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Leading News
Judges could not function due to
presence of joint force in court
Law Minister accuses CG
of snatching freedom of judiciary
BSS, Dhaka
Law, Justice and Parliamen-tary Affairs Minister Barrister
Shafique Ahmed Saturday lambasted the past caretaker
government saying "freedom of judiciary during that time
was in paper, not in practice."
"Judges could not perform their duties freely, members of
joint force used to present in the court room and monitor
functions of the court," he said at a function here
Saturday afternoon.
The minister was addressing the publication ceremony of a
book title- "Note from A Prison: Bangladesh"-authored by
Awami League Presidium Member and a lawmaker of the
present parliament Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir at BILIA
auditorium.
Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, who was detained in jail during
the caretaker government for eight months, described his
jail life and relating events in the book.
"There was no rule of law and constitutional rights at
that time", the law minister said adding the state of
emergency was imposed to harass the politicians.
Noted lawyer Barrister Rafiqul Huq, New Age editor Nurul
Kabir, author Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, industrialist Salman
F Rahman, President of International Rural Develop-ment (IRD)
Bangladesh chapter Dr William Suskine, publisher of the
book Mohiuddin Ahmed, took part in the discussion while
Borhan Uddin Khan Jahangir of Bangladesh Charcha was in
the chair.
The law minister said a person, however powerful he or she
might be, cannot do anything unconstitutional. "The people
of intelligence services always frightened us", he said.
Expressing his firm determination for trial of the war
criminals, Barrister Shafique said the persons who are
opposing the trial, are involved with the offense in any
way.
"There is no relation of religion and politics with the
trial of the war criminals", he said urging people to
forge unity so that the anti-liberation forces can undo
the process.
Barrister Rafiqul Huq said the caretaker government sued
Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir as he denied giving any statement
against Sheikh Hasina.
"The caretaker government made the country a mini jail",
he said observing that the persons involved with the
process of imposing state of emergency in the country
should be made accountable.
People
suffered prick of thorns spread by Khaleda during 2001-06
rule: PM
UNB, Chittagong
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina rebutted opposition leader
and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's comment that she would
pave the PM's way back home with thorns if she
"sacrificed" country's interests at talks during her India
visit, saying that people had enough of prickle pricks
during her opponent's rule.
"She (Khaleda) has said that she would pave my way with
thorns. Well. The countrymen had to take the prick of
thorns spread by her in their lives during her 2001-2006
rule," Hasina said addressing a function arranged at
Bahaddarhat on the occasion of laying foundation stone for
five flyovers at Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Sholosahar No 2
Gate, GEC and Kadamtuli Junction on Saturday afternoon.
The Prime Minister said the country's people did not
forget the miserable years under BNP-Jamaat alliance
regime when she alleged the ruling party killed thousands
of opposition leaders and activists. "Only in Chittagong
they killed eight Chhatra League workers; they even dared
to kill a Buddhist monk." She blamed the past BNP-Jamaat
government for the 1/11 political changeover and urged the
people to remain alert so that none could "play with the
democratic rights of the people again".
The Prime Minister at the function unveiled a mega-plan
for turning the port city into a well disciplined and
designed and modern city to build it as the "real
commercial capital" of the country. The flyovers will be
set up at a cost of Tk 260 crore to dilute traffic jams on
routes to and from the port city.
"I had made an election pledge to turn the port city into
a modern one. With the laying of the foundation stone, the
modernization begins," she told her audience.
The Prime Minister requested the city-dwellers not to harm
hills, lakes, rivers and other water bodies in and around
the port city by setting up unplanned houses, mills and
factories here and there.
shipyard
Accidents
Over 1,300 workers killed
in Chittagong in 12 years
BSS, Chittagong
Thirty workers were killed in accidents in different
shipyards in Chittagong in the last 11 months raising the
death toll from such accidents in the industry to more
than 1,300 in the last 12 years.
Over 10,000 workers were also injured as the rate of
accidents in the shipyards, being run without the 'final
certificate' of the Explosives Department and ignoring the
maritime policy, is increasing alarmingly.
Five workers were killed and 28 others injured in a gas
explosion at Diamond Shipbreaking Yard in Madambibir Hat
last week. Two days later, six workers suffered injuries
in another accident.
"Before conducting gas cutter in scrapped ship, releasing
of gas and other flammable things from its oil tanker and
gas cylinder is a must. But the ship-breaking firms are
not maintaining the system that led to the accidents
frequently in the industry," an official of the Explosives
Department told BSS Saturday.
Before beaching a ship at the outer anchorage, he said,
the department gives provisional certificate for 24 to 72
hours to free gas mechanically as the engine of the ship
remains active.
After its beaching at the yard, the department provides
permanent certificate to the ship after final observation
after gas and oil are freed from the ship for second time,
the official said.
According to section 38 of the Petroleum Act 1937, he
said, freeing gas is mandatory for two times. But the yard
owners are not sincere in freeing gas for the second time
after beaching ship, he added.
Besides, the official said, as per section 4 of the Fire
Prevention and Extinguish-ing Act, obtaining certificate
is mandatory for using fire-acitility flame. But according
to Mercantile Marine Department, no yard owners of the
Sitakunda Shipyard took any certificate after 1997.
Chittagong Divisional Director of the Department of
Environment Abdus Sobhan said there is a provision for
obtaining certificate of the department, but most of the
yard owners are not abiding by it.
"We have issued notice to this end but the High Court
stayed the operation of the notice on a writ petition," he
said.
President of Bangladesh Ship Breaker Owners Association
Zafar Alam said, "We cut the ships after maintaining the
rules of the Explosives Department and obtaining
certificate. But we do not take certificate of the
Department of Environment as it is not mandatory."
There are about 90 shipyards in 14 kilometres stretching
from Foujdarhat to Kumira in Sitakunda in the district.
BSF kills another Bangladeshi
812 people killed on
border in nine years
TBT Report
After a break for a few days, Indian Border Security Force
(BSF) has killed one more Bangladeshi man along Burimari
border in Patgram upazila in Lalmonirhat early Saturday
taking the total number of border killings of 86 since
January 1, 2009. Yesterday killing by BSF is the first
such incident in the new year 2010.
BSF promised not to commit atrocities on the border time
and again, the latest on November 11, 2009 in a sector
commanders meeting, but disregarded its own commitment.
According to UNB News Agency, BSF gunned down a
Bangladeshi cattle trader along Burimari border in Patgram
upazila early Saturday. The victim was identified as
Shahajahan Ali, 30, son of Zainal of Kashirdanga village
in the upazila. Burimari BOP Camp commander Subedar Abdul
Hamid said BSF troops from Changrabanda camp opened fire
on Shahajahan while he went near pillar No 843. They also
dragged away the body of the victim into their territory.
Meanwhile, BDR in a letter to their Indian counterparts
protested the killing and asked them to return the body of
Shahjahan immediately. According to statistics projected
by 'Odhikar', a non-government human rights watchdog, some
62 Bangladeshi civilians were killed by the Indian BSF
from January 1 to July 11, 2009. In more than nine years
between 1 January 2000 and 20 December 2009 a total of 812
people were reported killed, 854 injured and 897 abducted
by the BSF.
Shivering cold grips country
BSS, Dhaka
The shivering cold wave sweeping over different parts of
the country these days has put normal life somewhat into
disarray with possibility of further fall in the night's
temperature.
Dense fog forming larger as well as thicker canopies in
the morning and evening hours appear as real troubles for
the commuters, day laborers and vehicles, bringing a
prolonged laxity in daily works in a number of districts.
Met office sources told BSS here Saturday that the ongoing
mild cold wave over Rajshahi division including Chuadanga
and Jessore districts may continue and also grip Dhaka
division and the region up to Srimangal in the days ahead.
Moderate to thick fog may occur and night temperature may
fall slightly over the country. Saturday' lowest
temperature at 7.3 degrees Celsius was recorded in
Chuadanga while the highest at 27 degrees in Sylhet.
People in three northern districts-Dinajpur, Thakurgaon
and Panchagarh-in the Himalayan plain are also suffering
acutely due to intense cold. Especially, the elderly
people, minor boys and girls and the poor mass are
affected badly due to cold related disease in the region.
Hospital sources said 249 children and 42 elderly people
were already admitted in different hospital with cold
related diseases in Dinajpur district. Besides, doctors
said, patients with cold related diseases are increasing
in the outdoors of all hospitals.
Back Page
National policy for ship-breaking
industry soon: PM
Coastal tree cutters
should be jailed till new trees grow to felled trees'
heights, she says
UNB, Chittagong
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday declared that the
government is soon going to formulate national policy for
disciplining the mushrooming ship-breaking industry as it
cannot be allowed to run damaging country's environment
and biodiversity.
She also voiced a strong warning against those who have
felled thousands of trees in the coastal belt of
Chittagong and Cox's Bazar leaving thousands of coastal
inhabitants unprotected from natural calamities like
cyclones and tidal upsurges.
"It would be right if a person for felling an immature
tree without permission of the authorities concerned could
be thrown into jail for a term until a felled tree grows
up to its previous age," the Prime Minister said amid
claps from the audience at a function of the country's
engineers.
About the ship-breaking industry she said that they are
not against industry because it is a very important sector
for Bangladesh. "But we cannot allow people to cut trees
in the name of the industry. Recently, we had to see death
of some people in the industry. Such reckless indiscipline
must be stopped."
The Prime Minister was addressing the opening ceremony of
the 51st convention of the Institution of Engineering,
Bangladesh (IEB) on the premises of the IEB centre in the
port city. The convention was held with the theme
'Sustainable Technology for Digital Bangladesh', matching
the vision of her government.
Sheikh Hasina also urged the engineers to scrutinize all
environmental implications of development plans and
programmes before chalking out these.
"At any cost, we must save our natural environment and
biodiversity," she said.
Hasina voiced her deep concern over the drying up of
country's rivers and river erosion and requested the
engineers to find out easy solutions in order to save
people losing homes and property due to the river erosion.
She said the government has already formed the National
Dredging Committee and planned massive capital and
maintenance dredging project for the country's all major
rivers to bring back their navigability.
The Prime Minister also expressed her anxiety over gradual
reduction of agricultural lands for river erosion and the
setting up of homes for the growing population of the
country.
"But the fact is that we have to manage food for the 15
crore people from this limited and decreasing lands. To do
such a tough task, we need appropriate and sustainable
technology and our engineers have to play the key role in
making such mechanisms," she told the function.
Hasina stressed the need for ensuring sensible use of land
for setting up mills, factories and houses and giving up
all types of luxury and lavishness from individual to
state level for best use of the country's resources for
the sake of national welfare.
REHAB housing fair
kicks off Jan 5
TBT Report
Real Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh (REHAB),
the apex body of developers, will organize a five-day
annual housing fair in Dhaka from January 5 to offer
opportunities to clients to buy apartments and plots from
a single spot.
Some 268 organizations and financing companies will
showcase their services and products at the fair at Dhaka
Sheraton Hotel, organizers said at a press conference at
the national press club in the capital on Saturday.
State Minster for Housing & Public Works Advocate Abdul
Mannan Khan is expected to inaugurate 'REHAB Fair 2009',
which will remain open to visitors between 10:00am and
8:00pm everyday until January 9 with a Tk 50 entry ticket
for a single person. However, on the opening day visitors
will get access to the fair from 2:00pm, said the
organizers.
Tanveerul Haque Probal, President of REHAB, said Rehab has
also chalked out elaborate programmes to observe REHAB
Week 2009 on the sidelines of the fair.
About the overall performance of the sector, Tanveerul
Haque, said apartment sales increased around 15 percent
after the government had allowed investment of black money
in the sector in June. It helped the sector stage a
comeback amid global recession, he added.
"We expect to make up for the losses we incurred in the
first half through this annual REHAB housing fair."
The programmes of REHAB Week 2009 which will start today
(Sunday) include blood donation, various competition among
children, and cultural programme, he said.
REHAB organized its first housing fair in 1991 when only
11 companies took part.
Present government has
completely failed: Delwar
TBT REPORT
BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain alleged
that during the first one year of the present government
it has completely failed to deliver any good to the
people.
He made this remarks while addressing a reception marking
the elevation of Mirza Abbas, Gyaswar Chandra Roy and
Barkatullah Bulu's leadership in BNP politics. The
programme was organised by Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal at
Diploma Engineers' Institution of Bangladesh in the
capital yesterday.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain said the road of BNP politics in
the country is full of thorns. Conspiracy against the
party is still being hatched. In association with
immediate past caretaker government and some trackless
army officials, the ruling party has come to country's
state power and engaged in hatching conspiracy against the
interest of the countrymen. Due to the one year rule of
the present government and two years of the earlier
caretaker government's misrule, the country has been
pushed back around 20 years.
Enormous extortion at every sectors, grabbing and tender
manipulation are going on in the country. Local and
foreign investment has already decreased. Country's
democracy and parliament have become dysfunctional. To
come out from this miserable situation, the nationalist
forces will have to remain prepared, he called upon the
leaders and activists.
Earlier, BNP standing committee members said that the
party will initiate necessary steps including movement in
order to oust the ruling party from the state power if it
goes against the interest of common people in the country.
BNP's newly appointed standing committee members Brigadier
ASM Hannan Shah (retd) and Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia
accompanied by good numbers of activists went to Shaheed
president Ziaur Rahman's grave in the capital on Saturday.
After placing wreaths at the grave they said this to the
reporters there.
ASM Hannan Shah said this is an acid test year for BNP
politics in the country. The previous year was its
organizational period and thus there was no hartal,
blockade or procession programmes on the streets.
Organisational base has already been strengthened and the
leaders and activists are prepared to go for movement if
the government goes against the interest of the common
people and signs anti-nation agreements with its foreign
friends.
Secular education policy
Nizami warns street agitation
UNB, Dhaka
Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami Saturday
cautioned that people would be compelled to take to street
if secular education policy was introduced, religion-based
politics banned and "corridor given in the name of Asian
Highway".
"People will not accept any agreement against national
interest," he said while speaking at the Majlis-e-Sura
meeting of Jamaat city committee at Alfalah Auditorium.
Nizami said Sheikh Hasina being the daughter of
Bangladesh's founder and two-time Prime Minister should
take steps in the interest of the country.
"You don't sign any deal that goes against the interest of
the country," the Jamaat chief said as the Prime Minister
is scheduled to go to India on January 10.
He hoped that the Prime Minister would not do any
agreement "sacrificing country's interests".
Nizami said the Tipaimukh dam would cause disaster to
Bangladesh while national security would be jeopardized if
India is given corridor.
The Jamaat Ameer said his party is giving constructive
suggestions to the government. He reminded that in the
past, people were seen coming to streets without direction
from political leadership.
Titas considers
ordering CNG stations closed for 2 days a week
UNB, Dhaka
Amid a fuel crunch that is now affecting many parts of the
capital, Titas Gas Transmission and Distri-bution Company
Ltd is going to propose that the government order the CNG-filling
stations closed two days a week in Dhaka city and its
adjoining areas to make do with the limited gas supply.
Managing Director of Titas Gas Md. Abdul Aziz Khan told
UNB that a package proposal in this regard would be
forwarded to Petrobangla today (Sunday) for the
government's consideration.
The proposals include some other recommendations as well,
like reducing gas supply to Ghorasal and Siddhirganj power
stations and suspending supply to Ghorasal Fertilizer
Factory.
"If the proposals get positive response, then it will be
possible to improve the situation," Aziz Khan said.
The gas crisis in and around the capital city has worsened
in recent times with the increase in the winter chill as
consumers increased the use of gas for heating purpose.
The gas-supply situation has sharply deteriorated in areas
that include Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Keraniganj, Shyampur,
Demra, Old Dhaka, Jatrabari, Hazaribagh, Mirpur,
Mohammadpur, Uttara and Khilgaon as consumers of these
area not getting supply of the fuel even for 18 hours from
6 am.
Many a user said they have been forced to use kerosene
oven or find alternative ways for cooking as the gas oven
goes dry.
Admitting the situation, the Titas MD said that the
greater Dhaka city and some other districts which are
under his company command have been experiencing shrinkage
to about 200 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMCFD)
against a demand for 1650 MMCFD.
"But, after the start of the chilly weather, the situation
has worsened and the gas shortage has increased by 30-40
MMCFD," Aziz said.
Arguing in favour of the Titas proposals for the fuel
rationing, he said that the shutdown of gas-filling
stations for two days a week may help increase gas supply
by 60-65 MMCFD in Dhaka city and adjoining areas.
UGC for Accreditation
Council to ensure quality higher education
UNB, Dhaka
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended the
government to immediately set up 'Accreditation Council'
to ensure quality education in the country's universities.
"It's really encouraging that the opportunity for higher
education has expanded in the country undoubtedly over the
last few decades, but it's also true that the standard of
university education could not reach the desired level
although there a numerical expansion," says the UGC annual
report.
"So", the report says, "It's essential to set up an
accreditation council to develop and control the standard
of university education, keeping pace with other developed
countries."
The UGC has already sent a draft of accreditation council
to the Ministry of Education for immediate implementation.
UGC officials said the role of the proposed 'Accreditation
Council' will be to monitor the curricula of both the
public and private universities so that the standard of
education in the two sectors does not make asymmetrical
difference.
A UGC delegation, led by its chairman Prof Nazrul Islam,
recently called on President Zillur Rahman at Bangabhaban
and submitted the 35th Annual Report-2008 of the
University Grants Commission.
While submitting the recommendations, the UGC delegation
urged the government for immediate implementation of its
recommendations to improve the standard of higher
education.
The report says it is necessary to formulate curricula for
the country's universities in line with prominent
universities of the developed world alongside providing
training to teachers on the emerging education system and
other relevant issues.
Legal notice to Constitute
National River Protection Commission
UNB, Dhaka
A legal notice was served upon the government Saturday by
a rights watchdog as it failed to comply with a High Court
order that had asked for forming National River Protection
Commission (NRPC) within a three-month timeline.
On June 25 last year, the High Court following a Public
Interest Litigation writ petition filed by Human Rights
and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) handed the government a
12-point guideline, including constitution of the NRPC, to
save the rivers around the capital from encroachment and
pollution, as the onslaughts on the rivers by grabbers
triggered wide-scale protests.
The High Court in its guidelines directed the government
to form the National Rivers Protection Commission
consisting of experts within three months in a bid to
preserve and protect the rivers across the country, which
would make long-term and short-term plans in this regard.
Advocate Manzill Murshid, president of HRPB, issued the
legal notice to the secretaries of seven
ministries-Planning, Finance, Forest and Environment, LGRD
and Cooperatives, Shipping, Communications and Water
Resources.
The notice carries a warning that the government
authorities would face contempt-of-court charge if they
failed to constitute the Commission within a week of
receipt of the notice.
Free textbooks will improve
quality of education: Nahid
BSS, Dhaka
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid Saturday said the
government has created history providing free textbooks
for the students on the first day of the academic year.
The students include secondary, dakhil, primary, ebtedaee
and technical levels, he added.
Nahid was inaugurating a free textbook distribution
programme at field level in Azimpur Girls' School and
College in the city.
He expressed satisfaction over reaching books to students
overcoming a lot of barriers including a fire incident in
the NCTB godown.
Nahid said distribution of free textbooks would help
reduce dropouts and improve quality of education. Starting
classes from first day of the academic year will also
bring dynamism in education management, he added.
Nahid called upon all to follow the academic calendar
properly and urged the students to use every moment in
studies.
He said education officers in upazila and district levels
will coordinate smooth distribution of books and ensured
that all students get books.
Nahid said the well educated new generation will be main
instrument of building Bangabandhu's Sonar Bangla and
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Digital Bangladesh. It is
the responsibility of the teachers, guardians and
education administration to build them up as competent
citizens.
Local MP Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Education Secretary
Syed Ataur Rahman, NCTB Chairman Prof Mostafa Kamal Uddin,
Director General of the Department of Secondary and Higher
Secondary Education Prof Noman-ur-Rashid and Principal
Hosne Ara Begum were present.
Later, the minister distributed books among the students
of Dhanmondi Govt Boys' School and Armanitola Govt High
School.
This is for the first time in the country that the
government is providing free textbooks for the secondary
schools besides primary schools. It is a historic
achievement of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.
This year 18,68,26,950 free textbooks will be distributed
among 2,76,62,529 students.
Editorial
Dhaka Int’l Trade Fair
The
15th Dhaka International Trade Fair-2010 has been inaugurated
at the city' s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar by Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina on Friday. The month-long trade fair, scheduled to
continue till January 31, is being participated by 476 stalls
from home and abroad and 28 pavilions from 10 foreign
counties. The stalls and pavilions will remain open for the
visitors from 10 am to 10 pm everyday. The fair is expected to
generate enthusiasm among the business circle as well as the
people and contribute substantially to the advancement of
country's trade and economy.
While inaugurating the trade fair Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
urged the country's industrialists and entrepreneurs for
diversification of products in order to increase exports from
Bangladesh.She also hoped that Bangladesh will be able to
attain export target of US$ 17.60 billion in the 2009-10
fiscal. The Prime Minister said exports from Bangladesh are
limited to a few products while scopes are enormous here for
manufacturing products at low prices. “I urge the
industrialists and entrepreneurs to make best use of such
opportunity and through producing diversified products to
increase exports from the country,’’ she added. Sheikh Hasina
asked the country's manufacturers to ensure best quality of
their products to capture the expanding international markets.
She said only by ensuring employment for people, poverty can
be alleviated and there is no alternative to industrialization
for creating employment opportunities. "And I am giving you
the assurance that the government will give all possible
cooperation and assistance for setting up industries in the
country," she told the industrialists and businessmen present
at the function.
The Dhaka International Trade Fair is held every year to
popularise our industrial products and expand the export
market. But the fact remains that a lot of things have to be
done to this end and of them the most important one is the
improvement of the quality of the goods. Unless the products
are of good quality and of international standard all attempts
to popularise them and increase their exports may go in vain.
So, the Prime Minister has rightly emphasised the need fro
diversification and improvement of the quality of industrial
products with a view to boosting the exports.
It is not difficult to understand that boosting exports to
earn more and more foreign exchange is vitally essential to
infuse fresh blood into our fragile economy. And to expand the
exports we need to understand the global market situation,
know about the need and demand of the foreign buyers and
recast our production arrangements accordingly. It is in
course of this process that the necessity of diversification
of products gets top priority. It is hoped that the Dhaka
International Trade Fair will help us understand the demand
and mood of the buyers and take necessary measures to produce
goods that are of high demand and acceptable in the global
market. It must also be said in this regard that quality of
our products must be improved to make them acceptable to the
buyers. It is encouraging that the Prime Minister has assured
the industrialists and businessmen of all necessary government
assistance for industrialisation which is most essential for
employment generation to alleviate poverty. The industrialists
should avail themselves of this opportunity and go for massive
industrialisation in the national interest.
Ensuring quality
education
As
announced earlier, the distribution of free text books among
school students across the country has begun on Saturday. This
encouraging development took place as improvement of quality
and restoring discipline in management in education sector for
grooming a skilled, enlightened, creative and talented
posterity remained the focus of activities during the last one
year, according to press reports. The activities of the
government over the year included formulation of an education
policy, which will be implemented in phases. The government
worked relentlessly for ensuring free distribution of
textbooks. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, "The
main target of the government is to ensure quality education
for all to build a Digital Bangladesh."
Quality teacher, training and syllabus are must to ensure
quality education, he said adding, "We are working for
building a skilled, modern, patriot generation with high moral
values."
Education is the backbone of a nation. No nation can prosper
and cope with the growing needs of changing times without
adequate education. And that too must be good and proper
education. But good and proper education is hardly available
in our country as anomaly, corruption and various shortcomings
grip the education system. The educational infrastructure at
the lower level is very week. Education provided for the
students at primary and secondary levels is not rich enough to
help them grow as good students at higher levels. Even college
and University education is often not well and rich enough to
create worthy citizens. In our country highest educational
degrees are provided by the universities. But education at
university level is in a mess.
This situation has to be improved. The government should take
urgent and effective measures to set things right in the
education sector. The anomalies must be removed. People expect
that effective steps will be taken to bring discipline in the
education sector and improve the quality of education with a
view to 'building a skilled, modern, patriot generation with
high moral values' as has been pledged by the education
minister.
Analysis
Accidentally on purpose
Indeed, Mr Zardari seems in serious trouble.
The ripples of the "consequential" Supreme Court decision are
forming a wave which, when it breaks, may sweep him from
office.
Zafar Hilaly
Mr
Zardari has proved us wrong again. When we thought that what
mattered to him was not whether he came out on top but whether
he came out alive, he told us in Larkana that he preferred to
die. He proclaimed that while he respects the ballot, he cares
a fig for the bullet. In short, that he, a Zardari, had
metamorphosed into a Bhutto.
There was little in Mr Zardari's actual speech that deserves
scrutiny, because not once could one detect in it the use of
an argument. He appeared to be firing one of those multi-barrelled
"Stalin Organs" of Soviet WWII fame in the general direction
of the enemy; only this time, instead of pointing up, they
seemed pointed down, at his own feet. Alas, the effect was
more sad than spectacular. Even the audience of seated jiyalas
(imagine jiyalas being seated and behaving sensibly) did not
know what to make of it. They clapped tepidly, instead of
gyrating furiously, arms akimbo. There was something bogus
about the meeting. It seemed imitation PPP; and the poorest of
all imitations, at that.
Mr Zardari's critics, who now number in the legions, were
quick to allege that his motives for spouting what he did were
transparently base and meant solely to divert attention from
his own troubles. Indeed, Mr Zardari seems in serious trouble.
The ripples of the "consequential" Supreme Court decision are
forming a wave which, when it breaks, may sweep him from
office. And Mr Zardari, who is neither blind nor deaf, can
have few false notions about his popularity. It is not
surprising, therefore, that Mr Zardari should appear a worried
man, desperately attempting to shape the political battlefield
to avoid the fate that many feel is in store for him.
But none should underestimate Mr Zardari. He has proved a
consummate tactician and in the past he has played a weak hand
well. And here too he is displaying a virtuosity that few
expected of him, and that is nothing short of exceptional.
The sentiment that Mr Zardari conveyed in his speech, rather
than the words in which they were couched, was arresting. It
contained what we have known for a long time but fearfully
left unsaid. Namely, that the federation is not working; there
is mistrust, bitterness, a sense of injustice on the part of
the smaller units and, worse, hopelessness. The fact that Mr
Zardari said it because he is slowly being cornered is not
relevant. He knew that he would be accused of speaking
irresponsibly. He knows that as far as the public is concerned
it is better to speak irresponsibly and be right than to speak
responsibly and be wrong. The smaller units of the federation
do indeed demand a better deal.
Mr Zardari is offering to champion the cause of the smaller
provinces. He has made it plain that their only hope of
achieving true autonomy is if the government that he leads is
allowed to continue in office, and if he is ousted for any
reason, then, for Sindh at least, he implicitly warned, the
game would no longer be worth the candle. Clearly convinced
that desperate times need desperate measures, Mr Zardari is
playing the deadly game of political "chicken." He has taken
his position squarely in the centre of the road and served
notice that he does not intend to budge. Others who wish to
use the road either have to give way or wait until he passes.
Mr Altaf Hussain has lined up behind him. The Baloch have been
waiting there for ages, and the NWFP, or "Paktoonkhwa," as Mr
Zardari repeatedly stressed, is preparing to do so.
Hence, Mr Zardari's opponents have a choice either to pass up
the challenge or to risk collision and face the consequences.
And to signal his resolve not to budge, Mr Zardari had
Zulfiqar Mirza say that were it not for his restraining hand
on that fateful day, exactly two years ago, Sindh would
already be in the throes of revolt. Nor has Mr Zardari left
the nation in any doubt about the direction of the threat that
he faces. He had Barrister Kamal Azfar say "accidentally on
purpose" that the danger posed was from the court and the
Americans, while he himself in his speech hinted at the army.
Mr Zardari intends to keep all options on the table for the
battle ahead. He certainly does not want to break the
federation, but he knows that he will be lost if he appears
scared to go to the brink. So he is positioning himself in
such a way that although he appears willing to sacrifice the
federation, the blame for the breach will be laid on the door
of his opponents.
The seeming paranoia and panic that some say have Mr Zardari
in their grip is mostly contrived. He remains cool and
collected. He knows that the public is aware that many before
him, in the same office, did as the Romans do and got away
with it. Some were, in fact, lauded and their rule remembered
as the halcyon days when Pakistan counted. Their mind-boggling
corruption and chicanery to stave off democracy did not bother
the courts; nor did treason, not even judicial murder. In
fact, one of the culprits who allegedly connived in the murder
of Mr Zardari's wife received a guard of honour on his
departure. What all these men had in common was that they were
not Sindhis. On the other hand, Mr Zardari, an honorary
Sindhi, spent 11 years in jails for crimes of which he was
never convicted.
As for his critics, Mr Zardari believes that those who spend
most of the time designing mausoleums for their enemies may
actually end up finding their own bones interred in them. And,
being the supreme pragmatist that he is, Mr Zardari believes
that if two wrongs do not make a right, why not try three.
Because if that buys time for Pakistan to acquire the
desperately needed political stability to confront the
formidable challenges it faces, then everyone benefits.
Mr Zardari is banking on the fact that his opponents are made
of the same stuff as he is. They are birds of a feather albeit
that never flocked together. Now they need to, to save
Pakistan. He is hoping that they will and, in the process,
save his hide. He is right, because so also are the people.
The writer is a former
ambassador of Pakistan. Email: charles123it@hotmail.com
Hope of peace
The biggest hurdle in the solution of the Kashmir issue is
the rigid traditional mindset of the policy-makers of the
two countries, who do not allow melting of ice, or search
for innovative options.
Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed
The
subcontinent is a land of sharp contrasts. History has
witnessed contradictory trends operating here
simultaneously touching their heights. Traversing through
centuries, today the subcontinent is before us with its
present contradictions. The long journey of history has
witnessed here a rich tradition of cultural integration,
alongside the insistence on the preservation and promotion
of distinct identities. By virtue of the teachings of
Mahatma Buddha to Guru Nanak, and the Sufi saints of
Islam, there emerged a culture of fraternity and
brotherhood, but this very land also witnessed some of the
worst occurrences of history, bloody conflicts and
tormenting migrations.
While standing in the first decade of the 21st century,
and having this background of contrasts in one's mind, one
does not find oneself in any unfamiliar situation.
Therefore, we should not be surprised if today we see both
India and Pakistan equipped with nuclear weapons. Both
having piled up conventional arms and ammunition, and both
comprising sections which are tooth and nail against each
other, and longing to eliminate each other. In a region of
sharp contradictions, this is just a contemporary
expression of an old trait of intolerance and jingoism. On
the contrary, striving for peace has also been a rich
tradition of South Asia. No matter how bleak the situation
appears at present, one cannot leave hope of peace as this
is also rooted in a very profound tradition. Where else
the hope of peace would find a more fertile ground than in
the subcontinent, which has excelled in diversities.
Pakistan and India together constitute around one-sixth of
the world's population but unfortunately they are not
identified across the world for their achievements and
creative contributions. Rather, they are known for their
mutual animosity which is believed to be a great threat
not only for the region but world peace at large. The
differences between India and Pakistan may appear quite
serious and rooted in history. But seen rationally, they
are not as complicated as to demand supernatural efforts
for their resolution. These differences seem to have
started due to the partition of the Indian subcontinent,
but the partition itself was chosen as the last available
option for resolving the intricate politico-communal
question of India. The partition was not necessarily meant
to generate a new set of animosity. It was this very
occasion of partition which saw the biggest proponent of
Indian unity, Mahatama Gandhi, going on a "fast unto
death" in order to ensure the transfer of Pakistan's share
of assets to it, and Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah,
while explaining his Two Nation Theory, proclaiming that
he regarded Hindus as a great nation and their religion
being equally great, and that his only contention was that
the Muslims and Hindus were different and could not then
be united under one political system. Jinnah was not
communal or racist in his outlook, a fact that is now
being increasingly realised in India.
Politicians like L K Advani and Jaswant Singh and
historians like H M Seervai and Dr Ajeet Jawed are
discovering Jinnah as a non-communal and secular leader.
If this is so, one may question why the partition entailed
so much of bloodshed, riots and human misery? In fact, as
the dust of emotions is settling down, it is increasingly
becoming easier for the historians to have a better and
more objective view of the past. Therefore, it is being
realised that many of the problems which were believed to
be the result of partition, such as the riots of
partition, uprooting of twelve million people, the dispute
over assets, the differences on the ownership of water
resources, the issue of Rann of Katch, and problems in
accession of the states, were, in fact, issues which
should have been addressed as part of the partition
package.
It was the failure of the British colonial administration
that it could not manage the process of partitioning the
subcontinent amicably. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad holds that
he had already briefed Mountbatten on the possibility of
violent incidents but the latter claimed that being a
soldier he would not hesitate in using the military and
air force and would use tanks and airplanes to crush the
riots if they erupted. His were just hollow statements.
Though in the past six decades, some of the problems
accompanying partition were partially or fully resolved by
India and Pakistan bilaterally, the arbitration also
proved helpful in some cases. For instance, the issue of
river water was resolved through the World Bank assistance
resulting in the Indus Basin Water Treaty, which was not
ideal from the point of view of the either party. Yet it
was accepted, as no other mutually agreed solution was
possible. Likewise, the Rann of Katch issue was resolved
in 1969 through the mediation of Britain. However, the
Kashmir issue has remained unresolved. Pakistan and India
fought two wars in 1947-48 and 1965 directly over Kashmir.
Though the 1971 war was fought due to the East Pakistan
crisis, Kashmir was a crucial element in it and the
subsequent Simla Agreement had implications for Kashmir.
The 62 years saw the rise of nuclear ambitions in India
and Pakistan. The Kashmir issue erupted again in 1990. The
9/11 incident generated another wave of tension between
the two countries. Both countries held rounds of talks,
agreed upon certain confidence-building measures, yet the
tension continued.
The biggest hurdle in the solution of the Kashmir issue is
the rigid traditional mindset of the policy-makers of the
two countries, who do not allow melting of ice, or search
for innovative options. The rigid attitude of the two
sides, does not allow them to even reinterpret their
traditional position. Any such effort made in the past was
foiled due to one or the other reason. The logical
conclusion of the Vajpai's visit to Lahore or Musharraf's
suggestion to solve the issue on zonal basis instead of
plebiscite, were thwarted by the logic of stubbornness.
Apart from the conventional mindset of the two
establishments, the tension is also boosted by their fear
of each other. In India, anti-Pakistan posture may not
have contributed to the formation of its nationhood, yet
Pakistan is presented there as a vicious neighbour, keen
not to spare a chance of troubling India. In Pakistan,
India is presented as a country which has not accepted
Pakistan wholeheartedly, and is intent upon eliminating
it. Moreover, in Pakistan, India has been taken as a
permanent point of reference to define Pakistani
nationhood, instead of evolving a positive basis of this
nationhood by recognising and reinforcing the rich
cultural content and diversity of the Pakistani society.
This was the mistake Quaid-i-Azam wanted to evade, so he
had referred to the secular and positive bases of one
Pakistani nationhood by declaring the culmination of the
Two Nation Theory after partition, on 11 August 1947.
The biggest damage inflicted by the long span of adverse
relations of India and Pakistan is the distortion of their
own self-image. India assumes itself to be a regional
power, with the result that not only Pakistan but India's
other neighbours are also restless with it. Pakistan, on
the other hand, is committing the mistake of relying on
anti-India posture as the basis of its identity. The craze
has made Pakistan a country focusing on national security,
rather than on being a welfare state. Since such a state
confines its major priorities to national defence, the
other areas of national life, such as social development,
education, health, poverty alleviation, and social
welfare, were denied their rightful place in national
scheme of affairs.
India got its defence boosted at the cost of social
development but also maintained a democratic order in the
country. The benefit of this almost uninterrupted
democratic process is now being accrued in the form of
closer relations with the West and acquiring of a
favourable response in respect of military aid.
Pakistan made itself a national security state at the cost
of the social sector, which with the passage of time has
widened the gap between the military and civilian
institutions. Paradoxically, the same US and western
countries which once backed the military regimes, are now
suspicious about the defence build-up and nuclear
capability of Pakistan.
The writer is a professor
at the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi.
Viewpoints
Capitalism vs Islam
Undoubtedly
Islam tried to create a just society in every respect as
justice happens to be its core value.
Asghar Ali Engineer
A
few days ago a press conference was held in Mumbai by some
Muslim organisations and theologians claiming that Islam was
against capitalism and imperialism and that they would launch
a campaign against both.
It was indeed a crude attempt at comparing or contrasting
modern political ideologies with Islam as it emerged as a new
social and political order in seventh-century Arabia. Islam
has its central values like truth, justice and equality for
all human beings at its core. These values compare very
favourably with modern concepts of human rights, human dignity
and social justice. However, modern economic conditions and
political ideologies have their own origins, which have
nothing to do with the economic conditions prevailing after
Islam appeared on the Arabian scene.
On my visit to Cairo a few decades ago I found a book Al-yamin
wa al-yasar fil Islam ('The right and left in Islam'). I found
this book quite interesting as the entire discussion was with
reference to the then prevailing conditions and how the first
four rightly-guided caliphs followed different economic
policies which had a deep impact on social conditions in the
then Islamic world.
Another book in this respect was published in 1977 by Prof
Khurshid Ahmad Fariq, who taught Arabic at the Jamia Millia
Islamia, Delhi. The title of the book was Khilafat-i-Rashida
ka iqtisadi jaiza ('An economic survey of the period of the
rightly-guided caliphs'). This book also discussed the
economic conditions then prevailing without any reference to
modern ideologies.
Undoubtedly Islam tried to create a just society in every
respect as justice happens to be its core value. It was this
core value of Islam which made W.C. Smith, a noted Islamic
scholar who taught at Government College, Lahore in the 1930s,
to conclude that Islam was the first systematic attempt in
human history to create a socio-economically just society. But
soon, this attempt failed because much depended on the
personal inclinations of the reigning dynasties rather than on
any systematic ideology.
According to the Egyptian author of Al-yameen wa al-yasar fil
Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Omar in the early period
followed centrist economic policies but in the later period
Hazrat Omar took advice from Ali and became rigorous in
enforcing economically just policies. However, it was rather
late, as soon after that he was assassinated by his slave.
Then, Hazrat Usman, being a lenient administrator, came under
pressure and changed the land policy which Hazrat Omar had
followed and allowed the companions of the Prophet (PBUH) to
exchange their land for land in Hijaz. This caused much
turmoil and also as Usman, according to Khurshid Ahmed Fariq,
in his discretion gave generous gifts to his relatives and
friends from the baitul maal, this too led to unrest. Of
course, there were other factors that contributed to the
turmoil than just the caliph's policies.
Dr Taha Husain, another eminent historian and scholar of Islam
from Egypt, discusses these factors in his book Al-fitnat al-kubra
('The great insurrection'). Some companions of the Prophet,
like Hazrat Talha and Zubair for instance, had accumulated a
lot of wealth. Thus we find in Tabqat ibn Saad that when they
died they left behind a great deal of gold, silver and more
than 1,000 horses, besides a large number of slaves. Prof
Fariq, quoting sources, estimates that Hazrat Usman left
behind more than a billion dirhams when he was assassinated;
all this wealth was looted by the hooligans who had surrounded
his house.
This kind of wealth was generated from two sources: one, from
trade and two, by way of ghanima i.e. war booty collected
after a conquest. Baladhuri has given figures in his Futuh al-buldan,
('Conquest of countries'). With these conquests the whole
economic scenario, especially of the Bedouin Arabs, changed
and they began to lead comfortable lives.
We should also remember that the then Arab economy was
basically a mercantile economy which depended on trade and
production of date palms from a few oases. Thus, it cannot be
compared with the modern industrial economy and its problems.
And with the development of the monarchy starting with Yazid's
ascent to the throne, the economy underwent further changes;
it became more feudal than mercantile over time.
Thus, one must understand these specifics of early Islamic
society before comparing it with modern political and economic
ideologies. However, one can say that the greatest
contribution of Islam was the concept of a welfare state and
the establishment of the baitul maal in its early years. But,
with the establishment of monarchy and feudalisation of
society, the baitul maal also ceased to be a source of welfare
for the people.
The writer is a scholar of Islam who heads the Centre for
Study of Society & Secularism, Mumbai.
Obama’s
mission impossible
Al Qaida’s
strength is its ability to move from one place to another,
making it tough to pin down.
Abdel Bari Atwan
Two-hundred-and-eighty-nine
innocent people aboard Northwest Airlines flight 253 were
lucky to escape with their lives when Umar Farouk Abdul
Mutallab failed to detonate explosives hidden in his
underwear on Christmas Day.
Nevertheless, the failed suicide bombing over Detroit
achieved some of its purpose: it breached the most
rigorous and sophisticated security measures in history,
brought the spectre of terror back to the US and dominated
the front pages of newspapers the world over for several
days, ensuring maximum publicity for Al Qaida - an
organisation many had started to consider defeated, on the
run or no longer relevant.
It is just such complacency that has allowed the
organisation to evolve, regroup and expand, as well as
wrong foot intelligence and security services at crucial
moments.
While Britain and the US deploy more troops in Afghanistan
and fret about Pakistan (with good reason), Al Qaida has
quietly shifted its focus to the Horn of Africa. The
organisation employed the same strategy after 2006 when
many of its fighters and leaders relocated to the
Afghanistan-Pakistan border from Iraq, the US 'Awakening'
campaign and subsequent 'surge' having made their position
in that country untenable for a while.
But this is not a simple 'cat-and-mouse' game because Al
Qaida lays the foundations for its return, having
established a logistical infrastructure, alliances and a
support network, wherever it has been active. This was
evident in its ability to return to Afghanistan, where it
was all but destroyed in 2001, and its more recent
reappearance in Iraq, where it has been responsible for
several devastating attacks within the Green Zone.
Crucially, the same is true of Yemen, Al Qaida's current -
and potentially most challenging - safe haven, where
flight 253 bomber Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab was
apparently trained and provided with pentaerythritol
tetranitrate explosives.
Some commentators forget that Yemen's most famous son is
Osama Bin Laden himself. When I met the Al Qaida leader in
1996 he spoke longingly of his homeland and many of its
people support and even revere him. In Yemen, anti-Western
feeling and hatred for the US is at its most virulent and
the country has long been one of the main exporters of
extremists.
Indeed, Al Qaida's first ever attack took place in Yemen,
when it bombed Aden's Movenpick and Gold Mohur hotels on
December 29, 1992, targeting US troops in transit to
Somalia. Throughout the 1990s, Al Qaida had a significant
- and tolerated - presence in Yemen, enabling the
organisation to carry out attacks in other parts of East
Africa and culminating in the 2000 suicide-bombing of the
USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden in which 17 US sailors
lost their lives.
Following 9/11, Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh bowed
to US pressure and agreed to tackle the Al Qaida presence
in his country. Scores of suspects were arrested and US
drones were permitted to carry out raids on Al Qaida
strongholds (one of which killed the organisation's
regional leader, Qaed Salim Sinan Al Harethi, in May 2002)
- a move that made Saleh deeply unpopular at home.
In 2003 Al Qaida shifted its focus to the burgeoning
insurgency in Iraq and by 2004 both Saleh and the US
administration considered Yemen's 'Al Qaida problem' over.
This misplaced optimism, combined with other, unrelated,
internal security problems has now come back to haunt
them.
In June 2004, Shiite Al Houthi tribes in north Yemen began
an ongoing, full-scale insurgency that has escalated
dramatically since Saudi Arabia intervened militarily in
Nov-ember, perhaps fearing that unrest might spread to its
own Shiite minority over the border.
Adding to the pressure on the already stretched Yemeni
security forces, a secessionist movement in the south
sprang up in 2007.
This chaotic security situation has left large areas of
the country under the control of tribesmen, often
sympathetic to Al Qaida, and the increasing likelihood of
a 'failed state' scenario. Add to this the spectacular
Sana'a jailbreak in February 2006, of 23 Al Qaida
operatives, followed almost immediately by a spate of
attacks on oil and gas installations, and it is easy to
see why the organisation has been able to re-emerge in
Yemen with ease.
In January last year, Yemeni and Saudi branches of the
organisation merged to form Al Qaida in the Arabian
Peninsula.
When George W. Bush promised to 'smoke out' Al Qaida in
2001 he at least knew their address - the caves of Tora
Bora, Afghanistan - but still, ultimately, failed. How
much harder is Obama's job, nine years on, with a nomadic,
shape-shifting enemy of no fixed abode?
Abdel Bari Atwan is editor of the pan-Arab newspaper Al
Quds Al Arabi.
On Gaza Drivers, Rumours and Egypt’s
Steel Wall
The Egyptian wall is arguably more dangerous because it
will increase the suffering of an already tormented
civilian population.
Ramzy Baroud
Those
pesky taxi drivers of Gaza are always circulating rumours.
One story that made the rounds during the first
Palestinian uprising in 1987 claimed that an Arab army
crossed the Sinai desert to save Palestinians from the
daily killings and protracted state of siege which caused
untold suffering for civilians.
The army in question would change from time to time, but
the focus inevitably returned to Egypt. The rumour of an
Egyptian military intervention persevered through the
years, and it registered deeply in Palestinian psyche,
especially among those living in Gaza.
My father, as many in his generation, fought in the
Egyptian army and the Palestinian Liberation Army.
Following defeat in the war of 1967, he was hauled along
wounded and dead Egyptian soldiers across Sinai, as well
as on a floating army bridge over the Suez Canal under
intense Israeli aerial bombardment. As a child, I once
accompanied him on a journey to an impoverished
neighborhood in Cairo to look for an Egyptian war buddy of
his. When we found out that he was long dead, my father
wept. Confused and scared among the ailing buildings, I
too cried. Indeed, the bond between Egyptians and
Palestinians is historical, everlasting, cemented in
blood, sweat and tears.
Yes, everlasting, despite the responses of the Egyptian
government to the more recent suffering of Palestinians in
Gaza.
When the Palestinian people democratically elected Hamas
to lead the Palestinian legislature in 2006, they were
aware of the possible repercussions. They have become
accustomed to the 'collective punishment' employed every
time actions fail to meet Israeli expectations. They also
understand well the influence of the pro-Israel lobby on
American foreign policy, and know of Cairo's commitment to
political 'moderation' and unabashed tiptoeing to the US.
But never, in their wildest imagination did Palestinians
foresee the measures that Egypt would take to stifle their
democratic decision, suppress their resistance and cut off
the very lifelines that keep Gaza breathing.
Israel has employed every possible trick in its book to
weaken Gaza's resolve; yet time after time, it has failed
miserably. Even after turning the already starving Gaza
Strip into a large and inescapable killing field on
December 27, 2008, Gaza is yet to surrender. Three weeks
of ceaseless bombardment killed over 1,400 Palestinians
and wounded over 5,500 more, but it was no match to Gaza's
resolve.
Indeed, Gazans have always devised ways to survive against
the odds. With difficulty, they dug tunnels to Egypt, and
through these tunnels, basic necessities, such as food,
medicine, toys, and some livestock were able to trickle
into Gaza. On February 4, 2009, shortly after Israel
declared an end to its one-sided military operations,
military experts from various, mostly Western countries
gathered in a two-day conference hosted by Denmark.
The goal was to halt arms smuggling into Gaza, and not, as
should have been the case, to investigate Israel's illegal
use of lethal weapons against an unarmed population. Nor
was it to call on various countries to halt their weapon
exports to Israel.
The response was a moral travesty, to say the least.
However, the news regarding this subject ceased for a
while, interrupted by an occasional Israeli strike at
alleged tunnels, or an Egyptian measure to ensure the
closure of all tunnels at its side of the border.
Meanwhile, the siege continued unabated, and Egypt held
tight to its 'commitment' to ensure its success.
More recently, news of an enormous metal wall that Egypt
erected at its border with Gaza has come to the fore. The
Egyptian decision is both politically and financially
loaded. Considering that the US - spurred on by Israel -
has strived to develop ways to completely choke Gaza, one
can safely conclude that the decision has not come solely
from Egypt, though as a sovereign country the latter must
still be held fully accountable. According to Press TV,
Karen Abu Zaid, United Nations Relief and Works Agency
Commissioner-General described the wall as more dangerous
than the Bar Lev Line, which was built by Israel along the
eastern coast of the Suez Canal following the capturing of
the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt in 1967. The Egyptian wall
is arguably more dangerous because it will increase the
suffering of an already tormented ?civilian population.
But more than dangerous, it is also disheartening.
Palestinians, including some in the Hamas government never
cease to refer to Egypt and Egyptians as "Sister Egypt"
and "Egyptian brethren". Why then are Sister Egypt and the
Egyptian brethren taking part in this injustice and
allowing Israeli violence to perpetuate? Money? Political
validation? Attempts at regional relevance and fear of
dismissal if they dare defy Washington's will?
None of these reasons are convincing. The ties between
Egypt and Palestine are too rooted in history; the rapport
is too personal, too familial to allow for material or
temporary political interests to stand in the way between
two ancient peoples with awe-inspiring histories. Now I
fully appreciate why my father wept at the death of his
Egyptian friend. And I believe that no steel wall is large
or thick enough to undermine that moment; no government
policies or self-seeking officials are wicked enough to
dent the bond that link the peoples of Palestine and
Egypt. I also believe that there should be no amount of
money large enough to justify the imprisonment of a whole
nation, especially one's own "brethren."
I wonder what is the latest rumour circulated these days
by Gaza's taxi drivers. A million Egyptians storm the
border with Gaza, carrying food, medicine and toys?
Strangely enough, I would still believe it. Those pesky
drivers of Gaza!
Ramzy Baroud is an eminent Arab American author and
editor of PalestineChronicle.com.
International
Pak Army Chief
Kayani warns India against adventurism
UNB, Dhaka
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani
has said the situation in the region could get out of
control due to 'dangerous adventurism' of India.
Responding to Indian Army Chief General Deepak Ka-poor's
statement that the Indian Armed forces were ready to fight
Pakistan and China simultaneously, Kayani said, "The
proponents of conventional application of military force,
in a nuclear overhang are chartering an adventurous and
dangerous path, the consequences of which could be both
unintended and uncontrollable," reports Daily Times.
Kayani was addre-ssing the military's top brass at the
General Headquarters.
He said Pakistan Army is fully alert and alive to the
'full spectrum of threat, which continued to exist in
conventional and unconventional domains.
It supports and is contributing to bring peace and
stability in the region, but necessary action will be
taken to thwart any challenge facing the country.
At the same time, the military will continue to maintain
the necessary wherewithal to deter and, if required,
defeat any aggressive design, in any form or shape such as
a firmed up proactive strategy or a cold start doctrine,
added General Kayani.
US drone missile strikes
kill around 662 in Pakistan since 2008
TBT International Desk
More than 70 US drone missile strikes have killed at least
662 people in Pakistan since August 2008. The United
States does not confirm drone attacks, but its military is
the only force that deploys drones in the region.
Infringing UN warning that such indiscriminate attacks by
means of pilot-less aircraft is a violation of civil
rights, US continues the same.
Dawn Online adds: On last Friday, missiles from a US drone
slammed into a car killing three militants, the second
such strike in two days in Pakistan's tribal region of
North Waziristan, security officials said.
The northwest, rife with militant networks, has been the
focus of a hail of bombings in the past month by US spy
planes, as Washington targets militant groups it says
Pakistan is struggling to tackle.
The morning attack by a drone aircraft struck a vehicle
carrying suspected militants in Ghundikala village, 15
kilometres east of Miramshah, the main town of North
Waziristan, close to the Afghan border.
"A US drone fired two missiles, targeting a vehicle and
killing three militants," a senior security official in
the area told AFP.
"The identity of militants is not known yet. It is also
not clear whether any high value target was present in the
area when the attack took place."
Another security official confirmed the strike and the
casualties. Both officials requested anonymity because of
the sensitivity of the US strikes in Pakistan, which have
inflamed anti-American sentiment.
"We saw a vehicle engulfed in flames after the missile
strike," a local tribesman in the area told AFP by phone
on condition of anonymity.
Pakistan govt under
pressure after deadly attack
Reuters, Islamabad
Pakistan's government came under renewed pressure on
Saturday to bring stability to the country after one of
the bloodiest bombings in more than two years killed at
least 89 people.
The attack at volleyball game on Friday suggested al
Qaeda-linked Taliban insurgents were focusing more on
bombing large crowds of civilians to inflict maximum
casualties and spread terror, instead of attacking hard
targets such as security forces.
The blast is certain to put Pakistan's efforts to contain
increasingly brazen militants under greater scrutiny and
alarm ally Washington, which sees Pakistan as the key
frontline state in the war against a resurgent Taliban in
Afghanistan.
A day after the militant blew up his SUV at the volleyball
field in the northwest village of Shah Hassankhel,
rescuers and villagers were still searching for victims.
"We still believe there are more bodies buried in the
rubble and the death toll may go up," said Zahid Mohammad,
a villager, who was among dozens of people helping
rescuers.
"People are digging through the rubble with their hands
and spades and there is no heavy machinery to help us. It
is just pathetic."
Embattled President Asif Ali Zardari is under pressure on
a number of fronts, both at home and from abroad. He is at
odds with Pakistan's all-powerful military which decides
security policies, and his aides could face revived
corruption charges.
"It (the militant violence) is increasing pressure on
Zardari and provides more opportunities for his opponents
to attack his government," said political analyst Hasan
Askari Rizvi.
Dawn Online adds: The death toll in the Lakki Marwat
suicide attack rose to 93 with more than 100 hundred
injured.
Sri Lankan presidential
contender woos Tamil voters
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lanka's former military chief Sarath Fonseka took his
presidential campaign Saturday to the ethnic heartland of
the Tamil Tiger rebellion he helped crush last year.
The retired four-star general, who is seen as the main
challenger to President Mahinda Rajapakse in polls slated
for January 26, visited the northern region of Jaffna,
where he toured a historic Hindu temple and addressed a
rally.
Fonseka, 58, was also due to meet the influential Roman
Catholic Bishop of Jaffna, Thomas Savundranayagam, a
spokesman for his office said.
In an interview with an Indian television network on
Friday, Fonseka had warned that Rajapakse was out to rig
the election and said he feared a violent campaign.
"You can see the election is going to be a very violent
election and we want every friendly country to put
pressure on the president to ensure democracy is
established," he told the NewsX network.
Both Fonseka and Rajapakse are from Sri Lanka's majority
Sinhalese community and appeal largely to their own ethnic
group. Both claim credit for the final defeat of the Tiger
rebels in May, which ended a decades-old ethnic conflict.
The possibility that they might split the Sinhalese vote
has added weight to the intentions of the Tamil electorate
and officials said Rajapakse, 64, was expected to visit
Jaffna later this month.
The defence ministry effectively blocked independent
journalists travelling to Jaffna, even though the
authorities had announced last month that travel
restrictions had been withdrawn.
Rajapakse called the early January poll in a bid to
capitalise on the victory over the separatist Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who had launched their
campaign for a Tamil homeland from Jaffna in 1972.
Malaysian Muslim activists
oppose ‘Allah’ ruling
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Muslim groups in Malaysia have voiced opposition to a
court ruling allowing a Catholic paper the right to use
the word "Allah", and said Saturday they plan to
demonstrate.
Malaysia's high court ruled Thursday that the Herald
weekly had the right to use the word "Allah" after a
long-running dispute between the government and the paper
in the Muslim-majority nation.
The Herald has been using the word "Allah" as a
translation for "God" in its Malay-language section, but
the government argued "Allah" should be used only by
Muslims.
The court ruled the Catholic paper had the "constitutional
right" to use the word 'Allah', declaring the government's
ban on the word "illegal, null and void". Government
lawyers have not yet decided whether to appeal.
Muslim groups have opposed the ruling.
"The court decision is not right and we are planning to
hold a major demonstration to protest this," Syed Hassan
Syed Ali, secretary general of Malay rights group Pribumi
Perkasa told AFP.
He and 50 other Malay activists held a small protest over
the ruling outside a central mosque Friday.
"We fear that the court victory will mean that Christian
missionaries will now use the word, confusing (the
identity of) Muslims and undermining religious harmony,"
he said.
Federation of Malay Students' Association advisor Reezal
Merican said although the court decision had to be
respected, the government needed to appeal it.
"We want to live in peace with all religions here but the
word Allah has traditionally in Malaysia been used to
represent the Muslim God, which is different from
Christianity, and this must be addressed," he told AFP.
Afghan parliament starts
voting on new cabinet
Reuters, Kabul
The Afghan parliament on Saturday began voting on the
cabinet proposed by President Hamid Karzai, which keeps
many key ministers unchanged but leaves the post of
foreign minister unfilled.
After weeks quizzing prospective ministers on past policy
and future plans, at a time when corruption and security
are both deteriorating, the session to approve ministers
began early on Jan. 2 and was expected to last for several
hours.
There are 24 ministers, and a separate ballot paper for
each.
The procedure was briefly held up when some MPs objected
to the secret ballots, saying voters had a right to see
who their delegates supported.
Karzai's nominations were announced in late December, with
many of his Western backers satisfied to see technocrats
staying in their positions, but critics warn that the
president is just recycling old names at a time when the
country needs new ideas.
Some Western diplomats said the retention of top ministers
reflected the difficulty Karzai faces in recruiting people
who are qualified to take on big portfolios.
Karzai appears to have refrained from giving top jobs to
the most powerful former warlords who threw their weight
behind his election campaign, with the exception of energy
minister Ismael Khan.
But they could yet make gains when deputy ministerial
appointments or governorships are decided.
Ministries such as interior, health and agriculture, which
absorb the most foreign money, are not seen changing.
Thai red-shirt leaders to
hold meeting on Jan. 15
Xinhua, Bangkok
The Thai anti-government group, Red-shirt leaders will
hold a meeting on Jan. 15 to discuss strategies for
campaigning to topple the Democrat Party-led government,
Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said Saturday.
Natthawut said leaders of the red-shirt movement would
discuss strategies for holding a mass rally with the goal
to bring down the government. The meeting would decide the
venue and form of the rally. Natthawut said the campaigns
would be peaceful.
"It will be the biggest ever rally of the red-shirt
people," Natthawut said.
Since assuming power in December, 2008, the Democrat-led
alliance and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva have been
facing frequent rallies by the red-shirt movement.
West
has a month to accept Iran nuclear proposal
AFP, Tehran
Iran on Saturday gave the West a one-month "ultimatum" to
accept a uranium swap, warning that if there is no deal it
will produce its own nuclear fuel for a Tehran reactor,
state television reported.
"The international community has just one month left to
decide" whether or not it will accept Iran's conditions,
otherwise "Tehran will enrich uranium to a higher level,"
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying.
"This is an ultimatum," he said. Iran, which rejected a
December 31 deadline to accept a UN-brokered deal, said on
Tuesday it is ready to swap abroad its low-enriched
uranium for nuclear fuel, insisting however that the
exchange should happen in stages.
Tehran has rejected a proposal by UN nuclear watchdog the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ship out most
of its stockpile of low-enriched uranium for further
processing by Russia and France into fuel for a research
reactor.
Iran said it was ready for a fuel swap "in several
stages," and in late December Mottaki said Iran is open to
exchanging uranium on Turkish soil. The IAEA has ruled out
a swap taking place on Iranian territory.
World powers have been pushing for Iran to accept the
UN-brokered deal and are also mulling plans to impose
fresh UN sanctions against Tehran after the Islamic
republic dismissed the year-end deadline.
Iran is already under three sets of UN sanctions for
refusing to abandon its sensitive programme of uranium
enrichment, the process which produces nuclear fuel or, in
highly extended form, the fissile core of an atomic bomb.
The United States, Israel, and other world powers suspect
Tehran is making an atomic bomb under the guise of a
civilian nuclear programme. Iran denies the charge.
Sir John Major criticises
Tony Blair over Iraq war
BBC Online
Former Prime Minister Sir John Major has criticised Tony
Blair's handling of the Iraq war and his presentation of
the case for invasion in March 2003.
Sir John said he had reluctantly backed the war because he
believed what Mr Blair had said as prime minister.
But now, he said, big questions had been raised by the
evidence given to the Chilcott Inquiry into the war.
He told the BBC the argument that Saddam Hussein was a bad
man and must be removed was an "inadequate" one.
Sir John said it now seemed there were doubts before the
invasion about whether there were weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq.
'Utterly certain'
In an interview with BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he
said he wanted to know whether the Cabinet had known about
those doubts.
He said: "I had myself been prime minister in the first
Gulf War, and I knew when I said something I was utterly
certain that it was correct, and I said less than I knew.
"I assumed the same thing had happened and on that basis I
supported reluctantly the second Iraq war."
Sir John said he did not know whether the invasion was
potentially illegal, but he added that in the mid-1990s
President Clinton's administration had raised the question
of regime change with his officials.
They replied that any attempt to remove Saddam Hussein as
a bad man had to be legal and viable.
Sir John said the argument that someone was bad was an
inadequate argument for war.
Abbas threatens to halt
security liaison with Israel
Xinhua, Ramallah
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened to halt
security liaison with Israel after Israeli troops killed
three Palestinians in the West Bank last week.
"The coordination and cooperation with Israel aims at
protecting the Palestinian interest," Abbas said in an
interview broadcast by Palestine TV on Saturday.
"If the coordination doesn't stop Israeli provocations
like incursions, raids and the killing of people and
arrests, we will reconsider it," he said.
The killing of the three Palestinians, who were members of
Abbas' Fatah party which holds sway in the West Bank, was
local experts said an embarrassment to the Palestinian
National Authority (PNA).
Meanwhile, Abbas said he supports a prisoner exchange deal
between Israel and his rival-Islamic Hamas movement-which
controls the Gaza Strip.
However, he rejected deporting any Palestinian under the
swap.
"I don't know if Shalit's deal would expel any prisoner,
but if it does, it would be a shame," Abbas said,
referring to the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit who has been
held hostage by Hamas in Gaza since 2006.
Hamas and Israel have been negotiating for the prisoner
swap deal through a German mediator. Hamas wants to reduce
the number of prisoners whom Israel wants to deport.
AFP adds: Israeli aircraft attacked at least four targets
in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip early yesterday, wounding two
people in retaliation for a rocket strike on Israel,
officials said.
Two explosions were heard in Gaza City, one in north of
the city and one in the southern Gaza Strip town of Khan
Yunis. Palestinian medics and witnesses said all the
missiles appeared to land in open fields.
Police shoot man who tried
to kill Mohammed cartoonist
AFP, Copenhagen
Danish police shot and arrested an axe-wielding Somali who
attacked a cartoonist reviled by Muslims for a
controversial drawing of their prophet Mohammed,
authorities said Saturday.
Kurt Westergaard, who has faced several death threats
since his cartoon nearly five years ago set off protests
across the Muslim world, hid in a safe room as the
28-year-old suspect tried to break into his home late
Friday.
Police said they shot and wounded the intruder, said by
intelligence services to be linked to the radical Somali
Shebab movement and leaders of Al-Qaeda in East Africa, as
he threatened them with an axe and a knife.
"He will be charged for two murder attempts, on Kurt
Westergaard and on a police officer," East Jutland Police
Superintendent Ole Mabsen told AFP on Saturday. "He is in
the hospital at the moment. He will be taken into court in
the afternoon, where we will ask the judge to bring him
into custody."
The suspect has not been named, but the Danish internal
security service PET said in a statement he was "linked to
terrorism" both in Denmark and in east Africa. Westergaard,
74, was at his home with a five-year-old granddaughter
when the intruder tried to get in.
"I locked myself in our safe room and alerted the police.
He tried to smash the entrance door with an axe, but he
didn't manage," he told Danish news agency Ritzau.
"He used insults, I don't remember which, but it was bad
language. He spoke poor Danish and he wound up saying he'd
be back," said the badly shaken cartoonist.
Obama blames al-Qaeda for
Christmas Day jet 'bomb'
BBC Online
US President Barack Obama has for the first time publicly
accused an offshoot of al-Qaeda over the alleged Christmas
Day bomb plot to blow up a US plane.
He said it appeared Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula had armed and trained the accused, 23-year-old
Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. The group admitted
responsibility in an internet statement last week.
Mr Obama has already condemned lapses that allowed the
accused, who was on a terror database, to board the jet.
In his weekly radio and video address posted on the White
House website early on Saturday, Mr Obama said more
details of the alleged plot were becoming clear.
"We know that [Mr Abdulmutallab] travelled to Yemen, a
country grappling with crushing poverty and deadly
insurgencies," said Mr Obama, who is on holiday in Hawaii.
"It appears that he joined an affiliate of al-Qaeda, and
that this group, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula,
trained him, equipped him with those explosives and
directed him to attack that plane headed for America."
US officials have not until now publicly accused al-Qaeda
over the incident on Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Mr Obama has come under heavy criticism from Republicans,
who accuse him of not doing enough to prevent attacks on
the US.
Some Democrats, too, have joined the clamour for an
overhaul of intelligence procedures. The US president -
who last week ordered two security reviews - used much of
his latest address to outline his administration's
measures to keep America safe.
Brazil mudslides, floods
kill 44 after heavy rain
Reuters, Sao Paulo
Mudslides and flooding killed at least 44 people in
Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state and authorities said on
Friday that the death toll could climb with more heavy
rains in the forecast.
Twenty-two people were found dead on Friday after a small
hotel and surrounding homes collapsed in the beach resort
of Angra dos Reis, one of Brazil's most exclusive tourism
destinations, the Rio de Janeiro state's civil defense
said.
Television footage showed the Sankay hotel and a number of
homes in Angra buried under a mountain of mud. Rescue
teams, aided by helicopters and navy boats, were
struggling to reach the area where the hotel collapsed,
Pedro Machado, head of the firefighters' corps, told
GloboNews television.
Civil defense authorities said about 40 people were
registered at the hotel. They told Reuters heavy rains
forecast for the coming days could make rescue work harder
and trigger more mudslides.
"Rescue crews told us there is just so much mud and water
there which, coupled with that fact that the site is one
of very difficult access, force them to remove all the mud
manually basically, without the aid of heavy equipment," a
civil defense spokeswoman said in a phone interview.
On Thursday, a heavy downpour that triggered mudslides and
floods killed as many as 19 people across Rio state,
Brazil's third most populous.
Rio has Brazil's biggest oil reserves and is a top tourism
destination. Angra, the Ilha Grande island and other
cities on the coast are often visited by foreigners at
this time of the year.
China assumes rotating UN
Security Council presidency for January
Xinhua, United Nations
China on Friday assumed the rotating presidency of the UN
Security Council for the month of January.
China will perform its duty as the rotating Council
president in an objective and fair way and work with other
Council members to maintain international peace and
security, said Zhang Yesui, China's permanent
representative to the United Nations, in a recent
interview.
China will do its utmost to make sure that the Security
Council works in a smooth and efficient way, Zhang added.
The Security Council presidency rotates among the Council
members in the English alphabetical order of their names.
Each president holds office for one calendar month. China
previously assumed the presidency in October 2008.
As a permanent member of the Security Council and the
largest developing country in the world, China fully
participates in the work of the United Nations and plays a
constructive role, Zhang said.
Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary
responsibility for the maintenance of international peace
and security in the world at large. The Council has 15
members: five permanent members -- China, France, the
Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United
States -- and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN
General Assembly for two-year terms.
Also on Friday, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon,
Lebanon and Nigeria began their two-year terms on the
15-nation Council.
Business/Economy
Give
easy loans for building agro-based industries
BB Governor asks banks
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh Bank governor Dr Atiur Rahman on Saturday asked
banks to go to the borrowers' doors and give loans on easy
terms for building agro-based industries, coming out of
the cocoons of old-fashioned banking.
About changed banking practices the Governor also said
that the central bank might go for formulating separate
rules for disbursing loans in the hill districts, if
necessary. He made the announcement at a loan-distribution
ceremony for directly lending to the farmers in the
conference of the deputy commissioner of Bandarban hill
district with DC Mizanur Rahman in the chair.
Dr Atiur directed the bank officials to give up the old
and traditional attitude and go to the doors of the
farmers to provide them loans that will ultimately
encourage the farmers to take loans.
"It is true that people are afraid to go to banks for
loans. Farmers will get easy way to get loans if the banks
go to their doors," he told his audience.
The central bank governor advised the bank officials to
change their mindset.
He also put emphasis on development of services in
Bandarban considering its importance as a tourist-resort
district.
Dr Atiur noted that the people of hill districts are
simpleminded and there is no risk in providing loans to
the farmers of this area.
"There would be success if the loans are distributed
through the non-government organizations (NGOs) as social
collateral," said the economist, who is trying for
upgrading the banking system.
He urged all to work together to make Bandarban as a model
district through awaking the farmers of the area as this
district is a potential area.
Later, the BB Governor distributed loans to 173 farmers at
Balaghata Government Primary School field.
China’s
FDI policies aim to boost industry upgrading
Xinhua, Beijing
China's efforts to boost more foreign investment in
high-tech and new energy sectors were congruent with the
nation's industry upgrading goals, Chinese economists
said.
Zuo Xiaolei, chief economist with the Galaxy Securities,
said when China started its reform and opening-up drive
three decades ago, the inflow of foreign direct investment
(FDI) played an important role in boosting economy growth
and creating jobs.
"However, with the rapid development of Chinese economy,
if foreign investment is only pooled into low-end
manufacturing industries, that is not in agreement with
China's efforts to change its economic growth pattern,"
Zuo said.
China encouraged overseas investors to intest in new
energy, environmental protection, high-tech, modern
service, advanced manufacturing sectors, according to a
statement issued Wednesday after an executive meeting of
the State Council, or the Cabinet, chaired by Premier Wen
Jiabao. "During the post-crisis period, Chinese foreign
investment environment has also gone through great changes
including the rise of labor and energy costs. The quality
and effectiveness of foreign investment is now more
important than its scale," said Zhang Yansheng, director
of the Institute of Foreign Trade of the National
Development and Reform Commission.
More efforts would be made to promote the transformation
of the economic development pattern and structural
adjustment and to enhance the focus and flexibility of
economic policy in 2010, according to the 2009 Central
Economic Work Conference concluded last month.
China's economy was full of vitality and the country's
industrial upgrading and urbanization were in process,
which would mean plenty of investement opportunities, said
Isaac Souede, chairman and chief executive officer of
U.S.-based Permal Group Inc., a leading asset management
firm.
Policy and funding support will be given to overseas
investment in under-developed western and central region
for investing in those industries conforming to
environmental protection standards, according to
Wednesday's statement.
"Compared with China's coastal areas, China's central and
western provinces still have the advantage of developing
labor- intensive industries," Zuo said.
Figures revealed that the total FDI in China's vast
central and western localities only accounted for 7.2
percent of the nation's total in 2008.
"Foreign-funded companies should have more access to
financing and would be encouraged to take part in the
mergers, acquisitions and reshuffling of Chinese
enterprises," said participants of the Wednesday meeting.
This move was encouraging and symptomatic of the ongoing
internationalization of China, Souede said. Experts also
warned against possible risks involved.
Zuo urged local governments to be aware of the influx of
hot money and closely track the use and going of foreign
capital.
3 Bangladeshi trade fairs in
Europe
UNB, Dhaka
Three single country trade fairs will be organized in
Europe targeting to tape huge market potentiality of
Bangladeshi products and services. Dhaka International
Exhibition Company Limited (DIEC) with the support of
different trade organizations in Europe will organize the
fairs. The fairs will be held in Greece on 26-28 March, in
Sweden on 24-25 May and in Italy on 25-27 June, 2010. The
events will be enriched with products display, one-to-one
business meeting and seminars.
Interested Bangladeshi business houses are requested to
contact with DIEC, 62/1 Purana Paltan, Dhaka, Tel:
9558318-9, 7163850 and 01911351498 for stall and
information.
Visitor arrivals in Nepal by air
in 2009 increase
Xinhua, Kathmandu
A total of 378,712 visitors arrived in Nepal by air in
2009, 1.1 percent up compared to 374, 661 visitors in the
country in 2008.
According to Saturday's National News Agency RSS, it may
be noted that international tourism demand declined by 7
percent this year compared to the previous year, according
to World Tourism Organization Tourism Barometer published
in October, 2009.
However, Nepal enjoyed a sustained positive growth in the
international tourist arrivals since June 2009.
In aggregate, the Asian segment (other than South Asia)
registered a positive growth of 10.1 percent in 2009.
Likewise, an overall positive growth of 4.5 percent from
the European markets and 13.8, 5 and 10.9 percent growth
in tourist arrivals from Australia, Canada and the United
States respectively was recorded in the previous year.
According to Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 417,679
foreign tourists and 583,139 Nepalis departed from
Tribhuvan International Airport, the only international
airport in the country, in 2009.
BDBL launches today
BSS, Dhaka
The Bangladesh Development Bank Ltd (BDBL) makes its
journey today to provide the country's industry sector
with more focused service. Finance Minister Abul Maal
Abdul Muhith will inaugurate the newly formed bank at the
Sheraton Hotel in the city as the chief guest. Economic
Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Masihur Rahman will
attend the progarmme as special guest. The new bank has
been formed with the merger of the Bangladesh Shilpa Bank
(BSB) and the Bangladesh Shilpa Rin Sangtha (BSRS). Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the merger of BSB and BSRS
in October 2009, facilitating the setting up of the BDBL.
The head office of BSB at Rajuk Avenue will be the new
Head office of the BDBL.
Indian economy to grow 8pc in
2010- 11
PTI, New Delhi
Indian economy would expand by 8 per cent during fiscal
2010-11 and return to the high growth trajectory of nine
per cent a year later, Prime Minister's economic adviser C
Rangarajan said on Friday. "The economy would grow between
7 and 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal, it would grow by
eight per cent in 2010-11 and in the year after that
growth would be nine per cent," he told PTI. The optimism
of Rangarajan, Chairman of Prime Minister's Economic
Advisory Council (PMEAC) and former Governor of the
Reserve Bank, is based on firm recovery in the global
economy and normal monsoon.
India's economic growth rate slipped from nine per cent to
6.7 per cent during 2008-09 on account of the impact of
the global financial crisis. However, driven by stimulus
packages and signs of recovery in the international
market, the growth in the current fiscal is estimated to
go up to 7.75 per cent. As regards the next fiscal,
Rangarajan said, he had reasons to expect a higher growth
rate of 8 per cent. "There is reason why I expect eight
per cent growth in the next fiscal. Agriculture would
improve with normal monsoon and it would add half to one
per cent in the GDP growth," he said.
He added that the world economy and global trade would
improve by fiscal 2011-12 and in that year, India would
post nine per cent growth.
Signs of recovery became more visible today as the growth
rate of India's exports turned positive in November after
registering degrowth for 13 consecutive months since
October 2008 due to widespread recession in key overseas
markets.
According to Rajiv Kumar, an economist at city-based think
- tank Indian Council for Research on International
Economic Relations, growth would be about 6.5 to 7 per
cent in 2009-10.
However, he, too, believes the country would accelerate to
nine per cent growth rate in 2011-12 provided the
government brings in reforms, including allowing foreign
investment in food retail. "As far as recovery is
concerned I think we would recover definitely soon but
this is the right time to have a reform dominated budget
this year. And, if we do it this time, we are definitely
going to get back to a growth rate of nine per cent in
2011-12," he said. Kumar expects food inflation to
"persist for the time being" even if Rabi crop comes well
as food availability has declined and the demand pressure
is pushing up international food prices.
China’s FTA with Asean comes into
force
Asia News Network
The world's largest free-trade area (FTA) came into being
on Friday (January 1), an initiative that analysts said
gives a shot in the arm for global trade troubled by
rising protectionism.
From Friday, most goods traded between China and the
10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)
attracted zero or little tariff. The average tariff on
goods from Asean countries is cut to 0.1 per cent from 9.8
per cent. The six original Asean members - Brunei,
Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand - will slash the average tariffs on Chinese goods
from 12.8 per cent to 0.6 per cent. By 2015, 90 per cent
of goods are expected to flow without tariffs between
China and the four new Asean members: Cambodia, Laos,
Myanmar and Viet Nam.
Border traders were happy with the launch of the FTA, the
world's largest in terms of population, 1.9 billion, and
third largest by GDP, trailing the European Union and the
North American Free Trade Area. Dozens of trucks, mostly
carrying dragonfruit from Viet Nam, were waiting to be
unloaded Friday morning at the Tianyuan Fruit Trade
Market, one of China's largest markets for fruit imports,
at Pingxiang Customs point in the Guangxi Zhuang
autonomous region. "The establishment of the free trade
area is really good news," said Liu Yuzhen, who has been
trading fruits for 16 years.
She sells more than 10 tons of apples, pears, oranges and
other fruits to Southeast Asia everyday, and hopes her
business will expand as the FTA will facilitate customs
clearance and reduce logistics costs.
Business leaders said the FTA would definitely liberalise
trade.
"This will enable trade to flow more freely between China
and Asean, it is a very good thing," said Chan Sophal,
president of the Cambodian Economic Association. He said
the FTA would also create more opportunities for Asean
countries to increase regional trade.
"Cambodia can produce more products and export more to
China's market," he said.
Experts have predicted the removal of trade duties will
prompt China-Asean trade to grow 40 to 50 per cent. Trade
between China and Asean declined 16.7 per cent
year-on-year to hit US$165.7 billion in the first 10
months last year, according to the commerce ministry. An
Asean leader said the FTA is beneficial to all.
"We sincerely hope that all parties will act to ensure
that the man on the street will benefit from these
reductions in tariffs," Asean secretary-General Surin
Pitsuwan said on Asean website on Thursday.
He added that the lower cost of inputs will allow the
business community a wider choice of goods, and in the
process, they will move toward becoming more globally
competitive. Beijing-based analysts said the FTA signals
China's commitment to free trade although it has fallen
victim to a rising number of protectionist measures taken
by developed countries.
Myanmar designates importing car
models
Xinhua, Yangon
The Myanmar authorities have designated that the lowest
model of importing cars be manufactured in not earlier
than 2003 to ensure that the model of imported cars are
most up-dated, sources with the Ministry of Commerce said
on Friday.
The lowest models of importing cars were so designated
that the manufacturing date for home-use cars be not
earlier than 2007, while that for the medium-sized such as
mini- bus, high ace and micro-bus 2005 and that for heavy
loaded trucks and highway buses 2003, the sources said,
adding that importing cars and buses for public
transportation will be restricted to left-hand drive in
line with Myanmar's traffic rules. Meanwhile, Myanmar has
set up Sakura auto auction center in the biggest city of
Yangon in June last year to enable people to buy motor
cars of up-date model in the world through information
from the company's website.
Inviting car owners to entrust their automobiles for sale,
the company is auctioning off about 200 vehicles at
weekends fortnightly. Automobiles are traditionally traded
through private brokers in Myanmar and such trading
frequently gives rise to problems disturbing minds of both
sides.
According to statistics, the number of motor vehicles
operating in the whole of Myanmar reached over 2 million
as of May last year, up from over 1.04 million
correspondingly in the previous year.
National
Primary education undergoes major
changes targeting 100 percent enrollment
BSS, Dhaka
Primary education sector had gone through many major
shifts and developments in the last one year mainly
targeting 100 percent primary school enrollment by the
year 2011 and build a Illiteracy free Bangladesh within
2014 During the first year of the present democratic
government it has introduced Central Examinations system
at class five successfully in last November where18,26,649
examinees took part. Public examination at primary level
has been appreciated by all as it will help ensure quality
education for all and scholarship will be given to the
qualified students.
The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education sources told
BSS that the government has appointed 20,278 assistant
teachers last year while process is on to appoint
additional 25,000 teachers and create posts for 15,000
more. Written test for appointing 930 head teachers has
been held. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur
Rahman nationalized 36,165 primary schools in 1973 to
ensure quality education for all. The number of primary
schools in the country is 81,434, which was 49,539 in
1991. During this period, number of non-government primary
schools has been increased from 11,845 to 28,116. In 1991,
ratio of appointment of women teachers in primary schools
was 21.09 percent, which has now increased to 49.76
percent. The ratio of male and female students in primary
schools was 55 : 45 in 1991, which is now 50 : 50. The
allocation for primary education is Taka 6,574.17 crore in
the fiscal 2009-10. The government has taken all steps to
ensure supply of free textbooks among the primary students
at a cost of Taka112.67 crore.
The life sketch of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and real history of the War of Liberation
have been included in the curriculum of primary education.
Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP-2) is under
implementation at a cost of Taka 7,500 crore. Under this
programme, construction of 40,000 classrooms is going on.
Meanwhile, 78 percent primary teachers have been provided
with training, the source added. Taka 100 stipend for each
poor primary student has been ensured while Taka 125 in
case of more than one from the same family. Tender notices
have been floated for reconstruction of 1,800 primary
schools. About six lakh primary students are being
provided with 75 grams high protein biscuits every day
with the assistance of World Food Programme (WFP) in the
food deficit areas including Kurigram, Gaibandha and
Kishoreganj, the source said. Under the emergency School
Feeding Programme in cyclone 'Sidr-hit' coastal areas
another six lakh students are also being provided with
high protein biscuits. The School Feeding Programme is a
Taka 1250 crore project. Under the Reaching Out of School
Children (ROSC) project 4,90,400 students are being
provided with primary education through multi-grade
system.
In remote areas 1,500 primary schools will be set up soon
to spread primary education among the children of the
backward areas. The ministry source said pre-primary
education would be launched in the rural areas so that the
children feel encouraged to enroll in primary schools.
Primary Training Institutes (PTI) will be set up in 10
more districts soon to ensure quality training for the
teachers. To address the manpower problem in primary
education, the government has created posts of 5,222
teachers, 475 assistant upazila education officers, 491
assistant accounts officers and 64 district primary
education officers.
Process is also on to create posts of 36,988 peons in the
primary schools.
Govt. adds 181mmcfd gas
into national grid last year
BSS, Dhaka
A total of 181-million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas has
been added in the national grid during the last one-year
without any new discovery but only through augmentation of
supply from different gas fields and wells.
Petrobangla has successfully increased its production by
181 mmcfd taking the total gas production to 1,991 mmcfd
which is helping the power and fertilizer sector to keep
power load shedding at a tolerable level and ensuring
sufficient power supply and fertilizer to the farmers.
"We don't have any magic wand in our hand through which we
could improve the energy situation overnight as the sector
has been ignored for last seven years. We have inherited
an incompatible energy sector caused by indecision and
inflicted by corruption of the successive governments," Dr
Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Adviser for energy, power and
mineral resources told BSS while commenting on the
achievement of the government's first year in energy
sector.
"However, we have taken some immediate steps to tackle the
day to day functioning of the sector," he added.To add
fresh reserve by 2010, Bapex is now set to kick-off long
awaited exploration work in onshore areas of the country.
Analyzing the data of 2D seismic survey in different parts
of the country, the state run company has completed land
acquisition, development work at Srikail, Kapasia and
Sundalpur within December and set to start work in
Mobarakpur and Netrokona.
"Energy sector is not like other sectors where we could
apprehend returns in advance within certain frame of days,
months or years. Energy sector has a time bound-plan based
entity. However, we have just completed all brain storming
work as per the guideline set by our Prime Minister to
make the country free from load shedding and meet energy
requirement between 2012 and 2021," the adviser said.
"We had taken various steps to meet the regular energy
demand as well as to cope with the eight percent energy
growth of the country by 2021," he added.
Sahara
calls for projecting real history to students
BSS, Dhaka
Home Minister Advocate Sahara Khatun on Saturday stressed
the need for highlighting the true history of the country
for students to lead the nation to a right direction.
The students should be educated on the ideals of Father of
the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. They can
know the true history of the country, if they know about
Bangabandhu, she added.
The minister was addressing the inaugural function of the
national curriculum (English version) of Bir Shreshtha
Noor Mohmmad Rifles Public School and College at BDR
headquarters at Philkhana in the city.
Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Director General of
the BDR Maj Gen Mainul Islam and Principal of the College
Shahina Parvin addressed the function.
Describing the importance of English language to acquire
knowledge, Sahara said, "We have to learn English language
as it is an international language."
The minister said introduction of the national curriculum
(English version) to Bir Shreshtha Noor Mohmmad Rifles
Public School and College is a time-befitting initiative
to survive the competitive world.
Recalling the memories of Army officers who were brutally
killed on February 25 and 26 last year at the BDR
headquarters, she said, "I paid rich tributes to the
memories of the greatest sons of the soil and preyed for
eternal peace of the departed souls."
Sahara said an evil force occurred the tragic incident at
the BDR headquarters to push the present government into a
difficult situation. But the government tackled the
situation with the cooperation from all, she added.
The minister said the government has formed the community
police including local people. The law and order has been
improved significantly at places, where community police
is active, she added.
Sahara urged all to extend their cooperation in
maintaining the law and order in the country.
Maj Gen Mainul Islam said a total of 11,000 students are
studying at four education institutions of the BDR
headquarters. Of them, 80 percent students come from
outside the BDR headquarters, he added.
15 women killed for dowry in Dec: BSEHR
UNB, Dhaka
At least 15 women were killed and four others tortured for
dowry in December last year, said a report of Bangladesh
Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR).
Meanwhile, nine women and five men committed suicide
following torture for dowry, failure in love, eve-teasing
and family feud.
BSEHR said they prepared the report on the basis of
reports published in different newspapers during the
period. It said some 39 women and children were abducted
while 12 children were rescued from the clutches of human
traffickers. The report said some 17 women and 16 children
were violated while two women and three children were
killed after rape during the month. At the same period
eight people were killed by law enforcing agencies while
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead three people.
In social violence 209 people were killed and another
1,720 people injured while four people were killed and 710
others injured in political violence. Section 144 was
imposed in 12 separate places of the country in different
times during the period. Police arrested 905 people on
charge of different crimes and cases.
Three women sustained serious burn injuries when
miscreants threw acid on them. Five people died due to
negligence of doctors and 13 died mysteriously, the report
added.
13 injured in Sirajganj clash; Tension prevails
UNB, Sirajganj
At least 13 people were injured in sporadic clashes
between two rival groups in the municipal area on Friday
night over establishing supremacy on a fair venue.
District Chamber of Commerce organized the month-long
Agriculture, Trade and Education Fair at Sirajganj
Government University College ground.
Local sources said supporters of district BCL president
Nurul Islam Sajal and local Jubo League leader Belal
Hossain locked into an altercation at about 9pm in their
attempt to establish supremacy over the fair venue.
Both the groups equipped with lethal weapons and sticks
attacked each other, leaving 13 people injured, including
Nurul Islam Sajal, his brother Kiron and Belal Hossain.
Both Sajal and Belal live in Duttabari Moholla. The
injured were admitted to Sadar General Hospital and
clines.
Following Friday's conflict, some inhabitants of Duttabari
Mohalla stabbed two shop workers of Janpur Mohalla at Boro
Bazar today (Saturday), leaving them critically injured.
386-member National Executive Committee of BNP
UNB, Dhaka
The
much-awaited full-pledged 386-member central national
executive committee of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)
was officially announced Friday night. BNP senior joint
secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced
the full-pledged national executive committee and the
32-member BNP chairperson's advisory council at a press
conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office at 8:50pm
on Friday.
The full-pledged national executive committee:
Chairperson- Begum Khaleda Zia, senior vice-chairman-
Tarique Rahman, vice-chairmen- Justice TH Khan, M Morshed
Khan, Shah Moazzem Hossain, Rabeya Chowdhury, Air Vice
Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Harun-or-Rashid,
Abdullah Al Noman, Chowdhury Kamal-ibne-Yusuf, Selima
Rahman, Maj (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, Mayor Sadek Hossain
Khoka, Kazi Shah Mofazzel Hossian Kaikobad MP, Shamsher
Mobin Chowdhury, Begum Razia Fayez and Abdus Salam Pintu.
Secretary General- Khandaker Delwar Hossain. Senior
joint secretary general- Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir,
Treasurer- Abdul Mannan.
Seven joint secretaries general- Amanullah Aman,
Mizanur Rahman Minu, Barkatullah Bulu MP, Mohmmad
Shahjahan, Salahuddin Ahmed, Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon
and Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Sectaries
Freedom Fighter Affairs secretary - Hamidullah Khan, Law
secretary Barrister - Ziaur Rahman Khan, Education Affairs
secretary- Khairul Kabir Khokon, Social Welfare secretary-
Abul Khair Bhuiyan MP, Youth Affairs secretary - Syed
Moazzem Hossain Alal, Local Government Affairs secretary -
Abdul Hye, Industries Affairs secretary - AKM Mosharraf
Hossain, Economy Affairs secretary - Iqbal Hasan Mahmud
Tuku, Relief and Rehabilitation secretary- Syed Mehdi
Ahmed Rumi, Information and Research secretary - Syed
Wahidul Alam, Climate Change secretary -Afzal H Khan,
Sports Affairs secretary - Lt Col (retd) MA Latif Khan,
Cultural Affairs secretary - Gazi Mazharul Anwar, Women
Affairs secretary - Khaleda Rabbani, Training Affairs
secretaries - Kazi Asaduzzaman, and Kabir Murad, Student
Affairs secretary - Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anie MP, Labour
Affairs secretary- Zafrul Hasan, Agriculture secretary
Shamsuzzoha Khan, Swechhasebak Affairs secretary
Habibun-Nabi Khan Sohel, Mass Education secretary Adv
Sanaullah Mia, Religious Affairs secretary Adv Masud Ahmed
Talukder, Forest and Environment Affairs secretary Col (retd)
Shahjahan Mia, Family Welfare secretary Maj (retd) Rezaul
Huq, Cooperative Affairs secretary Salahuddin Ahmed, Rural
Development Affairs secretary Monirul Huq Chowdhury, Small
and Cottage Industry Affairs secretary Harun-ur-Rashid MP,
Gramsarker Affairs secretary Asadul Habid dulu,
Publication Secretary Zahid Ali Chowdhury, Sawnirvar
Affairs secretary Ruhul Kuddus Talukder Dulu, Tati Affairs
secretary Humayun Islam Khan, Child Affairs secretary Rosy
Kabir, Health Affairs secretary Dr Majharul Islam Dolon,
Expatriate Welfare secretary Ekramuzzaman, Science and
Technology secretary Eng ANH Akhter Hossain, ICT Affairs
secretary Sharif Shah Kamal Taj, Human Rights secretary
Barrister Nasiruddin Ahmed Osim, Tribal Affairs secretary
Ma Ma Ching, and Matshajibi Affairs secretary Ahsan Habib
Kamal.
Six divisional organizing secretaries: Fazlul Huq
Milon (Dhaka), Golam Akbar Khandaker (Chittagong), Mashiur
Rahman (Khulna) Harunur Rashid (Rajshahi), Mojibur Rahman
Sarwar (Barishal) and Elias Ali (Sylhet).
Secretary on special duty- Nadim Mostafa, Publicity
secretary - Zainul Abdin Farruque MP.
Seven international affairs secretaries: Giasuddin
Quader Chowdhury, Dr Asuduzzaman Ripon, Lutfar Rahman Khan
Azad, Mir M Nasiruddin, Ehsanul Huq Milon Zakaria Taher
Suman and Kamruddin Ahmed.
The names of 265 executive committee members were also
declared.
Earlier, on December 13, the names of a 19-member national
standing committee, the party's highest policymaking body,
and eight joint secretaries general, including one senior
joint secretary general of the national executive
committee were announced with approval of the incumbent
secretary general as secretary general until the new
secretary general is elected.
On December 8, during the fifth national council of BNP,
the party councilors from across the country unanimously
elected Tarique Rahman, now in the UK for treatment, as
its senior vice-chairman.
The councilors also empowered Khaleda Zia who was
reelected unopposed as party chairperson on December 4 to
elect the members of standing committee, national
executive committee and other bodies.
"After 23 days of consultation with all concerned, BNP
chairperson Khaleda Zia accomplished her assigned
responsibility to elect the full-fledged national
executive committee and the advisory council body of the
BNP chairperson," said a senior party leader.
"New faces, particularly those who were with the party at
its bad and crucial time during the last military-backed
caretaker government as well as former JCD leaders have
been incorporated in the new committee for a three-year
term. Leaders known as reformists were also accommodated
in the executive committee," the BNP leader said.
The names of assistant secretaries: deputy
treasurer - SM Fazlul Huq, assistant organizing
secretaries - Nasiruddin Pintu (Dhaka), Aslam Chowdhury (Chittagong),
Abdul Momin Talukder Khoka MP (Rajshahi), Manzurul Islam
Manju MP (Khulna), Adv Nazrul Islam Khan Rajon (Barisal)
and Dr Shakhawat Hossain Jibon (Sylhet), assistant office
secretaries - Abdul Latif Johnny, Shamimur Rahman Shamim
and Arshadul Karim Shahin, assistant publicity secretary -
Syed Emran Saleh Prince, assistant freedom fighter affairs
secretary - Principal Suhrabuddin, assistant Law
secretaries- Adv Nitai Roy Chowdhury, Adv Taimur Alam
Khandaker and Adv Khorshed Alam, assistant Education
Affairs secretary -Habibul Islam Habib, assistant social
welfare secretary - Shahbuddin Ahmed, assistant sport
affairs secretary - Raihan Amin Ronny, assistant Cultural
Affairs secretary - Abdul Malek, assistant Youth Affairs
secretary - Mohibul Alam Swapan, assistant Women Affairs
secretaries - Noor-e-Ara-Safa and Shirin Sultana,
assistant Religious Affairs secretaries - Joyanta Kumar
Kunda, Dipen Dewan and John Gomez, assistant Student
Affairs secretary- Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, assistant
Labour Affairs secretary- AM Nazimuddin, assistant
Agriculture Affairs secretary- Hazi Yasin, assistant
Cooperative Affairs secretary- Ashrafuddin Nizan MP,
assistant Industries Affairs secretary -Shahjada Mia,
assistant Rural Development Affairs secretary- Mozhar Ali
Prodhan MP, assistant Swechhasebak secretary- ABM
Mosharraf Hossain, assistant Relief and Rehabilitation
secretary -Amjad Hossain MP, assistant Publication Affairs
secretary - Shafi Bikrampuri, assistant Information and
Research secretaries - Habibur Rahman Habib, Abu Sayeed
Khan Khokon and Shakil Wahed Sumon and assistant Gram
Sarker Affairs secretary - Saiful Islam Shishir.
Islamic scholars for preaching love for
establishing social peace, harmony
BSS, Dhaka
Islamic scholars from home and abroad Saturday called for
preaching Prophet Muhammad's (SM) message of love for
establishing peace in individuals' life and social arena
uprooting evils including militancy in the name of
religion.
They made the call at a conference on Anjuman-e-Rahmania
Mainia Maizbhandaria at the Institution of Engineers
Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium here while a large number of
foreign and Bangladeshi religious scholars, politicians
across the party lines and representatives of different
social groups joined the function marking its 28th
founding anniversary.
Leading spiritual personality Alhaj Syed Moinuddin Ahmed
Al Hasani Maizbhandari led the prayers and munajat after
the daylong function.
Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan, chief whip of the
opposition Joynal Abdin Farroque, former Kuwaiti minister
and mayor of Kuwait city Dr Alama Syeed Yousuf Syeed
Hasheem Al-Rifai, a descendant of the Holy Prophet, Khatib
of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Moulana Salahuddin
Ahmed and Professor ANM Raisuddin, among others, spoke at
the function conducted by Anjuman president Shah Sufi Syed
Saifuddin Ahmed.
"The incumbent government is working for establishing an
ideal society based on secularism and as part of it we
have taken steps to involve the Islamic scholars in the
anti-militancy campaign," the Shipping Minister said.
He called Maizbhandari as a unique symbol of
non-communalism recalling its historic role in promoting
social peace and religious harmony in the country.
Rifai said misleading opinions like Ohabism misled some
Muslims from the path of Prophet Muhammad (SM), who
preached peace, parity and tolerance discarding
individuals' egotism and self interests. "There is no room
for militancy in Islam... but due to the disunity of
Muslims the vested groups are still hatching the plots,"
he said.
The Khatib of Baitul Moqarram Mosque urged the Muslims to
stick to the principles of the Holy Prophet to escape the
misleading ideals and campaigns.
The opposition chief whip called for upholding the spirit
of Islam and praised the role of Maizbhandar Darbar Sharif
in this regard over the past many decades.
While conducting the milad at the function, Syed Mainuddin
Ahmed, himself a descendent of Prophet Muhammad (SM), said
Islam is the unique mean to establish peace and the
believers should, therefore, follow the Prophet's ideals
in their individual, family and social life.
He referred to the Quranic verses describing the high
status of the Prophet in Allah's consideration and urged
all to follow his footsteps and ideals for restoring peace
in the troubled-torn world, progress in personal and
social life and getting the blessings of the Almighty.
Meghna devoured 240 sq km area of Bhola: Seminar
told
BSS, Dhaka
Speakers at a seminar here Saturday urged for taking
immediate steps to protect the country's largest and
resourceful island district Bhola from river erosion.
Around 240 square kilometer land of the district was
devoured in the river Meghna and every year new areas are
being eroded and existence of the district along with its
gas and oil fields are now under severe threat, they said
urging for urgent attention of the government to the
problem.
Council for Bhola District River Erosion Prevention
arranged the seminar at Jatiya Press Club here Saturday.
Presidium member of Bangladesh Awami League Advocate Yusuf
Hossain Humayun attended the seminar as the chief guest
while state minister for Water Resources Alhaj Mahbubur
Rahman was present as special guest.
Former ambassador M Faruk Mollah, secretary general of
non- government organization DORP AHM Noman, council
leaders Jahirul Huq and Aminul Haque, Dhaka University
teacher Dr Shah Mohammad Ullah, secretary of the council
Dr Abdur Rahman took part among others, in the discussion
while president of the council advocate AKM Akhter Hossain
was in the chair.
Speakers said erosion in four upazilas- Doulat Khan,
Tajmuddin, Manpura and Borhanuddin- took serious turn and
gradual wearing away of land in Charfashion and Lalmohan
is also continuing. Dropping of concrete blocks in the
river is not sufficient to protect the district from
erosion. Dredging is necessary to settle the course of
river and prevent inundation of agricultural land which
produce surplus food every year, they said.
The speakers placed six-point recommendation for
protecting the district which include- revival of the
project taken by Bangabandhu in 1975 with the support of
the Dutch government, dredging of the river for keeping
the river course in its position and the mouth of the
river clear and bringing new chars under afforestation
programme.
Sports
Citycell Bangladesh League
football
Feni Soccer earns second
win
TBT Report
Feni Soccer Club earned its second victory in the Citycell 3rd
Bangladesh League football defeating the bottom team
Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra 2-1 at Bir Shreshtha Shaheed
Mohammad Mustafa Stadium in Dhaka on Saturday.
Muktijoddha's woes continued as it suffered its fifth defeat
in the fifth game in the league, while Feni Soccer Club gained
its second win after its 1-0 victory against Biani Bazar
Sporting Club in the second round fixture. Shahajuddin Tipu
scored after 12 minutes for Muktijoddha to bring an early lead
for the hosts and Muktijoddha players raised hopes to end its
losing streak when they finished the first session with a 1-0
lead.
But after the change of ends, the total complexion of the
match was changed as Feni players shrugged off their initial
inertia and staged a comeback to snatch full points.
Ashraful Quader Monju scored two goals for Feni Soccer in the
later part of the game. He put the game on level terms when he
found the net on 62 minutes and scored the winner on 75
minutes to seal a 2-1 victory for the visitors.
The win helped the Feni Soccer Club increase its tally to
seven points from five matches, while Muktijoddha is
struggling at the bottom of the table with no point in its
kitty after the fifth outing.
Today's match: Dhaka Abahani vs Rahmatganj Muslim Friends
Society (Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Mohammad Mustafa Stadium, Dhaka
at 2:45pm).
TBL
becomes official beverage partner of BCB
BSS, Dhaka
Transcom Beverages Limited (TBL) signed an agreement with
Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) to become the official beverage
partner.
BCB held a press conference on Saturday at Sher-e-Bangla
Stadium in Mirpur to announce the agreement between TBL and
BCB on beverage matters.
BCB Acting CEO Nizam Uddin Chowdhury ® and Khurshid Irfan
Chowdhury, General Manager of Transcom Beverages Ltd (L)
signed an agreement on behalf for BCB's and TCL respectively
to announce the Official beverage partner at the SBNCS, Mirpur
on Saturday.
Tejinder Khurana, Country Manager- PepsiCo International, BCB
Senior Vice President Mahbubul Anam, Rizwan Farouq, Managing
Director of Axiom Technologies Ltd, BCB Vice President Ahmed
Sajjadul Alam and Vice Chairman of BCB Marketing & Commercial
Committee Syed Farhad Ahmed were all present during brief
signing ceremony.
Transcom Beverages Ltd. (TBL) was given exclusive pouring
rights for aerated soft drinks colas, water, juices or energy
drinks at all international and domestic matches held under
BCB in Bangladesh. Tenure of the agreement will be of two
years (1st January 2010 to 31st December 2011).
TBL will pay an amount of BDT 30,00,000.00 (Thirty Lac Taka
only) as a Royalty fee for the period of 2 years commencing
from 1st Jan 2010 to 31st December 2011. TBL will provide
squeezed drinking water bottles, Branded drink trolleys,
Fridges, branded Cool Box, branded T-shirt for grounds men in
each international series.
Shahadat Hossain to replace Nazmul
Hossain in Bangladesh Squad
TBT Report
Bangladesh pace bowler Nazmul Hossain has suffered a right
quadriceps muscle injury during the practice on Saturday.
He is likely to be out of action for two weeks.
He has been ruled out of the Idea Cup Tri-Nation Cricket
Championship, beginning on January 4 at Sher-e-Bangla
National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka.
Shahadat Hossain has replaced Nazmul in the Bangladesh
Squad.
|
 |
|
Indian
cricketers Virender Sehwag (L) and Mahendra Singh
Dhoni (R) after arriving at Zia International Airport
in Dhaka on Saturday.
l
Photo : AFP |
We are here to play good cricket: Sehwag
BSS, Dhaka
We are here to play good cricket, said Virendar Sehwag,
India's hardest hitting opening batsman while talking to
sports scribes at the Zia International Airport in Dhaka.
A 24-member star-studded Indian team arrived in the
capital on Saturday afternoon to take part in a Tri-Nation
(Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka) beginning from January 4
at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Sehwag who in the supreme touch, talked to the waiting
newsmen on behalf of his team India. When asked if his
team has any particular goal, Sehwag said, "We are here to
play good cricket.
When asked since India is in ICC test ranking number one
and occupies number two spot, would it means that India
plans to take this series in different way, Sehwag in
reply said, " Our only target is here to play good
cricket. So, if we play good cricket the result will
automatically SEE our position remains upward."
When asked about the strength of the other teams Sri
Lanka, Sehwag said, "We have respect for both the teams.
There is no question of taking things lightly and we
expect both teams to be equally very competitive. Despite
Sri Lanka resting some of their senior players, I believe
they are a very tough side."
While talking about Bangladesh Sehwag said, "I believe
Bangladesh is a good competitive side and their track
record says that they are capable of beating any teams on
their day. All matches will be played with serious
consideration'.
When asked did he know that captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza
was ruled out of the Tri-Nation Series and with out him
how much it will effect Bangladesh team, Sehwag said, 'I
am sorry I did not know that Mashrafe was playing in this
series. But you must remember whoever is replacing him is
playing for his country. The replacement will give his
heart and soul to do well for his country.
Regarding his epic form, Sehwag said, "Yes I am going
through a good touch and my humble efforts will be to
continue on with the good work with the willow.
However, Sehwag said that all the sub-continent pitches
looks similar and pitches in Dhaka will not be any factor
but of course dew might be a big factor in deciding the
match. " I saw in the television the Zimbabwe -Bangladesh
series, team batting second won most of the matches. So
the dew factor will be one of the major reason for
deciding the matches.
India Squad: MS Dhoni (Captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam
Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra
Jadeja, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Yuvraj
Singh, Sudeep Tyagi, Dinesh Karthik, Sreesanth, Ashok
Dinda and Amit Mishra.
Team managemet: Gary Kirsten-coach, Paddy Upton-mental
conditioning coach, Ramesh Mane- masseur, Mayank Parikh-
BCCI coordinator, C.K.M. Dhananjay - computer analyst,
Nitin Patel- physiotherapist, Ramji Srinivasan-trainer,
Arshad Ayub- administrative manager.
Romanians stun home team in Perth
AFP, Perth
Romania stunned top seeds Australia with an upset 2-1 win
in the Group A tie at the mixed teams Hopman Cup at
Perth's Burswood Dome on Saturday.
With the tie split after the respective singles matches,
the Romanian pairing of Sorana Cirstea and Victor Hanescu
shocked Australia's Samantha Stosur and Lleyton Hewitt in
the deciding mixed doubles.
With Cirstea continuing the good form she earlier showed
in beating Stosur in the women's singles and Hanescu
overcoming the cramp that plagued him in his singles loss
to Hewitt, the Romanians won the doubles in straight sets,
7-5, 6-1, to clinch a marathon tie.
The opening day of the tournament got off to a bad start
for the Australians when the 45th-ranked Cirstea trumped
the 13th-ranked Stosur in three sets, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, to
give her side the early advantage.
Hewitt then kept the host nation in the tie with a gritty
three-set win over Hanescu, coming from a set down to win,
3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).
Both Hewitt and Stosur boast grand slam doubles titles and
the Australians were expected to be the most accomplished
doubles team in the tournament, but the Romanians had all
the answers, dominating the second set as Stosur's form
woes continued. Cirstea was thrilled with her start to
2010. "For me today was a perfect day," she said.
"I started with a really good singles match and I beat
Sam, who is 13 in the world and is playing great.
"Then coming out and playing mixed with Victor for the
first time in my life and I cannot expect more than this."
Having only been in Australia for three days after
spending Christmas in much cooler climes in his home
country, Hanescu was exhausted by the end of the doubles.
"I am very tired. It is very hot and humid here coming
from Romania after a white Christmas and lots of food," he
said.
Earlier, the 22nd-ranked Hewitt had his hands full against
the towering Hanescu in a marathon match that a couple of
times looked to be heading the Romanian's way.
However, Hanescu suffered from cramp in the dying minutes
of a match that went to 150 minutes.
Hanescu was clearly struggling in the last few games of
the match and tried to keep the rallies short by hitting
winners and even attempted an underarm serve on match
point in the tie-break.
The world number 48 sought treatment at the end of the
ninth and 11th games in the third set, but was not allowed
an injury time out under new rules introduced this year
that prevent players being treated for cramp during
matches.
Hewitt himself appeared to be in a little discomfort from
a right foot problem at times, but said he was in better
shape when the match needed to be won.
"I was glad the match went three sets because I got better
as the match went on," he said.
"I was doing a lot better than him. I can tell you that."
Hewitt also welcomed the change to the rules on cramp.
"Cramp is a lack of condition," he said.
"For those players that do all the hard work, there has to
be some bonus for doing all the hard yards and putting
yourself on a line day in, day out and I think it is a
good thing." Stosur seemed to have control of the match
with Cirstea after cruising through the first set on the
back of her powerful service.
Ancelotti shrugs off African talent drain
AFP, London
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti shrugged off losing Didier
Drogba, John Mikel Obi, Michael Essien and Salomon Kalou
to the African Nations Cup, claiming the tournament may
have come at the right time.
The Premier League leader tackles Watford in the FA Cup
third round today before games against Hull, Sunderland,
Birmingham and Burnley during January when the African
event takes place in Angola.
Despite the three-week Nations Cup, Ancelotti said he
would not be put off signing another African player in the
future.
He said: "I think that when they have to play for their
national team, it's not a problem. It's like the European
players.
"Every top player can go to the national team. It's not a
problem for the Africans. It'll be a great opportunity for
the young players now to show their quality. I hope they
will do a very good job because I trust in these players."
Ancelotti will have his first taste of FA Cup football
this weekend and the Italian is already aware it has a
markedly different flavour in England compared to his
homeland.
There, domestic knockout competitions are all but ignored,
with even clubs like AC Milan and Juventus, who have both
had spells with Ancelotti at the helm, going through the
motions in front of sparse crowds.
Many believe the FA Cup no longer has the place in English
hearts it once enjoyed but, nonetheless, Ancelotti knows
the famous trophy remains worth fighting for, as Chelsea
proved last season when they came back from behind to beat
Everton in the final.
"It is a very important competition in England," Ancelotti
said. "In Italy, the Italian Cup is not so important.
"We want to do our best and it is one of our objectives,
our aim, to win it. Last year we won it. We want to do the
best again this year."
Championship side Watford is the visitors to Stamford
Bridge today and Ancelotti will not need reminding that a
stumble at this hurdle precipitated former Chelsea boss
Luiz Felipe Scolari's exit almost a year ago.
Chelsea were held at home by Southend United, a third
tier, League One, team and although the replay was
negotiated successfully the Brazilian was dismissed in
February, just a month later.
Ancelotti admitted he knew little of Watford save he is a
big fan of their former chairman, pop star Elton John, but
promised he would step up the research soon. "Watford are
a good team," he said. "I don't know them very well but I
have an opportunity to watch a DVD. Every team can give
you problems if you don't stay focused."
Watford, whose manager Malky Mackay became a permanent
appointment before the season started when former Chelsea
Academy coach Brendan Rodgers left for an ill-fated spell
at Reading, are mid-table in the Championship.
Sale hold off Quins to move clear of drop zone
AFP, London
Sale claimed their third victory over Harlequins in 20
days to pull clear of the Premiership relegation zone with
a dramatic 21-16 win at Edgeley Park on Friday.
The home side, boosted by the return of internationals
Mark Cueto, Mathew Tait and Dwayne Peel, led at the break
with two Charlie Hodgson penalties and a James Gaskell
try.
Quins fly-half Nick Evans kept his side in touch but
another Hodgson penalty and Ben Cohen's try extended the
lead.
A Tom Guest try on the hour got Quins back into the tie
before winger Ugo Monye went over for would have been the
match-winner in injury time only for the video referee to
disallow the score for a foot in touch. Sale director of
rugby Kingsley Jones paid tribute to fly-half Hodgson
after his last-ditch tackle helped deny Monye. "The way
Charlie Hodgson made that tackle sums up the way he is
playing at the moment. Any flanker would have been proud
of that tackle. It's importance is massive," said Jones.
Nadal wins, Federer sinks in desert
AFP, Abu Dhabi
Rafael Nadal gets an early New Year opportunity to avenge
the worst defeat of his career Saturday when he tackles
bitter rival Robin Soderling, the man who dumped him out
of the French Open.
World number two Nadal was defeated for the first time at
Roland Garros in 2009, where he was four-time champion, by
the towering Swede, a setback which sent his season into a
downward, injury-hit spiral. Nadal, who also lost to
Soderling at the ATP World Tour finals in London, gets his
chance for revenge when the two meet in the final of the
Capitala World Tennis Championship, an exhibition
tournament, here on Saturday.
Soderling made the final by beating world number one Roger
Federer 6-7 (8/10), 7-6 (7/1), 6-2 in his semi-final on
Friday.
"I'm very happy to be here in Abu Dhabi, it's the perfect
place to prepare for Doha and the Australian Open," said
Nadal who heads for the Qatar Open next week before
defending his title in Melbourne.
"I feel OK. I had the best five months of my career at the
start of 2009 and after that I had a few problems. But
anyway I didn't have bad results - I lost in the
semi-finals in all the tournaments and made one final.
It's impossible to be 100 per cent all the time."
Nadal, who beat compatriot David Ferrer 7-6, 6-3 in an
all-Spanish semi-final, is without an ATP final since May
2009 with his second half of the season badly-affected by
knee tendinitis and a stomach strain.
Soderling achieved his first career win over Federer,
having lost all previous 12 times they had met, including
in the 2009 Roland Garros final.
Federer said: "I've known Robin for a while and it was
great to see his incredible run at the French Open.
Collingwood set to
start Newlands Test
AFP, Cape Town
England batsman Paul Collingwood looks set to start the
third Test against South Africa at Newlands today,
according to captain Andrew Strauss.
Collingwood, who did not take the field on the last two
days of England's innings win in the second Test in Durban
after injuring his left index finger, batted against his
side's fast bowlers in the nets on Saturday after taking
some sharp chances in slip fielding practice.
"Everything looks fine," said Strauss. "He was batting
without any real discomfort. We're very hopeful, barring
any last minute incidents.
"He's contributed a huge amount in this series and in
previous series and he's an experienced player as well so
it would have been a shame if he had missed out."
Strauss said the challenge for England, who are one up in
a four-match series was to be "ruthless and just as
desperate to win as when you're up."
He said England learnt a lesson from their innings defeat
against Australia at Headingley last year after they had
gone into the match with a chance of clinching the series.
"We started talking about 'we could finish it this week
and let's realise our dreams' instead of just talking
about winning the first half hour."
He said the talk in the dressing room had been about
"starting from square one" and "keeping our feet on the
ground."
"In Test matches you've always got to earn the right to
get on top of the opposition and that's what we did well
in Durban," he said.
"We forced them to stay in the field for over two days and
maybe that's affected their second innings batting. It's
important to start a Test match well so the opposition
don't get on top of you."
Strauss said there was no reason to be concerned about
England's poor record at Newlands, where they have lost
three successive Tests against the host nation.
"Generally the players haven't been involved in the
previous defeats here. I'm the only player who was
involved in the last Newlands Test. The guys have no fear
of playing at Newlands."
Instead of worrying about their past record, England were
looking forward to playing at Newlands, where 84 000
tickets have been sold in advance, including many to
travelling England supporters.
"A Newlands Test match is one of the great occasions,"
Strauss said. "It's usually a result wicket so there are a
lot of reasons to be switched on and ready."
Mancini salutes Tevez
AFP, Manchester
Manchester City coach Roberto Mancini hailed Carlos
Tevez's goal-scoring record on Saturday as the Argentine
striker eyed an emotional cup clash with former club
Manchester United.
Tevez has hit 12 goals since leaving Old Trafford last
year and will get the chance to add to that total when the
Manchester rivals clash in the League Cup semi-finals on
Wednesday.
Before that, City travel to Middlesbrough on Saturday for
an FA Cup third-round tie.
"Carlos Tevez has been outstanding," said Mancini. "He is
a world-class striker who is in top form.
"He is playing with a smile on his face and to score eight
goals during December was an incredible effort.
"He has scored 12 times already for City since he came to
the club which is a pretty impressive ratio.
McDonald backs Ki for Celtic
success
AFP, Glasgow
Australian international striker Scott McDonald believes
Celtic's new South Korean star Ki Sung-Yueng can handle
the Old Firm heat if he plays against Rangers today.
McDonald has been impressed with Ki - both on and off the
pitch - and has no fears over the former FC Seoul player
settling into the Scottish top flight.
"I played against South Korea for Australia (a 3-1
friendly win for Korea) just after Ki's deal had been
agreed and I had a good chat with him. It was good to be
able to welcome him to the club," said McDonald of the
20-year-old who will be a World Cup rival in South Africa
in the summer.
"I've been chatting to him over the last few days and he
spent three years in Australia when he was younger, so he
knows about me and my country.
"He's fitting in well, speaks perfect English and seems to
be a really good player. I was certainly impressed with
him when he played for South Korea. "Can I see him making
his debut against Rangers? You just never know. We've seen
some surprise debutants before in derbies, so we'll wait
and see what the manager decides," McDonald told the
official Celtic website.
Celtic has a game in hand over Rangers, but go into
today's match seven points behind its great rival.
McDonald knows the game is key to cutting the gap in the
title race as well as boosting his hopes of finishing as
club top scorer this season. He has 13 to his name so far,
but his best season was in 2007/08 when he grabbed 31.
"You make your own luck by working hard. That's what I'll
do. I've got 13 goals so far and it's not a bad return at
this stage of the season, but I'd love a few more," he
said.
US names team to regain hockey
glory
AFP, Boston
The United States, shut out of the ice hockey medals at
the 2006 Olympics, Friday named the team that will try to
get America back on the podium at the Vancouver Games in
February.
A strong goaltending presence includes Buffalo Sabres
goalie Ryan Miller, who is second among NHL starting
goalies in goals-against average (2.05) and first in save
percentage (.933).
He will be joined by reigning Vezina Trophy winner Tim
Thomas of the Boston Bruins and Jonathan Quick of the Los
Angeles Kings.
Team USA general manager Brian Burke stuck to his plans to
bring in new blood, meaning there was no room for Olympic
veterans such as Mike Modano and Bill Guerin. The squad
includes seven players who have won gold in international
competition, but only three players with past Olympic
experience - New York's Chris Drury, Detroit's Brian
Rafalski and New Jersey's Jamie Langenbrunner.
"Our management group has worked hard to put together a
group of players that will give us the best chance to win
the gold medal in Vancouver and we feel like we've done
that," Burke said.
"We had some difficult decisions to make, but that's a
credit to USA Hockey and depth of the player pool in our
country."
Forwards on the team include Chicago's Patrick Kane, New
Jersey's Zach Parise and Colorado's Paul Stastny, who are
currently the top three US point-getters in the National
Hockey League. At 21, Kane is the youngest player on the
team.
Since the Olympic ice hockey competition began including
National Hockey League players in 1998, six countries have
played in the gold medal game.
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