|
Leading News
Bhola-3
by-poll
People gave fitting reply to BNP’s politics of conspiracy:
PM
UNB, Chandpur
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said that the
people of Bhola have given a fitting response reply to the
BNP's "politics of conspiracy" by giving their verdict in
favor of Awami League candidate Shawon. "The people of
Bengal gave the reply to the politics of conspiracy in
Bhola by-election," she said while addressing a public
meeting, organized by district Awami League, at the local
Outer Stadium.
Local Awami League arranged the rally as the Prime
Minister visited the town to lay the foundation stone of a
150 megawatt combined cycle power plant at the town's
Balur Math area. About the opposition party's threat to
raise movement of unseating the government, the Prime
Minister said Opposition leader is doing so to save the
war criminals from trial.
"She (Khaleda Zia) had also tried to save killers of
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,
but failed. This time, she wants to save the war
criminals. But Inshallah, the war criminals also will be
brought to law," Hasina said.
The Prime Minister said BNP-Jamaat alliance government did
not add even a single megawatt of power to the national
grid during their regime, but now are raising their voices
to demand electricity.
Hasina said country people can realize the pain of the
opposition leader. "She (Khaleda Zia) has become impatient
as her party could not come to power through rigging the
December 29, 2008 election like the election of 2001," she
said. She said the four-party alliance government did
nothing for the people except looting public property and
money in their five years.
Hasina in the presence of thousands of people made several
development announcements. She said a full-fledged
university will be set up in Chandpur while the government
will take measures to set up modern infrastructures here
including a children's park. Besides, the government will
also introduce fast and modern ferry service between
Chandpur-Shariatpur waterway, the Prime Minister said.
Haina said the government has already started Chandpur
town protection project to save the land and its people
from the erosion of rivers Meghna and Dakatia.
Besides, measures have been taken for launching the
much-expected Chandpur-Comilla Integrated Irrigation
Project at a cost of tk 147.52 crore soon.
BNP
announces agitation programme
Protest rallies on Wednesday against vote rigging in Bhola
UNB, Dhaka
Opposition BNP Sunday announced countrywide protest
rallies on April 28 against what it termed 'unprecedented
vote rigging' in the Bhola-3 by-election that was held on
Saturday.
The protest rally to be held in all districts,
municipalities and divisional headquarters will also
protest attack on BNP's demonstration in different parts
of the capital city for last few days demanding resolution
of crisis of electricity, water and gas.
BNP national standing committee member Dr Khandaker
Mosharraf Hossain announced the programme of countrywide
protest meetings from a rally at the city's Muktangon this
afternoon while addressing it as chief guest.
The city BNP organized the Muktangon demonstration in
protest of 'farcical, conspiratorial' rigging of the
Bhola-3 by-election, demanding immediate resignation of
Chief Election Commisioner and two Election Commissioners
and immediate announcement of fresh schedules of Bhola-3
by-election as well as demanding resolution of crisis of
utilities services and protesting the government's
repression of the opposition.
Addressing the rally BNP leaders termed the Bhola-3
election as not an election of people but election of the
government, the ruling party, the Election Commission, the
police and the civil administration.
They called upon the party faithful to prepare for
anti-government movement under the leadership of the party
chairperson Khaleda Zai.
The BNP rally rejected the Bhola-3 by-election and
demanded immediate resignation of the Chief Election
Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and two commissioners and
announcement of fresh schedule of the by-election.
Presided over by BNP vice-chairman and city Mayor Sadeq
Hossain Khoka, the rally was addressed among others by
leaders of BNP and its front and associate organizations
including Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Barrister Rafiqul Islam
Mia, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Abdullah Al Noman, Amanullah
Aman.
Moudud Ahmed said following the Bhola-3 by-polls Awami
League again proved that they don't believe in democracy
and that it is a fascist, autocratic political party.
He said in the last 50 years he had not seen such an
election of injustice, terrorism and anarchy.
Chief guest Dr Khandaker Moshrraf Hossian said Bhola-3
election was an election of dacoity marked by terrorism,
threat and attack and obstruction to voters. People have
rejected the election, he said, adding that they are
clearly demanding resignation of the CEC and two ECs.
Trial
of crimes against humanity will start by May: Shafique
UNB, Dhaka
Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed on Sunday
underscored that trial of the perpetrators of crimes
against humanity will start by May this year.
"The prosecution team and the investigation team has
already collected data and information about the
perpetrators who committed crimes against humanity in 1971
and we will able to start trial against them by May," the
Law Minister told reporters at a press briefing after a
meeting with members the prosecution team and
investigation teams at his office on Sunday afternoon.
He said that in the first phase, the prosecution and
investigation teams will be able to compile a list of
charges against the criminals, and the trial will be
started according to the list.
Barrister Shafique informed newsmen that they are going to
introduce a law to protect the prosecution witnesses (PW).
Describing the findings of the meeting, he said the
investigation agencies can detain the alleged criminals
against humanity according to the directions of the
tribunal.
Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun, State Minister for
Home Advocate Shamsul Huq Tuku, State minister for Law
Qamrul Islam, Prosecution team chief Golum Arif Tipu and
Investigation team chief Abdul Matin, among others, were
also present at the meeting.
SCBA adopts
resolution on higher court judges’ recruitment
UNB, Dhaka
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Sunday
insisted on the government to immediately publish a
gazette notification on recruitment of higher court judges
in the light of the Supreme Court guidelines.
The SCBA in a resolution adopted at an emergency general
meeting said the guidelines for judges' recruitment are
imperative for transparency and accountability of the
judiciary, one of the organs of the state.
The meeting formally welcomed the Chief Justice's stand
for declining to administer oath of office to advocate M
Ruhul Quddus, a suspected murderer, and advocate M
Khasruzzaman, an alleged vandal of the Supreme Court, as
additional judges nominated by the President.
On another resolution, the association harped on the
demand of repealing the appointments of the two
controversial lawyers as additional judges of the High
Court.
If the appointments are not revoked, the independence of
the judiciary and the image of the highest court would be
marred, the resolution said.
The meeting, presided over by association president
Khandaker Mahbub Hosaain, was addressed, among others, by
TH Khan, Mir M Nasir Uddin, M Aminul Huq, Zainul Abedin,
Nitai Roy Chowdhury, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, MP and SCBA
secretary Badruddoza Badal.
Leaving out the two controversial appointees and
apparently giving in to the demands raised by the SCBA,
Chief Justice M Fazlul Karim administered oath of office
to 15 new additional judges of the High Court on April 18.
On April 11, President Zillur Rahman appointed 17
additional judges to the High Court for two years in
consultation with the Supreme Court.
But, a day before the oath taking, the Chief Justice
declined to administer oath to the two new appointees due
to unavoidable circumstances.
950 tolas gold worth Tk
3 cr looted from jewellery in city
Eight guards detained by
Police
UNB, Dhaka
Burglars looted a jewellery shop at Muktijoddha Super
Market in city's Mirpur and took away around 950 tolas of
gold ornaments worth about Tk 3 crore on Saturday night.
The incident came to light when employees of "Dewan
jewellers", located on the ground floor of the market,
opened the shop Sunday morning.
Owner of Dewan Jewellers Tajul Islam alias Taju told
reporters that he along with his employees came out from
the shop after closing it just after 8:30 pm on Saturday
night.
The employees of the shop found showcases were scattered
on the floor after they opened the shop at about 10:00 am
on Sunday morning, Taju said.
He alleged that the burglars entered inside the shop
cutting wall from backside of "Jyoti Cosmetics" and looted
around 950 tolas of gold ornaments.
The shop owner suspected that the incident took place some
time after 8:30 pm on Saturday night.
Officer-in-Charge of Shah Ali Police station Abdul Latif
said the burglars first entered inside Jyoti Cosmetics
breaking its shutter and looted it. Later, they broke the
wall between Jyoti Cosmetics and Dewan Jewellers and
looted the gold ornaments, the OC said.
Police detained eight guards of the market for
interrogation.
Two muggers stabbed
to death, one injured in Gazipur
UNB, Gazipur
Two suspected muggers were stabbed to death and another
was injured in an attack by their rivals over sharing of
gambling money at Purbo Arichapur in Tongi here on Sunday
afternoon.
The victims were identified as Kawsar (30)and Jalal,28.
Police quoting witness said that when Kawsar and his two
associates were returning home after an arbitration
meeting over sharing gambling money in a slum, their
rivals swooped on them and stabbed them mercilessly at
about 3pm, leaving Kawsar dead on the spot.
Local people rescued injured Jalal (28) from the spot in
critical condition and sent him to Tongi Government
Hospital and later he was shifted to Dhaka Medical College
Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries in the
evening.
Another injured youth managed to escape.
Officer-in-charge of Tongi police station Tapan Kumar
Shaha said both Kawsar and Jalal were snatchers.
Police arrested a man, Babul, in this connection.
Meanwhile, UNB report from Sylhet: two activists of
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) were held allegedly for
preparing to commit mugging at Humayun Rashid Square in
city's South Surma thana on Sunday.
The arrested were identified as Mofizur Rahman, son of
Khalilur Rahman of city's North Bagbari, and Ali Akbar,
32, son of Sabuj Ali of Chatli village in Sadar upazila.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of police arrested them while
they in a motorcycle were moving suspiciously to commit
mugging in the area at about 1pm.
A knife was also recovered from their possessions.
Mofiz and Akbar, who claimed them as BCL workers, said
they went to Humayun Rashid Square for buying old wheel of
motor cycle when police arrested them.
Back Page
Initiative taken to import
electricity thru regional cooperation: PM
She lays foundation stone of Chandpur 150 MW CC power
plant
UNB, Chandpur
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government
has taken the initiative to import electricity through
regional cooperation with South Asian and South East Asian
countries.
"The present government has taken effective steps to
import electricity on urgent basis from India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Myanmar and China," she said while addressing the
foundation stone laying ceremony of Chandpur 150 MW
combined cycle power plant.
In this connection, Hasina mentioned that the government
is working on the possible ways to import electricity from
these countries as soon as possible. For import of
electricity from India, technical expert teams from both
countries are working hectically, she said.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Prime Minister's Energy
Adviser Dr. Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, State Minister for
Power, Energy & Mineral Resources Brig Gen (retd) Mohammad
Enamul Huq, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir MP and Subid Ali Bhiyan
MP also spoke on the occasion. Power Development Board (PDB)
chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir presided over the function.
The Prime Minister said that work is underway to set up a
sub-station at Bheramara and construct a transmission line
from Bahrampur of West Bengal to Bheramara in Bangladesh.
"We hope we'll be able to import 500 MW of electricity
from India by 2012."
About the gas and power crisis in the country, she again
blamed the previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government, saying
"you've to answer why you didn't take effective steps for
increasing production of power and gas."
The Prime Minister alleged that boundless corruption as
well as negligence and commission-taking attitude of the
previous BNP-Jamaat alliance government were behind all
woes of the people.
The present government has taken initiatives to use
alternative sources of power generation, she said, adding
that the nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Ishwardi of
Pabna will start very soon.
Sympathizing with the people's sufferings for power and
gas, Hasina said that her government would do everything
to generate power and increase gas production. "We're
aware of your sufferings. Let me assure you this
government will not leave any stone unturned to increase
power and gas production." She said the country's present
demand for electricity is 5500 MW whereas the production
is 4000 MW.
She said if the BNP-Jamaat alliance government had not
stopped the projects that were taken by her previous
government the power generation would have increased by
1000-1200 MW. "That government has to answer why they
stopped our projects for power generation."
The Prime Minister said the demand for power is increasing
with every passing day and the government is faced with a
tough challenge. The scenario of power would be much
better if the previous government continued the projects
taken during the previous AL government (1996-2001).
President calls for
creating new job opportunities
UNB, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman has emphasized initiatives to
create new job opportunities for the country's young
generation with a view to flourishing their talents,
thoughts and creativity.
"Graduates should be built up in such a way that they can
take their position both in national and international
arena showing their own talents," he remarked while
presiding over the 9th convocation of East West University
at Bangabadhu International Conference Center on Sunday.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid spoke on the occasion
as special guest while Profe-ssor (emeritius) Dr AF
Sirajul Islam Chowdhury of Dhaka University was the
Convocation Speaker.
Addressing the function, the President hoped that the
country's universities would continue their highest
efforts to provide pragmatic, standard and quality
education for the greater interest of the nation.
Mentioning that a huge number of students come out every
year acquiring degrees from government and private
universities, Zillur Rahman said although the graduates
are not deficient in terms of talent and qualification,
many of them remain unemployed due to the country's job
market not expanding in the same proportion.
"Unemployment is harmful for persons, family, society and
above all the states because it breeds frustrations that
destroy the people's thoughts and creativity and turns
them into maniacs," the President said, before mentioning
that the power of the imagination can play a role in
leading a life on the good track.
About the country's proud history, Zillur Rahman urged the
private universities to provide their young students
proper knowledge on the history and traditions of the
country in line with traditional education.
"Youths will have to be informed of our proud history and
tradition and the responsibility of informing them is
vested upon the country and the nation including the
teachers," he said. A total of 956 students have been
conferred with degrees at the convocation while six
students were awarded the gold medals by the Chancellor
for their outstanding results.
HC rules out AG on
recruitment of vision-handicapped people in public service
UNB, Dhaka
The High Court on Sunday ruled out the argument by the
Attorney General that vision-handicapped persons are not
eligible for seeking jobs in the judiciary or any
competitive civil service, taking cognizance of a writ
petition as mandamus in nature.
An HC division bench comprising Justice M Momtazuddin
Ahmed and Justice Naima Haider upon two writ petitions
passed the orders, asking the respondents, including the
government, to submit a report within 30 days as to what
initiatives have been taken so far to accommodate
vision-handicapped persons in public service as per the
Disabled Welfare Act 2001. The petitioners prayed for
issuing a rule upon the respondents to explain why the
provisions of the Ban-gladesh Civil Service (Age,
Qualification and Examinations for Direct Recruitment)
Rules 1982 preventing the candidates with disabilities
from appearing in the BCS and BJS examinations should not
be declared unconstitutional.
In their petition they said that those rules are
discriminatory and inconsistent with the fundamental
rights of equality before law, equality of opportunity in
public employment and freedom of profession and occupation
guaranteed under the Constitution.
Moving the petition, the counsel for the writ petitioners,
submitted that no step has yet been taken for the disabled
persons in getting public jobs by the government officials
despite the announcement time and again by the Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina to protect quotas in service for
the disabled persons. Opposing the writ petition, Attorney
General Mahbubey Alam told the court that although
disabled persons have succeeded in intellectual pursuits
and cultural activities worldwide, vision-handicapped
persons are not eligible for judicial service or
competitive civil service.
Interrupting the chief law officer of the government, a
counsel for the writ petitioner told the court that vision
handicapped persons in different countries of the world
have been discharging judicial duties.
In support of his contention the lawyer submitted before
the court a list of vision-handicapped judges, including
from Tamil Nadu and Chennai in India. The lawyer also
mentioned the name of advocate Shadhan Gupta who was made
advocate general in the Kolkata High Court during 1986-87.
Stakeholders urge
‘rational’ price of yarn
UNB, Dhaka
In the wake of yarn price hike, the meeting to fix a
'rational' rate of yarn and to consider yarn imports
through Benapole Port ended without any decision Sunday
afternoon at the Ministry of Textiles and Jute.
The meeting will resume on Monday at 2:00 pm at the Jute
and Textile Ministry with its chairman Abdul Latif
Siddiqui in the chair.
Meeting sources said that there was a positive discussion
to open the Benapole Port for the import of yarns.
Emerging from the meeting, the Textiles and Jute Minister
told reporters that there would be a decision considering
both the buyers and sellers.
He said that they might not use the Beanpole Port for
import of yarns if there is no necessity. "We have
discussed the issue but are yet to take any decision."
The price hike of yarn has made textile products less
competitive in both the domestic and international
markets. Abdul Latif Siddiqui said that the unusual
situation which has been created would not be favourable
for the country's industries.
He, however, hinted at forming a committee to consider a
fair price comprising the stakeholders including the
Ministry, BGMEA, BKMEA and BTMA.
Chaired by Abdul Latif Siddiqui, the meeting was attended
among others by Bangladesh Garment Man-ufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) president Abdus Salam
Murs-hedy, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exp-orters
Association (BKMEA) president Md Fazlul Hoque, Bangladesh
Textile Mills Association (BTMA) acting president Monzurul
Hoque and Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills & Power
Loom Industries Association (BSTMPLIA) member secretary
Sheikh Abdul Hakim.
BKMEA president M Fazlul Haque said that everyone present
in the meeting admitted that the market is not steady and
controllable. He said that in the last few days, the price
of yarn had been increasing by the hour, adding, "There is
a need to create a win-win situation for all." BGMEA
president Murshedy said that the price of cotton should be
at a rational level so that they could maintain their
competitiveness as well as international orders.
People’s SAARC
meet demands united South Asia
BSS, New Delhi
In the week preceding the South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation (SAA-RC) summit in Bhutan,
Jawa-harlal Nehru University here played host to "People's
SAARC", an assembly of civil activists from South Asia,
earlier this week.
The two-day conference, titled "Assembly towards Union of
South Asian Peo-ples", was attended by representatives
from SAARC member-nations such as Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan,
Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, as well as delegates from
Tibet and the Philippines.
Serving parliamentarians from Nepal, Pakistan and India's
former Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar took part in
debates over the question of a strong "South Asian
Identity" and people's collaborative actions across
borders for peace and development in the region, a report
said. Feminist-activist Kamla Bhasin argued that the dream
of a united South Asia was not a far-fetched one and the
people's SAARC was testimony to the opinions of the people
in South Asia who were against artificially constructed
borders on the subcontinent.
Veteran journalist and civil right activist Kuldi Nayar
concurred that a united South Asia was possible in the
near future. Each region also had to have its own
sovereignty, he added. According to Bhutanese democracy
activist D.N.S. Dhakal, democracy has a long way to go in
the region. Presenting the Nepalese perspective, Dr. Arjun
Karki acknowledged the important role that India had
increasing onus to play in South Asia and at the global
level.
He emphasised the need for India to play a more
responsible role in that capacity and priorities its
relations in the region over the west. India-Pakistan
relations also came under focus as being critical for the
success of the SAARC as an organisation. Lamenting that
Indo-Pakistan disputes had hijacked the South Asian
agenda, Pakistani human rights activist Iqbal Haider
implored both countries to ensure that greater regional
issues do not suffer due to individual differences and
urged the need for a comprehensive settlement on all
issues, whether water or Kashmir.
Trial of BDR
mutineers of 44 Rifle Battalion begins at Pilkhana today
UNB, Dhaka
The trials of another batch of BDR mutineers of 44 Rifle
Battalion under Dhaka sector will begin at the Pilkhana
headquarters of the border force today (Monday) as part of
the staggered judicial proceedings over the February 2009
mayhem.
Special court-5¸ formed under the Bangladesh Rifles
Order-1972¸ will sit in the Durbar Hall of the BDR
Headquarters in the morning to try the offence of the mass
mutiny, official sources said. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)
Director-General Maj General Mainul Islam will preside
over the special trial court consisting of three members.
Two others will come from BDR officers.
Besides, a representative nominated by the
Attorney-General will assist the court in the
much-orchestrated mutiny trial as per the law of the
border force. On Feb 25-26 last year, BDR members staged
the mutiny over low pay and poor condition, and the
uprising sparked off mutinous demonstrations in other
establishments of the paramilitary border force across the
country. At least 73 people, including 57 army officers
deputised to the border force, were killed at the Pilkhana
BDR headquarters during the February 25-26, 2009 mayhem.
Editorial
Inadequate parking
facilities and Traffic jam
As
the city dwellers are groaning under the pangs of mounting
traffic congestions, experts at a seminar Saturday emphasised
on immediate arrangement of sufficient parking facilities for
reducing this nagging problem. They also urged the authorities
concerned to keep footpaths free from the illegal occupation
by hawkers and shop owners to ease the traffic jam. Presenting
the keynote paper at the seminar former bureaucrat Karar
Mahmudul Hasan said lack of appropriate, pragmatic and
need-based mechanism of road permit system is aggravating the
traffic gridlock in the country, particularly in the capital.
He said insufficient parking facilities, particularly in
commercial areas and illegal parking of hundreds of vehicles
on roads, movement of slow moving rickshaws and occupation of
walkways by street-hawkers and shop owners are causing traffic
jams in the city.
Around 4,000 vehicles, particularly private cars, are parked
everyday at Motijheel commercial area, he said.
Earlier, on Sunday last another expert suggested that the
government should build pro-people communication systems with
mass transport and wide footpaths in the capital city to
remove the acute traffic jams. In his opinion, there should be
only public transports, particularly big buses in the capital
and it will act as an immediate solution to some 50 percent of
the traffic jam - at a time when people are desperately
looking for a way out.
In this way, different recommendations have been made and
various methods applied to resolve the unbearable traffic
congestion in the capital city, but all in vain. Severe
traffic jam is one of the major problems gripping the people
living in and around the city. The problem continues to be
complicated as the population of the city is growing fast, the
pressure of commuters is mounting on the roads and the influx
of vehicles is increasing. Lack of sufficient parking space
and unplanned parking of vehicles on the roads in the capital
worsen the traffic jam further.
The city dwellers are facing the severest ever traffic jam in
the capital in recent days. One of the major causes of this
situation is that new vehicles in increased number are coming
to the street everyday. A recent media report said: The
capital Dhaka is groaning under the pressure of 5.5 lakh
vehicles. Two hundred more are adding to it everyday. During
the last one year, 57 thousand vehicles have been given
registration by the BRTA. As against the requirement of 20 per
cent only 7 per cent of the city areas are available for use
as road. Traffic police have taken a number of steps including
change of bus routes, introduction of auto-traffic signaling,
stern action against traffic rules violators, but there is no
let up in the traffic congestion. Worse still, the number of
rickshaws and vans etc in the city continues to rise rapidly.
According to a report at least three lakh rickshaws, 50,000
vans and 20,000 pushcarts are presently running illegally in
the city whereas only 79,616 legal rickshaws are allowed to
ply the city roads.
Experts think, to ease the traffic jam in the city, the
activities between DCC and traffic department should be
integrated, parking spaces should be arranged and parking
system streamlined, traffic rules should be implemented
strictly, and violators of the rules should be seriously dealt
with. Meanwhile, the large scale import of small vehicles
should be discouraged by imposing duties at a higher rate and
use of public transports in increased number should be
encouraged under well planned traffic system. Besides, some
more flyovers and by-pass roads should be constructed in the
capital on urgent basis. The construction of the proposed
flyover from Mirpur 10 to New Airport Road will be a very
positive step in this direction.
Flash flood
Chairmen
of Upazila and Union Parishads at a meeting on Saturday
demanded of the government to declare Sunamganj district a
calamity zone in view of extensive damage to the standing
broro paddy by the flash flood. The meeting held at the
Sunamganj Pourasava auditorium was attended by chairmen of all
the 11 upazilas and chairmen and members of union parishads
and chairmen of pourasavas.The meeting demanded setting up of
a Haor Development Board for Sunamganj which is solely
depended one crop cultivated in 37 haors. Speaking at the
meeting the upazila chairman said most of paddy lands were
submerged by the flash flood just before harvesting the crop.
Boro was cultivated on 1.93 lakh hectares in the district this
year with a production target of 6.34 lakh metric tons of
rice.
Meanwhile, Boro paddy over vast tracts of land at Sarala Beel
of Rajarhat upazila in Kurigram district has been inundated
following frequent rainfalls over the last few days. The
affected farmers tried to save their paddy fields from the
inundation, but with only little result. Besides, flood water
rolling down from hill areas in India has washed away paddy in
large areas of Mymensingh and Sylhet.
Flash flood is a common problem that affect this or that part
of the country every year and causes serious losses to
properties and crops. The same thing has happened this year
also. The government should provide necessary assistance for
those affected by the flash flood. Such natural calamities are
likely to occur also in the days to come, and the
administration should remain ready with disaster preparedness.
Analysis
Elite wars and anarchy
The most serious challenge to the future of
democracy comes from the continued elite conflict and the
growing anarchy in different parts of the country. This is in
addition to the threat of terrorism and suicide bombings.
Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
The president's
signature on the 18th constitutional amendment bill on April
19 successfully concluded the long-drawn effort of parliament
to rid the 1973 Constitution of the distortions caused by
military rulers. President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani
were euphoric in paying tribute to parliament in general and
the Constitutional Reforms Committee in particular for the
unanimous approval of the amendment. The presence of the
leaders of major political parties, especially Nawaz Sharif,
in the signing ceremony was a major plus-point for democracy
in Pakistan.
Two major factors will determine the contribution of these
developments towards strengthening democracy. First, how far
will political and civil society leaders and state
institutions honour the constitution in letter and spirit?
They need to accept the primacy of constitutionalism and
recognise that each political, societal and administrative
player has to perform its role within the domain set out by
the constitution.
Second, some of the traditional challenges to civilian and
political rule have defused while new ones have surfaced. Most
of the new challenges are extra-parliamentary, attitudinal and
violent.
The traditional challenges to democratic and civilian rule
come from the military, poor governance on the part of
civilian rulers, and a free-for-all power struggle. The
military is no longer a direct challenge to civilian rule,
although it continues to be the most formidable political
player. It protects its professional and corporate interests
and makes sure that its input in foreign policy and security
issues is accommodated by civilian leaders who should avoid
interference in the military's internal organisational and
service affairs.
The army and the air force are busy with counter-terrorism and
counter insurgency, which is their top priority at the moment.
This role has enabled the military to win respect at the
international level and has cast off the domestic criticism it
faced in the last one year of Musharraf's rule.
The challenge to democracy comes from the failure of the
political elite to ensure significant improvement in
governance and political management. This has accentuated the
crisis of confidence between the political elite, especially
those in power, and the people who have increasingly become
impatient and defiant.
The poor performance of the government in addressing
socio-economic problems is alienating the people from
democracy. If democracy cannot deliver, the people do not
collectively stand by it, making it vulnerable to manipulation
by state institutions like the military and the bureaucracy
and extra-parliamentary pressures that unfold in the streets.
The most serious challenge to the future of democracy comes
from the continued elite conflict and the growing anarchy in
different parts of the country. This is in addition to the
threat of terrorism and suicide bombings that take place in
urban centres more often than not.
Pakistan's political and societal elite appears to be
polarised on personal, factional or political considerations.
Competing leaders raise issues relating to what can be
described as high politics that have nothing to do with the
problems and interest of the common people. Their focus is on
elite level issues that are of interest only to political
leaders, societal elite, lawyers and the media. These issues
relate to power arrangements at the elite level, i.e. who gets
what, when and how.
The latest examples of high politics are the appointment of
the judges of the superior courts, the constitution's basic
structure, President Zardari's continuation in office and his
role as the party leader and the reopening of corruption cases
against him in Swiss courts. Some elite personnel have gone to
the Supreme Court on these issues, hoping that it will invoke
judicial activism to reprimand Zardari or turn down some parts
of the amendment. The lawyers raising these issues are known
for their anti-PPP and anti-Zardari disposition.
A new offensive in the elite war is expected to focus on
causing a breach between the newly empowered prime minister
and disempowered president. The prime minister is likely to be
advised to push back Zardari and take the helm of the
government and the party.
If the Supreme Court tampers with the 18th Amendment, it will
be an unfortunate development for the future of democracy.
Pakistan needs an independent, rather than a dominant
judiciary.
Democracy is also threatened by the attitude of defiance on
the part of some political and societal leaders who reject a
decision or policy of the government if it does not serve
their agendas. Such challenges are made on the streets where
violence is often preferred to demonstrate the strength of the
protest. The agitation on the naming of the NWFP is a case in
point where the local leaders in Hazara rejected the decision
of a more than two-thirds majority in parliament. Similarly,
the refusal of many trade and business organisations and
individuals to cooperate with the government for managing
electricity shortages is another example. The middle level
businessmen and traders often take to the streets and set old
tyres on fire to disrupt traffic, mostly during peak hours.
All this is reflective of anarchic trends at the societal
level. Most of them want the government to produce enough
electricity but they do not want to accept any restriction on
how they use electricity or run their businesses.
There are periodic complaints about the lawyers intimidating
the lower courts at the district level and below. There have
also been numerous instances of some lawyers resorting to
violence against the police, court officials and others.
Protest and dissent have to be distinguished from violent
agitation. The latter is dangerous for the future of
democracy. This is being encouraged by the commercial elite to
serve their partisan agendas. Such violence adds to the misery
of the ordinary people but the elite is more interested in
continuing their wars against the government and those who do
not share their perspective within their own profession or
group. This type of violence is more widespread in Punjab.
Political parties do not discourage their loyalists from
adopting violent and anarchic behaviour. In fact, opposition
parties, especially the PML-N, feel happy when public pressure
mounts on the government. The Punjab chief minister has openly
supported agitation against electricity outages.
The elite wars and anarchy in different cities and towns are
not good omens for the future of democracy. If these become a
routine and accepted way of pursuing agendas, future
governments, even of parties others than the PPP will find it
difficult to ensure stability, economic development and viable
democracy.
Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi is a political and defence analyst
Election and
UK Muslims
If the
far right is prospering, it is because many British people
believe they have been sold out by their own government.
Neil Berry
Hugely
excited about Britain's first televised party leaders'
debates, the British media have paid limited attention to
the vicious electoral battle being fought in the East
London borough of Barking and Dagenham.
Yet the outcome of the general and local elections there
on May 6 could have troubling consequences, not least for
Britain's 2.4 million Muslims. For it is in Barking and
Dagenham that the leader of the far right British National
Party, Nick Griffin, has a fighting chance of winning what
has long been a safe seat for Britain's governing Labour
Party.
Even if Griffin fails to get elected, his party could well
double the 12 council seats it holds in Barking and
Dagenham, which would give it control of the borough, an
annual budget of 200 million pounds and a large say over
local education policy. Such a development would
significantly enhance the BNP's bid for mainstream
legitimacy.
There is a real possibility that a party that abhors
diversity and aspires to purge Britain of Muslims will
soon be better placed than ever before to influence
British political debate.
That the Labour Party's grip on Dagenham has grown tenuous
owes much to the dramatically altered character of the
area. Once synonymous with the biggest Ford car factory in
Europe, Dagenham is now a post-industrial area that
epitomizes the crisis of identity and social cohesion
besetting Britain at large. Among the indigenous white
populace that once supplied the Ford labor force, there is
chronically high unemployment and furious resentment
toward immigrants who have settled there.
It does not help the Labour Party that the area's sitting
MP, Margaret Hodge, is a woman of inherited wealth with
whom impoverished whites feel little affinity. It scarcely
helps Labour either that its leader, Prime Minister Gordon
Brown, is blamed by many for pursuing laissez-faire
economic policies in his former role as chancellor of the
exchequer that have made Dagenham a magnet for migrant
workers.
In Dagenham, as throughout Britain, the whole issue of
immigration has never been more emotive. But it is
Muslims, portrayed as the "enemy within" bent on
Islamizing Britain, who are the chief target of the BNP.
From the Muslim perspective, the desirability of voting
for the Labour Party to keep the far right out seems
clear. Yet such is Muslim disaffection, especially over
British foreign policy in Iraq and Afghanistan, that many
Muslims appear disinclined to vote at all. Alarmed by the
possibility of a triumphant BNP, prominent Muslims are
backing a campaign in Dagenham, "Hope, Not Hate", aimed at
mobilizing the Muslim vote. Jewish businessmen, mindful of
the threat posed to the Jews of East London by the fascist
black shirts led by Oswald Mosley in the 1930s, are
backing it, too, for the BNP's historic anti-Semitism is
manifesting itself anew in the area, with Margaret Hodge,
who is of Egyptian Jewish parentage, being vilified on
grounds of both her race and wealth.
Muslim disaffection is exacerbated by the perception that
British state policy has demonized Muslims in the form of
the controversial "Prevent" program. The declared purpose
of the program was to encourage Muslims to expose
extremists.
Yet the signs are that the strategy has backfired. Muslims
associated with it, like the founders of the
government-sponsored Quilliam Foundation, are seen by many
as acquiescing in a neo-imperialist, US-led foreign policy
that is destroying innocent Muslim lives in Afghanistan,
condoning Israel's oppression of the Palestinians and
leading to the systematic infringement of British Muslims'
civil liberties.
An advisor to Quilliam and a fervent proponent of the
"Hope, Not Hate" campaign, the respected restaurateur,
Iqbal Wahhab, who recently received an OBE, believes that
Quilliam needs to become unimpeachably independent. Yet as
long as Britain accords unconditional support to US
foreign policy, Muslim disengagement from the British
democratic process is likely to remain a festering
problem.
As a member of a government that has brushed aside
opposition to Britain's open-ended military commitment in
Afghanistan, Margaret Hodge is notably handicapped when it
comes to securing Muslim trust, but so too are Muslim
bodies suspected of complicity with official efforts to
stifle dissent on the matter. Ironically, perhaps, the one
party that supports the rapid termination of Britain's
military involvement in Afghanistan - a stance endorsed by
over 60 percent of British people but which has gone
largely unaddressed in their election campaigns by the
main political parties - is the BNP.
None of this is to minimize the terrorist threat in
Britain, though it comes from the far right as well as
from Islamists. (As Wahhab observes, far right and
Islamist extremists feed off each other.) What fuels
Muslim alienation is the disingenuousness of the British
political establishment, its threadbare pretence that in
foreign, as in domestic affairs, it is actuated by the
highest motives.
Politicians, along with much of the media, evade the
ignominious truth that under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown,
British foreign policy has been cravenly subordinated to
that of the United States - even as Britain's labor market
has been thrown open to migrant workers. If the far right
is prospering, it is because many British people believe
they have been sold out by their own government. One of
the principal legacies of the "New Labour" party that took
office in 1997 preaching "inclusiveness" may be the rise
of nationalistic racists who preach exactly the opposite.
In the opening party leaders' debate, the Liberal
Democratic Party leader, Nick Clegg, signally outshone
Gordon Brown and the Conservative Party leader, David
Cameron. The "progressive" Liberal Democrats may emerge as
power brokers in a coalition government - a turn of events
that, from the point of view of Britain's social cohesion,
could only be positive. Yet no more than the Labour or the
Conservative Party have the Liberal Democrats challenged
the rationale behind Britain's commitment to the US
mission in Afghanistan. Whether candid political debate on
the issue is even possible is a big question. A bigger
question still is whether Britain is any longer at liberty
to determine its own foreign policy.
Viewpoints
Obama’s new confidence
But if Obama
is to leave a legacy worth the expectations of those who
conferred the Nobel Peace Prize on him, he must remain
steadfast in his efforts.
Tariq Fatemi
A
year into his presidency, Barack Obama has finally begun to
demonstrate qualities that have won praise, even from
opponents. Having inherited two military conflicts and a
crippling economic crisis, it was inevitable that expectations
raised during his election campaign would be followed by some
disappointment.
In particular, Obama's decision to reform the national health
system was viewed as stubbornness. But in finally overcoming
opposition to his health reform plan, he proved the Cassandras
wrong.
Days after his success on the health bill, Obama scored an
impressive victory in the field of foreign policy. He
announced that he and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had
agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenals by 30 per cent. That,
along with reductions in the permissible number of long-range
missiles and a legally binding system to ensure against
cheating, made the treaty, signed in Prague on April 8, the
most significant in a generation, even if it did not achieve
the hoped-for drastic cuts in nuclear arsenals and delivery
vehicles.
More importantly, this treaty also represented a fresh
beginning in US relations with Russia. Obama intends to pursue
a more nuanced policy towards Russia in which Moscow's
cooperation on critical issues, such as Iran, Central Asia and
Afghanistan, is to be sought by accommodating its interests in
the region rather than by encircling it.
It is clear that Obama has decided to make the nuclear issue a
major preoccupation of his presidency, but he is currently not
as worried about the likelihood of a nuclear confrontation
between the major powers as of the frightening possibility of
terrorists gaining possession of nuclear arms and material.
His strategy is focused on strengthening the anti-nuclear
proliferation regime.
This was evident in the administration's Nuclear Posture
Review, a document of significance to Pakistan. It underlined
nuclear terrorism as "today's most immediate and extreme
danger", claiming that Al Qaeda and its allies were seeking
nuclear weapons. It was also critical of countries that desire
nuclear weapons, "especially those at odds with the United
States, its allies and partners and the broader international
community".
Of special note was the distinct impression that the NPR
appeared to accept the legitimacy of Pakistan's nuclear
programme and to work with, rather than isolate, Islamabad.
The document commits the US to renewing and strengthening the
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and the global
non-proliferation regime. There is a hint that at some stage,
Pakistan, like India, may be allowed to benefit from nuclear
technology to cope with its energy crisis, though this is
still only a theoretical possibility in view of likely
opposition from Congress and the Nuclear Suppliers Group. It,
however, makes no exception for Iran and North Korea, accusing
them of having "violated non-proliferation obligations and
defied directives of the UN Security Council".
The NPR also became a curtain raiser for Washington's mini
global non-proliferation summit. A declared nuclear weapon
state, but not a signatory of the NPT, Pakistan feared that
the occasion could be used to apply renewed pressure on it to
show flexibility on issues such as the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty and the Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty.
However, our delegation appears to have made it clear that if
nuclear non-proliferation was to succeed, it had to be
non-discriminatory. Moreover, Pakistan was relieved at Obama's
statement expressing confidence in the security of its nuclear
programme.
The Washington summit was also meant to provide Obama with
extra leverage, ahead of the major NPT review conference next
month, especially on the issue of Iran. Here Obama had the
good sense to offer direct talks to Iran, but the emphasis
remains on forcing Tehran to make major concessions. In fact,
the US continues to threaten Iran with the destruction of its
enrichment facilities, if not directly then by acquiescing in
Israel's adventure, even though a leaked memo admits that the
US lacks an effective long-range policy to deal with Iran's
steady progress towards nuclear capability.
Obama is right to focus on proliferation and disarmament. But
there are two other issues that deserve his attention, for
they have an impact far beyond their frontiers. In fact, they
represent veritable volcanoes. The first is Kashmir, correctly
identified by Obama previously as deserving of US involvement.
He appears to have shied away under Indian pressure, though
credible reports indicate continuing US interest in promoting
a resolution that protects the interests of all parties.
The other is Israel's refusal to allow the emergence of an
independent Palestinian state. Obama has acknowledged the
anguish this issue causes in the Muslim world and has shown
commendable firmness in trying to persuade Israel to halt its
illegal settlements to allow peace talks to begin, but Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far defied him.
Recently, Obama gave fresh evidence of his continuing
commitment to promoting a peaceful settlement in the Middle
East when he declared that resolving the Middle East dispute
was a "vital national security interest of the US". White
House officials hinted that this phrase represented a major
shift in how the US views the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
When Obama added that conflicts such as the one in the Middle
East ended up "costing us significantly in terms of both blood
and treasure", he was accepting the inherent linkage between
the denial of Palestinian statehood and the increasing Islamic
extremism.
Obama's thinking has alarmed the American Jewish community,
which recently published letters it had sent to Secretary
Hillary Clinton, signed by 76 senators and 333 house members,
that called upon the administration not to apply pressure on
Israel. But if Obama is to leave a legacy worth the
expectations of those who conferred the Nobel Peace Prize on
him, he must remain steadfast in his efforts.
The Maoists
are coming!
As long as the Maoists are able to retain and expand
operational capacities, state initiatives against them are
failing.
Ajai Sahni
In
the past year and a half since the Mumbai attacks, after
scandalous assessments of the bulletproof jackets issued
to Mumbai Police personnel, it is still the case that not
a single bulletproof jacket has been purchased for the
force.
So, trust me, we will be Ethelred the Unready for a long
time to come. On the other hand, of course, the Mumbai
Police has acquired several armoured cars, which look very
intimidating with their jungle camouflage in the city
streets, and will surely scare off all evildoers.
As for the Maoists and when this will happen again, it
depends on what you mean by 'this'. Maoist attacks on
security forces are a near-daily occurrence. I don't
believe that it only counts when 76 are killed off at
once, but we are tight and secure if they're regularly
murdered in smaller numbers.
I had written earlier that it was strategically
insignificant whether 76 men are killed in a single
incident or cut down in the twos and threes, or the tens
and twenties. There has been a steady and mounting stream
of such incidents over the past years, and the where and
when of such attacks is entirely decided by the Maoists,
since the forces are so badly dispersed, located and
networked that they can be targeted with impunity almost
anywhere in the affected areas. The brave response of SRP
Kalluri, DIG, anti-Naxalite Operations, Dantewada, was
revealing. "We had cleared that area," he told a TV
channel, referring to the stretch where a Central Reserve
Police Force (CRPF) company had been ambushed to
devastating effect, "Now we will sanitise it again."
Union Home Secretary G K Pillai, narrating the great
successes of the Centre's 'coordinated operations',
disclosed that 5,000 square kilometers had been
'recovered' from the Maoists in Rajnandgaon and Kanker
Districts over the past four months, and that 'civil
administration had been restored' there.
These two statements encapsulate everything that is wrong
with the current anti-Maoist operational 'strategy'.
Both officials, in their respective capacities, are
evidently fighting a very different war from the one the
Maoists see themselves as engaged in. The Maoist, at the
present stage, seeks disruptive dominance, not territorial
or administrative control.
As long as the Maoists are able to retain and expand
operational capacities, state initiatives against them are
failing. The Indian state and its agencies, on the other
hand, appear to be fighting to 'recover' territories that
are simply not held or controlled by the Maoist in any
meaningful sense of the word.
The Home Secretary may feel some satisfaction over having
'restored' civil governance in Rajnandgaon and Kanker, but
the moment the situation is seen to have stabilised and
Force presence is diluted, the Maoists will, in turn,
'restore' their disruptive dominance by executing just a
few attacks.
In the interim, while the security forces' (SFs')
operational capacities are concentrated in these
Districts, the Maoists will simply walk away without a
fight, and strike elsewhere - as in Dantewada. As the DIG
Dantewada rightly notes, areas 'cleared' by him are
quickly 'infected' once again, and have to be 'sanitised'
anew.
A simple lesson of the much-cited and highly successful
'Andhra Pradesh model' (which is much more than the
Greyhounds) is that every inch of the State's jurisdiction
has to be simultaneously dominated to neutralise the
shifting guerilla strategy of the Maoists. Of course, the
Maoists who were 'squeezed out' of Andhra Pradesh are now
just someone else's headache - but they are still a
headache, and one that is growing.
Ajai Sahni is an author and expert on
counter-terrorism, and serves as the Executive Director of
the Institute for Conflict Management in New Delhi
End of another revolution
Recognising the obvious, writes Eric McGlinchey in the New
York Times, "Kyrgyzstan is in Russia's backyard, and the
fact that we depend on our airbase there for our Afghan
war doesn't change that.
Eric Walberg
The
pretense that a president of a modest country like
Kyrgyzstan can play big league politics is shed with the
ouster of the Tulip revolutionary President Kurmanbek
Bakiyev, after riots in the capital Bishkek that left 81
dead and government buildings and Bakiyev's various houses
trashed.
Bakiyev tried to have the best of both big power worlds,
last year brashly threatening to close the US airbase,
vital to the war in Afghanistan, after signing a cushy aid
deal with Russia, and then reversing himself when the US
agreed to more than triple the rent to $60 million a year
and kick in another$100m in aid. As a result he lost the
trust of both, and found himself bereft when the going got
tough, as riots exactly like those that swept him to power
erupted.
It was the US that was there in 2005 to help him usher in
a new era of democracy and freedom, the "Tulip
Revolution", but this time, it was Russia who was there to
help the interim government coalition headed by opposition
leader and former foreign minister Roza Otunbayeva pick up
the pieces. As Otunbayeva looks to Kyrgyzstan's
traditional support for help extricating itself from a
potential failed-state situation, cowed and frightened US
strategists are already advocating trying to convince the
Russians that the US has? no long-term plans for the
region, and that they can work together.
Recognising the obvious, writes Eric McGlinchey in the New
York Times, "Kyrgyzstan is in Russia's backyard, and the
fact that we depend on our airbase there for our Afghan
war doesn't change that. Presenting a united front with
Russia, however, would help Washington keep its airbase
and avoid another bidding war." This coup follows the same
logic as the more dignified rejection of the Orange
Revolution in Ukraine in February, and has given a new
lease on life to Georgian opposition politicians, who vow
they will follow the Kyrgyz example if their rose
revolutionary president continues to persecute them and
spout his ?anti-Russian venom.
Indeed, the whole US strategy in ex-Sovietisation seems to
be unraveling, with Uzbekistan still out in the cold for
its extreme human rights abuses, and the recent
inauguration in February of Turkmenistan's new gas
pipeline to China. Reversing Bakiyev's flip-flop,
Otunbayeva first indicated the US base would remain open,
then hours later, sent shock waves through the US
political establishment by reversing herself and saying it
would be closed "for security reasons". The agreement was
renewed last June and is due for renewal in July this
year. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton immediately
telephoned Otunbayeva and sent Assistant Secretary of
State Robert Blake to Bishkek, who announced with relief
that the base would remain open after all. But, unlike
Bakiyev, Otunbayeva is no crafty politician out to fill
her and her family's pockets. While the former put his son
Maxim in charge of negotiating the lucrative rental deal
with the Americans last year and set him up as head of the
new national Central Agency for Development, Investment,
and Innovation, Otunbayeva is above the corrupt clan-based
politics of her predecessors.
This resentment and the instability it encourages are what
Otunbayeva was alluding to in her terse phrase "security
reasons". So, the question on everyone's lips: did Russia
pull the strings this time, tit for tat? True, there was
little love lost between Putin and Bakiyev after the
latter reneged on his promise to close the American base
last year. Bakiyev's erratic behaviour in the past two
years certainly irritated the Russians. Apart from the
issue of the US base, ties between the Kremlin and
Bakiyev's government had deteriorated sharply in recent
months, in part because of the government's increasingly
anti-Russian stance, including the ?blocking of
Russian-language websites and increased discrimination
facing Russian businessmen.
Coincidentally, Russia imposed duties on energy exports to
Kyrgyzstan on April 1. When Otunbayeva suggested the base
would be closed, there were cries that the Kremlin was
behind the coup. But this speculation was nixed by Obama
himself. "The people that are allegedly running Kyrgyzstan
...these are all people we've had contact with for many
years. This is not some anti-American coup, that we know
for sure," assured Michael McFaul, Obama's senior director
for Russian affairs, as Obama and Medvedev were smiling
for the cameras in Prague. He also dismissed the immediate
assumption that it was "some sponsored-by-the-Russians
coup," claiming that cooperation over Kyrgyzstan was
another sign of improved US-Russia relations. Diligence
LLC analyst Nick Day, "Russia is going to dominate
Kyrgyzstan and that means problems for the US." Yes, and
so what? Russia is just a heartbeat away from events
throughout the ex-Soviet Union by definition. Russians and
Russian-sympathisers come with the territory.
In early March, a member of the Council of Elders and head
of the Pensioners' Party, Omurbek Umetaliev, said, "We
believe it is unacceptable to allow the existence on this
limited territory of military bases from two leading world
powers, which have conflicting positions on many issues of
international politics. Although the presence of a Russian
military base in Kyrgyzstan is historically justified, the
military presence of the US and NATO countries is a threat
to our national interests." True, even the threat to close
the base is a blow to US imperial strategy in Eurasia,
especially its surge in Afghanistan, which would be
seriously jeopardised without its Manas air base. The US
resupplies 40 per cent of forward operating bases in
Afghanistan by air because the Taleban control the main
roads.
Paul Quinn-Judge, Central Asia director of the
International Crisis Group said the fear was that such
stepped-up US shipping will lead to attacks by the Islamic
Movement of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Jihad Union, groups
which have a loyal following in the restive Ferghana
valley, which is divided among those very Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and has witnessed more than one
uprising in the recent past.
The irony in the Kyrgyz coup is that as Medvedev and Obama
were posing in Prague, where Russia ?basically acceded to
US missile defence diktat, geopolitical inertia in
Kyrgyzstan was doing Russia's work for it, scuttling US
Eurasian plans, and putting the cards back in Russia's
hands. And what is this nonsense about how "vital" this
base is to the US? It's been there 10 years. Just how long
does it expect to stay? Could the answer be "forever"?
Eric Walberg is a veteran commentator writing on the
Middle East and Muslim world affairs
International
US budget cut to
hurt efforts against terror, says Kerry
Dawn Online, Washington
A $4 billion cut in the US international affairs budget
will have a negative impact on US efforts to defeat
extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, warns Senator John
Kerry, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
He cautioned that the cut which was passed by the Senate
Budget Committee for FY 2011 on Friday afternoon would
jeopardise key foreign policy and national security
priorities. "Our objectives in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and
Iraq and the civilian component of our national security
strategy depend on a strong budget and these cuts are an
enormous mistake," said Chairman Kerry.
Other key leaders and interest groups supported Senator
Kerry. The US Global Leadership Coalition has compiled the
letters calling for a robust foreign affairs budget on its
website, which included signatures from over 150
congressmen and 31 senators.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates wrote to Senate Budget
Committee chairman Kent Conrad, calling on him to fully
fund the administration's $58.5 billion request for State
and USAID for fiscal 2011. "I believe that full funding of
these two budget accounts is necessary for our national
security and for ensuring our continued leadership in the
world," Mr Gates wrote.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also wrote to Senator
Conrad to point out that the increases requested were
relatively modest and went mostly to supporting the
increased State and USAID role in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Full funding in FY11 will allow us to continue making
tangible progress in securing the hard-fought gains
achieved in Iraq, and to continue supporting and deploying
hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan to help
stabilise dangerous but improving situations," she wrote.
The budget request still has many twists and turns to go
through before it finally comes out on the other side of
the legislative process. The House appropriations
committee is expected to mark up its appropriations bill
in May and could restore funds.
Pakistan formally seeks
extradition of Kasab, Ansari
IANS, Islamabad
The Pakistan government Saturday formally demanded the
extradition of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone gunman captured
alive during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, and his
Indian accomplice, Faheem Ansari, Online news agency
reported.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik, speaking to reporters
after meeting Indian High Commissioner Sharat Sabrawal,
said a Pakistani court had issued arrest warrants against
Kasab and Ansari, which have been handed over to India so
that Pakistan could move forward in the investigations on
the Mumbai attack.
The minister said that the three Indian police officers
who recorded Kasab's statement after his capture will have
to come to Pakistan for its verification.
Kasab's trial in a Mumbai court ended March 31 and the
verdict is to be announced May 3.
Malik said 71 people have been arrested so far on the
dossiers India provided on the Mumbai carnage while 64
people have been put on the Exit Control List (ECL).
Malik said Pakistan had responded to five of the 10
dossiers provided by India on Nov 26-29, 2008 attack that
claimed the lives of 166 people, including 26 foreigners.
India has also been asked to share more information on the
Mumbai attack.
Malik said that New Delhi had provided unsatisfactory
information about Laskhar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, who
India says masterminded the Mumbai carnage.
'However we have frozen 16 bank accounts, blocked six
websites and closed down 143 offices' of the Jamat-ud-Dawa
the LeT had morphed into after being banned in the wake of
the December 13, 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that
New Delhi blamed on the terror group.
Consensus within Indian
govt needed on Kashmir: Pak FM
Dawn Online, Multan
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said
India needs to evolve consensus within its own government
on resolving water and Kashmir issues.
He said Pakistan was ready for talks with India, but it
(India) should also bring a "positive change" in its
attitude regarding talks.
Talking to journalists after attending the 10th
convocation of the Bahauddin Zakariya University as chief
guest here on Saturday, the foreign minister said India
and Pakistan were serious in resolving the disputes over
water and Kashmir, and added: "The both issues could only
be resolved after a consensus is evolved within the Indian
government and dialogue was the only way in this regard."
Earlier, addressing participants in the convocation, he
said the younger generation was the only guarantee to a
glorious future and better days ahead, adding it would be
unpardonable if any laxity was shown in its education and
training.
He said Multan was a historical city and Italian
government had recognised Multan's historical status
besides expressing a desire to preserve its heritage on
the pattern of Rome.
BZU Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Zaffarullah said the
varsity was serving as a catalyst of change in the
predominantly conservative southern region as almost half
of the total students enrolled at the varsity were female.
80 Afghan schoolgirls sick
in week; poison feared
AP, Kabul
More than 80 schoolgirls have fallen ill in three cases of
mass sickness over the past week in northern Afghanistan,
raising fears that militants who oppose education for
girls are using poison to scare them away from school,
authorities said Sunday.
The latest case occurred Sunday when 13 girls became sick
at school, Kunduz provincial spokesman Mahbobullah Sayedi
said. Another 47 complained of dizziness and nausea on
Saturday, and 23 got sick last Wednesday. All complained
of a strange smell in class before they fell ill.
None of the illnesses have been serious, and medical
officials were still investigating the exact cause. The
Health Ministry in Kunduz said blood samples were
inconclusive and were being sent to Kabul for further
testing.
Sayedi blamed the sickness on "enemies" who oppose
education for girls. Presidential spokesman Waheed Omar
said any attempt to keep girls out of school is a
"terrorist act."
The Taliban and other conservative extremist groups in
Afghanistan who oppose female education have been known to
target schoolgirls. Girls were not allowed to attend
school when the Taliban controlled most of Afghanistan
until they were ousted in the 2001 U.S.-led invasion.
Last year, dozens of schoolgirls were hospitalized in
Kapisa province, just northeast of Kabul, after collapsing
with headaches and nausea. An unusual smell filled the
schoolyard before the students fell ill. The Taliban was
blamed, but research into similar mass sickenings
elsewhere has suggested that some might be the result of
group hysteria.
‘Pakistan’s objections over
construction of dams on rivers by India uncalled for’
ANI, Islamabad
Pakistan's objection over the hydroelectric or water
storage projects being built by India on rivers inside its
border before they cross the border is totally uncalled
for, as the Indus Treaty signed between both countries
clearly lays detailed specifications regarding number of
projects New Delhi can undertake.
In response to Ahmer Bilal Soofi's article published in
the Dawn on April 18, which raised questions over
hydropower project being constructed by India on the
western rivers, the Indian High Commission in Islamabad
has clarified that India is doing nothing wrong.
A statement issued by the High Commission said that the
annexure 'D' of the Indus Treaty, which was inked in 1960,
gives detailed technical specifications of hydroelectric
projects India can build to safeguard the interests of
both the sides and to ensure that Pakistan is not deprived
of its share of water from these rivers.
It said that India has so far exploited only a fraction of
the hydroelectric potential available to it on the western
rivers under the treaty.
" The treaty requires us to provide certain technical
specifications to Pakistan two to six months in advance of
the construction of river works. We have provided
information in respect of 33 projects," the statement
undersigned by Sidharth Zutshi, First Secretary, Press and
Information, High Commission of India, stated.
The statement also rejected the notion that India has
breached the accord on several occasions.
"India has all along adhered to the provisions of this
treaty and will continue to do so. Moreover, the permanent
Indus commission, constituted under the treaty, is the
best forum to resolve all such matters," it added.
Malaysia’s ruling coalition
wins by-election
AFP, Hulu Selangor, Malaysia
Malaysia's ruling coalition on Sunday won a critical
by-election with a convincing majority in a result seen as
backing its ambitious reform plans.
The Barisan Nasional's (BN) recapture of a parliamentary
seat in central Selangor state also gave the coalition a
much-needed boost after losing seven out of nine previous
by-elections since disastrous national polls in 2008.
BN, which fielded a candidate from its ethnic Indian
party, defeated a high-profile former minister standing
for the opposition Pakatan Rakyat alliance by 1,725 votes,
according to election officials.
"I am delighted with this election result and it will
certainly provide us with a strong impetus to continue
with the reforms that we have in mind," said premier Najib
Razak, who heads the ruling coalition.
"It's a good beginning for the BN, it's a good beginning
for the new direction that we have for this nation."
"I believe that we are on the right track, on the right
trajectory and we will continue with what people want to
see," he added.
Opposition leaders were not present when the final tally
was announced and could not be reached for comment.
Najib, who came to power a year ago, last month unveiled
plans for reforms including a review of an affirmative
action policy for Muslim Malays, the majority ethnic group
in the multicultural nation.
Japanese islanders stage
mass rally against US base
AFP, Yomitan, Japan
Nearly 100,000 protesters attended a rally on Okinawa
Sunday to demonstrate against a US air base in a row that
is dominating Japan's national politics and souring its
ties with Washington.
Okinawa governor Hirokazu Nakaima, the speaker of the
Okinawa assembly and most of the mayors of the Okinawa
prefecture's 41 towns joined the huge protest near Kadena
Air Base, the Asia-Pacific region's largest US military
facility.
Under a blazing sun at an athletics ground on the
subtropical island, protesters applauded and whistled as
speakers addressed them from a podium.
Demonstrators held yellow banners with messages protesting
against the US military presence, including: "No Base!"
and "US bases leave Okinawa!"
The row centres on US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma,
which under a 2006 pact with Washington was to be moved
from the crowded city of Ginowan to the quieter coastal
Henoko area of Okinawa.
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, whose party won September's
general election by a landslide, has said he will review
the 2006 deal and move Futenma off Okinawa island. But a
search for alternative locations has provoked more local
protests.
"We want Prime Minister Hatoyama to keep to his pledge,
especially on the (relocation) of the Futenma air base,"
Nakaima said to loud applause at Sunday's rally.
"Okinawa has suffered the overwhelmingly heavy burden of
US bases since the end of the war" in 1945, he said.
"Today, there are few traces of the war in Okinawa. But US
bases still remain in front of us. This is so unfair."
Many of the islanders resent the heavy US military
presence on Okinawa, a legacy of Japan's defeat in World
War II, and complain of noise, pollution and friction with
US soldiers.
Iran
holds talks with IAEA chief on nuclear issues
Reuters, Vienna
Iran's foreign minister met the head of the U.N. atomic
watchdog on Sunday to discuss a stalled nuclear fuel
proposal that could help ease Tehran's dispute with the
West as well as atomic inspections in the Islamic
Republic.
"The meeting was held in a business-like atmosphere," the
International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement.
Iran's Manouchehr Mottaki and IAEA's Yukiya Amano
discussed the fuel proposal and exchanged views on
possible ways to implement it, the IAEA said. It gave no
details on whether a conclusion had been reached.
In October Iran agreed in principle to send low-enriched
uranium abroad for more processing, but then said the swap
should take place inside its territory and simultaneously.
These are conditions which the other parties in the IAEA-backed
deal-France, the United States and Russia-have said they
cannot accept because the deal in this form would fail to
build confidence.
The West believes Iran's nuclear programme is ultimately
aimed at making weapons. Tehran says it is for peaceful
uses only. In October Iran agreed in principle to send
low-enriched uranium abroad for more processing, but then
said the swap should take place inside its territory and
simultaneously. Mottaki told Iranian state television
before his meeting that the talks would be "decisive and
detailed".
U.S. senators postpone
climate bill unveiling
Reuters, Washington
One of President Barack Obama's top priorities-tackling
global warming-suffered a severe setback on Saturday when
a fight over immigration derailed plans to unveil a
compromise climate change bill. A bipartisan group of
senators led by Democrat John Kerry had been aiming to
outline details of their climate change bill on Monday.
That plan was canceled after Republican Senator Lindsey
Graham, a member of the working group, threatened to pull
out if Democrats pushed for a debate on an overhaul of
immigration before doing the huge environmental and energy
legislation.
Without Graham on board, efforts to pass climate control
legislation could be doomed, as he was expected to work to
win more Republican support for the bill.
Kerry later announced that "regrettably, external issues
have arisen that force us to postpone" advancing the
climate control bill, which also would have expanded U.S.
nuclear power generation and offshore oil drilling.
The Massachusetts Democrat indicated the three senators
had agreed on the details of a bill before Graham sent his
letter.
Saudi senior religious cop
replaced after liberal comments
AFP, Riyadh
The head of Saudi Arabia's religious police on Sunday
replaced a senior officer who outraged hardliners with
calls to ease rules for prayer in mosques and to allow men
and women to mix freely.
Sheikh Ahmed al-Ghamdi was replaced as general manager of
the Mecca branch of the Commission for the Promotion of
Virtue and Prevention of Vice in an announcement from the
organisation's president, Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Humain.
Despite rumours that the sacking was imminent, Humain gave
no reason for the move, which included several other new
appointments of senior officials of the religious police,
popularly known as the muttawa. But it came three days
after Ghamdi was reportedly dressed down by the country's
highest cleric for saying that Muslims are not necessarily
required to pray inside a mosque with a group of other
Muslims in daily prayers.
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh told Ghamdi he was
getting involved in matters of Islamic sharia law that
were outside his authority, the Al-Madinah newspaper
reported on Friday. Underscoring the point, Sheikh said in
his sermon during Friday prayers that anyone suggesting
that congregation prayer is not necessary is "leading
people to hell," according to reports. Ghamdi, who could
not immediately be contacted, had denied on Wednesday
reports that he had already been fired by Humain for
making statements advocating free mixing of unrelated men
and women.
Abbas invited to meet Obama
in May
AFP, Ramallah, West Bank
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas has been invited to
meet US President Barack Obama in Washington next month to
discuss efforts to revive the peace process with Israel.
The invitation was delivered by Obama's envoy to the
Middle East, George Mitchell, who met Abbas in the
occupied West Bank on Friday, according to chief
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat.
"Mitchell invited president Abbas to visit the United
States in May and he has responded positively to the
invitation," said Erakat, adding that the exact date of
the talks has yet to be determined.
The two leaders were expected to discuss efforts to revive
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks suspended in December 2008
after the start of Israel's massive military campaign
against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The United States has been pressing the two sides to
return to negotiations for months, but the Palestinians
have refused to do so without a complete Israeli
settlement freeze including in occupied and annexed east
Jerusalem. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz meanwhile
reported that indirect "proximity" talks between the two
sides would resume no later than mid-May, citing unnamed
officials involved in the peace efforts.
Guantanamo court to review
Canadian's torture claim
Reuters, Miami
A military judge presiding over the first Guantanamo
tribunal of the Obama era will seek to determine this week
whether U.S. forces tortured a confession from a Canadian
accused of murdering an American soldier in Afghanistan.
The judge will decide what evidence can be used against
Omar Khadr, 23, one of six prisoners at the U.S. Naval
Base at Guantanamo in eastern Cuba that the Obama
administration has designated for trial by military
tribunal.
The base's detention center currently holds 183 captives.
Khadr, who was 15 when he was captured during a firefight
at a suspected al Qaeda compound near the Afghan city of
Khost in July 2002, has spent a third of his life locked
up with adult prisoners at Guantanamo.
He could be jailed for life if convicted in the first war
crimes tribunal since World War Two to prosecute someone
for acts committed as a child.
U.S. President Barack Obama froze the tribunal
prosecutions immediately after his inauguration in January
2009 to give his administration time to sort out what he
has called "quite simply a mess" at Guantanamo.
The military prison was opened in 2002 under
then-President George W. Bush to house suspected
terrorists and has drawn international condemnation and
criticism from human rights groups who say inmates have
been abused and tortured.
Khadr's evidentiary hearing, starting on Tuesday, is
scheduled to be the last step before his July trial in the
tribunals, which Obama criticized as a presidential
candidate.
Pope hails anti-pedophilia
group
AP, Vatican City
Pope Benedict XVI told priests Sunday they must protect
their flock from harm and regain trust as he hailed
efforts to battle pedophilia but did not mention the sex
abuse scandals buffeting his papacy. Benedict noted Sunday
was Italy's national day to remember children who are
victims of violence and offered praised for a group, led
by an Italian priest, that pioneered efforts in the
predominantly Roman Catholic nation to combat "violence,
exploitation and indifference" toward children.
The pope didn't mention the word pedophilia, but the
association he cited, known as Meter, has denounced cases
of pedophile priests in Italy. The group was founded by
the Rev. Fortunato Di Noto. Earlier this year, Di Noto
lamented that some of these cases were handled "with
imprudence" by the Church.
"On this occasion, I want to above all thank and encourage
all those who dedicate themselves to prevention and
education" against violence, Benedict said. He singled out
"parents, teachers and so many priests, nuns" and other
church workers who work with young people in parishes,
schools and groups.
Sunday was the day the Vatican dedicates annually to
efforts to encourage young men to enter the priesthood,
and Benedict urged clergy to follow the example of Jesus
"the God Shepherd" in carrying out their ministry.
A priest should "take care of his flock with immense
tenderness and defend it from harm, and the faithful must
place absolute trust" in their clergy, the pope said.
Benedict's encouragement of efforts to prevent abuse of
children comes after weeks of stepped-up accusations he
and other top churchmen helped perpetuate systematic
cover-ups of abusive priests worldwide in the past
decades.
Clergy abuse victims have been demanding he acknowledge
his role in fostering what they call a culture of secrecy,
including frequent shuffling of pedophile priests from
parish to parish or even country to country after
complaints of sexual abuse were not quickly reported to
police and prosecutors.
Obama calls 1915 Armenia
massacre an atrocity
Reuters, Washington
President Barack Obama on Saturday marked the World War
One-era massacre of Armenians by Turkish forces, calling
it one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, but
avoiding any mention of "genocide." Turkey objects to the
killings being labeled "genocide" and Turkish Prime
Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Obama's remarks took into
consideration "the sensitivities" of his country. But a
U.S.-based Armenian group said it was disappointed in
Obama.
"On this solemn day of remembrance, we pause to recall
that 95 years ago one of the worst atrocities of the 20th
century began. In that dark moment of history, 1.5 million
Armenians were massacred or marched to their death in the
final days of the Ottoman Empire," Obama said in a
statement issued by the White House. His remarks came as
Armenia marked the 95th anniversary of the World War One
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, and against a
backdrop of failed peace with Turkey and fresh saber
rattling with enemy Azerbaijan.
A deal between Turkey and Armenia to establish diplomatic
ties and reopen their border collapsed on Thursday when
Armenia suspended ratification over Turkish demands that
it first make peace with Azerbaijan over the breakaway
region of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Iran Guards test missiles,
warn enemies
Reuters, Tehran
Iran's Revolutionary Guards test-fired five missiles
during war games in a waterway crucial for global oil
supplies on Sunday, and a commander warned the Islamic
Republic's enemies they would regret any attack.
Iran, which is locked in a dispute with the West over its
nuclear programme, often announces advances in its
military capabilities and tests weaponry in an apparent
bid to show its readiness for any strikes by Israel or the
United States.
The Guards' exercises in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz
coincided with rising tension between Iran and the West,
which says Tehran's nuclear work is aimed at making bombs.
Iran denies this. Last week, the Pentagon said U.S.
military action against Iran remained an option even as
Washington pursues diplomacy and sanctions to halt the
country's atomic activities.
Speaking on the drills' fourth day, Guards commander
Massoud Jazayeri said Iran had a deterrence plan which
would make the enemy "regretful" if they launched any
attack against the country, the official IRNA news agency
reported.
He also reiterated Iran's position that foreign forces in
the region should leave, apparently refering to the
presence of U.S. troops in neighbouring Iraq and
Afghanistan.
Business/Economy
RAKUB
zonal managers asked to attain targets of loan
disbursement, recovery
BSS, Rajshahi
Authorities of Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB) here
Sunday asked the Bank's zonal managers to attain the
targets of loan disbursement, recovery and also deposit
collection set for the current 2009-10 fiscal year through
bringing dynamism in their operational activities.
The instruction was given at a daylong performance review
meeting of the Zonal Managers-2010, held at the Bank's
SECP conference hall with RAKUB Acting Managing Director
Dilwar Hossain Bhuiyan in the chair.
It was addressed, among others, by Chairman of the Board
of Directors of RAKUB Yeahia Mollah as the chief guest and
General Managers Abu Hanif Khan and Muhammad Awal Khan as
special guests.
They said emphasis should be given on enhancing Bank's
income in the profitable sectors and asked the officials
to perform their duties with utmost sincerity and honesty
to fulfill this year's targets in different fields.
RAKUB has been implementing some new need-oriented
programmes aimed at infusing dynamism into its business
activities and socio-economic development of the country's
northwestern region since the field-level branches are
considered as the main driving force.
The programme includes 'revolving crop credit', 'RAKUB
fisheries village loan for extensive fish-farming',
'financing small and medium enterprises', 'loan
disbursement for current capital for hybrid nursery',
'special credit for government primary school teachers,
both male and female', 'RAKUB-NGO linkage wholesale
credit' and 'RAKUB savings scheme'.
The meeting reviewed overall activities of the bank and
took some important decisions relating to its commercial
and administrative matters.
Besides, it laid emphasis on making the bank's activities
more intensified to supplement the government's effort to
build social safety net, poverty reduction and food
security side by side with removing the seasonal monga
forever, sources said.
RAKUB Chairman Yeahiya Mollah termed the northern region
as the grannery of Bangladesh and called upon the field
officers and staffs to render their service wholeheartedly
towards helping the farmers produce surplus food through
utilizing its existing natural resources.
In this regard, he suggested increased credit flow towards
the potential sectors, especially for food grain
production by encouraging the farmers more cultivation.
He also underlined the need for dynamic banking service
particularly in loan disbursement and recovery of the
classified loans side by side with ensuring transparency
in the overall activities. "We have no way out but to
boost up agriculture production for more income generation
and to reduce dependence on import," Yahiya Molla said
adding that the RAKUB has a vital role to play in this
regard.
Besides, he viewed that most of the agricultural sectors
and its sub-sectors especially poultry, fishery and
livestock could be enriched through extending quality
credit to the sectors.
According to the officials, the Bank has set a target of
disbursing Taka 1035 crore as loans for boosting rural
economy as well as generating employment through enhancing
agricultural production in Rajshahi division during the
current fiscal year.
With its headquarters in Rajshahi, this specialized bank
has been disbursing the loans through its 364 branches in
16 districts of the region for crop production, fish
cultivation, rearing livestock, purchasing agriculture and
irrigation equipment and setting up medium scale
industrial units.
Bangladesh
to receive support from global agriculture, food security
programme
WB MD assures Finance Minister
UNB, Dhaka
The MD of the World Bank's Global Agriculture and Food
Security programme Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said Bangladesh
stands out as the leading nation to receive financial
support from the Global Agriculture and Food Security
programme because of its impressive progress in the
agriculture sector.
She gave the assurance in a meeting with a Bangladesh's
delegation to the Spring Meetings of the World Bank,
according to a message received here Sunday.
The Bangladesh delegation, led by Finance Minister Abul
Maal Abdul Muhith, in a meeting with senior officials of
the World Bank group pointed out that two priority sectors
where Bangladesh envisages to bring in drastic positive
changes are power and energy sectors and the
transportation sector.
The Bangladesh delegation also included Local Government,
Rural Development and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful
Islam, Economic Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr.
Mashiur Rahman, Alternate Executive Director for
Bangladesh at the World Bank Kazi M Aminul Islam,
Additional Secretary, Economic Relations division, Arastoo
Khan.
The delegation briefly apprised the World Bank officials
about Bangladesh's development scenario and the
initiatives taken by the present Government to make
Bangladesh a technologically capable middle income country
by the year 2021.
The Finance Minister pointed out that already 64 digital
portals have been established in Bangladesh which is a
significant step towards taking benefits of modern ICT to
the doorsteps of the grassroots people of Bangladesh.
Muhith said, "The Government has been looking out for all
plausible options to improve the power generation capacity
in Bangladesh".
He said the best option for Bangladesh is the coal based
power plants and solicited the World Bank's cooperation in
this respect.
Speaking on the transportation sector, the Finance
Minister stated that the Bangladesh Government's
initiatives are not confined to the surface infrastructure
only as steps have been taken to carry out excavation
activities in all major navigable channels in Bangladesh.
Japan provides $16m grant aid for mobile
desalination plants
UNB, Dhaka
Japan will provide US$ 16.3 million( approximately Tk 113
crore) grant aid for 'the Programme for the Improvement of
Capabilities to cope with Natural Disasters Caused by
Climate Change'. An agreement to this effect was signed
between the governments of Japan and Bangladesh Sunday.
Tamotsu Shinotsuka, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh and
M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Secretary of Economic
Relations Division, signed the Exchange of Notes on behalf
of their respective governments, said a press release of
Japan Embassy.
Under the Exchange of Notes, the Government of Japan will
provide the Government of Bangladesh with grant assistance
for mobile desalination plants which will be implemented
by the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management (MOFDM).
The Government of Japan is inclined to provide 5 mobile
desalination plants to Bangladesh.
These high performing water purifying mobile desalination
plants are designed to convert raw water from river, lake,
pond and sea into drinking water. These plants can supply
drinking water from both seawater and fresh water. After
the treatment the treated water is safely purified and can
be consumed for drinking water, the press release said.
These mobile desalination plants can be shifted from one
place to another. Therefore in future these plants can be
easily moved to other affected areas and people of those
areas will get pure drinking water, the release added.
Singapore boosts local farming to enhance food
security
AFP, Singapore
His wife and business associates say he's mad to invest
almost a million Singapore dollars in a fish farm, but
Singaporean property developer Eric Cheng does not mind a
bit.
The 35-year-old city boy is confident his foray into
aquaculture will make money as seafood-loving,
import-dependent Singapore strives to boost local
production and enhance its food security.
Soaring food prices in 2008, driven by a global supply
crunch, reminded Singapore of its vulnerability and
prompted the government to take a fresh look at its
agricultural policies and support investors willing to go
into farming.
Cheng had zero experience running a fish farm but carried
out extensive research and spoke to veterans in the trade
before deciding to grow and sell garoupa, a fleshy,
succulent fish variety popular across Asia.
"They say I am crazy for going into uncharted territory
since I know nothing about fish farming, but my business
instinct tells me that there are plenty of opportunities,"
Cheng said in an interview.
"You look at Singapore.... It produces less than five
percent of its own consumption and if I can supply in
sufficient quantities to the local market, I can make it,"
he told AFP.
The self-made Cheng is managing director of ECG Group, a
property-based concern also involved in car rental,
finance and technology.
His new venture is one of 106 licensed coastal fish farms
in the city-state, which last December launched a Food
Fund of five million Singapore dollars (3.6 million US) to
support entrepreneurs willing to venture into farming.
While Singapore has a land area of only 710 square
kilometers (284 square miles), most people live in
high-rise apartments and industries are clustered
together, leaving space available for technology-driven
farms.
The port city is also surrounded by waters where floating
fish farms can thrive side-by-side with ocean-going
vessels loaded with electronics and petrochemicals
destined for the world market.
Pressure mounts for swift Greek bailout
AFP, Washington
Europe faced mounting pressure to quickly bailout
debt-stricken Greece on Saturday amid fears the crisis
could spread and threaten the global economic recovery.
US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner huddled with key
officials from Greece, the IMF and European Union in
Washington, a day after Athens asked for a massive bailout
to stay afloat.
Focus quickly shifted to the speed of that rescue effort,
as economic powers worried the crisis could spread to
other eurozone nations, with Portugal, Italy, Spain and
Ireland all in the firing line.
The Treasury Department said Geithner pressed Greek
Finance Minister George Papaconstantinou and EU officials
to quickly implement fiscal reforms and roll out the
bailout.
"Secretary Geithner encouraged them to move quickly to put
in place a package of strong reforms and substantial
concrete financial support," a statement said.
Greece on Friday ended weeks of speculation that had
permeated the eurozone by asking the EU and IMF for 45
billion euros to pay looming debts.
But Germany, the eurozone's biggest member, has balked at
the idea of a bailout without substantial budget cuts.
India set to
open up trade in services with APTA members
PTI, New Delhi
The Indian government is understood to have approved
India's commitment to opening up trade in commercial
services and investment with members of the Asia Pacific
Trade Agreement (APTA), including China.
APTA, earlier known as the Bangkok Agreement, is the
oldest but least known Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)
among the developing countries of Asia Pacific. Signed in
1975, its members include Bangladesh, China, India, Laos,
South Korea and Sri Lanka. "The Cabinet has approved the
signing of the APTA in trade in services, investment and
trade facilitation," a senior Commerce Ministry official
told PTI.
With bulk of its economy dependent on services, India is
looking for new markets for its professionals in a wide
range of areas like IT, para-medical and English language
teaching.
The coverage in PTA in terms of duty concessions and
number of products is far less than the Free Trade
Agreement under which an overwhelming majority (almost 90
per cent) of trade is covered.
Emerging nations to demand bigger say at World
Bank
AFP, Washington
Raising money for global aid and giving emerging countries
more say in how it is distributed are core World Bank
issues to be mulled Sunday at a meeting in Washington.
Bank president Robert Zoellick has said its 186
shareholders will be asked to approve a
"once-in-a-generation request" to raise the bank's capital
by five billion dollars, more than half of which would
come from developing countries.
The bank also planned to "decide on whether to give
developing countries a bigger say in the running of the
institution," he said ahead of the meeting, as the iconic
world body reflected a shift in influence away from
traditional global powers. Emerging countries now have 44
percent of voting rights in bank decisions following a
first phase of reforms in 2008, Zoellick noted.
He said early this month that with the bank's first
capital increase in more than 20 years, "shareholders face
a decision to strengthen the Bank Group, or allow it to
wane in influence, losing an effective multilateral
institution and leaving it poorly resourced to cope with
whatever comes next."
The capital hike is aimed at covering some of the more
than 100 billion dollars in bank commitments made since
July 2008 for loans, subsidies, financial sector
investments and guarantees for private projects.
A similar shift in influence is being seen at the
International Monetary Fund, which held its own meeting
Saturday, even though the IMF was criticized for lacking
ambition by a key emerging country, Brazil.
Changes at the IMF would essentially benefit China at the
expense of European Union member countries which now have
a strong voice on the Fund's executive board.
IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn told a press
conference on Saturday he believed "the political will was
strong" to address "a long list of questions," including
the board's size and who would fill the post he currently
holds.
A statement by US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner
said: "We need to consider measures to make the executive
board more representative and effective," and backed a
plan to eliminate seats while preserving those held by
emerging market and developing countries. "The goal is to
achieve legitimate representation based on countries'
economic weight in the world," Geithner said.
His Brazilian counterpart Guido Mantega expressed dismay,
however, at "the lack of ambition" in IMF plans to
rebalance how much its 186 members paid in and their
subsequent level of representation, and slammed
"resistance to change."
And the international aid group Oxfam agreed that "reform
of the IMF's governance is happening far too slowly.
UN rights chief chides Gulf states over women's
employment
AFP, Abu Dhabi
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay yesterday criticised
restrictions on women's employment in some Gulf countries
and called for those barriers to be lifted.
"Women now have access to higher education in all six"
Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Pillay said at a
news conference in Abu Dhabi.
"The next stage, which I hope will quickly gather
momentum, is to ensure that all these educated young women
have access to meaningful careers." In Saudi Arabia, "we
met a young lawyer with ten years' legal experience in the
UK -- (she) cannot use it in her country," Pillay told AFP.
The lawyer "would like to come back, make a contribution,
(but) doors are closed," Pillay said. "It doesn't... make
economic sense not to open up employment for women, and to
lift restrictions." She also strongly condemned the system
in some Gulf states under which women are required to have
a male guardian, saying it "keeps women in a stranglehold
of powerlessness."
"Nevertheless, I have been encouraged to see significant
movement taking place on women's rights" in the Gulf, she
said.
Pillay said she has urged Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and
Bahrain, which she has visited as part of a tour of all
six GCC countries, "to maintain, and if possible
accelerate, the pace of reform" in the field of women's
rights. Pillay also said she has raised the issue of
torture at meetings in the four GCC countries she has
visited so far.
Some countries in the GCC face allegations of torture. In
a February report, Human Rights Watch accused Bahrain's
security forces of torturing detainees.
And on Friday, Amnesty International called on the United
Arab Emirates to investigate the alleged torture of 17
Indians who have been sentenced to death for murder.
National
PM Hasina promises food security
She asks authorities to take measurers against
piranha and African cat-fish
UNB, Chandpur
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the authorities
concerned to take measurers against the farming of piranha
and African cat-fish (Magur) as these fishes destroy the
local fish varieties.
She gave the directions during a view-exchange meeting
with the district officials held at the district circuit
house.
Deputy Commissioner of Chandpur district Priyotosh Saha
presided over the meeting where Principal Secretary MA
Karim and Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam
Azad were present among others. The Prime Minister asked
the district administration to ensure all sorts of
facilities for the people who live in the Char areas. She
said that the water development board should look into the
effect of their projects before implementing any new
project. She also said that the paperwork for any
development project should be completed during the monsoon
season while the implementation work should be done during
the dry season.
Hasina strictly directed the district administration to
avoid any sort of corruption and irregularities while
distributing rice among the fishermen while they are
barred from fishing.
"We have to look after the fishermen's families,
especially how they will live during the season when the
government restricts them from finishing," she said.
In this connection she said that the amount of rice
allocated to each family has increased from 10 kg to 30 kg
per month. Regarding sand extraction, the Prime Minister
said that this should be done in a planned way so that the
river is not affected. She directed the BTCL officials to
work sincerely to distribute internet connections at the
grassroots level as the government is committed to
building a 'Digital Bangladesh'.
The Prime Minister praised the coast guard officials for
their extraordinary efforts with limited manpower. She
said that her government will show zero tolerance towards
drugs and drugs smuggling. "Take stern action against drug
smugglers and traders irrespective of party affiliation
and go for drastic action against this anti-social
element," she said.
She also mentioned that there will be a recruitment drive
in police administration as they are suffering manpower
shortage. Hasina stressed the need for a legal aid
commission for females. She said there should be a
separate investigation unit in the police department for
the smooth and effective continuation of the investigation
process.
The Prime Minister said that her party came to power for
the welfare of the people and asked the public servants to
work hard for the welfare of the people.
"The expectation of the people is higher from us and we
have to work hard to fulfill their desire," she said.
Sweet gourd cultivation helps river
erosion people overcome Monga in Gaibandha
BSS, Gaibandha
Sweet gourd cultivation has helped the river eroded people
living on the Brahmaputra and the Teesta river basins of
the district overcome their poverty like situation 'Monga',
in recent years.
Sources said Practical Action Bangladesh (PAB), an UK
based International NGO, started its River Erosion Project
(REP) in the district in 2004 aimed at changing the lots
of the river erosion hit people of Sundarganj, Sadar,
Fulchhari and Shaghata upazilas by involving themselves in
various income generating activities.
In order to address the 'Monga' and change the lifestyle
of the river erosion affected people, PAB took a plan of
sweet gourd cultivation in the vast tracts of char land
through sand bar cropping, a new technology to produce
crop in unused and barren sandy char land, in partnership
with five local NGOs including SKS, GUK and SSUS.
This technology is suitable for the sweet gourd production
in the newly emerged sandy chars on the river bed, said
agriculturist Nirmal Chandra Bepary, Coordinator
(Agriculture) of REP.
To produce sweet gourd in the charland, at first a medium
hole is dug until getting the silt layer and then quick
compost or cow dung is used in the hole. Four seeds of
sweet gourd are sown in the hole and after four months the
cultivators can reap sweet gourds from the land, he added.
In 2005-2006 seasons, some 177 farmers applied this
technology in the char land for the first time and
produced 67,000 pieces of sweet gourds in nine areas of
four upazilas in the district.
In the following years, this technology continued among
other people of river basins and they cultivated sweet
gourd on their char lands in large scale with the
inspiration and technical support of PAB under its REP
till 2008-2009 season and got economically benefited.
In the current season, about 1500 farmers of the river
basins of the upazilas in the district have cultivated
sweet gourd on over 700 acres of char land using sand bar
process with the production target of about 19 lakh pieces
of sweet gourd at their own initiative and the harvesting
of the sweet gourd is nearing completion, sources.
DWASA starts Abdullahpur canal dev
works with WB assistance
TBT Report
Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) started
the renovation and development works of Abdullahpur canal
with the financial assistance of World Bank (WB).
Board Chairman of DWASA Dr Golam Mostafa inaugurated the
digging work of the canal at a function in the city
recently.
To implement the renovation and development works of
Abdullahpur, Shutibhola and Shahajatpur canals in Dhaka
city, will need Tk 13 crore and 74 lakh and take a period
of 18 months. The authority took plans of digging and
construction of walk way of the said canals under the
project of Dhaka Water Supply and Sanitation.
Golam Mostafa said, besides these three, all the canals in
the capital, after detecting, will be dug and freed from
encroachment.
2 killed, 26 injured as
nor’wester lashes Naogaon, Sunamganj and Sylhet
UNB, Dhaka
Two people were killed and 26 others were injured as
nor'wester swept over Naogaon, Sunamganj and Sylhet
districts, leaving a trail of devastation on Saturday.
In Naogaon, A college student was killed in wall collapse
and 20 people were injured during a nor'wester that swept
over six upazilas of the district Saturday evening.
Sources said Al Mamun,18, son of Moyezuddin of Manda
upazila, was injured seriously as a house collapsed on him
during the violent storm. He was rushed to Rajshahi
Medical College Hospital where he died Sunday morning.
Seven of the injured were admitted to Manda uapzila health
complex. Witnesses said the nor'wester lashed Naogaon
sadar, Raninagar, Atrai, Manda and Niamatpur in the
evening and lasted for half an hour. Over 1000 thatched
houses were damaged, a large number of trees were uprooted
in the worst-affected Manda upazila during the storm. In
Sylhet, a minor boy was killed and six of his family
members were injured as a big banyan tree collapsed on
their house during a nor' wester in the town on Saturday
night. The victim was identified as Shuvo, 5, son of Nur
Hossain, a resident of Hosnabad in the district town.
Fire brigade sources said, a tree collapsed on the
thatched house of Nur Hossain when they were asleep at
about 10 pm, leaving Shuvo dead and six others injured.
The injured were rushed to Sylhet Osmani Medical College
Hospital.
Besides, a large number of trees were uprooted and houses
damaged during the storm.
Ummat-Mazid-Sultan Parishad
elected CBA of BWDB
The election of chosing CBA (Collective Bargaining Agent)
of the Bangladesh Water Development Board was held on 15th
April, 2010.
In accordance with the declaration of the Directorate of
Labour of the People's Republic of Bangladesh the
Ummat-Mazid-Sultan Parishad of the Bangladesh Water
Development Board Sraraik Karmachari League, Reg. No.
B-18S7 won as the CBA, says a press release.
BHBFC Mymensingh office
elevated into zonal status
BSS, Mymensingh
Regional office of Bangladesh House Building Finance
Corporation (BHBFC) here Sunday was upgraded formally into
zonal status aiming at providing improved and quick
services to the loan receivers of this region.
Officials said new status of BHBFC's Mymensingh office has
been given following the government's approval to the new
organogram of the organization to infuse dynamism into the
activities of it.
The inaugural function on this occasion was held at a
community center in the town today with BHBFC's Dhaka
Zonal Manager Mohammad Shahiduzzaman in the chair.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of BHBFC M Janibul Haq
was the chief guest while Managing Director Raihana Anisa
Yousuf Ali was special guest at the function attended by
some other senior officials of the organization. The
speakers at the function hoped that a long cherished
demand of the people of the area has been materialized
through elevating the status of the office.
They said both the volume of loan for house building
sector and number of loan beneficiaries would be increased
significantly in the region as a result of the latest
development of the organization as well as for the
government's decision.
Taking part in the discussion, some of the loan receivers
thanked the government for such an important step for the
welfare of the Mymensingh people and called upon the
authorities to take drastic steps for removing the formal
and informal barriers in distributing house building loans
and to speed up the loan disbursement activities.
Patriots need to unite for
building new society: Academic
UNB, Dhaka
Patriotic people need to be united for changes in the
society with a view to building a new one free from all
disparities among people, decentralizing power and also
establishing the rule of people's representatives in all
strata, a senior academic said on Sunday.
"This society will have to be broken, not for the sake of
breaking but for the sake of building," Prof AF Sirajul
Islam Chowdhury, (Professor emeritus) of Dhaka University,
said while delivering the Convocation Speech at East West
University at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.
President Zillur Rahman presided over the convocation
while Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid spoke as
special guest. Prof AF Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said
patriots need to be united for changes in the society and
they can accomplish the work either politically or
culturally.
"Practice of mother language is the main option among the
cultural activities. We can be social and normal human
beings and get attached with other people, our history,
traditions and atmosphere through practicing mother
language," he said. He mentioned that the reading of
Bangla books, encouraging other people to read books,
writing of books and persuading people join the movement
of building libraries are essential to building unity and
solidarity among the people by whom a new society will be
born. "State will resist it but will not be successful."
About learning of science, the senior academic said the
number of students learning science is decreasing, the
number of humanities students at the higher levels is also
decreasing with the science mentality trend also heading
down.
"Rate of education is increasing but practice of science
and humanities is not increasing, which is not good news
at all. Study of science and humanities is essential for
the development of conscientious citizens."
AL can’t sacrifice Bhola-3 seat to
satisfy others: Matia
UNB, Dhaka
Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury has said the ruling
Awami League cannot sacrifice the Bhola-3 constituency to
satisfy others.
She said they clinched the constituency as the people cast
their votes in favour of their candidate.
Denying the allegations of a one-sided election and ruling
party's repression of the opposition, Matia Chowdhury said
the opposition BNP candidate Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed
was defeated due to lack of voters' confidence in him.
She said the BNP candidate earlier asked the Election
Commission to delay the polls by seven days fearing the
defeat, which ruined the confidence of the opposition's
voters.
The Agriculture Minister was briefing reporters at her
secretariat office after the 12-member expert committee
headed by vice chancellor of the Bangladesh Agriculture
University Prof MA Sattar Mandal had submitted its report
to reform the department of Agricultural Marketing.
The Agriculture ministry formed the expert committee to
reform the 75-year-old department on 17 September 2009.
2 siblings killed, 5 injured in
Comilla road crash
UNB, Comilla
Two siblings died and five others, including children's
mother, were injured as a CNG-run auto-rickshaw carrying
them was hit by a bus at Noabazar in Choudd -agram upazila
on Sunday.
Highway police said the accident occurred on Dhaka-Chittagong
highway when a bus rammed into the auto-rickshaw, leaving
Jyoti, 9, and Rahat,8, son of expatriate Kawser, dead on
the spot at noon.
Children's mother Jhotsna Begum, 35, maternal uncle, two
other relatives of the children and CNG driver were
injured in the accident.
The bus driver along with his vehicle quickly fled away
following the incident.
The two children along with mother and other relatives
were returning to their house at Lalbag village in Sadar
South upazila from maternal grandfather's house in
Chouddagram upazila by the auto-rickshaw. The injured were
admitted to different hospitals.
Sports
Sheikh Russel blanks Farashganj 2-0
TBT report
Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra blanked Farashganj Sporting Club
2-0 in the Bangladesh Football League at Bangabandhu National
Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.
With the first half ended goalless, Salah scored the first
goal for Sheikh Russel eight minutes after the break and then
Rajon scored yet another on 79 minutes to make the game safe
and ensure full points for Sheikh Russel.
Chittagong Mohamme-dan Sporting Club and Brothers Union played
out a 1-1 draw in the other match at MA Aziz Stadium in
Chittagong.
Brothers Union went ahead when Bentil hit the net 14 minutes
after the kick-off but the visitors were subdued against the
spirited display from the Chittagong team after the change of
ends. The hosts came back into the game with Amin scoring the
equalizer on 62 minutes.
Feni Soccer Club slumped to a 0-1 defeat against Muktijoddha
Sang-sad Krira Chakra at its own backyard.
Kanchan scored the all important goal for Muktijoddha on 75
minutes to hand the hosts a frustrating defeat at Feni
Stadium.
Shuktara Jubo Sangsad defeated Biani Bazar Sporting Club 2-1
at Sylhet Stadium.
Mutebi scored after 42 minutes for Shuktara, while Topu
doubled the lead on 68 minutes. Biani Bazar reduced one goal
through its overseas recruit in the next minutes.
Bangladesh
wary of T20 tough guys
AFP, Dhaka
Bangladesh must play its best cricket to overcome tougher
rivals if it is to move up in the World Twenty20 in the
Caribbean, captain Shakib Al-Hasan said.
The Tigers must beat at least one of their group A
rivals-defending champion Pakistan or formidable Australia-to
pass the preliminary round of the 12-nation tournament.
"These are tough teams, so I'm being realistic," Shakib told
AFP. "In fact, I am not very optimistic. We will have to play
quality cricket to get into the second round."
Bangladesh won just three matches-against Kenya, Zimbabwe and
the West Indies-out of their 14 T20 internationals in 2006 and
2007.
In their seven matches at the two previous World Twenty
events, the Tigers have won just one match - against the West
Indies.
"We're well prepared, and we have some players in form. If we
can play our own game, maybe we will qualify for the second
round," said Shakib, adding he was not happy with his own
batting form.
Chief coach Jamie Siddons agreed, saying the team had a "very
tough game" ahead of them.
"We need to play very good cricket to get into the next round.
We will concentrate on our own game, not on the team we are
playing against," the Australian told AFP.
The Tigers, however, will be quietly dreaming of repeating
their spectacular victory at the inaugural World Twenty20 in
South Africa in 2007, when they unexpectedly beat West Indies
and entered the second round.
But in the second edition of the tournament in England in
2009, the Tigers lost to non-Test playing Ireland, exiting the
competition in the preliminary round, a performance Siddons
had blasted as "ridiculous".
Bangladesh's success will largely depend on the performances
of swashbuckling opener Tamim Iqbal, fast bowler Mashrafe
Mortaza, veteran batsman Mohammad Ashraful and Shakib.
Mashrafe, 26, who is also a useful lower-order batsman,
appears to have recovered from a knee operation, playing well
in a domestic T20 tournament.
"He will definitely bolster our pace attack and his late-order
power batting could come in handy too," said Bangladesh's
chief selector Rafiqul Alam.
Despite Ashraful being out of form, "his ability to improvise
in limited overs cricket makes him an important part of the
team", Alam said.
Ashraful, 25, was dropped for the recent series against
England after failing repeatedly with the bat.
The Bangladesh captain, however, was worried about news of
Tamim's recent injury, with the 21-year-old opener hurting his
wrist while fielding in a domestic T20 tournament match.
"We cannot afford to lose him now. I hope he will recover
before the tournament," he said.
Bangladesh have included two relatively new faces for the
tournament-batsman and back-up wicketkeeper Jahurul Islam, 23,
the highest run-scorer in recent domestic tournament, and
all-rounder Sohrawordi Shuvo.
The Tigers will begin their World Twenty20 Cup campaign with a
match against Pakistan in St Lucia on May 1 before facing
Australia in Barbados on May 5.
Glitzy IPL set to
lose its ringmaster
AFP, New Delhi
Embattled Indian Premier League chief Lalit Modi faces the
axe this week, possibly on Monday, as allegations of
corruption swirl around the money-spinning tournament.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI), which owns the IPL, has
made up its mind to sack Modi after the government
launched a tax probe into alleged financial irregularities
in the high-profile Twenty20 event.
"Either Modi goes on his own, or he will be pushed out," a
senior member of the tournament's governing council told
AFP. "His position as IPL chief has become untenable."
The BCCI has called an emergency meeting of the IPL's
governing council in Mumbai on Monday to discuss
allegations that include unsubstantiated media reports of
match-fixing in the tournament.There have been several
indications over the past few days that Modi's days are
numbered.
The board's top brass, including president Shashank
Manohar and secretary N. Srinivasan, skipped the IPL
awards ceremony on Friday night ahead of Sunday's final of
the tournament's third edition. Of the 14 members of the
IPL governing council, only three-former India great Sunil
Gavaskar, ex-BCCI chief Inderjit Singh Bindra and Modi-attended
the ceremony in Mumbai.
Other glaring absentees were superstar Sachin Tendulkar,
even though he won both the best batsman and best captain
awards, and current national skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Some media reports have suggested Modi may himself step
down after Sunday's final to avoid further embarrassment.
Modi could also lose his post as chairman of the T20
Champions League, a club tournament jointly organised by
the cricket boards of India, Australia and South Africa.
The inaugural Champions League was held in India last
year, while the second edition is scheduled to be played
in South Africa in September.
The IPL, which began in 2008, features the world's top
cricketers playing the popular Twenty20 format of the game
for eight franchises owned by India's wealthy businessmen
and film stars.
Two more franchises are to be added for the 2011 season.
The ruthlessly ambitious and brash Modi has run the IPL
like a personal fiefdom, signing lucrative deals as
sponsors tumbled over each other to join the party.
Real stays on
Barca's shoulders
AFP, Madrid
Brazilian super-sub Kaka ended a six-week injury absence
by grabbing the winner for Real Madrid in a 2-1 victory
over Zaragoza on Saturday which kept his side on the
shoulders of Barcelona at the top of
La Liga.
The onus was on Real after Barcelona had earlier beaten
Xerez 3-1 at the Nou Camp to open up a four-point lead,
and the night started badly when they lost Rafael Van der
Vaart to injury. Raul, who came on for the Dutchman, saw a
shot come back off the post in the first half before
putting Real into the lead after the break and the
visitors appeared to be comfortably in control when
Zaragoza were reduced to 10-men after Matteo Contini was
red-carded.
However, Adrian Colunga rounded keeper Iker Casillas to
equalise and Zaragoza continued to stretch the Real
defence on the counter-attack.
Real were reduced to shots from distance as they
desperately sought the winner until Kaka came off the
bench to score with just eight minutes left.
Real coach Manuel Pellegrini praised his side's battling
qualities.
"We had two or three very good chances in the first half
which we did not take but the team kept going until the
final minute. It is always worrying to see the team
nervous but we were able to overcome this to win," he
said. Barcelona striker Thierry Henry struck his first
goal in over two months as defending champions Barcelona
beat nine-man Xerez.
Coach Pep Guardiola sent out a makeshift side with several
players rested ahead of next week's Champions League
semi-final clash against Inter Milan while Dani Alves was
suspended.
Following an opener from Jeffren Isaias, Henry, given a
rare start, then found the back of the net for the first
time since he scored against Racing Santander in
mid-February. A minute later Mario Bermejo brought
bottom-side Xerez back into the game and the visitors had
several chances to equalise at the start of the second
half before Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a Yaya Toure
cross to give Barcelona a two-goal cushion.
Xerez lost their composure in the final minutes with
Matias Alustiza and Fabian Orellana both dismissed.
Mentality was the key rather than tactics due to the
importance of the game last Tuesday (against Inter) and
the upcoming match on Wednesday," said Guar-diola.
Pakistan dreams
of title repeat
AFP, Karachi
Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi believes his injury-hit and
controversy-plagued side can bury its problems and
successfully defend its World Twenty20 title.
Problems on and off the field have been part and parcel of
Pakistan cricket down the years, and the lead-up to the
2010 World Twenty20, which starts in the West Indies on
Friday, has been no different.
Penalties sparked by the team's disastrous tour of
Australia have been imposed on seven top players while
Twenty20 expert Umar Gul and all-rounder Yasir Arafat have
been ruled out through injury.
Gul, who is the leading wicket-taker in Twenty20 cricket
with 43 victims in 26 matches, while also boasting the
best figures of 5-6 against New Zealand in the World
Twenty20 in England last year, hurt his shoulder.
Arafat has an injured calf.
"Gul is a big loss but with Mohammad Asif, Moha-mmad Aamir
and Mohammad Sami (Gul's replacement) we have the
firepower to bring the Cup back to Pakistan," said Afridi,
who was one of the penalised players from the chaos in
Australia.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) fined Afridi three
million rupees (35,000 dollars) after bizarrely sinking
his teeth into the ball during a one-dayer against
Australia in February.
Afridi was also put on a six-month probation.
Younus Khan, who led Pakistan to their World Twenty20 win
in England last year before retiring from the shortest
format, and another former captain Mohammad Yousuf were
banned for an indefinite period for "infighting".
Shoaib Malik, who recently married Indian tennis pin-up
Sania Mirza, and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan were banned for one
year and fined two million rupees each (24,000 dollars).
Kamran Akmal and his younger brother Umar were also
heavily fined and put on six months probation.
The penalties were imposed after Pakistan's tour of
Australia where they lost all three Tests, five one-dayers
and a Twenty20 international. In the fall-out, Intikhab
Alam was replaced as coach by legendary paceman Waqar
Younis.
Arafat's replacement Mohammad Irfan, a 6ft 8in (2.03m)
tall left-arm paceman, will be a danger in the Caribbean
with his height and bounce.
Afridi said the players have put all the problems behind
them.
"The past is history," said Afridi, player of the
semi-final and final in the World Twenty20 last year. "We
have prepared well for our title defence and there is no
reason why we should not win."
Minus Younus and Yousuf, who also missed the first two
World Twenty20s, and Malik, Pakistan look light in
experience in the middle order, but Afridi disagrees.
"It does add pressure on me, but we also have Kamran, Umar
(Akmal), Misbah-ul-Haq, Moha-mmad Hafeez, Khalid Latif,
Salman Butt and allrounder Abdul Razzaq, so I hope all the
players will step up," said the skipper.
Afridi also hopes for a happier return to the West Indies
after the trauma of the 2007 World Cup.
"We had a nightmarish experience of the 2007 World Cup and
I don't even want to remember that," said Afridi of an
event where Pakistan exited in the first round and coach
Bob Woolmer died.New coach Waqar Younis believes spinners
Afridi and Saeed Ajmal can prove match-winners on
Caribbean pitches.
Pakistan, who are in Group A, face Bangladesh on May 1 and
Australia the following day with both matches in St Lucia.
Zimbabwe sets sight
on return to Test arena
AFP, Johannesburg
Zimbabwe's participation in the World Twenty20 will
provide an opportunity for the country's players to
showcase an improving cricket situation in their
politically fraught nation.
Zimbabwe have not played a Test match since September
2005, although they have continued to play at one-day and
Twenty20 international level. The country withdrew from
the Test arena in 2006 at a time of turmoil in the
domestic game, which was coupled with increasing political
pressure against President Robert Mugabe's government. At
the time, it seemed cricket in Zimbabwe was in terminal
decline. Many of the country's leading players quit in
protest and there appeared to be deep racial divisions
after leading all-rounder Heath Streak was fired as
captain in 2004.
His successor, Tatenda Taibu, the country's controlling
body. Before that, Zimbabwe were co-hosts of the 2003
World Cup with South Africa, but England forfeited their
match rather than travel to the country, while Andy Flower
and Henry Olonga wore black armbands in protest against
the political situation and effectively went into exile.
Arsenal’s title hopes end
AFP, London
Arsenal's already slim hopes of piping Manchester United
and Chelsea for the Premier League title disappeared after
a goalless draw with Manchester City at the Emirates
Stadium on Saturday.
The point, which left third-placed Arsenal seven points
behind United with only six available from their remaining
two games, was of more use to City.
Roberto Mancini's men are currently fifth and hope to
overtake Tottenham for fourth place and therefore qualify
for the Champions League next season.
City's hopes of doing just that, which will hinge on a
home game with Tottenham next month, have been hit,
however, by what appears to be a serious injury to
goalkeeper Shay Given.
The Republic of Ireland international was carried off on a
stretcher in the second half after hurting a shoulder
making a save.
Former Arsenal title winners Patrick Vieira and Kolo Toure
were both in the City starting line-up.
Emmanuel Adebayor began on the bench, however, on his
return to the club he left acrimoniously before this
season started, with the Togo forward barracked by a large
section of the Arsenal fans. Adebayor angered Gunners'
supporters earlier this season by running the length of
the field to celebrate his goal in City's 4-2 win over
Arsenal at Eastlands in September.
Robin van Persie was handed the Arsenal captaincy on his
first start since suffering an ankle injury in November.
Bacary Sagna, the Arsenal defender, headed wide from an
early corner but opening exchanges saw no clear chances.
Arsenal winger Theo Walcott was dazed when Vincent
Kompany's fair challenge saw his head hit the turf, but he
was soon able to recover.
City defender Wayne Bridge had already taken a knock and
was replaced by Micah Richards just before the half hour
mark.
Van Persie used his pace to get into a shooting position
but Toure arrived just in time to block.
Arsenal forced a couple of corners as the first-half
neared an end but the second saw Mikael Silvestre head
harmlessly over.
Samir Nasri forced Given into a save before van Persie
found the side-netting with another effort from a similar
position on the left.
Van Persie headed a Nasri cross over as Arsenal began the
second half looking like they intended to change that
sorry statistic.
On came Adebayor in the 51st minute to a hail of abuse
after Vieira had been applauded off.
The City striker had passed a pre-match fitness test on a
thigh injury to make the bench and was soon the subject of
a robust challenge by Alex Song.
Tomas Rosicky sent a drive from the edge of the box
straight at Given, who hurt a shoulder tipping a Diaby
drive round a post.
The Irishman needed lengthy treatment and was eventually
replaced by rookie Gunnar Nielsen, the Faroe Islands
international, who was making his City and Premier League
debut.
Nielsen was far busier in the closing minutes than Given
had been all game but kept his composure to ensure City
went back to the north-west with a valuable point.
Rain helps GP-BCB Academy to draw
UNB, Chittagong
Rain helped GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team to make a
draw against touring Standard Bank National Cricket
Academy team of South Africa on the 4th and final day of
the first four-day match at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury
Stadium here on Sunday.
Chasing a huge target of 395 runs in the 2nd innings, the
hosts GP-BCB Academy team resumed the innings today at
2:30 pm, four and
half hours behind the schedule due to rain, with overnight
145 for 3 and finally scored 250 for 9 in 75 overs at
stumps on the last day.
Earlier, South Africa Academy team posted 371 runs in the
first innings and 274 runs in the 2nd innings giving a
challenging target for the home side after dismissing them
for 251 in the first innings on Friday.
Shubagoto Hom, who resumed batting with 24 runs,
contributed team highest 74 runs off 133 balls that
featured eleven boundaries while another night-watch
batsman Mahmudul Hasan (31) scored useful 55 runs off 72
balls with nine fours.
K Maharaj, who grabbed one wicket on Saturday, today
finished with four wickets for 62 runs while O Pienaar and
G Vrich took two wickets each for 35 and 25 runs
respectively.
GP-BCB Academy's opening batsman, who scored a century in
the first innings and made a half century in the 2nd
innings, was named as man of the match along with all
rounder K Maharaj of South Africa Academy team.
Brief score: South Africa Academy - 371 all out in 77.2
overs (1st innings); 2nd innings - 274 all out in 82. 2
overs, Y. Yallie 82, T Bodbe 48, D Pienaar 31, A Birch 21,
K. Zondo 21, Saqlain Sajib 4/91, Tanvir Haider 3/43.
GP-BCB Academy - 251 all out in 67.1 overs (1st innings),
2nd innings -250 for 9 in 75 overs (overnight 145 for 3 in
37 overs); Shubagoto Hom 74, Ronny Talukder 58, Mahmudul
Hasan 55, Mohammad Mithun 26, Sabbir Rahman 14, K Maharaj
4/62, G Vrich 2/25 and O Pienaar 2/39.
Bangladesh Davis Cup team to leave for Iran
today
UNB, Dhaka
A-six-member Bangladesh Davis Cup team leaves here for
Iran today to take part in the Davis Cup Asia/ Oceania
Region Group-3 competition that begins in Tehran the same
day.
Eight countries - Bangladesh, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Saudi
Arabia, Syria, Vietnam and host Iran - will participate in
the six-day meet, organized by Islamic Republic of Iran
Tennis Federation.
Bangladesh and Lebanon were promoted to group-3 from
group-4 of the last year's meet.
Bangladesh team consists of four players, one non-playing
captain and a team manager.
Bangladesh team: Amal Roy (Engineers Club), Shibu Lal and
Ranjan Ram
(NTC), Alamgir Hossain (American Club), Sk Moin Uddin
Waliullah Jhilan (non playing captain), and Mohammad Ali
Din ( team manager).
Sri Lanka desperate to add Twenty20 to
collection
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lanka, world champion in the 50-over format in 1996,
is desperate to add the Twenty20 title to its collection
in the Caribbean after a series of near-misses.
Captain Kumar Sanga-kkara's men lost the World T20
championship by eight wickets to Pakistan at Lords last
year.
Two years earlier, the Sri Lankans lost to Australia in
the final of the World Cup while the same opponents went
on to deny them a semi-final place in the inaugural World
Twenty20 later in 2007.
"Our focus is to bring the cup home this time after we
lost to Pakistan last year. A Twenty20 World Cup will be
good for our collection," team manager Anura Tennakoon
told AFP.
Sri Lanka have gone for a blend of youth and experience
for the Caribbean World Twenty20 that runs from April 30
to May 16. The squad boasts one of the most lethal bowling
attacks on the international scene, from the pace of
Lasith Malinga to the spin of Muttiah Muralitharan and
Ajantha Mendis.
The tropical Indian Ocean Island will also look to
Tillakaratne Dilshan to reproduce his starring role of
2009 when he captured the Player of the Tournament award.
Sangakkara says the team is in a transition period where
some seniors are reaching the end of their careers while
younger players are making a push to fill the gaps.
"We now have to try and get the combinations right and the
players right. So it's tough but it's also interesting,"
Sangakkara said. Sri Lanka's 15-man squad has barely
practiced together, with most of the players contracted to
the Indian Premier League.
"Most of the experienced players were in India and that
has hampered our preparation. I think if we can get
everyone together and perform, our chances are pretty
good," said Tennakoon.
Sri Lanka make up Group B alongside New Zealand and
Zimbabwe and former skipper Mahela Jayawar-dene says
neither team can be taken lightly.
"New Zealand has got a really good all-round team which
can be totally devastating. Zimbabwe has done well,
especially in the West Indies and have got some explosive
players who can really take it away from you," he said.
The last time Sri Lanka played in the Caribbean,
Jayawardene led them to the final of the World Cup in
2007. This time round, he hopes the team can go all the
way and bring home the silverware.
"You have to make sure that on a match day, you turn it on
and get the job done. So, we have to really take one game
at a time, get through the group stage which is very
important and then try to continue all the way." Uncapped
batsman Dinesh Chandimal is the only rookie in the 15-man
squad that includes the world's leading Test and one-day
wicket taker Muralitharan.
Nadal looking for Rome crown
AFP, Rome
Rafael Nadal will start his bid for a fifth Rome Masters
title this week, secure in the knowledge that he is back
to his best and already dreaming of reclaiming his French
Open crown.
A week ago Nadal won an historic sixth straight Monte
Carlo Masters crown, ending an almost year-long wait for a
trophy since triumphing in Rome 12 months ago. It is
perhaps a surprising claim for a 23-year-old who already
has 37 tour titles to his name but Nadal really was in a
rut. But now his confidence and form are back after a long
period of injury that interrupted the second half of his
season last year.
Nadal is eager to play at one of the four tournaments he
has almost owned these past six years-the others being the
French Open, where he won four in a row until his fourth
round exit last season, and Barcelona which he had won
five times consecutively until skipping this year's event
to prepare for Rome. "Rome is one of my favourite
tournaments alongside Barcelona and Monte Carlo and not
just because it's on clay and because I've been successful
over the years, but also for the atmosphere and the fans
who are always warm and friendly," he told Saturday's
edition of the Italian Sports Week magazine.
|
|