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Leading News
Tougher Environment Court Bill
2010 okayed by Cabinet
UNB, Dhaka
The Cabinet has approved the draft of the Environment
Court Bill 2010 keeping provision of five years'
imprisonment or Tk 5 lakh fine or both against the
polluters of environment.
The approval was given at the regular cabinet meeting held
at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday with Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing newsmen at the PID conference room, Prime
Minister's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that under
the proposed law, there will be an Environment Court in
every district.
He said the law is going to be enacted to ensure
time-befitting and proper action against the polluters of
environment.
The Cabinet also approved the drafts of Bangladesh Rubber
Policy' 2010, the Bangabandhu Krirasebi Welfare Foundation
Bill and the National Sports Council (Amendment) Bill
2010.
Besides, the cabinet approved in principle the Bangladesh
Wildlife (Preservation) Bill 2010 incorporating latest
international conventions and laws for protecting the
endangered species. On the Rubber Policy, the Prime
Minister ordered the authorities concerned to strictly
implement the policy, so that none can misuse the land by
taking lease in the name of rubber plantation.
In this regard, she mentioned that many persons took lease
of vast lands in the name of rubber cultivation, but made
cottage for their luxuries. Hasina also directed for
stopping rubber farming in tea gardens. The Council of
Ministers also gave nod to the proposal of signing the
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Cooperation on the
Response to Oil and Chemical Pollution in the South Asian
Seas Region.
On the Environment Court Bill, the Press Secretary said
the whole country is facing the problem of environment
pollution in different ways. But adequate measures could
not be taken against the polluters under the existing law.
Bangladeshi
pharmaceuticals
PM seeks more 15 years’ waiver from IP regime
UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged the World
Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for another
fifteen years' waiver of Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals from
intellectual property rights regime.
As the exemption will expire by the year 2016, she made
the appeal at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day
'Regional Forum on Intellectual Property for the Policy
Makers of the Least Developed Countries of Asia and the
Pacific Region' at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua presided over the
inaugural function of the forum organized jointly by the
Industries Ministry and WIPO.
Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad
and Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni also addressed the
function as special guests while WIPO director general Dr
Francis Gurry spoke as the guest of honor.
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh has achieved
phenomenal growth in the pharmaceuticals sector under the
intellectual property rights waiver. These high quality
pharmaceuticals are being exported to over 70 countries,
including many LDCs, where they are guaranteeing primary
healthcare needs, she said.
"I hope the waiver, which is expected to expire within a
few years' time, would be extended by WIPO to another
fifteen years for the interest of the LDCs," she said.
Hasina also sought WIPO's protection of the patent right
of the gene sequencing of jute by Bangladesh. She said
recently a group of Bangladeshi scientists have decoded
the genome sequence of jute. This has been a monumental
achievement. The golden fiber of Bangladesh will now
regain its past glory with improvement in length, quality,
color, strength, high yield, resistance to saline and
pest, through genetic engineering.
The Prime Minister mentioned that the LDCs are also being
adversely affected by the climate change phenomenon.
Bangladesh's case is universally recognized as a severe
one. Like other LDCs, Bangladesh has adopted adaptation
and mitigation action plans to cope with climate change.
Their successful implementation depends much on their
access to environment-friendly technologies.
Monetary
policy to put brake on unnecessary spending
BSS, Dhaka
Advocating power price increase, the new monetary policy,
declared Monday, is set to put a hard brake on unnecessary
spending, which will largely help country face
inflationary challenges.
With the implementation of the half-yearly policy
guideline for banking sector, people will get less credit
for buying land, houses, apartments and other consumer
products when fund flow to investments and productive
sectors will increase.
"The central bank will certainly support more lending to
agriculture, SMEs, renewable energy and other productive
sector, but it will discourage credit growth in the
non-productive sectors," BB Governor Dr Aitur Rahman told
journalists when announcing the policy.
Like the previous one, the new policy statement will
continue pursuing the duel objectives of containing
inflation and accelerating financial inclusion for poverty
reduction and faster economic growth, the governor said.
He said discouraging spending for non-productive purposes
would be a major tool to attain this objective of
non-inflationary growth.
For instance, the policy statement, advocates power price
increase to reduce its misuse in non-productive purposes
like illuminating shopping centres and bridal parties. The
governor sought cooperation from the civil society to help
reduce such needless spending so the productive sectors
would get more supports.
In the core area, the central bank will constantly monitor
the economy to adjust the rates for repo, reverse repo,
interest rates, cash reserve and statutory liquidity
requirement to control inflation, the new policy said. The
inflation was 6.51 percent in April, slightly higher than
the budgetary target of 6.50 for the current 2010-11
fiscal year.
Dr Atiur presumes the inflation will show the rising trend
in the next few months before it starts declining in line
with the global trend.
Referring to the IMF's latest moderate inflation forecast,
he expects the average inflation in Bangladesh will remain
within 6.50 percent in the current fiscal year.
The governor, however, makes growth achievement
conditional against the backdrop of reeling power shortage
and long-standing lacking in infrastructure facilities.
City
Corporation councillors observe hunger strike
Whereabouts of Chowdhury Alam sought
UNB, Dhaka
Ward councilors of the country's six city corporations on
Monday observed token hunger strike demanding to know the
whereabouts of DCC ward councilor Chowdhury Alam.
The six and half hour hunger strike, held at the Jatiya
Press Club auditorium from 11 am to 5:23 pm, also demanded
the release of Chowdhury Alam who has been missing since
June 25.
Family members of Chowdhury Alam alleged that the law
enforcing agencies picked up Chowdhury Aalm, but Police
and RAB denied arrest of Chowdhury Alam.
More than 75 ward councilors of Dhaka City Corporation and
over 35 ward councilors from Chittagong City Corporation,
Khulna City Corporation, Rajshahi City Corporation, Sylhet
City Corporation and Barisal City Corporation joined the
hunger strike led by DCC ward councilor Kazi Abul Bashar.
BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain offered
soft drinks to the hunger strikers at about 5:23 pm to
break their fast.
Speaking on the occasion, Delwar said more programmes will
come for finding out the missing DCC ward councilor
Chowdhury Alam, also a national executive committee member
of BNP.
He urged the ward councilors to play more active role in
the days ahead in this regard.
The BNP secretary general said the government would have
to find out Chowdhury Alam and take legal action against
the culprits involved.
He said BNP and its front and associate organizations have
organized a number of programmes demanding to know the
whereabouts of Chowdhury Alam and producing him before the
people. But he regretted that the government and the
administration remained inactive.
Referring to a recent report published over secret
killings during the last six months, said: "Secret killing
is the character of Awami League."
HC seeks report
on actions taken for deaths in custody
BSS, Dhaka
The High Court on Monday asked the authorities concerned
to submit a report in three weeks by explaining what
actions have been taken against the policemen concerned
for their alleged involvement in recent killing of three
persons.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice AHM Shamsuddin
Chowdhury and Justice Sheikh Md. Zakir Hossain also
ordered officer-in- charge of Ramna thana to submit the
report on the death of Babul Gazi, an autorickshaw driver,
through affidavit on August 19.
It also asked the director of Dhaka Medical College
Hospital to submit all relevant papers in connection with
the death of Babul Gazi and the lecturer of the forensic
department of the Dhaka Medical College to submit his
autopsy report through affidavit on August 19.
Directives were issued on a writ petition filed by Human
Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB) and Bangladesh
Human Rights Foundation (BHRF) seeking fair investigations
of the deaths of three persons-Mujibur Rahman, a ticket
seller of a public vehicle, Mizanur Rahman, a businessman,
and Babul Gazi, an autorickshaw driver.
Several news items on the three persons were published in
different newspapers saying that they were killed in
police custody.
On July 5, the court ordered the home secretary to
constitute a committee to investigate the allegations, but
it asked not to include any policeman in the committee.
Officers- in-charge of Gulshan and Dar-us- Salam thanas
and five junior police officers appeared in person today
before the court to comply with the court order.
On July 5, the court ordered them to appear in person
before them to explain the deaths of the said persons.
State counsel today informed the court that a committee
has already been constituted to investigate the
allegations.
Earlier, the court appointed senior Advocates of the
Supreme Court Rafiq-ul-Haque, M Amir-ul-Islam, Dr M Zahir,
Moudud Ahmed, former Attorneys General Mahmudul Islam and
Fida M Kamal, and Rokanuddin Mahmud, Anisul Haque, Abdul
Baset Majumder, Abdul Matin Khosru and Yousuf Hossain
Humayun as amicus curiae to submit their opinions to stop
the killings in police custody.
Advocate Monzil Murshed moved the petition for the
petitioner and additional attorney general MK Rahman stood
for State.
Jamuna devours 100 meters embankment
at Sirajganj
UNB, Sirajganj
One hundred meters of hard point of Sirajganj town
protection embankment was devoured by the strong current
of Jamuna river on Monday creating panic among the
townspeople.
Local sources said that at around 2:30pm piling bamboos
surfaced from the bottom of the dumping point of the
embankment near Kazipur boat ferry ghat. Immediately
divers of Water Development Board (WDB) inspected the area
and hoisted red flag at the spot.
At around 6:30pm, 100 meters of the embankment at the hard
point were devoured by the Jamuna. Thousands of local
people, scared by the incident, staged demonstration
accusing the WDB of failure to protect the embankment.
Local people said a section of dishonest officials and
contactors of the WDB were seen in a happy mood, spending
their time on sharing the work orders without making any
plan to stop the erosion.
Sirajganj Sadar Upazila UNO Mohammad Hossain blamed the
WDB officials for negligence in performing their duties.
He also told the local reporters that he would file a
complaint with the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Although CC blocks and sand bags were thrown at the
erosion point of the river but the attempts failed to stop
erosion.
Many people removed their households to safer places. To
control the situation, police and RAB have been deployed
under an executive magistrate on the spot. Diver Abdul
Malik said that the strong current washed away sands at
the dumping point of the embankment, causing erosion on an
area 150 meters in length and three meters wide.
Back Page
US unveils Pak aid projects
Solutions of problems in Pakistan our priority, says
Hillary
BBC Online
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced aid
projects worth $7.5bn (£5bn) for Pakistan at the start of
talks in the capital, Islamabad.
The five-year package, which was agreed by Congress last
year, includes projects for two hydro-electric dams.
Mrs Clinton said the US wanted to show it cared about
ordinary Pakistanis, not just s She is en route to a major
donor conference in Afghanistan on Tuesday.
"We know that there is a perception held by too many
Pakistanis that America's commitment to them begins and
ends with security," said America's top diplomat. "We have
not done a good enough job of connecting our partnership
with concrete improvements in the lives of Pakistanis.
With this dialogue, we are working to change that."
As well as two dams, Mrs Clinton unveiled funding for
drinking water and irrigation projects, and health centres.
The BBC's Kim Ghattas, who is travelling with the US
secretary of state, notes Mrs Clinton also said the US
expected Pakistanis to take extra steps to tackle
militants.
Mrs Clinton told the BBC she worried all the time about
the possibility of an attack against the US emanating from
Pakistan, and warned such an attack would have a
"devastating impact" on relations between Washington and
Islamabad. On Sunday, Mrs Clinton helped broker an
important trade agreement between Afghanistan and
Pakistan, which allows Afghan trucks to use a land route
through Pakistan to carry goods to India.
Meanwhile, according to Reuters: US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton announced more than $500 million in new
aid projects for Pakistan on Monday, which Washington
hopes will help win over a sceptical public in an ally
vital to winning the war in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Clinton is in Islamabad for two days as part of the
US-Pakistan strategic dialogue, a series of talks aimed at
strengthening the relationship between the wary allies in
the struggle against al Qaeda and the Taliban.
"For too long our two countries have been hampered by a
trust deficit which has held us back. We understand the
reasons for that and we accept responsibility for the role
that our actions have played. But we need to rebuild that
trust," she said at a town hall meeting.
Earlier, at a joint news conference with Pakistani Foreign
Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, she said: "We have moved
beyond a standoff of our misunderstandings that were
allowed to fester and not addressed ... to a position
where we're engaged in the most open dialogue that I think
our two countries have ever had." For Pakistan, she
announced a string of new projects - including dams, power
generation, agricultural development and hospital
construction - funded under US legislation passed last
year tripling civilian aid to $7.5 billion over the next
five years.
Qureshi also added that Pakistan's energy needs are
obvious and very clear targets for bridging the deficit
have been devised. A mix of strategies are being worked
on, such as tapping available resources, new hydro
projects, renewable energy and nuclear energy.
"The opinion about the United States in Pakistan will
change when the people of Pakistan see how, through this
partnership, their lives have changed," Qureshi said.
Pakistan is also seeking a nuclear deal with China, a
topic that came up in Clinton's meeting, where she was
asked about lukewarm US support for any nuclear
agreements.
Clinton said the United States would continue to look into
broadening civil nuclear cooperation, but said Pakistan's
chequered history on proliferation issues "raises red
flags" and concerns that need to be addressed.
Washington has already sought clarification from Beijing
on the deal to build two new 650-megawatt reactors in
Pakistan's Punjab province, saying it must be approved by
the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
US envoy discusses political
situation
UNB, Dhaka
US Ambassador James F Moriarty on Monday night called on
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and discussed the latest
political situation, press freedom, human rights and
extrajudicial killing in the country.
After the meeting Moriarty told reporters that he briefed
the leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia about his recent
visit to Washington when he met with senior US government
leaders and Congressmen.
He said US administration is looking forward to closely
work with the people of Bangladesh and the government on
key initiatives undertaken by the US government
particularly in the field of global health and climate
change.
Replying to a question he said US attaches importance to
press freedom.
On Human Rights he said US government has a lot of
attention on it.
He said US congressman Joseph Crowley is watching on the
situation of human rights in Bangladesh.
He said he had good exchange of views with the leader of
the opposition.
The meeting held at the BNP chief's Gulshan office that
lasted more than an hour from 8:30 pm when the role of
opposition in strengthening democracy also came up for
discussion. BNP chairperson's advisers Reaz Rahman and
Sabihuddin Ahmed were present at the meeting.
Siddhirganj
Peaking Plant
Power Division yet to go for re-tendering
UNB, Dhaka
After the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's instruction for
re-tendering the 300 MW Siddhirgaganj peaking power plant,
more than three months have elapsed but the Power Division
is yet to move with the process.
Rather, bypassing the Prime Minister's instruction, the
Power Division has tried to pursue World Bank, the
financer of the project, to accept the Siemens machine,
offered by the first lowest bidder for which the donor
agency has a worldwide ban.
Being failed to achieve this goal, of late the Power
Division moved for pursuing the World Bank to accept the
offer from a second lowest bidder, for which the donor
agency has strong reservation because of its various
deviations in its offer.
Sources in power ministry said that a strong lobby has
engaged to back the second lowest bidder which prompted
the Power Division to pursue the donor agency defying the
instruction of the Prime Minister.
The 300 MW Siddhirganj peaking power plant is a long
standing issue for the Power Division. The government took
up the project in 2004-05 for which the World Bank
approved a loan of US$ 196 million.
The implementing agency of the project Electricity
Generation Company of Bangladesh (EGCB) invited tender in
2009 and a number of international bidders participated in
the bidding.
Interestingly, among the bidders, four have quoted Siemens
machine in their respective proposals for the project
while only one bidder quoted the machine of Italian
manufacture Ansaldo. But in the meantime, World Bank
imposed a global embargo on German company Siemens for any
use of its machine in any project in any country to be
implemented by its funding.
The donor agency's embargo on Siemens came following
litigation in Russia where Siemens was accused of engaging
in corruption. This embargo put the EGCB in a big trouble
in selecting a qualified bidder for the project. Because,
the only bidder, which did not quote Siemens machine, had
also a huge deviations in its offer and the deviations
were detected by the World Bank during its review of the
bidding documents.
Even, at one stage, both the Power Division and the World
Bank came to loggerhead on the issue of accepting Siemens
machine.
Apart from this, the EGCB got in trouble on this project
for another reason.
The World Bank has made a series of negative observations
about other bidders as it found huge deviations in their
bidding proposals.
In such a situation, when the Prime Minister held a
meeting in Power Division in first week of April this
year, she directed the power Division to straight go for
re-tendering the project to avert any conflict with the
donor agency.
Transport workers block 2nd Buriganga
bridge for 4 hrs protesting realisation of excess toll
UNB, Keraniganj
Transport workers put barricade on the south side of
second Buriganga bridge on Monday morning protesting
realisation of excess toll.
Transport movement with the southern parts of the country
including Barisal, Khulna, Bagerhat Shariatpur and
Madaripur through the bridge remained suspended for four
hours, causing 3km traffic jam in the area.
Sources said the protesters blocked the road at 10:30am
demanding withdrawal of charging excess toll by the lease
holders.
The protestors set fire to the motorbike of Prothom Alo
reporter Utpal Dey at 12:30 pm and vandalized 10/12
vehicles.
Later they put off the barricade at 2pm following the
assurance of Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain to
see the matter.
JS curtails BTRC’s power, empowers govt to issue telecom
license, fix fee
UNB, Sangsad Bhaban
Parliament on Monday passed a bill transferring the
authority from BTRC to government of determining the
procedure of issuing telecommunication license, formulate
guidelines, fix fee and charge, and prepare the tariff
structure.
Bangladesh Telecomm-unication Regulatory Commission (BTRC)
lost its power following the amendment to Inter-national
Long Distance Telecommunications Services (ILDTS) Policy,
2010 approved by the cabinet on March 20 this year.
The Bangladesh Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill, 2010
passed by voice vote provides for allowing legal use of
VoIP (voice over internet protocol) and issuance of Call
Termination Operator License to create jobs for the youth
and experienced small traders. Post and Telecommunication
Minister Raji Uddin Ahmed Raju moved the Bill in the
House.
The Bill also provided for maximum fine of Tk 300 crore
and maximum five years' imprisonment from the existing
highest fine of Tk 10 lakh in the wake of changes in the
pattern of crimes and data analyses with development of
telecommunications.
The bill contains provisions to stop extortion by using
telephone and to protect the country's unity and
solidarity.
Editorial
Prices of essentials
With
only a few weeks left for the holy month of Ramadan, concerns
are prevailing in all circles about the looming fear of price
hike of the essentials. Even Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
spoke on this issue twice in a week. At a meeting with the
Secretaries on Sunday she said, vested quarters may try to
increase prices of essentials ahead of the holy Ramadan and
asked the authorities to remain alert. She also asked the
Trading Corporation of Bangladesh to import pulse, edible oil,
sugar and chick-pea on urgent basis before the Ramadan starts.
The Prime Minister also emphasized further strengthening the
TCB in a bid to keep the prices of essentials within the reach
of the mass people.
Earlier, the Prime Minister on 12 July ordered the secretaries
concerned to take immediate measures to contain the soaring
prices of essential commodities, especially rice. She asked
them about the causes of the sudden rise in the prices of rice
and other essentials before Ramadan, and to issue directives
on what to do in the present situation. Sheikh Hasina told the
senior officials that the authorities should take effective
steps in advance so that the prices of essential commodities,
especially of rice, edible oil and onions, do not go beyond
the affordable limit of the low-income group. She underlined
the need for increasing the supply of rice through imports.
The Prime Minister's directives have come at the most
appropriate time, because the holy month of Ramadan is nearing
fast and because the prices of different essential items have
already started soaring alarmingly. It is a common practice on
the part of the traders of the country to increase prices of
different essential commodities on various pleas during the
Ramadan and thus earn extra profits. But this time the market
manipulation has begun well ahead of the holy month. In fact,
without any valid reason the prices of rice, lentils, sugar,
powdered milk, edible oil, onion, garlic and spices have
marked an increased in recent days. Due to exorbitant prices
fishes are almost beyond the reach of the common people.
Moreover, the prices of vegetables have shot up abnormally and
most of the vegetables are now selling at Taka 40 per kg.
Brinjal, which is an essential ingredient of Iftari and so
usually in high demand and costlier during the Ramadan, is
already selling at Tk. 50 per kg. The Prime Minister has
genuinely expressed the fear that the prices of essentials may
rise further as a section of businessmen are allegedly
hoarding different commodities in preparation for selling
those at higher prices during the coming Ramadan.
It is reassuring that the Prime Minister has given due
attention to the burning issue and passed instruction for
taking necessary measure to contain price spiral. It is also
good that the Food Minister has assured of launching Open
Market Sale ( OMS) of rice to control price. The government
move to import several items through TCB to stabilize the
market situation is expected to be helpful for easing the
volatile market situation.
The main cause behind the instability of the price situation
is lack of market monitoring and strict measures by the
government. Due to lack of both market monitoring and
implementation of the consumers' rights protection laws the
consumers are being forced to pay unreasonably high prices for
the essentials and being cheated in many ways. They are
virtually held hostages by the profit monger business
syndicates, wholesalers, middlemen and retailers who raise the
prices of essentials on various pretexts every now and then.
Now the government has to execute the relevant law in right
earnest to protect the consumers' rights. Moreover, the
government must ensure sufficient supply of essentials by
importing those through TCB and arrange strict monitoring of
the markets to stabilize the prices. Most importantly, the
government has to take strict measures to eliminate the
business syndicates that are responsible for market
manipulation.
Business in
education
Education
Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Sunday said the government would
not allow anyone to do business in education sector. "We're
working to enhance the quality of education… We won't allow
anyone to do business in education sector," he said.
Talking to journalists, he sought support from all concerned
in doing away with commercialization of education. He said no
university without government approval would be allowed to
continue operation in the country. Replying to a question,
Nahid said there would be no seat crisis in pursuing higher
education for those who succeeded in the HSC exams although he
admitted shortage of quality colleges and universities in the
country.
The education minister's assertions are very important and
encouraging. He has not only vowed to stop business in
education which is rampant in the country, but also has
pledged to enhance the quality of education which is very much
essential. Unfortunately, education has become a commercial
commodity in the country as profit mongers have started
indulging in business in the name of imparting education.
Specially, a section of private universities even sell
certificates at high rate instead of providing real education
to the students.
The Parliament on July 11 passed a new Private University
Act., but it falls short of the people's expectation. The main
shortcoming of the act is that it fails to empower the UGC to
regulate the fixation of tuition fees in the private
universities. Besides, the new law also lacks adequate
provisions for checking education business by the private
universities in the name of providing education. In other
words the new act is unlikely to be able to stop malpractices
of a section of private universities and ensure quality
education.. Moreover, the government has failed to stop
education trade in colleges by the Chhatra League activists.
The government should look into these matters if it wants
really to stop business in education and ensure quality
education.
Analysis
The politics of dodgy degrees
The scale of the scam is still being
ascertained by the Higher Education Commission, the body that
has been asked by the Election Commission to verify the
degrees of over 1,100 federal and provincial lawmakers.
Maleeha Lodhi
Opposition leader
Mian Nawaz Sharif moved swiftly to defuse a confrontation
between Pakistan's powerful news media and his party over the
scandal of legislators faking their educational qualification
to be elected.
But the issues raised by the firestorm continue to resonate in
the political arena and across the country's energetic media.
The fracas was triggered by the adoption in the Punjab
legislature, controlled by Sharif's faction of the Muslim
League, of a resolution last week condemning the media for
irresponsibility and damaging democracy. In a rare show of
unity, League members were joined by all their rivals to
support the unanimous resolution. What precipitated this
extraordinary move was the press and broadcast media's
unrelenting effort to expose those MPs who had submitted bogus
degrees to run for elected office.
At the time of the general elections in 2008 the graduate
qualification was mandatory for eligibility as a member of
parliament. The condition had been imposed by the country's
former president Pervez Musharraf but was swept away by the
constitional amendment adopted by the national parliament two
months ago. This did, however, bring to an end media
questioning about whether some politicians had used fake
documents to secure their election. Indeed it was a prominent
and feisty member of Sharif's own party who kept agitating the
matter and drawing the media's attention to this. Once the
media began to unearth cases of bogus degrees involving
members of virtually all the major parties represented in
parliament, this prompted the Supreme Court in May to order
the Election Commission to verify which lawmakers had bogus
degrees and initiate action against them.
As this process got underway in the full glare of the media
angry legislators affected by these disclosures began to cry
conspiracy. It was both intriguing and an example of extremely
poor judgement that while a relatively modest number of
legislators were initially accused in the media of lying about
their graduate qualification the majority of their partymen
and women came to their rescue and sought to defend the
indefensible.
Lawmakers from different parties accused the media of
"corruption" and undermining democracy by tarnishing the
reputation of politicians. This elicited a stinging response
from TV anchor persons and newspaper editorial writers who
pointed to the moral bankruptcy of those hurling these
allegations in an obvious effort to cover up their own
misdemeanour. The media was only doing its job by exposing the
truth. Those engaged in a fraudulent practice were the ones
bringing the political class into disrepute. Losing patience
with the daily embarrassment caused by the fierce media
onslaught on the matter the Punjab Assembly passed a
resolution denouncing the media. Predictably journalists
reacted furiously and portrayed the resolution as an assault
on their freedom. Countrywide demonstrations were held
demanding that the resolution be rescinded.
In the face of this the Punjab's legislators began to retreat.
Nawaz Sharif addressed a press conference while he was in
London denouncing the action against the media and declaring
that he was prepared to risk losing the Punjab government
rather than defend or protect those who had lied to be
elected. This set the stage for a remarkable U turn by the
Punjab Assembly which proceeded within days to adopt a
resolution praising the role of the media - again unanimously!
While this ended the media's boycott of the Punjab assembly
and defused the situation it has far from buried the issue.
Three kinds of political implications have flowed from this
episode. One, the issue of ethics in politics has taken centre
stage in a country where the integrity of public officials is
often in question. For weeks those political leaders who kept
expressing doubts about the media's intent and ascribing
partisan motives to the disclosures hurt their case even more
by deliberately obfuscating the real issue: the mendacious
conduct of legislators who produced false documents about
their educational status.
The scale of the scam is still being ascertained by the Higher
Education Commission, the body that has been asked by the
Election Commission to verify the degrees of over 1,100
federal and provincial lawmakers. But it has already laid bare
the lack of probity among those expected to set a higher
standard rather than lie about their educational
qualifications.
Several of those affected by the media revelations marshalled
out a number of rather disingenuous arguments. Some said that
the eligibility requirement was introduced by a military
dictator and was therefore patently wrong. Others wondered why
journalists were making such a fuss when this was no longer a
requirement for legislators to be elected. Many MPs insisted
that others - judges, generals and journalists - should be
held to the same standard and the media by not focusing on
them was out to damage the nascent democratic process in the
country. None of this however helped to obscure the fact that
a number of their party men had been found guilty of outright
fraud.
Two, the whole affair has injected new strains in what is an
increasingly adversarial relationship between an energetic and
newly empowered media and politicians. Although party leaders
have sought to quickly distance themselves from the move
against the media this is not going to diminish the media's
resolve to hold public representatives more vigorously to
account. More disclosures can be expected in coming months not
just on this issue but other accounts as well. This could make
for rocky relations ahead despite the present rapprochement.
Three, if the number of lawmakers with fake degrees continues
to rise, political leaders will come under greater public
pressure to cleanse their parties of such elements and suspend
them from their organisation. So far party heads have shown a
marked reluctance to do this - a hesitation that has further
eroded their party's credibility. In the final analysis if a
significant number of legislators are found to have dodgy
degrees and the Election Commission is obliged by an assertive
Supreme Court to take action this could strengthen the
possibility of mid-term polls. No party may want such an
outcome but this could be an inescapable consequence if the
fake degree saga comes to embroil a large number of MPs.
Maleeha Lodhi served as Pakistan's ambassador to the United
States and the United Kingdom. For comments, write to opinion@khaleejtimes.com
Kashmir:
Defusing the crisis
The army had to be called into Kashmir for crowd control
for the first time since the azaadi movement erupted in
1989.
Praful Bidwai
The
protest wave that gripped the Kashmir Valley has abated
with the calling in of the army. But public anger against
the killing of 15 young Kashmiris, including a 9-year-old
boy, isn't likely to vanish soon. The restoration of order
has claimed a high price: the army had to be called into
Kashmir for crowd control for the first time since the
azaadi movement erupted in 1989.
The Kashmir crisis has shown not just Chief Minister Omar
Abdullah but the Indian state at its worst. Instead of
defusing the turmoil by diplomacy and dialogue, the Home
Ministry inflamed the situation with its crude
militaristic approach. Absent remedial measures, popular
alienation could again generate pervasive unrest and mass
insurgency in Kashmir.
The recent protests were triggered by the disclosure in
May of the Machil "encounter", in which an army major had
three innocent men killed. He falsely claimed they were
terrorists. About the same time, the J&K government
admitted, for the first time ever, that the army had
forced civilians in North Kashmir into hard labour, night
patrolling and other operations, without paying wages.
According to independent MLA, Engineer Rashid, the entire
male population of 24 villages was conscripted into
"humiliating" forced labour for up to 13 years. The
International People's Tribunal on Human Rights and
Justice in Indian-administered Kashmir recently claimed
there are 2,700 unmarked graves in North Kashmir,
containing 2,943 bodies.
Public anger at these disclosures erupted into an
Intifadah-like movement. Youth pelted stones at police and
Central Reserve Police Force troops. These retaliated by
slinging stones, and worse, firing. This was
impermissible: civilised police don't seek revenge against
civilians.
Real trouble started on June 11, when the police fired a
teargas shell at a 17-year-old student, Tufail Ahmad
Mattoo, from close range, puncturing his skull and killing
him. As protests snowballed, the CRPF became more brutal.
On June 13, it beat up a 25 year-old man to death. It
vengefully targeted teenagers in Srinagar, Sopore and
Baramulla. On July 6, it hit a 17-year-old student in the
head with rifle butts. It denied having arrested him. His
body was found the next day.
As mosques started belting out azaadi songs on
loudspeakers, Abdullah panicked and called in the army,
bowing to the home ministry's pressure. Harsh media
censorship was imposed. Even Facebook messages were
criminalised as "waging war" against the state.
Yet, until July 12, nothing was done to soothe hurt
sentiments or inquire into police excesses. Abdullah
didn't mobilise his own MLAs or eminent citizens. He
belatedly called a meeting of mainstream parties. The main
opposition, the People's Democratic Party, boycotted it.
Meanwhile, the home ministry accused separatists and the
Lashkar-e-Taiba of orchestrating the protests.
This was a red herring. The protests may not have all been
spontaneous. But they undoubtedly reflected widespread
resentment at state repression. The separatists and the
PDP tried to exploit the crisis politically. But they
didn't manufacture it. What triggered it was the CRPF-police
brutality and the government's cynical attempt to cover up
its mistakes. Abdullah was holidaying in Gulmarg as the
protests gathered momentum. He only took a one-day break.
Abdullah is inexperienced in Kashmir politics and
impervious to advice. He hasn't fulfilled his promise to
set up elected local bodies (Kashmir has no district-level
government). There's a yawning divide between the
NC-Congress alliance and the people. Young protesters have
filled the vacuum. The situation has presented the two
factions of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, both in a
shambles, an opportunity to revive themselves.
However, India's central government is primarily
responsible for the deterioration of the Kashmir
situation. It's the centre which has deployed 4 million
security personnel in the Valley. It defines the approach
to security within which the state government operates.
The centre doesn't comprehend three fundamental realities:
widespread disaffection in the Valley; the emergence of a
young generation which grew up under militancy and
counter-insurgency; and the futility of violent
crowd-control methods.
Many in the Indian establishment interpreted the 60 per
cent turnout in the 2008 J&K Assembly elections as popular
approval of Kashmir's integration with India. True, the
elections were largely free and fair. But the people
probably voted in a more friendly local government which
would buffer them from the centre. This shouldn't be
confused with endorsement of the larger status quo.
Disaffection with India persists in J&K - although there
is growing disenchantment with the militancy too.
According to a first-of-its-kind survey of 3,700 people,
conducted in September-October 2009 by the London-based
Chatham House think-tank, less than 1 per cent of
respondents in J&K endorse the status quo. Only 2 per cent
of J&K's people want the state to accede to Pakistan. But
support for integration with India is limited (28 per
cent).
As many as 43 per cent of J&K citizens prefer
independence. The proportion is a high 75 to 95 per cent
in the Valley. There's all-round opposition to militancy
(84 to 96 per cent in the Valley) and good support for the
India-Pakistan dialogue process: 55 per cent believe that
dialogue improved security. The survey may not be perfect,
but it's a good pointer.
This situation offered India another opportunity to build
peace in J&K and launch a dialogue with Pakistan to
resolve the Kashmir issue. Considerable progress towards
resolution was made in 2008 - until the Mumbai attacks
happened.
It was imperative to explore a solution, even the
second-best solution, acceptable to India, Pakistan, and
the people of J&K and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. But
New Delhi became complacent and lost the opportunity
offered by the successful elections and Pakistan's recent
withdrawal of large-scale support to the militancy.
Second, recent violence, including the 2008 Amarnath yatra
imbroglio, and protests against the 2009 Shopian "rape"
and "murder" of two women, has followed tactical errors by
the government. Mindless repression of protests, within a
climate of distrust, created large-scale turmoil - even
though the Shopian rape and murder didn't happen.
The new generation grew up in a climate of militancy and
repression. Many have suffered deaths in the family or
seen their mothers and sisters humiliated. Unemployment is
rampant in the Valley and young people face a bleak
prospect. The government hasn't created conditions for a
better life for them. For them, pelting stones means
defying the Indian state - necessary for self-esteem.
Finally, the futility of violent crowd control. There's no
excuse for firing on protesters armed with stones. The
principal methods of crowd management must be non-lethal,
including water-cannons, stun-guns, stink-bombs and tasers
(which deliver a stunning, largely harmless, electric
shock). Firing can only be the last resort, in self-defence.
The targeting of individuals "to teach them a lesson" must
be illegalised and exemplarily punished.
What J&K needs is healing - and restoration of long-denied
citizen rights and freedoms. This can best begin with the
scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act and
other draconian laws, releasing political prisoners,
thinning out security forces, and retraining the state
police. No less important is dialogue with Pakistan.
Pakistan too faces a challenge - that of resisting the
temptation to fish in Kashmir's troubled waters. It must
behave like a responsible state and sincerely cooperate
with India to resolve the Kashmir issue within a
soft-borders formula. Such cooperative effort has become
imperative.
The writer, a former newspaper editor, is a researcher
and peace and human-rights activist based in Delhi.
Viewpoints
Borders of discontent
The
subcontinent is in jeopardy and there is misplaced celebration
spawned in that absurd crucible of foreign policy where India
and Pakistan are blind to everything beyond their equations
and see battles lost and won by who was ruder.
Bikram Vohra
It
is like the Ides of March in July. There is evil afoot. By
now, India and Pakistan, having made a mess of one more
opportunity to bridge the gap can erase one 72 hour period in
any year when their efforts to be simple friends does not fly.
In 2001 the Agra summit fell apart between President Musharraf
and Prime Minister Vajpayee. Same day. In 2009, Gilani and
Manmohan met in the Egyptian resort of Sharm El Shaikh and
lost a chance to create a one-on-one rapport, again on the
point of excluding terrorism from the agenda. Once more, same
date.
In 2010, Foreign Ministers Qureshi and Krishna fell upon each
other while grasping the nettles of orchestrated slights and
excuses so fragile that one is left to wonder how serious
these people are about peace in the subcontinent. Time to let
July 16 go.
In brief, Qureshi might believe he gave India a bloody nose
though more conservative Pakistanis could feel there were
better options than grandstanding and in the nation's
tradition a guest is a guest and Pakistan prides itself on
being the quintessential host. He might find there is a
difference between popular and populist. The last is a passing
fancy.
The Indian contingent could also have been more thick-skinned
and risen above the snubs they saw in the nexus between
terrorism, Kashmir and the whole nine yards of hostility
generated and preserved over the past 60 years. Instead, there
was a 'we have been insulted by the in-laws, let's leave' soap
opera texture to it. In the interim 1.7 billion people
continue to watch the charade unfold. Now that India and
Pakistan can make each other's rubble dance perhaps it is time
for a return to conventional sanity. Having ensured that this
is one act that can only be upped by a complete annihilation
this is the ideal opportunity for statesmanship to come to the
fore. Like a shy bride it never does.
Most likely, it will not even if the crippled talks are given
some artificial respiration(using the word ill advisedly) and
both nations will continue to hurtle up the non nuclear arms
race spiral , stunningly indifferent to the rising of the
stakes in this cursed month of July.
The subcontinent is in jeopardy and there is misplaced
celebration spawned in that absurd crucible of foreign policy
where India and Pakistan are blind to everything beyond their
equations and see battles lost and won by who was ruder. The
India-Pakistan equation is now a global problem and no longer
a regional spat. There may be very little affection for each
other and far too much suspicion and yet, it what will now
rank as the greatest irony, each needs to back off the other
to survive.
Which is why every bid at peace needs to be hailed rather than
placed, ipso facto, under a microscope and analysed in
negative. For all the drum-beating and chest thumping that
India and Pakistan engage in what military texture are we
talking about. The generals and admirals and air marshals that
lead the forces have no combat experience. The middle level
officers have no combat experience. The JCOs and NCOs who are
the true leaders of the soldier have no combat experience. And
the soldier on both sides has no combat experience. The
maximum battle inoculation activity for 1.5 million strong
frontline forces and about 600,000 paramilitary men and women
is exercises conducted for the infantry where live bullets are
fired over prone positions.
Neither nation has used its foreign made hardware in battle
conditions nor is there any background to measure their
effectiveness in combat. The need to engage in oneupmanship is
so intense that it obscures every other option. That aspect,
and the rather ironic pressure upon these governments to 'hit
the other side' overrides every other consideration. Ironic,
because it is a lesson taught by the very politicians who then
have to surrender to the conditioned response.
Both countries face severe financial strictures and greater
poverty. It is with no sense of pride or accomplishment that
one can submit that India has more familiarity with this
commodity and her larger numbers are, therefore, more
practised in going without. The grey blanket of deprivation
promised by the present government in Pakistan is now a new
sensation for Pakistan and not a pleasant one.
Once the message ultimately sinks in on both sides of the
border that nuclear weapons feed no stomachs, cure no
illnesses, eradicate no poverty nor educate the illiterate but
actually detract from these pursuits, there will be a
reckoning. The economic fallout covers further devaluations of
local currencies, deeper debt, higher import bills, costlier
goods, retrenchments and taxes. Social unrest nourishes itself
on these conditions.
It speaks eloquent volumes for both leaderships that neither,
in its excitement over their achievements that were really
open secrets, has cared to mention the peaceful applications
of nuclear technology. What about power grids, water supply,
industrial applications, don't they get a mention? Is it true
that a people that were historically one just six decades ago
would so readily destroy themselves in trying to destroy each
other? For the moment, the answer has to be a yes.But this is
the best opportunity durable peace given the subcontinent in
years. The nuclear thorn has been removed and the slate wiped
clean. Here is a chance to stop being second-rate countries
performing hostile sequences for an indifferent world.
The timing is right. The present bogey of war even in a
conventional sense won't happen. Not now. The summer heat and
the onset of the monsoon will ensure peace for the present. In
this heat jet aircraft do not perform at optimum, water is
scarce for infantry battalions and the searing temperatures
make surface maneouvres very difficult. You cannot even touch
steel; it burns. As the mercury falls the monsoon rains bog
down armour, turn the terrain to slush, make tanks into
sitting ducks and completely inundate the rivers and the
marshes. Military incursions into enemy territories are nearly
impossible over pontoon bridges laid over raging rivers.
Consequently, until November there is time for New Delhi and
Islamabad to sit down and talk.
Talk about peace in the Kashmir Valley, talk about a pact to
freeze nuclear testing, talk about reduction of conventional
arms, talk about giving the children of the subcontinent a
homeland for the next century, not a barren ghostland. India
may be the larger country, with more industrial resilience and
even more weapons but whether a back is bent or broken, it is
out of shape.
Bikram Vohra is Editorial Adviser of Khaleej Times. Write
to him at bikram@khaleejtimes.com
Iran’s
nuclear programme strains ties with Russia
Russia will
find itself in a critical position if Iran succeeds in
obtaining nuclear weapons. This would cause
Russian-Iranian relations to hit rock bottom.
Mohammad Akef Jamal
Russian-Iranian
relations are going through a difficult period due to the
numerous problems plaguing Tehran. Ties began to
deteriorate when Russia changed its stance on Iran's
nuclear programme in September, 2009.
This was when Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave the
first hint that Russia was prepared to perform a
significant policy U-turn and support the US push for
sanctions against Iran.
This change of heart came after reports that Iran was
secretly setting up an uranium enrichment plant in the
city of Qom, without having alerted the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Tehran's announcement in February that it had started
enriching uranium to 20 per cent was the straw that broke
the camel's back.
Russia consequently made the transition from a position of
uncertainty with regards to Iran's intentions to siding
with the US and its western allies, who were calling for a
fourth round of sanctions against Iran.
As a consequence, Moscow decided to halt the delivery of
powerful S-300 air-defence missiles to Iran, citing the
new UN sanctions on the Islamic Republic. Russia also
alerted its political, diplomatic and military divisions
of its new stance regarding Iran, thereby doubling the
pressure on Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear
programme.
Iran responded by accusing Russia of succumbing to US and
Israeli pressure and cancelled a visit by its chief
nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, Secretary of the Supreme
National Security Council, to Moscow, which was scheduled
to take place in January.
Iran also decided to lay off a number of Russian pilots
and crew who worked for the country's commercial airlines,
giving them two months' notice.
Jumping to conclusions
Many commentators played down the political spat,
suggesting that it would not last long because the two
countries have long enjoyed good relations and share a
common agenda in attempting to limit the influence and
dominance of the US.
However, this optimistic view soon proved inaccurate and
commentators had to re-evaluate their assessments after
Medvedev said on July 12 that Iran was getting closer to
acquiring nuclear weapons.
"We have to get away from short-cut approaches to this
issue," Medvedev said in a meeting with ambassadors in
Moscow.
Over the years, Russia has sat on the fence, somewhere
between the international community's opposition to Iran's
nuclear programme and Iran's insistence on developing its
nuclear capabilities, despite the IAEA's suggestions that
the nuclear programme may not be entirely peaceful.
Problem of proximity
However, a nuclear-capable Iran is more of a concern for
Russia than for the US or West European countries due to
geography. Russia is not keen on having a nuclear
neighbour just a stone's throw from its southern border,
as this would place an added burden on its military.
Relations between Russia and Iran date back to the 16th
century, when the Safavid Dynasty was established in Iran.
Ties have fluctuated between being stable and tense.
Russia and Iran also have long-standing economic and
social bonds. The relationship between the two countries
improved after the downfall of the Safavids and the
emergence of the Qajar Dynasty in the mid-18th century,
because the latter were less keen on promoting a sectarian
ideology in neighbouring countries.
Since the end of the Soviet Union, Moscow has been
displeased with Iran's interference in Russia and in
Central Asia's Islamic republics.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, there was a security
vacuum in the new republics that emerged, giving Iran the
opportunity to propagate its ideologies among 20 million
Muslims who live mostly around the Volga and the Caucasus.
Another five million Muslims live between the borders of
China and Japan to the east, and Finland's border to the
west, including the Azaris who live in Moscow.
A quick review of the 40 years since the IAEA was
established shows that the international community was not
successful in preventing Israel, India, Pakistan and North
Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons. Though it is
unproven and hotly debated, Iraq may have been the only
country that had a nuclear programme but was prevented
from materialising.
Given this history, it is apparent that neither political
nor military measures will necessarily prevent Iran from
acquiring nuclear weapons.
Russia will find itself in a critical position if Iran
succeeds in obtaining nuclear weapons. This would cause
Russian-Iranian relations to hit rock bottom.
Dr Mohammad Akef Jamal is an Iraqi writer based in
Dubai.
An
Israeli apology? Ask survivors of USS Liberty
Turkey must take a lesson from this historical episode and
realize that no goodwill will be forthcoming from the
holocaust-perpetuating Israelis.
Tariq A. Al-Maeena
Turkey
is the largest significant Muslim country with diplomatic
ties with Israel. Following the Israeli attack on the
humanitarian flotilla of ships bound for Gaza on May 31
that resulted in the death of nine Turkish activists and a
host of others injured, the Turkish government recalled
its ambassador to Israel and demanded an immediate apology
and compensation for the victims' families.
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu speaking to the largest
English language daily in Turkey stated that the Israelis
had three options. "Either they apologize, or accept an
international (inquiry) commission and its report, or
relations will be broken."
In that the Turkish government's expectations for a swift
end to this flagrant act of murder on the high seas were
to be realized, they were quickly dashed when the
government of Benjamin Netanyahu clearly stated that no
apology would be forthcoming. Even UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon's proposal that a full international inquiry
take place were rejected by the Israeli government.
If the Turks had studied a bit of history on the
aggressive policies of this rogue nation, they would soon
have come to realize that it is an act of futility to hope
that Israel would own up to the crimes it has been
committing regionally for the past six decades and more.
Just ask the survivors of the USS Liberty, some still
alive and seething with anger over Israel 's complicity in
the murder of their colleagues and getting away with it.
It was on June 8, 1967, when US Navy intelligence ship USS
Liberty was suddenly and brutally attacked on the high
seas in international waters by the air and naval forces
of Israel.
The Israeli forces attacked with full knowledge that this
was an American ship and lied about it. Thirty-four
American sailors died and 172 were injured.
Israel 's apologists immediately claimed that the attack
was a case of "mistaken identity."
Former intelligence officers who conducted the inquiry
that followed were willing to testify that they received
real-time Hebrew translations of Israeli commanders
instructing their pilots to sink "the American ship".
Furthermore, late Adm. Isaac C. Kidd, president of the
Court of Inquiry, in private conversations years later
admitted that President Lyndon Johnson and Secretary of
Defense Robert S. McNamara ordered him to conclude that
the attack was a case of "mistaken identity".
The Johnson administration never pursued the prosecution
of this rogue nation or otherwise attempted to seek
justice for the victims.
They concealed and altered evidence in their effort to
downplay the attack and simply allowed those responsible
literally to get away with murder.
Every year, on June 8, survivors of Israel 's cruel attack
gather in Washington, D.C. to honor their dead shipmates
as well as the mothers, sisters, widows and children they
left behind. They continue to ask for a fair and impartial
congressional inquiry that would for the first time allow
the survivors themselves to testify publicly.
But this is Israel, America 's ally. And the US would have
none of that. A book "What I Saw That Day... Israel 's
1967 Holocaust of American Servicemen aboard The USS
Liberty And Its Aftermath" by USS Liberty survivor Phil
Tourney was released earlier this year, graphically
depicting the brutality by which the ship of an ally of
Israel was cold-bloodedly shot down.
In a letter to the then sitting US President Bush, Tourney
claimed that the crew of the USS Liberty were ordered to
remain silent under threat of court martial, imprisonment,
or worse, and demanded an inquiry for justice to prevail -
words that simply fell on deaf ears.
Turkey must take a lesson from this historical episode and
realize that no goodwill will be forthcoming from the
holocaust-perpetuating Israelis. And if they are concerned
with the $3 billion in trade between the two countries, it
could very quickly be made up by its regional allies. But
please don't hold your breath Turkey, waiting for an
apology or an admission of guilt. Just ask the survivors
of USS Liberty.
International
61 dead in India
train crash
AFP, Sainthia, India
A speeding express rammed into the back of a stationary
passenger train in eastern India on Monday, killing more
than 60 people and leaving 165 injured, many of them in
critical condition.
The standing train was waiting to leave Sainthia station
in Birbhum district, 260 kilometres (160 miles) north of
the West Bengal state capital Kolkata, when the express
slammed into its rear in the early hours of Monday. The
force of the impact lifted one wagon clear off the tracks
and left it mounted on an overhead passenger bridge.
Bodies and injured travellers were pulled from the
crumpled mass of steel by emergency services and by
members of a huge crowd of onlookers who had gathered
around the site of the accident. Railways Minister Mamata
Banerjee refused to rule out the possibility of sabotage,
but West Bengal Civil Defence Minister Srikumar Mukherjee
said there was no evidence of any foul play.
"It's not an act of sabotage. The tragic accident took
place because of negligence on the part of the railway
administration," Mukherjee said from the crash site.
He said a total of 61 people had been killed and 165
injured, 89 of them seriously.
The number of victims overwhelmed local hospitals in
Sainthia and Suri, another local town.
"There were injured passengers writhing in pain on the
floor of the emergency room unattended," Samir Nandy, who
had come to look for his brother-in-law, told AFP. It was
the second train disaster in West Bengal in less than two
months.
In May, nearly 150 people were killed when a Mumbai-bound
high-speed passenger express from Kolkata veered off the
tracks into the path of an oncoming freight train. Police
officials said a section of the track had been
deliberately removed and blamed Maoist rebels active in
the state. At the moment of impact on Monday, passengers
recounted experiencing a shuddering smash before panic
broke out.
"I was fast asleep on the top berth when there was this
huge crash like an explosion," one passenger told the
Times Now news channel. "I was flung from the berth, and
then people started shouting." Another survivor, Rajni
Dhar, said she heard a loud bang and then blacked out.
"When I regained consciousness, I screamed for help and
was pulled out of the train compartment," she said. Most
of the dead were in the rear "unreserved" carriages, the
cheapest area of the train which is usually tightly
packed.
Banerjee announced compensation of 500,000 rupees (10,500
dollars) for the families of the dead and 100,000 rupees
for the injured.
Heavy lifting equipment was rushed to the scene, as well
as soldiers and paramilitary forces, who helped maintain
order and assist with the rescue operations.
The state-run railway system -- still the main form of
long-distance travel in India despite fierce competition
from new private airlines -- carries 18.5 million people
daily. There are hundreds of accidents on the railways
every year, although the past five years have witnessed a
marked decline in serious crashes.
In 2002, 100 people were killed and 150 hurt when a
carriage plunged into a river in the northeastern state of
Bihar, while in 1995 more than 300 died in a collision
near Ferozabad, close to the Taj Mahal city of Agra.
The worst accident was in 1981 when a train plunged into a
river in the eastern state of Bihar, killing an estimated
800 people.
Security tight as
Myanmar marks Martyrs' Day
AFP, Yangon
Myanmar's junta held a small ceremony amid tight security
Monday to mark the anniversary of the 1947 assassination
of nine independence heroes, including the father of
democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Martyrs' Day commemorates the killing of General Aung San
and eight other leaders on July 19, 1947 by political
rivals while they were holding a meeting as part of their
struggle to win independence from Britain.
Yangon Mayor Aung Thein Lin, the families of the late
independence leaders and some political parties attended
the ceremony at the Martyrs' Mausoleum in the former
capital.
Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest, was absent but her
elder brother Aung San Oo and his wife laid a wreath at
the mausoleum.
About 100 former members of her National League for
Democracy (NLD), which has been disbanded by the junta
ahead of rare elections, marched to the mausoleum where
they were allowed to pay their respects.
Dozens of plain-clothes police were at the mausoleum and
police trucks were seen patrolling around the town.
Unlike in previous years, when they were prevented from
going to the mausoleum on the sensitive date, this time
the NLD supporters were not wearing party uniform or
T-shirts bearing the portrait of Suu Kyi or her late
father.
More than 300 NLD supporters also gathered at the home of
the party's former vice chairman Tin Oo for a private
ceremony to honour the martyrs, as plain-clothes police
nearby took photographs and filmed them.
The NLD won Myanmar's last election in 1990 by a landslide
but the military never allowed the party to take power and
Suu Kyi has spent much of the past 20 years in jail or
under house arrest.
She is barred from standing in elections scheduled for
sometime this year because she is a serving prisoner.
Critics have dismissed the polls as a sham aimed at
shoring up the junta's half-century grip on power.
Suu Kyi was only two years old when she lost her father,
who is widely seen as the architect of Myanmar's
liberation from British rule the following year.
It was unclear whether she was invited to Monday's
ceremony.
"Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of General Aung San
as well as an opposition leader. She should be here at
Martyrs' Mausoleum especially today," Phyo Min Thein, a
former political prisoner, told AFP.
"I feel sorry as she could not attend the ceremony," added
the one-time student dissident, who has formed the Union
Democratic Party to contest the election.
Kabul conference marks
transition to Afghan leadership
AFP, Kabul
Afghanistan is set to host a key international conference
in Kabul on Tuesday, aiming to chart a course for the
war-torn country's future and show supporters it is acting
on past pledges.
Organised under blanket security, the meeting is being
billed as a bid by the Afghan government to start a
process of transition from dependence on Western backers
to running the country alone and responsibly. "The
conference has two major goals -- one is to demonstrate
Afghan political will and a concrete programme of action,"
Ashraf Ghani, conference organiser and a former
presidential candidate, told AFP in an interview. "The
second is to ask for realignment of the assistance so
generously provided by the international community, to
achieve our common objectives of a stable, secure and
democratic Afghanistan."
President Hamid Karzai and UN chief Ban Ki-moon are to
chair the conference, to be attended by up to 70
international representatives including about 40 foreign
ministers, led by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
While officials are adamant it is not a donors'
conference, some have said the United States, Britain and
Japan could add billions of dollars to their existing
commitments. Pakistan and Afghanistan on Sunday signed an
agreement to open their border to more trade in a move
welcomed by the United States as an "historic" sign of
improving relations between the long-antagonistic
neighbours.
Ministers have said the agreement could boost cross-border
trade to five billion dollars a year, from the current 1.5
billion. Afghan and NATO troops are leading a major
security effort to guard against any possible Taliban
attack on the Kabul conference.
The government declared Monday and Tuesday public holidays
and thousands of security forces closed most major roads
in Kabul.
Karzai is expected to lay out a timeframe for Afghan
police and military to take responsibility for security,
allowing foreign combat troops to withdraw by the end of
2014, Western diplomats said. NATO's civilian
representative in Afghanistan, Mark Sedwill, said the
deadline was challenging but realistic.
Dozens dead, missing in
China floods
AFP, Beijing
Floods and landslides triggered by torrential downpours in
China have left scores of people dead and missing in
recent days, officials said Monday, as water levels in
major rivers reached dangerous highs.
Eight people were confirmed dead and 57 were still missing
after landslides Sunday buried parts of the city of Ankang
in the northern province of Shaanxi, the local government
said on its website.
Water levels in the Han river in Ankang reached 50-year
highs after rains which began on Friday pummelled the
region, toppling more than 6,000 homes and forcing the
evacuation of over 100,000 people, the government said.
Local authorities were scrambling to organise search and
rescue operations, while the exact toll was still being
compiled, it added.
In neighbouring Sichuan province in China's southwest, the
Jialing and the Qu rivers, both tributaries to the
Yangtze, exceeded warning levels by up to nine metres (30
feet), flooding numerous towns and cities, press reports
said. State television showed the swollen rivers
overflowing banks and inundating urban areas with brown,
muddy waters, forcing residents to evacuate or seek
shelter on the upper floors of buildings.
At least 123 people were killed, missing or buried due to
floods, landslides and other rain-related disasters in
Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces since last Thursday, with
more than 700,000 evacuated, the civil affairs ministry
said. That toll appeared to include the Ankang landslides.
It adds to several hundred already reported killed or
missing in floods nationwide this year, especially in June
and July, when China began experiencing some of its worst
flooding in more than a decade.
Persistent heavy rainfall has also caused water along the
Yangtze -- the nation's longest river -- to exceed danger
levels, the civil affairs ministry said Monday.
State media reports said water levels in the upper reaches
of the Yangtze had already surpassed those of 1998, when
more than 4,150 people were killed and 18 million
evacuated in China's worst flooding in recent memory. The
massive water flow on the Yangtze was also posing the
biggest challenge to the Three Gorges Dam -- the world's
largest hydroelectric project -- since it was completed in
2006, the China Daily newspaper said.
More heavy rain was forecast along the Yangtze's upper
reaches, which would raise the flood pressures on major
lakes downstream like the Dongting and Poyang, where water
levels were already near warning marks, officials warned.
NATO chief Rasmussen: The
West underestimated the Afghan conflict
Internet, Hamburg, Berlin
The West had "underestimated" the Afghan conflict, NATO
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a
newspaper interview published Monday, a day ahead of a
major conference in Kabul.
"It is undeniable that, at the beginning, the
international community underestimated the scale of this
challenge," he told the German daily Hamburger Abendblatt.
On Tuesday, the Afghan capital Kabul will host a key
conference of some 60 envoys from NATO states, including
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN chief Ban Ki-moon,
where delegates will seek ways to hand more power to the
Afghan governments despite record violence.
"It has become painfully clear, after nine years of this
international engagement, that the price that we have to
pay is much higher than expected - particularly in view of
the number of international and Afghan soldiers killed.
According to the independent agency iCasualties.org, 1,946
international troops have been killed in Afghanistan since
the US-led invasion of 2001.
Rasmussen said that a future offensive to beat back the
Taliban in the south of the country would undoubtedly lead
to more casualties.
"Regrettably there will be more victims. But these
military campaigns are of enormous political importance.
They will contribute to the political and military
weakening of the Taliban," he said.
The NATO chief said that it was his goal to hand over
security responsibility to the Afghan forces, but continue
to support the national troops over the long term.
US President Barack Obama said in December that Washington
plans to begin its troop pullout from Afghanistan in July
2011, a goalendangered by the spike in violence this year.
Tropical storm leaves 17
missing in Vietnam
AP, Hanoi, Vietnam
The number of Vietnamese missing from tropical storm
Conson increased to 17 Monday following dozens of deaths
in the Philippines and China.
Eleven fishermen from two trawlers were reported missing,
said disaster official Do Son in central Quang Ngai
province. Six fishermen from another boat were initially
reported missing after their vessel sank Friday while
seeking shelter at the Paracel islands off Vietnam's
coast. Search-and-rescue teams continued to scour the
areas where the boats were last reported, but no bodies
have been recovered, he said. In the northern province of
Quang Ninh, authorities found a man who was earlier
reported missing after his small boat sank in the
picturesque tourist attraction of Ha Long Bay, said
disaster official Pham Dinh Hoa.
Authorities also recovered the body of a 1-year-old who
died of an illness just before the storm hit. The body was
swept away from the mother when the small boat she was
using to ferry the body for burial capsized, he said.
Authorities also found the body of a female Vietnamese
tourist swept away by big waves while swimming, said
disaster official Nguyen Thi Bich Lien, in northern Thanh
Hoa province.
NKorea starts releasing dam
water to South
AP, Seoul, South Korea
North Korea may have discharged dam water into a river
flowing to South Korea, similar to an unannounced move it
made last year causing a surge that killed six people.
The North Korean dam is believed to have started releasing
about 1,000 tons of water per second Sunday night, Land
Ministry official Moon Kwang-hyuk said Monday. The surge
was not serious and caused no damage in South Korea.
The North told the South through a military hot line
Sunday that it may have to release dammed water if there
was no letup in torrential rain that has pounded the
peninsula in recent days, the Unification Ministry said.
South Korea built a large anti-flooding dam in response to
the construction of the North Korean dam, which discharged
an estimated 40 million tons of water into the Imjin River
last September, killing six people.
At the time, some South Korean media speculated Pyongyang
meant the move as an attack but the North later said it
had to release water because levels at its own dam were
dangerously high. It promised to warn Seoul of similar
surges in the future. The North's notice came amid
persistent tension in the wake of the March sinking of a
South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang.
An international investigation said in May a North Korean
submarine fired a torpedo that sank the warship Cheonan,
killing 46 South Korean sailors.
The North flatly denies it launched an attack and has
warned any punishment would trigger war.
The two Koreas are still technically at war because their
conflict in the 1950s ended with an armistice, not a peace
treaty.
China on track to aim 2,000
missiles at Taiwan
Reuters,
Taipei
China will have 2,000 missiles aimed at its rival Taiwan
by the end of the year, several hundred more than the
current number, despite fast-warming trade ties between
the two sides, an island defense study said.
Beijing's preparations setting Taiwan further back in the
military power balance against its political adversary
could destroy 90 percent of the island's infrastructure,
the report published in the defense ministry's naval
studies periodical said.
The increase from today's estimate of 1,000 to 1,400
missiles could raise tensions after two years of upbeat
dialogue between the rivals that has cleared the way for
direct civilian flights and a free trade-style deal in
June.
"Even though we've signed the trade deal, there won't be
any progress on military issues," Hsu Yung-ming, political
science professor at Soochow University.
China claims sovereignty over self-ruled Taiwan and has
not renounced the use of force to bring the island into
its fold.
A new threat to detente between tech-reliant Taiwan and
economic powerhouse China, already the island's top export
destination, would likely chill financial markets as
investors hope to see relations gain momentum.
The 2,000 short-range and mid-range missiles aimed at the
island just 160 km (99 miles) away at its nearest point
would follow from Beijing's broader plans to modernize its
military, said Taiwan Deputy Defence Minister Andrew Yang.
"In the process of improving air missile capabilities,
that could be the number by the end of the year," Yang
told Reuters. "We always show our concern, because we see
China still has this intention. They are not reducing
missiles."
Taiwan officials have said that China, though keen to
unify peacefully with the island by offering economic
incentives, must remove missiles aimed at the island
before the two sides can discuss a peace accord after six
decades of hostilities.
US
must drop ‘cowboy’ logic to talk with Iran: Ahmadinejad
AFP, Tehran
The United States must drop its "cowboy" attitude if it
wants to hold dialogue with Iran over its nuclear
programme, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday.
"We are for negotiations, but to do so you have to sit
down like a good boy," Ahmadinejad said, referring to the
United States, in a speech broadcast live on state
television. "They adopt a resolution to force a dialogue,
but this cowboy logic has no place in Iran."
World powers led by the US voted for new UN sanctions
against Iran on June 9 in a bid to force it to stop its
nuclear programme which they suspect is aimed at making
weapons. Iran denies its atomic drive has military aims.
Following up on the UN sanctions, US President Barack
Obama on July 1 imposed Washington's toughest-ever
unilateral punitive measures against Iran. Ahmadinejad
said Washington's real concern was not that Iran may make
an atom bomb but that Tehran is fast rising as a regional
power.
"They say we have intelligence that Iranians will most
likely build one atomic bomb. Well, this is a lie, but
let's say it is true. How many atomic bombs do you have?"
the hardliner said in his speech, delivered in the
northern city of Qazvin.
"The Americans themselves say 5,000 plus... Is someone who
has 5,000 fourth and fifth generation atomic bombs, with
very advanced launchers, afraid of one bomb? They are not
afraid of one, not of a hundred, not of a thousand
(bombs). They are afraid of the collective awakening of
the Iranian soul." Displaying his trademark defiance,
Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran would not back away from its
uranium enrichment programme. Washington, he charged, knew
full well that Iran is "not after an atomic bomb," despite
its claims to the contrary. "You sanction our banks and
some products and think that we will back down and hand
over the key to the Iranian nation," he said.
Allawi, Sadr in
Damascus for talks on forming Iraqi govt
AFP, Damascus
Two figures at the centre of efforts to form a new Iraqi
government, former premier Iyad Allawi and radical Shiite
cleric Moqtada Sadr, met in Syria's capital on Monday, an
AFP photographer said.
President Bashar al-Assad too held talks with Allawi, who
has been embroiled in months of haggling over the
formation of a new Iraqi government, two days after the
Syrian leader met separately with Sadr.
Assad reiterated "Syria's support for any inter-Iraqi
accord (on a government) which conserves the unity of
Iraq, its Arab identity and its sovereignty," Syria's
official news agency SANA reported.
Allawi, who is vying for the post of prime minister with
the incumbent, Nuri al-Maliki, in turn thanked Syria for
playing host to hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees
and its support for efforts to restore stability in Iraq.
Efforts to form a new government, more than four months
after a March 7 election in Iraq, also figured in the
talks in Damascus last Saturday between Assad and Sadr.
The bloc of anti-US cleric Sadr, who lives in self-imposed
exile in Iran, gained 39 seats in Iraq's new 325-strong
parliament, against 91 for Allawi and 89 for Maliki --
both also Shiites.
On Monday, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was
also headed for Damascus to meet Assad for talks covering
Iraq, their common neighbour.
UN chief urges lawmakers to
advance arms control agenda
AFP, Geneva
United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon said Monday that there
were signs of progress on nuclear non-proliferation talks,
and urged top lawmakers to step up pressure to advance the
agenda.
"Recently, we have seen signs of progress," Ban said at
the opening of the three-day World Conference of Speakers
of Parliament in Geneva. He noted that the United States
and Russia recently concluded a new nuclear disarmament
treaty, and that May's review conference on the nuclear
non-proliferation treaty went well.
"With these building blocks, we are inching closer to a
world free of nuclear weapons. But much more needs to be
done," said the UN secretary general.
In particular, he called on parliamentarians to help bring
the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to force.
The CTBT, which bans nuclear blasts for military or
civilian purposes, was signed in 1996 by 71 states,
including the five main nuclear weapon states: Britain,
China, France, Russia and the United States.
However, it has not come into force as it requires
ratification by the required 44 states that had nuclear
research or power facilities when it was adopted in 1996.
Ban also called for progress on arms control talks at the
UN Conference on Disarmament. "We also need to revitalise
the Conference on Disarmament," said Ban, adding that he
will convene a high-level meeting in New York in September
for that end.
"Please keep up the pressure for change," he urged.
Nuclear powers broke more than a decade of deadlock by
agreeing on a work plan in May last year at the Conference
on Disarmament.
That included full "negotiations" on an international ban
on the production of new nuclear bomb-making material, and
talks on nuclear disarmament, the arms race in outer space
and security assurances for non-nuclear states.
Russian lawmakers call for
branding of bribe-takers
AFP, Moscow
Russian nationalist politicians called Monday for people
convicted of corruption to be branded on the hand, in the
latest extreme proposal to solve the country's perennial
problem with bribery.
Two lawmakers from the ultra-nationalist Liberal
Democratic Party submitted a draft bill that specifies a
punishment reminiscent of Soviet-era concentration camps
for those convicted of giving or taking bribes.
The bill's authors suggest "a brand on the back of the
left hand, sized 3x2 centimetres (about two square inches)
in the shape of the letter 'K'," to stand for the Russian
word for corruption -- korruptsiya, they said in a
statement.
Branding would "allow employers to refuse to accept such
citizens for certain positions," they said.
The bill has yet to be debated in parliament. It would
have to be passed in three readings by the parliament's
lower house and by the upper house before being signed
into law by President Dmitry Medvedev.
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin suggested in his
characteristic bold style even more drastic measures for
curtailing corrupt bureaucrats in comments to his United
Russia party earlier this month. "We should hang them
probably," Putin said stony-faced, before grinning and
adding: "But that's not our method."
Medvedev, who has made the fight against corruption a key
goal of his presidency, complained last week that graft
pervaded everyday life in Russia.
He said he did not see "any significant success" in the
campaign to crack down on crooked officials.
"As we know, corruption always has two sides. It's not
enough to blame bribe-takers, bribers are no less guilty.
And unfortunately a very large amount of people in our
country belong to the latter group," Med-vedev said.
Obama to host British PM on
first White House visit
AFP, London
British Prime Minister David Cameron meets US President
Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday for the first
time since taking power, with stricken oil giant BP and
Afghanistan set to top the agenda.
Cameron and Obama have already built a close rapport --
they swapped bottles of beer at last month's G20 summit in
Canada after a football World Cup bet, weeks after Cameron
took office as head of a coalition government in May.
But the "special relationship" could be tested over BP's
role in the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, plus a controversy
over the release from a Scottish prison of a Libyan jailed
for killing 270 mainly US citizens in a 1988 plane
bombing. "The US-UK relationship is a strong
relationship," Cameron told BBC television Monday, hours
before setting off on the two-day trip. "There'll be a
lots of things that we'll be talking about: Afghanistan,
BP, I'm sure al-Megrahi will be raised as well."
Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi, convicted in 2001 of
blowing up a Pan Am flight over the Scottish town of
Lockerbie, was released from prison by the Scottish
government last year on compassionate grounds.
He had been given three months to live due to prostate
cancer but is still alive in Libya. A doctor who examined
him was recently quoted as saying he could live for
another 10 years.
The situation has been described as an "affront" by the US
State Department and Cameron said the release was
"completely and utterly wrong". "He was convicted for
being the biggest mass murderer in British history,"
Cameron said.
"I saw no case whatsoever for releasing him from prison.
I've said that a year ago." Pressure on BP following the
huge Gulf of Mexico leak ratcheted up again last week when
the US Senate's Foreign Relations Committee charged the
oil giant may have pressed authorities to free Megrahi to
protect a lucrative deal with Libya.
Some Gaza women smolder
over Hamas’ water-pipe ban
AP, Gaza City
There are few pleasures left for Gaza's 1.5 million
people, squeezed by both a blockade and Hamas efforts to
impose its strict Muslim lifestyle. And women here just
lost another one.
Gaza's Hamas rulers have banned women from smoking water
pipes in cafes, sending plainclothes agents through
popular beachside spots Sunday to enforce the edict. Some
women in the Palestinian territory are grumbling.
"This is silly," said Haya Ahmed, a 29-year-old
acco-untant who said she has smoked water pipes for 10
years. "We are not smoking in the streets but in
restaurants, where only a few people can enter." She
predicted the ban would actually make water pipes more
tempting for rebellious young women. "Everything forbidden
becomes desirable. The decision will lead to more
smokers," Ahmed said. Many Gazans pile into beach cafes in
the evenings to puff on water pipes well into the wee
hours of the morning. Islamic law does not ban women from
smoking the traditional tobacco-infused pipes, but many
frown upon the practice.
The water pipe restrictions are just the latest in a
yearlong Hamas campaign to gradually enforce a strict
Muslim life code on the people of Gaza - many of whom are
conservative Muslims themselves and not entirely opposed.
But the secular minority feels the crunch. Hamas, the
Islamic militant group that overran Gaza three years ago,
has banned women from riding motorbikes - mostly
impoverished women riding behind their husbands on cheaply
bought Vespas. Teenage girls are pressured by their Hamas-loyal
school teachers to cover up in loose robes and
headscarves.
Men, meanwhile, are the ones mostly targeted if they are
seen alongside women in public. And they too are bullied
by Hamas officials if they dress in ways considered too
Western - like shorts instead of long pants.
Sudan dissent brutally
suppressed, says Amnesty report
Internet
Sudan's security services have been accused of a campaign
of violence and intimidation against anyone expressing
opposition to the government.
Amnesty International says former prisoners have reported
arbitrary arrests, beatings and torture. Its report comes
less than a week after Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir
was accused by the International Criminal Court (ICC) of
genocide. He denies the charge, saying he does not
recognise the court's jurisdiction.
Mr Bashir already faces an ICC arrest warrant, issued in
March last year, for war crimes and crimes against
humanity for the actions of his security forces in Darfur.
The Amnesty report desc-ribes the actions of Sudanese
security forces as a "rule of fear" against government
critics. One doctor, arrested because he wrote an online
article critical of the government, says he was hit all
over his body with an electrical cable and repeatedly
kicked in the groin. Once released, he received telephone
death threats and has since fled the country.
Amnesty says that far from responding to international
calls for reform, Sudan has brought in a new law that
gives security agents virtual carte blanche to harass and
intimidate. BBC diplomatic corrrespondent Bridget Kendall
says this is a critical year for Sudan, with a
controversial self-determination referendum that could see
South Sudan break away from the north due by January.
Business/Economy
BD to
become tea importer in 5 years for fast-growing domestic
demand
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh, a tea exporting country, will have to import
tea within the next five years due to the fast-growing
domestic demand, said an expert.
"Some 58 million kilograms of tea are produced in the
country every year of which 10-12 percent are now
exported," Dr Mohammed Ataur Rahman, former Manager of
Forestry and Subsidiary Crops of James Finlay (Bangladesh)
Limited, told UNB.
Referring to the growing habit of taking tea by
Bangladeshis, he said Bangladesh used to export 80 percent
of its tea barely 20 years back when local tea consumption
was very low.
"The country will have to import tea within next five
years if its people start taking more than one cup of tea
a day." Dr Ataur Rahman, also Director of Education for
Sustainability and Centre for Global Environmental Culture
(CGEC) of the IUBAT-International University of Business
Agriculture and Technology, has already authored a book on
tea.
The book titled 'Improvement of Tea: Environment and
Cultural Practices' was published recently.
In his book, Dr Rahman noted that Bangladeshi tea is
characterized by strong liquor and moderate flavor. "About
seventeen promising well-suited clones are developed by
Bangladesh Tea Research Institute and those are being
propagated quickly and cultivated in tea estates."
Besides, the book said, high-yielding clones have also
been introduced from India, China and Kenya. In most
cases, high-yield, flavor and disease resistance
parameters are considered with a hope to increase the
yield.
Stressing the need for improving the yield, Dr Rahman
suggested that natural habitat, climatic condition, soil
and associate flora, manpower, transportation, power and
fuel should also be considered along with high yielding,
disease resistant and good liquored variety for
sustainable tea cultivation.
Terming tea as the cheapest versatile natural beverage, Dr
Rahman mentioned that tea has medicinal and health values
as well as international acceptability. He said various
age groups in all sections of society consume tea and some
three billion cups of tea are consumed daily worldwide.
"Tea is business to many; it's a partner in progress and
development and a major item of trade," he said, adding
that it's also part and parcel of research, art and
literature.
In his book, Dr Ataur mentioned that tea, especially green
tea, has already been proved as a great therapeutic that
contains powerful anti-oxidants like catechins,
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), gallotannin and
polyphenols, which are beneficial in counteracting a
number of fatal diseases like breast and ovarian cancers,
tumors and heart diseases.
He said drinking of 8-10 cups of green tea a day is
beneficial against coronary heart attacks, obesity,
Alzheimer disease, diarrhoea and gastro-intestinal
diseases.
Describing further the benefits of tea, Dr Ataur said
beauticians use tea leaves for hair dyeing. Tea liquor of
thick consistency mixed with henna, egg, lime and oil
color the hair bright dark - the luster comes from tea.
Tea is also a good conditioner for hair after shampoo. It
imparts a healthy sheen. Faded and discolored clothes get
new look with immersion in tea decoction.
Bangladesh Tea Board has recently set a 12-year mega
strategic development plan aiming at revitalizing the tea
industry in the backdrop of ever growing domestic tea
consumption.
DSE
index reaches new height of trading
BSS, Dhaka,
Voluminous trading of bigger issues took the price index
of Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) to a new high on Monday on
its continuous four-day rally that began on July 14.
Heavyweight issues like GP, Beximco, Batbc and Bextex were
traded in large volumes on the day when their prices rose
significantly, driving the index to 6462.93 at day's
closing.
Some other issues including Summit Power, Titas Gas, Desco,
RAK Ceramic, Power Grid and Lankabangla were also on the
high demand side when craze for banking and non-banking
financial issues continued.
Summit Power gained 2.39 percent on its positive financial
disclosure. The company today reported consolidated profit
of around Taka 557 crore for the past six months when
earning per share (EPS) was Taka 2.
Quasem Silk, Rangpur Foundry, Apex Waving and Bangladesh
Autocar gained significantly when some buyers bagged the
shares on consideration of low PE ration.
Mutual funds lost some margin after showing a gaining
trend in the past two trading sessions. Daily turnover,
however, declined to Taka 1,534 crore from Thursday's Taka
1,640 crore mainly because of margin loan restriction.
India's poor
need bank accounts to sustain growth
AFP, New Delhi
India's poor need bank accounts and access to the
financial system to help to sustain the country's surging
economic growth, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said
Monday.
Mukherjee challenged banks and other businesses such as
mobile phone firms to come up with innovative systems that
would allow the Congress-led government to attain its aim
of bringing the poor into mainstream banking.
"Financial inclusion is a necessary part of our growth
process," Mukherjee told a conference in the capital on
"financial inclusion" of India's hundreds of millions of
poor. "The entire economic system in our country needs to
work together on this," Mukherjee said.
Analysts say that access to financial services is vital to
ensure that the poor can take advantage of India's robust
economic growth-the country posted 8.6 percent expansion
in the last financial quarter.
Less than half of India's 1.2 billion population has a
bank account, with many forced to turn to unscrupulous
money lenders who charge exorbitant interest rates to
finance their needs.
The government has announced a monumental plan under which
India's 1.2 billion people will each to receive their own
identity number to improve the distribution of state
benefits such as ration cards and easier access to the
banking system. Analysts say Indian banks could be able to
tap into the country's 600 million-plus mobile phone
network to help bring more people into the banking system
through what is known as "branchless banking."
Mobile phones are used in other countries such as Kenya to
assist in money transfers, set up savings accounts, make
payments and perform other financial services.
IMF to boost
lending resources
AFP, Seoul
The International Monetary Fund is seeking to boost its
lending resources from 750 to 1,000 billion dollars to
better handle future financial crises, a report said
Monday.
The Financial Times, citing IMF Managing Director
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, said the bigger credit lines
should be used to help prevent, rather than address,
crises.
"Even when not in a time of crisis, a big fund, likely to
intervene massively, is something that can help prevent
crises," IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn told
the Financial Times.
"Just because the financing role decreases, doesn't mean
we don't need to have huge firepower... a 1,000 billion
dollar fund is a correct forecast," he said.
The Financial Times said the IMF wants to agree financing
deals in advance that will be specially tailored to
individual countries, rather than respond to crises with
conditional loan packages. The aim would be to cool market
nervousness over any nation facing an imminent liquidity
crunch, the paper said.
Strauss-Kahn was in South Korea-which chairs the Group of
20 leading economies this year-last week to attend a
conference.
South Korea's presidential panel for the Group of 20
leading economies, confirmed it was cooperating with the
IMF to work out a better safety net.
"So far the lending facilities of the IMF have been
focused on crisis resolution more than crisis prevention,"
Jie-Ae Sohn, spokesperson of Presidential Committee for
the G20 Seoul Summit, told AFP.
"But South Korea, as this year's president of the Group of
20 leading economies is discussing with the IMF packages
that would compliment and upgrade crisis prevention
mechanisms." The spokesperson, however, declined to
elaborate on how much the IMF will increase its lending
resources.
South Africa needs 5 pc growth to create jobs: OECD
AFP, Johannesburg
South Africa's economy must grow by at least five percent
a year to make a dent in stubbornly high unemployment, the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said
on Monday.
"The overarching challenge for South Africa is to boost
its trend growth rate and thereby create jobs," the OECD
said in a report, two years after its first assessment of
South Africa's economy.
"Despite a strong macroeconomic policy framework, job
creation and productivity growth remain too low to
underpin sustained rapid GDP (gross domestic product) per
capita growth," it said. "South Africa's growth
performance, though improving, has been mediocre. Per
capita GDP grew by some 1.6 percent a year from 1994-2009,
and by 2.2 percent over the decade 2000-09," the
Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
said. South Africa's official unemployment rate is at 24.5
percent, but the OECD said that the country has a high
number of discouraged job seekers not reflected in the
official data, meaning the number could be more than 30
percent.
Boeing, Airbus
await plane orders at Farnborough
AFP, Farnborough
The Farnborough International Airshow kicked off on Monday
with Boeing and Airbus expected to win big orders for
their planes in the face of rising competition.
One of aviation's biggest trade shows is renowned for
being an arena for major deal announcements and this
year's event is set to follow suit, as airlines in Asia
and the Middle East seek to meet growing travel demands.
Dubai's Emirates airline will on Monday announce it is
ordering more than 30 Boeing long-range 777 jets, only a
month after it ordered 32 A380 superjumbo jetliners from
Airbus in a record deal, The Wall Street Journal reported.
US planemaker Boeing's fierce European rival Airbus is
meanwhile expected to announce some big orders. "I think
what you're going to find this week is that both Airbus
and the Boeing company will be announcing quite a number
of orders," the chief executive of Boeing Commercial
Airplanes, Jim Albaugh, said on Sunday.
Albaugh was mindful of the increased competition facing
Boeing and Airbus, particularly for their smallest
civilian planes. "There has been a duopoly here for a
number of years," Albaugh told reporters on the eve of the
Farnborough show.
"We know that's changing, certainly in the single-aisle
market place.
Asia stocks
mostly lower after Wall Street plunge
AFP, Hong Kong
Wall Street jitters set a bearish tone in Asian trade
Monday, with most markets edging lower as traders reacted
to Friday's falls, but Shanghai showed signs of a
comeback.
In subdued trade, with Tokyo closed for a holiday,
Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed down 1.46 percent, or
64.4 points, at 4,358.3, while the All Ordinaries Index
was down 64.3 points at 4,372.7. Major banks were lower,
led by Macquarie, which lost 2.60 percent.
Perth-based miner Sundance Resources closed down 7.69
percent as trade in its stocks resumed after being
suspended on June 20 following the death of most of its
board in a plane crash in west Africa.
Hong Kong was down 0.92 percent in the afternoon, with the
falls broad-based but led by consumer goods trader Li &
Fung (down 2.74 percent), following a report Friday by the
University of Michigan showing a steep decline in US
consumer confidence.
"Investors are reluctant to make significant bets amid
mounting economic uncertainties," commented investment
holding company 3V Research, quoted by Dow Jones
Newswires.
Singapore's Straits Times Index was down 0.37 percent at
2,946.84.
However, Shanghai closed up 2.11 percent, or 51.15 points,
at 2,475.42, led by blue chips including banks and coal
miners primarily due to bargain hunting and reduced
worries about further economic tightening measures.
On Mumbai's stock exchange, Reliance Communications rose
nearly four percent on a media report that Abu Dhabi's
Etisalat is close to buying a 26-percent stake in the firm
for 3.0 billion dollars.
India's second biggest mobile phone firm is looking for an
investor to help reduce its debt and upgrade its network.
But investors generally remained nervous as the US
corporate earnings season gets into full swing, with
reports this week from companies such as Apple, Goldman
Sachs and Yahoo, and as US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben
Bernanke testifies in Congress on monetary policy on
Wednesday and Thursday. Stocks dived Friday after the
sagging consumer confidence index from the University of
Michigan and mixed earnings data, with European stock
markets also sharply lower. The Dow Jones Industrial
Average ended down 2.52 percent.
For Japan, a concern is likely to be any further
strengthening in the yen after a surge last week hit
exporters such as Toyota, Nissan and Sony.
The Financial Times said any continued rise made it likely
Japanese authorities would intervene to shield the
country's stock markets and exporters.
Iran official
calls global firms to develop energy projects
AFP, Assalouyeh, Iran
Global energy majors are still invited to develop oil and
gas projects in Iran despite new sanctions, a top official
told reporters on Monday.
"We welcome all international companies, eastern or
western. The oil industry cannot be deprived of
cooperation," said Mohammad Hossein Mousavizadeh, adviser
to Pars Oil and Gas Co, which is developing the South Pars
fields in Gulf waters. Several top global energy majors
have either quit Iran or are considering to exit as world
powers imposed in June new sanctions on Tehran over its
controversial nuclear programme.
Even as he issued the call, Mousavizadeh said the
development of South Pars fields, which has about eight
percent of world gas reserves, was not affected as Iranian
companies were replacing global firms.
"The development of South Pars is a closed chapter. The
contracts have been closed with big consortiums," he told
reporters after they were given a tour of phases 14, 15,
16, and 18. Mousavizadeh said that the sanctions would not
affect the industry because foreign contractors had handed
over contracts to local consortiums.
"These consortiums have foreign associates... in the past
foreign companies came as leaders of consortiums such as
Total which was in charge of construction, technology and
finance. But that model is over now," Mousavizadeh said
indicating that Iranian companies were now leading the
projects. Dismissing the sanctions, he said that the
development of South Pars was "going very well."
National
49,000 police personal including
12 SPs punished in 41 months
BSS, Dhaka
Some 49,000 police personnel including 12 Police Supers (SPs)
and 10 Additional SPs were punished during the last three
years and five months in a bid to uphold the image and
discipline of the force.
According to a top official at the police headquarters,
the Ministry of Home Affairs and main units of the police
department gave these punishments on the basis of
different types of allegations against them from January
2007 to May this year.
Of the punished, 12 are SPs, 10 Additional SPs and 31
Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs), 248 Inspectors
and 48,600 are from different ranks starting from
Sub-Inspectors (SI) to constables.
According to a statistics available with the police
headquarters, the government gave forced retirement to an
SP three months back for his alleged involvement in
massive corruption. Three other SPs were also given minor
punishment in 2007, four in 2008, one in 2009 and three
others during the period of this government. An Additional
SP was given major punishment in 2008 while three others
were given minor punishment in 2007, two in 2008 and four
in 2009, the statistics added.
Besides, two ASPs were given forced retirement for their
alleged involvement in gross misconduct and limitless
corruption in 2007, another was given major punishment few
months back for the same reason, eight ASPs were given
minor punishment in 2007, four in 2008 and 11 in 2009 and
in the last five months.
Of the 248 Inspectors, 13 were dismissed for massive
corruption, 32 were given major punishment and 203 were
awarded minor punishment during the time.
At the lower level, 218 police personnel were given forced
retirement for their alleged involvement in gross
misconduct and massive corruption during the time while
360 were suspended for the same.
Besides, 3,348 were given major punishment during last 41
months while 8677 police personnel were given minor
punishment at that time.
When contacted, Nabo Bikram Kishore Tripura, Additional
Inspector General of Police (Addi.IGP) told BSS that the
Home Ministry and the police department have taken the
punitive actions against a large number of officers and
forces to maintain chain of command in the force.
"We have taken such punitive measures within by department
to keep the moral and prestige of the force as high," he
added.
‘Religious leaders can play vital role in developing human
resources’
BSS, Rangpur
Speakers at the inaugural ceremony of a two-day training
workshop in Rangpur on Saturday said the religious leaders
could play vital roles in building planned families and
developing human resources to ensure country's
developments.
The religious leaders could contribute a lot to motivating
people towards the directions by providing proper
knowledge on reproductive health and gender issues and
preventing terrorism, drug addiction, dowry, child
marriage and social curses, they said.
They were addressing the training workshop organised for
members of the mosque managing committees by the Ministry
of Religious Affairs with the assistance of UNDP and
Islamic Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) in its conference room
in Rangpur.
The two-day workshop being participated by the mosque
managing committee members from all over the district and
arranged under the 'Involving Religious Leaders in
Developing Human Resources Project' will conclude on
Sunday.
Chaired by deputy director of IFB, Rangpur Alhaj M Saidur
Rahman Sayeed, the inaugural ceremony was attended and
addressed by additional district magistrate of Rangpur
Ruhul Amin as the chief guest.
Civil Surgeon Dr Rezaul Karim, principal of Satgara Model
Kamil Madrasa in the city ANM Hadiuzzaman, valiant freedom
fighter Alhaj Rafikul Islam Golap, principal of Mulatol
Kamil Madrasa ABM Abdus Sobhan, Senior District
Information Officer Manjur-E-Mowla and Moulana Shah Ahmad
Sayeed, addressed as the special guests.
The speakers said the religious leaders can bring
effective behavioural and environmental changes of the
common people by providing them with proper information on
reproductive health, gender and other related issues in
the light of respective religion.
The religious leaders can effectively reduce the
population growth that has already adversely affected the
overall socio- economic and social environment and help
turning the huge population into human resources for
accelerating development of the country.
A total of 18,260 religious leaders will be provided
training on reproductive health, gender issues, family
welfare, preventing terrorism, drug addiction, dowry,
child marriage and 640 advisory meetings will BE organised
in Rangpur, the was workshop told.
In addition, a total of 400 marriage registrars and 2,850
female Muslims will also be provided with necessary
training on these issues and more 640 core- leaders'
workshops will be arranged in the district during the
tenure of the project.
Japan to launch social business hub of Asia in Fukuoka
City
UNB, Dhaka
Japan is going to launch a Social Business Hub of Asia in
Fukuoka City in Kyushu Island.
Mayor of Fukuoka Hiroshi Yoshida on July 16 signed a joint
declaration with Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus, the
founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, says a
press release from Yunus Center.
Chairman of Kyushu Railways Susumi Ishihara and President
of Kyushu University Setuo Arikawa were present during the
signing ceremony in Fukuoka, Japan.
The Hub will promote social business, a concept developed
by Prof Yunus, as a means of tackling social problems in
Japan and all over Asia.
As a beginning, Mayor Yoshida announced that he will
undertake the first social business in the city on behalf
of the city government aiming at creating employment for
difficult-to-employ young people of the city. If this is
successful he will undertake social businesses in other
fields.
The declaration read: "We hereby jointly declare that in
order to solve many predominant social problems in Japan
and in the world, we will promote social businesses by
establishing a social business hub in Asia with the
cooperation of Professor Muhammad Yunus and Grameen
Creative Lab based on the seven principles on this day of
sixteenth of July 2010, in Fukuoka, Japan."
Fukuoka is the home of Kyushu University and has
cooperation with Grameen in Bangladesh to work on
technological innovation to solve problems of the poor in
Bangladesh since 2007.
It has also established a Grameen Creative Lab, which will
promote the concept and practice of social business in
Japan and beyond, based on the 7 principles of social
business defined by Prof. Yunus.
Fukuoka is also the home of the Asian Cultural Prize which
Prof Yunus received in 2001.
The concept and practice of social business has been
growing in Japan in recent years.
The signing of a landmark agreement between Grameen and
Japanese retail giant UNIQLO to create a social business
in textiles in Bangladesh on July 13 marked a significant
milestone in this regard.
Shipping Ministry agrees to unload goods in 4-working days
UNB, Dhaka
Shipping Ministry is likely to allow importers to unload
their goods within four working days at Chittagong port.
"We're agreed in principle that container free delivery
time should be four working days instead of the present 4
days that includes weekly holidays as well," Shipping
Minister Shajahan Khan told local steel makers who met him
Sunday in his office.
The minister said they will take a decision in this regard
after examining some other issues.
A delegation of Bangladesh Auto Re-rolling and Steel Mills
Association led by its President Sheikh Masadul Alam Masud
and Secretary General Abul Quasem Majumder, met the
minister and placed a 6-point demand and also the problems
that steelmakers have been facing.
The meeting decided to form a 7-member committee headed by
Joint Secretary of Shipping Ministry Abdul Quddus to
review the demands and address the problems that the steel
sector is facing in import of raw materials.
The Auto re-rolling and steel mills association leaders
said that the importers of raw materials of steel sector
have to incur huge loss due to delay in operation of
Chittagong port.
They said they could not unload their goods within 4-days
when the weekly holidays are included in the free
container delivery time.
They also alleged that some shipping lines illegally
impose delay charges at the port. They suggested for
installing a computerized electronic scale at the
Chittagong port immediately to facilitate the import of
raw materials through a justified customs duty.
JU teacher demoted for sexual harassment
BSS, Jahangirnagar University
Authorities of Jahangirnagar University (JU) demoted
Sanwar Hossain Sani, a former chairman of Drama and
Dramatics Department, from associate professor to
assistant professor and sent him on forced leave for two
years for harassing female students of the university.
The decision was taken at an emergency syndicate meeting
of the JU on Saturday night on the basis of an inquiry
report.
Allegations of sexual harassment were brought against Sani
by four female students of the department on May 3, 2008
when he was the chairman.
But, the JU syndicate on September 13, 2008 cleared him of
the charges and expelled 6 students of the university as
they assaulted Sani and complained against him.
The syndicate meeting also withdrew the suspension order
of the students of the Drama and Dramatics department on
condition of seeking apology to the teachers.
On another similar allegation raised by a female teacher
involving Abdullahel Kafi, chairman of International
Relations Department, the JU authorities decided to
resolve dispute through the High Court.
Girl burnt alive and five injured in a fire in city
UNB, Dhaka
A young girl was burnt alive and five people were injured
in a devastating fire that broke out at a restaurant in
city's Gulshan avenue on Saturday night.
The deceased was identified as Roksana, 20, daughter of
Abdus Salam of Konapara-Mominbag in city's Jatrabari area.
Fire brigade sources said the fire originated from
electric short circuit at about 9pm in 2nd floor and soon
engulfed the other floors at Déjà vu Café Chinese
Restaurant in Gulshan Avenue.
Some people managed to come out. But Roksana and five
people have fallen victim of the devastating smoke and
blaze of the fire in the restaurant. Four vans of
firefighters rushed to the spot and frantically tried to
douse the flame.
Robbers loot valuables injuring 3 in Laxmipur
UNB, Laxmipur
Dacoits loot valuables from a house at Char Jangalia
village in Kamalnagar upazila injuring three inmates early
hours of Saturday.
Police said a gang of robbers numbering 10/12 wearing
masks stormed into the house of retired army man Abdul
Gani late at night and took the house inmates hostage at
gun point.
At one stage the bandits stabbed Abdul Gani, 59, his wife
Jahanara Begum and housemaid Nurjahan with sharp weapons
when they tried to resist them.
Later, the robbers looted Tk 38,000 in cash, seven tolas
of gold ornaments and other valuables and decamped with
the booties safely. The injured were admitted to Laxmipur
Modern Hospital. A case was filed.
Another report from Benapole adds: Robbers looted
valuables from a house at Chhoto Achra in Benapole early
hours of Saturday.
Police said a gang of robbers equipped with lethal weapons
swooped on the house of M Ali after breaking the
collapsible gate at about 4am and took away Tk one lakh in
cash, 10 tolas of gold and other valuables. Police visited
the spot after the incident.
Bangladesh to open resident Mission in Lisbon : Dipu Moni
UNB, Dhaka
Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni MP Sunday said that
Bangladesh was planning to open a resident mission in
Lisbon soon to cater the needs of the growing Bangladesh
community in Portugal.
She said this when the Special Envoy of the Foreign
Minister of Portugal Pedro Catarino called on the Foreign
Minister at the Foreign Ministry on Sunday morning.
She also called upon the Portuguese Special Envoy to
consider opening a resident mission of Portugal in Dhaka
to mitigate the sufferings of people traveling from
Bangladesh to Portugal as well as to explore full trade
and economic potential between the two countries. Foreign
Minister said that there was ample potential and wide
scope for developing meaningful collaborative relationship
between the two friendly countries. She added that
Bangladesh attached great importance to her relations with
Portugal and considered Portugal a very good friend.
Dr. Dipu mentioned that Bangladesh attached high priority
to Foreign Director Investment (FDI) and the government
had created a congenial atmosphere for foreign investors.
She hoped that the Portuguese entrepreneurs would avail
themselves of these opportunities as well as the package
of incentives offered to the foreign investors in
Bangladesh.
They underscored the necessity of interaction between the
business communities of the two countries through exchange
of business delegations. The Special Envoy also discussed
with the Bangladesh Foreign Minister issues related to
cooperation between the two countries in all multilateral
forums, including at the United Nations.
Bangladesh Medical, Dental Council Bill introduced in JS
UNB, Sangsad Bhaban
Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council Bill, 2010 was
introduced in Parliament on Sunday, seeking to repeal the
Medical and Dental Council Act of 1980.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haq
introduced the bill in the House. The bill has been sent
to the parliamentary standing committee on the Health
Ministry for further scrutiny and submitting its report
within two weeks.
The bill proposes establishing Bangladesh Medical and
Dental Council which will give certificate to medical and
dental graduates as well as those who studied medical and
dental education outside Bangladesh, prepare curriculum
for medical and dental graduate and post-graduate courses,
and formulate guidelines for admission in graduate and
post-graduate level.
Under a provision of the bill, the Council will fix
minimum academic qualification and experience for
appointment of teachers in medical and dental
institutions. It will also arrange examinations for giving
registration certificates for medical and dental
graduates, and taking action against holders of fake
medical certificates and non-registered doctors, etc.
Prize giving ceremony for GPA-5 students of Raipura
Upazila held
BSS, Narsingdi
The Post and Tele-Communication Minister, Raziuddin Ahmed
Razu, advised the students to be more active and dynamic
to play a vital role in building a happy, prosperous and
enlightened nation.
The Minister said this while he was addressing a prize
giving ceremony for GPA-5 students in the S.S.C
examination of Raipura Upazila in upazila auditorium on
Saturday. He also called upon the teachers' to teach their
students with utmost honesty and sincerity so that they
could make their career a great success.
He said honesty, sincerity, devotion and hard work are
Very much important for the career oriented students to
make themselves patriots and worthy citizens of the
country. The minister urged all to work together for the
development and welfare of the country for making digital
Bangladesh a grand success.
Presided over by the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) of
Raipura, Rajanur Rahman, the function was addressed, among
others, by president of Raipura Upazila Awami League,
Afjal Hossain, Chairman of Raipura Upazila Parished,
Advocate Yunus Ali, Member of District Awami League,
Salahuddin Ahmed Battchu and Kalpana Raziuddin.
Earlier, the Minister also inaugurated the Raipura Upazila
Agriculture Technology and Tree fair at the Upazila
Parishad premises.
Sports
Rain washes out play in India-Sri
Lanka Test
AFP, Galle
The second day's play in the first Test between India and Sri
Lanka on Monday was abandoned without a ball being bowled due
to bad weather.
The morning start had already been delayed by a wet outfield
at the Galle International Stadium when a thunderstorm soon
after ensured there would be no play before lunch.
The umpires scheduled an inspection at 2:30 pm (0900 GMT) as
the skies cleared briefly, but another spell of heavy rain in
the afternoon wiped out any hope of play.
Twenty-two overs were lost due to rain on the first day in
which Sri Lanka, electing to bat after winning the toss, made
256-2 with Tharanga Paranavitana on 110 and Mahela Jayawardene
on eight.
Rain has been forecast on all five days of the match, which
marks the final Test appearance for Sri Lanka's world bowling
record holder Muttiah Muralitharan.
The off-spinner needs eight scalps to reach the unprecedented
800-wicket mark, to build on his record haul of 515 one-day
wickets.
India, the top-ranked Test side, are looking for their first
series win in Sri Lanka in 17 years.
Goal-line
technology off FIFA's Cardiff menu
AFP, London
FIFA will not be discussing goal-line technology when
football's rulers meet in Wales this week, contrary to
indications by FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Blatter had announced that the controversial issue would be on
the menu when he gave England and Mexico fulsome apologies for
refereeing errors in their World Cup last 16 defeats to
Germany and Argentina respectively.
Blatter said goal-line technology had to be discussed once
again at the "first opportunity" and indicated that would take
place in Cardiff.
"It is obvious that after the experience so far in this World
Cup, it would be a nonsense to not re-open the file of
technology at the business meeting of the International FA
Board in July," he stated in Johannesburg last month.
But a FIFA spokesman said on Monday: "The meeting this week is
purely to ratify any requests that have come forward over the
implementation of the assistant referees experiment, which was
used last year in the Europa League.
"The first formal meeting where that discussion on goal-line
technology could take place is in October."
Goal-line technology was forced back onto FIFA's agenda after
England's Frank Lampard had a legitimate goal disallowed,
while Mexico were aggrieved when Argentinian striker Carlos
Tevez was clearly offside when he scored the first goal.
Open
champ Oosthuizen shares front pages with Mandela
AFP, Johannesburg
After winning the British Open Louis Oosthuizen came
second Monday only to political icon Nelson Mandela on the
front pages of South African newspapers.
Beeld, Business Day and The Citizen used the golfer
celebrating his shock victory as the main picture while
The Star also carried a photograph of the fourth South
African to lift the Claret Jug.
Mandela, who in 1994 became the first democratically
elected president of the African powerhouse, turned 92
Sunday and tributes to him dominated all forms of domestic
media.
But the back page of the dailies belonged to Oosthuizen, a
200-1 outsider when the 'Major' began last Thursday at the
famed Old Course in the Scottish town of St Andrews.
'King Louis VII' screamed the all-capitals headline across
the main sport page of The Star with the seven referring
to the winning margin over second placed Lee Westwood from
England.
Senior golf writer Grant Winter took a journey down memory
lane to 2002 when then teenager Oosthuizen from the
coastal town of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape turned
professional.
"Watching Louis, who hits the ball so far and so straight
off such a good golf swing, you just knew it was only a
matter of time before he would crack it big in the game -
and now it has happened.
FIFA inspectors in Japan to check
World Cup bid
AFP, Osaka
Hot on the heels of the World Cup in South Africa, FIFA
kicked off a whirlwind two-month tour Monday to inspect
nine candidates vying to host the 2018 or 2022
tournaments, the first stop in Japan.
A five-member team from the sport's world governing body
arrived in the western megacity of Osaka
on a four-day trip to see stadiums, facilities and
presentations there and in Tokyo.
They will go on to South Korea, Australia, the
Netherlands-Belgium (which are making a joint bid),
Russia, England, Spain-Portugal, the United States and
Qatar and draw up reports on the feasibility of each bid.
FIFA's 24 executives will choose the 2018 and 2022 World
Cup hosts on December 2 in Zurich.
Immediately after arrival, the team, led by Chilean
Football Federation president Harold Mayne-Nicholls,
inspected by
helicopter the site in
Osaka for an 83,000-seat stadium which would host the
opening match and final.
The structure, tentatively named Osaka Ecology Stadium,
will be built on a former railway yard by the city's
central station.
The inspectors included FIFA event management chief
Juergen Mueller and marketing head David Fowler.
Japan is counting on its organisational, financial and
technological clout to win the 2022 event.
It co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea after
staging one summer and two winter Olympics.
Mayne-Nicholls said at the airport his team would try to
confirm Japan's ability to host a World Cup as it did in
2002.
He said he hoped that "after all our visits, we'll be able
to hand the FIFA members a very objective report to help
them take their decision."
In its bid book submitted to FIFA in May, Japan promised
to treat football fans worldwide to ultra-realistic live
three-dimensional broadcasts of matches.
Under the six-billion-dollar "Universal Fan Fest" project,
matches would be viewed by 360 million people at nearly
400 select stadiums in FIFA's 208 member countries.
Japan, South Korea, Australia and Qatar -- all members of
the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) -- have submitted
bids for 2022 only, while the others are seeking to host
either 2018 or 2022.
If Europe gets 2018, the continent will be excluded from
the 2022 race.
Japan had originally sought to host either 2018 or 2022.
But in May it abandoned its 2018 bid to focus on 2022
after learning Europe has a strong chance of hosting the
World Cup after Brazil 2014.
AFC president Mohamed Bin Hammam last month expressed his
support for Europe's 2018 bid and underlined his
determination to see an Asian country win 2022.
Russian
bookmaker wants to lure octopus Paul
AFP, Moscow
A Russian betting firm wants to buy soothsaying World Cup
octopus Paul and hire him as a bookmaker with a salary of
5,000 dollars a month, local media reported here Monday.
"He will be one of our 120 staff employees," Oleg
Zhuravsky, co-owner of Bet League, told Soviet Sport
newspaper.
Zhuravsky added: "Our specialists receive around 3,000
dollars a month. So we will pay Paul 5,000."
Paul earned superstar status by correctly predicting the
results of all of Germany's games, including its
semi-final defeat to Spain. He also was right in
forecasting Spain's victory in the final.
Zhuravsky said he was ready to pay the Sea Life oceanarium
attraction in the German city of Oberhausen, where the
eight-legged oracle lives, as much as 100,000 euros.
Zhuravsky's company is set to sign an exclusive agreement
with the Russian Premier League in the near future.
Under the deal, 50 percent of the bookmaking company's
profits will be earmarked for the development of football
in the country.
Swann charged
with drink driving
AFP, London
England cricketer Graeme Swann has been charged with drink
driving, police said Monday.
The Nottinghamshire off-spinner, ranked the third best
Test bowler in the world, was stopped near his home in the
West Bridgford area of Nottingham, central England, on
April 2.
The 31-year-old will appear before magistrates in
Nottingham on August 16.
Swann has been charged with "driving a motor vehicle when
his alcohol level was above the limit," a Nottinghamshire
Police spokeswoman said. In May, Swann was named England's
cricketer of the year.
He was also named the Man of the Series on England's last
two tours, to South Africa and Bangladesh.
Semenya returns
home to train ‘harder’
AFP, Helsinki
South African world champion Caster Semenya says she wants
to train harder before the next step on her comeback trail
after an 11-month absence caused by a gender controversy.
Semenya crowned her comeback week here Sunday with an easy
victory in the 800m, clocking 2min 02.42sec in her
favoured event at the Lapinlahti meet.
That was almost two seconds faster than the time she set
in her first outing since her lengthy break three days
earlier.
The 19-year-old champion said: "I am very pleased with my
performance. I got what I was looking for, but next time I
want to run the first 600m faster, in 1:28 or 1:29.
"This wasn't easier than in Lappeenranta (last Thursday),
as I had to push hard to the wind in the second lap.
A smiling Semenya completed a lap of honour after her win,
knowing the hard work still lies ahead with Sunday's time
a long way off her world title winning run of 1min
55.45sec in Berlin in 2009.
She added: "I don't know where my next race will take
place. Now I'll fly back home and start to train harder."
On Sunday Semenya was too good for second-placed Sofia
Oberg of Sweden, who timed 2min 04.27sec and Russia's Anna
Verkhovskaya, who came third in 2min 04.41sec.
She had returned to action at Lappeenrenta on Thursday, a
deliberate low-profile choice aimed at keeping as many of
the international media as possible off the scent.
She won that race in 2min 04.22sec.
On Sunday, she faced a more challenging task with three
runners in the field having already gone faster than that
Thursday time this season.
All Blacks drop Ranger, Messam for Wallabies Test
AFP, Wellington
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has dropped Rene Ranger and
Liam Messam from his Tri-Nations rugby squad to play
Australia and warned his side can only get better after
beating South Africa twice.
"I think we are probably playing at 75 percent, so I think
we can get a lot better," Henry said after the All Blacks
earned a maximum 10 points from the opening two
Tri-Nations Tests against the defending champions South
Africa.
Ranger, who scored a try in the second Test 31-17 win over
South Africa, and Messam who came off the bench in the
second half, make way for Joe Rokocoko and Victor Vito who
return from injury for the July 31 Test in Melbourne.
Prop John Afoa, now covering hooker as well, and lock
Anthony Boric have been included in the squad travelling
to Melbourne despite not being required for the South
African Tests.
Halfback Alby Mathewson will also assemble with the squad
as cover for Piri Weepu who is preparing for the arrival
of his first child.
Australia are expected to produce a similar style to the
All Blacks' high-paced, expansive game, and while the
Springboks found it difficult to combat Henry said that
would not always be the case.
"There are good teams out there and Australia just might
be that team," he said.
In each of the two Tests against the Springboks the All
Blacks scored four tries to give them 24 five-pointers
from only five Tests this year compared to the total of 24
scored in 14 Tests last year.
The Springboks, the reigning Tri-Nations champions, play
Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
All Blacks squad:
Forwards: John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Tom Donnelly, Corey
Flynn, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw,
Keven Mealamu, Kieran Read, Brad Thorn, Victor Vito, Sam
Whitelock and Tony Woodcock.
Backs: Daniel Carter, Jimmy Cowan, Aaron Cruden, Israel
Dagg, Cory Jane, Mils Muliaina, Ma'a Nonu, Josevata
Rokocoko, Conrad Smith, Benson Stanley and Piri Weepu.
Rain washes away
Glasgow clash
Scotland v Bangladesh match abandoned without a ball
being bowled
Internet
Heavy rain forced Scotland's match against Bangladesh to
be abandoned without a ball being bowled at the Titwood
ground in Glasgow.
Having recently shared a two-game contest 1-1 with
Ireland, Bangladesh would have been looking forward to
impressing the Glasgow crowds but were denied a chance.
The two teams hadn't met since 2006 when Bangladesh won by
146 runs in Dhaka.
If the weather improves, however, they will have an
opportunity to showcase their talent against a competitive
Netherlands team at the same ground on Tuesday which will
conclude their tour. The two teams haven't previously met
at ODI level.
Nigerian
champions Enyimba suffer Africa drubbing
AFP, Johannesburg
New Nigerian champions Enyimba suffered a 4-0 drubbing at
Zambian outfit Zanaco in an African Confederation Cup
fourth round qualifier this weekend.
Winston Kalengo, Ignatius Lwipa, Eugene Shamakamba and
Mathews Macha struck in the first half to give the Zambian
bank club a commanding lead ahead of the return match in
two weeks.
Enyimba, who won a record sixth national title this month,
have created a reputation for dramatic comebacks in the
second- tier African club competition this year.
The 'Peoples Elephant' overcame away losses in their
previous two qualifying ties after falling 2-0 to
international rookies Academica Soyo in Angola and 3-0
against experienced campaigners Vita Club in Democratic
Republic of Congo.
Now the Nigerians must raise the bar even higher and score
at least four goals without conceding any to have a chance
of making the group phase of a competition surprisingly
won by Stade Malien of Mali last year.
Enyimba's preparations were haphazard with the team
arriving in Lusaka only 24 hours before the match minus
several stars who went missing after celebrating the
domestic triumph.
SuperSport United of South Africa and Gaborone United of
Botswana were other clubs to build first-leg leads
although much narrower than that of Zanaco.
Liberian striker Anthony Laffor calmly converted a 73rd-
minute penalty to give severely depleted SuperSport a 2-1
win in Pretoria over FUS Rabat, the modest Moroccan team
which eliminated Stade Malien in the previous round.
Centreback Morgan Gould, robbed of a place in the South
Africa World Cup squad by injury, headed in a free kick to
give United an early advantage only for Ismail Ziadi to
punish slack marking on 52 minutes.
Tshepo Molefe was the 76th-minute Gaborone matchwinner
against Egyptian visitors Harras al-Hodoud in the Botswana
capital with the slow-to- settle local side taking control
during the second half.
But not all southern Africa challengers had reason to
celebrate with Petro Atletico held 0-0 in Luanda by twice
winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia while fellow Angolans
Primeiro Agosto were beaten 2-0 by Al-Ittihad of Libya in
Tripoli.
Giantkillers AS FAN of Niger forced a 2-2 draw with Al-
Merreikh of Sudan in steamy Omdurman while CR Belouizdad
of Algeria are well positioned to be among the eight
survivors after holding Djoliba of Mali 0-0 in Bamako.
Figure skating:
Kim Yu-Na to skip Grand Prix series
AFP, Seoul
South Korea's figure skating Olympic gold medallist Kim
Yu-Na said Monday she will skip the upcoming Grand Prix
series and focus instead on next year's world
championships.
The first Grand Prix competition of the 2010-2011 season
is in Japan on October 22 and the season-ending world
championships will be held on March 19, also in Japan.
"I didn't start training yet, but I'll focus on the world
championships. After the ice show, I'll make up a schedule
with the coaching staff and select the programmes," Kim
was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying upon arrival at
Incheon International Airport.
Kim, 19, who has been training in Toronto with her
Canadian coach Brian Orser, returned home to take part in
an ice show on Friday.
The 2009 world champion did not defend her title at this
year's championships a few weeks after the Winter Olympics
in Vancouver.
Kim said she will also miss the Winter Asian Games
starting on January 30 in Kazakhstan.
Since taking the gold medal in Vancouver with a record
228.56 points, Kim has been avoiding questions about
whether she would retire, Yonhap reported.
She has won seven Grand Prix titles, three Grand Prix
Final trophies, one world championship title and the
Olympic gold medal since her senior international debut in
2006.
Mazembe star Singuluma
celebrates birthday early
AFP, Johannesburg
Given Singuluma celebrated his birthday a day early by
scoring both goals Sunday as African Champions League
holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo defeated Dynamos of
Zimbabwe 2-0 in Harare.
The Zambian goal poacher turns 24 Monday and his strikes
16 and 32 minutes into the first half at the National
Stadium gave Mazembe the perfect start in Group A with the
win taking them to the top of the table on goal
difference.
Mazembe, who edged Heartland of Nigeria on away goals in
the 2009 final, are seeking a fourth African title, the
1,5-million-dollar first prize and a ticket to the
year-end FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
After a win and three draws during a warm-up tour of
Zambia, the Congolese 'Crows' flew south to the Zimbabwean
capital confident they would put the Harare Glamour Boys
in their place.
Singuluma, who failed to score in four qualifiers for the
mini-league phase of the premier African club competition,
tormented a Dynamos defence boosted by the return of
goalkeeper Washington Arubi from trials in South Africa.
The result vindicated the pre-match boast of
Franco-Italian coach Diego Garzitto that he and Mazembe,
whose other titles came in 1967 and 1968, can conquer the
continent again.
"I have confidence in my players and our hopes are very
high. There are a few new players in the squad this year
and it appears stronger on paper, although we have to
prove it on the pitch," he said.
Dynamos lost the 1998 final to ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast
and reached the semi-finals two years ago before failing
at home and away against Cotonsport Garoua of Cameroon.
The other Group A game also produced an away win with
Wajdi Bouazzi scoring soon after half-time to give
Esperance of Tunisia a 1-0 victory over Entente Setif of
Algeria.
Bouazzi struck on 52 minutes for his fifth goal of the
2010 competition, making him joint leading scorer with
Mandela Ocansey from eliminated Burkina Faso club ASFA
Yennenga.
Oussama Darragi, a disappointment as Tunisia made a
first-round 2010 African Nations Cup exit in Angola,
created the goal that settled a clash of former title
holders with Setif winning in 1988 and Esperance six years
later.
Esperance host Dynamos on July 31 and Mazembe have home
advantage over Setif one day later in the second series of
matches in a six-round mini- league phase with group
winners and runners-up qualifying for the semi-finals.
Bosnia faces exclusion from FIFA, UEFA competition
AFP, Sarajevo
Bosnia's Football Federation (NS/FSBIH) was threatened to
be excluded from international competitions as it has
failed to adopt statute changes requested by FIFA and UEFA,
a statement said on Monday.
Only 27 out of 60 delegates backed the changes aimed at
replacing an ethnic-based tripartite presidency by a
single president, the statement on NS/FSBIH Internet side
said.
A support of two-third majority was needed in order to
have the changes adopted.
The presidency's members represent the country's three
ethnic communities-Croats, Muslims and Serbs.
FIFA and UEFA had requested the statute changes as their
representatives visited the former Yugoslav republic late
last month.
UEFA official, Marc Leblanc, was quoted at the federation
site as saying at the time that if the changes were not
adopted NS/FSBIH could be suspended, meaning the squad and
clubs would not be able to take part in international
competitions.
Meanwhile, national side coach Safet Susic said he was to
quit if FIFA and UEFA exclude Bosnia.
"If FIFA and UEFA suspend us there is no reason to stay as
a coach. I will leave the squad," Susic told the Dnevni
Avaz daily.
"I feel sorry for the fans since many believed that we
never had a better team and that it was the last chance
that we do something.
"I feel sorry for the players. Many of them will maybe
never have a chance again to play important matches for
the squad," said the 55-year-old Susic who took over in
late 2009.
Post-war Bosnia consists of two semi independent
entities-the Serb-run Republika Srpska and the
Muslim-Croat Federation.
The federation's organisation, often criticised by
football fans and players, reflects the country's ethnic
divisions.
Bosnia missed out on World Cup qualification after losing
their play-off to Portugal.
Nicolas Almagro upsets Robin Soderling in Swedish
final
BBC Online
Spain's Nicolas Almagro upset home favourite and defending
champion Robin Soderling in three sets to win the Swedish
Open on clay in Bastad.
Fourth seed Almagro came through 7-5 3-6 6-2 to secure the
sixth title of his career and his first of 2010.
The Spaniard recovered from dropping the second set to
break twice in a row on his way to wrapping up the decider
after one hour 57 minutes.
Clay-court specialist Almagro, 24, said the victory was a
"big moment" for him.
"Robin is a great player. Here in Bastad he's like a
hero," he stated, adding he had prepared for the match by
trying to imagine how Soderling would play.
"I tried to be him. I was thinking about the match all
night and this morning, and finally I can beat him and I'm
very happy."
A disconsolate Soderling admitted: "I didn't play my best
tennis."
Almagro also beat the world number five, who reached the
French Open final in June, when the pair last met, in
Madrid in May.
Compatriot Albert Montanes won the Mercedes Cup title in
Stuttgart after his opponent Gael Monfils retired injured
in the final.
Open boosts Europe Ryder Cup hopes
AFP, St. Andrews
Colin Montgomerie left St. Andrews bemoaning his own poor
form but still had a smile on his face as several of his
European Ryder Cup hopefuls played a starring role.
True, the Auld Claret Jug which goes to the British Open
winner escaped the clutches of Europe's best as South
African Louis Oosthuizen stole the show in spectacular
style.
But a glance down the leaderboard shows top 15 finishes
for Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Paul
Casey, Martin Kaymer and Alvaro Quiros - half a team right
there.
Americans on the other hand, typyfied by the misfiring
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, were conspicuous by their
absence with Sean O'Hair and Nick Watney the best
performers in a tie for seventh.
European skipper Montgomerie, who is due to name his
vice-captains on Tuesday was a contented man with the
clash against the Americans at Celtic Manor near Newport
in South Wales just two months away.
"Things couldn't be going much better really when you look
at the leaderboard with Casey and Westwood and Kaymer and
Stenson. They are all up there doing you proud," he said.
"We've had our first British winner of the US Open for 40
years (Graeme McDowell), Lee Westwood almost won the
Masters, we're contending here again and who says we won't
do so again at the US PGA in a month's time. Justin Rose
winning twice in America.
"It's been a fabulous year for British golf. Amazing
standard of golf with British players battling against
each other."
His American counterpart Corey Pavin, who did not play at
St Andrews, was more circumspect.
"I certainly wish Americans had played better in general,"
he said by e-mail from a hotel room in London where he is
getting ready to compete in next week's Senior British
Open at Carnoustie.
"But there were good performances by Dustin Johnson,
Rickie Fowler, Jeff Overton, Nick Watney, J.B. Holmes and
Sean O'Hair.
Of course just what can be deduced from a strokeplay
tournament played over a classic links course in July
compared to a matchplay event on a non-links course in
late September is open for question.
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