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HC makes Bhuiyan party to writ
petitions over EC dialogue
BDNEWS24, Dhaka
The High Court on Monday
made former BNP secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan a
party to twin writ petitions filed by BNP chairperson
Khaleda Zia and former Chhatra Dal leader Nasiruddin Ahmed
on the Election Commission
dialogue.
A two-member panel of justices Mirza Hossein Haider and
Mamnun Rahman included Bhuiyan as the 14th respondent to
the petitions.
Bhuiyan filed an appeal on Monday, seeking to be a party
to the writ petitions.
Barrister Masud Reza Sobhan took part in the hearing on
behalf of Bhuiyan and said: "A number of issues that
aggrieved Mannan Bhuiyan came up during the hearing."
"Mannan Bhuiyan was also present at the meeting of the
standing committee. He is still a member of the standing
committee. The standing committee has not yet approved his
expulsion from the post of secretary general," he said.
"So the post of secretary general remains suspended. This
is why he should be included as a party to the writ
petition."
Khaleda's counsel TH Khan argued: "The issues like whether
Mannan Bhuiyan is a member of the standing committee or
whether his post of secretary general is suspended cannot
be settled during the hearing of the writ petition."
Khan said Bhuiyan should file a civil petition, if
necessary, to settle the issues. "So his appeal is not
tenable."
On Nov 18, the High Court suspended the effectiveness of
the Election Commission letter that invited retired major
Hafizuddin Ahmed to electoral reforms dialogue with the
EC.
On Nov 5, the EC in a letter invited Hafizuddin to
participate in the dialogue then slated for Nov 22.
The court asked the EC, six members of the BNP standing
committee and Hafizuddin to explain why the invitation was
not illegal and why Delwar would not be invited to
represent the BNP to dialogue.
Earlier on Nov 4, the High Court, acting on another writ
petition by Nasiruddin Ahmed, asked the EC to explain why
it would not be directed to invite a BNP faction to the
dialogue in line with the law, tradition and BNP
constitution.
Delwar flies to S’pore to skip unity move
Taib Ahmed
BNP Secretary General
Khandoker Delwar Hossain air dashed to Singapore on the
plea of treatment on Sunday night apparently to skip
possible pressure on him for unity with the reformist
faction. According to sources, as the hearing of the writ
petition filed by the detained BNP Chairperson, Begum
Khaleda Zia, against the Election Commission’s (EC)
decision to invite the reformist faction to the EC-BNP
dialogue is in final stage, the move for unity in troubled
BNP has reached its peak with reformists being eager for
unity, but Delwar reluctant. Khandoker Delwar Hossain left
Dhaka for Singapore by a flight of Singapore airlines at
11.55 pm on Sunday night.
"The Secretary General might have left the country
ostensibly to avoid any pressure for bringing about unity
in the party as the reformist faction has been active with
the court verdict approaching fast," an ex-MP and close to
Delwar Hossain told The Bangladesh Today, adding, "We are
apprehending 29 October like situation." "He might not
have come back before the verdict of the writ petition
pending in the High Court," he observed. However, acting
Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed at a press
briefing at the Nam residence of Khandoker Delwar Hossain
on Monday, denied any possibility of having any
clandestine intentions behind his trip. "There is no
conspiracy and move behind his trip to Singapore. The
party Secretary General has long been suffering from
different health complexities and he needs to undergo
medical surgery. Moreover, his wife became ill all of a
sudden," Rizvi said in a categorical voice.
"He is expected to return home within a week," he said,
adding, "he sought the blessings of the countrymen." In
response to a question, Rizvi said, "he did not handover
secretary generalship to anybody in his absence; rather he
will look after the party affairs from Singapore."
Referring to the reported pressure on them for unity, he
said, "there are manifold conspiracies and scheme in the
party. But we have vowed to defy all the conspiracies.
BNP’s stand is clear those who have gone astray will have
to come back admitting their mistakes and relinquishing
the proceedings of so called October 29 night meeting."
"The party is united under the leadership of Begum Kaleda
Zia and we will not go, even for a bit, beyond the
instructions of Begum Zia," Rizvi said, adding, "the
depraved individuals will not be able to cause any harm to
the party. There were many big leaders like Huda-Matin who
quit the party but could not harm the party rather some of
them had to return to the party." Referring to EC’s role
regarding BNP, He said, "the EC will have to communicate
with Khandoker Delwar Hossain as regards any matters of
BNP." Asked about their stand on holding local elections,
Rizvi said, "the EC will have to hold the national polls
before holding local body elections." Rizvi demanded
immediate announcement of election schedule for
parliamentary polls and the release of Begum Khaleda Zia
before holding the government-sponsored dialogue with the
political parties.
Hasina
reportedly rebukes Dr Kamal for appearing in court against
BNP
UNB, Dhaka
Detained Awami League president Sheikh Hasina on Monday
reportedly rebuked Gono Forum president Dr Kamal Hossain
for defending the Election Commission’s controversial
letter inviting a faction of BNP to dialogue on electoral
reforms.
"Being the chief of a political party that would take part
in the next elections how could he (Dr Kamal) appear in
court against another political party’s dispute over
leadership?" she said during consultations with her
counsel at a special court that deals with the
barge-mounted power plant case. Hasina said it is immoral
and against political ethics for appearing in court
against the chief (Khaleda) of another political party.
About her general secretary Abdul Jalil’s release on
parole for medical treatment abroad, she said a good
sense, though late, finally prevails upon the government
as it has taken the decision in this respect.
Hasina who herself is suffering from various health
problems, including ear and eye complications, said
despite asking for a specialist physician for her
treatment, the jail authorities provided a junior doctor.
She apprehended her critical health complication if she is
not provided appropriate medical treatment, which is not
available in the country.
The Awami League president said she would go for legal
actions against the IG (Prisons) and the DIG (Prisons) for
not allowing her close relations to meet her every
fortnight as per the jail code.
Bikalpa
Dhara, Gono Forum for black money free election
Staff Correspondent
Leaders of Bikalpa Dhara and Gono Forum in a joint press
conference on Monday urged the Election Commission to
formulate a law in a bid to hold black money and muscle
power free parliament election. Bikalpa Dhara secretary
general Maj(rtd) Abdul Mannan and Gono Forum presidium
member Pankaj Bhottacharya said this after holding a
closed-door meeting for two hours. They said, "Although
the EC has ended its dialogue with political parties but
it is yet to enact any rule to implement its move to make
the election free form muscle power and black money."
About war criminals, Mannan and Pankaj said the EC should
also formulate rules with a provision for barring the war
criminals from contesting the election and Bikalpa Dhara
and Gono Forum will have no alliance with war criminals.
The two parties did not make clear their stand whether or
not they want the local government election before the
general election. They said although the local government
election is as important as the parliament election, no
election is being held to the local government for long.
"So, we should not foil both the elections by debating
which will be held earlier and which will be held later",
they added.
Bikalpa Dhara and Gono Forum leaders said, "Earlier a
grand alliance of 14 parties was formed on the basis of 23
points including stamping out terrorism, black money and
nomination business from politics but it is matter of
regret that some member parties of the alliance indulged
in these corruptions. Now, we will discuss with other
parties to reach a consensus on common issues of holding a
free and fair election."
Barisal
river transport in bad shape
A Correspondent, Barisal
River transports run by unskilled work force and ignorance
about river traffic rules and plying without structural
and physical fitness may cause accidents any time in any
river routes.
Barisal Noujan Sramik Samobaya Samity and other sources
revealing these facts said 36 out of 40 launches plying on
28 internal routes from Barisal port are running without
any trained driver and 20 without master and most with
part time staffs.
According to sources, motor launches on these routes are
not only plying without physical fitness but also without
trained man power and without sufficient safety equipment
like life buoys, fire extinguishers.
Only twenty launches including ML Sagor King, Lima, have
no masters or drivers at all.
Hamid Master, leader of Sramik association said, according
to the rules and regulations for plying water transports
and route permits, owners have to appoint permanent staff
including driver, master and sukani for every launch for
safety and security of the passengers and transports.
Nevertheless, owners having more than one launch
frequently use documents of the staffs of one launch for
other transports.
Besides there are acute shortages of licensed trained
masters and drivers and owners also have limitations in
deploying them against handsome salaries in dull business
conditions.
BD Navy plans for modernising DEW’s dockyard
BSS, Narayanganj
The Dockyard and Engineering Works Ltd. (DEW) run by
Bangladesh Navy at Sonakanda in the district has
undertaken a comprehensive plan for modernizing the
dockyard.
Official sources said, under the Taka 100-crore scheme
the, the DWE will build ocean-going vessels of
international standard and overhaul old, obsolete and
dilapidated machinery.
The naval engineers and technicians by this time under
took a work plan to repair machinery and equipment worth
of about Taka 25 crore. Nearly 80 percent work on the plan
has already been completed.
The repaired machinery included one jetty crane, one
floating crane, one mobile crane, two over head cranes of
the work shop, six lathe machines, including one
multipurpose universal machine, three shaper machines, one
bending machine, two boilers, one saw mills and slippers
plat and rail carriages along with hard standing floor,
one blacksmith shop, one foundry, one Russian store and 11
workshops.
Established in 1926 on a 22-acre plot on the eastern bank
of the river Shitalakkha, the ocean-going ship building
dockyard went into production in 1950. Many foreign firms
used to have their ocean-going tugs built at the dockyard
through international tender during the pre- liberation
period.
After independence of the country in 1971, it was placed
under the supervision of Bangladesh Steel and Engineering
Corporation (BSEC) of the Ministry of Industries. The
dockyard was laid off on December 21, 2002.
Subsequently, it was handed over to Bangladesh
Privatization Board as a sick industrial unit in 2004. The
Ministry of Industries through the Defence Ministry handed
over the management of the dockyard to Bangladesh Navy on
December 7, 2006 through a gazette notification.
When contacted managing director (MD) of the dockyard
Captain Mahmud Ali told BSS that Bangladesh Navy took over
the management of the establishment with a working capital
of Taka seven crore 19 lakh.
Back Page
Jute mills workers
at loggerheads with management
Rabiul Islam
The Government and workers
of jute mills in Khulna are at loggerheads over the
employment of workers on daily or shift-basis. The
workers, who are not employed on permanent basis, want to
continue their work on shift-basis while the Government
has planned to provide the workers with jobs on
daily-basis.
A meeting over the long standing problems of jute mills
workers in Khulna was held at the office of the LGRD
Ministry with Adviser Anwarul Iqbal in the chair on
Monday. Jute and Textile Ministry Secretary Abdur Rashid
Sarker and Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC)
Chairman Ataharul Islam were present. Emerging from the
meeting, the BJMC Chairman told The Bangladesh Today that
the various demands of jute mills workers in Khulna were
discussed. He informed that the Jute Adviser would hold a
meeting with district administration and representatives
of workers on March 5 in Khulna and try to know the
legality of the workers' demands.
The production capacity in jute mills is drastically
decreasing, the BJMC said, adding it has fallen to 60
percent of capacity in some jute mills. He said the
Government has planned to engage 50 percent workers on
permanent basis and 50 percent workers on daily basis as
the production cost has gone up while the production has
declined. The BJMC Chairman alleged that shift-basis
workers don't work but they draw wages, which cause loss
over the years.
Denying the allegations, Star Jute Mills Workers and
Employees' President Sattar told this correspondent that
there is no such opportunity. Sattar said, "We have
submitted a memorandum to the Jute and Textile Adviser and
Secretary, demanding payment of all dues, return of
shifting duty cards and reinstatement of the workers".
About the appointment of workers on daily basis, he said
the workers will not get some facilities including
holidays.
The BJMC Chairman said the jute mills incur huge loss
every year but there is no cause for such losses. He
mentioned that high wage of the workers is one of the
causes of loss in jute sector. A worker of Peoples Jute
Mills in Khulna told this correspondent over phone that
the unabated corruption of the management of the jute
mills has ruined the jute sector. Experts opined that
delay in disbursing budgetary money for jute purchase, the
Governments' indifference towards public sector mills,
power outage, posting of corrupt people in the management
and no drive for grasping market potentials or creating
demand caused huge loss in jute sector over the past
years.
Railway Sector
Environment-friendly development needed to cut fuel cost
Staff Correspondent
The government should take
immediate steps to develop the environment-friendly and
prospective railway sector to save a large amount of
foreign exchange every year by saving huge consumption of
mineral fuel by the country's transportation industry.
This was stated by speakers at a discussion on "Rail
Communication between the Eastern and Western Railway
Zones: Recent Investment in the country's Railway Sector"
organized by Save the Environment Movement at the National
Press Club in the city on Monday. Urging the government to
give priority to the development of the railway sector,
they said railway plays a vital role in creating
employment opportunities by eliminating poverty,
connecting the whole country through providing a safer and
low cost transportation facilities to the nation.
About the revenue growth in the railway sector, they said
the Bangladesh Railway earned a total of Taka 2,34, 61,358
by transporting passengers by the 'Inter-City Train
Service' during the fiscal year 2007-08. In the last
fiscal, the amount of revenue earnings increased by Taka
45.59 lac compared to the previous period. In 1947,
Bangladesh had 2,800 kilometres of railroad tracks while
the length of the metalled road was only 600 kilometres,
they said the country's metalled road has been extended up
to around 49,500 kilometres. But the extension of the
railway reached only 2,835 km over the last 60 years.
Criticizing the on-going 'Railway Junctions Re-modeling
Projects,' the speakers said,
around Taka 9.53 crore has been allocated in this regard
and at the same time an allocation of Taka 20 crore has
been made to install 'Inter-Locking Signaling System' in
those junctions. Without extending the railroads track and
equipping the state-owned transport system with modern
facilities, country's rail travel cannot be made
comfortable, safer and time-saving. The railway junction
re-modelling projects are being implemented in accordance
with the donor agencies' prescription. But such projects
will not play any role in increasing the number of the
train passengers.
Integrated approach can help fight infectious diseases
Staff Correspondent
Experts at a seminar on Monday stressed the need for
integrated approach and action to protect human and
animals from infectious diseases. They were addressing a
seminar on Infectious Diseases: a vision for future
detection, identification and monitoring, at the British
Council Auditorium yesterday.
The seminar was designed to raise awareness of the
universal action plan on veterinary infectious diseases,
detection and vaccinology in order to familiarise policy
makers, researchers and health experts with the issues.
Joe Brownlie, professor of Veterinary of Pathology and
Infectious Disease Department at the Royal Veterinary
College, London, said, "In the last eighteen years, the
focus of research activities has been the analysis of
persistent viral infections of cattle". He has proposed a
'one medicine' program of research with the Welcome Trust.
He also suggested taking a broader look across plants,
animals and humans, considering international as well as
national issues, looking 10-25 years into the future,
building upon the best work by others in these areas.
Professor Nitish C Debnath, Vice Chancellor of Chittagong
Veterinary and Animal Science University and June
Rollinson, Director of British Council also spoke on the
occasion.
Crime Watch
720 people held, arms, drugs seized
UNB, Jhenidah
Police, in separate drives, seized five firearms, 900
bottles of phensidyl, 211 grams of heroin, 46 litres of
wine and 3kgs of hemp and also arrested 720 people in the
district during the last month.
It was disclosed at a press briefing at the conference
room of the district police super on Friday.
Acting Police Super Muzahedul Islam and ASP Nazrul Islam
were present on the occasion.
Besides, 479 bags of urea, 100 litres of diesel were
recovered. They also seized a truck and two motorbikes
during the drive.
A total of 14 police teams and 18 teams of community
police are working at present to check highway robbery and
criminal activities in the district.
Another report from Chuadanga adds: Elite force RAB
arrested two alleged drug peddlers along with 85 bottles
of phensidyl syrup at Kadirpur village in Damurhuda
upazila early Saturday.
Acting on secret information, a patrol team of RAB
conducted the drive at the village 12:30 am and arrested
Mominul Islam and Ijajul Huq while they were selling
phensidyl.
The RAB men also recovered 85 bottles of phensidyl from
their possession. Later, the arrested were handed over to
local police station.
A case was filed.
One killed, 17 injured in bloody clash
Unb, Netrakona
A man was killed and 17 others were injured in a bloody
clash at Kamarhati village in Purbadhala upazila over land
dispute Friday evening.
The dead was identified as Mujibur Rahman, 65, of the
village.
Police and witnesses said an altercation ensued between
Abdul Mannan and Yousuf Ali over cutting a bamboo from the
disputed boundary line of the their houses.
Later, supporters of both the groups equipped with lethal
weapons and sticks attacked each other, leaving 18 people
from both sides injured.
Mujibur Rahman died on way to Mymensingh Medical College
Hospital.
The other injured were admitted to local clinics.
A case was filed.
Smuggled jute seeds seized
A Correspondent, Madaripur
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in a drive at
Tekerhat Sankerdi market under Rajoir upazila of Madaripur
seized 1350 Kgs of smuggled Indian jute seeds from a shop
named M/S Somayea enterprise.
RAB sources said, acting on a tip-off a team of the elite
force conducted the drive and the estimated value of the
goods is about Tk one lakh and eighty thousand.
A case was filed against one Md Abdul Rashid Bepari (45),
importer and proprietor of Somayea Enterprise in this
connection.
4 thieves held while fleeing with cattle
UNB, Rajshahi
Four thieves were held while fleeing with cattle at
Berabari village in Mohonpur upazila Saturday night.
The arrested were identified as Mansur Ali of Mohonpur
upazila, Khabir Uddin of Bagmara upazila, Alam of Pabna
district and truck driver Matin of Bogra district.
Police said the criminals by a truck loaded with looted
cows were going towards Tanore upazila of the district at
about 9:30 pm when a local UP member intercepted their
vehicle on suspicion.
The UP member later informed police, who rushed in and
caught the criminals along with the truck.
Police said the bandits looted cows from two houses at
Saujpara village in Bagmara upazila. A case was filed.
In another incident, a gang of robbers putting logs on
Amnura road in Tanore upazila looted four mobile sets and
cash Tk 20,000 from four trucks, one microbus and another
local three-wheeler 'Bhatboti' from 11:00 pm to 3:00 am.
Police arrest 4 miscreants in Ctg
BSS, Chittagong
Police here arrested three persons on charges of attacking
the house of one Sudangsha Bimal Dhar of Boilgaon village
of Sadhanpur union under Banshkhali upazila in the
district in the early hours of Sunday.
Sources said the arrestees were identified as Farid Ahmed,
33, son of Mamtaj Miah, Faruk Hossain, 39, and Nurul Kader,
32, of East Boilgaon village of the upazilla.
A team of Banshkhali thana police arrested the miscreants
from their respective houses at about 3.30 am on Sunday
for their involvement in the attack on the house of one
Sudangsha Bimaol Dhar in the area on Friday morning.
Earlier, police arrested Sumi Dhar, a relative of the
victim in connection with the case filed by the Sudangsha
Bimal Dhar.
A group of miscreants equipped with lethal weapons
attacked and vandalized the house of Bimal Dhar in the
early morning of Friday.
Bimal Dhar filed a case with Banshkhali police accusing 31
persons including arrested fours for attacking his house
and ransacked the properties there.
Jahirul Islam, the investigation officer (IO) of the case
told BSS correspondent that previous enmity between Bimal
and his relative centering over land dispute might me the
reason behind the attack.
He said Bimal's relative hired some local goons to carry
out the attack on Bimal's home on Friday morning, sources
said.
Robbers loot bus passengers
UNB, Gopalganj
Bandits looted cash and valuables from the passengers of a
bus at Bhatiapara in Kashiani upazila of the district
Sunday night.
Police said a gang of robbers boarded on the Dhaka-bound
bus from Bagerhat in guise of passengers.
When the bus reached at Bhatiapara, the bandits took
control over the steering and looted cash and other
valuables worth over Tk 1 lakh from the passengers at
about 10:30 pm.
The robbers fled the scene along with the booty when the
bus reached near Gerakhola.
3 physicians, 5 nurses charge sheeted
UNB, Jhenidah
A charge sheet was submitted against three physicians and
two nurses of Sadar Hospital on Sunday in a case filed for
their medical negligence.
After investigation, SI Mozammel Haque of Sadar police
station submitted the charge sheet against residential
medical officer Dr Swapan Kumar Kundu, child specialist Dr
Khalequzzaman and medical officer Dr Rezaul Islam and
nurses - Putul Rani Bepari and Noor Jahan.
According to the case, MM Akash, 10, who was suffering
from fever, was admitted to Sadar Hospital on May 7, 2007
and died after 19 hours.
The deceased's father Rezaul Karim filed a case on May 30,
2007 where he alleged that his son died due to negligence
of duty of the doctors and nurses and wrong treatment by
them. The accused surrendered to the court on July 2, 2007
and were released on bail.
The Health Ministry also suspended the five accused on
February 2, 2008.
2 held for cheating
BSS, Natore
Two cheats and alleged human traffickers were arrested for
taking Tk 14 lakh from seven persons in the name of
sending them abroad.
The cheats were identified as Ibrahim Hossain, of
Singerdah under sadar upaziala and his bother-in-law
Jahangir Hossain of Chandrapur under Gurudaspur upazila in
the district.
Police said Ibrahim in connivance with his brother-in-law
took Tk 14 lakh from seven persons in the name of sending
them abroad with jobs a year ago.
When they put pressure on them to return their money as
they failed to send them abroad within the promised time,
Jahangir Hossain lodged an abduction case against their
creditors on Saturday and accordingly police arrested
three persons out of the.
Editorial
The Spirit of
Freedom
Bangladesh
is barely able to keep its head above the problems which are
virtually drowning it : we have an economy which is unable to
provide for the basic needs of food, shelter and health of the
majority of our people; we have a society which does not
respect universal values of human rights; we have a politics
which has deligitimized itself in the perceptions of our own
people; we have a physical environment which we have so
contaminated and polluted that now we do not have enough of
clean water to drink and even clean air to breath in and
lastly we have forced on ourselves a Government which runs
itself by Emergency decrees and rules and which is reluctant
to 'exit'. Yet inspite of all these we survive collectively as
a Nation-state because we all have within ourselves something
called "the Spirit of Freedom". It is difficult to define, but
it exists and tells us that we are a Nation because we have
willed it so. That "Spirit of Freedom" has helped us through a
millennium of trials and tribulations, through privations and
mass starvation, through foreign conquests and exploitation
and lastly through the mindless carnage of the War of
Liberation through which we acquired our Bangladesh in 1971.
Now of course, we have no one to blame for the malaise that
afflicts our body-politic or the ills that beset our minds and
bodies; no kings, no foreign conquers or exploiters. In an
independent Bangladesh, we have allowed a small group of our
own people to loot away not only the wealth of our Nation but
also our freedoms : freedom to speak and to write, freedom to
form and disband governments but above all freedom to live and
die as human beings. What is more, we have allowed our Spirit
of Freedom to be sapped and that is why we cannot protest
against tyranny and injustice, we cannot protest against
exploitation and against the curbing of our rights as humans
and as citizens of an independent Nation-state; that is why we
enthusiastically welcome an Emergency which shackles our
freedoms and our liberties and that is also why we cannot get
rid of this Emergency inspite of our unhappiness and
dissatisfaction.
For ages, we the people of Bangladesh have been suffering
social, political and economic deprivations of all sorts, the
most telling of which is the deprivation of our liberties and
freedoms. Forced to live in conditions dictated by "others"
and to think in alien, often contradictory moral and ethical
standards, we as individuals and conglomerates have long
forgotton to reason. At times we have even refused to be
rational, for to be rational is to take cognizance of the
harsh realities of our lives; realities the recognition of
which would make the very act of living unbearable for us.
Thus we are sunk in apathy and frustration hoping for a
"charismatic" leader to pull us out of the pit and lead us to
a bright new future, but that is not going to happen, not
unless all of us, together invoke that Spirit of Freedom in
ourselves like we once did in 1971.
Edible Oil Prices
It is very
unfortunate that a section of businessmen are exporting edible
oil to India violating official ban on such export when the
people of the country are hard hit by skyrocketing prices of
this most essential commodity. It is also similarly
unfortunate that the government has failed to stop this
unlawful trade by a section of businessmen who are earning
through this huge profit and siphoning money abroad at the
cost of the people overburdened with economic hardship caused
specially by the soaring prices of essentials.
According to a report published in The Bangladesh Today on
Monday: Export of edible oil to India by a section of traders,
violating government restriction, is the main cause of
abnormal price hike of this essential item in the local
market. In spite of government ban on 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 Taka
48 per liter creating an artificial crisis in the local
market. .... Some edible oil companies are exporting the
essential item specially soyabean oil to India at a low rate
and in this way they are secretly sending money out of the
country through under invoicing.
What a section of businessmen are doing with edible oil is
clearly a criminal offence and liable to be seriously dealt
with by the administration which is very late even in
detecting this crime.Yet, better late than never. The Commerce
Ministry has reportedly requested the Bangladesh Bank and the
National Board of Revenue to take stern action against the
concerned oil mill owners for violating government ban on
exporting edible oil. This is a good step on the part of the
government which should also ensure that prompt action is
taken against the perpetrators for unlawful export of edible
oil causing sufferings to the people and also for siphoning
money abroad through under invoicing.
In this regard, questions have been raised about the
justification of fixing price of edible oil at Taka 106.5 per
liter at a time when the item was selling in the market at a
rate lower than this. This step has served the interest of the
traders and not that of the consumers as edible oil is selling
at Taka 110 per liter even after the fixation of its price at
Taka 106.5. Before the last Eid season, the price of edible
oil was fixed by government at Taka 80 per liter and yet the
price kept on rising. Worse still, such fixation of price by
the government never brings the price level downward and
rather help the traders continue to raise the price.
In view of this sad experience, the government should opt for
more pragmatic measures for checking the price hike of edible
oil and other commodities to redress the sufferings of the
common people. To this end market monitoring should be
intensified and tough action should be taken against those who
are responsible for illegal export and hoarding as well as
raising prices of essentials.
Analysis
Relation between Government
and Press
In the past decade, more than 1000 media professionals have
been killed in the exercise of their profession, most of them
victims of targeted killing.
Ripan Kumar Biswas
The
basis of the government being the opinion of the people, the
very first object should be to keep that right; and were it
left to me to decide whether a country should have a
government without newspapers, or newspapers without a
government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the
latter," said Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the
United States (1801-1809), the principal author of the
Declaration of Independence (17776) and one of the most
influential founding fathers for his promotion of the ideals
of Republicanism in the United States.
On the necessity of a free press, Jefferson was satisfied to
believe that when the relationship works well, both the press
and the government gain, when it doesn't, both have something
to lose. Press is independent and fearless, and not indebted
to anyone except public interest.
Freedom of Press is the guarantee by the government of 'free
public press' for its citizens and their associations,
extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their
published reporting. It also extends to news gathering, and
processes involved in obtaining information for public
distribution. Until now, not all countries are protected by a
bill of rights or the constitutional provision pertaining to
freedom of the press.
Every year, May 3rd is a date which celebrates the fundamental
principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around
the world, to defend the media from attacks on their
independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost
their lives in the exercise of their profession. In 2008,
World Press Freedom Day will focus on the freedom of the press
and the "Access to information and the empowerment of people."
Modern democratic government subsists in representation of
millions by hundreds. For the representatives to be
accountable and for the process of government to be
transparent, effective communication paths must exist to the
constituents. No doubt, these paths consists primarily of the
mass media, to the extent that if press freedom disappeared,
so would most political accountability. In democratic
countries, a special relationship exists between media and
government. Although the freedom of press may be
constitutionally enshrined and have precise legal definition
and enforcement, the exercise of that freedom by individual
journalists is a matter of personal choice and ethics.
According to Timothy Balding, chief executive officer of the
World Association of Newspapers, balancing the sometimes
conflicting interests of security and freedom might indeed be
difficult, but democracies have an absolute responsibility to
use a rigorous set of standards to judge whether curbs on
freedom can be justified by security concerns and should set
them against the rights protected in Article 19 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights which guarantees freedom
to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any
media and regardless of frontiers.
Anti-terrorism and official secrets laws, criminalization of
speech judged to justify terrorism, criminal prosecution of
journalists for disclosing classified information,
surveillance of communications without judicial authorization,
restrictions on access to government data and stricter
security classifications, all these measures can severely
erode the capacity of journalists to investigate and report
accurately and critically, and thus the ability of the press
to inform.
Press freedom and safety is not only an issue in conflict and
post-conflict areas; there is also a worrying tendency of
increased political pressure in many other countries. In the
past decade, more than 1000 media professionals have been
killed in the exercise of their profession, most of them
victims of targeted killing. Only very few cases are
investigated. In even fewer cases the perpetrators are brought
to justice. Indeed, impunity stands in the way of justice in
more than ninety percent of these cases, and as long as this
pervasive culture of impunity persists, journalists will
remain easy targets.
According to the New York based Committee to Protect
Journalists (CPJ), sixty-five journalists were killed in
direct relation to their work in 2007, the highest death toll
in more than a decade. For the fifth straight year, Iraq was
the world's deadliest country for the press. Its 32 victims
accounted for nearly half of the 2007 toll. Somalia was the
second-deadliest country, with seven journalist deaths.
Taking note of the many problems of media and media-persons in
South Asia face in the pursuit of truth and in fulfilling the
demands of the professional tasks, in particular as a result
of legal, social and political constraints on, and a growing
pattern of governments' intolerance of criticism, the freedom
of press and the right to know continue their well-deserved
reputation as one of most unsafe places in the world for
journalists to work. Governments continue the crack down on
democratic rights and press freedom in the name of tackling
situation. And corrupt officials, insurgents, fundamentalists
of all religions and gangsters with their own violent methods
of silencing truth tellers, continue with impunity.
In Bangladesh it becomes a significant symbol of the curb on
the freedom of expression that the state of emergency is
forcing on public views and opinions when the government asked
private television channels to follow a set of guidelines in
airing talk shows while the Chief Adviser of the present
interim government of Bangladesh Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed claimed
to the BBC in an interview that the media is operating freely
in Bangladesh without any government intervention. Print media
has been also advised several times to be cautious about their
editorials, features or columns related to politics and
government.
Media freedom shrinks and grows in Pakistan, as it does in Sri
Lanka and other South Asian nations. The changes can be rapid,
depending on leaders' ambitions, the state of the economy, or
a worsening security situation. But the media's persistence,
resourcefulness, and cohesion have often formed a bulwark
against attacks.
Journalists in countries under duress realize that a free and
open society is something grander than journalism. They also
know that without journalism-even when it is flawed, or
biased, or self-censored-a free society cannot truly exist.
Power-obsessed politicians know that, too, and that is why in
Pakistan and Sri Lanka they have tried to suppress the media.
That these politicians have not fully succeeded should give us
hope. Failed governments have come and gone. Their executives,
legislatures, and judiciaries are easily and regularly
corrupted, but South Asian journalists have persevered to
uphold a higher ideal.
Although a cherished right of the people, freedom of the press
is different from other liberties of the people in that it is
both individual and institutional. It applies not just to a
single person's right to publish ideas, but also to the right
of print and broadcast media to express political views and to
cover and publish news. A free press is, therefore, one of the
foundations of a democratic society, and as Walter Lippmann,
the 20th-century American columnist "A free press is not a
privilege, but an organic necessity in a great society."
Freedom of press is not an event; it's a continuous process
that should be remaining as it is as because it is widely
related with the general people to re-install confidence
whenever they need. Government must not restrict unnecessarily
the freedom of movement of journalists or compromise the right
of news media to gather, produce and disseminate information
in secure and safe conditions.
(Ripan Kumar Biswas is a freelance writer based in New York
March 02, 2007, New York. E-mail:Ripan.Biswas@yahoo.com)
Empty
Rhetoric will not Improve Bangladeshi Police
The AHRC urges the authorities in Bangladesh to establish a
credible mechanism of ensuring accountability and monitoring
of the policing system.
The
Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Bangladesh, Mr. Nur
Mohammad, has stated that an arrangement has been made to
bring accountability within the police force. The new
arrangements are assumed to be applicable to all officers
irrespective of their rank. News reported by the national
dailies in Bangladesh say that this promise to fasten
accountability to the police force was made by the chief of
police on 28 February 2008 in a ceremony declaring Katiadi
Police Station as a 'model police station' in Kishorganj
district. Community leaders, other government officials and
international donors participated in the function.
The Prothom Alo, a Dhaka based Bangla daily, reported that the
police chief said "...common people's impression about the
police is not good. The infamous force should be a famous and
a dutiful one. The police was created in 1861. It is not an
easy job to change such an old force although after 1/11 [on
11 January 2007, a state of emergency was proclaimed]; we have
turned around and are trying to improve. The model police
station project is a step to make the police famous. Besides,
community policing system has been introduced. As a result,
the trend of committing crime has been reduced." The police
chief also mentioned that the conveyance allowance for the
police has been increased 30%. The case investigation
allowance has been increased, allowing an investigating
officer to spend between one to three thousand Takas.
The IGP should be commended for admitting the fact that his
force has a very bad reputation in the society, as well as for
his realization of the need of accountability and screening of
the personnel depending on their performance. For the ordinary
person to have confidence in their police force,
accountability and assessment of performance are the
prerequisites. Improvement on this front has been long overdue
in the country.
The IGP and some of his colleagues have been recently speaking
in public about some of the issues concerning the police
force. According to the reports received by the Asian Human
Rights Commission (AHRC), it is not yet clear just how much
attention the police in general have paid to the speeches of
their senior officers. Reports of robbery, extortion and
torture, the trademarks of Bangladeshi law-enforcement, was
not found reduced anytime in the recent past. The police
continue their practice of committing offences, let alone
upholding or maintaining law and order. Had there been any
improvement on this front it would have given some hope in
reducing crime rate in the country as claimed by the police
chief.
The reports from Bangladesh do not reflect any evidence
proving at least the minimum improvement in the general
attitudes of the police and their approach towards the common
citizen. They continue to wield enormous power by arresting
people without any lawful reason; fabricating charges against
them; using torture as means of extorting money and killing
them in 'crossfire' incidents for failing to pay bribes.
Furthermore, falsely implicating persons in cases under the
Emergency Powers Ordinance, 2007 and the Emergency Powers
Rules, 2007 remain rampant in the country.
The existing situation gives rise to the question as to
whether there is any credible monitoring system. The police
chief talks about a system of accountability being introduced.
The question is whether such a culture exists in the
department or in the country at all? Had there been any
standards or norms concerning accountability, either within
the police department or by means of an independent monitoring
institution, there would have been a minimum improvement
evident in the country. This would have been reflected in the
perception of the people about their law-enforcement agents.
For example, Mr. Nur, who applauded the 'model police station'
projects, must have noticed that not a single complaint has
been dropped in the complaint boxes established in the
so-called model police stations. This indicates that the
people prefer to avoid going to the police stations for fear
of harassment and various forms of repression. Thus far there
has been no credible attempt by the police force to develop a
trust between the force and the people. In fact, the model
police stations are good models, but for wrong reasons. These
stations, like many other police stations in the country, are
models for abuse of power and are torture chambers.
The AHRC urges the authorities in Bangladesh to establish a
credible mechanism of ensuring accountability and monitoring
of the policing system. Empty rhetoric will not solve the deep
rooted, century-old problems affecting the police force in the
country. The police in Bangladesh are in itself the ultimate
thorn for the people. The authorities, without any delay, must
ensure that the reformation of the policing system is
implemented. Only this could transform the police force to
meet the international norms and standards required for
policing. Without such a radical change, there is not going to
be any improvement in the state of affairs in policing in the
country.
(The above is a Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
.The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional
non-governmental organization monitoring and lobbying human
rights issues in Asia. The Hong Kong-based group was founded
in 1984.)
Kosovo
and Palestine: Why Different Standards?
Walid M. Awad
In
July 2000, President Clinton, at the insistence of Israel's
Prime Minister Ehud Barak, invited President Arafat and Barak
to Camp David. In less than two weeks of intensive
negotiations, Clinton expected Arafat and Barak to arrive at a
solution to end the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Incomplete
progress was achieved at Camp David, but an agreement was not.
Follow-up negotiations resumed in the months ahead, and by
January 2001 an agreement was reached, but as far as Clinton
and Barak were concerned, it was too late. Clinton evacuated
the White House, and Barak lost the elections in Israel. Ariel
Sharon, who worked relentlessly to sabotage all peacemaking
efforts between Israel and the PLO after Oslo, assumed office
in Israel and the intifada against the Israeli occupation
intensified. Much blood has been spilled since then, but two
more nonofficial "peace" agreements between Israelis and
Palestinians were worked out - the Geneva agreement between
Yaser Abed Rabbo and Yossi Beilin, and another one between
Sari Nussiebeh, currently head of Al-Quds University, and Ami
Ayalon, a minister in the current Israeli government.
Outlines, frameworks, and parameters, call them what you wish,
for solving the conflict were reached between the sides after
Oslo, but never formally or officially adopted or signed.
In November 2004 when President Arafat died, one very
significant Palestinian era came to a close, and a new one
arrived. Mahmoud Abbas, a veteran Palestinian leader,
peacemaker and a fervent supporter of a negotiated peace
settlement with Israel, was elected as the president of the
Palestinian National Authority. He was also the chairman of
the PLO. For almost two years President Abbas was "no peace
partner" to Israel. But his consistent peace efforts finally
produced some results when the international community,
particularly the United States and Europe, pressed the new
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to reconsider Israel's
position and resume negotiations with the PLO.
No less than nine trips made by US Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice to the Middle East led to last November's
Annapolis conference. In addition to Abbas, Olmert, and
President George W. Bush, representatives of more than 90
countries attended the conference. There were high hopes that
the conference would lead to the resumption of peace talks
between Israel and Palestinians. But hopes have faded and
pessimism has taken its place.
Some, however, do not believe the situation is as bad as it
appears, and put forward different interpretations of what is
going on. They believe something substantial is being cooked
in secrecy behind closed doors. More than twenty meetings
between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators took place over
the last few weeks, five summit meetings between Abbas and
Olmert, and President George W. Bush made a visit to the
region. Is it possible that nothing in this period was
achieved? According to Israeli TV Channel 2 commentators,
progress on different core issues was made, and "Olmert and
Abbas are cooking the chicken and are hiding it in the freezer
because the table is not ready for the meal. Ahmad Qurie and
Mahmoud Abbas on one side, Olmert and Livni on the other side
can't reveal what has been achieved in the negotiations."
Source:
www.arabnews.com
Viewpoints
Selima Ahmad,
President of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce & Industry
There are so many women who are being deprived
of basic human rights as because they are women.
Interviewed by
Enamul Haque
Question:
When did you start the activities of Bangladesh Women Chamber
of Commerce and Industries and why?
Salima Ahmad: We started the activities of Bangladesh
Women Chamber of Commerce and Industries in 2001. I first
participated in a single country trade fair with handicraft
items in USA in 1980 when I was honors student in Business
Management of Dhaka University. At that time garments
industries were just growing. From then I felt interested in
business. In our family, boys and girls are treated equally.
My father wanted that we get economically independent and
individually we earn money. After getting married, I also got
support from my husband. In a word, I have grown up in
supportive family environment.
On the other hand, there are so many women who are being
deprived of basic human rights as because they are women. Most
of the women are to struggle to survive in all sphere of
social life as they are not economically independent. Their
sufferings pushed me to do something for them. I thought if
they can come out of the economic sufferings, they will be
able to live in families and society with due honor and it is
only possible if most women do independent business.
What kinds of problems are women facing in doing business?
Salima Ahmad: Women in our country do business with
small capital that is taken from micro-credit. They get
maximum Tk 30,000. They do not get large capital if needed.
They have no assets to give as collateral. Even there are
complexities in getting loans from bank for women. Banks seek
TIN number, trade licence, etc that most women do not have.
Apart from the problem of capital, they do not have ideas
about modern design, market management to compete at the local
as well as international market. That's why women
entrepreneurship is not growing.
Did commercial banks help you to develop women
entrepreneurship?
Salima Ahmad: We are getting assistance from banks.
Bangladesh Bank has sanctioned 10pc of the loan to women
entrepreneurs. But problem is that many banks in district and
divisional levels do not know the Bangladesh Bank's circular.
Even women entrepreneurs do not know about it.
As a result, only 0.06pc of the loan has been disbursed. BB
has responsibility to inform them by advertising the circular
in the daily newspapers. It has to take steps to disburse the
loans. Banks have to provide the women with special facilities
because, they lag behind.
What assistance are you getting from the government?
Salima Ahmad: Government is providing us with
facilities, but, not sufficient. It has the main
responsibilities to develop women entrepreneurship. In every
developed nations govt. gives support to their entrepreneurs
and arrange trade fairs abroad, bears all the expenses of them
and take the prospective entrepreneurs abroad to show off
their products. In Bangladesh, Export Promotion Bureau only
allocates a stall in single trade fair as it has small budget.
Entrepreneurs have to bear transport, accommodations which are
costly. In most cases, they can not meet the cost. In these
cases, govt should allocate budget in annual development
programme to support export-oriented entrepreneurs. Govt has
taken steps to support the entrepreneurs, but in some cases
there are no initiatives to implement that. In many countries
like Philippines, govt established research centre for
entrepreneurship development and design centre for
diversifying the products. But in Bangladesh we have a
traditional design centre that has to be upgraded by the
government. We have taken many projects in developing
entrepreneurship, but it is not sufficient. Without government
support, it is difficult to flourish the sector though
Bangladesh has a lot of potentiality.
Do you think political parties have important roles for
entrepreneurship development?
Salima Ahmad: Of course, they have important roles but they
have no commitment for women entrepreneurship development.
Ahead of the parliamentary election, we will sit with the
political parties so that they include our demands in their
election manifestos and fulfill those by assuming power.
I know, in developed countries, govt provides loans to
prospective young entrepreneurship without collateral. Should
our govt do so?
Salima Ahmad: For young entrepreneurship development,
government, banks and big business establishments have to come
forward like in development countries. In those countries,
banks and big business establishments seek proposal from young
entrepreneurs. If they like those proposals, they provide them
with loans without collateral. In our country, assets of the
people are reducing significantly as population is growing.
So, prospective entrepreneurs will not have asset to provide
collateral.
The banks of those countries serve the entrepreneurs as
partners and provide all kinds of support. In our country,
banks provide only loans with high interest rates and collect
money according to conditions; they do not carry out other
responsibilities. Big business establishments do not come
forward to help them.
That's why, young entrepreneurs are not growing. For
sustainable economic development prospective young
entrepreneurship has to be developed. In these cases,
Insurance Company has to come forward to support them as well
as banks.
What are your suggestions for the development of women
entrepreneurs?
Salima Ahmad: Bangladesh is a country of huge potentially.
Women of our country can work hard. They have ability to
become economically self-reliant. If they are provided special
facilities from all corners of the society, the whole nation
will get the benefits.
Protecting Tigers
The good news is that given
the chance, tigers can replenish their numbers; the bad news
is that they are not being given that chance in many parts of
their range.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam
Tiger! Tiger! Burning bright
In the forests of the night
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry? [William Blake.]
The Wildlife Conservation Society and the Panthera Foundation
announced plans to establish a 5,000 mile-long "genetic
corridor" from Bhutan to Burma that would allow tiger
populations to roam freely across landscapes. The corridor,
first announced at the United Nations on January 30th, would
span eight countries and represent the largest block of tiger
habitat left on earth.
Genetic corridors, where tigers can travel with less risk of
inbreeding, are crucial for their long-term survival in Asia.
The proposed corridor includes extensive areas of Bhutan,
northeast India, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia, along with
potential connectivity to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. It has
already been endorsed by the new King of Bhutan, his Majesty
Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, who requested other heads of
state to support similar efforts.
While Asia's economic tigers are on the rise, wild tigers in
Asia are in decline. Much like the call-out for global
agreements on banning tiger parts in trade, a similar
cross-border initiative for genetic corridors is key to the
survival of the tiger. Neither tiger range states need to work
together, as tigers do not observe political borders nor do
they require a visa or passport to travel where habitat and
prey remain.
Corridors did not have to be pristine parkland but could in
fact include agricultural areas, ranches, and other multi-use
landscapes -- just as long as tigers could use them to travel
between wilderness areas. The concerned countries may set
aside new parks to make this corridor a success. This is more
about changing regional zoning in tiger range states to allow
tigers to move more freely between areas of good habitat.
Twelve of 13 tiger range states were represented by
ambassadors and delegates at the UN meeting. Other
organizations working to save the tiger came out in force,
including representatives from the National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation's Save the Tiger Fund, Conservation International,
Rare Conservation, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Actress Glenn Close was in attendance and spoke at the event.
Tigers Forever was launched in 2006 as a bold plan to grow
tiger numbers by 50 percent at key sites over a ten year
period. This increase is being achieved through collecting
baseline data and long-term scientific monitoring of tigers,
their prey, and their threats, to ensure that the goals can be
met. Key threats are the direct killing of tigers, poaching of
tiger prey, and habitat loss -- all of which are being
targeted and mitigated.
Researchers at the Wildlife Conservation Society and other
institutions declare that improvements in management of
existing protected areas in South Asia could double the number
of tigers currently existing in the region.
Specifically, the study examined 157 reserves throughout the
Indian subcontinent--comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and
Nepal. It found that 21 of the protected areas meet the
criteria needed for large healthy tiger populations. Further,
the study noted that these protected areas have the potential
to support between 58 percent and 95 percent of the
subcontinent's potential tiger capacity, estimated to be
between 3,500 to 6,500 tigers.
In the absence of reliable data to produce a reliable
estimate, tiger conservationists say that the big cats may
currently number between 1,500 to 4,000 animals in the four
countries combined.
The small improvements to increase tiger populations cited in
the study include better funding, increasing staff support,
restoring tiger habitat, and stepping up enforcement
activities that focus on preventing the poaching of tigers and
their prey.
The tiger is endangered in all of its natural habitats, a
range stretching from India down into Southeast Asia as far as
the island of Sumatra, and in the Russian Far East, and is
listed as endangered according to both international and U.S.
law.
On a broader scale, WCS [Wildlife Conservation Society] is
currently working with the Panthera Foundation on an ambitious
new program that calls for a 50 percent increase in tiger
numbers in key areas over the next decade. This new
initiative, called "Tigers Forever," blends a business model
with hard science, and has already attracted the attention of
venture capitalists who have pledged an initial $10 million to
go to specific projects to support the initiative.
Unlike earlier efforts to set tiger conservation targets that
were mostly based on land cover maps, this study for the first
time incorporated field data on tiger densities derived from
the pioneering camera trapping work of WCS researcher Dr.
Ullas Karanth and colleagues. One study assessed the impact of
the landscape matrix surrounding the reserves using tiger
population models based on measured and expected tiger
densities.
The researchers found that landscapes surrounding protected
areas play a significant role in the ability of those reserves
to support tigers. The 21 areas most capable of supporting
large numbers of tigers are concentrated in a few regions in
central India, and the Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
Eighteen of the protected areas currently contain tiger
populations.
The remaining 129 protected areas do not have the potential to
sustain high numbers of tigers, but nonetheless these reserves
could be capable of containing tigers over the long term if
the landscape surrounding the reserves are better managed to
reduce negative impacts.
A landmark study by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) says tigers living in one of
India's best-run national parks lose nearly a quarter of their
population each year from poaching and natural mortality, yet
their numbers remain stable due to a combination of high
reproductive rates and abundant prey. The study, which appears
in the journal Ecology, underscores the need of maintaining
protected areas with high prey densities in an overall tiger
conservation strategy, along with anti-poaching efforts and
eliminating trade in tiger body parts.
The nine-year study in India's Nagarahole National Park found
that an average of 23 percent of the park's tigers either move
away or die each year from either naturally or from poaching
outside of the park, yet total numbers remained high.
Unfortunately, in other parts of the tiger's range, relentless
poaching of the big cats and their prey has caused numbers to
plummet. Another WCS study that appeared in a recent issue of
the journal Animal Conservation revealed that tiger numbers in
a protected area along the Laos-Vietnam border are severely
depressed from commercial poaching, and prey depletion which
may increase competition between large carnivores.
The good news is that given the chance, tigers can replenish
their numbers; the bad news is that they are not being given
that chance in many parts of their range. Though no truly
accurate global numbers exist, conservationists guess that
5,000 tigers remain in the wild. About 150 years ago, 100,000
tigers may have roamed throughout much of Asia according to
some guesses.
Tiger scene in Bangladesh chapter is also alarming. According
to information available, tigers are being killed here [Sundarbans]
and there [zoo], while very recently two Bengal tigers in
Sundarban mangrove during research by anesthesia and
radio-collaring have also been killed, which is extremely
pathetic. The above unfortunate situation needs a permanent
solution prior to the extinction of these majestic animals
from our country, which only timely action would prevent.
Let us respect their right to live, and save these majestic
animals that are beauties from the present untimely cruel
deaths, for which an urgent protection and conservation scheme
is essential.
(Mohammad Shahidul Islam, a Freelance Contributor, writes on
Tourism Issues.
Email: mohd-s-islam@myway.com)
International
World
urges end to Gaza violence
AFP, Tehran
The White House on Sunday led calls for an
end to violence in Gaza where a massive Israeli assault
has killed scores of Palestinians, provoking international
outrage and accusations of war crimes.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to continue
the ground and air operation aimed at halting rocket fire
that has killed 71 Palestinians since Saturday, raising
fears about the future of Mideast peace talks.
"The violence needs to stop and the talks need to resume,"
US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe
told reporters at President George W. Bush's ranch in
Texas.
The European Union criticised Israel's "disproportionate
use of force," while the UN Security Council, meeting in
an emergency session, urged all sides to "immediately
cease all acts of violence." Palestinian President Mahmud
Abbas suspended all contacts with Israel over the assault,
calling it an "open slaughter of our people," while Iran
compared the operation to the Holocaust of Jews in the
Second World War.
In Brussels, current EU president Slovenia urged Israel to
"exercise maximum restraint and refrain from all
activities that endanger civilians," while also calling
for an "immediate end" to Palestinian rocket attacks and
any other actions that undermine the peace process.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband urged both sides
to "step back from the brink."
He condemned the rocket attacks out of Gaza as "terrorist
acts" but warned Jerusalem that its response must be "in
accordance with international law," which meant limiting
the suffering of civilians and increasing the scope for
negotiations to be restarted. At the United Nations,
Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, the current
Security Council chair, said council members were "deeply
concerned about the loss of civilian life" and condemned
the escalation of violence.
He said it "must not be allowed to deter the political
process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority aimed
at establishing two states-Israel and Palestine-living
side by side in peace and security".
Traditional Palestinian allies were fiercely critical of
Israel's actions.
Jordan said Israel was violating international law, while
the secretary general of the Organisation of the Islamic
Conference (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, described Israel's
actions as a "heinous war crime."
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad repeated his
assertion that "the real Holocaust was in Palestine,"
whilst Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged
Islamic states to make an "outcry" over the deadly Israeli
assault on Gaza, saying that silence was not acceptable.
"The Islamic nations should cause an outcry and heads of
the Islamic states should throw the anger of their nations
into the face of this occupying regime," he said in a
message quoted by state television.
A Saudi Arabian official compared Israel's actions to Nazi
war crimes. "Saudi Arabia ... sees that Israel through its
actions is copying the war crimes of the Nazis," an
unidentified Saudi official told the official SPA news
agency.
Mauritania, one of three Arab League countries to have
diplomatic relations with Israel, expressed "great
concern" over the military operation which it said was a
"collective punishment" that could destroy peace talks.
Artillery duels kill 27 in Sri Lanka: Defence ministry
AFP, Colombo
Artillery
exchanges between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tiger
separatists across the embattled tropical island's north
left at least 25 rebels and two soldiers dead, the defence
ministry said Monday.
Heavy fighting in Vavuniya and Weli Oya left 21 rebels
dead on Sunday, the ministry said in a statement, putting
government casualties at two dead and 10 injured.
In the Mannar district, troops smashed through rebel
bunkers on Sunday killing four guerrillas, the ministry
said, adding that one soldier was injured during the
clashes.
There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which has been fighting for an
independent homeland for minority Tamils since 1972.
However, the pro-rebel Tamilnet.com website reported that
the Sri Lankan military pulled back after suffering heavy
casualties following six hours of artillery fire in Mannar
on Sunday.
The rebels later seized military hardware after troops
withdrew, Tamilnet said quoting LTTE local commanders.
Clashes have left 1,779 rebels dead since the start of
this year, according to defence ministry figures. The
military estimates the Tigers' strength at 5,000
combatants.
Violence has escalated since Sri Lanka in January formally
pulled out of a tattered truce with the Tamil Tigers.
At least 99 soldiers and police have been killed in 2008,
according to official figures.
Both sides report widely different casualty figures, which
cannot be independently verified, since the government
bars journalists and human rights workers from frontline
and rebel-held areas.
War-games will slow efforts to scrap nukes: NKorea
AFP, Seoul
North Korea on Monday
denounced a major joint US-South Korean military exercise
as "nuclear blackmail" which would slow down negotiations
on scrapping its atomic weapons.
US and South Korean authorities have defended the six-day
"Key Resolve" manoeuvres, which began on Sunday and
involve tens of thousands of troops, as a defence-oriented
exercise to test military readiness.
The hardline communist country stepped up its criticism
Monday. The exercise is, "to all intents and purposes,
manoeuvres for a nuclear war to seize the DPRK (North
Korea) by force of arms in light of their scale and
nature," a foreign ministry spokesman said.
The spokesman, quoted by the official Korean Central News
Agency, said the war-games were going ahead even though
the United States had said it wants a peaceful solution to
the nuclear issue.
"This is a clear indication that the US is invariably
sticking to its hostile policy to stifle the DPRK by
force.
"Such nuclear threat and blackmail do not work on the DPRK
but will only put a brake on the process of the
denuclearisation of the peninsula," he said, adding that
the North would take necessary countermeasures and
strengthen all its "deterrent" power.
There are currently about 28,000 US troops based
permanently in the South, backing up South Korea's 680,000
soldiers against any threat from the North's 1.1
million-strong military.
An unspecified number of South Korean soldiers and about
27,000 US troops including 15,000 from the US mainland are
taking part in the exercise.
It also involves the US aircraft carrier Nimitz, two US
Aegis-equipped destroyers, a nuclear-powered submarine and
US armoured combat vehicles.
North Korea routinely denounces such annual drills. But
this year's exercise comes as international efforts to
dismantle the North's nuclear weapons programmes have
reached a stalemate.
On Sunday a North Korean army spokesman denounced the
war-games as "an open and blatant challenge" to the
disarmament negotiations.
North Korea staged its first nuclear test in October 2006
but later returned to six-party talks grouping the two
Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.
Thaksin allies make strong showing in Thai Senate race
AFP, Bangkok
Allies of Thailand's former
premier Thaksin Shinawatra made a strong showing in
weekend polls for the Senate, although one of his chief
critics also took a seat, according to results Monday.
Sunday's election, in which voters were choosing about
half of the Senate's 150 seats, came just three days after
Thaksin's dramatic homecoming following nearly 18 months
in self-imposed exile after the coup that ousted him.
Voters chose 76 senators, one for each of the country's
provinces, but the other 74 seats were appointed by a
commission set up under a military-backed constitution
last year.
Among the elected senators, 18 were former MPs themselves
or the relatives of top politicians. Most once had links
with Thaksin or parties that support him, according to a
review of the results by AFP.
The winner for Bangkok province, however, was a prominent
anti-corruption activist, Rosana Tositragoon, who helped
spearhead protests against Thaksin in 2006.
Rosana has been instrumental in orchestrating legal
challenges to his drive to privatise state enterprises,
and was a senator in the chamber dissolved by the military
after the September 2006 coup. Royalist generals toppled
Thaksin in that military takeover, but his allies swept
back to power in elections late last year.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has sharply criticised the
Senate selection process as undemocratic and vowed to
amend the constitution so that all seats will be elected.
The provision making the Senate only partially elected was
one of the most contentious clauses in the constitution.
Analysts view the appointed seats as a way for the
generals and Thailand's royalist elite to keep their thumb
on the fully elected lower house, which is dominated by
Thaksin's allies.
The Senate must approve all legislation passed by the
lower house. It also plays a watchdog role with the power
to impeach the prime minister and members of cabinet.
The appointed senators were chosen two weeks ago by a
seven-member committee headed by the military-installed
chief of the Constitutional Court.
The appointed senators are heavy on retired soldiers and
police, as well as lawmakers who served in the parliament
chosen by the military after the coup.
UNSC set to adopt Iran sanctions
AFP, United Nations
The UN Security Council is set to vote Monday to
marginally tighten UN sanctions against Iran over its
refusal to freeze sensitive nuclear fuel work.
The 15-member council was scheduled to hold consultations
from 10:30 am (1530 GMT) Monday ahead of the vote to adopt
a third sanctions resolution which was slightly amended by
its Western sponsors late Friday.
The vote, initially planned for Saturday, was delayed
until Monday to give the sponsors more time to try to win
over four reticent council members: Indonesia, Libya,
South Africa and Vietnam, which have questioned the need
for new sanctions.
The four non-aligned countries see the sanctions as
counter-productive, fearing they might push the Islamic
republic to break off cooperation with the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN nuclear watchdog.
Adoption of the text is a foregone conclusion as it has
already been endorsed by the five veto-wielding members of
the council-Britain, China, France, Russia and the United
States-plus Germany.
And co-sponsors Britain and France have enough support
among the 10 non-permanent members to ensure passage,
which requires nine votes and no veto. But they said they
ideally would like unanimous support in order to send a
strong and united signal to Tehran that it must suspend
uranium enrichment and reprocessing within three months or
face additional sanctions not involving the use of force.
The West fears the know-how gained from uranium enrichment
could give Iran the capability to build nuclear weapons.
But the Islamic republic, which adamantly refuses to halt
uranium enrichment, insists its nuclear program is
peaceful and geared only toward production of electricity.
The draft includes an outright ban on travel by officials
involved in Tehran's nuclear and missile programs, and
broadens a list of individuals and entities subject to an
assets freeze.
It calls for inspections of shipments to and from Iran if
there are suspicions of prohibited goods and urges states
to "exercise vigilance" in entering into new commitments
for public-provided financial support for trade with Iran,
including the granting of export credits.
It also urges vigilance in dealing with "all banks
domiciled in Iran, in particular Bank Melli and Bank
Saderat and their branches and subsidiaries base |