
simple hearted but laborious people. The only thing lacking is
an honest desire and an honest execution.
What are the remedies of all those deficiencies/national
ailments and flaws? We have crossed 36 years of our
independence but still our national books of accounts reflect
almost zero balance. On Pahela Baishakh the business persons
open their Halkahata and evaluate the profit or loss and their
accounts are recorded therein immaculately. This Khata speaks
how far a businessman / trader has made advancement and how
far he/she lags behind, and if this reckoning is made at the
national level than what we observe, wherefrom we had started
our journey and how far we have made headway? Again to look in
retrospect and face the question, why so happened? In front of
our eyes, Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia are flying high
to reach to the zenith of success and obstinately we are
plunging in to the deep sea of frustrations. This altitude of
frustration can not show any beckoning light to any household,
to any society or to the nation at large. Why the frustration
dominates our nation and the mass people so much?
We have many big political parties. The people of the country
have entrusted their confidence and conviction on them with
endless expectations as the agents of change of their destiny
and overall wellbeing. Alongside the political parties this
great country belongs to the intellectuals, reformist,
government or private service holder, businessmen, farmers,
laborers, fishermen and weavers. Those who think over the fate
of this country and render their services and have adorned
different important positions of the statecraft, all are the
equal partners of this country. This is the onus of
responsibility of all to love this country of immense
possibility. The ray of the expectations repeatedly has cast
its glow all over the country and also diminishes leaving us
in the lurch. The untouched hands of successes had summoned us
but did not turn up in reality and by the way have left us in
abyss of the nightmares. Nevertheless, we dream of a happy and
the prosperous Bangladesh. The altruistic love of the people
and glorious history of the sacrifices provide us the grit to
dream. This bravery persuades us to convert the intractable
limitations in to the strength and vigor to herald a journey
towards the enlightened path.
On this very auspicious day of Bengali New Year and at this
propitious moment I want to focus on some issues as under
portraying my inner feelings and dispassionate views.
Patriotism. We all love this country more than of our lives
and this love for the country does not enshroud self interest
of any body. We had proved the essence of this love during the
liberation war of 1971. At that time everyone jumped with
whatever they had to liberate this country from the clutch of
enemies and their subjugations. Many of them are still alive
and over the years till date there has been an addition of
equivalent number of people of that time which rather should
double our strength and power then why should we endure any
defeat. If we succeeded in the year 1971 and we must do the
same now as well. But that calls for concerted efforts with
all honesty by keeping the interest of the country above all
other considerations and if we keep it up we shall definitely
be able to build up a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.
Human Resources. There is a misconception that the huge
population that we have is a burden but I take exception to
this as I considerer manpower as our prime assets. If we can
educate a large segment of this population and can employ them
by imparting them training then they will never be the burden
rather they will be converted into the biggest assets and will
be the most significant means towards attainment of self
reliance and prosperity. On several occasions I do reiterate
that we have thirty crore hands of fifteen crore populations
and we will have to train up all those hands because the
nation can not afford to keep them inactive and unworkable.
The baby who doesn’t have the ability, the old man who perhaps
doesn’t have the energy but those who have the working ability
of whatever magnitude they should be allowed to work befitting
their respective capacity. I don’t endorse the idea to convert
the working hands into the beggar’s hand in the name of aid
and assistance. At the time of natural catastrophe we shall
have to stand by the side of marooned people with whatever we
have to assist them. But we shall have to keep this in mind
that aid and assistance do not ingrain in them the seed of
aversion to works. The assistance should be based on the
working spirit by ensuring that a person gets the assistance
in proportion to the work he or she renders and in this way,
if we can convert the man into the asset and then as a nation
we will have the valid reasons to believe that our economic
emancipation rests assured and that is not far-fetched.
Increase of Agricultural Production. On many occasions we
become oblivious of the fact that over the years not a single
inch of land is added but population is increasing not only in
every year, or every month but in every passing hour. We have
to entertain all those new guests into the fold of our
population and we shall have to feed them. In this state of
condition only the way out is to ensure the optimum
utilization of the land in a planned manner so as to grow the
capacity of the land to produce grains three times a year
instead of existing once or twice. Agriculture should occupy
the 1st position in the list of our national priorities as it
encompasses the wide areas of crops and non-crops ranging from
forests to fisheries and over 60% of the workforce is in
employment in this sector. We can not expect sustainable
economic development of the country without giving the most
deserving status to this sector, which is the mainstay of the
economy. In course of my visit to Sylhet, I found thousands of
acres of lands are left unused and not being cultivated
because of the scarcity of water but there exists a river at
the close proximity and if they wish they can make the lands
cultivable by bringing water from this available source. This
is not only the incidence in Sylhet but if we search we will
find that this is the common phenomena in all our districts,
all upazillas, all unions and all villages and even in the
cities, there will be the essence of unused land. Our national
priority is to attain self reliance in food production and
which requires the well synchronized efforts of the local
level leaders in tandem with the officials of local
administration by providing all input supports, close
supervisions, supply of high yielding variety seeds, on time
supply of fertilizer, water and as well as necessary labors.
If we can make progress accordingly with all spirit we shall
have not to be dependent on foreign countries to meet our
country’s food requirement.
Garments. Garments industry is the life line of our economy.
If this sector suffers any set back that will tell upon the
fabric of our existence. So, the responsibility to save this
industry devolves on all of us. This industry which is so
important for the economy is now at a cross road. We should
not capitalize this industry as a means of ascending to the
power as that tantamount to the suicidal act. We shall fall
apart in the face of stiff competitive market if our hard
earned reputation and reliability suffer due to the internal
disturbance and sabotage. That will eventually benefit our
competitor countries and will spell disaster to our economy.
Our toiling laborers will lose employment especially the women
who dominate the workforce in numbers will be scathed by the
economic uncertainty and financial turmoil. So we shall have
to save this industry at any cost. The government machinery,
the owners, the workers of the garments industry will have to
work in concert and diligently in this direction. We shall
expand this industry further a field and will have to make it
even more competitive in the international market by setting
up more backward linkage industries as well as by providing
all banking and financial as well logistic supports.
Cultivation of Fisheries. Bangladesh has enormous nature
gifted potential for developing the fisheries sub sector as
this country is crisscrossed by so many rivers, rivulet, ponds
and canals which provide abundant opportunity for fish
cultivation. This sub sector has the inherent characteristic
of being labor intensive and at the same time is quick
yielding which underpins its ability to contribute
significantly towards the growth of GDP and thus in poverty
alleviation. The demand of the significant part of protein is
met by the fishery sector. Despite the existence of
opportunity to increase the fish production, we are lagging
behind in this area because of the dearth of initiative and
eagerness or the absence of cooperation and patronization.
During my visit to the Tista Barrage area and to whatever
places I have gone and wherever I found vacant ditches/
canals, I have encouraged the local populations for fish
cultivation in cooperation with the members of the Armed
Forces and the outcome is wonderfully beyond expectations.
This is my firm conviction that fish cultivation is possible
in every nook and corner of the country but that again
requires the spontaneous cooperation of the local leaders,
government and non-government officials, students and teachers
and if all come forward we shall definitely export fishes
after meeting local demands the enlightened example of which
is Thailand.
Edible Oil. We have many fold problems with edible oil and its
price is increasing extortionately and attempt to control the
price is very much underway but that does not yield any
result. Once the people of our country were very much used to
take mustard oil but now Soya bean and Palm oil dominate our
food habit. The cultivation of mustard has also declined to a
good extent. Time has come to look for the alternatives and to
reduce our concentrated dependence on any single item. This is
within my knowledge that an interested patriotic researcher
has attained unexpected result by cultivating palm. If right
initiative is taken, within next five years we shall attend
desired result in palm oil and we shall come to such a pass of
success that the palm oil will be in our list of exportable.
We shall have to explore the immense possibility of
agricultural products of economic value which will be
instrumental for us to edge ahead for economic prosperity.
Maximum Utilization of the Limited Resources. We have the
incremental demand from the largest populations in contrast to
our limited base of resources. Only the appropriate
utilization of the limited resources is not the sufficient way
out to meet the growing demand. For ensuring maximum possible
return from our available resources, we shall have to inch
ahead by devising multiple means of utilization. Here it is
notable that our small efforts to address the deep crisis of
electricity and fertilizer have opened up the new vista of the
bigger possibility and which is very much notable. Eleven
Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army have saved 48 MW
electricity by partially launching energy bulb in the ten (10)
districts of Bogra region which is now dedicated to ensure
uninterrupted supply of electricity for irrigation of those
localities. On the other hand, the cost involvement for
setting up a 48 MW power plant is not less than BDT300 crore.
Total completion of energy bulb project, at this year end in
Bogra area will pave the way to save 100 MW of electricity
which can be upto 600 to 700 MW if implemented countrywide.
Another such example is the introduction of granule urea
fertilizer substituting the conventional version in Narshingdi
district by the Nine Infantry Division of Bangladesh Army. It
is expected that this version of urea will reduce its
application by 30% because of its reinforcing capacity and
side by side it is expected that it will produce 20% more
crops. In other words, it will be possible to produce 120% of
paddy by applying of 70% of fertilizer. If implemented
countrywide it is going to pay us ten thousand crores per
year. All those instances bear the testimony that by devising
the new techniques, we can save the precious resources and on
the other hand can produce more to meet the incremental demand
of the food grain by the rising populations of our country.
Like this, we shall have to come up with the pragmatic
approaches and initiatives by identifying all the prospective
areas which will definitely augur well for all of us.
Natural Resources. Our country is endowed with many fold
natural resources and among them the mentionable ones are gas,
coal and stone. We can derive maximum benefit by extracting
and utilizing all those resources and in some special cases we
may even opt for exports after meeting domestic demand and
that will enrich our foreign currency reserve. Excepting the
gas, we have coal mine and stone which are of very high
standard. By ensuring proper utilization, we can reduce our
dependence on imports of all those items, and thus can save
our hard earned foreign currency.
Technical Education. The fitness of a man is measured how far
he is educated. Education does not necessarily mean the
general education but technical education should receive its
time honored importance. The more we can equip ourselves with
the technical education, the more will be our demand in the
employment market both at home and abroad. More demand implies
more earning and more earning means economical salvation. In
the Madrasas of our country, if we introduce technical
education concurrently with Islamic teaching and can impart
them training on Arabic language, they will be much
well-equipped and in Middle East market, the initial pay
package of those workers will be three times higher of the
existing. We shall have to utilize the wider possibility of
technical education along side the institutional education for
the sake of taking the country to the road of progress and
prosperity.
Information Technology. In this age of Information Technology,
we simply can not afford to lag behind on the plea of
bureaucratic rigmarole and information piracy. We should take
vow to build up Information Technology based social system for
the enlightened tomorrows of our posterity. We shall have to
get rid of the conventional ideas because the enlightened
world of Information Technology holds much prospect for us.
Because we have largest manpower and by taking right
decisions, imparting improved trainings and by providing
required patronization, we can fetch a slice of business of
the worldwide market of staggering US$ 650 billion then it
will not be that far faceted matter for us to materialize our
dream to be recognized as a middle income country. India has
in the meanwhile planned to earn 60 billion US$ annually from
this sector. I think if they can, we also have the valid
reasons to succeed.
Ship Building. The recent prospect of this sector has created
impulsion among us and this industry is experiencing expansion
in a very silent manner in our country even without any
patronization from the government. The concerned entrepreneurs
deserve to be acclaimed for their exclusive attainment and
outstanding success. As per report, the world wide demand for
ship within next one decade will be within the realm of US$400
billion and the ships will have to be built within less than
15 years. Bangladesh has the inbuilt natural advantage to
become an ideal destination for shipbuilding. The booming in
the shipping industry is largely due to immense growth of
seaborne trade and increasing attempt of offshore oil
exploration and that apart the ongoing trend of replacement of
the age old ships has added a new dimension on the demand
side. This is my conviction if we can extend required
patronization and support to those who are engaged in ship
building, this budding industry will augment our prestige to
the outer world and concurrently it will create robust
prospect for earning mentionable amount of foreign currency.
Hotel Management. This hospitality industry has got acceptance
worldwide. The demand for well experienced and trained people
of this sector is very much on the higher end. Bangladesh Army
owns one international standard hotel namely Radisson Water
Garden and I had the opportunity to observe how much expenses
we were required to incur for bringing expert people for
deploying in the different divisions of the hotel from abroad.
But if we train our people by providing them required
training, we can send them abroad in good numbers for
employment after meeting the local requirement. The
possibility of employment of the job seekers of our country in
this sector is very much bright. At my special request, the
management authority of Hotel Radisson has agreed to build a
training centre which will open up a new vista for imparting
expertise in this area and exploration of the enormous
possibility. The trained young people of this institution will
find an opportunity to prove their dexterity in the world
market of hospitality industry. I think that if all other
enterprises come up with specific planning we can utilize the
young segment of the country and they can join us stoutly for
the amelioration of the economical condition of the country.
Tourism. Naturally our country is endowed with enchanting
scenic beauty having a colorful landscape; we have the world’s
largest sea beach, historical relics, nature created Sundarban,
hilarious Hill tracts of Chittagong, Rangamati, Bandarban,
mighty rivers, Bay of Bengal, monumental places. If we can
provide immaculate security measures, heartiest hospitality,
unhindered and smooth path of journey, tourists will
definitely visit our country. Through promotion of tourism,
the country will be benefited by earning handsome amount of
foreign currency. The possibility and potentiality of tourism
industry can be explored by initiating measures at the
government and the non-government levels. Many countries of
the world have graduated themselves into the countries of
higher income bracket by only capitalizing the tourism. If
they can why we should lag behind?
Dairy Farms. Maximum people of our country are deprived of
civic amenities and facilities such as electricity and gas. It
is not possible on the part of the government alone to ensure
all those facilities to all the citizenry. But I have observed
how a small planning can act as a spring board to ameliorate
the condition of the people. Such as if a small dairy farm is
established with 25 cattle, it will meet the demand of the
protein of a certain segment of the population and at the same
time will provide electricity through bio-gas that will
facilitate their cooking and will provide fertilizer for the
soil at the same breath. The richer section of our populations
has that ability to finance setting up the dairy farms of this
scale. If they take the initiative out of their own urge of
responsibility that will be treated as their praiseworthy role
in alleviating the poverty.
Leadership. Many countries of the world which were at our
level of economic development right after our independence now
are known as developed ones such as Singapore, Malaysia and
Korea. Although they lagged behind of us in terms of endowment
of natural and human resources, they succeeded in changing
their state of condition expeditiously. The root cause of
their success was their honest and dedicated leadership. Ours
is a country of valiant and brilliant sons, I don’t think that
we have any paucity of leadership. Out of our own sense of
responsibility towards the country, it is our mandatory task
to elect the right, responsible and qualified persons for
taking up the leadership of the country. This year is the year
of choosing the good leadership. We shall have to be united
under the leadership of such a person who is honest,
courageous, conscientious and dedicated soul with patriotic
zeal.
Eventually we have realized that corruption has put a snag
towards our path of progress and advancement. We shall have to
extricate everybody from the ailments of corruption. Those who
have already been identified and those are not and wherever
they are and in whatever responsibility and identity, they
will have to be free from corruption, not only in financial
means and wealth but we shall have to be corruption free in
our words, deeds, principles and ideologies as well as in all
other spheres of life. Maldives economically was in worse
situation than us in the year 1971 but astoundingly now their
per capita income is US$ 3900. They face natural calamities
like cyclone, tidal bore but despite that now they have made
significant headway towards economic prosperity. Only by
capitalizing honesty and sincerity, it is possible to take the
country and its people towards the path of progress and
advancement. We have to work with proper and judicious
planning which is of imperative need in all setups
irrespective of size and magnitude of operation and objective.
We shall have to keep it in mind that we all should be
dedicated to the cause of the country. If we don’t give
anything to the country, how we expect anything in return from
it, this is the universal truth, and none of us have the
qualification and the ability to refuse this unwavering truth.
So on this very auspicious and momentous occasion of
entertaining New Year, we shall have to ingrain the following
principles in ourselves to practice in real life:
a) Acquire knowledge.
b) Evade corruption.
c) Reject envy.
d) United for the sake of national interest.
All the best wishes and wholehearted greetings for the New
Year.
(The author is the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army)
Viewpoints
Pahela
Baishakh: The Cultural Protagonist
When we come at edge of forgetting our cultural root, Pahela
Baishakh arrives to let us regain the spirit and enthusiasm of
Bengalism.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam
Days
come and go; Pahela Baishakh too, but with motivating message
for keeping up Bengalism. When we come at edge of forgetting
our cultural root, Pahela Baishakh arrives to let us regain
the spirit and enthusiasm of Bengalism. Pahela Baishakh has
been a guide and philosopher to our culture and heritage.
The Bengali speaking population all over the world eagerly
awaits Pahela Boishakh, an exclusive and unique “day” in the
lives of the Bengali people. There is a noticeable difference
in the nature and essence between the Bengali New Year and the
English New Year. While the English New Year’s day also
comprehensively celebrated across Bangladesh, it merely
champions the arrival of yet another year where as Bengali
Nobo Borsho has more to do and work out. It not only
celebrates the coming of the New Year but also attests our
loyalty in ourselves as Bengali individualism from the culture
and heritage of other nations.
The historical importance of Pahela Baishakh in the
Bangladeshi context may be dated from the observance of the
day by Chhayanat in 1965. In an attempt to hold back Bengali
culture, the Pakistani Government had disqualified poems
written by Rabindranath Tagore, the pride of Bengali
literature. Protesting this move, Chhayanat opened their
Pahela Baishakh celebrations at Ramna Park with Tagore’s song
welcoming the month. The day had been sustained to get
celebrated in East Pakistan as a mark of Bengali culture.
After our independence, it became a national festival, a mark
of the Bangladesh nationalist movement and a fundamental part
of the people’s cultural heritage. Later, in the mid- 1980s
the Institute of Fine Arts added color to the day by
initiating the Pahela Baishakhi procession, which is much like
a celebratory party procession.
Pahela Baishakh is an icon of the majesty and legacy of our
Bengali culture. Every year Pahela Baishakh comes to us with
high spirit filled with self-respect and richness.
Interestingly, we can distinguish the presence of Pahela
Baishakh in the sunup rays of the yellowish sun, which steals
a look through the eastern windowpane on the first day of the
Bengali Nobo Borsha [New Year]. Pahela Baishakh appears
jingling anklet bells early in the morning in red and white
outfits, flowery hands with mehendi and foot-dye.
The Bengali New Year also designates the hopes and aspirations
for yet a better year, full of joy, happiness and prosperity.
The day also marks the opening of business across Bengal.
Merchant and business men open new account books looking
forward to a better year of luck known as “Hal Khata”. The day
is also spent banqueting, visiting friends and kin, exchanging
gifts mostly syrupy and sugary menus and dresses, also taking
part in miscellaneous cultural activities.
Although Pahela Baishakh is customarily coupled with pastoral
Bengal, but in modern days, we find that the day is celebrated
with no less passion and zeal in cities too. In Dhaka chic
people throng on the bank of a river or an old Bunyan tree and
greet the Bengali New Year with songs of Tagore and Nazrul
together with songs of the Bauls.
Residents in city often start their day with the traditional
morning gastronomy like watery rice (Panta Bhat) with the
exotic fried Hilsha fish accompanied by green chilies and
onion While the festival commences with songs at the base of
the Bunyan tree at the RamnaPark, a similar festival moves at
the compound of DU Art Institute. The street bordering the
faculty premises are painted with culture focusing portraits
in eye-catching designs and motifs.
The traditional aphorism “The Bengali has thirteen festivals
in twelve months” denotes our past affluent Bengali culture.
It falls on April 14 or April 15 of the Gregorian calendar
depending on the use of the new amended or the old Bengali
calendar respectively. In Bangladesh, it is celebrated on
April 14 according to the official amended calendar designed
by the Bangla Academy. Everything under the sun looks humming
and jovial and vibrant, one is suddenly thumped by the
splendor of the grass, the sky, the trees - each and
everything around appears beautiful and glows with glee and
excitement.
Pahela Baishakh has been considerably enriched by poet,
writer, painter, musician, educationist, Nobel laureate
Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore explained Pahela Baishakh as
philosophy of unity in Bengalism. He loved to quote Pahela
Baishakh in his many addresses, essays, letters and dramas.
They largely denote Tagore’s thought of festivals on nature,
predominantly the instance like celebrating the Bengali New
Year’s Day. Tagore thinks that the feeling of harmony among
Bengalis is the force of festivals of all kinds.
It seems that the all-in and sleepy sun of 1414 that went down
last evening carried along with it all the glooms, all the
miseries. Nothing that is aching or tedious or lifeless is
left for 1415, and the sun goes up with a new courage, spirit
and energy this morning, rises in its full grandeur, glowing
nothing dismal, nothing cheerless but only optimism and
happiness for the days to move toward. Let us go all-out on
each day of 1415 for communal impartiality, for protecting
right of the poor, child and women and for a rich sustainable
Bengali Nation.
(Mohammad Shahidul Islam is a Faculty Member of National Hotel
and Tourism Training Institute, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Email: mohd-s-islam@myway.com)
The other penny for buying flowers
Beautiful
flowers have flourished on this planet partly because humans
are so attached to them. Nature won't even pollinate many of
the domesticated flowers we adore.
Maswood
Alam Khan
As
to flower cultivation Bangladesh Krishi Bank (BKB) finances four
kinds of flowers: for tuberose (rajani gandha) at the rate of
Taka 20,000 for every 33 decimals (one bigha) of land, for
gladiolus Taka 50,000, for marigold (gada) Taka 17,000 and for
rose Taka 37,000. Flower cultivators have been pressing the bank
to increase the credit limits, formulated back in 2001, to meet
hiked prices of their inputs.
Compared to any other agricultural products flower plants have
fetched the cultivators much more higher net profits. Their
profit ranges are approximately 36 percent from rose
cultivation, 58 percent from marigold, and a whopping 97 percent
from gladiolas.
This year 1047.76 acres of land in Jessore district alone has
been brought under flower cultivation by 1687 cultivators who
sold flowers worth Taka 1.10 crore on New Year, Taka 1.75 crore
on Valentine’s Day and Taka 1.60 crore on Ekushey February, all
in 2008 and they hope to sell flowers worth not less than Taka
1.20 crore on coming Bangla Naba Barsha on April 14. Popularly
known as the floricultural capital of Bangladesh ‘Godkhali
flower market’ under Jhikargacha upazilla presides over an
annual sale of Taka 15 crore worth of flowers supplying 70
percent of the country’s total flowers for both domestic
consumption and exportation.
Ten thousand cultivators all over Bangladesh are engaged in
nursing a variety of flowers and foliages on three thousand
hectors of land. The country’s floral revolution was initiated
by an enthusiast named Sher Ali of Panishara village under
Godkhali union who took a bold venture back in the year 1982
bagging a handsome profit of Taka two hundred thousand from
cultivating tuberose on his father’s 33 decimals of land setting
a historical landmark that may one day introduce Bangladesh as a
leader in floriculture like the global leadership the country
once enjoyed in producing jute.
At the insistence of my colleague Bhismadev Mondal, the bank’s
Chief Regional Manager of Jessore district and with a view to
evaluating justification for enhancing credit limits of flower
cultivation and especially to seeing for myself a success story
of cultivating gerbera, a new flower with greater vase life, I
undertook last week an extensive tour around different unions of
Jhikargacha and Sharsha upazillas.
An intimate discussion with people from the villages of
Panishara, Krishna Chandrapur, Towra, Patuapara, Syedpara,
Nabinagar, Manikhali, Bejiatala, Gangadharpur, Shimulia,
Andolputa, Jamlagi, Barbakpur, Chapatala, Gaburapur, Khashkhali,
Ramchandrapur, Nilkantha Nagar, and Borni has helped open my
eyes to a huge business potential of floriculture and also to
abominable conditions in which our poor farmers are sweating in
vain in their chase for rivaling other export oriented
industries of Bangladesh.
I could feel the fire and zeal in the eyes and voices of the
cultivators and traders of Godkhali who are confident that
floriculture alone can transmute the poverty of Bangladesh into
prosperity; the only thing that seems dowsing their fire is
their lack of equipment, skill and capital, the three resources
our bank of course can provide finances for, but only up to a
limit. The major policy and fiscal supports should come from our
government and donor agencies.
BKB is way ahead compared to any other bank in providing flower
cultivators with easy access to finance. The bank has so far
financed Taka 20.90 million to 823 flower cultivators in and
around Jhikargacha and Navaron.
Paraphrasing an advise of our last Prophet Muhammad (sm) the
Bengali magician of rhymes Poet Satyendra Nath Dutt in his poem
“Phooler Fasal” sang: “Jootey Jodi Mootey Ekti Paisa, Khaddya
Kinio Khoodar Lagi; Dooti Jodi Jootey, Tobey Ordhekey Phool
Kiney Nio, Hey Onooragi!” (If you earn one penny, spend that for
food to slake your hunger; but, if you make two pennies, spend
the other penny for buying flowers, oh devotee!).
We have unfortunately taken a pretty long time in Bangladesh to
follow this precious word of advice propagated eons ago. Not
before early nineties a young boy in our society took it as a
labor of love to plant a red rose or wrap a garland of marigolds
on the bun of hairs coiled at the back of his fiancé’s head—-to
mimic what our poet Kazi Nazrul Islam fancied in his song: “Moor
Priya Hobey Esho Raani, Debo Khoopai Taraar Phool” (May my hand
decorate my honey as a queen with stars of flowers studded on
hairs rounded at the back of her head!)
Our people belonging to Hindu community hugely adore flowers and
cultivate flower plants in and around their homesteads as
flowers are their best offerings to their God. Elaborate and
simple garlands, fragrant whole flowers and piles of petals
daily rain over deities in temple, home and village shrines
wherever Hindus worship. Of all the myriad buds and blooms, the
most revered and esteemed by their Gods and Goddesses is the
magnificent lotus.
Perhaps none other than Rabindranath Tagore in one of his
devotional songs could so vividly paint a Hindu worshipper
quaking and trembling with fears and qualms about God’s whims
and wishes while placing flowers on the altar of an idol:
“Deener Taapey Roudra Jalai, Shookai Maala Pujaar Thalai; Eei
Mlaanata Khomaa Koro Hey Provoo.” (Oh God, forgive, please, my
failings in offering you fresher flowers as the garlands on my
worship-plate got a little withered, a little pale by heat of
the day and scorch of the sun!).
Flowers withered or paled a little bit by heat or sun are
immediately thrown into garbage bins anywhere in the developed
world where too flowers are viewed as something sacred and where
they are also wreathed round the cradle, the marriage-altar, and
the tomb. A florist in Europe will be kicked out of business if
a rose from his shop reaches a recipient with a single petal
paled or crinkled, let alone a flower like those mutilated ones
sold at Shahbagh in Dhaka. I found in Godkhali market in
Jhikargacha the wholesale traders bundling up stems of flowers
in mishmash the way we find a retailer in a flea market stuffing
a shopping bag to bursting with vegetables.
Nowadays cut flowers are presented in beautifully designed
fleurettes with decorative sleeves and sloping side walls. A
special flower gel at the bottom of bouquets instead of water is
used making it possible to present flowers horizontally instead
of vertically. Cutting edge technology is employed in designing
crates, containers and bouquets with protective tubes suitable
for wet packing of upright flowers—-all with a view to
prolonging vase life of flowers.
For exporting by air or by sea in refrigerated containers cut
flowers tucked up snugly inside crates are treated as delicately
as a newborn human baby without her mother around would have
been taken care of. Multiple layers of corrugated paper boards
and special polymer films are used to fabricate contoured
containers of flowers with automated devices for gas
permeability allowing oxygen and carbon dioxide to flow at
prescribed levels.
In spite of bottlenecks as to inferior quality, lack of policy
support, lack of entrepreneurial training for the cultivators,
and unscientific ways of handling and preservation of cut
flowers being faced by our farmers and traders Bangladesh earned
about 32.71 million US dollars by exporting cut flowers and
foliage to about 34 countries including developed destinations
like USA, UK, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia in 2006-2007 fiscal year
(July 2006 till June 2007). Tuberose, rose, orchid and marigold
are among the major flowers that make up Bangladesh’s floral
basket for exports.
Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute (BARI) has already
taken up some initiatives to train our flower cultivators and
cultivate varieties of highbred flowers at their research centre
in scientific methods. But that is not enough considering our
aspirations to participate in the 160 billion dollar worth of
global flower market. Our flowers, plants and foliages must
compete with other rivals in “Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer” in the
Netherlands, the largest flower market of the world, where world
price for flowers and plants are set in every fraction of a
second and where 19 million flowers and 2 million plants from
all over the world are sold every day.
The present day industrial revolution demands a jumpstart from
the lowest tech to the highest one in one go bypassing the
middle rungs of development mere for survival in neck breaking
competition in the world of trades, thanks to dizzying speed of
information and innovation being processed by cutting edge
computer technology. Forgetting the old myth “slow and steady
wins the race” our entrepreneurs’ present motto has to be: “Fast
and craze is the key for survival”. If we have to survive we
must gaze at the top-notch of every technology to employ in our
every field, call it ready-made garments, or poultry, or tissue
culture in agriculture.
India, Kenya, the Netherlands, and Thailand are following the
latest scientific methods in growing and preserving their
flowers which have vase life for a minimum of 15 days. But our
flowers lose their luster in a matter of two days.
What is urgently needed to be established right in Godkhali is a
state-of-the-art laboratory as a joint venture with an
internationally reputed horticulture giant—-akin to KF Bioplants
based in Pune, India—-exclusively for propagating exact copies
of our flower plants via tissue culture, a process called micro
propagation under sterile condition, obviating the necessity for
growing plants from seeds, thereby greatly reducing the chance
of transmitting diseases, pests and pathogens and enhancing the
quality production of flower plants with higher vase life.
The most genetically integrated wish of any living being—-a
flower plant or a human being—-is not to become extinct as a
species. Accordingly, a living plant as a descendent with a long
chain of its race has taken thousands of years to evolve its
safe way to leave behind its genetic imprint on this earth for
the sole purpose of procreation. The safe way has thus so far
been through flowering and fruition until a geneticist poked
his/her nose into the inner realm of a live cell. Propagating
plants directly from cells bypassing the long and arduous way of
pollination, fertilization, etc. through flowers, fruits and
seeds has redefined the very foundation of live science.
Beautiful flowers have flourished on this planet partly because
humans are so attached to them. Nature won’t even pollinate many
of the domesticated flowers we adore. Geneticists suggest that
nature’s pretty flowers are thriving because people didn’t
destroy them when they cleared land for agriculture. Instead,
they cultivated them and have been doing so for more than 5,000
years and the modern micro propagation would ensure that the
species of pretty flowers would stay to continue warming the
cockles of human hearts as long as the human civilization would
stay in place.
Of all the flowers under the sun the one I weirdly love most
since my childhood is bloomed paradoxically by plants humans
hate most: the showy flower with lavender-blue petals having
slightly lilac shades blooming out of glossy leaves of water
hyacinth, what we call Kachuripana and the botanists call
Eichhornia Crassipes. I don’t know why whenever especially when
I stroll in the tranquility of an evening at the end of a rainy
day I enjoy gazing at those Kachuripana flowers to soothe my
eyes and relax my nerves. I tried many a time to decorate my
vase with Kachuripana flowers; but their vase life is very
short.
However, we Bangladeshis would love to look forward to the day
when geneticists would succeed to prolong vase life of many of
our exotic and indigenous flowers.
We fervently hope that the day is not far away when on the
gigantic LCD screen system inside the main hall room of
“Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer” in the Netherlands would scroll the
name Bangladesh with her basket of flowers and the international
traders crowding the hall would gape without a blink at the
display board to note the latest quoted prices of our tuberose,
gladiolus, marigold, Bengal rose, gerbera, bakul (mimusops
elengi), kadam (cadamba indica), aparazita (clitoria ternatea),
sandhamalati (miriabilis jalapa), and kamini (muraya
exotica)—-and maybe kachuripana flower (eichhornia crassipes)
too!
(Maswood Alam Khan; General Manager; Bangladesh Krishi Bank.
E-mail: maswoodalamkhan@gmail.com)
International
Maoists
hold strong early lead in Nepal vote
AFP, Kathmandu
Nepal's Maoists maintained their strong
early lead in vote counting from historic elections on the
country's political future, election officials told AFP
Sunday.
Of the 601 seats up for grabs in a new constitutional
assembly, nearly 25 percent have been counted or were
close to being allocated-with the former rebels so far
poised to win the lion's share.
Election officials said the Maoists had already won 37
seats and were ahead in 51 others, nearly three times as
many as their nearest rivals.
The Nepali Congress and the centre-left Communist Party of
Nepal have each won only 11 seats so far, and are trailing
equally well behind in those where the count is ongoing.
If the trend continues, the Maoists would become the
single biggest bloc in a body that will rewrite the
impoverished country's constitution.
Such a victory would also cap their campaign to boot out
Nepal's unpopular King Gyanendra and totally abolish a
240-year-old monarchy.
Of the 601 seats, 240 are appointed on a
first-past-the-post system, and it is those which are
currently being tallied.
Another 335 assembly members will be elected by
proportional representation-a counting method the Maoists
are also expected to do well in.
The final 26 seats will be appointed by the interim
government, where the Maoists are also represented.
Meanwhile, former US president Jimmy Carter on Saturday
urged that Nepal's Maoists be struck off the US terror
list after the former rebels took an early lead in
election results.
"My hope is and my cautious expectation is that the US
will in the future recognise the authenticity and the
non-terrorist nature of the commitment of the Maoists,"
the ex-Democratic president told journalists in Kathmandu.
His comments came after early results showed the Maoists
taking an unexpected lead in the landmark elections held
to elect a body that is expected to abolish Nepal's
monarchy as well as write a new constitution.
The Maoists are still classed by Washington as
"terrorists" even though they signed a peace deal with
mainstream parties in late 2006 ending a 10-year
insurgency and joined mainstream politics, declaring they
were ready to embrace democracy.
Carter was in Kathmandu where his human rights
organisation helped monitor the polls, whose full results
will not be known for at least a week.
"It was a serious mistake for the United States to
continue to boycott... consultations and communications
with the Maoists," Carter said, urging the United States
to recognise the peaceful nature of the election.
Carter said he also hoped that if the Maoists fared well
in the voting, that the United States "will recognise and
start to do business with the Maoists, who will represent
a substantial portion of the people of this country."
Malaysia’s Mahathir urges PM to quit now to save
reputation
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Former Malaysian leader Mahathir Mohamad has called on
Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to resign
immediately, saying his reputation will be shredded if he
insists on staying on in the top job.
Mahathir renewed his campaign to oust Abdullah shortly
after the prime minister reportedly told his party he
would hold discussions after December internal party polls
on a handover of power to his deputy Najib Razak.
"For his own good he should step down now because then
(the transition) will be very smooth but if you wait until
the (party polls) you don't know what the people are going
to say," Mahathir said late Saturday.
"There may be rude remarks, they may say, 'Why don't you
go?' You know, all the kinds of nasty accusations, finger
pointing," he told reporters after addressing 1,000 United
Malays National Organisation (UMNO) members.
"If he waits until the elections, it will cause a major
split within the party because those who support him and
those who oppose him will clash at the assembly."
Abdullah has faced persistent calls to quit after the
coalition lost its two-thirds majority in parliament and
control of five states in an unprecedented setback in
March 8 general elections.
He has claimed a mandate to rule, but confirmed that Najib
will succeed him, in line with the tradition of his UMNO
which heads the coalition.
Mahathir's comments came after Abdullah took partial
responsibility for the party's electoral losses at an UMNO
meeting in southern Johor state.
"I'm partly to blame," Abdullah said according to weekend
reports in which he also responded to calls by UMNO
leaders in the northern states of Kedah and Penang for him
to step down in favour of Najib.
"There have been demands... it does not matter that they
want to express themselves on the matter of stepping
down," he said according to the official Bernama news
agency.
"I am not one who is going to retain the leadership
forever," he added. Party vice president Muhyiddin Yassin
said Abdullah told the Johor gathering he will discuss a
transition of power to Najib, with the talks to take place
after the December internal UMNO polls, Bernama reported.
Bloodiest week this year for US troops in Iraq ends with
roadside bomb death
AP/UNB, Baghdad
A roadside bomb killed an
American soldier in Baghdad on Saturday, capping the
bloodiest week for U.S. troops in Iraq this year. Clashes
persisted in Shiite areas, even as the biggest Shiite
militia sought to rein in its fighters. At least 13 Shiite
militants were killed in the latest clashes in Baghdad's
militia stronghold of Sadr City, the U.S. military said.
Iraqi police said seven civilians also died in fighting,
which erupted Friday night and tapered off Saturday. The
U.S. military said the American soldier was killed in a
blast Saturday morning in northwestern Baghdad but did not
say whether Shiite militiamen were responsible.
The death raised to at least 19 the number of American
troopers killed in Iraq since last Sunday.
American casualties have risen with an outbreak of
fighting in Baghdad between U.S. and Iraqi forces and the
largest Shiite militia - the Mahdi Army of anti-American
cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Al-Sadr, who is believed to be in
Iran, repeated on Saturday his demand for American
soldiers to leave the country and urged his fighters not
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