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Leading News
Any detraction from December election not acceptable to
Washington, says Boucher
Upazila polls to further deepen people’s doubt about
parliamentary elections: Hasina after meeting
Boucher
UNB, Dhaka
US Assistant
Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Boucher
reiterated that any detraction from general election
slated for December in Bangladesh would not be acceptable
to Washington, as ex-premier Sheikh Hasina had a
discussion with him in Washington.
"The US wants to see establishment of an elected
government in Bangladesh as there is no alternative to
democratic rule," he said during the meeting with the
former PM and Awami League chief at the State Department
on Friday.
Boucher viewed that the transition to democracy-now
underway in the interim period-would help ensure
development in Bangladesh.
During the hour-long meeting from 11 am (Washington time),
US Ambassador to Bangladesh James Moriarty, State
Department officials, Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy and
Hasina's special aide Dr Hassan Mahmud were present.
Later in the evening (Friday), Sheikh Hasina and Moriarty
had another meeting at a local hotel over a high tea,
exchanging views over bilateral matters.
The US ambassador had parleys with politicians in Dhaka
over the crucial issues on hand before leaving for
Washington for consultation with his government
policymakers.
Dr Mamud told UNB from the American capital that Hasina
apprised Boucher of the current political situation in
Bangladesh.
The Awami League president said that people have already
doubts about the December general election. "If the
Upazila Parishad elections are held first, people's doubt
will further deepen about the parliamentary elections,"
she observed during the talks. Hasina said the prime
responsibility of the caretaker government is to hold
free, fair and transparent parliamentary elections and
transfer power to an elected government.
"Upazila elections before parliamentary polls will not be
acceptable," she was quoted by Dr Mahmud as having told
Boucher.
She said the government should concentrate more on holding
the national election instead of upazila elections.
On the current anti-graft purge, Hasina said her party
supports anti-corruption campaign and would carry on this
drive if returned to power.
"But we cannot support political arrest and harassment in
the name of anti-corruption drive," she said.
About institutional reforms being carried pout by the
caretaker government, Hasina said the Awami League-led
14-party alliance's 33-point demand placed before the
nation and in the last parliament was aimed at all these
reforms.
She assured that if returned to power, Awami League would
continue with these reform programs. "Awami League is also
pledge-bound to ensure human rights, curbing terrorism,
establishment of equal rights and the rule of law," she
said.
Hasina told Boucher that she herself and her Awami League
party are the main victims of terrorism. Awami League had
always been vocal against terrorism and will continue to
do that in the future.
The former Prime Minister said Bangladesh and the USA can
work together to carry on the fight against terrorism.
Hasina thanked the US government for its continued
assistance for development in Bangladesh. She hoped that
Washington would increase its development aid and make
investment in the country.
Dr Mahmud said Boucher inquired about the health
conditions of Sheikh Hasina and praised her relentless
leadership for restoration of democracy.
The AL chief returned to Washington from London on July
24. She is planning to go to Connecticut in a couple of
days for her medical checkup. Later, she will fly to
Orlando, Florida, for follow-up treatment of her ears.
Hasina, who was granted interim release from prison for
eight weeks on June 11, left for the United States the
following day for treatment of her ears and eyes.
Separation of judiciary was
CG's routine work
All ordinances enacted by CG beyond its routine work may
be revoked
Firoz Mamun
Legality of all
ordinances enacted by the Caretaker Government beyond its
routine work has become questionable and those can be
cancelled anytime as the High Court in its recent judgment
observed that-"this government has no authority to enact
any law which is not related to election and emergency
issues."
Among these, there are some important laws providing for
implementation of separation of the judiciary,
independence of the Election Commission, creation of
separate EC secretariat, establishment of a permanent
attorney service, right to information and establishment
of truth commission.
Talking to The Bangladesh Today, prominent lawyer
Barrister Amir-ul Islam said although all other laws
enacted by the CG may be cancelled but Cr.P.C amendment
providing for the separation of the judiciary will not be
revoked because "by separating the judiciary the CG
performed its routine work and implemented the Supreme
Court's order, execution of which was pending for several
years."
According to sources, the CG enacted a total of 84
ordinances for the convenience of its work of which 42
were enacted in 2007 and 42 till July 2008. Experts opined
that such a large numbers of law like these were not
enacted in the past. They said some of these ordinances
were enacted to fulfill the objectives of CG to lunch
anti-corruption drives, prosecute top politicians and
strengthen the ACC and among these ordinances all are at
risk of being cancelled except nine election related laws.
Article 93 (1) of the Constitution says that when the
Parliament is dissolved or inactive, the President can
make ordinance on emergency issues but Article 93 (2)
states that those ordinances have to be placed before the
first session of next parliament and these are not
approved or 30 days expire, they will be automatically
ineffective.
About cancellation of these ordinances by the court,
Barrister Amir-ul Islam said that if one ordinance is
cancelled by the High Court, the other ordinances may be
cancelled unless those have merits. That means if any
particular ordinance is challenged before the HC and the
HC finds that it has no merit, it will be cancelled and in
this way all the ordinances may be cancelled. Besides, the
next elected government can cancel as many ordinances as
it wants.
Referring to an example in Pakistan, another source said
that a number of 123 laws were cancelled following a
judgment of the Court in 1954 in Pakistan and Moulovi
Tamijuddin was the petitioner therein.
The question of legality has risen after two HC verdicts
which cancelled Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008 and
Muslim Marriage and Divorce Law saying that the Caretaker
Government has no authority to make any law other than
electoral rules and emergency issues.
Around 1.50 lakh females are drug addicts
College
and ’varsity female students being addicted
Staff Correspondent
A large number of college
and university female students are being addicted to
various drugs and the situation is deteriorating day by
day due to moral degradation.
According to government and non-government sources, around
1.50 lakh female mostly teenagers across the country are
taking different types of narcotic items daily. Most of
them are student of different colleges, public and private
universities in the capital as well as other metropolitan
cities and towns.
A source in the Narcotic Control Department said there are
around 50 lakh drug addicted people in the country. But in
the recent days, the female students are being addicted to
drugs and their number is on the rise. According to United
Nation survey report some 65 lakh people in Bangladesh are
drug addicts. Of them 13 per cent are female and rest 87
per cent are male.
According to the expert, the rate of female drug addicts
is increasing due to family feud, frustration caused by
failure in love and jobs and bad company. Besides, being
curious female students are taking drug when they are
engaged in gossiping with their friends on the college or
university campuses.
The students aged between 15 years and 19 years are the
most vulnerable group, because, at this stage curiosity
always grip the teenagers and they want to know and take
the test of every prohibited items.
While this correspondent was visiting different spots of
Dhaka University, BUET and Dhaka Medical College, found
many female students sitting with their boy friends taking
cigarettes, phensidyl and cannabis when it is dusk. Even,
many female students are seen buying these narcotic items
from different spots in the city like Taltola slum at
Agargaon, Ashadgate, Moghbazar, Tejgaon Railway crossing,
Malibagh, Motijheel, Kataban and Palashi crossing.
Besides, a significant number of drug addicts female are
seen taking drug in front of the Institute of Fine Arts of
Dhaka University. On the other hand, premises of central
Shaheed Minar witness a heavy rush of female drug addicts
specially in the evening. They are taking drug under the
very nose of the concerned authority.
While the TBT correspondent was visiting the Kataban
crossing adjacent to New Market police station found many
students from different nearby education institutions
searching for phensidyl and cannabis. As most of the
retailers of drug have stopped their selling from the
known spots, they are communicating over cell phone with
their clients.
Apart from these, heroin or brown sugar, beer and clobazam
are also being sold there in the presence of law
enforcers, Sahidul Islam, a ganja retailer told The
Bangladesh Today at Kataban crossing.
While talking to this correspondent a third year female
student of Eden Women University College said taking
cannabis or phensidyl by the female students have become a
fashion. "First time, the youngsters feel thrill and at
one stage they become addicts. Later, when they don't have
money to buy drugs, they enter into the crime world. Many
students of our college, are becoming addicted," she
added.
UZ polls won’t be
allowed before JS: Zillur
Govt did nothing sans
detaining politicians, he says
Staff Correspondent
Acting Awami League President Zillur Rahman on Saturday
warned that his party would not allow anybody to hold the
Upazila Parishad polls before those of national and such
move of the Emergency Government would be resisted
unitedly.
He reiterated the demand for announcement of the
elections-schedule of the Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) and
lifting of the State of Emergency as early as possible so
that democracy is restored across the country.
Zillur Rahman was speaking as chief guest at the extended
meeting of 'Awami Ainjibi Parishad', an Awami
League-backed lawyers' forum, in capital's Supreme Court
Bar Association's auditorium yesterday.
"No political parties, including the BNP and the
Jamaat-e-Islami, want holding of the Upazila Parishad
elections ahead of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls. Why is
the government moving towards the Upazila polls ignoring
the Constitution?" the senior-most AL leader posed a
question adding, "In my eighty years, I never witnessed
such a government before."
The acting AL Chief alleged that the Caretaker Government
could do nothing other than detaining political leaders
and workers of different political parties in the name
'Anti-Corruption Drive' over its last 18 months in power.
Blasting overall activities of the government, Zillur
said, "The country and its people are passing trough a
critical juncture at present. It seems that there is no
government at all in Bangladesh. The authorities concerned
is paying little attention to control the skyrocketing
prices of necessary commodities, rather they (Interim
Government ) have no other job than resorting to
repression on political leaders and workers by filing
different 'false and fabricated' cases against them."
The veteran AL Presidium Member further criticised the
army-backed Interim Government for its 'failure' to take
any effective measures against those who dared to assault
a valiant freedom fighter in public in the city.
Referring to the earlier commitment of the incumbent
government about declaring the war criminals ineligible
for doing politics across the country and their exemplary
punishment, Zillur Rahman again demanded of the government
to ensure the trail of war criminals and anti-liberation
forces immediately considering the demand of the time.
Terming the some 15 cases - including five of those during
this interim regime - lodged against Hasina as fully
politically motivated to tarnish her image, Zillur urged
withdrawal of all cases against Hasina, and release of
party leaders and workers and taking of necessary steps
for Mohammad Nasim's overseas treatment immediately.
The acting AL president expressed his gratitude to the
lawyers who extended legal support in fighting the cases
filed against Sheikh Hasina and other party leaders.
"The lawyers would extend legal cooperation for the
detained leaders and workers of Awami League in the future
like they did in the past," Zillur Rahman hoped urging the
partymen to work together for the 'Nagorik Party Banner
candidates' contesting in the elections to four city
corporations and nine municipalities (pourasabhas).
Chaired by president of Awami Ainjibi Parishad Advocate
Sahara Khatun, the Extended meeting was also addressed,
among others, by Enayetur Rahim, Nurul Islam Sujan, Abdur
Rahman Howladar, Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu, Hosne Ara
Lutfa and Mamtaj Uddin Mehedi.
CG delaying Khaleda’s release setting conditions: MK
Anwar
Staff Correspondent
BNP Vice-President MK. Anwar on Saturday said the present
caretaker government is delaying the release process of
BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia by setting conditions.
"The present political crisis will be more complicated if
the government does not release Begum Khaleda Zia. I do
hope the government has realised it. She has not given any
condition for her release as claimed by the government. If
she gives condition, the government ought to say what
conditions she has given," Anwar told reporters after
placing floral wreath at the mazar of late President Ziaur
Rahman yesterday.
Anwar said, "Party Chairperson will extend all sorts of
cooperation to the caretaker government to overcome the
present political crisis." Replying to a query he said BNP
is still united and will remain united in future. "I think
we will be able to overcome all crises after release of
our party Chairperson."
On the other hand, hinting at Awami League, BNP
Chairperson's Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) ASM Hannan
Shah said AL is trying to collaborate with a mass censured
political party.
"To avoid notice of other parties, AL wants to collaborate
with a former dictator aboard as they are not feeling good
in the country. AL had taken part in collaborated election
in the past and now they are again trying to do so. Both
parties have admitted their meeting abroad and
negotiation," he added.
Road accidents claim
30,103 lives in 10 yrs
Around 40,000 incidents cost around Tk 45,000 cr
Daud Md Isa
Around 40,000 road accidents in Bangladesh claimed 30,103
lives and injured 30,833 others in last ten years costing
an amount of about Tk 45,000 crore, nearly 2 per cent of
the GDP, according to reports of police and Roads &
Highways Department.
According to these reports, some 2358 people were
reportedly killed in road accidents in the year of 1998,
2893 in 1999, 3058 in 2000, 2388 in 2001, 3053 in 2002,
3334 in 2003, 3150 in 2004, 2960 in 2005, 3160 in 2006 and
3749 in 2007. Of the victims, 49 per cent were
pedestrians, 37 per cent passengers and 14 per cent
drivers and transport workers.
Dr Md Mazharul Hoque, Director of the Accident Research
Centre (ARC) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and
Technology, however said, the actual number of road
accidents is three times higher than that reported by the
police.
According to a study conducted by TRL of Uk, over 70 per
cent of the road accidents victims' families reported
sharp decrease in their household income and food
consumption. It also reported that 61 per cent of the poor
victims' families were forced to arrange loan on interest
while 34 per cent of the families (not-poor) needed to
borrow from friends and relatives after the road
accidents.
According to the Roads & Highways Department, the cost of
damages by the road accidents on an average was Tk 55,430
for fatal ones, Tk 73,210 for severe ones and Tk 60,620
for simple ones.
Apart from that, an UNICEF report published in 2005 said
out of the country's 30,000 children being killed from
injuries each year, 3400 of them got injuries in road
accidents and they mainly came from poor families. It said
around 14 lakh people were disabled in Bangladesh because
of road accidents which account for 15 per cent of the
total disabled person in the country.
Over 50 per cent of the emergency beds in government
hospitals remain occupied by the victims of road
accidents, mostly poor, according to a survey conducted by
ARC of BUET.
According to the ARC, around 4,000 people die in road
accidents in Bangladesh every year and 60 per cent of the
road accidents occur for the road users' errors, 30 per
cent for adverse road conditions or environment and 10 per
cent for faulty vehicles.
Brahmaputra-Jamuna goes on rise again
BSS, Dhaka
After waning for the past two days the Brahmaputra-Jamuna
went on the rise again on Saturday but slowly and may
continue rising during the next 24-48 hours as the river
comes under pressure upstream.
The Ganges-Padma maintains its rising trend but at a
slower pace, Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC)
said on Saturday.
As the Padma maintained its swelling, under pressure from
upstream rise, it would increase the inundation of
low-lying areas in the districts of Munshiganj, Manikganj,
Faridpur, Shariatpur and Dohar and Nawabganj upazilas of
Dhaka district, which the FFWC said may likely to
continue.
Already the river is flowing 36cm above its red mark at
Goalundo and 40cm at Bhagyakul.
Meanwhile, the Korotoa at Chawk Rahimpur, Bogra was up
14cm of its danger level (DL) and a distributory of the
Padma, the Kobadak at Jhikargacha was flowing 05 cm above
DL.
Among others the Surma at Sunamganj was flowing 45cm above
DL. The Kangsha at Jariajanjail up 87 cm of its DL.
The latter two are likely to fall as rainfall in the
northeast had subsided and rains may decrease further over
the country except in the northwestern part and
neighbouring sub- Himalayan West Bengal, reports from
Indian Meteorological Department said.
Back Page
Country’s
security depends not only on military
power: Justice Latifur
Staff Correspondent
SAARC countries need to boost internal co-operation and
activities among themselves for combating trans-boundary
terrorism and extradition in order to ensure national
security.
This was stated by former Chief Justice and head of the
2001 caretaker government Latifur Rahman at a discussion
meeting in the city on Saturday. He said that security of
a country depends not only on its military power but also
on its democracy, good governance, accountability and
equity.
The discussion meeting on "Bangladesh: Geopolitics and
National Security Imperatives" was organised by "Center
for National and Regional Studies" (CNRS) at CIRDAP
auditorium yesterday.
In the key note paper presented at the meeting Mahbub
Ullah, teacher of Dhaka University said Bangladesh's
immediate security concerns arise from India's unfriendly
attitude towards Bangladesh, so it is necessary to
understand India's relations with other powers like United
States, China and Russia. He said in the current context
Indo-US relations are of paramount importance to
Bangladesh.
India and United States have built up strong strategic
understanding over the years after the end of the cold
war.
He also said Bangladesh should develop the skills and
adroitness to play in the complex geopolitical ground of
the contemporary world. After the cold war Bangladesh has
been placed in a strategic importance for its resource.
But appropriate use of this resource depends very much on
the understanding of the geopolitics involving major
players like US, India, China, and Russia.
Besides this, he said that the country has limited
resource to overcome poverty and underdevelopment and it
will be able to gather military strength to defend itself
against military adventures in a conflicting world after
overcoming poverty and underdevelopment.
So till such time arrives, it will be necessary to ensure
critically minimum military preparedness to meet the odds
against sovereignty and the integrity of the country.
He said the national unity can be achieved only through a
democratic process. But the complexity of Bangladesh
politics is making the prospect of national unity bleaker
and bleaker.
However, the country can not afford to lose its
independent identity.
Conscious citizens and patriotic politician should find
out ways and means to meet the challenges of safeguarding
independence, sovereignty and integrity of the country.
We should remain ever vigilant against conspirators of all
sorts- domestic or foreign.
Secondary, Higher Secondary level students main victims
Brisk coaching business in city
Staff Correspondent
The students
who have passed Secondary School Certificate (SSC)
examination or waiting for Higher Secondary Certificate
(HSC) result are becoming the victims of coaching centres
in many ways at different metropolitan cities including
capital Dhaka.
The owners of the coaching centres with the help of their
local agents and different schools and college teachers
are alluring the students saying that there is no way to
get chance into a reputed colleges, public university,
medical colleges, BUET and engineering colleges without
coaching and without help of the guideline provided by the
so called coaching centre teachers.
The owners of the coaching centres have assigned their
local agents at different cities to collect students
specially who have passed the SSC examinations or waiting
for their HSC results. Soon after the SSC and HSC
examinations, these agents are going to the schools and
colleges and are convincing the teachers in exchange of
bribes. Later the teachers asked their ex students to go
to big cities for coaching. The teachers are also giving
the names and addresses of the coaching centres for
admission.
Mujibur Rahman, a HSC appeared student, hailing from
Comilla, said that he had come to Dhaka for coaching as he
wanted to get admission into any medical or engineering
college and public university.
"I have been advised by an agent that if I get admission
in a coaching centre named 'Admission Plus' in Dhaka, I
would be facilitated with both residential and academic
facilities. But when I came to Dhaka bag and baggage, the
owner of the coaching centre asked me to rent a residence.
Meanwhile, the Admission Plus took away taka 7500 from me.
I know not where I shall go now as I don't have any
relatives in the city. I came to know no university
teacher teaches in the coaching centre. I am totally
helpless. This coaching centre cheated me," Mujibur told
this correspondent yesterday.
Talking to this correspondent Sajib, also a HSC appeared
student, said as soon as he reached Farmgate coaching
centre area, he fell prey to the agents from different
coaching centres.
"I just came here and I am thinking where I shall get
admission. Meanwhile, a number of persons introducing
themselves as teachers of coaching centres have started
dragging me. Even some of them are also forcing me to go
to their coaching centres. I came to know that if any
student refuses the agents, he is harassed and even beaten
up by them," he narrated.
While talking to The Bangladesh Today Kamal Uddin Patwary,
owner of University Coaching Centre (UCC) said there is no
regulatory body to oversee the coaching centre.
"We are paying 4.5 per cent vat to the government for
running our coaching centres but the government is yet to
form any rules and regulation for the coaching centres. As
a result hundreds of coaching centres have grown up at
different cities indiscriminately," he said.
Shahidullah Shah Nur, founder Director of a coaching
centre at Farmgate named Admission Aid, said centering
collection of students an internal conflict has developed
among the owners of the coaching centres.
Besides, students of schools, colleges and universities
are also becoming the victims of academic coaching centres
at different places in the city. The students of arts and
commerce who usually are weak in English and mathematics,
get admission in these coaching centres for good results
in the examinations. The teachers who maintain nexus with
coaching centres, ask their students to get admission into
coaching centres. Taking this opportunity, the owners of
coaching centres are also extracting extra money from the
students but they are not providing quality education.
Crores of Taka siphoned abroad in the name of Risk
Management
Staff Correspondent
Crores of Taka are being siphoned off abroad from the
country every year in the name of risk management of
insurance policies as the country's big business companies
are buying insurances from the foreign insurance companies
outside Bangladesh in the absence of appropriate law in
this regard.
According to relevant sources, as per the Insurance
Company Act 1938, it is mandatory for all the general
insurance companies of the country to reinsure 50 percent
of their every general insurance policy with the
state-owned Shadaran Bima Corporation.
The laws, however, allows the general insurance companies
to make agreements with any local insurance company or buy
insurance from any insurer abroad for the rest 50 percent
of their policies. But the country's big companies are
making agreements with the insurance companies abroad
instead of buying insurance from the local insurance
companies by taking the full advantage of existing
loopholes in the 70 year old Insurance Act. As a result,
crores of Taka are being moved from Bangladesh to foreign
countries illegally every year in the name of buying
insurance policies.
It may be mentioned that the law is not applicable for
life insurance. According to the law, there is no
compulsion regarding life insurance. So, the life
insurance companies need not reinsure 50 percent of their
insurance policies with the state-owned Jiban Bima
Corporation. The life insurance companies can reinsure 100
percent of their policies with any company at home or
abroad according to their will.
Talking to the Bangladesh Today, a senior leader of
Bangladesh Insurance Association said, the country is
incurring huge financial losses as big business companies
are taking out insurances with companies abroad. So, the
association has already submitted some proposals to the
government to reform the existing insurance act to help
flourish insurance industry in the country.
Drive to detect tax evasion goes on simultaneously: NBR
Amnesty for undisclosed money: No response
UNB, Dhaka
Not a single person holding undisclosed money has come up
yet to avail the latest amnesty given to the tax-dodgers
as a last chance, prompting the authorities to think about
a simultaneous hunt.
The renewed chance to show undisclosed money earned by
legal means, starting from July 1 for a short period of
four months, came under the amnesty given by the present
caretaker government while a fight is on against
corruption.
This is for a second consecutive time the present nonparty
government is conceding amnesty to people who did not
disclose their legally earned money, and thereby evaded
paying the wealth tax.
Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam in his budget speech
on June 9 said that the individual tax-payers could
declare their undeclared legal income accrued in any year
in a prescribed format.
But the individuals have to pay a penalty at the rate of 7
per cent on the tax payable in addition to the regular
taxes at the rates applicable for FY 2008-09. This window
of opportunity will remain open from 1 July to October 31,
2008.
Admitting to the matter of having received no response
from the taxpayers, NBR chairman Muhammad Abdul Mazid told
UNB, "Yes, the response till now is poor, as the taxpayers
now might be thinking among themselves (over the amnesty
matter)."
He observed as the amnesty prolongs for October 31, the
taxpayers are waiting to disclose the money during the
submission of their income-tax return. "This is the strong
reason behind the no-response position of the taxpayers up
till now," Majid said.
But the government's chief revenue collector warned that
the submission of income-tax return in September does not
mean that the NBR will sit idle.
"The drive to detect tax evasion will go on and we are in
a strict position to detect the tax- evaders," said the
chairman of NBR, which joined forces with the anti-graft
watchdog ACC in chasing many bigwigs in the initial stages
of the ongoing purge in the interim period.
The caretaker government last fiscal year gave the amnesty
for the tax delinquents to come above board with their
undisclosed money that was earned by legal means in
another format.
Under the amnesty, the tax-dodgers having Tax
Identification Numbers (TIN) have to pay extra 5 percent
as fines apart from their usual taxes with the normal tax
base of that particular period.
Earlier, successive governments had offered similar
amnesty for the tax defaulters several times, the latest
one in the 2005-06 fiscal year. But that was for both the
groups of tax-dodgers-those who earned honestly and those
dishonestly.
The scheme, however, failed to make any major headway as
only Tk 5,213 crore undisclosed income was disclosed in
the period, with the government earning an extra tax of Tk
802 crore.
Only 42,459 people availed the opportunity, despite an
earlier forecast that the nationwide anti-graft crackdown
launched by the caretaker government would prompt hundreds
of thousands to get whitened their unrevealed income.
Immediate-past Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda
Zia and Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman also availed the
clemency, which evoked criticism.
In his 2005-06 budget speech, the then Finance Minister,
Saifur Rahman, had said that a good number of people were
still holding the purse strings of such income, who, for
some reason or the other, could not avail this
opportunity.
He had proposed extending the time limit of disclosure of
such incomes of the hidebound moneyed persons without any
explanation by paying only 7.5 percent income tax up to
the 30th of June 2006.
Some Tk 4,603 crore from a stash of such money, popularly
known as black money, was legalised taking advantage of
pecuniary amnesty in the 2005-06 fiscal year at a tax rate
of 7.5 per cent penalty.
A total of 7,246 people-businessmen, doctors, lawyers and
the like -- availed the opportunity to legalise the
undisclosed money by paying Tk 345.225 crore to the
national exchequer.
Crime
Malaysia returnee beaten up by manpower agent
A Correspondent, Tangail
A worker recently returned home from Malaysia was
seriously injured after being beaten up brutally allegedly
by a manpower agent and his sons at Gopalpur upazila in
Tangail on Friday evening.
Injured Mohammad Abdur Razzak, 31, son of a farmer Rehan
Ali of Baniajan village, was admitted to Gopalpur Upazila
Health Complex in critical condition.
Razzak said he went to Malaysia two years ago through
Jilani Travels at Fakirerpool in Dhaka after paying
manpower agent Abul Kalam Azad of Gopalpur Tk 220,000.
But the visa and work permit was fake, the recruiting
agent failed to provide him with any job after he reached
Malaysia.
He returned to Bangladesh on May 22 this year after
spending 10 months in Malaysia under the custody of a
human rights organisation, Razzak said.
When he went to Azad's residence at Gopalpur yesterday at
5:30pm with his uncle Muslem to get back the money he paid
him, the manpower agent and his two sons Roni and Moni
beat him up with iron rods, Razzak alleged.
When contacted, OC of Gopalpur Police Station Mohammad
Ekhlasuddin said they knew nothing about the incident. "If
we receive any complaint, we shall take necessary steps,"
he added.
Doctor found dead
UNB, Natore
A village doctor was found dead in his house at Laxmipur
village under Boraigram upazila here on Saturday
afternoon.
Police said the village doctor, Golam Panjatan, 57, went
to bed for taking a nap after lunch. But, after some time
he was found lying on his bed in a pool of blood.
"Pamjatan was stabbed to death," police said. The reason
behind the killing could not be known immediately.
Disgruntled father
hands over son to police
BSS, Barisal
A disgruntled father on Saturday handed over his addicted
son to police in Agailjhara upazila of the district.
Police sources said the father identified as Sarbananda
Biswas of Kathira village called in local police to take
into custody of his heroin addict son Richard Biswas.
Sarbananda Biswas was compelled to seek police help in the
wake of relentless torturing by the son for paying drug
money. An accused in cow lifting cases in the area Richard
beat his parents once again before the arrest for drug
money. Being informed, a team of Agailjhara police rushed
to the village and arrested the heroin addict and then
took him to the police station. Richard was also arrested
earlier on similar charges, but escaped punishment for
lack of witnesses.
NGO disappears with people’s money
BSS, Nilphamari
The officials and employees of 'Manab Kallyan Samity', a
local NGO, fled away with a large amount of money
collected from people of the district.
The NGO reportedly collected Taka several lakhs from
people through its field level workers in the name of
providing jobs and savings schemes.
The affected people, who deposited money with the NGO,
found on Thursday that all the officials and employees
have left the Dada Bhai Road office, leaving it under lock
and key.
Shahnaz Pervin, a victim, filed a case against five
persons including Ansarul Alam Chanu, a former chairman of
Shimulbari Union, as main accused for the cheating.
Firearms, bullets recovered
UNB, Madaripur
Rapid Action Battalion members seized three firearms and
eight rounds of bullet at Char Shamaloil village at
Shibchar upazila here early on Thursday.
Acting on secret information, a team of RAB-1 recovered
one revolver, two shutter guns and eight rounds of bullets
from under the pile of straws at 2:30am at the house of
Abul Kalam Sardar. The seized firearms and bullets were
handed over to the Shibchar thana. None was arrested in
this connection.
Carbide-ripened mango seized
UNB, Comilla
A mobile court seized 100 maunds of carbide-ripened mango
and also fined two fruit traders Tk 1.50 lakh at
Shasangachha in the town on Thursday night.
The RAB-led court, led by Magistrate Sharif Nazrul Islam,
conducted the drive at Shasangachha and recovered the
carbide-ripened mangoes.
During the drive, the court fined fruit traders Mostafa
Kamal Tk 50,000 and Khorshed Alam Tk 1 lakh for selling
the carbide mixed mangoes.
Trader Khorshed Alam was jailed for three months as he
failed to pay the fine. The seized mangoes were destroyed
on Friday morning.
31 held in Rajshahi
BSS, Rajshahi
Police, in different anticrime drives, rounded up 31
people on various charges from different areas in city and
nine upazilas of the district in the last 24 hours ending
on Friday evening.
Of them, two were nabbed from different areas in the
metropolis while 29 others from nine upazilas.
Police also seized 12.3 kilograms of ganja and 25 liters
of country- made liquor during four separate raids at
different places in the city. However, none could be
arrested in these connections. Traffic police lodged 25
cases under the motor vehicles ordinance during drives
against the non-registered motor vehicles and other
document related malpractices in different parts of the
city.
Tk 23,000 realised
UNB, Satkhira
A mobile court on Thursday realised Tk 23,000 in fine from
four hotels in the district town for unhygienic
environment and serving substandard food items.
Led by Executive Magistrate AKM Azadur Rahman, the mobile
court conducted the drive in the city's New Market
crossing area. During the drive, the court realized Tk
8,000 in fine from a hotel while Tk 5,000 each from three
other hotels.
Businessman held with Indian bidi
UNB, Sylhet
A businessman was arrested along with 14,000 pieces of
Indian Nasir bidi from Singerkas Majhgaon village in
Biswanath upazila early on Thursday.
Acting on a tip off, police raided the house of
businessman Tobarak Ali and arrested him along with the
bidi at about 4am.
Police filed a case against Tobarak Ali, his brothers
Afroz Ali and Rahman Ali in this connection. In another
incident, a drug addict son was handed over to the police
by his father at Satpur village in the same upazila on
Thursday.
Police said Monaf Ali handed his son Rahim Ali over to the
police as Rahim used to torture his family members
whenever they failed to give him money for buying drugs.
3 drug peddlers arrested
BSS, Rajshahi
RAB rounded up three suspected drug peddlers and seized
heroin and smuggled goods in Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj
districts during the last 24 hours till Saturday.
On a tip-off, a team of the elite force conducted a sudden
operation on a residential hotel in Luxmipur area under
Rajpara Police Station in the city and arrested the drug
peddlers and seized 50 grams of heroin from them.
They seized 200 grams of heroin in another raid in
Arambagh area under Chapainawabgonj Sadar upazila in an
abandoned condition.
In two other operations at Muralipur and in Yousufpur
areas under Rajpara Police Station in Rajshahi city, they
seized 70 smuggled Indian sarees valued at around Taka
1.05 lakh. However, none could be arrested in these
connections.
The arrested persons and seized goods were handed over to
the concerned police stations.
On Friday, RAB rounded up five suspected drug peddlers and
seized heroin, phensidyl and smuggled goods in four
northern districts during the last 24 hours till yesterday
afternoon. They seized 495 grams of heroin, 128 bottles of
phensidyl and 1.1 kilograms of ganja during eight separate
raids at different places in Rajshahi, Naogaon, Rangpur
and Dinajpur districts. The arrested drug peddlers were
Jamaul Islam, 40, Saidul Islam, 28, Jalal Uddin, 28,
Jahurul Islam, 32, Shaheen, 37. In two other operations at
Dangapara Bazar under Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur and at
Yousufpur village under Charghat upazila of Rajshahi, they
seized 950 vials of smuggled Indian injection and some
spare parts of dish antenna.
Tk 80 lakh smuggled clothes seized
UNB, Comilla
Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) seized a huge quantity
of Indian sarees and other garments worth over Tk 80 lakh
in bordering Chowara area of Sadar South upazila early on
Friday. Tipped off, a team of the 33 Rifles Battalion
conducted a drive in the area at about 4am and seized
2,000 pieces of Indian saris, three-pieces and other
garments. However, the smugglers managed to flee.
The seized goods were handed over to local customs.
13 held with phensidyl
BSS, Joypurhat
Police in separate drives arrested 13 persons including a
drug trafficker with huge quantity of phensidyl at
different places of the district on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, a police team recovered a huge
quantity of Indian smuggled phensidyl and others illegal
items from the arrested persons.
Besides, Joypurhat Thana police arrested eight persons,
two in Kalai and Panchbibi thana and one from Akkelpur.
The arrested were sent to jail hajat.
UNB adds: Police recovered 500 bottles of Indian phensidyl
from a private car in Khetabmoar area of Ghoraghat upazila
on Friday.
Acting on a tip-off, police took position on
Dinajpur-Gobindaganj road at about 10am. Sensing the
presence of the law enforcers, the drug peddlers managed
to flee leaving behind the car on the road. Later, police
recovered the phensidyl and seized the vehicle. A case was
filed.
Editorial
Why
should the HC strike down the Contempt of Court Ordinance
2008?
On 24 July 2008, the
High Court declared the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2008
illegal and rescinded it on the contention that any comment or
criticism, even constructive criticism of a judge or a retired
judge, by anyone, may be prejudicial and detrimental to the
cause of justice and law.
The highly controversial appointment of 19 Judges to the High
Court on 23 August 2004, the Faizee affair, the bomb attacks
on the lower courts by Islamic militants in 2005-2006, the
Bangabandhu murder case in a limbo for the last 7 years and
the recent case of a retired judge, Justice Fazlul Haque being
charged with corruption by the ACC are but very selective
examples of numerous issues regarding the Judiciary that have
been brought to public attention by the media over the last
few years. Such issues have aroused concern about and in many
cases indignation at the state of our Judiciary, the judicial
process and in fact the entire system of Justice. So it is not
criticism of judges which is responsible for "prejudice and
detriment" of our system of Justice and of Law; it is the
activities of the Judiciary which is causing a deterioration
of the prestige of the judiciary and a lack of justice to the
public.
The Judiciary & in the broader perspective the system of
Justice is the chief protector and guarantor of the existence
& continued prosperity of any particular social, political &
economic system. The Judiciary is thus one of the core
institutions of a polity. When Justice and Judiciary are
called in to question by the very polity, it is supposed to
protect & guarantee we are forced to ask ourselves: (1) What
constitutes Justice? (2) What & who, is this system of Justice
protecting & guaranteeing? Such questions call for a
redefinition of our entire system of Justice & Judiciary.
More then 200 years back, a colonizing power (the British)
defined what constitutes Justice and on that definition set up
an entire system of judicial structures, institutions,
procedures & processes in India, which then included the part
of the world called Bangladesh since 1971. The East India
Company was a trading house, which conquered an Empire. The
Company Bahadur was not only the Law but also "mai-baap" to
the subject masses of a sub-continent. To the Company Bahadur,
justice was the freedom to loot the wealth of a sub-continent
-brutally, rapaciously & completely. When the British
Government, 4 months sailing ship journey away, realized what
it was missing out on, it cracked down on the Company taking
over its possessions, putting on trial, in London, many of the
white "nabobs" including Robert Clive for failing to share the
loot with the British state; Clive later committed suicide-
Justice indeed !
To the white skinned British "Justice is blind" - it needed to
be blind in order to trample underfoot millions of black/olive
skinned natives; "Justice moved at its own pace" - it needed
to move at its own pace in order to provide time & space to
loot & carry away the wealth of nations and it was both blind
and fast paced when it came down to shooting and hanging
natives who refused to allow themselves to be downtrodden &
looted. British Justice had not only long arms but also a long
body too extending from the remotest Thana to the Privy
Council in London, forcing the natives to loose themselves in
a maze of forms, procedures, appeals, lower & higher courts
without coming close to "Justice". The local weather was
unhealthy for the British white skins, so for 4 months at a
time "Justice" closed down its shop and their "Lordships"
moved to cooler location, there to carouse in luxury.
Not satisfied with outward forms of physical control, the
British instituted psychological controls as well, sanctifying
judicial premises & officials a notch above that of religion.
The Court & the Magistrate/Judge were sacred -whether a
Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or a Christian; a farmer, a doctor, an
accountant or a teacher - if you are a native you bowed down
in abject submission to his "Lordship". The British were
forced to quit India in August 1947. They did so by dividing
India into the two states of India & Pakistan; the present
Bangladesh falling into the share of a "moth eaten Pakistan"
and inappropriately named East Pakistan. To the "worrier"
classes of Pakistan "Bangalee" was a word of abuse & East
Pakistan was a resource base to be exploited. British justice,
with its well-set structure, institutions & processes, was
fine; they simply had to be renamed replacing British with
Pakistan in Books & Forms.
When the people of Bangladesh fought the Liberation War & died
in droves, they did so in the hope that they were fighting for
a "just cause" to create a "just society". Concomitant to that
belief was that in an independent Bangladesh, the concept of
justice with all its paraphernalia would be redefined. Unless
such redefinitions take place we will never be able to create
a "world" for ourselves where "freedom of life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness" is protected & guaranteed to us as
individuals, as a people and as a nation-state.
So what ought to be our definition of Justice? Ultimately, the
question of justice is a political question, which political
philosophers have grappled with since the time of Socrates.
What constitutes justice for us has thus been defined in our
Constitution of 1972. Unfortunately, that definition has not
been reflected in either the institutions or the processes of
the Judiciary of an independent Bangladesh. Changes in
socio-politics & economics of the Nation in the last 37 years
have thus forced us to rethink about our paradigms &.
definitions, chief among which is our entire Justice &
judicial system.
Therefore, the just society should be so organized in its
institutions - its government, its laws and its economy - that
as many people as possible shall have the means and
opportunity to achieve the chosen conception of a happy life,
that is, satisfy their basic needs at the least. To reorganize
the institutions of one's society towards this goal is to
pursue Justice.
In an independent Bangladesh, there are no "Lordships" except
God Almighty in the Heavens above. We have not fought, bled &
died so that a fellow human, with all human frailties, needs &
desires may Lord it over us. We the people have placed judges
over ourselves so that they may judge between us as to who
among us HAS wronged & who IS wronged in accordance with Laws,
contracted by us, for ordering our society and woe to us, if
we address anyone as "Lordship" and raise anyone to a level no
human or his institutions ought to aspire to. The Judiciary
must be made equally answerable to the PEOPLE as the Executive
& the Legislature. There is thus no question of not being able
to criticize judges or their actions; we cannot live with an
Ordinance promulgated in 1926!
Analysis
Re-building Bangladesh based on
knowledge and moral values
real knowledge is light that provides
illumination for human mind. But is it that knowledge has
nothing to do with moral values? Or is it that knowledge meant
to include moral values, as well?
M.T. Hussain
It
is rather a pleasure to hear from celebrities that Bangladesh
must now onwards be a knowledge based society. Possibly the
need is appreciable for the country has been facing odds for
decades in shallowness and poor understanding of relevant
crucial issues that made many idiosyncrasies in many areas in
the society. Well, it is right to say that real knowledge is
light that provides illumination for human mind. But is it
that knowledge has nothing to do with moral values? Or is it
that knowledge meant to include moral values, as well?
The crucial question, however, is that if knowledge is fully
independent of value system; and if not so, how could values
be integrated into knowledge in its quality and quantity.
Neither knowledge is anything that can correctly be measured
for quantification in terms of levels as we know of schooling
- primary, secondary, tertiary etc- though schooling levels
are taken to be synonymous with learning, education and
knowledge.
If we may look seriously into schooling for learning and
acquisition of knowledge, it provides simultaneously three
basic things, cognitive learning and knowledge, development of
physical and mental skill and building up of positive attitude
to life and work for productive utility.
Learning in childhood starts informally at mothers lap, then
on to schooling in what learned educationists term as 3Rs -
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. Acquisition of these first
level school learning skills essentially call for cognitive
learning through one set of alphabets of a developed language.
That is the normal way for attainment of literacy. And through
learning of numbers one acquires competency in basic
arithmetic. Shaping of behavior and formation of mental
attitude begin essentially though informally at family level
and then what school offers some as additional ones.
Learning, acquisition of cognitive knowledge, psychomotor
skill and attitude formation continue as one would go up in
further levels of schooling. The crucial matter in further up
in schools, however, is that acquisition of cognitive
knowledge and psychomotor skills do not differ much both in
contents and in quality provided schools would be of equal
standard, but attitude formation may differ from school to
school that depend on factors not of cognitive literacy nature
but for beliefs and spiritual persuasion mainly based first in
family practices; school may have only marginal role in
formation of attitude or character based on values.
Renowned late twentieth century British educators of
Comparative Education like Nicholas Hans etc have listed eight
major internal factors for bases of educational goals. They
are Ideological, Natural, Geographical, Historical, Social,
Political, Constitutional and Educational. It is amazing to
note that of the eight major factors, only one is educational,
the other seven are not educational in the sense that they do
not belong specifically to cognitive learning domain and
psychomotor skills formation. Among external factors one could
add to the internal eight issues in these days of
globalization of matters in economics, employability,
obsolescence of skills, acquisition of new skills for
increased productivity, earning for decent living, caring for
environment, etc to be worthy citizen not only of one's own
country but also to form international human personality to
fit in with appropriate attitude to work according to one's
ability, aptitude, knowledge and psychomotor skill.
Importantly, on all the seven apparently non-educational
issues, there is at least a common subject matter and that is
values inherent in each item but basically originated not only
in human rationality but also in spiritual domain of human
entity.
Human being unlike all naturally created beings is taken to be
rational for possible high level intellect but not necessarily
equally gifted by the Nature or the Great Creator. Even so, it
is said that all human beings are created 'equal' which is
somewhat a misnomer as we do not see anywhere that every body
is equally gifted for anything and everything. That is what
the advanced human society made the issue of equality question
more specifically delimited and accepted as the idea of
'Equality of Opportunity' and not the misnomer 'equality' as
such.
Educators further agree that education and acquisition of
knowledge is essentially a matter of values (See, UNESCO,
Educational Goals, Paris, 1980, p.5). Our great educator of
the late twentieth century Dr. Mohammad Shahidullah would hold
the firm view, I recall, in his own way that 'If you give
students 3Rs but don't give them the 4rth 'R' or religion, you
would produce another 'R' or 'Rascals.' He might be taken as
little crude for the straight forward comment, but possibly
more sophisticated educators would intend to use the term
'values'. It is worth pondering that basic human values did
not come by their own only through human experience and
rationality but from spiritual origin of man. The source of
right and wrong, good and bad, just and unjust etc, as most
religions stated, originated in spirituality, no matter
whether you call it religion or not. The late Dr. Shahidullah
being a devoutly religious person used the term 'religion' in
his own way. What I took from him in this regard is that he
wished to integrate school learning with simultaneous
development of basic human values in the psyche of each every
learner and in upcoming future citizens to lead lives of
productivity and of virtue.
That there is hardly any denying the fact that we in
Bangladesh of late have been having floods of moral erosion,
particularly, among many of the fairly schooled people. I
recall once the recently late Professor Dr Asaduzzaman,
Chairman of the Bangladesh University Grants Commission,
lashing at the moral erosion of many such well placed educated
persons, possibly, out of his utter frustration. On the
contrary, our non-schooled and less sophisticated poor folks
do not easily give in to moral erosion, not for 'idiocy' but
for sticking to moral values they had learnt from their older
generation and parents. What I wish to drive at is that our
schooling must not only impart learning for cognitive
knowledge and psychomotor skills but also train themselves in
right attitudes and humane character to lead lives of high
moral values. In a nut shell, if I may say, the society must
aim not only to be knowledge based if that would mean only
secular learning but also should be of high standard of moral
values that schools must impart simultaneously during
operation of schooling curricula. Shall I mention here from a
renowned British educator's terms he coined for educational
value contents; the British education system produces
'Christian Gentlemen', the Americans, 'Pragmatic Christian
Gentlemen', the Chinese, 'Red and Expert', the former Soviets,
'Soviet Marxist man'. One would not miss the value contents
based specifically on to their individual basic value system.
I do not clearly see the basic values our schools impart
except that what Macaulay had given us to act as their secular
'interpreters' divorced from humane values nearly two
centuries back starting in 1835 A.D. that made us literate and
also educated but not persons of good moral standard
manifested of late as in our ignominious drives against all
forms of erosion of moral values. Only acquisition of secular
knowledge would hardly improve the situation. For improvement
we must at the same time integrate morality learning and
positive attitude building through redesigning our school
curricula so that we may have our society full of men and
women having bases not only on integrated encyclopedic
knowledge but also on high standard of moral values.
(M.T. Hussain; 795/2 Ibahimpur; Dhaka-1206. 24 July 2008)
These
enemies have faces
Iranians will fiercely defend
their independence and territory, yet they have no desire for
conflict with Israel.
Trita Parsi and Roi Ben-Yehuda
TEL
AVIV - The looming Iran-Israel confrontation has a seemingly
deterministic quality to it. Listening to the politicians, one
gets a sense that powers beyond our control are pulling us
toward a 21st-century disaster. Yet a great deal of the force
propelling us into confrontation is fuelled by ignorance and
dehumanization. Israel is demonized as "Little Satan," while
Iranians are portrayed as irrational Muslim extremists.
Indeed, mutual ignorance of our respective societies plays
into the hands of the hard-line leaders who are calling for
blood and destruction. They manipulate and distort; above all,
they do everything to prevent us from recognizing that the
enemy has a face.
Not that either of us is naive enough to believe that mere
knowledge of one another will offer a miraculous solution. We
do believe, however, that mutual understanding will go a long
way toward allowing us to feel empathy and compassion for each
other, and to sound off at those calling for bloodshed and
war.
Here are some essential things Iranians and Israelis should
know about each other:
1. Israel is a vibrant yet incomplete democracy
On his visit to the United States last fall, President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad famously stated that there are no homosexuals in
Iran. Well, in Israel there are plenty of homosexuals, and
they are the only ones in the Middle East who have an annual
gay pride parade in their capital city.
Democracy in Israel means that every citizen and group (Jewish
or otherwise) has the right to express him/herself and
assemble in public. Also, that every citizen is equal under
the law, has voting rights, religious freedom, access to
education, health care and economic opportunity.
Undoubtedly, Israel's democracy is still a work in progress.
The fusion of religion and state has limited people's rights
and freedoms (for example, Israelis of different faiths cannot
legally marry one another in the country), and the de-facto
secondary status of Arab Israelis is an affront to the
country's democratic ideals. Fortunately, many people in
Israel are assiduously working to change the system from
within.
2. Iran is a vibrant quasi-democracy
It is far from a full democracy, but neither is it a complete
dictatorship. Its severe limitations notwithstanding, Iran has
a lively civil society and possesses most of the building
blocks for a successful democracy down the road. Iranians'
struggle for democracy dates back to the 1906 Constitutional
Revolution. Since then, Iranians have learned two important
lessons.
First, war and democratization don't mix. As tensions between
Iran and the outside world increase, the first to pay are
Iran's pro-democracy and human rights activists. For Iran to
move toward a democratic system, it needs peace and
tranquility; bombs and surgical strikes will achieve the
opposite.
Second, when you carry out a revolution, you know against whom
you are revolting, but not necessarily for whom you are waging
the revolution. Iranians have little appetite for another
revolution. As unpopular as their current government is, they
prefer gradual and manageable change.
3. Streets are named for poets
Just like Iran, Israel puts great value on the written word.
In Israel, streets are named for poets -- writers who have
revived a people and its ancient language. It is the pen and
imagination, more than the sword and muscle, which have been
responsible for the creation of this nation. Israel's
historical roots are traced in a book; its people are called
the "People of the Book"; and its founding father, Theodor
Herzl, a playwright, liked to write books. It is no surprise
then that Israel leads the world in new book titles per
capita, per year. As in Iran, everyday conversations in Israel
are as likely to be peppered with literary references as with
practical concerns.
4. Iranians are lonely and distrustful
Much like Israelis, Iranians feel painfully isolated in the
Middle East. They are surrounded by people with whom they
share neither language nor religion. Iran is majority Persian
and Shiite; its neighbors are majority Arab and Sunni. Nor
does Iran have many friends beyond the Middle East. If
anything, the international community has never treated them
fairly, Iranians believe. In the last century alone, Iranians
have contended with colonization and decades of foreign
intervention, not to mention an eight-year war against Saddam
Hussein, in which the entire world sided with Iraq.
The UN didn't consider Saddam's invasion a threat to
international peace and security; it took the Security Council
more than two years to call for a withdrawal. Another five
years passed before it addressed Saddam's use of chemical
weapons. For the Iranians, the lesson was clear: When in
danger, Iran can rely on neither the Geneva Conventions nor
the UN Charter for protection. Just like Israel, Iran has
concluded that it can rely only on itself.
5. Zionism is not a dirty word
In a show of disrespect; many leaders in Iran refer to Israel
as the "Zionist regime." While being called a "regime" may not
be flattering, for most Israelis, Zionism is not a dirty word.
From within, Zionism is a national liberation movement, whose
aim it is to create a safe haven for Jewish people, culture
and national identity. Zionism is the Jewish people's answer
to the centuries-old impulse to erase them from history. When
Ahmadinejad and his ilk speak of Zionism's imminent doom, they
are in fact strengthening the very movement they seek to
eliminate.
Israelis joke that Israel is the only country in the world
where the words "dirty Jew" mean a Jew who has not taken a
shower. In a way, this joke encapsulates the essence of
Zionism. Everything else is commentary.
6. Sympathy with Palestinians, but no desire for conflict
with Israel
Ahmadinejad's venomous rhetoric notwithstanding, Iranians
don't spend much time thinking about Israel. They are far more
concerned about Iran's crippled economy and rampant
corruption. While the sympathies of most Iranians fall
squarely with the Palestinians, this is not an issue they feel
their country must be actively involved in.
Iranians will fiercely defend their independence and
territory, yet they have no desire for conflict with Israel.
Iranians remember Alexander's sacking of Persia, the Arab
conquest in the seventh century C.E., the Mongol invasion, and
the 1953 CIA coup against Iran's democratically elected prime
minister. But there is no recollection of any conflict with
the Jewish people because there hasn't been one. Most Iranians
would like to keep it that way.
(Dr. Trita Parsi is author of Treacherous Alliance: The
Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran and the US" (Yale University
Press, 2007). Roi Ben-Yehuda is an Israeli-American writer
living in Spain. Source: Ha'aretz, 18 July 2008,
www.haaretz.com. Copyright permission is granted for
publication.)
Comment
The wrong dialogue
THE
fifth round of the composite dialogue between Pakistan and
India has gotten off to a rocky start. In the restrained world
of diplomacy, the events in New Delhi amount to a bucket of
cold water poured over the Pakistan foreign secretary, Salman
Bashir. Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Memon's blunt
statement that Pakistan's alleged involvement in the suicide
bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul has put the composite
dialogue under stress has deepened the tension between the two
countries. While the Indian accusations and rhetoric have
grown sharper, no evidence has yet been forthcoming from the
Indian or Afghan side of Pakistan's involvement in the deadly
Kabul blast. So it is no surprise that Mr Bashir responded
testily to a reporter's question about the bombing, stating
that Pakistan is not on "probation" and that we "do not have
to prove our credentials to anyone" in the war against
terrorism.
It is not all bad news on the India-Pakistan front though. New
CBMs on cross-LoC movement of people in Kashmir have been
announced; Pakistan has permitted the expansion of trade with
India; and the foreign ministers of the two countries are to
meet at the sidelines of the Saarc summit next month.
However, Mr Menon's accusations that Pakistan has fomented
violence recently against India in Kashmir and Afghanistan
will certainly have vitiated the process of rapprochement.
This will negatively affect the moves to settle political
disputes since an overwrought climate does not help the
diplomatic process. Most immediately, the flaring of tensions
on our eastern border with India just as the pressure on our
western border with Afghanistan has increased is a worrying
strategic development. Pakistan cannot afford a confrontation
with the 'old enemy' - India - as it tries to convince a
sceptical public of the threat posed by the new enemy -
militancy.
This will play right into the hands of the hawks in the
establishment who still view India as Pakistan's foremost
enemy and are alarmed by the growing Indian presence in
Afghanistan, which has long been considered Pakistan's
political and military prerogative. A diplomatic row between
India and Pakistan also does not bode well for progress
towards resolving the six-decade-old Kashmir dispute.
Incremental CBMs notwithstanding, there is little under
discussion between India and Pakistan at the moment that could
yield a long-term solution. The last big idea was President
Musharraf's four points (identification of Kashmir's regions;
demilitarisation; self-governance; and a joint management
mechanism) mooted two years ago.
The proposal received a cold reception in India and Prime
Minister Gilani has also distanced his government from it. But
as long as relations between Islamabad and New Delhi remain
frayed, new proposals for a durable peace will almost
certainly not emerge. Therefore both India and Pakistan must
do more: India must back up its allegations with credible
evidence if any; Pakistan must work to convince India of its
peaceful intentions.
Source:
www.dawn.com
Viewpoints
Taliban propaganda: Winning the war of
words
Both Kabul and its international supporters
need to respond in a timely, coordinated manner if they are to
effectively counter
Taliban allegations.
Introduction
The Taliban has proved remarkably successful in projecting
itself as much stronger than it is in terms of numbers and
resources on a battlefield where independent verification is
nearly impossible. Increasingly the Afghan population in
conflict-hit areas is sitting on the fence or weighing options
amid a sense of insurgent momentum. The Taliban's growing
confidence and worsening violence have created a sense in many
capitals of an intractable conflict.
Communications lie at the core of the insurgents' actions.
They use "all available networks - political, social, economic
and military - to convince the enemy's political
decision-makers that their strategic goals are either
unachievable or too costly for the perceived benefit". This
can be seen in the increasing use of asymmetric attacks, such
as suicide and road bombings, which have a major impact on
public opinion while requiring little manpower or popular
support. There is also a growing use of "spectacular" events
which draw headlines around the world. As a U.S. military
officer put it, "unfortunately, we tend to view information
operations as supplementing kinetic [fighting] operations. For
the Taliban, however, information objectives tend to drive
kinetic operations … virtually every kinetic operation they
undertake is specifically designed to influence attitudes or
perceptions".
However while the Taliban has had its successes, sometimes
contradictory messages signal internal divisions and
underscore the diffuse nature of the insurgency. As well as
increasing alliances with criminals, there are a number of
groups involved in spreading the violence, including
Jalaluddin Haqqani's network, the remnants of Hizb-e Islami (Khalis),
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar's Hizb-e Islami and foreign networks,
including al-Qaeda. This report focuses on material issued in
the name or in support of the Taliban movement's leadership,
which styles itself the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, but
will examine the extent to which there may be coordination
with others.
The report studies public communiqués in an attempt to learn
more about the messenger from the message: to understand how
the Taliban seeks to project itself, how words measure up
against actions, the coherence and clarity of stated goals and
links to broader networks. Given the insecure environment, it
was not possible to access the networks, such as local mullahs
and elders as well as travelling Taliban, which spread these
messages further into the countryside to a largely rural,
illiterate population. While such an approach obviously has
limits, it still offers insights into what the leadership sees
as the most effective messages to gain recruits, ensure its
orders are followed and obtain legitimacy and support. This
includes a number of distinct audiences. "The insurgent is
sending one message to his supporters, another to the mass of
the undecided population and a third to the coalition
decision-makers". A fourth audience should be added: the
transnational extremist networks from which the insurgents aim
to draw resources.
Distinct multilingual efforts, shaped for different audiences,
undertaken on behalf of the Taliban include:
n
English language, for international audiences. Disseminated
primarily through a regularly updated website and almost daily
contact with international media outlets, it aims at gaining
global coverage and an international audience through
reputable outlets;
n
Local languages, particularly Pashtu (with some Dari and
Urdu). Aimed at regional groups, including on both sides of
the Afghan-Pakistan border. This has several objectives: to
obtain wider public support through folk imagery and culture
(songs/poems) which appeal to national and religious
sentiments; fear and intimidation through night letters (shabnamah,
pamphlets or leaflets usually containing threats) and violent
DVDs; and recruitment through morale-boosting martial songs,
orations and statements about operations on the website,
magazines, DVDs and audio cassettes; and
n
Arabic, for wider transnational networks. More closely linked
with global issues and movements online as well as through a
few publications, aimed at building wider support and
presumably gaining recruits and financing. Global groups also
seek to link the conflict in Afghanistan to their wider
narrative of a battle between the West and Islam.
Material for the report was gathered in Kabul, Jalalabad,
Logar and Kandahar. Interviewees included those who worked
under the Taliban regime in the communications field,
including staff of Radio Voice of Sharia, the foreign
ministry, the information and culture ministry and state-run
media, as well as some former writers for the Taliban's
current publications. Government and international community
efforts are briefly considered, but the aim is to learn about
the insurgency from the insurgents - of whom remarkably little
is known.
The rise of the Taliban Movement
In their bid to confront the Soviets in Afghanistan in the
1980s, the U.S. and its Western allies, as well as Saudi
Arabia and other Middle Eastern states, provided military and
financial support to seven Sunni Islamist parties, which had
Pakistan's backing and many of which operated out of Pakistani
safe havens. These Islamist factions were armed and equipped
in deliberate preference to tribal, nationalist or royalist
parties for multiple reasons. Pakistani support was based on
fears of irredentist claims by Pashtun nationalists on its
Pashtun borderlands; Saudi Arabia was guided by its Sunni
Wahhabi/Salafi ideological preferences; the U.S. saw the
Islamists as the most desirable ally against the Soviets and
the Soviet-backed Kabul communist regime. Gulbuddin
Hekmatyar's Hizb-e Islami, now a Taliban ally, was the main
beneficiary of external support. Another was Jalaluddin
Haqqani, who later also turned his guns on his benefactors but
was described during that period as "goodness personified" by
a Texan congressman.
With the Pakistani military's patronage and foreign funding,
extremist madrasas in Pakistan's Pashtun belt of Balochistan
and Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) also mushroomed,
becoming a source of recruitment and influence for the Afghan
mujahidin. As millions of Afghan refugees poured into
Pakistan, refugee camps likewise became a source of support
and recruitment for the Afghan Islamists. Ahmed Rashid
noted:
Prior to the war the Islamicists barely had a base in Afghan
society, but with money and arms from the CIA pipeline and
support from Pakistan, they built one and wielded tremendous
clout.
The distorted interpretations of Sunni Deobandism taught in
these madrasas, superimposed on an equally distorted version
of Pashtunwali were to form the Taliban creed. The Taliban
foot soldiers (the talibs, students, from which the movement
took its name) were mainly dispossessed, marginalised Pashtun
youth, many from the Pakistani madrasas; other recruits to the
movement were the products of decades of radicalisation and
violence in their homeland.
Having first emerged in 1994 as a local reaction to the
post-Soviet chaos in the southern region of Kandahar, the
movement's easy, early victories quickly drew the attention of
Pakistan's security services, whose previously favoured
client, Hekmatyar, had little success in capturing the
capital, Kabul, from largely non-Pashtun mujahidin factions.
With this powerful institutional sponsorship, the Taliban
rapidly extended its rule in a series of dramatic victories,
taking Kabul in 1996 and overrunning the final major city, the
northern centre of Mazar-e Sharif, in 1998. By 2001, only a
pocket in the north east eluded its grasp, although but three
countries - Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi
Arabia - recognised the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
The Taliban's original leadership, including supreme leader
Mullah Mohammed Omar, was largely drawn from Mohammad Nabi
Mohammadi's Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami-yi. Success and
territorial expansion saw recruitment from other Pashtun-dominated
mujahidin groups, including Hizb-e Islami (Khalis). Even some
members of the Khalq faction of the People's Democratic Party
of Afghanistan (PDPA) were to join the Taliban. A few leaders
of other ethnic groups were co-opted mainly for tactical
reasons, such as Hazara factional powerbroker Mohammad Akbari,
but were never part of the core leadership.
The Taliban's obscurantist brand of Deobandi Islam, a product
of and reaction to years of war and dislocation and
superimposed on Pashtunwali, was an anomaly to pre-war Afghan
society. Non-Pashtun groups were violently suppressed, as the
Taliban sought to impose its distorted interpretation of Islam
and Pashtun social codes - most vividly seen in a |