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Leading
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Edible Oil Prices
F.M. Masum
Export of edible oil to
India by a section of traders, violating Government
restriction, is the main cause of abnormal price hike of
the essential in the local market. In spite of Government
restrictions on the export of edible oil from the country,
a section of businessmen are exporting a huge quantity of
edible oil to India at the rate of only Tk 48 per kg to
create an artificial crisis in the local market. According
to sources, a Government investigation team comprising
members of different law enforcing agencies has already
identified those businessmen responsible for smuggling
edible oil out of the country. According the investigation
report, some edible oil mills owners are exporting edible
oil to India defying the Government’s ban on exporting
edible oil there by creating a huge gap between demand and
supply in the country.
According to commerce ministry sources, the Commerce
Ministry requested the Bangladesh Bank and National Board
of Revenue to take stern action against the edible oil
mill owners for violating the Government’s instruction.
The sources said, "some edible oil companies are exporting
the essential item specially Soyabean to India at low rate
and in this way they are secretly sending money out of the
country. Under invoicing system, they are sending money
out of the country through exporting Soyabean oil there
and in exchange for it, they are importing other
essentials including sugar to Bangladesh."
Talking to this correspondent, a commerce ministry
official said, "In the December 2007, the Government cut
off the duty rate imposed on edible oil imports to control
the price hike of the item, and by taking this advantage
some mill owners exported a huge quantity of Soyabean to
India and that’s why the price of edible oil is still high
in Bangladesh."
He also said the Government would take stern action
against the mills owners responsible for the high price of
edible oil in the local markets.
Besides, a section of businessmen are selling edible oil
at high rates defying their pledge given to the Government
that they would sell edible oil at Tk 106.50 per kg in
retail market but the Government is yet to take any action
against these unscrupulous businessmen. It may be noted
that the edible oil businessmen on February 21 at a
meeting with Government pledged that they would sell
edible oil in the retail market at Tk 106.50 per kg.
Visiting the different city markets, this correspondent
found that edible oil was selling at Tk 120 per kg.
Jalil on parole for treatment abroad
Staff Correspondent
The Government on Sunday
released detained Awami League General Secretary Abdul
Jalil for a month on parole for better treatment in
Singapore. This was disclosed by IG prison while talking
to newsmen over phone yesterday. IG Prison Brigadier Gen
Zakir Hasan informed the ailing AL leader was released on
parole following the jail code. Jalil would go abroad at
his own initiative and expenses and is not allowed to talk
on political affairs, he added.
AL sources said two seats are reserved with Singapore
Airlines which is scheduled to fly at 11:45 tonight.
Jalil’s wife will accompany him to Singapore and his sons
and daughters may accompany him, the AL presidium member
said, adding the time may be extended if necessary.
The high-powered medical board led by Prof. Abul Kashem,
DMCH, assessed the health condition of Jalil and agreed to
the previous medical board that on Saturday recommended
sending Jalil abroad for treatment of his damaged kidney
at a very advanced kidney center and this can be done in
two ways -- dialysis or kidney transplant.
Earlier, while briefing newsmen at the Secretariat
yesterday, Home Adviser M A Matin said Jalil would be
released on parole if necessary. He informed the decision
to release Jalil on parole was taken at a special meeting
with Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair at his
office yesterday. Asked whether such decisions would be
taken for others, the Home Adviser said the Government
would consider if the health situation of others
deteriorates like Jalil. On former Prime Ministers Khaleda
Zia and Sheikh Hasina, he said the Government is closely
monitoring the health conditions of Madam Khaleda Zia and
Sheikh Hasina. "So far I know their condition is not so
bad", Matin said, adding Jalil is being released on
humanitarian ground.
BNP
ever more divisive
Staff Correspondent
BNP Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, who was
believed to be working for reconciliation in BNP, has
backtracked from his earlier stand saying, "I did not take
any initiative to reunite the two warring factions of BNP."
Talking to The Bangladesh Today on Sunday, Goyeshwar said,
"I have no authority to take any initiative for bringing
the reformists back to the mainstream." In reply to a
question, he said, "I am nobody to decide whether or not
the reformists should be brought back. There are party
senior leaders to take the decision on the issue." When
attention was drawn to a clandestine meeting at New DOHS
residence of ASM Hannan Shah, he said, "We did not hold
any meeting on unity issue; rather we talked about how the
party should be strengthened organizationally." When asked
whether the reformists have realized their mistakes and
that’s why they are talking about the party unity, he
opined, "I do not know whether it is their strategy or
really they have realized their mistakes."
There was strong speculation rife in the political arena
that Goyeshwar Chandra Roy and some other pro-loyalist
leaders were working to reunite the two rival factions in
BNP. Centering the unity move there had also been a rift
in the Khaleda-led camp as Khaleda-appointed Secretary
General Khandoker Delwar Hossain took a tough stand
against the party unity saying he would no go beyond the
party Chairperson’s instructions. Goyeswhar was very
critical of the party Secretary General’s role in the
party and questioned his stand regarding the strengthening
of the party organization and initiative to free Begum
Khaleda Zia from jail."
He also announced that he would quit politics soon after
the release of Khaleda Zia as he thinks it is impossible
to work under a party Secretary General like Khandoker
Delwar Hossain. "He is taking all the decision
unilaterally. He even does not talk to other senior party
leaders. He only talks to Rizvi Ahmed and Sohrabuddin," he
alleged, adding, "the way Delwar and Rizvi are conducting
the party activities unilaterally, the party’s future is
being jeopardized.
Revenue
collection increases
Sheikh Didarul Islam
Revenue performance in the country continues to be buoyant
as a result of vigorous tax collection and reform measures
implemented by the National Board of Revenue (NBR).
Sources said, government revenue collection by the NBR
increased by 24.60 percent in July to January FY 2008 over
the corresponding period of FY 2007. Sustaining this
commendable revenue performance will depend on restoring
business confidence and subsequent re-bound of private
sector activity.
Import-based taxes increased by 20.70 percent during
July-January FY2008, fostered by customs duty (10.80
percent), value-added tax (28.30 percent) and
supplementary duty (48percent) collection at the import
stage. Reduction of exemption of customs duty on some
imported food items, mainly rice, wheat, onion, lentils
and edible oil, moderated growth of customs duty
collection. Domestic indirect taxes grew by 19.80 percent
during the same period, driven by value-added tax
(16.60percent) and supplementary duty (26 percent).
Tax-reform efforts including the universal self-assessment
system, increasing the number of taxpayers, intensive
supervision and monitoring, and connected drives against
tax evasion increased income tax collection. Income tax
collection posted robust growth of 41.60 percent in
July-January FY 2008. The opportunity to legalise
undisclosed income with a penalty on top of the normal tax
rate (for a limited time) also aided collection.
Expenditures in FY 2008 are likely to increase beyond the
estimated expenditures in the original FY 2008 budget
because of the post-flood and post-cyclone relief efforts,
rehabilitation, expansion of food-assisted safety nets,
and higher import costs of food grains, fuel, and
fertilizer. The fiscal deficit is likely to increase to
4.70 perceny of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in FY 2008
compared with 3.20 percent in the preceding year.
The rise in subsidies following the increases in oil and
fertilizer prices in international markets amplified
pressures on the fiscal balance. Slow progress in
implementing the annual development programme (ADP), the
main vehicle for implementing the Government’s development
agenda, continues to undermine the efficiency of public
expenditure management and delay efforts to reduce
poverty.
Only 21 percent of the ADP target was met during Jul-Dec
FY 2008, the lowest level in the last 3 years. Steps taken
to ensure ADP implementation have not provided the desired
stimulus. Enhanced monitoring of the Government’s poverty
reduction strategy is needed, including strengthening of
project implementation capacity to realize the strategy’s
targets.
Political
parties urged not to nominate war criminals
DU Correspondent
Sector Commanders of the1971 liberation war and former
Army personnel at a seminar on Sunday reiterated their
demand of the political parties for including a pledge of
not nominating any war criminals in their election
manifestos. "If any political party allows them to
participate in the election, freedom fighters along with
the people would resist them," they vowed.
The teachers and students of Dhaka University organised
the seminar titled "International Crimes and Trial" at the
TSC auditorium yesterday. "We hope no any party will make
alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami or any other anti-liberation
forces," Air Vice-Marshal (retd) AK Khandaker said while
addressing at the seminar as chief guest. He also said
they would hope political parties would make a pledge to
try the war criminals if they are elected.
Former Justice Golam Rabbani said the government should
try the war criminals as desired by most of the people of
the country. Former Army Chief Maj Gen (retd) AKM
Shafiullah urged the caretaker government to initiate the
process of the trial. Former Army Chief Lt Gen (retd)
Harun-Ur-Rashid urged the people to initiate a move to
boycott the war criminals socially.
Neuro Science
Staff Correspondent
Government has decided to setup a Neuro Science Institute
in Dhaka in a bid to provide better treatment for the
patients.
This was stated by Health Adviser A M Sawokat Ali. He was
speaking at the inaugural session of the three day long
international conference of Bangladesh Society of Neuro
Surgeons at a city hotel on Sunday.
"All sorts of initiatives have been taken to give a shape
to the Neuro Science Institute as a centre of excellent.
Patient sufferings from various neurological and Neuro
Surgical complicated disease will be able to get treatment
from this institute," the Health Adviser said.
He said as the institute will be equipped with ultramodern
and sophisticated technology, the patients staying in the
country will be able to get quality treatment and service.
"On the other hand, physicians will get opportunities for
getting training and doing research when the institute
will be set up," he said adding as neurosurgery is one of
the challenging subjects in medical science; the physician
needs vast knowledge about it.
Back Page
Siddheswari Girls’
College Corruption
Staff Correspondent
A section of teachers of
Siddheswari Girls College on Sunday said former Principal
and incumbent Chairman of the governing body are involved
in various corruptions in the name of development of the
institution.
"Former Principal Syeda Shamse Ara Hossain and current
governing body Chairman HM Abul Hashem have jointly looted
money from the institution showing various causes. Even,
without RAJUK's approval, they are constructing 10-storey
building to misappropriate more money. Meanwhile,
construction work of the building has been completed up to
eight floors. Now they are recruiting their own people as
teachers in the college to continue corruption",
terminated Vice-Principal Tanuj Kanti Dey told journalists
at a press conference held at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.`
He said the Ministry of Education in its audit report in
2007, had detected massive irregularities indulged in by
the then Principal and incumbent Chairman of the governing
body but due to mysterious reason, government did not take
any punitive measures.
He also said the two Syeda Shamse Ara Hossain and Abul
Hashem are issuing threat to other teachers for not
raising voice against their corruption.
"We were terminated in 2006 as we protested the corruption
of the former Principal. Now, we are being issued life
threat continuously by Shamse Ara Hossain, Abul Hashem and
their gang as we filed a case in the High Court. They have
been asking us to leave the institution as early as
possible. Otherwise, we will have to face dire
consequence," expressing grave concern, he along with
other terminated teachers said.
He alleged the former principal had been drawing salaries
as principal and project director of the
under-construction building simultaneously violating rules
for last 6/7 years. She along with chairman and members of
the governing body drew Tk 6/7 lac yearly sitting
allowance for holding meetings, whereas, they could not
pay teachers' salary of Tk 1/2 lac only.
"To cover up her previous corruptions, the former
principal without following proper rules appointed her
favorite candidate Kaniz Mahmuda Akhter to the post of
principal on February 24, 2008. Although 39 persons
applied for the post, only nine of them were called to the
viva board in a bid to appoint the favorite person. Before
this appointment, the teachers of Siddheswari Girls'
College in a written statement formally informed the
National University that an illegal appointment was on
process," the sacked Vice-Principal said.
He stated, in the name of development of the college, the
former Principal in association with the governing body
realized money from the guardians of the students as
donation, increased tuition fees and fine indiscriminately
in a bid to misappropriate money from those funds.
"After the appointment of new Principal, academic
atmosphere in the college has started deteriorating as he
is always maintaining communication with the outsiders.
These outsiders are very much influential and they are
controlling the college. As a result, panic always grips
the common teachers and students" he added.
Japanese see great potential for Bangladesh: Iftekhar
Staff Correspondent
The Japanese, both
government and business, see great potentials for
Bangladesh and acknowledge its immense possibilities of
transformation into yet another Asian economic powerhouse.
Upon his return to Dhaka after a three day official visit
to Japan, Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told
journalists at his office yesterday.
During the visit the Foreign Adviser held formal talks
with Japanese counterpart and signed notes for Loan
agreement for US$ 60 million for "Emergency Disaster
Rehabilitation Project". The Japanese showed great
interest in investing in different projects in Bangladesh,
and also in cooperating on nuclear energy.
Iftekhar Chowdhury also met with the Speaker for the
Japanese Parliament, the Diet, Kono Yohei, and the Chief
Cabinet Secretary, a Senior Minister, Nobutaka Machimura.
He also held talks with a number of government and
opposition Members of Parliament, including former Foreign
Minister Taro Aso, who also assumed the Chairmanship of
Japan-Bangladesh Parliamentary League. Discussions were
also held with the Governor of Japan Bank for
International Cooperation and senior Vice President of
Japan International Cooperation Agency. He also had a
session with President Toshio Takaino of Japan
International Treasury Corporation.
The Foreign Adviser addressed the National Press Club on
Bangladesh Foreign Policy and Japan Bangladesh relations.
He was also separately interviewed by NHK-Japan
Broadcasting Corporation, Nikkei Shimbun and Bloomberg
News. Dr. Iftekhar Chowdhury gave a lecture on "Bringing
Development back to Doha Trade Talks" at the United
Nations University in Tokyo.
"These public relations activities raised the image of,
and awareness about Bangladesh," the Foreign Adviser said.
"Most of those I met praised the stability and peaceful
nature of the socio-political developments in Bangladesh
in an otherwise turbulent region and displayed keen
interest in our economic progress. I urged upon them the
need for greater market access of our manufacturers and
support to this model of development, which in their own
words was laudable. I stressed that Bangladesh wished to
see Japan succeed as Chairman of the next G-8 Summit and
that in this Age of Asia's economic dominance all Asian
states needed to cooperate in harmony".
Iftekhar Chowdhury added: "Everywhere I went I underscored
the historic linkages between our two nations and the
necessity to build on them at this time for mutual
benefit". The Foreign Adviser further added that "Our
foreign policy, our emphasis on multilateralism and a
major role of the UN and our peace-keeping role also
attracted enthusiastic acclamations." Asked on the visit
of the Army Chief of Staff General Moeen U Ahmed to India,
the Foreign Adviser said:" It was an extremely successful
visit. It is our view that it will add immensely to
cooperation with India. It is in line with our policy of
stabilizing our relationship within the region."
Preparations for elections "fantastic"
Staff Correspondent
UNDP representative Renata Lok Dessallien praised the
Caretaker Government and said that "the preparations for
elections were fantastic.
She made this remarks while talking to reporters at the
Foreign Ministry Office after holding a meeting with
Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Foreign Adviser.
She added that right now monthly four million voters are
being enlisted which is truly an immense achievement. She
stated that she had apprised the Foreign Adviser of the
result of a recent coordination meeting of UN agencies in
Dhaka.
Iftekhar Chowdhury said the Government was "extremely
satisfied with the cooperation of the UN and its agencies
which will continue. He added that Bangladesh was turning
around from the after-effects of Sidr and is now well on
track to achieve its development goals.
Earlier the Foreign Adviser inaugurated a 3-day seminar on
the International Humanitarian Law and its implementation
at the Foreign Ministry.
He said that Bangladesh is committed to implementing
International Human Rights, Laws and places a priority on
the issue.
It is being attended by representatives of the other
concerned ministries, armed forces, police, ansar and
diplomats.
The seminar is being held in collaboration between the
International Committee of the Red Cross and the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs. The Foreign Adviser further stated
that "it is the belief that the concept is relevant to
contemporary times that leads Bangladesh to play such a
key role in UN peace-keeping." He added "civilization
involves curbing of instincts in favour of reason, and
this set of laws is designed to advance that ideal."
Foreign Secretary M Touhid Hossain, ICRC Head of Mission
in Dhaka Finn Ruda, Director General of the International
Organization Wing of the Foreign Ministry Mosud Mannan
also spoke on the occasion.
Strategic agreement
with the Dutch
New lands to be fetched by dams, dikes
BSS, Dhaka
Signing a
strategic agreement, the Dutch government representatives
on Sunday suggested Bangladesh to build cross dams and
dikes at specific areas to fetch part of huge sediments
flowing into the bay for reclaiming new lands along
coastal areas. "Like the Netherlands, Bangladesh can also
catch parts of its 2 billion metric tones of sediments
coming from the upstream for reclaiming new lands to face
future challenges," director general for Public Works and
Water Management of the Netherlands Bert Keijts told
journalists here.
The huge sediments, he said, should be turned into
resources instead of looking those as wastes. He also
suggested for building short but strong dikes at specific
places at low costs to manage rivers and sediments.
Bert, who is now leading a Rijkswaterstaat delegation to
Bangladesh, signed an agreement with Bangladesh Water
Development Board (BWDB) to continue Dutch supports for
two more years under a Twinning Arrangement signed
originally for eight years in 2000.
The agreement is focused on sharing knowledge for the
mutual benefit of Bangladesh and the Netherlands, two
deltas of Asia and Europe.
Crime Watch
Minor girl violated
UNB, Magura
A minor girl was violated by a miscreant at Hajra village
in Sadar upazila Saturday afternoon.
Police quoting local people said spoiled Paritosh Thakur
(30), son of Nitya Thakur of the village, abducted his
co-villager's daughter (8), in the afternoon while she was
going to a nearby cropland carrying drinking water for her
farmer father.
Later, the culprit took the girl to a remote field where
he violated her. He later fled away when local people
chased him hearing the shrill cry of the victim.
The girl was rushed to the Sadar hospital in profusely
bleeding condition. A case was filed with the police.
3 thieves arrested
A Correspondent, Chapainawabganj
Police of Sadar Thana arrested three thieves on the
Saturday night.
Sources said the arrestees had stolen valuable goods worth
Tk. 70,400 from a shop of Mouchak Market of Udayon more
under Chapainawabganj town on last 22 February night.
In this connection a case was filed with Sadar Thana.
Later, acting on a secret information, a squad of police
conducted drives in Rail Station More and arrested the FIR
listed thieves.
The arrested are Milon(42), son of late Rahman Mandol, of
Rail Bosti Uskathi Para, Kartik (18), son of Angit of
Zianagar and Gini Begum (40), wife of Ershad Ali of Rehai
Char in Chapainawabganj District.
Smuggled saris seized
A Correspondent, Comilla
The Bangladesh Rifles Battalion (BDR)-33 of Jhaspur BOP
recovered Indian saris worth about 12:25 lakh from
Shreepur area in Sadar Dakkin uapzial on Sunday noon.
According to BDR sources, a team of the battalion raided
the area at about1:00 pm and recovered 556 pieces of saris
while the goods were being smuggling to Dhaka. In the
meantime, sensing the presence of the law enforcers,
criminals managed to flee.
The seized goods were deposited to local customs.
Polythene bags worth Tk 10 lakh seized
UNB, Sylhet
RAB members in a drive seized a huge quantity of banned
Polythene bags worth Tk 10 lakh from the Hawkers' Market
in Laldighirpar area of the city on Thursday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite force led by
magistrate M Abdul Halim raided Beauty Store of the market
and arrested Dibakar along with huge polythene bags.
The team also raided another three polythene godowns at
the market and arrested one trader Jewel Ahmed.
In another predawn drive, RAB-9 members arrested three
young men along with a pipe gun from Baghbari area of the
city on the same day.
The arrested were identified as Fayez Ahmed, Nuruddin and
Shahjahan Alam.
They later on secret information also arrested Abu Taher
from Akhalia area of the city on charge of anti-social
activities.
Huge firewood seized
UNB, Chittagong
Officials of Forest Department in a drive recovered huge
firewood in Paindang and Paschim Suabil areas of
Fatikchhari upazila on Friday.
Being tipped off, officials of Chittagong (North) Forest
Department raided a number of brick-kilns in the area and
recovered the firewood kept for burning violating the
government ban.
The officials estimated the value of the seized firewood
at about Tk 50 lakh.
Another report from Sherpur adds: Officials in a drive
recovered 10 sacks of urea fertiliser from a rickshaw van
at Ariakanda Bazar in Nokla upazila Saturday afternoon.
Acing on a tip-off, a team led by UNO Golam Mostafa,
raided the bazar at about 2:30 pm, halted the rickshaw van
and seized the fertiliser while being taken to Fulpur
upazila of Mymensingh district to sell in the black
market.
A case was filed in this connection. Officials said the
seized fertiliser would be sold to the farmers at fair
price.
Smuggling in border areas on rise
UNB, Rajshahi
Smuggling of different valuables, including one-taka
coins, is on rise in different border areas of the
district.
Sources said some dishonest traders collect one-taka
coins, bronze, white brass, copper, edible and fuel oils,
cylinder gas and garlic from different areas and smuggle
out those with the help of some unscrupulous law-enforcers
to India.
Frontier villagers said the organized gangs of smugglers
are active in char areas, Bagha, Charghat and Godagari
frontier areas and smuggling are going on along the 30
points almost openly during nighttime.
3 terrorists held, arms recovered
UNB, Faridpur
Police and RAB, in separate drives, arrested three
terrorists along with arms in the district town Friday.
Police said acting on a secret information, they raided
Kanaipur area of the town and arrested Aslam (30), along
with a pipe gun and two bullets.
According to his statement, police later arrested his
accomplice Ishaq Sarder from the same area.
Meanwhile, RAB members arrested another terrorist Kawsar
(24), along with sharp weapons from Bakhunda area.
Separate cases were filed.
59 alleged criminals busted
BSS, Rajshahi
Police, in anti-crime drives, arrested 59 persons
including two suspected drug-peddlers on various charges
from different areas in city and nine upazilas of the
district in last 48 hours till on Saturday evening.
Of them, 32 were picked up from different areas in the
metropolis while 27 others from nine upazilas of the
district, police said. Police arrested the drug-peddlers
identified as Mustofa, 26, and Yeasnur, 22, and seized 10
bottles of contraband phensidyl from their possessions
during a drive in the metropolis.
The arrested persons and the seized goods were sent to the
court after recording cases in these connections. Traffic
police lodged 55 cases under the motor vehicles ordinance
and seized six motorbikes for either without registration
or valid documents during drives against the
non-registered motor vehicles and other document related
malpractices in different parts of the city during the
time.
10 including 3 wanted convicts held
BSS, Rangpur
The law enforcers arrested 10 persons including three
absconding convicts from different places of the three
northern districts during the past 48 hours period till
this morning, police sources said.
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested notorious drug
trafficker Abul Hossain, 36, with 13 kg ganja from his
village Dakshin Gidari under Sadar upazila in Gaibandha on
Saturday.
The RAB arrested Matin, 27, an absconding convict and
notorious criminal, accused of several murders, land
grabbing, muggings, extortions, terrorism and arms cases
from Sutrapur area in Bogra town on Friday evening.
Arrested Matin was sentenced to 27 years rigorous
imprisonment (RI) in an arms case.
Editorial
BD
Workers Abroad
Over
the last two and a half decades, manpower export has become
one of the biggest sectors of the economy of Bangladesh. There
are three reasons for this : Firstly, the stage of economic
and social growth in the developed parts of the world has
changed the patterns of jobs & employment creating a big
vacuum in the unskilled and semi-skilled categories
particularly in the service sectors; people in these countries
being unwilling to seek employment in such lower, less-paid
blue collar vocations. Secondly, trend of population growth in
the developed countries show a drastic fall in birth rates,
sometimes even negative birth rates with a consequent fall in
the number of younger people willing and capable of putting in
hard physical labour necessary in certain economic sectors
such as agriculture and construction. Thirdly, Bangladesh has
a booming surplus population of younger people unable to find
any employment within the country. These three factors have
prompted the movement of population outside the country
starting from mid 1970s.
Initially it was the travel agent and travel agency which made
it possible for people to move abroad in large numbers on
different types of temporary visas. A large majority of these
people stayed back in the host country as illegals gradually
gaining status as permanent residents and citizens. Travel
agencies were making large quantities of money, most of it
illegal. In the early 1980s manpower exporting agencies, some
with licences from the government but most without, started a
massive business in getting Bangladeshis abroad particularly
to the Middle-East where there was a heavy demand for
semi-skilled and unskilled manpower.
The problems started soon after, when manpower exports turned
into "human trafficking" with agents and agencies sending out
a steady stream of people with fraudulent work-permits and
visas. By the mid 1990s, so many Bangladeshis had gone abroad
that they were beginning to effect not only the demography but
also labour, employment patterns and wages in some areas in
certain countries. That sent alarm bells ringing in Europe,
the USA and ASEAN. Immigration laws and their enforcements
were tightened in these countries. The fallout of all these
was the decision by certain countries to impose outright bans
on mass scale immigrations from Bangladesh.
From the very beginning, successive governments of Bangladesh
have taken slap-dash and on-as-required measures to control
and direct this massive outbound movement of people. No clear,
practical, long term policies were ever envisaged, made or
implemented with the result that Bangladeshis outside quite
often face severe repression and discrimination in host
countries; additionally host countries are increasingly
irritated over this issue. A report published in TBT on 01
March 2008 titled "BD Workers Abroad" contains three news
items : The one on Saudi Arabia shows the constraints under
which Bangladeshis work abroad; the second on Malaysia shows
the positive aspects of government interventions and measures
in regard to manpower exports to that country and the third on
Australia shows the prospects still open to Bangladeshis to
study and find useful employments abroad. There are no
accurate statistics as to how many Bangladeshi are living
abroad in what numbers & in which countries; a guesstimate
will put the numbers between a million and a million and a
quarter living and working, legally or illegally, in almost
every country of the world from Afghanistan to Zaire. These
expatriate Bangladeshis are working in every field and
profession ranging from that of unskilled labour to skilled
technicians, scientists, bankers, journalists and even
politicians in some countries where their representation is
large such as in UK, USA, Germany or Sweden.
Undeniably expatriate Bangladeshis, (or ex-pats in an
abbreviated form) are making a major contribution to the
economy of Bangladesh by sending home foreign currency, both
through legal channel and hundi, which equals or sometimes
exceeds that of the country's entire yearly export earnings.
Not only that, they are also a potent lobby abroad for
Bangladesh influencing foreign opinions about Bangladesh as
well as influencing, to the good, government policies and
programs at home. Unfortunately, there has never been an
attempt to formulate coherent government policies to tap this
exceptional mine of financial wherewithal, intellectual
ability and opinion making capability. Bangladesh's efforts
have to date mainly been "welfare oriented" to ensure that the
ex-pats are kept happy enough to keep on sending home foreign
money.
We have only to look at India, China and Pakistan to see how
these nations are tapping their ex-pat resources for their
overall developments. Basing on the experiences of these
nations we would suggest a 3 pronged strategy or policy for
Bangladesh : (1) It is not enough to merely persuade ex-pats
to keep on sending in money which we can scarcely utilize. An
environment must be created through government regulations &
institutional structures whereby ex-pats feel encouraged to
invest in industries in the country bringing in the latest
industrial technologies and management know how. (2) Ex-pats
working in such fields as pure sciences, medicine and advanced
engineering must be encouraged and provided the environment to
come back and work in Bangladesh in their own fields.
Regulations and infrastructures must permit their employment
both in and out of government at remunerations commensurate
with international standards. (3) Ex-pat Bangladeshis, with
active encouragement from our own government through the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ought to form "islands" of
opinion and influence in foreign lands. If necessary, our
government must be ready to provide both funding and
organizational and management expertise in forming and
managing these "islands" of opinion building & influence
generating.
We therefore hope that the Emergency Government would do the
thing which all past governments have neglected to do about
the employment of our people abroad taking into consideration
some of the issue we have raised here.
Analysis
The Battle between Past and
Future
Past and future agendas also get manipulated, obscured and
complexified - an analysis-paralysis in which we risk losing
track of what really needs to happen.
Palden Jenkins
This
century we are faced with challenges which, if we fail to meet
them, can cost us and our descendants highly. Costs and
benefits are becoming increasingly relevant as deciding
factors. Our capacity to waste, to support outmoded ways of
doing things and to carry on with 'business as usual' is
diminishing rapidly. Wider global issues are bearing down more
heavily on us, imposing their own costs and exposing
weaknesses in all human systems and societies.
When I was a student radical at LSE in London in the late
1960s, most people didn't know much about the issues we were
bringing to the public domain - about human wrongs, human
rights, the costs of war, pesticides and pollution, social and
economic inequalities, resource depletion, political abuses,
faceless societies and a host of other interrelated issues.
But in the decades since, this unawareness has changed. Today
everyone, educated or illiterate, city-dwelling or living on
the land, has a rough picture of what's going on, drawn from
direct experience and commonsense. Everyone can see the smog,
or has been hit by climatic extremes or visible changes
affecting our daily lives and communities - the details vary,
but the basic message is similar worldwide.
A sharp-eyed, questioning 17 year-old is hard-pressed to find
good answers about the state of the world: it doesn't really
make sense. It's a scary equation of what economists call
'diminishing returns', where the price of continuing doing
something increasingly outstrips the benefits gained from it.
Forty years ago, people like me harped on about the price our
children's children would pay, and today the price-paying is
advancing, and costs are rising. Not just financial, but
human, social, ecological and spiritual costs.
At times it's all very discouraging. It's as if we're heading
for a deadly shoot-out between the past and the future, and
their respective priorities and game-plans. If we had started
on these questions when they were first raised some forty
years ago, there might have been more of a negotiation rather
than a fight. But past and future speak different languages
and see things in different ways.
The future brandishes weapons such as typhoons, market falls,
toxic disasters, epidemics or the downfalls of the
high-and-mighty, while the past engages in defensive
rear-guard actions, fighting its ground to maintain
'normality' and 'stability'. Each works from a very different
script. It's a global-scale conflict of the world against
itself. The cost-curves, in loss of natural resources, size of
cities, rising global temperatures, demographics, conflict,
waste, nuclear proliferation and basic sanity, are still
rising, and this is unlikely to stop.
Past and future agendas also get manipulated, obscured and
complexified - an analysis-paralysis in which we risk losing
track of what really needs to happen. Let's take an example
from Afghanistan. Noble indeed is the aim of making peace in a
troubled country such as this. But NATO and the West, seeing
Afghanistan as a breeding-ground for terrorism and narcotics,
have fallen into the age-old trap of believing that peace can
be forged militarily, by beating the enemy.
Meanwhile, the Taliban and al Qa'eda have fallen into another
trap, believing that anything that harms their enemy is good -
this can include killing and scaring ordinary Afghans and
letting the opium trade grow to enormous proportions, against
their very own Muslim principles. Both sides assert that they
have Afghans' interests at heart, but actions speak louder
than words, and neither really behaves like bringers of peace
and justice, however these might be defined. Neither is really
anxious to fulfil the needs of Afghans themselves.
This situation is bound up with the past. The position of the
Taliban and al Qa'eda, who see Afghanistan as a bastion of
resistance to the insidious historic influence of the West, is
being overtaken by shifts of a larger kind. The 21st century
world is not going to be Western-dominated, and
fundamentalists might do well to look at Beijing or Dubai, not
New York City, as targets for their disapproval and wrath.
Meanwhile, the West, still dominated by American thinking and
preoccupation with endless wars on terror and drugs, fails to
see how its position is also being overtaken by events. NATO
invaded Afghanistan to give it democracy and modernity and to
free the world of terrorists, yet the biggest single outcome
achieved so far has been to stimulate the opium trade.
Western doctrine of recent decades advocates economic growth,
business and free trade as the solution to all ills. So an
Afghan farmer looks at ways of making money, does his
calculations and plants opium. This helps his family and
village - it's a product with a reliable market, high value
and good returns. It makes him vulnerable to pressures from
warlords and desperadoes but, if he grew other crops, he'd
then get tax-collectors and government inspectors, so the
difference is marginal.
Westerners believe in eliminating opium crops - ideally by
spraying, a very blunt weapon. But the negative 'hearts and
minds' effect of spraying and crop-destruction, at times
poisoning villagers and ruining land, is counterproductive -
NATO's need to get Afghans on its side outweighs its need to
deal with drugs. Yet opium production feeds
socially-destructive heroin addiction in the West and funds
the very terrorists and warlords NATO is trying to control. So
NATO's strategy in Afghanistan is fundamentally flawed.
Meanwhile, the Taliban's own battle includes permitting the
drugs trade, making deals with drug barons and creaming off
the rewards, undermining the very moral stance it originally
grew strong on in the 1990s. The Taliban are no longer really
viable as liberators from foreign oppression, and foreign
troops are no longer viable as liberators from the warlords,
the Taliban and Pashtun dominance in Afghan affairs. Both
sides charge their price. All this makes ordinary villagers
wonder who is on their side, or whether anything at all makes
sense. So they keep their heads down, waiting to see who comes
out on top, and which set of rules they are next to comply
with.
Then, someone in the West thinks sensibly, for once.
Westerners, rather addicted to healthcare and longevity,
consume vast amounts of painkillers and anti-depressants, and
there is a global shortage of opiates to supply this need. So
why not legitimise opium-growers, buy up their crops, relieve
pharmaceutical shortages, let Afghan farmers make some money
and get them on the West's side? Sounds logical, but there's a
problem.
This suggestion comes up against vested interests and old
mindsets. The War against Drugs has been America's longest war
- a war of disinformation, aggression, double-standards and
prohibition. It has had the effect of stimulating organised
crime and smuggling by creating a high-value black-market
product such as heroin, when previously the product was legal,
unrefined, less profitable and not much used in the West
except in medicines or by artists, poets and bohemians. For
the last 50 years heroin has become a socially-destructive
element in Western society, brought about partially by its
prohibition - heroin was first made in USA, around the time
that opium was first made illegal around 1920. It also happens
that the vast funds generated in smuggling heroin and other
drugs can quietly be reaped for other uses - so there are now
hidden financial interests who prefer the trade to continue.
The plan to buy Afghan opium thus exposes a Western cultural
conflict between the Christian-based moral imperative to clean
up society through eliminating drug-taking, and the amoral
capitalist principle that anything that makes money is good.
It reveals other nasty issues too. This policy has
criminalised many young Westerners without resulting in a
significant clean-up. It turned innocuous drug use before the
1960s into larger-scale drug abuse, carried out by everyone
from streetwise teenagers smoking crack to top executives
snorting cocaine. The most socially-destructive of all drugs,
alcohol, has meanwhile remained legal and approved - there's
money in it, and alcohol is a cultural prop helping drown out
the heartless insensitivities of Western society.
Worse, setting up the cops-and-robbers game of prohibition has
professionalized the drugs trade, concentrating power and
riches in few hands and making billions available in
unaccounted cash. The drugs trade has funded the weapons
trade, corruption and organised crime, generating vast wealth
for some. Organised crime conceals its billions in offshore
banks, making massive, unaccounted black funds available in
the banking system to anybody who trades in billions. Very
useful. Organised crime indeed has a place in the ecology of
capitalism, as long as it behaves itself.
In the early 1990s, Chechen crime-clans had amassed such
massive financial reserves that they disturbed the delicate
balance of global organised crime, thitherto the domain of
mafias, Triads, Colombians and sundry freebooters. The
Chechens got rich from crime during the 1980s Soviet war in
Afghanistan. By 1994 Boris Yeltsin was heavily and quietly
leant upon by the West to cut the Chechens down to size - in
return for favours he needed. Russia's war on the Chechens was
unwinnable, but winning wasn't the point - the Chechens just
needed reducing. Even Russia's own oligarch-mafiosi were
threatened by turf-wars with the Chechens in Moscow. So the
Chechen wars just had to happen. It kept a cosy set of
international arrangements intact.
Back to Afghanistan. To preserve the status quo, a creative
solution to the Afghan impasse cannot really be entertained.
Besides, it suits all those who promote the mindset of
international conflict to keep the conflict going. Nowadays, a
key driving force behind conflict is the arms industry itself,
which wins whichever side it supplies. It has a vested
interest in keeping weapons consumption, arms races and the
politics of war-readiness alive. Afghanistan is one of the
world's great dumping-grounds, where hardship and despair are
dropped on it from far away - in all honesty, to enable others
elsewhere to avoid facing their own painful truths. Whether or
not this dumping is intentional, it happens.
We could dig deeper, lifting other carpets. We could look at
modern people's aversion to pain, giving Big Pharma the power
to sell profitable medical products to captive markets -
hospital clients - who unquestioningly pay billions for them.
We could look at foreign policies which advocate eliminating
perceived evils rather than healing their root-causes. We
could look at the conflict industry, which strives to keep war
high on the agenda, persuading people to permit high military
spending and the influence of military-industrial interests in
politics and society. We could look at the refusal of faiths
and belief systems to accept and respect one another, as well
as the habitual tendency of nations to look on other nations
as a threat against which they must defend themselves. These
are all old-think, part of the problem, not the solution.
So many of the world's major problems are stoked up by age-old
assumptions, interests and beliefs which permit little or no
movement or fundamental change, because change upsets vested
interests. To an extent, we all play a part in this, as
perpetrators, accomplices or victims - then we wring our hands
at the regrettable fixity and insanity of it all.
This cannot continue, since reality itself is shifting its
baseline. The costs of all this are rising. The world
currently works on the basis that unrestrained economic growth
is A Good and Necessary Thing - the 1980s 'Washington Agenda'
- yet economic growth benefits the prosperous more than the
poor, and it's not growth but distribution of resources and
wealth that is the real issue. Meanwhile, wider considerations
are increasingly bearing down on us, in every department of
life. Life on Earth, for rich and poor alike, is coming into
question. Today, in 2008, we are already in a climatic,
demographic, economic, social and spiritual crisis worldwide
and, tragically, we still delude ourselves and deny that it's
happening. But it is.
We habitually believe that the customary ways, situations and
ideas of the past represent the only possible route to follow.
But when we're forced to look ahead at the dangers of the
coming decades - such as the disappearance under water of
low-lying coastal areas, of which Bangladesh has more than a
fair share - the future starts affecting the present far more
strongly.
Increasingly, we're being forced to make the future the basis
of our current calculations. We face a sharp-edged dilemma:
the solutions needed for dealing with the future are heading
for a collision with the ways of the past. The future demands
a serious reassessment of what is deemed important and
practical. If we don't make such reassessments, crises screech
along to force the issue and expose systemic weaknesses.
Yes, chemical fertilisation of land, increasing crop yields
and profits in the short term, makes sense in terms of the
agenda of the past. But death of fish-stocks and ecosystems,
decline in the land's natural water-absorption properties,
pollution of water and the chemical degradation of food
stocks, with the social and political implications of all
these, start red lights flashing and alarm bells ringing.
This demands quite an objective cost-benefit analysis. From a
purely selfish viewpoint, if businessmen wish to profit by
selling to markets, they need to have people living decent
lives to form such markets and consume their products. If
governments wish to stay in power, ordinary people need to
feel their interests are genuinely served - whether or not
they have democracy.
But this isn't the biggest question. The biggest question
concerns the sustainability and quality of human life in
decades to come, and the global-scale rebuilding of the
natural environment and of new social, economic and
technological systems to work in greater harmony with it.
Today, we're caught in a contradiction: it is in our interests
to change, but we are not yet willing to change fundamentally.
The consequences of this paradox fall not just on Afghans.
We're heading for something, some sort of crunch in which we
all are asked a simple question. What is most important -
short-term self-interest or the longterm collective good? This
isn't a voting matter: when we vote, we usually vote for
money-in-pockets and self-interest, not for wisdom and our
grandchildren's welfare. It's a far more fundamental choice:
it's para-political, overriding our former concepts of
belonging to a culture, class, clan, faith, nationality,
gender or allegiance, and bypassing former concepts of where
our interests' best lie.
It's an option-less referendum. We all know what self-interest
does, while the 'collective good' option is yet to be properly
tested. If existing systems worked well, we would have less of
a planetary problem today. But they don't work well, in the
context of the emergent future. This means systemic change is
needed. Not like old-style socialism, or any other -ism: we're
talking about care for and sensitivity to the needs of people
and nature and the need to fit fruitfully within our planet's
constraining parameters.
Perhaps we need to get those coins and banknotes out of our
pockets, look hard at them, and decide how important they
really are, since they don't actually represent the true and
full costs and benefits we need to reckon into the future. If
the past prevails over the future, even our deepest, most
valued traditions are likely to be eliminated. Paradoxically,
if we greet the future and its demands more openly, the past
might be better preserved.
(Palden Jenkins is an internationally renowned freelance
writer, columnist and aid-worker. Copywrite: Palden Jenkins)
Global
Warming Objections
If oil prices continue to rise, the global warming crisis may
take care of itself due to economic pressures.
Global
warming dissenters sometimes claim that climate change
scientists are part of some vast global conspiracy. Apparently
the goal of such demagoguery is to promote the idea that the
global warming 'conspirators' somehow silence dissenting
voices by not allowing them equal time in the media.
When I began this series on global warming, some editors
informed me that they would not be carrying the series. Others
informed me that they would no longer carry the column at all.
If you are reading this column, please remember to thank your
local editor for allowing you to decide for yourself based
upon the facts I have presented. The point is that if there is
any silencing being done by the media, global warming
dissenters aren't the only ones being silenced.
I think that a large part of the fear behind the dissent comes
from the idea that accepting carbon emissions standards would
mean making financial sacrifices. While this may be true to
some extent, with careful planning a large part of this
financial burden can be alleviated. For example, as of this
writing, the war in Iraq costs $275,000,000 per day, for a
total of about $500,000,000,000!
That works out to nearly $4100 for every household in the
United States. If the U.S. had invested that money instead
into alternative energy, then the U.S.'s dependence on crude
oil from foreign countries would probably be a thing of the
past by now.
We already have the technology to do away with fossil fuels
altogether. Granted, being able to make the switch involves
building a new infrastructure to support new energy
alternatives, but building such an infrastructure would create
much-needed jobs worldwide as new technologies become more
readily available on the market.
Carbon emissions reductions have added benefits as well.
Cleaner energy means a cleaner environment, not just in terms
of greenhouse gases, but also in terms of acid rain from
coal-burning plants, vehicle emissions, and waste products
from refineries and industry.
The Stone Age didn't end because we ran out of stones. It
ended because we found better ways to make tools. It could be
that we are learning better ways to power our homes and our
vehicles as well. If oil prices continue to rise, the global
warming crisis may take care of itself due to economic
pressures. Some economists predict that gasoline prices may
triple by the end of this decade. If that happens, people will
be scrambling for alternatives!
Ultimately, if the majority consensus of climate scientists is
wrong, but we take action anyway, we will have gained energy
independence and a cleaner, more sustainable lifestyle. But if
climate scientists are right, yet we take no action, our
children will reap the consequences.
(Chuck Hall is a freelance columnist specializing on
environmental and climate-change issues. You may contact Chuck
by email at: chuck@cultureartist.org.)
Viewpoints
Manage Disability
before it Happens
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), 750 million people in the world are disabled in where
80% people live in developing countries.
Ripan Kumar Biswas
While
Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed was inaugurating the third
general assembly and conference of Asia and Pacific Disability
Forum (APDF) at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre
on February 27, 2008, jointly organized by National Forum of
Organizations Working with the Disabled (NFOWD) and APDF,
joint correspondent Bob Simon of Discovery Channel was
unveiling how the ships are literally dumped with all their
steel, their asbestos, and their toxins on the beaches of poor
countries like Bangladesh, which cause disability very often.
Dirty Jobs is a popular program throughout the world on the
Discovery Channel in which host Mike Rowe is shown performing
difficult, strange, and/or messy occupational duties alongside
professional workers. The 60 minutes regular episode of Dirty
Jobs on February 27, 2008 under the tile "Ship Breakers: The
dirtiest job," was horrified to watch at the thought of the
ship breakers' involvement in deadly works.
Persons with disabilities, local and foreign delegates, NGO
leaders and distinguished personalities, who were present at
the function of APDF, firmly urged that the steps should be
taken on an urgent basis, including revising the rules of
business of the government, to cater to the needs of disabled
persons while the legal experts, policymakers, development
practitioners and disability activists need to initiate the
process of consultation with stakeholders on those issues.
"The foremost challenge for all of us at the moment is strong
social and political commitment to the subject backed by
administrative and legislative measures," Fakhruddin vowed.
No doubt that the problems faced by the physically handicapped
in the world along with Bangladesh ought to have been tackled
decisively a long time ago. Disabled persons, whatever the
origin, nature and seriousness of their handicaps and
disabilities, have the same fundamental rights as their
fellow-citizens of the same age, which implies first and
foremost the right to enjoy a decent life, as normal and full
as possible.
In 1975, the "Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons"
was adopted by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 3447),
aimed at ensuring the protection of rights of disabled persons
and assisting disabled persons to develop their abilities in
the most varied fields of activities and promoting their
integration in normal life. In most countries up to 80% of
persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed. Most
others are under-employed or never have access to the labor
market. The governments, the community and disabled persons
themselves should have to initiate and formulate ways that
allow persons with disabilities to participate fully in the
daily life.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 750 million
people in the world are disabled in where 80% people live in
developing countries and this percentage is increasing day by
day.
Besides inherited disability, many factors are responsible for
the rising number of disabled persons and the relegation of
disabled persons to the margin of society. These include:
wars, and the consequences of wars and other forms of violence
and destruction (poverty, hunger, epidemics, major shifts in
population); populations with a high proportion of illiteracy
and little awareness of basic social services or of health and
education measures; low priority in social and economic
development for activities related to equalization of
opportunities, disability prevention and rehabilitation;
pollution of the physical environment; stress and other
psycho- social problems associated with the transition from a
traditional to a modern society; imprudent use of medication,
the misuse of therapeutic substances and the illicit use of
drugs and stimulants; and the faulty treatment of injured
persons at the time of a disaster. Among them, one of the
permanent disabilities comes from the work related accidents.
Although it's not new to discuss how the ship breaking or ship
demolition is resulting in disability, but Bob Simon moved his
camera in the shipyards of Chittagong, Bangladesh to let
everybody know the most dangerous workplace in the world that
causes disability and casualty very often and the respective
authority is hardly aware of this important issue.
During ship scrapping activities, the removal, and disposal of
asbestos is a primary environmental concern, as well as a
health and safety concern for workers. The most significant
asbestos concerns for workers arise when removing
asbestos-bearing thermal insulation; handling of circuit
breakers, cable, cable penetrations; and removing floor tiles
(from asbestos in the mastic and in the tile). Some known
diseases caused from asbestos exposure include: (1) asbestosis
(scarring of the lungs resulting in loss of lung function that
often progresses to disability and to death), and (2) cancer,
such as mesothelioma (cancer affecting the membranes lining
the lungs and abdomen), lung cancer, or cancers of the
esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum.
A study estimates that the one out of every four laborers in
shipyards is likely to contract cancer owing to workplace
poisons, but the laborers are of course blissfully unaware of
the hazards. Lack of awareness about pollution coupled with
the need to earn a living means that despite many accidents
people continue to work in ship-breaking yards. Laborers in
the ship-breaking industry risk life and limb on a daily
basis, but in the absence of employment in their villages'
people continue to migrate to the shipyards.
Until the late twentieth century, ship breaking took place in
port cities in the developed countries including the United
States. But now, most ship breaking yards are in the
developing nations, principally Bangladesh, China, and India,
due to lower costs and less stringent environmental
regulations dealing with the disposal of lead paint and other
toxic substances.
Scrapping operations involve high risks and problems. The
unskilled workers carry metal plates, metal bars or pipes on
their heads or shoulders, start walking in synchronized steps
with the rhythm of the singers call up to a definite
destination and then pile up metal plates in stack yards or
load them on trucks. It is found that the beaches where ship
breaking is undertaken are full of chemicals and toxic
substances, small pieces of pointed and sharp iron splinters
pasted on the surface of the beach causing injuries; the
workers usually work bare footed and without masks.
In Bangladesh, ship breaking is carried out in an open space.
As a matter of fact, provisions of the Factories Act and
occupational safety measures with regard to doors, windows,
stairs etc. of a factory premises are not taken into
consideration. No one cares testing system of cranes, lifting
machinery and motorized pulley is hardly done. The yards
re-use ropes and chains recovered from the broken ships
without testing and examining their strength. Gas cutters and
their helpers are cutting the steel plates almost round the
clock without protection of eyes, so their eyes are always
vulnerable to welding effects. Workers do not wear any uniform
and never use hand gloves and boots as safety measures.
Payments are very often found less than the agreed wages. The
Syndicate of Employers and of the ship yards control
everything in such a way that the inspecting officers of
different Government Agencies cannot interfere in their
activities. In addition families of the victims are not
informed, as contractors do not use proper names and addresses
of the workers and there is no monitoring or inspection by the
Inspection Department and the Labor Department. And the most
horrific thing in these scrap-shipyards is the presence of
child workers. According to Bangladesh Institute of Labor
Studies (BILS), there are about 2000 children and adolescents
(between the ages of 10 and 14) out of 30 thousand works in
these yards.
It is praiseworthy as the government of Bangladesh has
approved restructuring of national Foundation for Development
of Disabled Persons as a quasi-government, autonomous
institution to ensure that elimination is met for
discrimination of disabled people and to promote equal
opportunities and for them to also assist and give advice on
how to treat disabled people, and to advise the government on
the legislation of disability, but the best way to manage a
disability is before it happens.
(Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New
York. March 01, 2008, New York, USA. E-mail: Ripan.Biswas@yahoo.com)
The Way Ahead
For the West, Pakistan is no
more than a pawn on the chess board of the new Great Game. For
Pakistan, it is an existential crisis.
Tanvir Ahmad Khan
THE
lunch hosted by Mr Asif Zardari for the newly elected members
of the three leading parties on Feb 27 may well be remembered
as a landmark in the long awaited transition to a democratic
dispensation in Pakistan.
The optics were perfect; the host, Mian Nawaz Sharif and
Asfandyar Wali Khan struck the right notes in the higher
register of statesmanship and, more importantly, the leaders
sat down with a jurist of impeccable integrity and knowledge
to come to grips with the debris left behind by the tornado
that struck Pakistan's constitutionalism on Nov 3, 2007.
Pakistan's military rulers have always excelled at political
demolition but invariably turned out to be singularly inept at
putting together viable and lawful alternative state
structures. This unenviable task falls to the lot of the much
maligned politicians and that too in highly unpropitious
circumstances.
The squalls that rocked the state on Oct 12, 1999 and in the
form of the 17th amendment inflicted much damage. Then, the
catastrophe of Nov 3 put all salvaging efforts beyond the
capacity of any single party. In another cataclysmic hour,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto reached out to every school of thought to
restore a grundnorm to the nation.
The existing distortions in that historic but half-alive
Constitution present a nightmare and demand the exercise of
the highest form of political wisdom and legal expertise. The
process of eliminating them by creating a new interface
between politics and law has just begun. One hopes that
despite his incomparable legal knowledge, Fakhruddin G.
Ebrahim will be able to invite the finest minds to undertake
this daunting and noble task. Let there be no mistake. We are
resurrecting a state that all but perished.
The conventional view that coalitions, by definition, make for
weak governments is not borne out by the Indian experience or
that of several European states where proportional
representation often leaves no other option. Pakistan's
present crisis is characterised by the bitter harvest of
constitutional violations, growing imbalance between a
power-hungry centre and the handicapped federating units,
uncontrollable violence by ever-proliferating bands of
extremists and, above all, by a rapidly rising table of
sub-surface social anger at glaring inequalities of income and
opportunity.
A reasonably broad-based coalition government may provide a
healing touch. There is no great virtue in a two-party system
anymore as, for quite some time to come, regional aspirations
will deepen particular identities of the constitutive elements
of a diverse nation. The greatest achievement of the three top
leaders present at Mr Zardari's lunch is that they
successfully persuaded their followers that these identities
were perfectly compatible with an overarching national
identity.
This election could have greatly aggravated the centrifugal
forces. By creating hope of social and political justice in a
united Pakistan, these three parties -PPP, PML-N and ANP -
have largely pre-empted that threat.
The victors must address the economic distress of a vast
majority of our people with the same earnestness as the
political and constitutional issues. Under the
Musharraf-Shaukat Aziz elitist view of neo-liberal economics
they have mostly been exposed to the dark side of
globalisation with only a small minority being able to use it
positively for upward mobility. The trickle- down promise was
never more of a mirage as during their management.
Scratch the surface and lurking just beneath the protest
against the humiliation of the higher judiciary and repeated
violations of the Constitution is a palpable anguish of
poverty and deprivation. The millions who hailed Benazir
Bhutto's return expected her to provide bread, shelter,
rudimentary access to health and education for their children.
The new coalition must weld the political class and the
national bureaucracy into a caring establishment even if it
has to dispense with déclassé upstarts that dominate our
present administration.
Pakistan must eschew politics of vendetta but that does not
mean that every crime against the state and society be brushed
under the carpet. It needs a high-powered Commission on Truth,
Justice and Reconciliation in the interest of historical
accuracy and to build dykes for future security. Gen (retd)
Ehtasham Zamir's disclosure in a recent TV interview that the
ISI had manipulated the 2002 elections is not an isolated
incident. There are other precedents that indicate how deep
the malaise is and how important is the need to cure it. It is
because of the pervasive nature of the disorder that a vast
majority of people today hold the view that if you leave the
relevant powers with Gen Musharraf, he would not take long to
use them to annul the gains of Election 2008.
Unfortunately, Pakistani priorities and those of Pakistan's
western friends are not identical. For the West, Pakistan is
no more than a pawn on the chess board of the new Great Game.
For Pakistan, it is an existential crisis. There is, however,
no lack of enlightenment in the West. We have not been able to
tap into it because the regime that held us in bondage had no
roots amongst the people and no inclination to factor their
needs into our western compacts.
We need to replace mercenary relations with relations based on
mutual respect, community of interests and coordinated pursuit
of common objectives within our respective national
parameters. Benazir Bhutto had long since dreamt of an
alliance of democracies. We have to pursue that dream
globally. Relations with the West (and for that matter with
India) should fall into the same framework. The people of
Pakistan want to be honourable partners in the international
state system not vassals of an empire.
A strong and stable national coalition can be built around the
present understanding between the PPP, PML-N and ANP. The
US-led West should welcome it and not undermine it as it alone
can make Pakistan's battle against militant extremists
effective.
The West should encourage Musharraf to transcend the
limitations of his rigid political thought and not insist on
turning them into an inescapable dogma for the people of
Pakistan.
Source: www.dawn.com
Gaza Holocaust
ISRAELI
threats of a "bigger holocaust" are finding disturbingly quick
translation into reality as Tel Aviv orders daily pounding of
Hamas controlled Gaza, killing civilians, children and so
called militants alike.
However, much to the regret of shocked stakeholders,
influential capitals across the Atlantic remain chillingly
silent. And as Israel's brutal crackdown on already suffering
Palestinians in the Strip gathers increasing pace and sting,
the onus of the needless carnage, and the loss of life and
property bound to figure in subsequent revenge attacks, will
fall squarely on western powers, especially the US. In their
blatant disregard of ground realities and crying demands for
fairness, they remain bent upon providing Israel with
unhindered authority to go about its brutalities.
The Israeli deputy defence minister's use of the holocaust
term to define what Israel intends to bring about in Gaza
betrays in no small manner what sort of free hand Israeli
hawks have been given. Considering the emotions the term
evokes in the Israeli heartland, its establishment's hatred
for the Palestinian people stands just as exposed as its
betrayal of the recent Annapolis accord.
A mute White House, too, does itself little favours by
continuing to grant unconditional support to Israel and
therefore its atrocities. President Bush realises well by now
that his efforts at leveraging the Middle East crisis to paint
appealing colour to his legacy have already amounted to
naught.
A world battling terrorism has perhaps failed to realise the
extent to which Israeli unfairness in Palestine is responsible
for fuelling extremist hatred. Few international leaders on
board the terror-war bandwagon have cared to delve in the
depths the menace they battle, which is why more than half a
decade of head-on struggle have yielded very disappointing
results. The sentiments pictures of dead Palestinian children
killed by nasty Israeli aggression designed to protect an
unfair occupation will evoke are not too difficult to imagine.
It is unfortunate that going by its actions, there seems
little realisation in Washington's power echelons of how wrong
the direction of the campaign against terrorism has been. The
immediate aftermath of 9/11 saw unprecedented international
goodwill on the side of the US, which it should have used to
effectively pluck the roots of terrorism, with the backing of
practically the whole world. But that will was never found as
the neocon lobby occupying the White House went about a very
different course.
However one may disagree with the agenda of extremists,
detaching Palestinian suffering from their drive would amount
to miscalculating the most pressing equation of our time,
reflecting poorly on those in control of the dominant decision
making process. It also shows gross double standards since
killing civilians to punish its enemies is exactly what Israel
is also doing. The US should not waste more time in revising
its blind support for Israel.
Source:www.khaleejtimes.com
International
UN vote on Iran
sanctions rescheduled
Xinhua, United Nations
The UN Security Council has rescheduled to
Monday its vote on a draft resolution imposing further
sanctions on Iran, a UN diplomat said Friday.
The vote, originally planned for Saturday, was delayed so
that the cosponsors could have more time to discuss the
text with some of the nonpermanent members, who have
expressed obvious skepticism at more sanctions, said the
diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Through last-minute consultations, Britain and France, the
two cosponsors, are trying to gain as much support as
possible, said the diplomat.
Four nonpermanent members of the Security Council-South
Africa, Vietnam, Libya and Indonesia-have expressed
various concerns at more sanctions against Iran.
"We are yet to be convinced that more sanctions are the
reasonable way to go at this time," said Indonesian UN
Ambassador Marty Natalegawa after a council meeting on
Thursday.
Natalegawa said that the sanctions might be detrimental to
the current cooperation between Iran and the International
Atomic Energy Agency, the UN nuclear watchdog.
Libya's UN Ambassador Giadalla Ettalhi said Monday that
his country may cast a negative vote on a draft that seeks
further sanctions against Iran.
South Africa's ambassador to the IAEA, Abdul Minty, also
expressed a similar concern Thursday, saying "it is
important that we should not take any action in the United
Nations Security Council or elsewhere which can create the
risk that Iran reduces or even terminates its cooperation
with the IAEA."
UN diplomats said that Vietnam has proposed amendments to
the draft that would emphasis the role of the IAEA in
resolving the Iranian nuclear issue. It would be a third
round of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend
uranium enrichment.
Since December 2006, the Security Council has passed two
resolutions slapping sanctions against Iran. The United
States and its European allies are pushing for a third one
imposing further sanctions. Iran has insisted on the
peaceful nature of its nuclear program.
Colombo blast toll climbs, Sri Lanka says another 45
Tigers killed
AFP, Colombo
A police
officer wounded in a suicide bombing died in hospital
Saturday, a hospital spokesman said as Sri Lanka's defence
ministry claimed security forces had killed 45 rebels in
fresh fighting.
The policeman died of his injuries a day after being
caught in a huge blast detonated by a suspected Tamil
Tiger rebel during a search operation in the city.
"One of the three police officers wounded in Friday's
bombing died today," a hospital spokesman said, adding
that six others wounded in the explosion were still
undergoing treatment.
The blast, which went off when police approached a house
in Colombo's commercial district of Kotahena, was heard
across the city of 650,000 people.
Police said the bomber was believed to be a member of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Meanwhile, the defence ministry said 45 guerrillas were
killed in renewed fighting in the island's embattled north
where 11 government soldiers were also wounded.
There was no immediate reaction from the Tigers.
According to the defence ministry, 1,733 rebels have been
killed so far this year which has seen the end of a truce
and escalating violence. The military estimates the
Tigers' strength at 5,000 combatants.
The ministry says 94 soldiers and police have also been
killed in 2008.
Casualty figures provided by both sides differ vastly and
cannot be independently verified since the government bars
journalists and human rights workers from frontline and
rebel-held areas.
US warship worsens Lebanon crisis: Syrian FM
AFP, Damascus
Sending a
US warship to waters off Lebanon is aimed at undermining
any solution to Lebanon's presidential crisis, Syrian
Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said on Saturday.
"The presence of the warship off the coast of Lebanon
shows that the United States is striving to undermine all
political solutions in the Lebanese crisis," Muallem told
reporters flanked by Arab League chief Amr Mussa.
Washington said on Thursday it had sent the USS Cole
guided- missile destroyer to waters off Lebanon, amid
concern over regional stability and Lebanon's protracted
political crisis.
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