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Leading News
President
calls for stopping politics of confrontation
Nation expects an effective parliament, he says
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
President Zillur Rahman on Monday called for stopping the
politics of confrontation and expressed his firm hope that
the opposition would join the Parliament to fulfill the
aspirations of people and help advance the parliamentary
democracy in the country.
"Tolerance for others' opinion is the basis of democratic
practice and with this view in mind we should stop
practicing confrontational politics," he said while
delivering the inaugural address of this year's first
session of the 9th parliament at the Jatiya Sangsad here.
In his 25-minute speech, the President said lawmakers from
all parties are accountable to the people and the entire
nation expects an effective parliament, the core centre of
democratic practice, with everybody's participation.
He expressed his hope that the opposition would work along
with the government in building a hunger, poverty,
illiteracy, suppression and discrimination free Bangladesh
on a solid footing of science and technology to make it a
modern digital country with more progress and prosperity
as desired by the people. In this respect, the President
urged all to work together for building a democratic,
secular society based on rule of law and social justice
through a healthy political system. "I urge the
countrymen, especially the youth community, to make the
best sue of their labour, talent and knowledge for
implementing the charter of change to make our beloved
motherland capable enough to face the challenges of 21st
century, the era of globalization," he said.
"Our pledge should be: we will build Sonar Bangla, the
dream of Bangabandhu, for our posterity," Zillur Rahman
said. In his speech, the President referred to the
achievements and successes of the present government in
different sectors during the last one year and termed
those as the true reflection of its election pledges.
President Zillur Rahman said just after assuming the state
power with huge mandate widely acclaimed at international
level as the free, fair, neutral and peaceful 9th
parliament election, the government had to face unexpected
challenges like the BDR carnage and the cyclone Aila.
"Except these two challenges, the last one year ended with
positive happenings by the grace of the Almighty," he said
adding, "In the year, the country was freed from the
34-year old stigma through the verdict on the Bangabandhu
murder case." The government has also taken initiatives to
bring the war criminals and the killers of all political
murders including four national leaders and the August 21
grenade attack under trail, he said.
President Zillur Rahman said the government kept the
prices of essentials within the purchasing capacity of the
common people as per its election pledges soon after
assuming power at the moment of crisis, created by the
misrule during the last seven years.
The government has taken steps to protect the country from
the adverse impact of global economic crisis, which came
out with positive result in the national economy.
He said the country is again advancing towards attaining
self- sufficiency in food with bumper crop production.
Food scarcity or monga no more exists in Bangladesh
because of the food security already ensured in the
country, he said. "Bangladesh has also been pulled out of
the mire of corruption of the four-party alliance
government, enabling the country to regain its dignified
position in the international arena," he said.
‘Bismillah’
to stay, but religion-based political parties to be
outlawed: Shafique
UNB, Dhaka
The religion-based political parties functioning in the
country stands to be outlawed as the apex court vacated
the stay on operation of the High Court ruling
invalidating the fifth amendment of the Constitution.
Shedding light on Sunday's Supreme Court orders before the
newsmen, Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed Monday said
since the High Court judgment invalidating Fifth Amendment
stands operational through reviving the fundamentals of
the 1972 Constitution, "none would in any way be allowed
to use religion as political instrument".
"But the words 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim' and state
religion Islam remain in force in the constitution as per
the eighth amendment," he said.
"There is no scope for debate over the matter."
Barrister Shafique said the government would implement the
High Court ruling after seeking advice from the Law
Commission on those provisions under the original 1972
constitution omitted or substituted by the fifth amendment
of the constitution-now void.
Replying to a question, the Law Minister said the
government took the decision on withdrawal of its
application for leave to appeal as it deems fit the High
Court ruling on the Fifth Amendment.
On Aug 29 in 2005, the High Court upon a writ petition
declared illegal the Fifth Amendment to the constitution
that had endorsed usurpation of power in a row by
Khandaker Mushtaque Ahmed, Justice AM Sayem and Maj
General Ziaur Rahman since the August 15, 1975 changeover
till April 9, 1979.
Khaleda
obliquely blames India for blocking rivers’ flows by
making dams
A strong neighbour carrying aggression on Bangladesh,
she says
UNB, Dhaka
BNP chairperson and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia
Monday said a strong neighboring state (indicating India)
is carrying out aggression on Bangladesh by building dams
on river flows.
She made the oblique remark addressing the closing session
of the Third International Conference on Environment
Affairs of Bangladesh, organized by Bangladesh Paribesh
Andolan (BAPA).
"The regional and international reasons are not also less
liable for environmental pollution of Bangladesh apart
from our own errors. We are being affected by the carbon
emission of the developed countries. At the same time, the
strong neighboring countries are continuing their
aggression on us by setting dams on the flow of the
rivers," she said.
She also mentioned that one of the important reasons for
the drying up of the country's rivers is the "one-sided"
withdrawal of water by India from the international rivers
for having the privilege of possession in the upstream.
"India is very much keen to take control of the water of
Surma-Kushiara-Meghna basin in the eastern zone of
Bangladesh through the one-sided Tipaimukh Dam Project,"
she told the international meet on the burning issue like
environment. The ex-PM vented her grave concern over the
"unwanted interference by India" with the rivers of
Bangladesh.
Khaleda Zia said as being one of the vulnerable countries,
they have to take initiative to realize sufficient
retaliation and necessary technical support from the
developed countries, which would not be possible only by
Bangladesh.
Mentioning the agenda of environment related with the
national existence, she urged the government from this
stage to form a national consensus on this issue and
assured of providing their all-out cooperation. If voted
to power again, she pledged to significantly consider the
climate-change issue in the development plan, to make
mandatory for all industries in setting up the waste
effluent-treatment plans, stop the use of spurious
fertilizers and pesticides, to take stern actions in
preventing encroachment on rivers and take countrywide
afforestation and tree-planting programmes. Chaired by
BAPA president Prof. Mojaffar Ahmed, the meeting was also
addressed, among others, by North-South University
Vice-chancellor Hafez GA Siddiqui, BAPA vice- president Dr
Nazrul Islam and secretary Dr. MA Matin.
The opposition leader later distributed prizes among the
students of different schools after an art competition.
Officials expect
interim accord on Teesta water sharing
BSS, Dhaka
At the issues of water sharing remains the focal point of
discussion in the first session of the two-day Bangladesh
and India talks on water.
Officials emerging from the meeting said they expected
that outline of the Teesta water sharing would be at the
end of the talks.
The secretary level talks of the Joint River Commission
Monday started at the state guesthouse Meghna on common
rivers.
Water Resources Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Wahid-uz-zaman
told the newsmen that " Things are moving positively, We
are very hopeful that we will get a positive result on
signing of draft on Teesta water sharing agreement."
Indian Water Resources Secretary UN Panjir said, "We want
to share water with Bangladesh, there is no doubt about
it."
"We will certainly consider all the problems of Bangladesh
and take into consideration the concerns of Bangladeshis
while materializing the issues to be decided in the
meeting," he said.
Officials here said they expected both sides could reach
an interim agreement particularly on the Teesta waters
during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's New Delhi visit next
week. A water resource ministry spokesman told BSS that
the secretary level talks expected particularly to focus
on the Teesta issue and also discuss water sharing of six
other common rivers, joint dredging in Ichhamati river and
joint initiatives for protection of common rivers.
He said basically the two sides would discuss the quantum
of water sharing and the meeting was "expected to reach a
consensus". "If it is not possible to reach a long-term
agreement (on the Teesta) we may go for an interim
agreement," Bangladesh's water resource secretary Sheikh
Wahid-Uz-Zaman told newsmen ahead of start of the talks
with his visiting counterpart Umesh Narayan Panjiar.
Officials earlier said Dhaka already submitted a draft
agreement proposal to India through foreign ministry in
this regard while the two-day talks were the culmination
of an expert committee deliberations of the Joint River
Commission (JRC) on the issue in November last year.
Sharing of waters in the Teesta is a major issue in
Bangladesh-India water talks for the past several years
while under a 1983 understanding Bangladesh is supposed to
get 36 percent share of the flow and India 39 percent
allowing the rests to be flowed naturally.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni last week said talks with India
were progressing on sharing of waters of the Teesta river
as a positive development was expected on the issue during
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's scheduled three-day New
Delhi tour from January 10.
Bangabandhu murder
Condemned convicts to file mercy petitions
UNB, Dhaka
The detained ex-army officers sentenced to death in the
historic Bangabandhu Murder Case got down to writing mercy
petition to the President for sparing them from execution,
as the death warrants were read out to them in jail.
After receiving the death warrants signed and sealed in
red envelopes from Dhaka District and Sessions Judge's
Court Sunday, the Dhaka Central Jail authority gave them
seven days to submit mercy petition to the President, in
the last resort, if they wanted to.
Talking to reporters at his office, Inspector-General
(Prisons) Brig Gen Ashraful Islam Khan Monday said the
authority had already read out the death warrants to the
five convicts according to the Jail Code shortly after
they received the warrant of execution Sunday.
"They were seen quite normal when the death warrant was
read out to each of them," he said.
"They were asked to send mercy petition to the President
within seven days," the IG told the journalists. Dhaka
District and Sessions Judge MA Gafur Sunday signed the
death warrants against the five of the condemned convicts
as the apex court reconfirmed the death sentence against
them following prolonged appeal hearings.
The five on death row are Lt Col (sacked) Syed Farooq
Rahman, Lt Col (retd) Sultan Shahriar Rashid Khan, Maj (retd)
Bazlul Huda, Maj (retd) AKM Mohiuddin Ahmed (Lancer) and
Lt Col (retd) MU Mohiuddin Ahmed (Artillery).
"Pen and papers have already been given to the convicts
and two of them already started writing mercy petition,"
the IG (Prisons) informed the press.
After getting the result of mercy petition from the
President, execution of the verdict will be completed
within 21 to 28 days if the verdict remained unchanged,
Brig General Ashraful said.
"But," the chief boss of prisons said, "the execution
process will be stopped if the detained convicts submit
review petition on the case."
They are yet to file the petition, but they have time to
do it, he said.
To a question, Brig Ashraf said the five convicts are
under full glare of CCTV cameras in a round-the-clock
watch.
Country faces intolerable cold
BSS, Dhaka
The shivering cold spell sweeping over different parts of
the country these days has near paralyzed normal life.
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 Monday that due to thick
fog day temperature is below normal by 4-9 degree over
Dhaka Division and 4-6 degrees Celsius over Rajshahi and
Khulna division and 2-3 Celsius elsewhere the country.
Moderate to thick fog may occur over the country. The
ongoing mild cold spell over Rajshahi and Khulna divisions
including Tangail and Srimangal district may continue and
may spread over Barisal division and the regions of
Faridpur and Madaripur. Night temperature may fall
slightly over the country the sources said. Monday's
lowest temperature at 8.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in
Teknaf while the highest at 28.5 degrees in Jessore.
In Sirajganj, five persons including three children died
due to severe cold in different places of Sirajganj
district in the last two days.
The victims were identified as Abdur Rahman, 73, of
Horinchara, Abu Saied Khan, 103, of Randhunibari, Amir
Ali, 7, of Chongacha, Merri, 32 days, of Shabajpur and
Aklima, 14 days of Ghapri of the Sirajganj Sadhar upazila.
In Rangpur, normal life almost came to a halt due to
sweeping bone-chilling cold wave coupled with blowing
stronger winds, clouds and fogs today in the northern
Bangladesh adding untold sufferings to the common people.
UNB, adds: As a sweeping cold wave cripples life across
the country, particularly in the north, the government
dispatched 1.50 lakh blankets and two other consignments
of warm clothes for the affected people.
Of the blankets, 1.40 lakh pieces have been allocated from
the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management. The Ministry
also sent 16 cartons of warm wears to different parts of
the country.
From the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, another 10,000
blankets were sent to different parts of the northern
region along with 8,000 pieces of warm clothes.
Back Page
PM assures everything possible for
uplift of three hill districts
UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said that her
government would do whatever is possible for the
development of the three hill districts.
"We've already started taking various projects for the
development of the CHT and also engaged in implementing
those projects," she said while inaugurating the state-run
cell-phone company Teletalk's network in the upazillas of
three hill districts through calling from her office to
the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
She talked to Post and Telecommuni-cations Minister
Rajiuddin Ahmed Raju using the Teletalk network.
Hasina alleged that the previous BNP-led alliance
government stopped all development activities that were
taken during her government from 1996-2001.
She said that during her previous tenure her government
had taken many development projects for the welfare of the
people living in the CHT areas.
"Considering the welfare of the people in the CHT, we made
the CHT Treaty for political solution in the area and took
various development activities," the Prime Minister said
adding that later the BNP-led alliance government stopped
all kinds of development activities in the CHT region.
She also said that all analog land-phone lines in the CHT
areas will be gradually converted into digital.
Hasina said that her government wants to make the country
digital Bangladesh. "With the inauguration of Teletalk
network in all upazillas of the CHT, we're stepping in for
digitalization of the country as we promised in our
election manifesto."
She also thanked all MPs and elected peoples
representatives of the CHT for their achievements.
Hasina urged all to work unitedly with honesty and
sincerity to develop the country, saying "only then the
country can be turned into the 'Sonar Bangla' (Golden
Bangla) as dreamt by the father of the nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman."
Lankans beat the
tigers
TBT Report
Sri Lanka scored a comfortable seven-wicket victory
against Bangladesh in the opening match of the Idea Cup
Tri-Nation cricket at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket
Stadium, Dhaka on Monday.
Sri Lanka scored 261 for three in 44.5 overs to reach the
target after the hosts had scored 260 for seven in their
stipulated 50 overs.
Tillakaratne Dilshan sco-red a superb 104 off 122 balls to
lead Sri Lanka to the victory before being caught by Naeem
Islam against a delivery from Mahmudullah Riyad to leave
his side on 242 for three in the 42nd over. Chasing a
target of 261, Sri Lanka lost its first wicket when Upul
Tharanga left for 14, giving a catch to wicketkeeper
Mushfiqur Rahim in fourth over of the innings. Shafiul
Islam earned his first one-day wicket when the debutant
took the prized wicket of Kumar Sangakkara, having the Sri
Lankan caught by Mushfiqur Rahim for 74.
Earlier, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes gave Bang-ladesh a
promising start, producing 65 runs in the opening stand
but after the fall Kayes Bangladesh soon slipped to 74 for
4 in the 17th over before former Bangladesh captain
Moha-mmad Ashraful and wicketkeeper batsman Mushfiqur
Rahman came to their team's rescue.
Ashraful, who scored a dazzling 75, shared a 58-run
partnership with Mush-fiqur Rahim for the fifth wicket and
added the most valuable 95 runs with Mahm-udullah Riyad,
who scored the second best 45, in the sixth wicket.
Late order batsman Naeem Islam blazed with 22 off nine
balls in the ends overs to take the side to a respective
total.
Sri Lanka is facing off India in the today's day-night
match at the same venue, while Bangladesh plays its next
match against India on January 7.
Speaker urges for nourishing
‘tolerance’ in politics
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Speaker Abdul Hamid Advo-cate in the Jatiya Sangsad's
first session of the current year expressed his firm
optimism that all political parties would work together in
greater national interest.
With this in view, he urged all concerned to nourish
'tolerance' in politics and said there should be
difference of opinion in politics, but one should give
importance to other's opinion to strengthen the footing of
democracy. "The main wheel of democracy is tolerance', he
said and hoped that the main opposition would join the
current session of the Sangsad and help expedite the
progress of parliamentary democracy.
The Speaker reassured the parliament members of giving
equal treatment to both the treasury and the opposition
members in the house as the people have sent all of them
to the parliament to fulfill their aspirations.
"We do politics from various platforms due to our
differences of opinion and ideology, but our main goal is
same and that is: welfare of the commoners," he said
adding, "So, I will hope at the beginning of 2010 that all
political parties will work together in the greater
national interests. Laying importance on making the 9th
parliament effective, the Speaker said people have a great
expectation from this parliament as it has been
constituted through a free and fair election after two
years of the rule of state of emergency.
"Opposition members have a pivotal role in making the
House useful in parliamentary democracy, he said adding
that in real sense only the opposition party can point out
the mistakes of the government and help run the governance
properly through constructive criticism.
Movement if PM fails
to uphold national interest during India visit: Mirza
Fakhrul
TBT Report
BNP senior joint secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam
Alamgir threatened that the people will launch a movement
if the Prime Minister during her India visit fails to
uphold national interest and resolve Tipaimukh Dam,
transit, maritime boundary and enclaves related disputes.
He was speaking at a discussion meeting on the occasion of
62nd anniversary of Bangladesh Chhatra League student
organization of JAGPA at the National Press Club on
Monday. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said incumbent Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina's India visit and past, present and
future relations between the two countries are significant
matters for this nation. The government should protect its
own country's interest in negotiation with India and
resolve Tipaimukh Dam, transit, enclaves and maritime
boundary disputes boldly. If the government becomes
failure and does anything which will go against the
interest of the countrymen, then the nationalist forces
along with patriotic people will launch a countrywide
movement. He said a large number of people in the country
have become the worst sufferer due to the adverse impact
of the Farakka barrage. Indian national flag is being
hosted at south Talpatti since long. And conspiracies are
also being hatched to give corridor to corridor in the
name of Asian Highway.
"We are expecting that the government would raise its
voice boldly and resolve these disputes for the betterment
of the countrymen and then the people will give you
(government) a floral reception which has been stated by
our chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia," said the newly
appointed senior joint secretary general.
Alamgir said country's democratic process, independence
and sovereignty are under threat. Anti-nation interest
conspiracy is going on. Under this circumstance, steps
will have to be taken. If any foreign forces want to
destroy country's ongoing democratic process, democracy
and sovereignty, countrywide resistance will be created.
He said the country is heading for a major constitutional
crisis as the appellate division of the Supreme Court on
3rd January vacated its stay order on the High Court
verdict declaring illegal and unconstitutional the 5th
amendment to the constitution which gave legality to the
Shaheed president Ziaur Rahman. Among others, JAGPA
president Shafiul Alam Pradhan, Sultan Salauddin Tuku
president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal spoke at the
programme.
UK for full functioning
of parliament in Bangladesh: British Minister
UNB, Dhaka
Visiting UK Minister for Communities and Local Government
John Denham on Monday said Britain wants to see
participatory democracy in Bangladesh with a fully
functioning parliament. Talking to UNB, Denham who arrived
here on a three-day official visit, said UK steadfastly
wanted a return to democracy in this country and Britain
helped in a smaller way in preparing the voter lists for
free and fair elections.
Asked about the opposition's continued abstention from
parliament, he said these are issues that need to be
worked out here. "What's very clear is Bangladesh's return
to democracy through successful election and that is
important," the British Minister said, adding UK will
continue to support democratic process in Ban-gladesh.
Denham, who met with LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam,
said Ashraful is interested in strengthening expertise to
improve delivery system of local government. Already there
is some kind of cooperation between local authorities in
Bangladesh and the UK, he said, adding that he would look
whether there is further scope of cooperation.
The British Minister, who had a meeting with Foreign
Minister Dipu Moni over a lunch, said it is possible to
further strengthen cooperation in poverty alleviation,
climate change, education, role of women in society,
labour rights, and transparency issues.
Asked about the UK assistance for adaptation to climate
change in Bang-ladesh, he said UK has committed 150
million pounds in development aids that also include
climate change for next three years. On the outcome of the
Copenhagen summit, Den-ham said though most of the
countries including UK and Bangladesh looked for a legally
binding agreement this could not be achieved but there was
agreement by developed and developing nations to reduce
the carbon emission.
Ctg 10-truck arms haul case
CID gets 76 days more for probe report
UNB, Chittagong
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) got 76 days
more for reporting the findings in the long-drawn
investigation into the sensational case of 10-truck arms
haul in the port city.
Metropolitan Sessions Judge Bhabani Prashad Singha Monday
granted the extended time after hearing on an appeal for
time extension by three more months for submitting the
report. Public prosecutor Kamal Uddin Ahmed submitted the
CID's appeal before the court Sunday. The court also fixed
March 21 as the last date for compilation of the
investigation findings. With this, the plainclothes police
got six time extensions so far for submission of their
report.
Besides, the court, following an appeal of Hafizur Rahman,
one of the accused in the case, asked the jail authorities
"not to hamper his normal movement inside the prison".
Two cases - one under the Arms Act and another under the
Smuggling Act - were filed with Karnaphuli thana after
police seized 10 truckloads of arms at CUFL jetty on April
1, 2004.
After previous investigation, police had placed two charge
sheets before a court accusing 43 persons under the Arms
Act and 44 under the anti-smuggling law.
BCL celebrates 62nd
founding anniversary
DU Correspondent
Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) Monday celebrated its 62nd
founding anniversary with a pledge to work together to
form 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman.
The incumbent and former BCL leaders and activists from
different campuses joined the anniversary celebration on
the Dhaka University (DU) campus. Top leaders of BCL, the
oldest students' organisation of the country, started
day's celebration cutting a cake at Curzon Hall premises
at Dhaka University (DU) at 12:01am.
Leaders and activists led by organisation President Mah-mud
Hasain Ripon and General Secretary Mahfuzul Haider
Chowdhury Rotan placed wreath at the portrait of
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of the
organisation at city's Dhan-mondhi in the morning.
Former president of the organisation and incumbent Awami
League presidium member Obaidul Qader formally inaugurated
the celebration by releasing pigeons and balloons at the
base of Aparajeyo Bangla at DU.
Addressing the rally, Obaidul Kader called upon the
meritorious students to congregate under the banner of BCL
to create efficient leadership at national level. He said
there is a single agenda before the BCL and it is changing
the days. "In order to do this, changes have to come in
leaders' and activists' attitude, mentality and
organization's culture," he said calling upon all to work
unitedly to implement government's Vision 2021forgetting
previous bad reputation, problems and disputes. With the
slogan of Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu -- leaders and
activists made the DU campus vibrant.
Later, BCL men brought out a colourful procession that
paraded different city streets which ended at the central
office premise of the organisation.
Editorial
Protecting country’s
environment
Much
has been heard and read in the newspapers about the anomalies,
manipulation and corruption in the country's housing sector,
but never an allegation relating to these has come from such a
top level as the highest executive of the republic. Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday disclosed that miscreants are
threatening one of her cabinet members for pursuing government
move to preserve water-bodies and playgrounds in the capital
city, as these are disappearing for unauthorized building
constructions. She said the threat to the minister concerned
with housing works came as the government has decided not to
give permission for any housing project if the developing
companies do not incorporate in their housing projects
preservation of existing water-bodies and playgrounds.
The Prime Minister, said her government is determined to
protect country's environment "at any cost". "Not a single
unplanned work will be allowed in the capital from now on as
without proper plan and its implementation it will not be
possible to build a comfortable and modern Dhaka,", she
categorically said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of
the 3rd International Conference on Bangladesh Environment (ICBEN)'2010
in the city. "This time we will not allow anybody to construct
buildings here and there," she said, indicating what is
satirically called 'concrete jungle'. The Prime Minister
unveiled government plan for setting up four satellite cities
surrounding the capital to divert pressures on the crowded
city.
The Prime Minister's speech was very significant as it dealt
with the vital environment issue which needs urgent attention.
Her very important observation, allegation and determination
have been made public at a time when the country's environment
is faced with manifold challenges and dangers. The capital
city is growing and expanding rapidly in an unplanned way,
buildings are rising unsystematically, parks, play grounds and
water-bodies in the city are disappearing and the rivers are
drying up with their waters being polluted and banks being
encroached upon. This is a horrible situation and it is
reassuring that the attention of the Prime Minister has been
drawn to it.
It is an open secret that a lot of irregularities are
committed in the housing sector that are managed and hushed
up. The black hands of concerned people perhaps tried to reach
even 'minister concerned with housing works' but failed and
then resorted to issuing threats to him as disclosed by the
Prime Minister. The Prime Minister's declaration of the firm
resolve to protect country's environment 'at any cost'
deserves to be welcomed by all. Her assertion that "not a
single unplanned work will be allowed in the capital from now
on" and that "the government has decided not to give
permission for any housing project if the developing companies
do not incorporate in their housing projects preservation of
existing water-bodies and playgrounds" are expected to pave
the way for meeting the needs and demands of the people. In
short, the Prime Minister's stance on environment is realistic
and pro-people and so it should be encouraged with cooperation
by all.
University
education
The
University Grants Commission (UGC) has recommended for
immediate setting up of an '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 is a
numerical expansion," said 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. 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.
In our country highest educational degrees are provided by the
universities. But education at university level is in a mess.
The public universities are unable to accommodate the growing
number of students. Moreover, studies in public universities
are hampered by sudden closures following movements, session
jam etc and engagement of teachers outside in part time jobs
or consulting work at different NGOs. Taking the chance of
this situation there has been a mushroom growth of private
universities. While the number of public universities in the
country stands at 32, a total of 54 private universities are
now operating in the country. A section of the private
universities are allegedly involved in malpractices like sales
of certificates. These universities are also alleged to be
imparting substandard education. Of them many are engaged in
education business to earn quick money.
In fact, the state of country's universities -both public and
private- is far from satisfactory as most of them are failing
in imparting quality education properly much to detriment of
the interest of the students and the nation. So the government
should implement the UGC recommendations for setting up an
Accreditation Council to ensure quality education in the
universities of the country. All concerned should be careful
to see that the students of our universities get education of
international standard.
Analysis
Hope of peace
Normalisation of relations between India and
Pakistan is also necessary because the third generation after
partition has arrived.
Dr Syed Jaffar Ahmed
The
arms race in South Asia has now turned into a nuclear and
missile race as well, leading to a huge increase in social
sector backwardness of these nations. The sad fact remains
that the largest contingent of the world's population living
below the poverty line now lives in South Asia. Moreover,
after 62 years of independence, the indicators of social
development in India paint a dismal picture. The reports of
National Human Rights Commission of India show extremely
unsatisfactory conditions with respect to health and
education, and the rights of labour, women and minorities. The
same is true for Pakistan as per reports of the Human Rights
Commission of Pakistan.
The greatest hope in these two countries can be pinned upon
their respective civil societies, which are engaged in
checking the highhandedness of their governments and are
actively working to resolve the problems of their societies.
They have also advised their governments to resolve
long-standing issues peacefully, and have tried to strengthen
ties and promote understanding at various levels. They have
forced the governments to start the Track-II, Track-III and
similar diplomatic moves. Though nothing much is gained from
such efforts these have helped checking further deterioration
in difficult situations.
The history of confidence-building between India and Pakistan
spans many years. Despite the fact that these countries could
not achieve a major breakthrough, yet these CBMs have saved
them from major disasters. For example, in the post-1980
years, when the two had joined the nuclear race, the CBMs
saved them form any major collision. A good step in that
direction was the agreement on informing each other about
their military exercises beforehand. The other CBMs include
the willingness for non-violation of each other's airspace, an
agreement about the non-use of chemical weapons (1992),
establishment of a hotline at military level, and agreement
about not attacking each other's nuclear installations (1988).
These measures eased the prevailing tension. When the two
nations became nuclear powers in the late 1990s, it was the
CBMs which, along with the respective civil societies of the
two nations, kept the hope alive for a rational approach
amidst war hysteria.
The 9/11 incident added to the tension, when India got closer
to the West and USA, and Pakistan was declared a suspect
despite its past loyalty. With war escalating in Afghanistan,
Pakistan was pressured to stop intervention in Kashmir. With
the Kashmir issue being put on the backburner, certain groups
thought it was again postponed. The fact is that no solution
to the Kashmir problem is possible unless the central role of
the Kashmiris is not accepted, and to this end it is
inevitable for both India and Pakistan to be flexible in their
position and be ready to accept that Kashmir is not merely a
piece of land, it is a living entity comprising millions of
humans who should decide their fate themselves.
The question arises whether India and Pakistan will remain at
loggerheads till the Kashmir issue is resolved? Can't they
collaborate in other areas? Will we keep our societies poor,
backward, and deprived of education and health for an
uncertain period? Will our priorities remain focused on
enhancing defence capabilities? Will we keep defacing
ourselves like we did in the past? Will our past prevail as
our future as well?
Obviously, no sensible person would respond in the positive to
such questions. In the hardest of times of human history, it
was mankind's intellect and wisdom which opened new vistas of
hope. The South Asia of today finds itself in a totally
different setting as compared to that of ten or fifteen years
ago. New challenges have come up as the aftermath of the Cold
War, dissolution of the socialist bloc, expansion of
open-market economy, and the advances of globalisation,
affecting seriously the backward nations. Various small
nations have formed unions or blocs at the regional level to
cope with the speedy onset of globalisation, thus pooling up
their resources and capabilities. They have faced strict
conditions of the large industrialised countries quite
bravely.
Mutual cooperation has also facilitated the fulfilment of
their needs and helped them avoid dependence on industrialised
countries. The ASEAN countries are also experimenting with
inter-state trade on the European Union model. Both these
blocs are doing about 30-40 per cent of their trade at the
bloc level, whereas the SAARC countries have managed only 3-4
per cent of their total trade at their bloc level.
India has wholeheartedly welcomed the open-market economy and
its corporate sector is trying its best to avail itself of the
possibilities opened as a result of globalisation. Once the
major industries in India were under the control of the state.
Jawaharlal Nehru had also preferred building a big
infrastructure, which in the later years served as the base of
development of the private sector. But globalisation and its
accompanied trends of privatisation and open market have also
multiplied the problems of the disadvantaged sections of the
society. Apparently, the capitalist class and the business
community is elated by the backing of the west, and the
deprivation of the downtrodden is not visible to them. But the
paradox will ultimately force India to revisit its policies.
In Pakistan, too, the economic contradictions are complicating
the situation, and unemployment and poverty are escalating.
This is beside the fact that these issues are not generally
addressed in the parliament or the media due to more immediate
issues like the frequent breakdown of law and order and the
military operations underway to establish the writ of the
state. Yet we have to grapple with these problems at some
point. If Pakistan and India arrive at some agreed framework
to solve some of their economic problems at the South Asian
level, and if this is joined by other countries of the region,
too, it would go a long way to ease the problems.
Indian raw material can come to Pakistan, and Pakistani
products can find in India, an eight-time bigger market. A new
set of political relations can also develop from trade
relations which may also help lead to the solution of the
Kashmir issue. Some more helpful measures can be the visits of
the parliamentarians of the two countries, politicians'
interaction with other country's institutions and centres of
public opinion; and the ties between the civil societies of
the two countries. In a fast changing world and an age of
information revolution, the two countries can offer their
sources of knowledge for the benefit of each other. The
writers and artists have been visiting each other, but not
very smoothly. They can best represent the creative faculties
of their societies and be their best ambassadors. Sending
books and magazines across the border has become almost
impossible, given the inflated cost of postage. The traffic of
students and teachers is also negligible.
Hence, people on both sides are unaware of each other's
publications and research outputs of the universities.
Unfortunately, we know each other very little. There are five
or six centres of Pakistan studies in Indian universities, but
in Pakistan there is none solely devoted to Indian studies. It
means that we do not want to know much about a country which
we regard as our adversary. The attitude needs change as all
diplomatic as well as other socio-economic relations between
nations in today's world rely heavily on informed knowledge
and intensive research.
With respect to improvement of Indo-Pak relations, the aspects
which can pose a challenge in the future need to be examined.
On top of the list is the environmental issue, affecting water
and food resources. Environmentalists agree that the future
conflicts in the world, particularly in South Asia, will be on
the issue of water. If this is so, India and Pakistan need to
start serious dialogue about water resources, before they
reach a crisis point, and while doing so, they should keep in
view the larger interest of human welfare, and rise above the
narrow considerations often glossed with nationalistic
verbiage.
Normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan is also
necessary because the third generation after partition has
arrived, which does take the adverse past as a part of
history, but is not willing to allow it to become an obstacle
in its way. The failure of the colonial administration in
preventing the 1947 carnage and properly managing the process
of partition is there to remain as a bad memory, but the new
generation does not want it to thwart its way to progress.
Experiences of other nations demonstrate that differences may
remain there besides working relationship and cooperation.
Many countries, such as USA and Canada, or the European
countries, live together with good terms despite having long
standing differences on various issues. These differences are
not blown up to stifle mutual existence.
South Asia is not merely a region of acute problems and
contradictions; it is a region of opportunities, too. The
faculties and the potential of this region are its greatest
asset and virtue; on the basis of it, South Asia can emerge as
an exemplary region, provided the narrow mindset and the even
narrower political agendas are discarded and the possibilities
are allowed to be realised. The aspiration for peace in South
Asia is not merely a dream; it is also an achievable target.
The writer is a professor at the Pakistan Study Centre,
University
of Karachi
Sense and
absense
Muslims are quiet now, but if passions do rise over job
quotas Congress will face the same difficulty with its
strongest vote base.
M.J. Akbar
Does
it matter that there was no tribal or Muslim on the dais
when the Congress celebrated its 125th anniversary? Or
that the history of the party has now been coopted into
the history of the Nehru-Gandhi family, with token homage
to Mahatma Gandhi and throwaway references to titans of
the first two decades of India's nation-building process?
The second has become, in truth, an irritation to
commentators rather than voters. Those who support the
Congress have already conflated the party with the family,
a process that began during Indira Gandhi's time and has
matured during Sonia Gandhi's leadership. So has the party
structure. The Congress voter believes that the two Mrs
Gandhis do the best that they can for the poor, which is
at least better than the rest. And the party identifies
the family with something other leaders have not been able
to provide: Electoral success. Lal Bahadur Shastri did not
live long enough to translate his sturdy promise into Lok
Sabha seats. And while Narasimha Rao may have, in his own
estimation, saved the nation from economic ruin he could
not save the Congress from political ruin. The family is
safe anchor for those Congressmen who want to be in power
for 20 years or the end of their lives, whichever comes
quicker.
But the first has to be a problem. There is, of course,
always an element of tokenism in any high-table seating
arrangement, but those tokens have value, which is why
they are preserved. Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, Pranab
Mukherjee, Sheila Dikshit and Motilal Vora were natural
claimants, although it did not go without notice that
there are three Brahmins in the group. The presence of A.K.
Antony had nothing to do with either Kerala or his
Christian faith; it was proof that Sonia Gandhi holds him
in high esteem. J.P. Aggarwal sat there as host, but Mukul
Wasnik was given space because of his community, marking
this pleasant and decent person as the Dalit face of the
future. Rahul Gandhi did not sit on the dais, presumably
because he was away on holiday. It was a politically
sensible holiday, for he still has a slightly nebulous
status, party-wise: He is certainly not a member of the
audience, but not quite the equal of
Manmohan-Pranab-Dikshit-Antony group. Absence can have its
uses.
But not every time. The absence of a tribal or a Muslim
was not out of choice. The ranking Muslim Cabinet minister
is Ghulam Nabi Azad, a Kashmiri. Muslims of the Gangetic
belt, from Hardwar and Saharanpur to Kolkata via Patna do
not identify with him; and this is where the bulk of the
faithful live. The absence of tribals is an even bigger
problem, for one of the main reasons for the growth of
Naxalites in the tribal belt is their conviction that they
have been marginalized by the larger political formations.
Unable to offer a face of its own, the Congress was forced
to coopt Babulal Marandi in the Jharkhand elections. It
did well, but would have done better if it had built its
indigenous tribal leadership.
While the Home Ministry might launch its armed offensive
against Naxalites, sensible politics demands a parallel
dialogue with the communities that constitute the strength
of this opposition. There are no Congress leaders who can
play this role. Muslims are quiet now, but if passions do
rise over job quotas Congress will face the same
difficulty with its strongest vote base.
Complacency is never a good idea, and the Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) has sent a signal that it just might be
getting its act together. Its new leader Nitin Gadkari has
sent two interesting signals. He invoked Deen Dayal
Upadhyay's concern for the last man in the queue, a
reversal of the impression that the party could not look
beyond the first man in the queue. The second is a
collage: He served chicken at a reception at party
headquarters; he used a line from a Hindi film song at a
press conference; and, in his individual capacity, he is a
bit overweight. While weight and temperament are not
necessarily correlated, it is generally true that men who
eat more than they should are also tolerant of human
indulgence. Think the laughing Buddha. Think Shakespeare's
Julius Caesar, who wanted men about him who were fat and
was wary of Yon Cassius with his lean and hungry look. A
chap who can chow down with the best, and listens to film
music is unlikely to be rigid, although the jury must
remain out on this question.
There will be many battles in the decade ahead, some
fierce, others lukewarm. But while we are engrossed in the
high drama of the Naxalite revolt, economic
upturn-downturn, minority-poverty definitions, watch out
for the subliminal conflict between Rahul Gandhi's
fashionable stubble and Gadkari's film song quotations.
Chhorho kal ki baatein (forget yesterday), said Gadkari at
the press conference, which was fine: But does he have a
nai kahani (new story) for the naya daur (new age)?
MJ Akbar is an eminent Indian journalist
Viewpoints
US missed opportunity
Obama said
he would bridge the partisan divide and unite the country.
Except for uniting left and right in disappointment, he
failed.
Clive Crook
Many
Americans conservatives, liberals and centrists are dismayed
by Barack Obama's first year. Republicans call Obama a tax and
spend liberal. Progressives say he surrendered to corporate
interests, and his foreign policy is a continuation of George
W. Bush by other means. Independents feel let down because
Obama said he would bridge the partisan divide and unite the
country. Except for uniting left and right in disappointment,
he failed.
Partly, Obama is paying the price of his fabulous campaign.
Coming from nowhere, he overthrew his party's plans (Hillary
Clinton), enthused the Democratic base and amazed the country.
In temperament cool, intellectual, self-assured he was exactly
what voters wanted after Bush. Ideologically, he presented
himself as all things to all men. Hopes for his presidency
reached impossible heights. Disenchantment was inevitable and
disenchantment is what the polls now show.
Measured against what different groups of voters thought he
had promised everything they desired the administration's
performance looks poor. Measured against what voters were
entitled to expect, it looks much better.
A year ago, the US feared a catastrophic economic collapse.
The recession has been bad and the recovery is sluggish, but
it could have been much worse. This is partly due to good luck
and the economy's resilience, but also to the fiscal stimulus
and bold interventions of the administration and the Fed. One
can argue about those policies. Still, a year ago, the country
would have settled happily for the outcome so far.
Obama's other key domestic priority was health care reform.
After months of wrangling, this is not quite in the bag. But
the prospects look good. Reform along the lines of the bill
passed by the Senate just before Christmas would be a great
step forward. Again, one can argue about the details. But an
individual health insurance mandate combined with the
assurance of access to affordable coverage is a historic
change - and despite the problems that will follow, far better
than the status quo. How much credit Obama deserves is
debatable. Congress is writing this law, not the White House.
Never mind: history will count it among his victories.
Charm offensive
Foreign policy saw the biggest gap between expectations and
any real likelihood of success. Foreigners and Americans
naively thought the world would submit to Obama's charm. It
did not. Yes, he brought US diplomacy back from the dead but
diplomacy is a means to an end, not an end in itself. It must
be admitted that the rewards for Obama's outreach on China,
Iran and the Middle East have been meagre at best. Yet this
was more because the issues are so difficult, and US power so
constrained, than because the approach was wrong.
Afghanistan underlines the point. The US had no easy choices.
Obama took too long to make up his mind, and muddled the
message by talking of an early withdrawal but in the end did
the right thing in committing more forces to the war. The
alternatives were worse.
Republican complaints about Obama's economic policies are
somewhat justified. Having cast himself as a fiscal moderate,
the president laid out a first budget that permanently raises
the ratio of US public spending to gross domestic product,
without disclosing the tax increases that will be needed to
pay for it.
Independents have the most reason to be disappointed. They see
and are right to a broken political system. Congress is
polarised to its roots. The country's wide political centre is
largely unrepresented on Capitol Hill. Committed Democrats and
Republicans can hardly bear to be in the same room, let alone
talk to each other. Obama promised to strive for consensus. On
issues such as energy policy, health care, education and
immigration, there is no reason why moderates on both sides
cannot make common cause. That is something many Americans
long for. It was the great hope independents had of Obama.
In his first year, he rarely even tried. Instead he went with
the flow, deferring to the implacably partisan Democratic
majorities. This disengagement, this reluctance to lead, is
the real disappointment of Obama's first year. The results are
not bad, but an opportunity has been missed.
Fighting
Terrorism
The terrorists
that blow up cars or backpacks in crowded places still
exist and are unfortunately extremely successful in
creating the carnage they hunger for.
Iman Kurdi
Pity
the international traveller. One terrorist fails in his
attempt to blow up a plane by sewing an explosive device
into his underpants and so now airport security, already
unpleasant, slow and laborious, will become even more
unpleasant, slow and laborious.
Is the future of airline travel akin to going into
hospital? Are we one day going to be obliged to have our
bodies scanned before being stripped down to a hospital
gown in order to be allowed to fly? It sure feels like
this, the way we are headed.
Will increased security screenings make air travel safer?
No, they will not. Extra security measures may make it
slightly harder for a willing terrorist to blow himself up
in an airplane, but it will never make it impossible.
And even if it did, all it would do is move the threat
elsewhere, from planes and airports to any other place
where people congregate. If your aim is to kill innocents,
and you do not care who those innocents are, which clearly
these terrorists do not, you will always find a way to
inflict carnage. Since in the eyes of Al Qaeda and its
like, anyone is a valid target, it is not possible to
create a water-tight safety net through which no terrorist
will enter.
But extra security measures are definitely on the way. The
real winners are the manufacturers of body scanners. These
machines essentially strip you naked on camera and can
detect whether you have hidden explosives in your
underwear or even inside a cavity in your body as one
terrorist recently did. They cost around a million dollars
a piece. Imagine how many will be needed if you were to
install them in all airports that operate flights to the
US? And for this safety net to work, you would need them
to be in place everywhere or else your safety net would
have great big holes in it, so what would be the point?
Apart from the cost, these scanners are unpleasant. They
strip us of our dignity since the person operating the
scanner can see the outline of our flesh right down to the
shape of our genitalia. They are also slow. To make every
traveller go through one of these would add hours to the
already lengthy queues you encounter at security. What is
more nobody knows whether passing through these scanners
will have detrimental effects on health in the long run.
Installing scanners will not stop terrorist attacks from
happening, they will simply make the worried feel safer
and give politicians the opportunity to say they are doing
something to protect the public. The scanners are an
enormous and scandalous waste of money.
What people seem too willing to forget is that this was a
failed attack. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was easily
thwarted in his attempt. Yes he had enough explosive on
him to blow up a plane, but he failed to even do himself
serious damage.
Just like Richard Reid, the so-called shoe-bomber, this
attempt showed that there are still men crazy enough to
try to blow up a plane and that the terrorists have a
rather vivid imagination in terms of creating ways to
sneak a bomb on a plane, but their determination and
imagination surpass their actual ability to turn their
plans into a ?deadly reality.
Whereas, the terrorists that blow up cars or backpacks in
crowded places still exist and are unfortunately extremely
successful in creating the carnage they hunger for.
It is simply that this is taking place in countries like
Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan and we don't care about
those deaths. We are far more concerned with the potential
deaths of 300 passengers on a plane going to Detroit,
aren't we? Or so it would seem yet again.
The real failing in this case is two-fold. First the
terrorists failed. Their idea was clever but it did not
work. Second, and more importantly, the intelligence
services failed. Abdulmutallab's own father went to the
American embassy in Lagos to warn them about his son! And
this was not all. Different agencies had different pieces
of the puzzle which had they had the good grace to talk to
each other would have easily thwarted this attempted
terrorist attack before the terrorist attempted to board
the plane.
Here again the answer is not to add names indiscrimately
to the no-fly list and punish innocent travellers who
happen to have names common in the middle East. This would
not only be counter-productive, after all surely
terrorists know how to travel under an assumed name, but
would make the boarding process even longer and harder for
all passengers. The key word here is intelligence, in the
true and complete sense of the word. What is needed is a
genuinely intelligent approach to fighting the terrorist
threat.
For instance, instead of spending millions on body
scanners, the US and others with the cash and the
intention to use them, would be better advised to spend
the money helping failed states or countries struggling
with lawlessness. Even a failed terrorist needs a safe
place to train. In this case it was Yemen. The Yemeni
Foreign Minister has pleaded for more help from the
international community in fighting the terrorists now
using his country as a breeding ground. He pointed to a
need for more helicopters. What is a more intelligent
investment in the fight against terrorism: body scanners
that help reveal that a terrorist is hiding a potential
bomb on his body or a helicopter that helps a country
flush out potential terrorists before they make it to an
airport?
Iman Kurdi is an Arab writer based in London. For
feedback, write to opinion@khaleejtimes.com
Encountering peace
Resolving that Jerusalem will be the capital of two states
is not only doable, it is the only way that Jerusalem will
be recognized as the capital of Israel.
Gershon Baskin
Not
one country in the world recognizes our capital,
Jerusalem, as the capital of Israel. Even the United
States footnotes the following on the State Department Web
page: Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950.
The US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its
embassy in Tel Aviv. UN Security Council Resolution 478
declared the 1980 Jerusalem Law that declared Jerusalem to
be Israel's "eternal and indivisible" capital null and
void, affirming that it was a violation of international
law.
The European Union is debating its own position on
Jerusalem. The debate is a much better reflection of the
reality of Jerusalem than any of the governing politicians
in Israel have the courage to admit. After lying to the
public for 42 years about Jerusalem being the united
eternal capital of Israel, it is time to admit there are
two Jerusalems - one Israeli and one Palestinian. Even
Teddy Kollek, the 20th century Herod, admitted in 1988
that "coexistence in Jerusalem is dead". This was a great
blow for the man who believed he had united the city.
Since the birth of the State of Israel, Jerusalem has
never been united. From 1949 to 1967, it was divided by a
wall and barbed wire, and since 1967 it has been divided
politically, culturally, ethnically and nationally. While
it is true that the massive Israeli annexation of land and
building in what was once called East Jerusalem has
changed the definitions of the division, with a near
Jewish majority in East Jerusalem, geography is not the
proper definitive term. It is more correct to speak about
Israeli Jerusalem and Palestinian Jerusalem.
Let's admit it to ourselves. We, as Israelis, don't really
care about the Palestinian parts of Jerusalem. Even though
they have been under our rule for the past 42 years, we
don't treat them as equal parts of the city. They do not
receive nearly the same services as Israeli neighborhoods.
Their educational system is backward, underfunded, crowded
and incapable of filling the needs of the people there.
Today, one of Jerusalem's Palestinian neighbourhoods, Kafr
Akab, is located beyond the separation wall after the
Kalandiya checkpoint.
WE have to sincerely ask ourselves: Do we really want the
Shuafat refugee camp as part of the eternal undivided
capital of the State of Israel? To the best of my
knowledge we do not chant: If I forget thee Umm Tuba, let
my right hand wither, or by the waters of Babylon, we sat
and wept when we remembered thee Jebl Mukaber.
We do not say: Next year in Walaja and we certainly do not
pray for the peace of Sur Bahir. For Beit Hanina's sake, I
will not be silent.
In a way, we are fortunate that the city is so segregated
- it makes its political partition possible. As a member
of prime minister Ehud Barak's expert committee on
Jerusalem prior to the Taba summit in January 2001, we sat
around a large aerial photograph and drew lines of
division of sovereignty, based on the Clinton parameters
for Jerusalem which stated: What's Jewish to Israel,
what's Arab to the Palestinians. We were instructed by the
prime minister to design Israel's strategy for the future
of Jerusalem on that basis, and it can be done.
Of course, the most sensitive part of Jerusalem is the Old
City. It is less than one square kilometer and is composed
of four quarters-the Muslim (the largest quarter by far),
Christian, Armenian and Jewish. There are two possible
solutions for the Old City: A special international regime
which would protect and guarantee the rights and the
security of all within its walls or the application of the
Clinton parameters to it - meaning that the Palestinians
would have sovereignty over the Muslim, Christian and
probably the Armenian quarters and Israel would have
sovereignty over the Jewish Quarter.
THE heart of the heart of Jerusalem is the Temple Mount/Haram
Al-Sharif. For the Muslims, it is their third most holy
place. Here Ibrahim brought Ishmael for sacrifice
(according to their tradition) and here the Prophet
Muhammad ascended to heaven.
For Jews, it is the most holy place. Wherever Jews are in
the world they face Jerusalem in prayer and within
Jerusalem, they turn their prayers to the Temple Mount.
Current and long-standing Halacha, and the decisions of
the Chief Rabbinate and the important haredi rabbis, is
that Jews should not enter the Temple Mount. The reason is
that we don't know the location of the Holy of Holies and
the rabbis want to prevent the site from becoming impure.
Since 1967, Israel has claimed sovereignty over the Temple
Mount, but in practice it is controlled by the Muslim
authorities. It would be completely possible to turn the
status quo into de facto Muslim sovereignty.
Recognizing that Jerusalem is two cities is the first step
to making peace with the Palestinians and the Arabs.
Jerusalem should not be left for the end of the process.
The Europeans got it right - peace begins with Jerusalem.
The walls and fences that have been built in the city over
the past years must come down. The only walls that should
remain are those around the Old City.
Jerusalem will become a place of great international
importance - when there are over 150 embassies in the city
(that could serve two states) and it is open, modernized,
environmentally conscious, as cities of international
importance are. Then, it will not only be the city of
peace, it will also be a much more pleasant city in which
to live.
Resolving that Jerusalem will be the capital of two states
is not only doable, it is the only way that Jerusalem will
be recognized as the capital of Israel.
Gershon Baskin is co-CEO of the Israel/Palestine Center
for Research and Information (www.ipcri.org) and a member
of the leadership of the Green Movement Political Party in
Israel. This article is distributed by the Common Ground
News Service (CGNews) with permission from The Jerusalem
Post.
International
Americans
detained in Pakistan deny terror plans
AP/ UNB, Sargodha, Pakistan
Five Americans detained in Pakistan denied Monday they
planned to carry out terrorist attacks, as a court granted
police two weeks to prepare terrorism charges against
them, their defense lawyer said.
The young Muslim men from the Washington, D.C., area were
arrested in early December in the eastern Pakistani city
of Sargodha in a case that has spurred fears that
Westerners are traveling to Pakistan to join militant
groups. Pakistani police have said they plan to seek life
sentences for the men under the country's anti-terrorism
law.
The men, aged 19 to 25, denied they had ties with al-Qaida
or other militant groups during a court appearance Monday
in Sargodha, said their attorney, Ameer Abdullah Rokri.
"They told the court that they did not have any plan to
carry out any terrorist act inside or outside Pakistan,"
said Rokri.
"They said that they only intended to travel to
Afghanistan to help their Muslim brothers who are in
trouble, who are bleeding and who are being victimized by
Western forces."
Rokri did not say whether the men planned to fight
coalition troops in Afghanistan or simply provide
humanitarian assistance.
But one of the men indicated they had planned to wage holy
war. "We are not terrorists," Ramy Zamzam told reporters
as he entered the courtroom. "We are jihadists, and jihad
is not terrorism."
Meanwhile, The special anti-terror court has sent five
arrested US citizens to jail and acquitted the sixth
accused.
Earlier, five US nationals presented in anti terror court
under strict security. The court has sent five US citizens
to jail as police did not requested extension in physical
remand, whereas ordered release of Khalid Farooq, father
of one of the detained US national Umer Farooq due to lack
of evidences.
The court has ordered the police to reopen FIR of US
nationals and provide copies of FIR to their lawyers. The
challan of case will be presented in anti-terror court on
January 18.
Myanmar junta chief gives
election warning
AFP, Naypyidaw
Military-ruled Myanmar's junta chief urged people Monday
to make "correct choices" at national elections to be held
this year, in a message to mark the country's 62nd
independence anniversary.
Senior General Than Shwe said his seven-step "road map" to
democracy was "the sole process for transition" in the
annual message which was read out by another general at a
ceremony in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw.
"Plans are under way to hold elections in a systematic way
this year. In that regard, the entire people have to make
correct choices," Than Shwe's message said.
Critics of Myanmar's regime say the polls are a sham
designed to cement the ruling generals' grip over the
nation, especially as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
recently had her house arrest sentence extended beyond
2010.
A date has still not been announced for the elections,
which will be the first since 1990 when the junta refused
to recognise the landslide win of the National League for
Democracy (NLD), led by Suu Kyi.
The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner has been locked up for
14 of the last 20 years, despite repeated calls from the
international community for her release.
As in previous years, Than Shwe used the anniversary of
the country's independence from Britain to warn people "to
remain vigilant at all times against dangers posed by
neo-colonialists"-usually a reference to the United
States.
Myanmar's leaders marked the anniversary with a military
parade in Naypyidaw, 400 kilometres (250 miles) north of
the former capital Yangon, attended by ministers, military
officials and 1,000 government staff.
Japan PM vows to pursue
more equal ties with US
AFP, Tokyo
Japan's prime minister pledged Monday to pursue more equal
relations with the United States as Tokyo seeks to defuse
a row with its close ally over where to move an American
military base.
"It's important to show that Japan and the United States
are in a relationship in which we need each other," Prime
Minister Yukio Hatoyama said in a televised new year
address.
Japan should avoid a situation where "we just give up what
we want to say only because it's difficult, or where one
simply obeys the other," he said.
Soon after coming to power in September, Hatoyama's
government provoked irritation in Washington by announcing
a review of a 2006 agreement to move a US air base from an
urban area to a coastal region on the island of Okinawa.
Tokyo is considering alternative sites for the US Marine
Corps' Futenma Air Station, but Washington has repeatedly
called for Tokyo to stick to the 2006 deal, which is
opposed by many local residents.
The agreement was part of a broader realignment of US
forces in Japan that includes the redeployment of around
8,000 Marines from Okinawa to the US Pacific territory of
Guam.
Hatoyama said he aimed to find a solution to the
relocation issue within the coming months.
"I don't mean to waste any time at all," he said.
The government has previously said it aims to make a
decision on Futenma by May. Hatoyama told US President
Barack Obama to "trust me" when the two leaders met in
Tokyo in November.
The United States, which defeated Japan in World War II
and then occupied the country, now has 47,000 troops
stationed there, more than half of them on Okinawa, the
site of one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
Under the 2006 agreement, the Futenma base would be closed
and its air operations moved to an alternative site to be
built on reclaimed land in Okinawa by 2014.
Many Okinawans and activists also oppose the new base,
fearing it could damage a marine habitat that is home to
corals and an endangered sea mammal, the dugong.
Futenma, located in a densely populated urban area, has
emerged as a flashpoint for local opponents who have been
angered by aircraft noise, pollution, the risk of
accidents and crimes committed by US service personnel.
Five US soldiers killed in
Afghan bomb blast
Dawn Online
Five US soldiers serving under the Nato force were killed
in a bomb blast in southern Afghanistan, days after seven
CIA agents died in a suicide bombing, the alliance said
Monday.
The four were serving with the International Security
Assistance Force (Isaf), and were caught in a blast in a
southern Taliban hotspot on Sunday.
They were the first reported foreign military deaths in
Afghanistan in 2010.
"Four Isaf service members from the United States died
yesterday following an IED strike in southern
Afghanistan," the Isaf statement said, referring to an
improvised explosive device - the Taliban weapon of
choice.
The blast deaths come after seven US CIA agents were
killed on Wednesday when a suicide bomber blew himself up
on a military base in eastern Khost province, and as
foreign military deaths soar in Afghanistan.
An Afghan police official speaking on condition of
anonymity told AFP that the four soldiers were killed in
Panjwayi district in Kandahar province, a flashpoint of
Taliban unrest.
Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi called from an unknown
location and told AFP: "We claim responsibility for this
attack." He gave the same location of the IED strikes as
the police official.
Sunday's fatalities were the first reported foreign
military deaths in Afghanistan this year, after 2009 saw
522 foreign troops killed in the country - the deadliest
year since the 2001 US-led ouster of the Taliban regime.
Most troop deaths are caused by IEDs, home-made bombs used
by the Taliban and other insurgents who are said to have
little other capability to fight the well-armed Nato and
Afghan troops.
There are more than 110,000 international troops under
both US and Nato command deployed in Afghanistan to curb
an increasingly deadly insurgency being waged by the
remnants of the Taliban.
Nepal court blocks army
officer’s promotion
AFP, Kathmandu
Nepal's highest court has blocked the promotion of a
senior army officer implicated in rights abuses against
Maoist rebels during the country's civil war, an official
said Monday.
The government announced last month it was appointing
Toran Jung Bahadur Singh to the rank of lieutenant
general, second-highest post in the army, despite strong
opposition from rights groups and the opposition Maoist
party.
But the Supreme Court on Sunday ordered Singh's promotion
to be halted after a group of Maoist supporters filed a
writ saying the move went against the spirit of the 2006
peace agreement ending the decade-long conflict.
"The court on Sunday ordered the government not to
implement its decision," court official Hemanta Rawal told
AFP.
"The court has asked the government to be present at the
court on January 10 for the hearing of the case."
Singh was in charge of a military camp where 49 Maoists
disappeared in 2003 and 2004, during the civil war.
In 2006, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights in Nepal (OHCHR) released a report accusing his
battalion of arbitrary detention, torture and
disappearance of the former rebels. Although Singh was not
directly involved in the disappearances, the OHCHR held
him accountable as he was in charge of the camp. The army
has made no comment on the accusations.
At least 16,000 people died in Nepal's decade-long bloody
civil war between Maoist rebels and the state, which ended
in 2006.
There are allegations of killings and torture on both
sides, and rights groups say little has been done to bring
justice to victims and their families.
The OHCHR has opposed Singh's promotion, which it said
would undermine any effort by the government to seek
redress for abuses committed during the civil war.
SKorean leader proposes
liaison office in NKorea
AP/ UNB, Seoul
South Korea's president proposed Monday that North and
South Korea each set up a liaison office in the other's
capital to break the impasse in their strained relations
and facilitate dialogue between the rival states, an
official said.
President Lee Myung-bak's overture came days after North
Korea said in its New Year's message that it was committed
to improving ties with South Korea. The positive messages
from both sides suggest their relationship could move
forward after two tension-filled years.
"We have to come up with a new turning point in the
South-North relations," Lee said in his nationally
televised New Year's address. "I urge North Korea to
return to" stalled international nuclear disarmament talks
to help "open the floodgate in inter-Korean cooperation,"
he said.
Lee proposed that the two Koreas establish a standing
dialogue channel through which they can talk at any time.
He did not elaborate, but spokeswoman Kim Eun-hye said the
suggestion was in line with Lee's 2008 proposal that the
sides set up liaison offices in Seoul and Pyongyang.
Lee also said he would seek a joint project with the North
to recover remains of South Korean soldiers believed
buried across the heavily armed border after the 1950-53
Korean War.
North Korea had rejected the 2008 offer to set up liaison
offices. But its reaction to the latest proposal could be
different because the communist regime has significantly
softened its hard-line stance toward Lee and called for
better ties with South Korea.
In its New Year's message Friday, the North said its
commitment to improved relations with Seoul remained
"unshakable." The Tokyo-based Choson Sinbo newspaper,
considered a mouthpiece for North Korea's government, said
later Friday that Pyongyang's message suggested there
could be a "dramatic event" between the two Koreas.
That led South Korean media to speculate that there could
be a summit this year between Lee and North Korean leader
Kim Jong Il.
Local news reports have said the two sides held a series
of secret meetings last year to discuss a possible summit,
but failed to reach agreement because they were wide apart
over conditions for such a meeting.
Iran
says several foreigners arrested during unrest
Reuters, Tehran
Iran said on Monday several foreign citizens were arrested
during clashes between opposition supporters and security
forces last month, state television reported.
"Several foreigners are among those who were arrested on
the day of Ashura...they were
leading a psychological war against the system... They
entered Iran
two days before Ashura," Intelligence Minister
Heidar Moslehi told state TV, without elaborating on the
foreigners' nationality.
In Iran's bloodiest unrest since the aftermath of the
disputed June 12 presidential election, eight people were
killed on December 27 and at least 40 pro-reform figures,
including four senior advisers to opposition leader
Mirhossein Mousavi, have been arrested since then.
Iranian hardline authorities have repeatedly accused the
opposition leaders of links to "foreign enemies," warning
that they will not tolerate any more anti-government
protests after the fiery demonstrations during the Shi'ite
ritual of Ashura.
Neither side has shown much appetite for compromise in the
six months since the disputed election and confrontations
might intensify, despite a flood of accusations and
counter-charges.
A representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei said opposition leaders were 'mohareb' (enemies
of God) fit for execution under Islamic law.
Hardline officials have urged opposition leaders to repent
or "face charges of supporting apostates in defiance of
God."
Mousavi in a statement on Friday said he was ready to
sacrifice his life for the reform movement in Iran.
Saudi-Iran frictions at
graves revered by Shia
Internet
At the cemetery where the Prophet Muhammad's family is
buried, an Iranian Shia Muslim pilgrim overcome with
emotion was jerked by a Saudi soldier, who barked a sharp
order: "Stop crying!"
The soldier, a gun at his hip, then hovered over the
pilgrim as he wrapped up his prayers to make sure he
didn't start weeping again.
The Baqee cemetery is where the bitter rivalry between
Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran gets personal.
Iranians and other Shia flock to the graves to pay
respects to several revered descendants of Islam's
prophet, while Saudi soldiers and morality police try to
prevent dramatic displays of fervent praying or weeping.
Shiites' prayer books are snatched away, they are ordered
to read only Saudi-approved verses written on billboards
at the site, and groups of worshippers are broken up.
Part of the reason for the heavy restrictions is
religious. Saudi Arabia's strict version of Sunni Islam,
called Wahhabism, considers customs like crying - or even
praying - at gravesites and revering saints repugnant
because it smacks of idolatry. In fact, many Wahhabi
clerics consider Shiites heretics. But beyond the
religious practices lies politics.
The two countries have been locked in a struggle for
influence across the Middle East. Saudi forces have been
fighting for more than a month with Shiite rebels on the
border with Yemen who it claims are backed by Tehran. The
kingdom accuses Iran of fueling conflicts in Lebanon, the
Palestinian territories and Iraq with its support for
militant groups.
Officials toughen security
measures for passengers from 14 nations
France 24
In the wake of the failed bombing of a Detroit-bound
plane, US officials have toughened screening measures for
all US-bound air passengers and warned that those
travelling from or via 14 "terror linked" nations will
undergo enhanced screening.
AFP adds: US officials Sunday toughened security measures
for all US-bound airline passengers, and warned those
traveling from or via 14 "terror linked" nations will
undergo mandatory enhanced screening.
The new measures came in the wake of the botched Christmas
Day bombing of a Northwest Airlines plane heading from
Amsterdam to Detroit which has forced many airports and
airlines to boost already tight security. All passengers
flying into the United States from abroad will be subject
to random screening or so-called "threat-based" screens,
the Transport Security Administration (TSA) said in a
statement.
But it further mandated that "every individual flying into
the US from anywhere in the world traveling from or
through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or
other countries of interest will be required to go through
enhanced screening."
The tough rules go into effect from midnight Sunday (0500
GMT Monday) and follow the failed plane attack blamed on a
23-year-old Nigerian who had recently traveled to Yemen to
train with Al-Qaeda. Suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab
reportedly boarded the flight at Amsterdam's Schiphol
airport after flying in from Lagos, Nigeria.
Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria are currently the only four
countries designated state sponsors of terrorism by the
State Department.
Dubai to open world’s
tallest building
BBC online
The world's tallest building is set to be opened in the
Gulf emirate of Dubai.
More than 800m (2,625ft) high and clad in 26,000 glass
panels, Burj Dubai has 160 floors and more than 500,000 sq
m of space for offices and apartments.
Construction began in 2004, at the height of an economic
boom. The opening comes after a financial crisis which has
seen Dubai bailed out by Abu Dhabi.
The exact height of the $1.5bn tower is secret, but it far
exceeds that of the previous record holder, Taipei 101.
It will also lay claim to the highest occupied floor, the
tallest service lift, and the world's highest observation
deck - on the 124th floor. The world's highest mosque and
swimming pool will meanwhile be located on the 158th and
76th floors.
Technical challenges
Though not complete on the inside, Burj Dubai will be
officially opened by Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, at 2000 (1600 GMT) on Monday, 1,325
days after excavation work started.
At a ceremony to be attended by 60,000 guests, Sheikh
Mohammed will also reveal the exact height of the tower
that dwarfs the 508m Taipei 101 and the 629m KVLY-TV mast
in the US, the tallest man-made structure. Its spire can
been seen from 95km (60 miles) away.
"We weren't sure how high we could go," said Bill Baker of
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, the building's structural
engineer. "It was kind of an exploration... a learning
experience."
Mohamed Ali Alabbar, chairman of Emaar Properties, the
developer behind Burj Dubai, told the BBC that the
building's design had posed unprecedented technical and
logistical challenges, not just because of its height, but
also because Dubai was susceptible to high winds and was
close to a geological fault line.
"We have been hit with lightning twice, there was a big
earthquake last year that came across from Iran, and we
have had all types of wind which has hit us when we were
building. The results have been good and I salute the
designers and professionals who helped build it," he said.
The design incorporates ideas from traditional Islamic
architecture, while the open petals of a desert flower
were the inspiration for the tower's base.
Iranian president visits
Central Asia
AFP, Dushanbe
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited the Central
Asian republic of Tajikistan Monday on his first
international trip since a crackdown on opposition
supporters in Tehran left at least eight dead.
After talks with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rakhmon,
Ahmadinejad told journalists the two countries would
cooperate on regional security.
"We will make efforts to ensure security and prevent
challenges," he said.
"We are following the situation in Afghanistan and
Pakistan and the region,
and we want peace and stability to be established as soon
as possible." Islamist Taliban militants have stepped up a
violent campaign in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Rakhmon said the meeting had also "expressed support for
the realisation of Iran's peaceful nuclear programmes and
the resolution of this problem through talks and political
and diplomatic methods".
The United States, Israel and other world powers suspect
Tehran is making a nuclear bomb under the guise of a
civilian programme, something Iran vehemently denies.
Tehran is under threat of more sanctions over its nuclear
activities. Ahmadinejad also said that Tehran intended to
continue investing in energy, agriculture and other
spheres in Tajikistan, an impoverished country that
depends on earnings sent back by migrant workers.
Israeli settler bites
policeman over moratorium
AFP, Jerusalem
Refusing to muzzle his criticism of Israel's temporary
settlement moratorium, an Israeli settler took matters
into his own teeth and bit a policeman to mark his
outrage, a newspaper reported on Monday.
Eighteen-year-old Ephraim Haikin, a student at a Jewish
seminary in the hardline settlement of Yizhar in the north
of the occupied West Bank, was apparently doggone mad
during a November 26 rally against the moratorium.
An Israeli court found him guilty of "aggressing a civil
servant carrying out his duties" and damaging public goods
by slashing the tyres of a police jeep, the Haaretz daily
said.
The youth was sentenced to a month in prison and three
months community service, it said.
The settlers of Yizhar are among the most hardline in the
West Bank and are doggedly opposed to a 10-month limited
moratorium on new housing starts that Israel imposed in
November after months of US pressure.
Brazil eyes shutting nuke
plant after mudslides
'We don't want any risk,' says mayor of hard-hit town
Internet
The mayor of a mudslide-devastated city on Sunday urged a
precautionary shutdown of Brazil's only nuclear power
plants due to blocked highways while the death toll from
flooding and slides rose to 75.
Angra dos Reis Mayor Tuca Jordao said that while the
nuclear power plants are not damaged or threatened,
mudslides that that have killed at least 44 people in his
city alone have disrupted escape routes needed to cope
with any emergency.
"We don't want any risk," said Jordao, whose municipality
has about 120,000 people. "We want to avoid a future
problem."
There was no immediate response from higher authorities,
but officials of Brazil's state-run nuclear energy company
Electronuclear said a temporary closure of the plants
would not seriously hurt the country's power supply,
according to Globo TV. On Saturday, before the mayor's
request, the company said a shutdown was not necessary.
Crews using rescue dogs, heavy machinery, boats and
helicopters took advantage of improved weather on Sunday
to hunt for any survivors from the Angra dos Reis slides.
A civil defense spokeswoman said two bodies were recovered
in the Carioca slum - where 15 people died - and two on
the Ilha Grande island, where at least 29 died when a
hillside collapsed on a vacation resort and neighboring
houses on New Year's Day.
Business/Economy
BD
overseas jobs dip by 50pc
AFP, Dhaka
The number of workers leaving Bangladesh to find jobs
overseas nearly halved in 2009 as the global slowdown hit
employment prospects in the Middle East and Asia,
officials said Monday.
Only 475,278 Bangladesh labourers found jobs abroad in
2009, down from 875,055 in the previous year, according to
data released by the government's Bureau of Manpower and
Employment Training (BMET).
"The slump is due to the global recession. There has been
fewer demands for jobs in key markets such as Saudi Arabia
and Malaysia," Labour and Manpower Minister Khandaker
Mosharraf Hossain told AFP.
Malaysia, whose export-oriented economy was hit hard, has
accepted no new Bangladeshi workers since March while
Saudi Arabia-which employs more than two million
Bangladeshi workers-took only 14,666 migrants from the
country.
According to the BMET, the United Arab Emirates was the
top recruiter of Bangladeshis in 2009, accounting for more
than 50 percent of new overseas jobs for the impoverished
South Asian nation. The minister said he expects to see a
turnaround this year with war-torn Iraq now recruiting
thousands of Bangladeshi construction workers and new
opportunities emerging in traditional markets. The first
batch of Bangladeshi workers flew to Iraq last month,
defying security risks in the oil-rich country. "We are on
our toes to find new job markets for our people. We have
already launched a massive diplomatic drive," he said.
According to government statistics, more than 6.7 million
Bangladeshis, out of a population of 144 million, work
abroad, although unofficial estimates put the figure at
around nine million.
Despite plummeting manpower exports, remittances grew an
average 20 percent per month in 2009 due to the
carried-over effect of the migration of a record 1.7
million people in 2007 and 2008, the central bank said.
"In November 2009, monthly remittance topped one billion
for the first time in our history," said Khandaker Abdus
Shahid, a senior official at the Bangladesh Bank. In the
financial year ending June 2009, Bangladeshis working
abroad sent home a record 9.7 billion dollars-more than 10
percent of the country's gross domestic product and the
second highest income after exports.
Dhaka-Delhi
free trade deal takes shape
BSS, New Delhi
Bangladesh and India are planning to sign a free trade
agreement as early as 2011.
Trade between the two countries is likely to grow
four-fold in around five years once the pact is in place,
the Kolkata-based largest circulated English Daily the
Telegraph reported on Monday.
The paper said the drill for the FTA is expected to gain
momentum after the visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina to Delhi, scheduled on January 11.
Her visit is expected to speed up the FTA process that
will open up duty-free export of garments, leather, jute
and ceramic products from Bangladesh, it said.
"We are targeting a free trade pact by 2011. We have
received positive response from studies that we have
carried out on the possibility of a pact," Bangladesh
commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan said over the phone
to the Telegraph.
India has free trade pacts with only Sri Lanka and the
Asean, though it is negotiating similar agreements with
the European Union, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the
Gulf states. "This is the best time to take things
forward. Both the governmental and party leaders have good
relations. We want to cash in on this to garner gains for
Bangladesh," the Telegraph quoted the minister as saying.
The ruling parties of India and Bangladesh - the Congress
and Awami League, respectively - are on good terms.
Sheikh Hasina knows the Gandhi family as well as top
leaders such as finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and
railway minister Mamata Banerjee.
Studies by various global agencies suggest that
Bangladesh, like Sri Lanka, will benefit from the Free
Trade Agreement, the Telegraph said. According to a study,
five years after the India-Sri Lanka FTA, the balance in
favour of India declined from 15:1 in 1998 to 3.5:1 in
2004. This means for every dollar of Lanka's exports,
India's exports were $3.5 in 2004 against $15 six years
ago. In 2004, bilateral trade amounted to $1.73 billion -
Indian exports stood at $1.35 billion, while Sri Lanka
exported goods worth $382 million. India was ranked No.3
in 2004 vis-a-vis exports from Lanka against 21st in 1998.
Sri Lanka's FTA with India has attracted many
multinationals in search of cheap labour and good port
facilities. Bangladesh could also see similar investments
after the pact. "We will be engaging with our Indian
counterparts during the course of our Prime Minister's
visit and we expect a political decision on trade issues.
Once there is a clear political will, everything will
follow," Khan told the Telegraph.
About the negative list, or the list of products, which
India does not buy from Bangladesh, is likely to be pruned
from over 400 items to almost half, said Indian officials
told the newspaper.
India has already cut the initial list of 700 products,
but Bangladeshi traders were disappointed as key items
such as garments and footwear continued to be banned.
"We have 68 products where we have an advantage and on
which there is duty. We have asked for these to be made
duty- free. The products include ceramics, jute, garments
and leather products," said Khan.
Indian officials said India was likely to agree to these
demands to reduce the huge trade gap between the two
neighbours.
Remittance inflow rises 23pc
in 1st half of FY10
BSS, Dhaka
Remittance inflow to the country continued to rise with
around 23 percent increase in the first half of the
current 2009-10 financial.
Data released by the Bangladesh Bank Monday showed the
country received $5535.67 million during July-December
2009, which was higher by $1030.94 million from $4504.73
million of the corresponding period of 2008-09 fiscal
year.
The central bank data also showed the remittance in
December 2009 was 15.60 percent more than of December
2008.
The remittance inflow marked the phenomenal rise in
November when it crossed $1-billion mark for the first
time in history. It, however, came down to $867.33 million
in December last year, though the amount was up from
$758.03 million in December 08.
The World Bank in a report released at the beginning of
the current financial year forecast that Bangladesh would
get substantial inflow of remittance if the oil prices on
the global market stay over $80 a barrel.
The oil prices on the global market hovered around $80 a
barrel in the past few months. With the global financial
recovery, the OPEC also projected that the price would not
fall below the current level in near future.
The current and the projected oil prices indicated that
the remittance inflow to Bangladesh would continue rise in
the coming months. The country gets remittance from over
six million expatriate, mostly work in oil rich Arabian
countries.
Japan’s PM vows to avoid
double-dip recession
AFP, Tokyo
Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Monday he
would strive to prevent a return to recession in the
world's second largest economy by pushing ahead with a
planned stimulus spending package.
"The economy should not enter a double-dip recession and
we won't let it happen," said Hatoyama, who took office in
September.In a televised new year address, he urged
parliament to swiftly pass an extra budget to finance the
planned spending, aimed at supporting a fragile economic
recovery after the worst downturn in decades.
Hatoyama announced in early December a stimulus package
including about 80 billion dollars in fresh spending. The
pump-priming measures include incentives for people to buy
energy-saving products, as well as financial support for
smaller firms and payments to struggling companies to keep
staff on their payrolls.
The ruling coalition, which dominates parliament, aims to
have the budget passed by the end of January so that it
can concentrate on deliberations on a record
trillion-dollar budget for the next financial year
starting in April. "I want to make my utmost effort to
pass it as quickly as possible," Hatoyama added. Japan's
economy returned to growth in the second quarter of 2009
after a severe year-long recession, but renewed deflation
and weak domestic demand are major concerns for
policymakers.
Last week Hatoyama unveiled an ambitious goal to create
millions of jobs and return Asia's biggest economy to
steady growth as he battles a drop in his popularity and a
funding scandal. The government was vague about exactly
how he would achieve the lofty goals, saying it would come
up with more concrete measures by around June.
Japan has forecast a 2.6 percent contraction in its gross
domestic product in the year to March 2010, and is on
course to lose its place as the world's second largest
economy to China, possibly this year.
BD holds trade fair in
Malaysia Jan 8-10
UNB, Dhaka
Aiming to reduce Bangladesh's huge trade gap with
Malaysia, a three-day trade fair - Showcase Bangladesh
2010 - will be held in Kuala Lumpur on January 8-10.
Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI)
will be organising the single country exhibition at Putra
World Trade Centre in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Dato
Sri Mustapa Bin Mohamed is expected to inaugurate the
exhibition, while Bangladesh Commerce Minister Faruk Khan
will attend the event as special guest.
Disclosing this at a press conference at a city hotel
Monday, exhibition chief coordinator Syed Moazzam Hossain
hoped that the trade fair will provide a great opportunity
for boosting the country' s exports to Malaysia and also
to attract investment in Bangladesh.
Last fiscal year, Bangladesh exports to Malaysia stood at
US$ 31.28 million while its imports from that country
totaled $ 376 million. Some 60 Bangladeshi business houses
and financial institutions representing readymade
garments, ceramics, leather products, food, energy,
tourism, bank and handicrafts will display their goods and
services at the fair.
As part of the event, two seminars will be held focusing
on investment and economic cooperation between Bangladesh
and Malaysia. A cultural show will also be organized to
highlight the cultural heritage of Bangladesh with former
Malaysian Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad as chief
guest.
Asean scraps duties on 8,000
products
Asia News Network
Six members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(Asean), including the Philippines, took a step closer to
the establishment of a single market in the region as they
stopped collecting import duties on thousands of products
shipped across their borders.
The Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore
and Brunei scrapped collections on 7,881 tariff lines
starting January 1.
According to the Asean Secretariat, affected tariff lines
include final consumer products such as air conditioners,
chili, fish and soya sauces, as well as intermediate
materials, such as motorcycle parts and motor car
cylinders.
Other products include mechanical appliances and prepared
foodstuff, as well as those belonging to the iron and
steel, plastics, machinery, chemicals, paper, cement,
ceramic and glass sectors.
With the latest move, a total of 54,457 tariff lines may
be transported across the six country's borders at zero
tariff. The number represents 99.11 per cent of all tariff
lines listed under the Common Effective Preferential
Tariffs for the Asean Free Trade Area.
The CEPT-AFTA provides for the gradual reduction in
tariffs of these products, which started in 1993.
With the latest round of tariff reduction, the average
tariff rate for the six countries-referred to as the Asean
6-is expected to further decrease from 0.79 per cent in
2009 to 0.05 per cent this year.
The remaining four Asean countries that are not affected
in the tariff reduction-Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma)
and Viet Nam-have been given leeway and need not break
down trade barriers right away since they are newer
members and have less developed economies.
Under the CEPT-AFTA schedule for tariff reduction, the
four countries may undertake similar moves by 2015.
Latest data from the Asean Secretariat showed that in
2008, intra-Asean import value of commodities covered by
the 7,881 tariff lines amounted to US$22.66 billion, or
about 12 per cent of the Asean-6's total imports from
within Asean.
Asean Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said in a statement
that the recent move would serve as a catalyst for the
development of a single market and production base
described in an agreement as the Asean Economic Community
(AEC) blueprint.
The actual impact and how much this final installment will
translate into savings for consumers will depend on the
market dynamics of the respective Asean-6 countries, Surin
said.
Sweden to buy small ships from
BD
UNB, Dhaka
Sweden is willing to buy small ships from Bangladesh apart
from investing in prospective medicine, lather and textile
sectors. Swedish Ambassador in Dhaka Britt F Hagstrom gave
the indication when he met Industries Minister Dilip Barua
at his office Monday.
Ambassador Hagstrom said the Swedish entrepreneurs are
interested to invest in Bangladesh's potential medicine,
lather and textile sectors, as an industrial-friendly
atmosphere is prevailing here. "We' re also interested to
buy small ships from Bangladesh," he added.
Referring to the recent Copenhagen Climate Conference,
Hagstrom said Bangladesh played a significant role in
creating awareness about the impacts of global climate
change. During the meeting, they also discussed bilateral
issues, including the impacts of climate change and
investment policy and human recourse development.
Dilip told the envoy that the government is going to
announce an industrial policy soon with a focus on private
sector to attract foreign investment.n
He said the government has also taken short-, mid- and
long-term working plan for rapid development of the
country's industrial sector.
The minister also sought technical support from Sweden for
creating skilled manpower.
Sri Lanka to relax forex
controls
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lanka plans to relax its strict foreign exchange
controls, reflecting new confidence in the country's
finances after the end of a 37-year conflict on the
island, the central bank said Monday. Sri Lankans will be
allowed to open foreign bank accounts, while local firms
will be able to seek listings in overseas markets
according to new laws to be brought in shortly, Central
Bank of Sri Lanka governor Nivard Cabraal said. Foreigners
will also be allowed to invest freely in bonds issued by
local companies and be granted freedom to open Sri Lankan
rupee accounts, he added.
"With our foreign reserves at a historic high of 5.2
billion dollars, sufficient to meet over six months of
imports, we thought it is time to relax some foreign
exchange regulations," Cabraal told businessmen in
Colombo.
National
Rangamati bustling with tourists
BSS, Rangamati
The hilly town of Rangamati, enriched with scenic beauty,
is now resounding with the hustle and bustle of
innumerable tour-loving people flocking to the town
everyday with the winter in its full.
Sources with Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) said
the influx of the tourists in their thousands from home
and abroad is adding to the charm of the green town. The
inflow of tourists to enjoy the ever-serene beauty of the
hilly region, enriched with flora and fauna, reached its
peak immediately after the ninth parliamentary elections
amid improvement of law and order.
The tourism industry of the district, enriched with the
largest man- made lake in the south-east Asia, will be
able to contribute a lot to the revenue income of the
government this year as compared to the previous years.
The district headquarters and other important tourist
spots have started to wear a festive look with the arrival
of tourists that began after the end of the last
Eid-ul-Azha holidays, the sources said. On an average,
some 3,000 to 5,000 visitors are checking in at Rangamati
Holiday Complex, a unit of the Bangladesh Parjatan
Corporation, daily for the last couple of weeks, the
manager of the RHC, Mohammad Zakir Hussain Sikdar told BSS
on Sunday.
"Our income has gone up beyond expectation in the last
couple of weeks from the sale proceeds of foods and
beverage, rent of rooms of motel and cottages as well as
entry fee for the hanging bridge," observed Zakir.
The RHC earned more than Tk 1 crore in the current tourism
season with the highest amount in December, 2009, he said.
All the rooms and cottages are now cramped with tourists
and the facilities also booked in advance till February 15
next, said Zakir. The hanging bridge of RHC, one of the
best attractions for the tourists, has been renovated, he
added.
Apart from the RHC, the authorities of all other
residential hotels in the hilly town are now finding it
bewildering to accommodate the large number of tourists
arriving everyday here.
The beauty of the DC Bungalow, wilderness at Pedatingtang,
singing flow of water from Shuvalong waterfalls, call of
the Tuktuk echo village, look of the Girishova floating
restaurant, Tribal museum, the island with the grave of
Bir Shrestha Munshi Abdur Rouf and the palace of the
Chakma chief also attract the tourists from home and
abroad. Cruising in the 700 square kilometers lake on
engine-boats is another attraction for the people visiting
Rangamati.
Identity Cards to be
distributed among 51 lakh farmers in 16 N-districts
BSS, Rajshahi
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) is going to
distribute identity card (ID) among around 51 lakh farmers
in 16 northwestern districts of the country.
DAE Deputy Director Akterul Afghan told BSS that the
printing of the cards is at a final stage and the
distribution was started in many places through the field
level DAE officials and staff. He said the monitoring
committees headed the respective deputy commissioners and
upazila nirbahi officers have been working relentlessly to
execute the program successfully.
According to the officials concerned, main thrust of
launching the ID cards is to build an accurate database
about the farmers and the share-croppers and their
round-the-year farming activities.
The process would contribute a lot to assess the farmers'
level agricultural demand and supply along with collection
of dependable statistical information.
Some important information like number of farming families
including the number of small and marginal farmers,
identity of genuine farmers along with season-wise crop
farming, land area and type and possible season-wise
requirement of agriculture inputs especially irrigation,
seed and fertilizer were incorporated in the database.
Continuously, the database will be updated in the format
of agricultural inputs distribution card every year which
would be ultimately converted into digital database.
It would be an effective means of founding a sound
agricultural management system like farmers' registration,
subsidy and easy collection of nationwide agricultural
information. District Training Officer of DAE, Rajshahi
Anwarul Azim said that the farmers would get the
agriculture related government assistance like fertilizer,
seed and insecticide in any emergence period after showing
the card.
Rabi
crop growing in dried up river beds and char areas in
N-region
BSS, Rangpur, January 4
The vast tracts of the dried up beds of the Brahmaputra,
Teesta, Dharla, Ghaghot, Jamuna and other rivers and
tributaries and the char areas have now worn greenish
looks as the Rabi crops are growing everywhere.
Hundreds of landless people and char dwellers have been
cultivating various crops on these char lands and dry beds
of the rivers as well as their tributaries in greater
Rangpur and adjoining northern district in recent years.
The char dwellers and landless people have brought nearly
50,000 hectares such dried up river beds and char lands
under farming of various Rabi crops including wheat,
maize, mustard, pulses, Boro, vegetables and other crops
this season, unofficial sources said.
Officials and local people said cultivation on these lands
has been taking place due to drying up of the rivers and
abnormal rise of their beds with hundreds of shoals as a
result of massive deposition of silts much ahead of the
dry season.
The drying up of rivers and deposition of silts on the
river beds has been continuing alarmingly in recent
decades as a result of the adverse impacts of the ongoing
global climate changes, lifting of underground waters and
other reasons.
Noted Rice Scientist Dr M A Mazid, who is also Dinajpur
Hub Manager of Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA)
and former head of Agronomy of BRRI at Gazipur told BSS
that farming on the riverbeds is not good news at the end.
"People are cultivating crops on the river beds and
getting productions also, but we have to take steps to
revive water flows in the rivers by adopting scientific
means to keep them live for a better future, good
environment, agriculture, bio-diversity and ecology," he
said.
Silent
revolution in tomato farming in vast Barind tract
BSS, Rajshahi, January 4
A silent revolution has been taking place in tomato
farming in the vast Barind tract along with the char areas
for the last couple of years.
Farmers and the share- croppers side by side with huge
other armature ones are seen humming to the tomato farming
as they earn high profit from production of the crop in
comparison with the other crops.
In addition to creating huge employment opportunities many
of the farmers changed their lot becoming owner of huge
raw- money.
Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) sources said the
cultivation was increased by at least two to three times
during the last five years and the production has gone up
at the same pace with the promotion of high yielding
varieties and modern technologies at the farmers' level.
District Training Officer of DAE, Rajshahi Anwarul Azim
told BSS that the farmers brought 4,750 hectares of land
under the farming this season against 2,141 hectares in
2004-05 season only in Rajshahi district.
Tomato, which is now considered as the second cash crop of
the region, plays an important role in the economy.
"I have cultivated tomato on four bigha of lands this
season by spending Taka 32,000 and so far earned over Taka
62,000 as sale proceeds remaining huge others to be sold,"
said Jahurul Haque of Godagari.
Now, he said the Godagari and other adjacent upazilas have
become a famous place for tomato farming as huge farmers
have become interested in the farming.
Anwarul Azim stated that the tomato farming is gaining
popularity in the region particularly in the vast tract of
Barind area comprising particularly Rajshahi,
Chapainawabganj and Naogaon districts and expected to earn
bulk amount of money from the production during the
current season.
At least one and half lakh families derive direct
financial benefit from either cultivating tomato or its
trading, transporting and making bamboo-basket. Hundreds
of educated and uneducated youths are now engaged in the
cultivation and business. It is now widely cultivated on
the dry soil of the Barind area as its soil and climatic
condition are very suitable for the cultivation. Quoting
the field reports, he added that the farmers earn between
Taka 30 and 35 thousand by cultivating tomato on a bigha
of land in a season if they could catch the early markets.
Sports
Tri-Nation Cricket begins today
Bangladesh plays Sri Lanka in opener
UNB, Dhaka
The IDEA Cup Tri-Nation Cricket Tournament involving India,
Sri Lanka and host Bangladesh begins today at Mirpur
Sher-e-Bangla Natio-nal Cricket Stadium with
Bangladesh playing Sri-Lanka in the opening match.
The double league basis day-night Tri-Nation series will start
at 2:30 pm (Bangladesh Times).
Kumar Sangakkara will lead the youthful Sri Lanka team without
key players like Sanath Jayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene,
Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajanta Mendis and Lasith Malinga.
All rounder Shakib Al Hasan will lead the Bangladesh side in
absence of injury-plagued regular captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza.
Only pacer Shafiul Islam, who replaces Mashrafe, will make his
debut for Bangladesh in the Monday's match.
Both the Indian and Sri Lankan teams arrived in the capital on
Saturday and made their practices at the games venue today
(Sunday).
In the remaining league matches, hosts Bangladesh will play
India on January 7, face Sri Lanka again on Jan 8 and meet
India again on Jan 11 while Sri Lanka will play India on
Tuesday (Jan 5), Bangladesh on Jan 8 and India on Jan 10.
The final match of the tri-series is slated for January 13.
Meanwhile, the BCB has announced the rate of tickets for the
IDEA Cup 2010, which is now available at the Grameenphone
outlets.
Ticket rates for the Idea Cup Tri-Nation ODI Series
(India-Bangladesh-Sri Lanka) are as follows:
Gallery - Tk 200 for first six matches and Tk 300 for final.
Special Enclosure - Tk 400 for first six matches and Tk 500
for final
Club House - Tk 500 for first six matches and Tk 600 for final
VIP Grand Stand - Tk 2000 for first six matches and Tk 2500
for final.
Citycell
Bangladesh League football
Dhaka Abahani keeps winning
TBT Report
Defending champion Dhaka Abahani maintained its winning streak
in the Citycell 3rd Bangladesh League football defeating
Rahmat-ganj Muslim Friends Society 3-1 at Bir Shreshtha
Shaheed Mohammad Mus-tafa Stadium in Dhaka on Sunday.
The two-time Bangladesh League champions, who won their all
previous six matches, recorded their seventh victory to remain
at the top of the 13-team standings.
Rahmatganj went in front when its Nigerian recruit Felix
scored just eight minutes after the kick-off but the
Rahmatganj players were unable to hold on to their lead.
Prolific Abahani striker Enamul Haque pulled off the equalizer
for the champions when he found the net on 39 minutes, while
his Ghanaian teammate Awudu Ibrahim put his side in front just
one minute before the breather as the sky-blues ended the
first half with a 2-1 advantage.
Dhaka Abahani players put up better performances after the
breather and scored one goal more to subdue their opponents.
Enamul struck his second two minutes after the restart to make
the game safe for Dhaka Abahani, which claimed 21 points from
seven outings.
Rahmatganj, which suffered its third consecutive defeats,
remained on one point after six matches. It earned its only
point when it drew goalless with Brothers Union in the third
round match.
Today's match: Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club vs Farashganj
Spor-ting Club (Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Mohammad Mus-tafa
Stadium, Dhaka at 2:45pm).
Bangladesh
has fair chance to do well: Siddons
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons said they has a fair chance
of doing well against Sri Lanka in the Idea Cup Tri-Nation
tournament that begins today at
Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
Addressing at a pre-match press conference at the match
venue the Australian born coach said if they are able to
play their best, they have a bright chance of doing well
against Sri Lanka, which is without some key players.
"We have got enough preparation before the tournament, we
toured West Indies and Zimbabwe last year and boys were
almost engaged in domestic job," he told to a questioner.
Siddons said he has finalized the 11-mmemebr squad for the
tomorrow's match omitting Aftab Ahmed, Shahriar Nafees,
Syed Rusel and Nazmul Hossain.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said they have to play
good cricket as the tournament would not be easy for them.
"We are excited for the tomorrow's match and I hope the
match will be a competitive one."
Replying to a question the dependable all rounder said,
"Pacer Mashrafee's absence in the team is really big
factor for us. We all miss him, but are hopeful that the
rests will do their job."
About exclusion of experienced medium pacer Syed Rusel
from the squad he said they are trying to make a good
bowling combination keeping faith on Rubel Hossain and
uncapped Shafiqul Islam.
"It is a good opportunity for us to show the world that we
are an improving side and playing good cricket against the
giants," he said.
Sri Lankan team manager Travar Bailis said they have some
new faces in the squad who have playing good cricket.
He said Bangladesh has been playing good cricket in last
one year. Tomorrow's match would be a competitive and they
are hopeful of doing well.
Both the teams made final practices today. Bangla-desh
made net practice at the indoor Stadium in the morning
while Sri Lanka made net practice at the match venue in
the evening.
Bangladesh squad: Shakib Al Hasan (captain),
Mohammad Ashraful, Abdur Razzak, Mushfiqur Rahim (WK),
Tamim Iqbal, Roqibul Hassan, Mahmud Ullah, Naeem Islam,
Imrul Kayes, Rubel Hossain, and Shafiul Islam.
Clijsters opens
New Year in style
AFP, Brisbane
Belgium's Kim Clijsters opened the New Year in the best
possible style when she overpowered Italian Tathiana
Garbin 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the Brisbane
International on Sunday.
Despite a nervous start to the match when she lost her
serve in the opening game, the reigning US Open champion
quickly found her form to overcome Garbin in just 53
minutes.
Garbin had no answer to the 26-year-old Clijsters once the
Belgian found her range, with an array of powerful and
accurate groundstrokes proving lethal.
Clijsters' forehand was particularly damaging, pinning
Garbin back in the corners and forcing a host of errors
from her opponent.
The strength of Clijsters' groundstrokes put Garbin's
serve under immense pressure and the Italian was unable to
cope, making just 51 percent of her first serves.
Clijsters took full advantage and broke twice in the first
set and twice more in the second as she booked her place
in the second round, where she will face Australia's own
comeback queen Alicia Molik.
Molik, granted a wildcard to play the tournament, beat
Russia's Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 1-6, 6-4.
The match was Clijsters' first on her full return to the
WTA tour after retiring in May 2007.
She made a partial comeback last year, playing just four
tournaments and culminating in her sensational US Open
victory in New York.
Schalke snaps up Bayern reject
AFP, Munich
Highflying Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04 continued their
recruiting on Sunday as they signed German midfielder
Alexander Baumjohann from Bayern Munich after he spent
just six months at the German giants.
The 22-year-old - who only arrived from Borussia
Monchengladbach in the summer of 2009 and played just
three times for Bayern - signed for an unspecified length
of time and no fee was revealed. Baumjohann rejoins the
club - who lie second in the championship a point off
leaders Bayer Leverkusen - where he came through the youth
system. Baumjohann is Schalke's second signing of the
weekend, having acquired Brazilian striker Edu from Korean
side Suwon Blue Wings.
Bayern by contrast have now offloaded four players during
the traditional winter break as Dutch coach Louis van Gaal
looks to trim his squad. The others to leave were Italian
World Cup winning striker Luca Toni - who was loaned out
to AS Roma.
Asif shines with six on Pakistan's day
Cricinfo Online
Mohammad Asif completed a career-best six-wicket haul as
part of Pakistan's broader demolition of Australia that
called into question Ricky Ponting's decision to bat first
on a Sydney green-top. In union with Mohammad Sami, who
dismissed Australia's top three batsmen before the first
drinks break, Asif exploited the heavy pitch and
atmospheric conditions to full effect to rout Australia
for 127 - their second-lowest total batting first at the
SCG and worst at home since 1996.
Ponting was left to rue the decision to bat first on a
green, seaming pitch after rain delayed the coin toss
until shortly before 2pm. Not since his infamous decision
to send England into bat at Edgbaston in 2005 has Ponting
called correctly and opted to bowl. How he must wish to
have his time over.
Only a 44-run eighth-wicket stand between Mitchell Johnson
and Nathan Hauritz saved Australia from complete
embarassment although, as it stood, the humiliation ran
deep enough. Sami, playing his first Test in more than two
years following a stint in the unauthorised ICL, scythed
through Australia's top order with seven overs of express
pace and prodigious movement to account for Phillip
Hughes, Ponting and Shane Watson before the first drinks
break.
Asif then swung into gear in the period leading up to tea
with the wickets of Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus
North and Brad Haddin. He went onto remove Hauritz and
Johnson to finish with the career-best figures of 6 for 41
as Australia were rolled inside 45 overs.
Pakistan's opening batsmen, Imran Farhat and Salman Butt,
added 14 runs without loss before bad light stopped play
4.1 overs into the tourists' innings. Both survived the
odd anxious moment, particularly against Doug Bollinger,
but their battles paled into insignificance compared to
those experienced by the Australian batsmen against a
Pakistan attack at its enigmatic best.
Sami was an eleventh-hour inclusion in the Pakistani side
after the withdrawal of Mohammad Aamer, one of the heroes
of Melbourne, with a groin injury. The move almost paid
immediate dividends when Sami had Hughes, a replacement
for the injured Simon Katich, dropped by the hard-handed
Umar Akmal at backward point from his first delivery.
Retribution followed in the next over, however, when Sami
lured Hughes into an aggressive push to a straighter,
fuller delivery that flew low to Faisal Iqbal at second
slip.
The inspired paceman then removed Ponting with his very
next ball, wafting at a shorter delivery that reared off
the surface, and might well have completed a hat-trick had
Billy Doctrove ruled Watson out to an excellent lbw appeal
that struck him on the front toe.
The Pakistanis sent the decision for video review, however
Hawk-Eye confirmed Sami's 150kph bolt had struck the
batsman outside the line of off stump. Watson successfully
dodged that bullet, but was not so lucky in Sami's next
over, edging a seaming, straightening delivery to Kamran
Akmal.
That left Sami with figures of 3 for 5 from his first four
overs, and Australia gasping for breath. Clarke rounded
out an eventful hour by successfully overturning Asoka de
Silva's decision to adjudge him lbw to an Umar Gul
delivery that was comfortably clearing the stumps, but his
defiance ended shortly after the drinks break.
Barcelona drops first home points
AFP, Madrid
Barcelona dropped its first home points of the season on
Saturday in a disappointing 1-1 home draw with Villarreal
as the Spanish league season resumed after its winter
break.
Pedro put Barca ahead after just seven minutes but David
Fuster equalised five minutes after the break to prevent
the champions from making it a perfect eight wins at Camp
Nou.
Real Madrid, three points behind in second, can now move
level on points with victory at Osasuna on Sunday.
"We are having a good season and have to continue what we
are doing," said Barca captain Carles Puyol.
"We didn't get the three points but we were up against one
of the best teams in the league. We have to rest now
because we have another game very soon."
Barcelona host Sevilla on Tuesday in the first leg of the
Kings Cup last 16.
The Kings Cup was one of six trophies Barca won in 2009
and they presented their silverware to the Camp Nou fans
in a pre-match ceremony.
The players were also given a guard of honour by
Villarreal before kick-off.
Barcelona rested Lionel Messi while Andres Iniesta started
on the bench as he came back from injury but the
celebrations continued as Pedro netted the opening goal.
Thierry Henry hammered a spectacular volley against the
crossbar and the ball fell to Pedro who controlled
brilliantly on his chest and drilled home.
Villarreal refused to be rattled by the early goal and in
the 27th minute came within inches of equalising with
Cani's cross finding the onrushing Fuster who was unlucky
as his downward header looped over the bar.
Close to the interval Alves whipped in another brilliant
cross but the lively Henry could not head in as Diego
Lopez did enough to put him off.
Minutes into the second half Barca midfielder Sergi
Busquets lost the ball and Fuster fired wide. It was a
good chance but Barca did not heed the warning and a
minute later Villarreal equalised.
Cani floated in a 50th minute cross and Fuster produced a
controlled finish at the back post to stun the hosts.
Substitute Iniesta and Zlatan Ibrahimovic had chances for
Barcelona while Giuseppe Rossi had a shot cleared off the
line by Puyol two minutes from time.
Sevilla failed to reclaim third place from Valencia
following a 2-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid.
Brazilian Renato headed Sevilla ahead on 44 minutes but a
disastrous own goal from Ivica Dragutinovic three minutes
after the break helped Atletico draw level.
Sevilla had Argentine Aldo Duscher sent off for a
malicious challenge and Atletico captain Antonio Lopez
scored a last minute header to win the game.
Soderling, Cilic set for India's ATP event
AFP, Chennai
World number eight Robin Soderling and defending champion
Marin Cilic will prepare for the tough season ahead at the
400,000-dollar ATP Chennai Open starting today.
Soderling flies in for his maiden appearance in South
Asia's only ATP event from Abu Dhabi, where he knocked out
world number one Roger Federer in the semi-final of an
exhibition tournament on Friday.
The Swede lost in Saturday's final to Rafael Nadal, who he
beat at the French Open last year on the way to his first
Grand Slam final.
Soderling is the top seed at the Chennai event, regarded
as a warm-up for the first Grand Slam of the year, the
Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.
The 25-year-old starts his campaign against 100th-ranked
American Robby Ginepri, known for a stunning run at the US
Open in 2005 when he reached the semi-finals before losing
to Andre Agassi in five sets.
Second-seed Cilic won the Chennai and Zagreb titles in a
superb start last year, before enduring a mid-season slump
and finished 2009 ranked 14th.
"Going into the top 10 is obviously an aim, but I can't be
thinking about it yet," the big-serving Croat said
Sunday."
The start and the finish last year were great, but it
could have been better in the middle of the year.
"I think I was not fit enough for the whole year. I have
worked hard on my fitness in the off-season. The important
thing is to play at least three or four weeks in a row
without any problem."
India eyes another success in Dhaka tri-series
AFP, Dhaka
India will be keen to extend their impressive run in a
triangular series starting in Dhaka today and boost their
hopes of becoming the top-ranked side in one-day cricket.
They have won six of their last seven bilateral one-day
series under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and a title-triumph
here against a new-look Sri Lanka and a resurgent
Bangladesh will help them narrow the gap against leaders
Australia.
Dhoni's men are currently the top-ranked team in Test
cricket and number two behind the Aussies in one-day
internationals. And although they cannot overtake the
Australians in this series, India are hoping to close in
on their rivals.
The tournament opens with a day-night clash between Sri
Lanka and the hosts. Each team will play four league
matches before the top two qualify for the final on
January 13.
India vice-captain Virender Sehwag said ahead of the
series his team were focused on maintaining consistency.
India will be without batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar,
who has been rested for the one-dayers, but they still
have depth in batting to give
a good account of themselves.
India, who beat Sri Lanka in both Test and one-day series
at home recently, have explosive batsmen in Sehwag, Gautam
Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni to dominate any attack.
Sehwag said Sri Lanka were a tough side to beat despite
missing veterans Muttiah Muralitharan, Mahela Jayawardene
and Sanath Jayasuriya.
Opener Jayasuriya, the world's second-highest scorer with
13,428 one-day runs, was dropped, while spinner
Muralitharan and batsman Jayawardene have yet to recover
from injuries picked up during the India tour. "I think
Sri Lanka still are a good side and Bangladesh can also
beat any team. We are not taking them lightly," said
Sehwag.
Bangladesh coach Jamie Siddons said his side could make it
to the final despite missing skipper Mashrafe Mortaza and
key seamer Nazmul Hossain due to injuries.
Top all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan will lead the team, while
Shahadat Hossain replaces Nazmal.
"Sri Lanka have brought a team below their best. They have
left a few top players behind. We'll be competitive
against them and can push them hard. Hopefully, we'll beat
them," he said.
He added that Bangladesh were now a better batting side
and would also be "competitive" against favourites India.
The series will be a real test for Bangladesh, who will be
keen to build on their one-day successes last year.
Bangladesh clinched their one-day series against
below-strength West Indies and Zimbabwe in 2009 under
Shakib, who led the side in the absence of Mortaza.
Liaison Officers's training course
concludes
TBT Report
A three-day training prog-ramme for the Liaison Officers
of the forthcoming 11th South Asian Games (SAG) concluded
at the Bangladesh Olympic Asso-ciation (BOA) in the city
on Sunday.
Three-hundred Liaison Officers, who have selected for the
SAG, took part in the course, organized by the Reception,
Protocol and Liaison Committee of the impending South
Asian contest.
Convener of the Reception, Protocol and Liaison Committee
M Shahriar Alam, MP, Member Secretary Fazlur Rahman Babul,
Member Hasanu-zzaman Bablu and other officials attended
the concluding ceremony of the three-day course.
Leeds stuns Manchester
AFP, London
Third-tier Leeds United produced the shock of the third
round by knocking record 11-times winner Manchester United
out of the FA Cup with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford on
Sunday.
Fallen giants Leeds, the League One leaders who are 43
places below English champions Manchester United, won
thanks to Jermaine Beckford's 19th minute goal and then
denied their hosts, second in the Premier League, an
equaliser.
It was the first time Manchester United mana-ger Sir Alex
Ferguson had lost in the third round of the FA Cup, the
stage at which teams from England's top two divisions
enter the knockout tournament, since he arrived at Old
Trafford 24 years ago. Not since 1984, when beaten by
third tier Bournemouth, had Man-chester United lost at
this stage of the competition.
Victory was also Leeds's first at Old Trafford since 1981.
Their goal came after Jonny Howson's superb 50-yard pass
over the head of Wes Brown found striker Beckford and he
outpaced the defender before sliding the ball left-footed
into the far corner and beyond goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak.
United did threaten and, after Leeds keeper Casper
Ankergren had advanced quickly to block Wayne Rooney's
initial shot, Jason Crowe had to clear off the line from
the England striker. Ankergren then produced another good
block to deny Danny Welbeck early in the second-half.
United mana-ger Alex Ferguson made a double substitution
with veteran forward Ryan Giggs replacing Gabriel Obertan
and striker Antonio Valencia coming on for Danny Welbeck.
Swann's double strike rocks South
Africa
AFP, Cape Town
A double strike by England off-spinner Graeme Swann
plunged South Africa into trouble on the first day of the
third Test at Newlands here on Sunday.
South Africa was 183 for five at tea after being sent in
to bat. The host nation appeared to be on the way to
recovery after a poor start before Swann took two wickets
in two balls to put England firmly in control with South
Africa on 127 for five.
Swann, man of the match in the first two Tests, ended a
76-run third wicket stand between Jacques Kallis and AB de
Villiers when he had De Villiers smartly caught at short
midwicket by captain Andrew Strauss for 36.
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