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Leading News
Khaleda
urges nation to stand against ‘sell-out of Bangladesh’
She rejects Dhaka-Delhi joint communiqué, spurns PM's
call to join parliament
UNB, Dhaka
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia Sunday announced her party
stance straightway rejecting the joint communiqué issued
on the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's India visit and made
a clarion call for the nation to stand against what she
termed a 'sellout of Bangladesh'.
She also spurned the Prime Minister's call for the
opposition to join parliament and discuss her India trip,
saying no use discussing the deals already signed giving a
carte blanche to New Delhi.
The former prime minister categorically called upon all
individuals, groups, social forces and political parties
to forge a national unity to stand against the agreements,
MOU and protocol signed between Bangladesh and India
"against the country's interests" during her political
rival's January 10 bilateral trip to Delhi.
As part of "greater movement" against the outcome of PM's
New Delhi treaties, they will soon hold talks with
students, youths, workers, women, businessmen, and
professionals in phases alongside ongoing programmes of
movement, she told newsmen, a day after the Prime Minister
told a press conference that she had succeeded in securing
national interests through the accords.
The BNP chairperson, who has long been leading a boycott
of parliament sessions, posed a question if there was any
scope for discussion in parliament after giving 'bond of
slavery' through Sheikh Hasina's India tour.
She demanded elaborate publishing of the contents of all
agreements, MOUs and protocol signed with the Indian
government during the PM's visit before the people.
Furthermore, she demanded government's clear statement
over the reported 'secret security deal' with India during
the PM's Delhi visit.
The BNP chairperson launched the broadside against her
political foe from a crowded press conference at her
Gulshan office in the afternoon.
During her about 40-minute written statement and answers
to questions from reporters for around 20 minutes, Khaleda
Zia mentioned previous and present Awami League
government's "anti-nation" agreements signed with India,
the government's various anti-nation moves and attempts.
She explained the drawbacks and negative impacts of recent
agreements as well as her party's stand to face the
issues.
TBT adds: Following are some of the excerpts from Begum
Khaleda Zia's statement at the press conference:
"Dear Journalist friends,
The motivated attempt to confuse public opinion continues.
The Honourable Prime Minister in her yesterday's
(Saturday's) Press Conference upon return from India
completing her official trip devoted more of her efforts
at tainting the opposition party than letting the people
know the actual truth and disseminating the actual facts.
The statement that she made regarding the total capacity
use at present of Chittagong and Mongla ports as 40% and
10% respectively is totally false. Information gathered
from all sources show that at present we are utilizing 60%
of the total capacity of Chittagong port and 40% of Mongla
port. This use is increasing every year. But after
consenting to let India to use these ports, she is
confusing the public by giving false information
[regarding our current capacity use of these ports]. The
trip made no progress in achieving any rightful share of
water of the 54 common rivers flowing through Bangladesh
and India…".
"… The hurried attempt on the part of India to build the
Tipaimukh dam is a cause of anxiety for the whole of
Bangladesh. Yet the Prime Minister in her press conference
has said, she does not know anything about it. What a
shocking statement! Recently, a government team has
visited India with the mission to find out about the
Tipaimukh project. The Prime Minister herself visited
India. Yet she has said that she does not know what is
happening in Tipaimukh. This ignorance is unforgivable,
this indifference is unpardonable…".
"We have been told that during the Prime Minister's visit
to India, three Treaties, one MoU and one Protocol has
been signed. The countrymen remain in the dark about what
these documents contain. The agreements that have taken
place are very sensitive, because with these our national
security and interest, national sovereignty and
geographical unity are deeply related. Therefore, the
people of Bangladesh have a right to know what these
documents contain. We demand a full published disclosure
of these documents…".
"A country with fifteen crore people cannot run by leasing
out its roads and ports. Those who are showing the people
of Bangladesh this unrealistic dream want to keep them
poor. Because, the industrial competitive advantage we
had, has been finished by permitting use of these ports
and transit facilities. As a result industrialization
shall suffer, employment opportunities shall shrink and
exports shall be reduced. In reality Bangladesh will turn
into a market of India. Against this we have in our
receivable status been given an assurance of one billion
dollar loan assistance. Why should we take this loan?...
Bangladesh has been discouraging bilateral loans in its
greater national interests from a long time. The interest
on this loan is more than twice as high compared to that
of the World Bank."…. "Truth and justice will win,
inshAllah."
Remain
ready to safeguard country’s independence
PM urges armed forces
UNB, Jessore
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday urged the armed forces
to remain ever-prepared to safeguard the motherland's
hard-earned independence and sovereignty.
"You will have to remain always ready. The motherland's
hard-earned sovereignty and independence will have to be
safeguarded at any cost," she said while addressing a
durbar held on the occasion of joint winter exercises of
the army's 55 Infantry Division of Jessore Area. A total
of 5,000 members of the 55 Infantry Division attended the
exercises that started on December 13, 2009 and will end
on January 21 in Bukbhara Haor area.
The Prime Minister said she is happy to see that after a
long lapse of three years, soldiers are taking part in
such a winter exercise. "Such exercises will enhance your
confidence and skill."
Hasina appreciated the formulation of a flawless voter
list by the Election Commission in coordination with
Bangladesh Army ahead of the last polls, saying that the
army had succeeded in identifying some 1.23 crore fake
voters prior to the December 29, 2008 general election,
which her party-led grand alliance won.
"And people had got a flawless voter list to exercise the
democratic right of voting and elect their own democratic
government," she told the military meet. She also thanked
the armed forces for their outstanding and courageous role
during natural disasters, including Sidr, Aila, and the
1998 floods.
The Prime Minister urged the armed forces' members to
expedite the government's endeavor towards development to
reach the fruits of independence to the doorsteps of the
mass people.
Hasina reminded that Bangladesh armed forces were born
through the 1971 liberation war under the leadership of
Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
"Aim of my politics is only to ensure people's welfare. I
want to sacrifice my life for people's development, peace
and prosperity," she said.
The Prime Minister, who also holds the defense portfolio,
said her government, like in the past, would continue its
sincere endeavor to modernize the Bangladesh Army making
it time-befitting and capable.
The people are the power of the nation and army is part of
the people. The army which was formed through the war of
liberation has now been established as a modern,
sophisticated and professional force in course of time,
she observed.
She said after taking office the present government has
been implementing several programs for the welfare of the
army and their families.
Earlier, on her arrival at the venue, Chief of Army Staff
General Md. Abdul Mubeen and GOC of 55 Infantry Division
Major General Matiur Rahman received the Prime Minister.
Jyoti
Basu passes away
BSS, New Delhi
Veteran Marxist leader and the longest serving Chief
Minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu died on Sunday at AMRI
Hospital at Salt Lake in Kolkata after a prolonged
illness.
He was 95.
"Jyoti Basu died at 11.47 am," CPI (M) general secretary
Biman Basu told the media persons outside the hospital. In
an emotion-chocked voice Biman said he was unable to say
anything more. Jyoti Basu's son Chandan Basu was with him
when the death news was announced.
Jyoti Basu, admitted to AMRI Hospital, was under
continuous artificial support for last 12 days when his
brain, lungs, liver and kidneys were not functioning.
"Despite continuous artificial life support for 12 days,
Basu's health has shown no signs of improvement," the
medical bulletin said on Saturday.
Born in July 8, 1914 at Harrison road in Kolkata, Jyoti
Basu did his Bachlors in English literature in 1935 and
went to London to study Law. He return to India after
completing Bar-at-Law in 1940.
Jyoti Basu first got elected a member of the Provincial
Assembly in 1946 and became general secretary of the CPI
(M) from 1952-57. He also became Deputy Chief Minister of
non- Congress government in 1967 and 1969.
He was elected Chief Minister of West Bengal on June 21,
1977 and served in the post for long 23 years. He stepped
down from the post on November 6, 2000.
Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who was in
Kolkata on Saturday in connection with the 150th
anniversary celebration of St. Xavier's College,
remembered the great Marxist leader as a student of the
College.
BB announces monetary policy tomorrow
BSS, Dhaka
Bangladesh Bank (BB) will announce the monetary policy for
the second half of the current 2009-10 financial year on
tomorrow.
BB Governor Dr Atiur Rahman will announce the monitory
policy at 12:30pm at a function at the central bank
headquarters in the capital city, official sources said
here on Sunday.
According to the sources, the government on Sunday had the
final discussions on the policy with the experts of the
central bank.
Dr. Atiur earlier indicated that the policy would have
some specific directions to keep inflation within the
fiscal target of 6.5 percent.
Experts recently raised concern about the increasing food
prices on both the domestic and the internal markets,
which would eventually create high inflationary pressure
on the economy.
The average inflation surged over 10 percent in 2008,
which came down to 5.15 in September last year with
decline in food prices.
The food prices in recent times started showing upward
trend again on increased demands at the international
markets, following global recovery.
The monetary policy will focus on the growing concern with
some remedy to anchor the inflation at a comfortable
level, a BB official said.
Besides, the policy will have the outcome of gross
domestic product (GDP) in the first half of the current
financial year and will give an outlook for GDP for the
next six months till June 30.
The policy will also have directions for agriculture,
industries, service sectors and exports to attain the
fiscal target of 6 percent GDP growth.
The central bank already declared that the country
achieved 5.5 percent GDP growth until December last year
and the growth rate would match the fiscal target in the
next six months.
The central bank on July 19, 2009 announced the monetary
policy for July-December period of the financial year,
emphasizing measures to increase growth and keep inflation
under control. The average inflation was 7.3 percent in
May 2009, which came down to 5.15 percent in September
last year.
5th Amendment
Two petitions filed seeking adjournment on hearing
BSS, Dhaka
Two separate petitions were filed on Sunday to the
concerned section of the Appellate Division seeking eight
weeks adjournment on the hearing on the leave petitions
against the verdict of the High Court Division that
declared the 5th amendment of the constitution void and
illegal.
The BNP secretary general and three other advocates of the
Supreme Court filed the petitions.
The petitions will be moved today (Monday) along with the
prayers filed earlier that sought a stay order on the
operation of the High Court verdict till disposal of the
leave petitions, Advocate Tajul Islam, a petitioner told
reporters.
"We need time for preparation to take part in the hearing
as it is a very important case," he said.
Earlier on January 5, the chamber judge of the Appellate
Division set January 18 (tomorrow) to hear the petitions
seeking leave along with two other petitions seeking stay
of the operation of the High Court verdict.
A two-member High Court bench on August 29, 2005 announced
the verdict declaring the 5th amendment to the
constitution void and illegal.
The then BNP-led four-party alliance government, after
pronouncement of the judgement, filed a leave petition
before the Appellate Division seeking permission to file
regular appeal against the High Court verdict.
A petition praying for a stay order on the operation of
the verdict was also moved and the court granted the
petition.
After assumption of office, the Awami League-led Mahajote
government decided to withdraw the leave petition and
accordingly, a petition was moved before the Appellate
Division.
A five-judge Appellate Division bench on January 3 granted
the government's prayer and also vacated its earlier order
of stay on operation of the verdict.
Meantime, two separate private petitions seeking leave to
file regular appeal were filed and the court set January
18 for hearing.
The BNP secretary general and three other advocates of the
Supreme Court filed the leave petitions as interveners.
Dense fog halts vessel
movement in Ctg
UNB, Chittagong
Movement of vessels at the sea port channel and flight
operations at Shah Amanat International Airport here were
disrupted Sunday due to dense fog.
Vessel movement at port channels remained suspended for
eight hours till 12 noon today.
Besides, three Bangladesh Biman flights and one of GMG
Airlines from Shah Amanat International Airport were
suspended due to dense fog.
A vessel loaded with edible-oil got stranded near
Karnaphuli estuary on its way to Chittagong Port Saturday
afternoon due to dense fog.
The Mauritius flag-carrier vessel, SYD Polen, got stuck at
hidden shoals near the outer anchorage of the port.
Deputy conservator of the port Captain Nazmul Hossain said
the port authorities would try to remove the stranded
vessel with the help of tugboats at 2pm today during the
high tide.
Back Page
ConocoPhillips-Petrobangla
meeting today to settle unresolved issues
BSS, Dhaka
Petrobnagla, the state run oil and gas company will sit
with USA based oil company ConocoPhillips today to settle
some issues that was unresolved in the first round of
negotiation.
According to an official source, during the first round of
negotiation, the US based company Conoco wanted 8 blocks,
which was not approved by the cabinet body. Although
Petrobangla had selected Conoco as a right bidder to
explore 8 blocks in the Bay.
To award the offshore blocks, Petrobangla started
negotiations on October 5, 2009 with ConocoPhillips but
could not reach to any conclusion. The ConocoPhillips has
submitted four bids for eight deep- sea blocks-numbers 10,
11, 12, 17, 15, 16, 20 and 21. The company is interested
to sign four production-sharing contracts, each for two
blocks while the cabinet, however, nodded to award two
blocks (10,11) to them. In the first round of talks,
ConocoPhillips asked the Petrobangla to allocate them more
blocks as the Indian borders are overlapping the areas of
block 10 and 11.
"We do not know about any detail of the talks, but, we
want to see what they say," Dr Hossain Moonsur, Chairman
Petrobangla told BSS on Sunday. The ConocoPhillips will
sit with the energy secretary on Tuesday.
According to a top official of the energy ministry, during
the first round of talks, Conoco and Tullow (selected for
block 5) both the companies raised the question that
blocks 5, 10, and 11 are close to the overlapped waters
and Bangladesh authorities are not allowing the companies
to explore for gas in that areas that cut huge areas of
the proposed block. Conoco Phillips has offered to spend
$2.496 million to conduct a two- dimensional seismic
survey of 1,200 'line kilometres' in a five-year initial
mandatory work programme for exploration, $58.1665 million
for conducting a three-dimensional seismic survey of 500
square kilometres and drilling one exploration well in the
first extension period of two years, and $50 million for
drilling another exploration well in the second extension
period of two years.
The US company has made almost similar offers for the six
other blocks, the officials said. According to the foreign
ministry sources, India lodged a complaint on the block-5
and 10 and Myanmar on the block-11. The block-5 was
awarded to Tullow, and block-10 and 11 were awarded to
ConocoPhillps.
Sahara directs to complete all
preparations for Ijtema by Jan 20
BSS, Gazipur
Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun on Sunday directed
the concerned authorities to complete all preparations for
the upcoming three-day Bishwa Ijtema by January 20.
Speaking at an exchange of opinion meeting at Tongi
pourasabha auditorium, she said the government would
ensure all sorts of security and other facilities for the
devotees in the ijtema. The meeting was attended, among
others, by State Minister for Home Advocate Shamsul Huque
Tuku, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Youth and Sports Ministry Zahid Ahsan Russel, Home
Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Inspector General of Police
(IGP) Nur Mohammad, Director General or RAB Hassan Mahmud
Khandkar, Tongi Municipality Chairman Advocate Azmat Ullah
Khan and one of the main Ijtema organizers Ershadul Haq.
The Home Minister said that the government has taken up
all steps so that no militant activities could take place
in the country in future. About 25,000 foreign devotees
will attend the 45th ijtema of the Tablig Jamaat this
year. Separate pandals have been erected and special
security measures taken for the foreign devotees. Prime
Minister has allocated Taka five crore for the development
of the Ijtema ground.
Later, State Minister for Home Advocate Shamsul Haq Tuku
and others visited the ijtema ground and found that all
preparations are nearing completion. Home Minister Sahara
Khatun expressed satisfaction over the preparations.
Several Lakhs of devotees are expected to take part in the
akheri munajat. President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina, opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia,
ministers, MPs and senior government and non-government
officials are also expected to take part in the akheri
munajat.
The government has decided to deploy more than 12,000
security personnel including 2,000 RAB members and install
48 close circuit cameras in and around the ijtema ground.
Huge canopies have been erected on a total of five square
kilometers area and about 95 percent of the preparatory
work has been complete. Bishwa Ijtema is the second
largest gathering of Muslims which is scheduled to begin
on January 22.
Plan taken to revive traditional
water communication network
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Primary and Mass Edu-cation Minister Dr Afsarul Amin told
the House on Sunday that the government has undertaken a
plan to revive the traditional water communication system
of the country.
"Under the plan, steps have been taken for dredging all
rivers and tributaries to increase their navigability," he
told ruling party lawmaker Mohammad Israfil Alam on behalf
of Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan.
The minister said the BIWTC has planned to construct a
ship from its own financing to strengthen stea-mer service
on Dhaka- Khulna route in public sector. "Other measures
taken by the government to revive the water communication
network include capital dredging on inland river routes,
procurement of necessary equipment including 17 dredgers,
cran-eboat, tugboat and houseboat and introduction of
circular water service around Dhaka city," he said.
The minister also said the government has taken steps to
check river encroachment, set up ports in Noapara, Bhairab-
Ashuganj and Barguna, develop and modernize Barisal river
port and remove wastes from the rivers. Responding to a
written question from ruling party lawmaker M Abdul Latif,
Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said there are 8,656
approved posts for officials and employees under the
Chittagong Port Authority and of them, 2121 posts now
remain vacant.
"The government has given approval for filling up 80
percent of the vacant posts and advertisement will be
issued very soon to fill up posts of 70 categories," he
said, expressing hope that the vacant posts will be filled
up by the next six months. The minister also said the
government permission was sought to fill up the rest of
the vacant posts, he added.
He told treasury bench lawmaker Mohammad Matiur Rahman
that the government has given Taka 1,82,35,000 as
compensation to 795 people and 145 families, who were
killed or injured in 16 launch accidents since 2004.
The present government has increased compensations for the
victims of river accidents to Taka 30,000 and Taka 45,000
for each person and a family respectively from Taka 20,000
and Taka 30,000, he added.
Gas rationing delayed
UNB, Dhaka
Gas rationing supposed to start on Sunday to overcome the
crisis in urban areas including Dhaka city is delayed for
discussion with the business community.
The Energy Ministry had approved the plan of rationing by
Titas Gas authority. But implementation of the decision is
delayed because its principal organization Petre-obangla
could not sit with the business and industry operators.
While approving the gas rationing plan, the Energy
ministry had instructed the Petrobangla to sit with the
business leaders and industry operators to discuss the
plan before going into action. But so far, Petrobangla
could not arrange the meeting.
When contacted, Titas Gas Managing Director M Abdul Aziz
Khan admitted the matter. "We have completed our necessary
work for the planned rationing. Now, we're waiting for the
Petrobangla's instruction," he told UNB.
The nagging gas crisis mostly hit the city's household
consumers who have to opt for alternative oven as the gas
supply is inadequate.
Titas Gas came out with a rationing plan to minimize the
problem. Under the plan, it divided its command area into
7 zones to start holiday staggering, mainly to the
industrial consumers. Industries of each of the zones will
have to keep closed their operation one day a week by
rotation.
In view of inadequate gas supply, the Energy Ministry held
a meeting with Petrobangla and Titas Gas officials last
week. The meeting had directed Petrobangla to implement
the plan drawn by Titas Gas after consulting the leaders
of BGMEA, BKMEA, BTMC, FBCCI and other stakeholders.
Petrobangla was asked not to cut gas supply to the power
sector considering priority attached to irrigation of boro
fields.
Petrobangla officials said Titas Gas is now getting 1425
mmcf of gas against the demand for 1,675 mmcf per day.
Residential consumers and CNG stations are facing the
shortage during the last few weeks. The power sector and
the fertilizer factories also suffer from the gas
shortage.
Steps taken to
check alien culture: Azad
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Minister for Information and Cultural Affairs Abul Kalam
Azad told the House on Sunday that his ministry has
undertaken steps to check alien culture meaning foreign
cultural aggression.
"It is possible to prevent foreign cultural aggression by
flourishing and patronizing local culture," he said in
reply to a scripted question from BNP lawmaker ABM Ashraf
Uddin Nizan. To this end, he said, activities of
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangla Academy, Nazrul
Institute, Bang-ladesh Loke and Karu-shilpa Foundation and
other organizations of the ministry have been expanded.
"The copyright taskforce has been working to eliminate CD-
DVD piracy to check alien culture," he added.
Responding to another written question from BNP member
Muhammad Mosaharraf Hossain, the information minister said
a project is at formulation stage for constructing
government public libraries in 100 upazila, Under the
project, he said, there is a proposal for constructing a
government public library in Sonagazi upazila in Feni
district and its construction will begin after the
approval of the project.
The information minister told ruling party lawmaker Junaid
Ahmed Palak that the construction work of the
International Mother Lan-guage Institute, which was
stopped by the previous BNP- Jamaat alliance government,
resumed after the present government assumed power.
Responding to another question from Treasury bench member
Dr Matiur Rahamn, he said incorporating fine arts and
performing arts in the curriculum at primary and secondary
levels is needed for mental growth of the children and
flourishing Bangali culture. "The cultural affairs
ministry has requested the education ministry to include
the matter in the national education policy," he added.
The information minister told treasury bench member Chayan
Islam and woman lawmaker Nurjahan Begum that providing
monthly allo-wances to insolvent artistes and freedom
fighter is continuing. He also said the government has
planned to increase the allowances for the insolvent
artistes. "To this end, Taka 80 lakh was allocated for the
current fiscal which was Taka 71.50 lakh in the previous
fiscal," he added.
Answering to a supplementary raised by lone independent
lawmaker Fazlul Azim, the information minister told the
House that steps are being taken to broadcast the
programmes of Bangladeshi TV channels in neighbouring
countries, including India.
President for halting
terrorism in SA region for peace, tranquility
UNB, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman on Sunday emphasized on halting
terrorism in the South Asia region with a view to
establishing peace and tranquility.
"Terrorism must be stop-ped," he said when the Chief of
Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal PV Naik, called on him
at Bangabhaban.
The Indian Air Chief was accompanied by Indian High
Commissioner to Bangladesh Rajeet Mitter and other high
officials of Indian Air Force.
During the meeting, President Zillur Rahman intended to
work with India to check terrorism in the region. "We need
to help each other, as we want peace and tranquility in
the South Asia region," he said.
Describing India as the most tested friend of Bangladesh,
he recalled the assistances and cooperation given by India
during the country's liberation war in 1971. Welcoming the
Indian Air Chief, the President put emphasis on
cooperation in training between the Air Forces of the two
countries to further strengthen the bilateral relations.
Air Chief Marshal PV Naik said India is willing to extend
its cooperation to Ban-gladesh in all sectors. The Prime
Minister of India assured all-out cooperation to
Bangladesh during the recent visit of the Bangla-desh
Prime minister to India, he mentioned. Secretaries to the
Pres-ident's office were present at the meeting.
President, PM, opposition leader
condole Jyoti Basu’s death
TBT Report
President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and
leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia have condoled the
death of Jyoti Basu.
Expressing deep shock at the death of veteran Indian
Communist leader and former West Bengal Chief Minister
Jyoti Basu Sunday, in a message President Zillur Rahman
said Jyoti Basu had made enormous contributions to
socioeconomic development of the general masses of West
Bengal through his wise and dedicated leadership.
Zillur hoped that his greedless ideals would inspire all
politicians. He prayed for salvation of the departed soul
and conveyed his sympathy to his bereaved family members.
In another condolence message to Indian Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also
expressed her profound shock at the demise of Basu.
"Today, we recall with deep gratitude Basu's enormous
support to our War of Libe-ration in 1971," Hasina said.
Opposition leader BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in a
expressed her deep shock at the death of former West
Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu Sunday. "The death news
of the veteran political leader of the subcontinent has
come as a great shock to me and all democracy-loving
people everywhere," she said in a condolence message.
Begum Zia said Basu was a widely respected leader because
of his integrity and dedication to welfare of the masses.
Meanwhile, nobel laureate and managing director of Grameen
Bank Professor Muhammad Yunus has expressed his deep shock
and sadness at the death of veteran communist leader and
former chief minister of West Bengal Jyoti Basu.
Honourarium of freedom fighters will
be raised to Tk 2,000
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Captain (retd)
ABM Tajul Islam told the House that honourarium of the
freedom fighters will be increased to Taka 2,000 from Taka
1,500.
Besides, the number of recipients of honourarium will be
raised to 1.50 lakh from 1.25 lakh, he said in reply to a
call attention notice brought by treasury bench member
Moha-mmad Sahab Uddin.
The state minister said the allowances of insolvent
freedom fighters are given now after every six months
through the social welfare ministry. "But it will be given
after every three months in the future," he said, adding
that necessary arrangement will be made to reach the
allowances to the houses of the freedom fighters. Captain
Taj also said the present government is relentlessly
working for the welfare of the freedom fighters, who are
the greatest sons of the soil.
He also listed various steps for the welfare of the
freedom fighters. The measures, he said, include providing
job to at least one member of each family of the freedom
fighters, allocating khas land to insolvent and landless
freedom fighters, construction of five-storey Muktijoddha
Complex in each district.
Editorial
National Health Policy
Health
Minister AFM Ruhal Haque told a press conference on Saturday
that the work on modification of the draft National Health
Policy-2009 is in progress through accommodating
recommendations of all concerned with a view to making it
pro-people. "This health policy will be a live document as its
follow-up reports would be made public regularly after a
particular time gap and be revised after every five years, he
said. The minister said the aim of the health policy is to
make sure that the basic medical utilities reach the people of
all strata.
Currently, there is no health policy in the country to ensure
better health services for the people. Earlier, a draft health
policy was prepared during the Ershad regime, which was
changed in 2000, while another was formulated during the last
caretaker government in 2008. The government has formulated
the draft health policy 2009 after reviewing the previous two
draft policies. The proposed health policy has 15 objectives,
18 principles and 49 strategies.
The work on the finalisation of the National Health Policy
2009 is proceeding at a snail's pace due to administrative
complications and opposition from the stakeholders. According
to media reports, the government has prepared a draft health
policy on June 21 last year without consulting professional
bodies in the sector and most of its contents were reportedly
taken from the previous draft policy prepared in 2008 by the
caretaker government.
Eminent physicians and leaders of Health Rights Movement have
criticised the draft health policy and said that there is no
guideline in it . They also said that there is no difference
between the previous and present draft health policies. The
policy prepared during the emergency rule was opposed because
of the wide belief that it would not be able to meet the
health care need of the people and rather, under it the poor
people will be deprived of whatever medical facilities they
get from the government hospital system. Under that proposed
health policy, the government hospitals and health complexes
were proposed to be handed over to the private sector which
will virtually mean the commercialization of medicare system
being operated by the government. In view of this that draft
health policy was dubbed as an 'unhealthy' one and was
cancelled in the face of growing opposition from different
circles specially physicians and other professionals.
Now, that the elected government has formulated a draft
National Health Policy, experts stress on finalising it after
consultation with the stakeholders, professionals and members
of civil society to make it pro-people. The health sector of
the country is in a mess and as a result public health is
neglected alarmingly. In fact, it is an irony of fate of the
people that the country's health sector itself is suffering
from acute diseases and so unable to provide necessary
services for the people. The infrastructure of the health
sector is not strong enough to face the challenge of time and
meet the growing needs of the huge population.
The health care Bangladesh people get from the government is
quite unsatisfactory. The miserable condition of the country's
health sector is perhaps due to the fact that medical care is
considered here as a commercially sellable commodity instead
of a noble service to suffering humanity. The state is
apparently incapable of coping with the peoples' growing need
of medical care. Because, our health sector is running short
of personnel. Besides, the health sector is largely crippled
by inertia, inefficiency, negligence, wrong treatment,
irregularities, opportunism and corruption. So all these
should be taken into consideration while finalising the
National Health Policy and to that end views of the experts
must be given importance. It must be kept in mind that the
nation needs such a health policy which will be able to reach
the medical service at the door step of the poor people.
Most serious
problem
Poverty
is the most serious problem facing the world, according to a
major worldwide poll which put the issue ahead of climate
change, terrorism and war. Overall, 71 per cent of people
named extreme poverty as the biggest global issue compared to
64 per cent who cited the environment or pollution and 63 per
cent the rising cost of food and energy. Terrorism, human
rights and the spread of disease were singled out by 59 per
cent, climate change and the state of the world economy by 58
per cent and war by 57 per cent. 'Even if the global recession
has kept economic-problems top of people's minds this year,
extreme poverty is clearly viewed as the world's most serious
global problem,' said Sam Mountford, research director for
GlobeScan, which conducted the poll for the BBC World Service.
There is no scope for differing with the poll results. The
situation is more critical in the developing countries, where
nearly all the world's undernourished people live in. A UN
report earlier said hunger in South Asia has reached its
highest level in 40 years because of food and fuel price rises
and the global economic downturn. The report said that 100
million more people in the region are going hungry compared
with two years ago. It named Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
as the worst affected areas. According to the World Bank,
three quarters of the population in South Asia - almost 1.2
billion people - live on less than $2 (£1.2) a day.
Against this backdrop, with a view to rescuing the extreme
poor from endless miseries we need substantial employment
generation through long term plans for poverty alleviation and
price control. The government should act resolutely and
promptly in this regard.
Analysis
Seeking strategic balance
Needless to say, a nuclear war between India
and Pakistan would be mutually destructive beyond words.
Anwar Syed
A
Cabinet committee recently took note of India's moves to
disturb the strategic balance in South Asia, which it said was
essential for the achievement of lasting peace in the region.
On other occasions government spokesmen have maintained that
the settlement of the Kashmir dispute to the satisfaction of
the concerned parties is a pre-requisite of lasting peace
between Pakistan and India. Statements such as these are made
primarily for the uninitiated, for those conversant with the
realities of world politics know better.
If peace is to be understood as absence of war, Pakistan and
India have been at peace for the last 39 years. They have had
border skirmishes, and the media in both countries refers to
them as rivals or even as enemies, but they have not fought a
full-scale war since 1971.
Indeed, such a war is precluded by the fact that both
countries possess stockpiles of nuclear warheads and delivery
vehicles. One cannot say at what stage in a conflict between
them one side will opt to use these weapons against the other
and invite a retaliatory attack on its own territory. Needless
to say, a nuclear war between India and Pakistan would be
mutually destructive beyond words. It follows that a conflict
between them that is severe enough to turn into a nuclear war
can be ruled out.
If peace means not only absence of war or even serious
conflicts of interest, but the existence of some measure of
friendliness and goodwill between nations, India and Pakistan
have never had it. Nations can also be at peace when they have
no interest in one another's doings and affairs. Pakistan and
Colombia are at peace because they are unconcerned with each
other's domestic or foreign policies. That is not the case in
South Asia. India and Pakistan are very much concerned with
each other's domestic as well as foreign politics.
Pakistan's quest for a strategic balance with India cannot
mean that the two sides' arsenals of nuclear and conventional
weapons should be equal. It must mean that in terms of their
destructive capability and numbers Pakistan's stockpiles of
these weapons (nuclear and conventional), should be
substantial enough to deter an Indian invasion. They are, but
they will not deter hostile operations short of a full-scale
war, such as nibbling of Pakistani territory, sabotage of its
strategic installation, roads and bridges, dams and reservoirs
and its domestic tranquillity.
India's inventory of nuclear weapons is more than twice that
of Pakistan. But that does not really matter because Pakistan
has enough of them to destroy much of India. Each side has
second-strike capability, meaning that it can take a hit and
yet be alive enough to strike back. In terms of conventional
weapons (combat aircrafts, tanks, medium-range and long-range
surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles) Pakistan's
capability is smaller than that of India but it is substantial
enough to make war a very expensive option for India.
If a full-scale war between India and Pakistan is unlikely,
can each side's sabotage of the other's good order be stopped
and irritants taken out of their relationship? This
relationship is fraught with many complexities and we will
shortly come to some of hem. A beginning towards
reconciliation can nevertheless be made if the Kashmir dispute
between them can somehow be put out of the way.
It is not likely to be settled to the satisfaction of the
parties concerned in the near future. Jammu and Ladakh, being
predominantly non-Muslim, are peripheral to Pakistani concerns
but the valley is central. Considering that India has no
intention of giving the valley away to Pakistan, the latter
may want to put the dispute on the back burner and leave it to
India to settle its conflict with the Kashmiris who are
dissatisfied with its rule.
If tensions are taken out and relations between the two
countries do improve, what would that improvement entail? It
is said that trade between them will increase manifold. Indian
banks and stores will surface in Pakistani towns, and India
will export all kinds of things from vegetables to
manufactured goods and even machines to Pakistan. Pakistan
does not have much, besides cement, that Indian businessmen
would want to buy. Consequently India will end up with a huge
trade surplus that will require Pakistani payments in hard
currency.
Indian products will be cheaper than Pakistani products of the
same kind and imports from India will ruin Pakistani
manufacturers and traders. The likelihood is that they will
oppose free trade between the two countries. Peace and amity
between them does not suit the military establishment in
either country, for that will make it hard for it to justify
its numbers, levels of preparedness and budget. It would seem
to follow that the advocates of amity between India and
Pakistan are not to be found among those who influence
decision- making.
It seems to me that friendliness between them is not really
essential to either country's well-being. If they agree to
abide by the universally approved principle of
non-intervention in the domestic affairs of other nations, and
abstain from sponsoring sabotage of each other's good order,
that would be good enough. Nothing would be lost if, for the
rest, they ignored each other, limiting their interaction to
the kind of diplomatic relations they have with most other
nations. There is nothing they need from each other, which
they have to have.
Pakistan's quest for strategic balance with India is not
likely to go anywhere. In terms of size, development of
science and technology, industrial and commercial
undertakings, India is several times as large as Pakistan. It
aspires to the status of a world power and much of the world
is willing to concede it that status. Its strategic concerns
go beyond Pakistan. The latter cannot expect to be treated as
India's equal. One gets the impression that India would like
Pakistan to act like a 'little brother' or, let us say, as a
client. The role of a patron costs money, which India is
unable, or unwilling, to pay. Pakistan can be free to act as
an independent agent in its domestic affairs and foreign
relations if it puts its own house in order and becomes
internally coherent and viable.
The writer, professor emeritus at the University of
Massachusetts, is a visiting professor at the Lahore School of
Economics.
Deliver on
promises
US has to clarify its military objectives and address the
welfare of ordinary people if peace is to return to the
Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
Farhan Bokhari
A
succession of high-profile US visitors travelling through
the Afghanistan-Pakistan region this month, ranging from
key congressional members to Washington's main envoy,
Richard Holbrooke, have taken great care to underline the
improvements surrounding Washington's strategy in the
area.
A year after US President Barack Obama came to power in
the US, there is palpable eagerness to claim success over
the new administration's increasing grip on the challenges
surrounding a region torn apart by conflict and economic
breakdown.
For the moment, the US is eager to hype its own version of
the success story, weeks after Obama ordered a surge in
the number of US troops deployed in Afghanistan.
In the coming months, the US plan appears to head towards
bringing in up to 30,000 fresh troops to take charge of
Afghanistan's major cities while applying additional
pressure on suspected Taliban sanctuaries.
On the face of it, however, the plan is bound to be no
more than just half successful at best.
Obama's announcement of the troop surge also put in place
an 18-month deadline to begin withdrawing the US army from
Afghanistan.
For players on the ground, notably those opposed to the US
and even fence-sitters, the reality is essentially that
Washington does not appear to be a long-term player in the
same way as others, notably the Taliban.
While the US will be out of Afghanistan after Obama's
deadline, there are no deadlines for others who dominate
the scene.
The US position has been compromised by its history.
Within Pakistan and the surrounding region, there is a
very strong and widespread impression of the US having a
history of cutting loose and leaving the area at short
notice.
Additionally, Washington's recent history does not help
either. In the last nine years since the US engaged in
battle in Afghanistan, Washington has squarely dedicated
itself to the effort towards unleashing a significant
conflict against the Taliban and Al Qaida.
Losing the plot
Meanwhile, much has been done by way of lip service to the
cause of providing badly-needed economic support to
ordinary people in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
To make matters worse, controversial US policies pursued
under former US president George W. Bush have aggravated
conditions for Washington in the region, making it appear
to be a hardcore adversary rather than an ally.
Going forward, the US must work on two fronts to repair
its image. First, there must be a series of public
clarifications from high-ranking US officials, underlying
Washington's medium to long-term objectives. This is
essential to repair the damage done by the view that a US
troop surge is essentially the first stage of an eventual
withdrawal.
Even if there is a withdrawal planned at some stage in
future, there must be some degree of clarification on how
best Washington will deal with the long-term challenge of
improving the security environment in the
Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
Any attempt to even partially bypass this compelling issue
will not even begin to reverse what has become a popular
image of the US - a country widely seen as being a
fair-weather friend.
At the same time, there must be an aggressive push to
review ways in which previous and new promises for
economic rejuvenation can help deal with challenges faced
by ordinary people in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Towards this end, the status of the ROZs or reconstruction
opportunity zones, promised by the US years ago for
Pakistan's economically deprived regions along the Afghan
border, highlights the heart of the problem.
Under the ROZs, the US was expected to create regions
where industrial producers could step in with the promise
of having their end products enter the US market on a
preferential basis.
Clearly, there is virtually no tangible evidence of
progress on the ground.
Promises that are made must always be delivered in real
life, while those meant to be broken should not be made in
the first place.
Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who
writes on political and economic matters.
Responsibility rests with Israel
Musa Keilani
In
its dedicated attempt to prevent the international
community from taking decisive action to help the besieged
residents of the Gaza Strip, Israel is seeking to portray
this Mediterranean strip as a breeding ground for Al
Qaeda.
There might indeed be some truth in the Israeli claim, but
it is difficult to see fighters for Palestinian freedom
expanding their agenda to wage an international jihadist
campaign based in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli strategists are citing a report prepared by the
Washington Institute for Near East Policy saying that
Palestinian "extremist" groups could be even stronger than
Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. The report, authored by
Matthew Levitt, a counterterrorism and intelligence expert
at the Washington Institute, and Yoram Cohen, an ex-deputy
director of the Israeli domestic intelligence agency, Shin
Bet, says: "Al Qaeda likely remains unconvinced of the
ideological commitment" of Palestinian groups which are
fighting for liberation of their land. Al Qaeda may also
have concerns about the survivability of such groups,
including their susceptibility to infiltration by Israeli
intelligence.
Among the groups operating in Gaza Strip, according to the
report, are Jaish Al Islam, Jaish Al Sunna and Jund Ansar
Allah, each having between 200 and 300 supporters. There
have been clashes between these groups and Hamas, which
has been keeping a tight rein on the situation in Gaza and
remains firmly opposed to any other group having sway in
the area.
Attacks blamed on these groups, which are said to believe
that Hamas is not enforcing a strict Islamic law in Gaza
Strip, include action against CD/DVD shops, cafés,
Internet cafés, beauty parlours and male-run hairdressing
salons catering to female clientele.
Ahead of the release of the report, an American/Israeli
"intelligence" finding suggests that Gaza Strip could
become the next "southern Yemen". It says that Israel
might launch another military offensive in Gaza, but not
against Hamas. The operation will target the so-called Al
Qaeda "affiliates" in Gaza Strip.
"US intelligence watchers have picked up a working link
between the Gaza-based networks and Pakistan accompanied
by a swelling influx of Pakistani fighters into the Hamas-ruled
Palestinian territory at a rate estimated at dozens a
month," says the finding.
"According to current US evaluations, while Al Qaeda's new
headquarters in Pakistani Baluchistan is working hard to
push reinforcements into Yemen, its operational planners
are not neglecting the Gaza Strip, assuming that this
Palestinian enclave will be the next Western-jihadist
warfront after Yemen," asserts the report.
No government wants that to happen, including Jordan,
which suffered great losses of life at the hands of Al
Qaeda. No government wants groups like Al Qaeda anywhere.
And that is what Israel is seeking to exploit by warning
of a growing Al Qaeda presence in Gaza despite its choking
stranglehold on the Strip.
It is true that alienation, humiliation, anger,
frustration and despair are growing among the residents of
Gaza Strip, and some of them could be easy recruits for Al
Qaeda, despite the sharp difference in agendas: while the
Palestinian struggle is for liberating Palestinian land
from Israel's occupation, Al Qaeda's agenda is to wage a
violent global jihadi war against the US-led West and its
allies.
Gone are the days when Palestinian groups like the Abu
Nidal faction and others took their war beyond the borders
of Palestine. The Palestinians have realised that they
would be in a difficult situation to defend the legitimacy
of their struggle for liberation beyond Palestine.
In the meantime, Israel could not be trusted to stage
"false flag" operations to boost its claim that Al Qaeda
is gainingstrength in Gaza Strip, in order to justify yet
another military operation with a view to weakening Hamas.
Experts suggest that another Gaza war may be triggered by
a "jihadist cell" attacking an Israeli military patrol on
the border of Gaza, killing several and capturing one or
two. If that happens, say the experts, Israel will launch
a major military assault against Gaza Strip to
"liberate!!!" it from Hamas and hand it over to Mohammed
Dahlan and Fateh.
In any event, if Al Qaeda manages to gain a foothold in
Gaza Strip, the sole responsibility will rest with Israel,
since it is the Israeli occupation of Palestinian
territories and its blockades that bring about untold
suffering of the Palestiniansand that have created an
environment fertile to breeding more extremism and
jihadists.
Viewpoints
Militarisation of the CIA
The CIA is
militarised and the CIA bandwagon is now being driven by the
SAD. America now has two armies -- one that wears uniforms and
the other that doesn’t.
Dr Farrukh Saleem
On
December 30, a suicide attack on Forward Operating Base (FOB)
Chapman killed at least seven CIA operatives. Of the seven,
Harold Brown was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the US
army and continued as a major in the Army Reserves. Of the
seven, Scott Roberson was a former US Navy SEAL (Navy Sea, air
and Land Forces), a Maritime Special Operations Force of the
United States navy. Of the seven, Jeremy Wise, also an
ex-SEAL, left the US navy in 2009. Of the seven, Master
Sergeant (r) Dane Paresi had served the US army for 27 years.
Of the seven, at least two were affiliated with Blackwater.
Two conclusions: first, the CIA is being or has already been
militarised. Second, contrary to the perception being created
in the public that the CIA has distanced itself from
Blackwater the two in reality continue to have a close working
relationship.
Officially, "CIA's primary mission is to collect, analyse,
evaluate, and disseminate foreign intelligence to assist the
president and senior US government policymakers in making
decisions relating to national security". But, according to
Tom Engelhardt, the editor of America in the New Age of
Empire, "After the 9/11 attacks, however, George W Bush
empowered the agency to hunt down, kidnap and assassinate
suspected Al Qaeda operatives, and the CIA's traditional
specialties of spycraft and intelligence analysis took a
distinct backseat to Special Activities Division operations,
as its agents set up a global gulag of ghost prisons,
conducted interrogations by torture, and then added those
missile-armed drone and assassination programmes".
The Special Activities Division (SAD) of the CIA has two
sub-divisions: the Political Action Group (PAG) and the
paramilitary Special Operations Group (SOG). The PAG is all
about undercover activities relating to political influence in
foreign lands including economic warfare, psychological
warfare and cyber warfare.
The PAG finances news media, instigates coups, undertakes
'spoiling operations', provides fuel for insurgencies and
financial support to political parties. The PAG, for example,
funded Solidarity in Poland, kept the Italian Communist Party
from winning and brought down Mosaddeq's democratically
elected government in Iran.
The SOG, on the other hand, is all about paramilitary
operations and recruits Paramilitary Operations Officers from
Delta Force, SEALs, MARSOC Marines and Army Special Forces.
The SOG undertakes unconventional warfare including training
of guerrillas, reconnaissance, assassinations, ambushes, raids
and drone attacks. The SOG, for example, equipped and trained
the mujahideen against the Red Army in the 80s, organised the
Northern Alliance to overthrow the Taliban government in 2001
and killed Baitullah in 2009.
The CIA's role is changing -- changing fast. Historically, the
SOG only had a few hundred personnel (all of the CIA is
estimated to have around 20,000). More recently, the CIA's
primary mission of "collecting, analysing, evaluating and
disseminating foreign intelligence" has taken a backseat
(Afghanistan alone is now estimated to have several hundred
SOG personnel).
What happens when the CIA's primary mission takes the
backseat? Answer: Abdulmutallab manages to board Northwest
Airlines Flight 253 and al-Balawi manages his way into FOB
Chapman. To be certain, the CIA is getting militarised at the
cost of all its other disciplines including geospatial,
signature, communications, electronics, telemetry, technical
and financial intelligence.
The CIA is militarised and the CIA bandwagon is now being
driven by the SAD. America now has two armies -- one that
wears uniforms and the other that doesn't. One that is
commanded by Admiral Mullen, the 17th chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff, and the other by Professor Leon Panetta, the
21st director of the Central Intelligence Agency. In all
probability, the militarised CIA model is being replicated in
other countries -- Pakistan and Yemen for instance -- as
America expands its war on terror.
The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. Email:
farrukh15@hotmail.com
Obama heeding
lessons of Katrina
Obama has
responded with urgency, and the White House has tried to
make sure that people know it.
Ben Feller
This
is what President Barack Obama wants people to think about
the US reaction to the catastrophe in Haiti: It will not
be another Hurricane Katrina. Obama has repeatedly
promised a "swift, coordinated and aggressive" response.
He is determined to show that the United States, even
consumed with its own troubles, can get this right, and
that he can, too. The world is watching because of the
expectations that come with being a rich, powerful
democracy that is supposed to look out for its neighbors.
And because the stain of Katrina is not gone. "This is one
of those moments that calls out for American leadership,"
said Obama, who can add a humanitarian crisis to his
first-year tests in office.
There are huge contrasts between Katrina, the most
destructive natural disaster in US history, and the
sorrowful scene unfolding in Haiti. One was a hurricane on
US soil that killed 1,800 people across the coast of the
Gulf of Mexico; the other was an earthquake hundreds of
miles (kilometers) away that may have killed 50,000
people.
Yet as the wrenching images come in of people clinging to
wreckage, of bodies piling up on the street, the
comparisons are inevitable. The botched federal response
to Katrina in 2005 became the standard by which emergency
responses are measured, and presidents are held
accountable.
"The United States is seen in the world as the first
responder to this kind of humanitarian crisis, and it has
echoes - inappropriate echoes, to be sure - of Hurricane
Katrina," said Paul Light, a professor of public service
at New York University. "Can we get there fast enough?
There's a risk there for the president."
Obama has responded with urgency, and the White House has
tried to make sure that people know it.
The president has dispatched ships, soldiers, Marines and
loads of other assets to the reeling Caribbean nation. He
has pledged $100 million for relief efforts now and
promised that that number will grow. He has positioned the
United States as a coalition-building leader - the United
Nations itself has been rocked by the collapse of its
headquarters in Haiti.
He has pleaded for donations from his old campaign list of
supporters, more than 13 million strong. And he told his
team: "I will not put up with any excuses" for an
inadequate response, another allusion to past government
failures.
A senior White House official, national security staff
chief Denis McDonough, arrived in Haiti to help make sure
US agencies were coordinating as promised. What the White
House is not ready to do is trumpet any results - not yet.
Another lesson learned from Katrina.
When Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs was asked whether Obama
was pleased with the pace of the US response so far, he
said: "He is, but ..." Gibbs followed by telling reporters
that Obama had sternly told his team in the White House
Situation Room that they must work day and night to get
help fast into Haiti. The human cost of disasters is the
toll that matters. But the political one cannot be
ignored.
"Presidents have a very limited time to prove their
effectiveness in managing a crisis," said Light, who
praised Obama for the way he has spelled out the US
response and rallied his own country to help. Still, Light
added: "The clock is ticking."
George W. Bush paid a huge price when America watched, in
horror, as New Orleans was drowning and governments at all
levels were slow to respond.
Now Obama has tasked Bush, along with fellow former
President Bill Clinton, to lead the private fund-raising
efforts to help Haiti and its people recover.
The three of them will meet at the White House.
Never mind that Obama blasted Bush's government for
"unconscionable ineptitude" after Hurricane Katrina hit.
Time for some common humanity, as Obama put it. "We will
do what it takes to save lives," Obama declared Friday to
the people of Haiti in what has become a daily update on
the crisis.
The balance for the president is to not be seen as
heavy-handed or as the world's problem-solver.
He has emphasized that his chief priority is Americans,
from getting injured US citizens airlifted out of Haiti to
helping Haitian-Americans try to get answers about their
families. Yet Obama says a robust response to another
nation in need is also an American imperative.
Footloose in Mideast: From
Dubai to Damascus and Iraq to Iran
Walking the streets of Damascus is like getting into the
pages of the Arabian Nights.
Raziqueh Hussain
Iraq?
Now, that's a controversial topic. I did a series of
reports on my experiences of travelling in Iraq and most
of the responses that those articles garnered were: what
is it like there?
How are the people? Will it be open to travel in my
lifetime? I'm not an authority on that front but would
like to share one experience that made me realise how
close we are to each other.
Last year, I was in Baghdad in the Kadhimiya district
right outside the shrine of Imam Musa Kazim and Mohammed
Taqi, the 7th and 9th Shia Imams. There was a promenade
where crowds were milling and the fact that I had an
opportunity to meet Iraqis face-to-face excited the
journalist in me and I ventured out into the open, despite
warnings of dire consequences of leaving the premises
without my group. The lure of the bookshops around was
irresistible.
The books were in Arabic and I cursed myself for not
taking those Arabic classes seriously as a kid, though I
pride myself for being a multi-lingual. I saw a lady
cloaked in an abaya approach me. Iraqi women are
incredible; with most of their men folk either missing or
dead it's the women who bear the burden of daily life.
Here she was, a foot away from me, staring straight into
my eyes without fear or hesitation. She carried a book
under her arm, and as she smiled and nodded her head and
she pushed it towards me. I didn't understand what was
happening but as soon as I saw the cover, it became clear.
It was an Arabic dictionary. I heard the loudspeaker
calling out the name of my group and turned and as soon as
I looked back she was gone.
It's been a year now and every time I pick up that book, I
wonder what we could have shared and said had we spoken to
each other as two people, or two women for that matter,
whose lives are so different from each other. But on that
Wednesday afternoon, in the street of strife-torn Baghdad,
in the middle of a war zone, we were exactly the same.
Walking the streets of Damascus is like getting into the
pages of the Arabian Nights.
The souks in the old town are full of lovely wares. I
bought sequined Damascene tablecloth, delicious dark
chocolates and curly Aladdin slippers. Primarily in Syria
to visit the shrine of Sayyeda Zainab in Damsacus, I also
made my way to the interiors of this country, which is a
civilisation in itself.
There are nice little towns and hamlets surrounding the
river Euphrates. Right in the middle of the desert is
Deir-ez-Zor where there are remains of various
civilisations. Using my barely functional Arabic to
convince the taxi driver, he agreed, but on second
thoughts it was too much money for him to refuse. Qala'at
ar-Rahb was the first place we went to and the driver
wasn't impressed with the smelly ruins. He thought we were
crazy to have brought him this far and was genuinely
worried about landing up in Baghdad.
Ruins of Mari were sitting there exactly where they have
been for the last 5,000 years. I went about exploring and
tried to imagine the mud bricks being a Mesopotamian
palace in all its grandeur. Dura Europas is a large Roman
town near the river.
While exploring, a jovial Syrian woman stormed down the
road to sell us tickets to enter. She didn't have change
so I got in for free.
One of the most powerful experiences of my trip to Iran in
2009 was a visit to the martyrs' cemetery. The tombs seem
to go on forever and each one had a portrait of the dead
man and the red and green Iranian flags flying high. The
cemetery had a quiet dignity and I felt awkward standing
there staring at people as if interfering in their lives.
A few meters away, as the long white tombs stretched
endlessly, a single figure interrupted the rhythm. It was
a lady in a chador sitting near her son's tomb reciting
the Quran. Further down there were marble slabs without
tombs or flags or photos.
Driving through the desert dunes of an Omani beach, I saw
nesting sea turtles. Surprise. These huge sea turtles swim
away as far as India, southern Africa and Australia during
the year, but come back to nest in the same beach they
were born at in Oman. I saw about a dozen, and once they
got to the beach, they would let you come up and watch
them dig a big hole, lay their eggs, and then bury them.
The mountains in Salalah have a very spiritual atmosphere.
This is enhanced by the tombs of prophets including that
of Prophet Ayub - whose story in the Quran still reflects
the cattle, goat and camel culture that is found in these
mountains today.
The mountains are famous for the Frankincense tree that is
associated with a lot of culture and tradition. As soon as
I landed, I met a lady who welcomed me with smoke from the
small pebble size pieces of bukhoor. The fragrance still
lingers on my dress even after a couple of washes. I like
frankincense so much that I was desperate for a pack. Not
knowing much about the place, I asked the receptionist at
the desk and I suppose, my friend who welcomed me
overheard our conversation. The next morning, I found a
small box full of Frankincense at my doorstep. As the New
Year dawns, I can only say a small prayer for each of
these women, whom I met once and likely will never see
them again.
Raziqueh Hussain is a Sub-Editor with Khaleej Times
wknd. For comments, write to opinion@khaleejtimes.com
A Wake up Call for America, the
Clueless
The question is why do they hate us? Unless that question
is answered- and understood-the fight against terrorism is
never going to be won.
Claude Salhani
Nine
years after the attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans
are still baffled at why much of the world hates them,
enough -in the minds of some fanatics in any case, -to
justify strapping explosives to their bodies and blow
themselves up while claiming lives of people they have
never met. Americans may be baffled but few are those who
bother to ask the question. And when they do, they get no
intelligent answer.
After the 9/11 attacks, President George W. Bush's reply
was that they hate us. Very simplistic. Of course they
hate us, otherwise they would not do this. The question is
why do they hate us? Unless that question is answered- and
understood-the fight against terrorism is never going to
be won. This is the answer White House counter-terrorism
expert John Brennan gave veteran reporter Helen Thomas at
a briefing earlier this week: "Al Qaeda is an organisation
that is dedicated to murder and wanton slaughter of
innocents." They attract individuals like Abdulmutallab
(the would-be Christmas Day airline bomber) and use them
for these types of attacks. He was motivated by a sense of
religious sort of drive. Unfortunately, Al Qaeda has
perverted Islam, and has corrupted the concept of Islam.
Al Qaeda has the agenda of destruction and death."
When pressed by Thomas for an explanation, Brennan
replied: "I think this is a-long issue, but Al Qaeda is
just determined to carry out attacks here against the
homeland." Is this the best the White House can do? 'It's
a long issue?' Well, please take your time Mr. Brennan,
and explain it to us, yes, why do they hate us? We've got
all the time in the world, we're not going anywhere, at
least as long as the lines at airports around the world
get longer and more tedious.
The people in charge of airport security can add all the
technology in the world; they can force people to strip
and carry out body searches, they can impose new rules and
regulations forbidding passengers from carrying anything
and everything on board planes, it will still not deter
the terrorist who is fully committed to kill and willing
to die in the process. Again, the question is why?
But I stand corrected; time is not on our side. We have
about 18 months to two years until the next presidential
elections comes around and when all political focus is
diverted back to the domestic scene and everything from
the Arab-Israeli conflict to the new hot spot in Yemen
goes onto the political back burners. Al Qaeda on the
other hand has time, it has all the time in the world. As
Sebastian Gorka, who teaches at the National Defense
University stated during a panel discussion at the
International Law Institute in Washington, earlier this
week, 'We think in fiscal quarters at best. Bin Laden
would be happy if he could plan for success in 300 years.'
So why this hate? Poor childhood? Abusive parents? Social
injustice? We heard them all. None of those fit the
description of today's Islamist terrorist. Osama bin Laden
was an engineer worth billions and his number two, Ayman
al-Zawahiri was a doctor.
In my book, While the Arab World Slept: the impact of the
Bush years on the Middle East I mention the following: Why
would anyone harbour such unimaginable hate against the
United States? Why would 'they' want to kill in such a
way? Part of the reason can be found in the U.S.'s foreign
policy - or rather its deficit attention disorder when it
comes to foreign policy.
'They hate us by proxy,' said an American diplomat. 'The
reason they hate us is that they see us as supporting
their corrupt regimes.' Take Egypt for example, the
country President Obama chose to deliver a
much-anticipated speech to the Arab and Muslim world.
Obama's visit to Egypt was seen by many in the Arab world
as an endorsement of Egypt¹s President Hosni Mubarak. In
most Arab and Islamic countries, criticism of the
government in the local media is forbidden, often
punishable by imprisonment or even death. However, lashing
out against the United States is permissible as
governments regard it as a safety valve where excess steam
is released.
Furthermore, the United States has continually supported
the wrong people, then ignored or abandoned much of the
world. The lack of continued interest in world affairs has
time and again come back to bite the United States. It is
hardly enough to want to sell the world Coca-Colas, Nikes,
and Microsoft's latest version of Windows. Unless the rest
of the world develops economically and democratically
along with Western Europe, Japan, and the United States,
an imbalance of justice will continue to breed radical
fundamentalism that sees the United States as looking
exclusively after its own interests while supporting
corrupt regimes.
A large part of the problem, however, is frustration at
not being able to participate in their respective
societies. Islam, in this case, is simply an excuse, a
vehicle by which a means can be reached. Mix in religious
fervour and any revolution becomes all the more potent,
and dangerous.
Claude Salhani is editor of the Middle East Times and
author of While the Arab World Slept: the impact of the
Bush years on the Middle East
International
Pakistan rejects
Sunday Times’s assertions on nuke hijacks
APP, Islamabad
Pakistan on Sunday strongly rejected a report of Ms
Christina Lamb in Sunday Times claiming that "Elite US
troops ready to combat Pakistani nuclear hijacks" and
termed it rubbish and figment of the imagination of the
reporter.Talking to Aaj news Foreign Office Spokesman
Abdul Basit stated that the assertions and insinuations
made in the story are baseless.
Pakistani government also devised and continued to
implement a foolproof safety and security regime for
nuclear-related materials. Western media keep repeating
such self serving baseless propaganda.
However Pakistan does not bother it as at official level
no such assertions exist from west, he said while quoting
a statement of US secretary of state Ms Hilary Clinton
giving clean chit to Pakistan in respect of nuclear
material's safety.
Complaining discriminatory behaviour of western media, the
foreign office spokesman said Pakistan never want to made
South Asia an atomic region and never take part in armed
race.
Pakistan only wants to fortify its defence, he said adding
that Pakistan went nuclear in response to Indian
threats.Pakistan cannot be blamed and any wrong use of
nuclear arsenal is simply out of question.
Admitting Pak-America differences over drone attacks,he
said Pakistan was in trying to convince the United States
that persistent drone attacks could endanger consensus in
Pakistan to fight terror war.
It is hoped that the policy of erstwhile Bush
administration would be revisited as it is proving counter
productive,he said.
Responding to a question, he said if Pakistani media is
critical on the US it directly links American policies.In
response to constructive criticism of Pakistani media the
western media retorts with baseless propaganda against
Pakistani nuclear-related material.
It is pertinent to mention here that Sunday Times in a
report published on January 17, quoting a former CIA
officer reported that the US army is training a crack unit
to seal off and snatch back Pakistani nuclear weapons in
the event that militants, possibly from inside the
country's security apparatus, get their hands on a nuclear
device or materials that could make one.
At least 20 killed in drone
strike in South Waziristan
Dawn Online
A US drone attack Sunday killed at least 20 militants in a
restive Pakistani tribal area bordering Afghanistan, where
Pakistani Taliban chief escaped an attack four days ago,
officials said.
The attack took place in Shaktoi area, 40 kilometres (25
miles) southeast of Miramshah, the main town in the rugged
tribal region of North Waziristan, a senior military
official told AFP.
"The target was a militant compound," he said. "The toll
has gone up and 20 militant deaths have been confirmed,"
he added.
The toll may go up, another official said, adding that
militants were carrying out rescue work at the demolished
compound.
"The drones are apparently tracking and targeting
Pakistani Taliban chief Hakeemullah Mehsud, whose presence
is frequently reported in the area," one official said.
The unmanned US drone fired at least three missiles, he
said.
Pakistan's Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud released a
new audio recording on Saturday, saying he was alive and
well after reports emerged that he was killed in a US
bombing raid on Thursday.
"Today, on the 16th of January, I am saying it again - I
am alive, I am OK, I am not injured... when the drone
strike took place, I was not present in the area at that
time," Mehsud said.
"If the drone attacks continue, the TTP will not be
responsible for any dangerous steps in future-the
government of Pakistan will be responsible," Mehsud warned
in Saturday's recording.
Earlier on Friday the Taliban released another audio
recording allegedly of Mehsud denying he had been killed
in Thursday's US bombing raid.
In India, Gates to promote
US ties with ‘global power’
AFP, Washington
US Defense Secretary Robert Gates heads to India this week
to promote a blossoming "strategic partnership" with a
country that has strongly endorsed the US-led mission in
Afghanistan.
Defense officials said Gates' two-day visit is part of an
effort to cultivate a broad relationship with India, a
country Washington recognizes as an increasingly powerful
player on the international stage.
"We obviously view India as a regional power and emerging
global power," a senior defense official, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, told reporters.
"The key objectives for the trip are to emphasize the
importance of this bilateral relationship, and the role
defense relations play in advancing the strategic
partnership," he said ahead of Gates' scheduled arrival on
Tuesday.
The Pentagon chief had planned initially to head to
Australia over the weekend before flying to India but he
cancelled that leg of his trip because of the humanitarian
crisis in quake-hit Haiti.
The US military has launched a major operation involving
thousands of troops to boost relief efforts in Haiti after
Tuesday's massive earthquake.
In his visit to India, Gates was due to meet Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh, Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna and
Defense Minister AK Antony, press secretary Geoff Morrell
said.
Washington has been grateful for India's humanitarian aid
and steadfast backing for the war against Taliban
insurgents in Afghanistan.
In November, President Barack Obama rolled out the red
carpet for the Indian prime minister in the first
full-fledged official visit of his presidency, toasting
India as an "indispensable" partner.
East Asian, Latin American
nations agree on co-op
Xinhua, Tokyo
Foreign Ministers from 34 East Asian and Latin American
nations on Sunday agreed to deepen economic ties at a
cooperation forum in Tokyo.
At the end of the Fourth Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the
Forum for East Asian-Latin American Cooperation (FEALAC),
the Tokyo Declaration issued said "we share the view that
cooperation and mutual learning through sharing
experiences and technologies, capacity building, knowledge
and lessons, in particular the development and transfer of
environmental friendly technology, is beneficial and
should be further promoted."
The environment was a key focus of the meeting, which was
organized by FEALAC, a group that was launched to promote
deeper political understanding and greater economic
cooperation between the two regions.
"We especially noted that the bi-regional trade between
East Asia and Latin America has quadrupled, far outpacing
the increase of other region-to-region trades in the
world," the declaration noted.
"The Links between the two regions and their people, once
described as missing, are getting broader and deeper."
At the meeting, foreign ministers agreed that ties could
be further deepened.
"We commited ourselves to further strengthening our
activities and interactions through the frameworks of
FEALAC, in order to make the most of the vast potential in
the bi-regional co-operation as well as to jointly tackle
major challenges that we face in the world of today and
future," the ministers wrote in the declaration.
The document welcomed the admission of Mongolia as a new
memberof the forum.
Initiated in 1999, the forum is an international framework
consisting of 34 countries, including 16 countries in Asia
and 18 in Latin America, with the purpose of strengthening
cooperative relations in a wide variety of areas between
Asia and Latin America.
N.Korea’s Kim views
‘shattering’ military drill
AFP, Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il has inspected a joint
military drill of "shattering" intensity, state media said
on Sunday, in the first such disclosure since he became
military commander two decades ago.
In what appeared to be fresh sabre-rattling after he
threatened last week to battle South Korea, Kim watched
his troops "shattering the 'enemy camp' to pieces and
turning it into a sea of flame".
Kim, who viewed the drill by the army, navy and air force
from an observation platform, expressed great
satisfaction, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA)
reported.
It did not disclose when or where the manoeuvres were
held.
Pyongyang's state television released photographs of Kim
on a hilltop overlooking the exercise and scores of
multiple-rocket-launcher vehicles being lined up for
firing.
It was the first time North Korea has released news of Kim
inspecting such a joint drill since he was named supreme
commander of the armed forces by his father, Kim Il-Sung,
in December 1991.
"With the order for the start of the manoeuvres, flying
corps, warships and ground artillery pieces of various
kinds showered a merciless barrage at the 'enemy group' in
close coordination, thus shattering the 'enemy camp' to
pieces and turning it into a sea of flame," KCNA said.
Yang Moo-Jin of Seoul's University of North Korean Studies
said the report was a follow-up to Pyongyang's sabre-rattling
towards Seoul last week.
Sri Lanka orders tighter
security after campaign shootings
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lanka's president ordered police to step up security
ahead of presidential elections after a second political
activist was shot dead this month, an official said
Sunday.
The ruling party supporter was killed on Saturday in the
north-western Puttalam district where several others were
injured when they clashed with opposition activists,
police said.
President Mahindra Rajapakse expressed his sadness over
the second campaign-related death and urged police to
ensure a peaceful run-up to the January 26 vote, his
spokesman Chandrapala Liyanage said.
"The president is deeply concerned about the violence and
has already ordered police to make sure that there is
tighter security," Liyanage told AFP. "He is also
appealing to all parties to ensure there is no violence."
Opposition activist Kusuma Kuruppuarachchi, 60, was the
first to be killed in the poll campaign when he was shot
in the southern town of Hungama last week.
Police also fired tear gas to disperse thousands of party
workers in the eastern town of Polonnaruwa after mobs
destroyed vehicles and buildings.
Besides, scarred by decades of war and official
indifference, Sri Lanka's minority Tamils are now being
courted as political kingmakers-a shift that many of them
view with bitter scepticism. With a presidential election
just two weeks away, the two main candidates have been
desperately wooing Tamil voters, offering them the same
social, economic and political opportunities enjoyed by
the Sinhalese majority.
The incumbent president, Mahinda Rajapakse, and his main
challenger, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, are both
Sinhalese.
Malaysia church attacks
‘minor aberration’: PM
AFP, Riyadh
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said attacks on
churches in his country were a "minor aberration" that did
not reflect the feelings of most Malaysian Muslims, in an
interview published on Sunday.
"This is a minor aberration. National unity and mutual
respect between various racial and religious communities
in Malaysia has been a cornerstone of Malaysia for a long
time," he said in the interview with Okaz newspaper and
published in its English-language sister, the Saudi
Gazette.
"It should not be seen as a widespread attempt by the
larger Muslim community to attack churches in Malaysia,"
he said.
Several churches in predominantly Muslim Malaysia have
been attacked after a court ruled on December 31 that
non-Muslims could use "Allah" as a translation for "God."
Nine churches were hit with Molotov cocktails, splashed
with black paint and had windows smashed with stones,
triggering tighter security at places of worship
nationwide.
The offices of lawyers for Malaysia's Roman Catholic
Church were also burgled and ransacked.
Najib downplayed the attacks.
Iran
mocks powers’ failure to agree sanctions as ‘natural’
AFP, Tehran
Iran said it was "natural" that world powers failed to
reach a decision about new sanctions against the Islamic
republic over its nuclear drive, state media reported on
Sunday.
"The failure of the 5+1 meeting is natural," Iranian
foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted
as saying in a report by the official IRNA news agency.
He was referring to a New York meeting on Saturday between
the six world powers in UN-backed talks on Iran's nuclear
defiance, made up of the five permanent members of the UN
Security Council plus Germany.
"The solution is for the group to recognise the Islamic
republic's nuclear rights, and until they come up with a
realistic approach, their meetings will not have clear
results," Mehmanparast added. He criticised the world
powers for dealing with the issue "politically," stressing
the UN's "International Atomic Energy Agency did not see
any deviation in Iran's nuclear programme in its report."
The statement came after a senior European Union official
said Saturday's closed-door meeting of the world powers in
New York reached no decision.
The meeting brought together senior officials from
Britain, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.
But China, signaling its reluctance to back tougher
sanctions pushed by the West, sent a lower-level diplomat,
winning praise from Tehran. "Some nations like China do
not believe that the negative approaches, sanctions,
threats and politically driven methods can bear any
fruit," Mehmanparast said. Washington and its Western
allies fear Iran is secretly developing fissile material
for nuclear weapons under the cover of its uranium
enrichment programme.
Tehran vehemently denies the charge.
The six are concerned about Tehran's rejection of a deal
under which most of Iran's low enriched uranium stockpile
would be shipped abroad to be further enriched into
reactor fuel. Punitive measures they are said to be
considering include tougher sanctions targeting Iran's
insurance, financial and arms sectors.
Military cooperation at
heart of Turkey-Israel ties
AFP, Ankara
Intense military cooperation has been the driving force
behind once-booming Turkish-Israeli ties, now on the skids
over what Turkey's Islamist-rooted government sees as lack
of Israeli commitment to peace in the Middle East.
Underscoring the deep roots of the relationship, Israeli
Defence Minister Ehud Barak visited Ankara Sunday,
refusing to cancel the trip despite a severe diplomatic
row that saw Ankara threaten to recall its ambassador from
Tel Aviv.
NATO's sole predominantly Muslim member and the Jewish
state signed a landmark military cooperation accord in
1996, much to the ire of Arab countries and Iran, marking
the outset of what was called "a strategic partnership".
The pact eased Israel's isolation in a hostile Arab
neighbourhood, while Turkey gained an ally against Syria,
then an arch-foe, and access to advanced military
technolodgy.
In the first major projects after the accord, Israeli
companies were awarded contracts, worth some 700 million
dollars, to modernise about 100 Turkish F-4 and F-5
fighter jets, and sold Turkey rockets and electronic
equipment.
In 2002, Israeli Military Industries won a
668-million-dollar tender to upgrade 170 M60 tanks, the
delivery of which is scheduled to be completed in
February, according to Turkey's defence industry agency.
Barak makes fence-
mending visit
Reuters adds: Ehud Barak began a mission on Sunday to mend
relations with Turkey after a diplomatic spat between the
two allies.
Muslim but secular Turkey has a history of military
cooperation with Israel and has acted as an intermediary
for the Jewish state with the Arab world.
Abbas urges ‘endgame’ if
Israel does not halt settlements
AFP, Ramallah, West Bank
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas urged Washington on
Sunday to declare an "endgame" to resolve the decades-old
Middle East conflict if Israel does not agree to halt
settlement growth.
Abbas said in a statement carried by the official Wafa
wire service that Arab states and the Palestinians would
present a unified position to the United States offering
two options.
"Either Israel adheres to a complete halt to settlements
and the guidelines (of negotiations) or America must come
and say this is the endgame with respect to determining
borders and the refugee issue and other final status
issues." Abbas has resisted months of US pressure to
relaunch peace talks suspended during last year's
devastating Gaza war, saying Israel must first freeze all
settlement activity in the occupied West Bank, including
annexed Arab east Jerusalem.
In November, Israel's hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu enacted a 10-month moratorium on new building
starts in the West Bank but excluded east Jerusalem,
public buildings and projects already under way. The
United States hailed the move as "unprecedented" but the
Palestinians have slammed it as insufficient. Last week,
Abbas appeared to give some ground by demanding a halt to
settlement growth for a "fixed period," but in Sunday's
statement he remained adamant about a complete halt.
Reuters adds: Mahmoud Abbas has signalled a readiness to
resume peace talks with Israel if the United States were
to set out specific goals for negotiations, official
Palestinian news agency Wafa said on Saturday.
The remarks published as Washington's peace envoy George
Mitchell was due to launch a fresh round of mediation
talks, were the first sign Abbas may ease his months-long
refusal to resume negotiations before Jewish settlement
building stopped.
Spanish MP’s photo used for
Osama Bin Laden poster
BBC Online
A Spanish politician has said he was shocked to find out
the FBI had used his photo for a digitally-altered image
showing how Osama Bin Laden might look.
Gaspar Llamazares said he would no longer feel safe
travelling to the US after his hair and parts of his face
appeared on a most-wanted poster. He said the use of a
real person for the mocked-up image was "shameless".
The FBI admitted a forensic artist had obtained certain
facial features "from a photograph he found on the
internet". The digitally-altered photos of the al-Qaeda
leader, showing how he might look now, aged 52, were
published on the state department's Rewards for Justice
website on Friday.
Officials said they had adapted a 1998 file image to take
account of a decade's worth of ageing, and possible
changes to facial hair.
'Unintentional and inadvertent' Mr Llamazares, 52, the
former leader of the United Left coalition in parliament,
said he could not believe it when he was first told about
the similarity between himself and the new photo-fit of
Bin Laden. He said he soon realised that his forehead,
hair and jaw-line had been "cut and pasted" from an old
campaign photograph.
"I was surprised and angered because it's the most
shameless use of a real person to make up the image of a
terrorist," he told a news conference.
"It's almost like out of a comedy if it didn't deal with
matters as serious as Bin Laden and citizens' security."
The FBI claimed to have used "cutting edge" technology,
but Mr Llamazares said it showed the "low level" of US
intelligence services and could cause problems if he was
wrongly identified as the Saudi. Gaspar also threatened to
sue.
Fourth death sentence for
‘Chemical Ali’
BBC Online
Ali Hassan al-Majid, a former Iraqi official known as
Chemical Ali, has been sentenced to death for ordering the
gassing of Kurds.
It is the fourth time that Majid, an enforcer in Saddam
Hussein's regime, has been sentenced to death.
He has also been convicted of the killings of Shia Muslims
in 1991 and 1999 and for his role in a campaign of
genocide against Kurds in the 1980s. His latest sentence
is for a gas attack on the Kurdish town of Halabja in
1988.
It is believed that 5,000 people died in the attack, most
of them women and children. Iraqi jets swooped over
Halabja and for five hours sprayed it with a lethal
cocktail of mustard gas and the nerve agents Tabun, Sarin
and VX. Majid was a cousin of Saddam Hussein, and earned
his nickname after his use of poison gas. The Al-Iraqiya
channel said Majid would be killed by hanging.
The Iraqi High Tribunal also sentenced former defence
minister Sultan Hashem to 15 years in prison for the
Halabja attack, a court official said, quoted by Reuters.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in Baghdad, says that for Kurds,
Halabja is the single most traumatic atrocity they
suffered during Saddam Hussein's long campaign against
them in the 1980s and they had wanted Majid to face
justice for it.
It is believed Iraqi authorities will now want Majid
executed without delay. However, he does have the right of
appeal, our correspondent adds. Majid was captured in
August 2003, five months after US forces invaded Iraq. He
was sentenced to hang in June 2007 for his role in a
military campaign against ethnic Kurds, codenamed Anfal,
that lasted from February to August of 1988.
In December 2008 he also received a death sentence for his
role in crushing a Shia revolt after the 1991 Gulf War.
In March 2009 he was sentenced to death, along with
others, for the 1999 killings of Shia Muslims in the Sadr
City district of Baghdad. The Iraqi High Tribunal was set
up to try former members of Saddam Hussein's mainly Sunni
government and was the same one that sentenced the former
president to death.
Syria reconciliation nearly
complete: Lebanon’s Jumblatt
AFP, El Mukhtara, Lebanon
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said at the weekend
he was close to reconciling with former arch-foe Syria and
dismissed criticism of his latest political about-turn.
"I believe that three-quarters of the road to Syria has
opened up and what remains is the final gesture which
depends on the right moment," said Jumblatt in an
interview with AFP at his ancestral home in Leb-anon's
Shouf mountains, southeast of Beirut.
The 60-year-old hereditary chieftain of Lebanon's Druze
minority has come under fire since defecting in August
from the US-backed March 14 ruling coalition he helped
create in order to move closer to the Hezbollah-led
opposition camp supported by Syria and Iran.
The move came as Syria emerges from its international
isolation and amid a rapprochement between Damascus and
Riyadh, two key regional players.
Jumblatt justified his U-turn, saying it was a necessary
step to preserve the peace and avoid sectarian bloodshed.
"I am willing to sacrifice everything for the civil peace
even if my decisions are not popular," he said. "One must
at times swim against the current." He said the sectarian
unrest that brought Lebanon close to civil war in May
2008, when members of his Druze clan fought bitter battles
with the Shiite Hezbollah in the Shouf region, had been a
rude awakening.
"It was a miracle at the time that we avoided war between
the Druze and Shiites," he said. "The events of May were
like an electroshock. "We were not aware then that the
sectarian hatred bet-ween the Lebanese had reached that
point."
Lebanon's Druze community, a secretive offshoot of Shiite
Islam, makes up about six percent of the country's four
million population.
New strategies may cut
screening errors, says US study
BBC Online
US scientists have found a way they believe may cut the
number of mistakes made by medical staff looking for
breast and cervical cancers.
Writing in the journal Current Biology, the researchers
say that people in all walks of life looking for rare
events often miss them.
But accuracy improves if people first get used to looking
at samples of what they need to find. Screening
professionals said it was a recognised problem. They
carried out a study which showed that the number of
mistakes made during a visual search varied according to
the chances of finding the "target".
Time searching
Twelve volunteers were asked to identify target items in
X-ray images of assorted objects in empty bags.
The accuracy of their search was monitored as the
frequency of the target was altered.
The laboratory resu-lts are to be tested in clinics and
airports.
The study found that the amount of time the observers
spent looking for something depended on how often if
appeared. "If you don't find it often, you often don't
find it," said lead author, Jeremy Wolfe of Harvard
Medical School. "If you are trying to find 20 cases of
breast cancer from 40 mammograms, you'll find more of them
than if you look for the same 20 cases from 2,000
mammograms.
"From an evolutionary point of view it makes sense for
people to give up searching more quickly if they don't
expect to find what they were looking for," he said.
"If you know berries are there, you keep looking until you
find them. If they are never there, you don't spend your
time hunting."
Business/Economy
Bangladesh to see huge
investment in 2011: Dilip
UNB, Dhaka
Industries Minister Dilip Barua Sunday said Bangladesh
will see huge investment in its industrial sector in 2011,
as the government has been able to ensure an
investment-friendly political environment in the country.
"There'll be huge investment in the industrial sector in
2011," Dilip Barua said when the newly elected leaders of
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) met him at
his ministry office.
Barua said an industry-friendly atmosphere has created in
the country over the last one year due to various steps
taken by the government. "Investors both from home and
abroad have shown their keen interest to invest in
Bangladesh."
The minister said a research and development cell would be
set up in the Industries Ministry to help the
entrepreneurs from both home and abroad.
He also proposed signing a Memorandums of Understanding (MoU)
with various businesspeople and entrepreneurs to increase
public-private partnership in the industrial sector.
The DCCI leaders welcomed the steps taken to alleviate
poverty in the Draft Industrial Policy.
They also underscored the need for mitigating energy and
power crises, finalizing the national coal policy,
reforming the tax structure, modernizing Bangladesh
Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) and river and rail
network, and setting up of special economic zones with
support from private entrepreneurs to accelerate the
industrialization process.
In response, the minister said the present government is
committed to creating an industry-friendly environment and
assured of providing all possible cooperation to them from
his ministry. "Improving the capability of BSTI to ensure
quality products is under active consideration of the
present government," he told the DCCI delegation.
Industries secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain, DCCI president
Abul Kashem, senior-vice president M Shahjahan Khan,
vice-president Md Sirajuddin Malik, directors Major Md
Yead Ali Fakir (retd), TIM Nurul Kabir, Nessar Maksud
Khan, Asif Ibrahim, KG Karim and MS Shekil Chowdhury were,
among others, present at the meeting.
Airtel's
initial $300 m investment to give boost to economy of BD
BSS, Dhaka
Bharti Airtel's 300 million US dollar investment in the
telecom sector of Bangladesh would give a further boost to
its economy by making a revolutionary change in the fast
growing sector.
"Necessary transitions would be completed by two months as
we have agreed finally to acquire 70 percent stake of
Warid," said Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Airtel
(South Asia) Manoj Kholi announced at a press conference
here. Deputy chief executive officer Sanjoy Kapoor,
Director Narendar Gupta, expected Chief executive officer
for Bangladesh Chris Tobit and Chief Executive officer of
Warid Telecom Muneer Farooqui responded to various queries
raised by reporters at the press conference.
Earlier, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory
Commission (BTRC), the state-run telecom authority, gave a
go-ahead signal to the Bharti Airtel's 300 million US
dollar initial investment proposal to buy 70 percent stake
in Warid, the fourth largest mobile company in Bangladesh.
Giving an overview of the Bharti Airtel Ltd, Sanjoy Kapoor
said since the inception of the Airtel in 1995, it has so
far 3 million fixed phones and broad brands in India. The
Airtel has expanded its operation in Sri Lanka last year.
He described branding of products as key success factor of
Airtel and said partner echo-system, innovation, service
quality and customers care with affordable prices
considering their level of incomes largely depend on
further expansion of any company. Kapoor hoped that
cultural proximity between Bangladesh and India would be
shown to a large extent with the primary investment that
would be increased further. Initially 300 million US
dollar would be invested for market roll out, development,
innovative plans and network expansion.
Asked why Airtel chosen Bangladesh for telecom investment,
he said Bangladesh has been considering as an emerging
market in telecom sector with 32 percent mobile
penetration.
Warid would continue to have 30 percent stake in
Bangladesh, said Muneer Farooqui.
Official sources said Bharti Airtel is one of the Asia's
leading providers of telecom services with presence in all
the 22 licensed jurisdictions in India, and in Sri Lanka.
Warid made its Bangladesh debut as the sixth operator in
May 2007 and has roped in 2.92 million subscribers until
November last year.
Grameenphone is the market leader in the 50.55-million
mobile market with 22.75 million customers followed by
Bangalink's 12.99 million and AKTEL's 8.87 million.
Asia's IT parts makers
struggle with demand boom
AFP, Taipei
Wrong-footed by rocketing consumer demand, Asian
technology suppliers are scrambling to expand capacity
before inventories run dry of everything from
semiconductors to flat-panel screens.
Asian components makers, betting on a much longer economic
downturn, last year ran down their stockpiles to "very
unhealthy levels", according to Nancy Liu, an analyst at
Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute.
But demand worldwide for gadgetry ranging from computers
to smartphones and liquid-crystal displays is zooming
ahead, even if the West's retail sales as a whole are
still sluggish. And China is a boom market all by itself.
Jin Sung-Hye, an analyst with South Korea's Shinhan
Investment Corp., said Asian component makers were now
rushing to ramp up production after failing to forecast
the consumer recovery. "However, higher component prices
will not lead to a drastic increase in PC prices, as
makers are under pressure to produce upgraded models," she
said.
Makers of computers and consumer electronics could instead
see their profit margins squeezed, given cut-throat
industry competition with consumers used to ever-falling
prices on the high street.
And consumers themselves might have to get used to delays
in procuring the latest must-have gadgets, a problem that
has afflicted Apple's iPhone as Taiwanese chip suppliers
struggle to keep up.
Component shortages will linger, with analysts saying it
typically takes 15 months from the time a manufacturer
decides to boost capacity until production actually picks
up.
"Shortages are expected to continue throughout this year
and possibly into early next year if the global economy
maintains the current pace of recovery," Jin said.
US giant Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, last week
reported its net profit soared nearly nine-fold to 2.3
billion dollars in the last quarter of 2009.
Its booming sales came as industry tracker IDC reported
that US computer shipments topped 20 million in the fourth
quarter, a record figure, while global PC shipments jumped
15.2 percent year-on-year.
Greece ready for more action on
economic crisis
AFP, Athens
The Greek government will take any new measures needed to
tackle the debt-ridden economy after submitting a crisis
plan to the European Union, the finance minister said in
an interview published Sunday.
"If there is something lacking, we will take additional
measures," George Papaconstantinou told the To Vima
newspaper.
Greece on Friday submitted a growth and stability
programme to the European Commission detailing measures to
bring the country out of its major financial crisis.
Greece has a public spending deficit that rose to 12.7
percent of output last year, far above the 3.0 percent
ceiling for countries using the euro currency.
It is also saddled with a debt constituting 113 percent of
gross domestic product, which last month prompted the
leading rating agencies to downgrade Greece's credit
standing. The Socialist government, which came to power in
October, on Thursday unveiled a three-year crisis
blueprint to cut back a public deficit of over 30 billion
euros (43.1 billion dollars) and rein in government debt
estimated to exceed 294 billion euros this year.
The plan aims to save more than 10.3 billion euros in 2010
with improved tax collection, cost cuts and reduced arms
spending to bring the public deficit to 2.8 percent of
output by 2012.
Greece has suffered a credibility problem over unreliable
economic figures and European finance ministers on Tuesday
are expected to tell Athens to clean up its accounting and
improve the administration of key institutions, according
to a draft statement seen by AFP.
The markets "are cautious and the climate is not
positive", Papaconstantinou told the newspaper, adding
that "many countries have similar problems with their
public finances but none has suffered this huge lack of
credibility" like Greece.
"As a new government, our priority of re-establishing
reliability in our statistics and outlining our growth and
stability programme has helped create a new climate of
hope but there is still work to do," he said.
Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose
country holds the rotating EU presidency, said that he had
faith in Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou's
government.
"We have to trust the new government. They have put
forward a credible fiscal consolidation plan. Me, I have
faith in Papandreou," Zapatero told the El Pais daily.
He said that at the last European summit "there was a
general feeling of support for Greece" and that there was
a "demanding but reasonable feeling of solidarity" among
eurozone countries.
Saudi's private sector sees
recovery
Gulfnews
Saudi Arabia's private sector growth is expected to
recover to 3.7 per cent in 2010, but will continue
lingering below 4.7 per cent of 2008, prior to the global
financial crisis, Credit Agricole's Saudi affiliate said.
The growth in the private sector - which hit a 14-year low
of 2.5 per cent in 2009 - will be driven mainly by state
spending and bank lending, Banque Saudi Fransi said in a
report issued over the weekend.
Lending is expected to grow eight per cent this year, up
from 2.1 per cent in 2009, but still down from a 27 per
cent rise in 2008.
The report said the Saudi central bank is more likely to
raise interest rates than lower them in 2010 in order to
counter a possible surge in inflationary pressures.
The government has set spending at 540 billion riyals
(Dh530 billion) in 2010, up 13.7 per cent from projected
state expenditures in 2009.
The private sector accounts for about 46 per cent of the
kingdom's GDP.
"The largest budget in Saudi history is designed to
encourage private sector businesses to loosen their purse
strings and urge banks, awash with liquidity, to jumpstart
lending following a slow 2009," it said.
The global economic slowdown coupled with a drop in oil
revenues - the domestic economy's backbone - slowed the
Saudi economy to the verge of contraction in 2009, likely
eking out growth of 0.15 per cent compared to 4.3 per cent
in 2008.
Problems were further aggravated by multi-billion dollar
debt defaults last year by some family-owned firms, which
made banks more meticulous on lending and hurt profits
after rapid lending growth over the previous six years.
As a result, unemployment among the native Saudi
population more than doubled to 15.2 per cent in 2009 from
6.2 per cent a year earlier, the report's data showed.
"[The] expansion of the private sector is set to take a
turn for the better along with credit expansion at Saudi
banks ... Our view [is] that improvements in business
activity will be gradual and cautious," Fransi said.The
bank expects Saudi GDP to grow 3.9 per cent in 2010.
Govt to arrest price rise: India's PM
BSS/PTI, Kolkata
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday assured a
Congress delegation here that the Centre would take steps
to arrest the rise in prices of essential commodities,
according to West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee
working President Subrata Mukherjee.
Mukherjee, who was among a 37-member PCC delegation which
called on the Prime Minister at Raj Bhavan, said Singh had
informed them that steps would be taken for dehoarding. A
meeting of Chief Ministers had been called to discuss the
price rise issue, Mukherjee said quoting Singh.
Mukherjee, the state Indian Trade Union Congress (INTUC)
President, said he had also sought the Prime Minister's
intervention into the month-long strike in the jute
industry.
"The Prime Minister assured to take up the issue with the
Union Textiles Minister."
The delegation also highlighted the law and order
situation and alleged spurt in political violence in the
left-ruled state.
Bahrain
introduces Grameen type bank
UNB, Dhaka
Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Chairman
of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Charities
Organization, Prince Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa
have inaugurated the Family Bank, a microfinance bank
licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain, at a ceremony
held at the Gulf Hotel Convention Hall in Bahrain.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of King Hamad
bin Isa Al Khalifa and attended by the Minister for Social
Development Dr. Fatima Al Balooshi, said a Grameen press
release.
The Family Bank will provide collateral-free micro-credit
to the needy families of Bahrain following the Grameen
Bank Approach. Besides a window for the 'Grameen Model',
the Family Bank will also lend to individuals for
investments in micro-enterprise and work as a wholesale
fund to support NGO's providing micro-credit in the
Kingdom.
Since 2007 Grameen Trust, member of Grameen family of
companies, has been working with the Government of Bahrain
developing the Family Bank.
The initiative to establish a microfinance bank in Bahrain
started through the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding between the Ministry of Social Development
and Grameen Trust during Professor Yunus' visit to the
Kingdom in February 2007 at the invitation of Shaikh
Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and
Commander in Chief of Bahrain Defense Forces. During the
visit, Professor Yunus was given the state Honour by the
King by giving the Medal of the First Order of Merit, the
highest honor of the Kingdom of Bahrain.
National
Getting crop loans from state-owned
banks
Sharecroppers facing harassment
UNB, Thakurgaon, Jan 17
Sharecroppers of the district have been facing harassment
in getting crop loans from the state-owned banks due to
non-cooperation of the land-owners and bank officials.
Although the government announced soft loans for
sharecroppers on easy terms and conditions many
sharecroppers are not getting the loans due to various
complications. Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank (RAKUB)
disbursed Tk 18 lakh while Sonali and Agrani Bank Tk 7
lakh as crop loans among the farmers of the district since
November last year.
Only 204 sharecroppers got loans form RAKUB during this
period while 314 received loans from Sonali Bank in
Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts. An official of Sonali
Bank said sharecroppers who have 17% land of his own are
eligible to get the loans.
On the other hand, RAKUB gives loans to those
sharecroppers who have 50% land of their own.
Sharecroppers have been facing problems due to various
complicated rules and regulations in getting loans from
the different banks.
Besides, many sharecroppers are not getting loans as the
land owners are not co-operating with them in receiving
the loans.
The signature of the land owners is needed for getting
loans of the sharecroppers as their guarantor but the in
most cases land owners are showing reluctance to extend
their co-operation.
Sources said Janata Bank disbursed crop loans of Tk 1.75
crore through its 11 branches but no sharecroppers got
this loan. Agrani Bank also disbursed Tk 4.55 lakh among
35 sharecroppers during this period. Many sharecroppers
alleged that they got loans by bribing the bank officials
and CBA leaders.
Fog damages Boro seedbeds
UNB, Madaripur, Jan 17
Farmers of four upazilas of the district are facing
serious problems as a big portion of their Boro seedbeds
have been damaged due to two times severe cold and dense
fog.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said a
target was set to bring 45,008 hectares of land under Boro
cultivation in the current season and 2,219 hectares of
seedbeds were prepared for implementing the scheme.
But the seedlings of many seedbeds are turning yellowish
due to the biting cold persisting in last 10 days, causing
frustration among the farmers as their production cost has
also increased for saving their seedbeds by using
medicine.
Sagir Ahmed, a farmer of Sadar upazila, said some 70
percent seedbeds have been damaged due to severe cold and
fog.
"At present, a bundle of 100 seedlings are being sold at
Tk 125/130 against the last year's price of Tk 30/35. Due
to high price of seedlings, poor farmers cannot cultivate
their land," he said.
Rafikul Islam, Deputy Director of DAE, said seedlings have
been turning yellowish due to the biting cold, but it will
become normal with the rise in temperature.
CLP
goes for char dwellers
BSS, Gaibandha, Jan 17
Chars Livelihoods programme (CLP), funded by DFID, UK and
sponsored by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural
Development is going on in full swing in Sundarganj
Upazila of the district from July 2007.
The aim of the programme is to improve the livelihood
security of the poorest of people living in the riverine
areas of the upazilas in the district, sources said.
To activate the char economy through ensuring overall
development in various sectors in the char areas is also
the objective of the programme.
Akota, a local non-government-organization, is
implementing the programme in Kapasia, Horipur, Belka and
Tarapur Unions under Sundarganj Upazila of the district.
A total of 2,284 char dwellers of the unions have been
brought under this programme so far and many welfare
activities under six components - livelihood, social
development, education, infrastructure developments,
enterprise development and village savings and loan
association are being done for them, said M. Rafiqul
Islam, project manager of Akota-CLP.
The welfare activities include transfer of assets like cow
and goat, distribution of stipend, seed, saplings,
fertilizer and other agri-related inputs, raising of
homestead, construction of house and installation of
Sanitary latrines for the beneficiaries of the programme.
Apart from this, the selected beneficiaries are also being
imparted training on various issues including health,
family planning, nutrition, cleanliness and income
generating activities under this programme so that they
can change their socio-economic condition and be
self-reliant gradually side by side with improving their
overall livelihoods in the char areas.
Women uplift
must for sustainable development
BSS, Rajshahi
Participants at a participatory workshop here Sunday
unequivocally called for women uplift for sustainable
national development along with economic emancipation.
In this regard, they also viewed that substantial
improvement of the nation is impossible by keeping the
womenfolk, who constitute half of the total population,
beyond the development process. They also said importance
should also be given on ensuring equality and equity in
health, nutrition, education and employment for them for
overall development of the nation.
Institute for Environment and Development (IED) and
Jonoudyog, Rajshahi jointly organized the discussion
styled "Sharing of Findings: Status of Women in Poverty
Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) in Bangladesh" at the
conference hall of Association of Community Development.
Consultant of Finance Ministry Dr Kaniz N. Siddique
addressed the workshop as focal person illustrating
various key- points of the first PRSP relating to women
development and the major limitations.
She revealed that there were numerous limitations and
loopholes in the first PRSP towards addressing the
vulnerable issues of the women and to cut their poverty.
She, however, underscored the need for making the
womenfolk socially, economically and politically empowered
in the greater interest of enhancing their self-confidence
and said there is no alternative to make the women self-
dependent.
Frequent arrangements for free medical camps in
remote areas stressed
BSS, Rangpur
Abul Kalam Azad, MP, of Pirganj constituency in Rangpur
has urged for frequent arrangements for free medical camps
comprising specialists can help provide modern medicare
services at the grassroots.
He said this while addressing a daylong free medical camp
organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial
Trust at Shah Abdur Rouf Degree College ground in Pirganj
upazila of Rangpur on Saturday.
The camp was organised as part of the countrywide
programme of the Trust to provide free medicare services
and medicines for the poorer section of rural people who
do not have access to avail the same from the specialist
doctors and physicians at the grassroots.
Over 1,000 patients were provided with the latest medicare
services, treatments and medicines by 31 specialist
physicians at 12 booths and the patients were given
medicines free of costs through four more booths arranged
on the occasion there.
Principal of Rangpur Medical College Prof Dr Abdur Rouf,
Rangpur Civil Surgeon Dr Shah M Rezaul Islam, specialists
Dr BD Bidhu, Dr Hridoy Ranjan Roy, Dr Bikash Majumdar, Dr
Abdus Sattar, Dr Shuja Ud Doula, Dr Rafikul Sarwar, Dr
Abdul Wahed Tipu, Dr Nahas Farid, Dr Animesh Majumdar,
among others, provided treatments.
President of Rangpur district unit of Swadhinata
Chikitshak Parishad Dr Delwar Hossain monitored the
overall activities in all booths to ensure smooth conduct
of the free medical camp.
Talking to BSS, housewife Maloti Rani, 25 of village
Sonerhat, Abdul Jalil, 45, of Gangarampur and parents of
minor patient Hridoy, 5, expressed their emotional
gratitude after getting free medical treatments from the
renowned specialists at the home area.
SMEs
& farmers to get Tk 45 cr loans in Gaibandha
BSS, Gaibandha
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and farmers of the
district will get easy-term loans of Taka 45 crore to
alleviate poverty and improve socio-economic conditions.
The loans will help increase productions and incomes of
the small and medium farmers and entrepreneurs to
contribute to the government's programme of building a
digital Bangladesh.
ASA, an NGO, has taken this massive six-month loan
programme from January to June at a coordination meeting
for the branch managers at Polashbari upazila parishad
auditorium in the district on Saturday, additional
district manager (ADM) Ashraful Islam of Gaibandha said.
Chaired by the ADM, the half-yearly coordination meetings
were attended by Director of the ASA Nelson Rema as the
chief guest while Gaibandha district managers of the ASA
Hasmat Ali and RM Khalilur Rahman were present as special
guests.
A total of 69 branch managers of the district, seven
regional managers and two computer engineers of the ASA
took part in the meeting where performances and
achievements of the NGO during the past six months were
also evaluated.
The meeting unanimously decided to disburse Taka 15 crore
easy-term loans among the small and medium scale farmers
and Taka 30 crore among the small scale entrepreneurs, who
are not members of the NGO, to enhance the socio-economy
in the district.
The loans will be disbursed in the form of agro-machinery,
cottage industries, various inputs for agro and other
income generating activities, small-scale entrepreneurs
and other related sectors to ensure productions and
development of the beneficiaries.
‘Communication sector gets
priority for development’
BSS, Rangpur
President of the "Anumito Hisab Somporkito Sangshadiyo
Sthayee Committee' HN Ashiqur Rahman, MP, has said the
present government gave due importance to develop the
community sector for rapid economic advancements.
He said this while addressing the launching ceremony of
the construction of a new bridge at Rahamatpur Ghat point
on the river Ghaghot in Imadpur union under Mithapukur
upazila here as the chief guest last afternoon.
Chaired by DC of Rangpur BM Enamul Haque, speakers said
the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED)
will complete construction of the 210 metre long and 24
metre width bridge at a cost of Taka two crore within one
year.
Rehana Ashiqur Rahman, convener of district Awami League;
Abul Mansur Ahmed, upazila chairman; Zakir Hossain,
superintending engineer of LGED; Shahidur Rahman Pramanik,
Project Director; Zafrul Islam, executive engineer, and
union chairman Tazul Islam addressed the ceremony.
After completion of the bridge, the long-cherished demand
of the people of the area will be fulfilled and they will
have better road communications with adjoining Sadullapur
upazila in Gaibandha, Gaibandha district and other parts
of the country.
JU dean election on Jan 21
BSS, Jahangirnagar University
The election to the deans of different faculties of
Jahangirnagar University will be held on January 21.
A total 10 candidates will vie against four posts of four
faculties in the election. Registrar of JU Abu Bakar
Siddique told BSS that the final list have been confirmed
for the respective posts.
The election will be held at the University club of JU.
The ten candidates are; Prof Ausit Baran Paul and Prof
Mohammad Mozammel Haque of Archeology department for the
faculty of Arts and Humanities, Prof Mohammad Nurul Alam
of Physics and Prof Mohammad Mahbub Kabir of Chemistry for
faculty of Mathematical and Physical Science, Prof Abdul
Zabbar Hauladar of Zoology and Prof Sohel Rana of Pharmacy
for the faculty of Biological Science and Prof Sazed
Ashraf Karim of Geography and Environment, Prof Samsul
Alam Selim and Prof Nasim Akhtar Hossain of Government and
Politics, and Associate Prof Manos Kumar Choudhury of
Anthropology for the faculty of Social Science.
Sports
Bangladesh dents India’s batting pride
AFP, Chittagong
Shakib Al Hasan and Shahadat Hossain shared eight wickets to
spark India's collapse in the first Test against Bangladesh
here on Sunday.
Left-arm spinner Shakib took 4-52 and paceman Shahadat 4-51 as
world number one India struggled to reach 213-8 when the
opening day's play was called off nearly 30 minutes before
scheduled close due to bad light.
Double world-record holder Sachin Tendulkar (76 not out) and
stand-in captain Virender Sehwag (52) were the only batsmen to
give a good account of themselves in a dismal batting
performance. The others failed to cope with a disciplined
pace-spin combination, just a day after Sehwag had described
Bangladesh as an "ordinary side." Bangladesh had a chance to
dismiss Tendulkar on 16, but Imrul Kayes dropped a catch at
first slip off debutant paceman Shaiful Islam.
Tendulkar, 36, also became the first batsman to complete
13,000 Test runs during his 140-ball knock, achieving the feat
when he pulled off-spinner Moha-mmad Mahmudullah for a four in
the second session.
He has so far made 13,046 runs in 163 Tests. He is also the
world's leading scorer in one-day internationals (17,394) and
holds the records for maximum number of centuries in both
Tests (43) and one-dayers (45). In the current Test Tendulkar
has so far hit one six and six fours.
India was comfortably placed at 79 for no loss before losing
its way in the second session, which saw the visitors lose six
wickets for 97 runs.
India's batting woes began with the dismissal of Sehwag, who
uppishly drove Shakib to Tamim Iqbal at short cover after
hitting nine fours in a brisk 51-ball knock for his 20th Test
half-century.
Sehwag, unbeaten on 38 at lunch, completed his half-century
immediately after the interval when he hammered Shahadat for
three fours in an over.
Left-handed Gautam Gambhir (23) fell to a loose shot at the
same total of 79, chasing an away-going delivery from Shahadat
to be caught behind.
The Bangladeshi paceman struck again when he removed Rahul
Dravid (four), who was bowled while attempting to work the
ball on the on-side.
Shakib got his second wicket when he had Venkatsai Laxman
(seven) stumped by Mushfiqur Rahim, who broke the stumps when
the batsman lost balance after inside-edging a delivery on to
his pads. Yuvraj Singh also did not last long, hitting a
Shakib full-toss straight to Rubel Hossain at mid-on after
contributing just 12.
Dinesh Karthik fell for a duck, caught by a diving Raqibul
Hasan at gully off Shahadat.
India lost two more wickets in the last session, with Shahadat
removing Amit Mishra (14) and Shakib accounting for Zaheer
Khan (11). Bangladesh skipper Shakib put India in to bat in
overcast conditions after the match started 90 minutes late
due to fog, but his fast bowlers failed to strike in the
opening hour.
India earlier suffered a double blow when regular captain
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (back spasms) and off-spinner Harbhajan
Singh (stiff neck) were ruled out of the match. They were
replaced by Karthik and leg-spinner Mishra.
Scorecard
India 1st innings:
G. Gambhir c Rahim
b Shahadat 23
V. Sehwag c Tamim
b Shakib 52
R. Dravid b Shahadat 4
S. Tendulkar not out 76
V. Laxman st Rahim
b Shakib 7
Yuvraj Singh c Rubel
b Shakib 12
D. Karthik c Raqibul
b Shahadat 0
A. Mishra lbw b
Shahadat 14
Zaheer Khan c Raqibul
b Shakib 11
I. Sharma not out 1
Extras: (b1, lb6, nb5, w1) 13 Total: (for eight wickets;
63 overs) 213
Falls: 1-79 (Sehwag), 2-79 (Gambhir), 3-85 (Dravid), 4-107 (Laxman),
5-149 (Yuvraj), 6-150 (Karthik), 7-182 (Mishra), 8-209 (Zaheer).
Bowling: Shafiul 9-1-41-0, Shahadat 14-1-51-4 (nb2, w1), Rubel
10-0-40-0 (nb3), Shakib 26-9-52-4, Mahmu-dullah 3-0-17-0,
Ashraful 1-0-5-0.
Toss: Bangladesh
Umpires: Billy Bowden (NZL) and Marais Erasmus (RSA)
TV umpire: Enamul Haque (BAN)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM).
Bangladesh
targets two golds in karate
TBT Report
Bangladesh Karate Team is expecting at least two gold medals
in the forthcoming 11th South Asian Games (SAG), commencing in
Dhaka on January 29.
Bangladesh Karate Federation (BKF) has selected 10 players for
contesting in the 11 events of Karate in the South Asian
event, General Secretary of BKF Moazzem Hossain Sentu told
reporters at a news conference at Olympic Bhaban in Dhaka on
Sunday.
"We have bright prospects to win golds in individual Kata, in
both men and women's event. We're very much impressed with the
performance of Jaw Yu Prue and Iftekhar Hossain Parvez.
Hopefully they'll strike golds in the meet," he said.
Bangladesh won five bronze medals and one silver in the last
SAG in 2006.
"This time we've taken enough preparations for the Games. Four
Japanese coaches worked with the Bangladesh Karate Team during
the last one year. If everything goes all right and we get the
blessings of God, we'll achieve the target," BKF President
Masum Parvez Rubel said.
To reach the target, Afghanistan could be the main rival
against Bangladesh. "Most of the Afghan players live and
practice in Iran , where the standard of Karate is very much
high than the South Asian level. Earlier, every time we missed
gold after coming into the touching distance of gold. But this
time we're well-prepared and are hoping for the best," Rubel,
a popular film actor of the country, said.
Japanese coach Masayoshi Kagawa, who has been looking after
the team for four months, also sounded optimistic with the
prospect of Bangladesh Karate Team and is expecting good show
from the boys in the impending competitions.
Players: Shamim Osman, Sujon Islam, Iftekhar Hossain Parvez,
Syed Nuruzzaman Cynthia, Hasan Khan Sun, Hossain Khan Moon,
Mariam Khatun Bipasha, Jaw Yu Prue, Munnee Khanom and Husainu.
Officials: M Samshir Alam Bhuiyan (Manager), Masa-yoshi Kagawa
(Head Coach), Nazmul Morshed (Coach-Kumite) and Moazzem
Hossain Sentu (Coach-Kata).
Bangladesh eyes two golds in SAG
athletics
TBT Report
Bangladesh is eyeing 10 medals, including two golds, in
the upcoming athletics competitions of the 11th South
Asian Games (SAG).
Bangladesh athletes took year-long preparations at
Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protishthan for taking part in
the 23 events -- 15 men's and eight women's events, the
General Secretary of Bangladesh Athletics Federation (BAF)
M Shah Alam said at a news conference at Olympic Bhaban in
the city on Sunday.
BAF announced a 48-member Bangladesh Athletics Squad,
including 10 officials, during the conference.
"We're hopeful to win not less than two golds in the SAG
athletics competitions. Hurdler Sumita Rani timed well in
the women's 100 metre hurdles in the practice sessions and
raised hopes to shine in the meet. We're also hoping a
gold in men's 4X100 metre relay," athletics coach Kitab
Ali told the media people.
"Mizanur Rahman, Golam Mortuza, Masudul Karim, Khalilur
Rahman or Asadur Rahman will compete in the men's 4X100
metre relay. They performed very good timings, which made
us optimistic to lift gold," the coach added.
The performances of the Bangladesh athletes were assessed
by the hand timers in the practice sessions and the
timings can vary to some extent with electronic devices,
the BAF General Secretary M Shah Alam said.
"However, we're confident to win at least two golds, three
silvers and five bronze medals in the SAG athletics
competitions," the General Secretary hoped.
Mahfuzur Rahman won the only gold for Bangladesh in the
110 metre hurdles in the last SAG in 2006 but this time he
is not taking part in the competition.
Bangladesh Athletics Squad:
Players: Afzal Hossen, Asadul Islam, Dipankar Roy,
Azaharul Islam, Firoz Khan, Golam Mortaza, Golam Moula, DM
Salim Mia, Abdur Rahman, Al-Amin, Aminul Islam, Awlad
Hossain, Azharul Islam, Firoz Sarkar, Imran Bhuiyan,
Junaid Biswas, Kabirul Islam, Khalilur Rahman, Mahbubur
Rah-man, Masudul Karim, Mizanur Rahman, Shahin Islam,
Shahidul Islam, Shahin Alam, Shajib Hossain, Tuhin Hossain,
Obaidur Rahman, Foujia Huda, Jasmin Akhter, Khurshida
Khatun, Ishrat Jahan, Najmun Nahar, Nurjahan Mollick,
Roso-nara, Shathi Parvin, Samsu-nnahar Chumki, Shapla
Khatun, Sumita Rani,
Officials: Kitab Ali, Nazrul Islam Rumi, Mahbuba Islam
Baly, Abdul Karim, Rafiqul Islam (Coaches), Farid Khan
Chowdhury, Mahabub Alam (Trainers), Ali Imam Tapan
(Manager), Manzur Murshed (Assistant Managers-Men's Team)
and Sharmishtha Roy (Assistant Manager-Women's Team).
Federer, Serena in Haiti fundraiser
AFP, Melbourne
The top stars in tennis raised at least 200,000 dollars
(185,000 US) for the Haiti earthquake victims Sunday in a
hastily-arranged charity doubles match led by Roger
Federer and Serena Williams.
Federer organised the event in Rod Laver Arena on the eve
of the Australian Open after watching the tragic events in
the Caribbean nation unfold on television. "I followed it
on the TV and saw the devastation," said the Swiss
superstar.
"On Saturday morning I thought we should do something, I
called up Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley and said 'is
it possible?'
"I called up a few players just in case and they were
like, 'we should do it straight away.' In 24 hours we were
able to pull this thing off."
Federer managed to rustle up fellow world number one
Williams, Rafael Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Novak Djokovic,
Andy Roddick and Australian favourites Lleyton Hewitt and
Samantha Stosur. Despite the late notice, it was sell-out
with 15,000 fans packing Rod Laver Arena and paying 10
dollars (nine US) each, with all the proceeds going to
Partners in Health, a charity aiding Haiti.
Tiley said it was too soon to put a figure on money
raised, but said it would be at least 200,000 dollars
(185,000 US). The players were split into two teams, red
and blue, the colours of the Haitian flag, with former
Grand Slam champion Jim Courier in the umpire's chair.
Clijsters, Djokovic, Nadal and Roddick were on the Blues
and the rest on the Reds, with Federer's team winning the
light-hearted match 7-6. Thee players were fitted with
portable microphones to joke with the crowd.
Messi joins Barcelona 100-goal club
AFP, Madrid
Lionel Messi scored his 100th Barcelona goal on Saturday
as the Spanish champion thumped Sevilla 4-0 at Camp Nou to
go five points clear of Real Madrid.
Messi, 22, scored twice in the final five minutes to make
it five goals in his last two matches and take his career
total to 101, becoming the youngest player in the club's
illustrious history to reach the landmark.
An own goal from Julien Escude and a Pedro Rodriguez
strike capped a miserable second half for Sevilla who paid
a heavy price for knocking Barcelona out of the Kings Cup
in midweek.
Real had crashed to their third defeat of the season with
a 1-0 loss at Athletic Bilbao earlier on Saturday and
Barca made them pay for the slip-up notching their first
home win of 2010 to open up a five-point cushion. "There
is the whole second half of the season to go so we
shouldn't get too complacent," said Messi, who leads the
goalscoring charts with 14 goals.
It was the third meeting between Barca and Sevilla in 11
days and after losing out in the cup Barcelona set the
score straight as Sevilla fell to a fourth consecutive
league defeat and now languish down in sixth.
Bilbao are now level on points with Sevilla after their
battling 1-0 win over Real at San Mames.
Spanish international forward Fernando Llorente headed the
decisive goal after just two minutes and Bilbao survived
an onslaught - with Karim Benzema, Kaka and Cristiano
Ronaldo all going close - to hold on for an historic win.
"We created the chances to get a better result and there
was almost only one team on the pitch," said Real coach
Manuel Pellegrini. "However, you have to have some luck to
convert these chances. When you lose you have obviously
not done something right.
"There is a long way to go in the league with more than
half of it remaining. Now it is important we beat Malaga
at home (in the next league match)."
Bangladesh suffers one-run defeat against West
Indies
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh suffered a frustrating one-run defeat against
West Indies in its 2nd Group D match of the ICC Under-19
Cricket World Cup at Fitzerbert Park in Nwe Zealand on
Sunday.
With the day's debacle, the quarterfinal berth of
Bangladesh has became uncertain despite they made a good
start in the Youth World Cup beating Papua New Guinea (PNG)
by five wickets in their first appearance on Saturday.
In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will play mighty
Pakistan on Jan 20 at the same venue to decide their fate
for the quarterfinals. Favored by coin in the day's match,
West Indies team batted first and scored a moderate total
of 249 for 8 in stipulated 50 overs AS Creary making 55
runs off 83 deliveries with seven fours.
Shaker Ahmed and Abul Hasan grabbed two wickets each
conceding 39 and for 55 runs respectively while Mominul
Haque and skipper Mahmudul Hasan took one wicket each
giving away 27 and 48 runs. Chasing a modest target of 250
runs, Bangladesh were miserably all out for 248 runs with
two more balls to spare leaving wickets on regular
interval.
But sixth batsman Shabbir Rahman partnering with Tasamul
Haque made some resistance against Cari-bbean bowling
attack and scored 73 runs in the 6th wicket pair. Tasamul
Haque contributed Bangladesh highest 54 runs off 57 balls
featuring three fours, Shabbir Rahman scored 53 runs off
52 balls hitting six boundaries while captain Mah-mudul
Hasan made 32 off 58 balls with one four.
Besides, Alauddin Babu (16), Anamul Haque (15), Amith
Majumder (14), Saikat Ali (14), Mominul Haque (13) were
the other notable scorers.
Chittagong earns
122-run win over Barisal
UNB, Dhaka
Chittagong Division earned a comprehensive 122-run victory
over Barisal Division in their opening match of the 11th
National Cricket League concluded on the 4th and final day
at Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna on Sunday.
Earlier, holder Rajshahi Division made a flying start
outplaying Sylhet Division by innings and 139 runs while
Dhaka Division also managed a comfortable eight-wicket win
over Khulna Division, both concluded on the third-day of
the four-day affairs on Saturday.
Chasing a target of 231 runs, Khulna Division resumed the
2nd innings on the 4th and final day, today (Sunday) with
an overnight score of 53 for 5 and were all out before
lunch scoring 108 runs in 47.4 overs. Earlier, Khulna
Division scored 239 runs in the first innings while
Chittagong Division scored 200 runs in the first innings
and 269 runs in the 2nd innings.
Opener Asif Ahmed (27), night-watch batsman Sajedul Islam
(17), lower order Shohag Gazi (25) and Arafat Sunny (11)
were the major scorers for Barisal Division in the 2nd
innings.
Pacer Tareq Aziz, who claimed one wicket for 27 runs on
Saturday, finally grabbed four wickets for 55 runs while
Kamrul Islam bagged three wickets for 24 runs. Faisal
Hossain of Chittagong Division, who earlier scored 73 and
67 runs in two innings, also two took two wickets for 8
runs and was adjudged man of the match.
The 2nd round of the four-day National Cricket League
begins on Jan 20. Chitta-gong will play holder Rajshahi at
BKSP, Khulna face Sylhet in Bogra.
South Africa squares series
against England
AFP,
Johannesburg
Morne Morkel took three wickets in seven balls as South
Africa swept to a series-levelling victory on the fourth
day of the fourth and final Test at the Wanderers Stadium
on Sunday.
South Africa won by an innings and 74 runs when England
was bowled out for 169 in its second innings in the last
over before lunch.
Only Paul Collingwood stood firm for England, scoring 71
on a morning during which seven wickets fell for 121 runs.
Morkel finished with four for 59. He and Dale Steyn shared
14 wickets in a match dominated by the fast bowlers.
Collingwood batted aggressively at the start of the day,
scoring most of the runs and taking most of the strike as
he and Kevin Pietersen added 36 runs in 40 minutes to the
overnight total of 48 for three.
South African newcomer, left-arm fast bowler Wayne
Parnell, made the break-through when Pietersen chased a
wide delivery, slanting away from him, to be caught behind
by Mark Boucher for 12.
It completed a dis-appointing series for Pietersen, who
scored 177 runs in four matches at an average of 25.28.
Ian Bell made only five before he was Morkel's first
victim of the day, fending a sharply-lifting delivery to
Jacques Kallis at second slip. Two balls later Matt Prior
was out without scoring when an attempted hook looped off
a top edge and Graeme Smith was able to run back from
first slip to take the catch. In Morkel's next over Stuart
Broad gloved a catch down the leg side to Boucher. He was
given not out by umpire Steve Davis but South Africa
successfully sought a review.
Graeme Swann batted with his customary aggression, making
20 off 17 balls, before he edged an out-swinger from Dale
Steyn to AB de Villiers at third slip.
Collingwood's fighting innings ended when JP Duminy was
brought on to bowl his off-spinners. His first ball was a
long hop which Collingwood pulled straight to Morkel at
deep backward square leg.
Collingwood made 71 off 88 balls with 12 fours and a six.
Duminy wrapped up the win when Ryan Sidebottom swung and
missed to bowled by the fifth ball of the final over
before lunch.
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