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Widespread corruption in land
revenue collection
Government loses around Tk 3418 cr in 3
decades
UNB, Dhaka
Government lost Tk 3417.60 crore in last three decades as
land revenue due to alleged widespread corruption and
irregularities at the 64 ADC (Revenue) offices across the
country.
The startling figure was revealed in a book titled
'Bangladesh Dark Facets of Land Rights & Management with
Directions to Agrarian Reform' written by Prosanta K Roy,
a deputy secretary to the Government.
"If we take the last three decades to estimate the loss of
state revenue due to irregularities and fraud of all ADC
(Rev.) offices of the country it would reach approximately
Tk 3417.60 crore (Tk 113.92 crore per year) in 64 ADC
(Rev.) offices," Roy said.
He added: If all other sources of state revenue collection
like custom duties, income taxes and land registration
fees should be ensured, no doubt the annual development
budget of the country can be done by state revenue
collection.
From the beginning of land administration, in early days,
which was purely a tax collection institution, it became a
corrupt sector for lack of proper management procedure and
accountability of its officials.
Misappropriation of public money through many ways and
means like fraud or false documentation and presentation
was very common and till now it is practiced in land
management sector. A Special Audit Report of the
Comptroller and Auditor General (1999) on land revenue
collection system found that serious misappropriations and
irregularities involved more than Tk 14 crore (Tk 142.8
million) in eight ADC (Rev.) offices and one union land
office in the year 1995-96.
Roy's book shows that all the respondents he talked with
have experienced corruption of different types in land
sector during mutation at union and upazila levels. Some
80 percent of the total 30 respondents opined that land
officials like Tahsilders (TDR) had been engaged in
bribing. All the respondents spoke of non-cooperation by
AC (Land) officials and TDR officials during mutation.
A household survey (2005) in Bangladesh, conducted by
Transparency International, shows that out of the 3000
households, 97 percent had to pay bribes for land
registration, 85 percent had to pay bribes for land
mutation, 85 percent paid bribes for collecting land
related documents, and 83 percent paid bribes for land
survey.
Prof Muzaffer Ahmad in a write up titled 'Bangladesh:
Corruption as People See It' quoted a female participant
of a discussion as saying that it is difficult even to
register a gift deed where no transaction of money takes
place.
The household survey of TI gave some guidelines to combat
corruption in land sector. These include better political
will, setting up a special judicial branch, free flow of
information, appointment of a sector-wise ombudsman,
policy and institutional reforms, social movement against
corruption, freely functioning media, and inclusion of
corruption issue in the school curriculum.
BNP opts June for launching
movement to free Khaleda and restore democracy
Taib Ahmed
The trouble-torn BNP has set
the month of June next for an all out street agitation to
free their detained chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia as well
as to free all political detainees for early restoration
of democracy. According to sources, the announcement for
the movement will come from a discussion meeting to be
held on May 30 to mark the birth anniversary of the
party's founder Ziaur Rahman. Besides, it will raise voice
in favour of releasing Khaleda and Hasina at different
forums which they think will ultimately culminate in a
stronger agitation in June.
The party is tossing up the idea of launching a movement
and has selected the month of June as an opportune time as
the party policy makers think that people from all walks
have already become aggrieved against the government and
their grievances might burst into movement within next two
months, if they get support from the political parties.
Moreover, the government strategy or agenda will be
unraveled within the next two months as the Election
Commission (EC) is supposed to announce a tentative date
for the stalled ninth parliamentary election in June.
Besides, the BNP thinks the government-sponsored dialogue
might come to naught as both Awami League and BNP's main
agenda in the dialogue would be the release of the two
chiefs of the two parties, with which the government might
not comply.
Besides, the mainstream BNP's absence in the dialogue
might put the credibility of the dialogue in question.
Sources said, BNP's Khaleda-led faction will not
participate in the dialogue if Khandoker Delwar Hossain is
not properly addressed. The government is planning to open
dialogue with the political parties next month.
When contacted, BNP's acting Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir
Rizvi Ahmed told The Bangladesh Today, "BNP wants Begum
Zia to be released before holding dialogue with the
government and we will not join the dialogue if Khandoker
Delwar Hossain is not properly addressed." It is to be
noted that BNP had rejected Bangabhaban's invitation
letter as it designated Delwar Hossain as acting BNP
Secretary General.
Meanwhile, Begum Khaleda Zia's decision not to be enlisted
being a detainee has raised the confidence level of the
party rank and file to a new height.
Most of the speakers at BNP's discussion meeting on March
26 urged the party policy makers to announce an agitation
programme aiming at ensuring early release of Begum
Khaleda Zia. Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, youth wing of BNP,
also threatened a mass movement soon. However, BNP's next
course of action hinges on High Court verdict set for
April 10.
LP
Gas price on the rise
Fahmida Rahman Karobi
Prices of (Liquefied Petroleum) LP gas have become double
across the country as there is no government's control on
its market price. According to sources government has
fixed the price of a cylinder of LP gas a Taka 582 but a
cylinder of LP gas is being sold at between Tk 1100 and
1350 to the consumers.
Taking to this correspondent on Friday one Saidur Rahman,
a retired government official expressed grave resentment
over the unabated price hike of LP gas, said he had bought
a cylinder of LP gas about at Taka 500 one year ago. "When
I ask the dealers or shopkeepers why the price of LP gas
is being increased daily, they cannot give me satisfactory
answer. We are very much surprised how the LP gas price
has become double within a year," he said. Following the
increase of LP gas, people living in cities, towns and
villages are also facing difficulties as they are not
getting fire wood for cooking their food. Even they are
not getting LP gas at increased price. The dealers and
shopkeepers are telling the consumers that they are not
being supplied LP gas from their concerned companies as
per demand.
A competent source in Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation
said a section of dishonest dealers are hoarding LP gas in
a bid to make profit and create artificial crisis in the
market. "The government approved distribution companies
Totalgaz, Jamuna, and Bashundhara are supplying 70
thousand metric tons of LP gas to the dealers against the
demand for three lakh metric tons. As a result, taking
this advantage a section of dishonest dealers has
increased the price of LP gas," sources pointed out.
It may be pointed out that a cylinder of LP gas had been
sold at between Tk 500 to 550 a year ago. However, another
sources said the price has been increased by a section of
unscrupulous traders while there is no shortage of gas
cylinders in the market. The dealers and agents charge
Taka 1280 to Taka 1350 for a cylinder of Klean company and
Bashundhara LP Gas Company, Taka 1130 to Tk 1160 of Jamuna
at Taka 1150 to Taka 1180.
"The authorised dealers instead of selling cylinders
directly to buyers are selling through their appointed
agents. These agents are charging prices at will but are
not accountable to any authorities. The dealers take a
share of the enhanced price". As country's many areas are
still out of the pipeline gas supply network, people
living mostly in cities, towns and villages are dependent
on gas cylinders. But the distributors said the price of
LP gas has been increased due to rise in prices of oil and
gas in the international market. On the other hand, the
agents alleged that the dealers charge more prices from
them, taking the advantage of more demand and short
supply.
Prices
of essentials stable over last week
F.M. Masum
Prices of most items remain
unchanged in the city markets but some varieties of Indian
rice have gone up sharply following India's decision to
halt rice export to Bangladesh.
Despite repeated initiatives by the government, unbearable
sufferings of the low and middle income groups still
continue as no positive impact is seen in the prices of
daily commodities and the people are struggling to procure
their essentials by coping with soaring price.
The price of local rice is stable and the businessmen fear
that if the government fails to procure its planned 4 lakh
tons of rice from India by this month, the price of the
staple food would go up further. Due to continuous price
spiral of rice, every day more people are thronging the
BDR shops to buy the rice and other essentials. But the
number of shops should be increased to make the essentials
available to the low and limited income groups, said the
buyers at different DBR shops. Many people were seen
waiting in the long queues and many of them had to wait
for two or three hours to procure their essentials from
these shops and many people expressed their resentment
over the government, saying, " we the low income groups
are struggling to cope with the soaring price of staple
food."
The price of edible oil and lentils also remained
unchanged as yesterday lentils was selling at Tk 95 per kg
and in the retail markets, Soyabean was selling at Tk 103
per litre.
But the price of chicken (broiler) has gone up abnormally
as it was selling at Tk 100 per kg , up by Tk 15 per kg
just in a span of week. When contacted with a chicken
traders by this correspondent to know the reason behind
the sudden abnormal price hike of chicken broiler, he
said, " the supply is not enough against the huge demand
and people have started buying chicken in large number.
Besides, many poultry farmers are yet to begin their
business due to the financial crisis."
The government is considering reducing the duty on edible
oil import and different agencies have been asked to
submit reports after examining the market situation so
that the authorities can make decision to reduce import
duty on edible oil in a bid to curb prices of the item.
On Friday, coarse rice was selling between Tk 34 and Tk 35
per kg, Pari Tk 33 and Tk 34 per kg, fine quality
Najirshail Tk 39 and Tk. 44, miniket at Tk 38 and Tk. 44
per kg and Polao rice at Tk 68 and Tk 80 per kg. Besides,
the consumers fear that as the price monitoring is totally
abandoned, so the prices of other commodities could go up
further if the Government does not take immediate action
against the unscrupulous businessmen responsible for the
price hike. Some consumers said, "The Government should
distribute more VGF cards among the poor families to help
them get at least two meal a day . Besides, it also can
set up more BDR shops across the country to make the
availability of rice at a lower price."
Blaming the government for its failure to solve the crisis
over rice Import from India, Tanvir Alam, a rice
whole-seller in the city's Jatrabari, said, "The price
hike of Indian rice has a great impact on the rice price
in the local market. The recent meeting between the BDR DG
and businessmen has a great impact on the price spiral of
Indian rice as the BDR DG told the businessmen that the
government would not Import rice from India and now it is
trying to import rice from Myanmar. After such a comment ,
a certain quarter of businessmen have increased the price,
spreading a rumor in the markets saying, there is limited
supply of rice in the markets. The government some should
maintain cordial relation with India for our food
security". "But some retailers said that the government
can contain the rice price if it introduce OMS programme
at large scale across the country.
The price of various items of fish is still at their high
as yesterday Ruhi was selling at Tk 180-220 per kg, Hilsha
at Tk 340 per kg. Beef was selling at Tk 180 per kg.
Yesterday, imported onion was selling at Tk 16 per kg,
local onion at Tk 18, imported lentils at Tk 95, four at
Tk 43 per kg. Potato was selling at Tk 12, cucumber at Tk
14, tomato at Tk 16, Korola at tk 20 per kg, bean at Tk 24
per kg.
Prices
of educational materials rise
Lutfor Rahman Bhuiyan
Fresh price hike of all the educational equipments
is badly affecting the education life of millions of poor
students across the country, alleged some students,
educationists and the guardians. Prices of the educational
materials have alarmingly increased by up to Tk 60 percent
in recent times without any valid reason. It is a direct
threat to the education system as the government has
already failed to keep the prices of the educational
materials within the reach of the poor students, they
said.
During a recent visit to the market it was found that the
price of books, notebooks and loose sheets had increased
ranging from 40 to 60 percent. M Hamidul Islam, an MBA
student of Dhaka University who was bargaining with a
shopkeeper about the recent price hike, said that one-ream
loose sheets which he could buy for Tk 190 to Tk 210 is
now being sold at Tk 240 to Tk 250. He said that the
notebook, which cost Tk 10, is now being sold at Tk 15 and
Tk 16, and simultaneously the price of the books has been
increased, he added. Hamidul also said that a vested
quarter is involved in this intentional and destructive
price hike just to make some extra money.
Forhad Reza, a government service holder, said that he is
at a loss to continue the study of his two children
against the backdrop of the unexpected and unusual price
hike of educational materials. Higher tuition fees,
transport charges, monthly fees, price of books,
notebooks, khata, loose sheets and coaching fees are
altogether a serious headache for a guardian. Swarna Pal,
a student of Dhaka Medical College, said that now for a
Photostat copy she has to pay extra Tk 0.5 for per sheet
because of recent price hike of papers. She used to pay
paisa 80 to paisa 85 for each sheet both side photocopy
but now she is to pay paisa 130 to paisa 140 for the same
paper.
Redwan Ahmed, a guardian, said that education had already
gone out of the reach of the poor people and now many
meritorious students are unable to continue their higher
study, as cannot afford the surplus charge for education.
Whenever concerned authorities are asked about the
increased price of educational materials they cannot
provide any satisfactory answer. They only opined that it
is the result of the price hike of other necessary
commodities. Shahadat Bhuiyan, a paper provider to Mina
Publishers, said that the price of raw materials,
electricity and transport charge have gone up and they are
to pay extra salary to the workers, which is the reason
for the increased price.
Eminent educationist Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said
that while the people were suffering from the excessive
price hike of all necessary commodities, the increased
price of educational materials would badly tell upon the
education system of the country. He also opined that the
concerned authorities should strictly monitor these
problems originated by the recent price hike of
educational materials to save the country's education
system from a serious setback.
Back Page
Cost of wheat
cultivation increases
Rabiul Islam
Wheat production cost has
increased by 52 percent this year in comparison to last
year, said sources in the Food and Agriculture Ministries.
Farmers have to spend Tk. 22.34 to produce one kg wheat in
the current year while the expenditure last year was Tk.
14.65. While talking to The Bangladesh Today over phone,
Agriculture Adviser C S Karim said the cost for wheat
production has really increased this year due to the rise
of input costs for wheat production. He mentioned that the
price of TSP, labour cost and cost for irrigation had also
risen this year.
Sources said the food procurement and evaluation Unit in
the Food Ministry has fixed Tk. 26 for purchasing one kg
wheat while the price was Tk. 18 last year. The Government
has targeted to procure 50,000 tons of wheat this year.
According to the Agriculture Extension Department, around
820 kg wheat has been produced in one hectare of land this
year.
Farmers have to use a total of 60 kg seeds at a cost of Tk.
35 per kg to produce wheat in one hectare of land. They
have to spend Tk. 2100 for seed per hectare while it cost
Tk. 1100 last year. Besides, the farmers need 60 kg urea,
50 kg TSP, 20 kg MOP, 45 kg Gipson, 500 kg natural
fertilizer to produce wheat in one hectare of land. For
fertilizer, the farmers have to spend Tk. 4665 while it
was Tk. 2015 and it needs Tk. 1000 for irrigation while it
cost Tk. 600 last year. They have to spend Tk. 4,000 for
the preparation of land but it was Tk. 1760 last year. The
labour cost for production of wheat in one hectare of land
increased form Tk. 2200 to Tk. 4200 this year. Net
production cost including transportation is around Tk.
20,982 while the cost was 11,870 in the financial year
2006-07.
A total of 7,034,000 tons of wheat was produced in the
last year but the government has targeted to produce
8,40,000 tons this year. The government targeted to
produce wheat on 4 lakh hectares of land but actually
produced on 3,74,000 hectares of land. It was targeted to
procure 50,000 tons of wheat last year but only 120 tons
were procured. The government targeted to procure 50,000
tons of wheat this year. On February 2007, the retail
price of wheat was Tk. 19.50 per kg while on February 2008
the retail price of wheat was Tk. 30.93 per kg.
Train
Disruption
Staff Correspondent
A deadly train accident might have occurred on Thursday
night as the handle clips attached on the both up and down
railway tracks between the restricted zone Dhaka
Cantonment and Banani, were stolen.
"If we were not informed immediately, a dreadful accident
could take place. The thieves stole the handle clips at
about 9:00 pm on Thursday night. Following the incident,
train service on Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Mymensingh,
Dhaka-Rajshahi and Dhaka-Sylhet routes remained suspended
for about two hours from 9:37 pm. However, we yet to
arrest any one in this connection," an official of
Bangladesh Railway Police told The Bangladesh Today on
Friday.
Meanwhile, railway communication which collapsed between
Dhaka and Jagannathganj Ghat for 13 hours on Thursday,
resumed on Friday morning.
Train service on Dhaka- Jagannathganj Ghat and Dhaka-Mymensingh
routes remained disrupted for about 13 hours when eight
compartments of a Dhaka-bound intercity train passenger
Teesta Express from Bahadurabad Ghat derailed at a place
named Begunbari area of Mymensingh. As a result all trains
communication on the tracks came to a halt that continued
till yesterday morning causing immense sufferings to
thousands of stranded passengers, including children and
women.
According to railway official train services on the routes
were restored at about 8:00 am as a relief train from
Dhaka and Mymensingh rushed to spot at about 8:00 pm and
salvaged the compartment.
Trail
of War Criminals
Discord among FFs has
delayed the process
Bdnews24, Patuakhali
The trials of "war criminals" have not been possible
partly because of a discord among freedom fighters, said
AK Khandker, convenor of the Sector Commanders' Forum on
Friday.
"The nation now stands united in calls for the trials of
war criminals," Khandker said at freedom fighters' reunion
in Patuakhali.
The former Air Force chief called upon the government to
initiate the trial of war criminals by constituting an
international tribunal.
"The trials didn't take place in the past 37 years because
freedom fighters were not pushing the agenda together. It
helped the war criminals take up important positions in
this independent country," Khandker said.
"The partners of the Pakistani occupation forces killed
Bangalees, persecuted our mothers and sisters and burnt
down houses and institutions. The nation is united today
demanding their trials."
The war crimes were not only against individuals, but
against the state, Khandker said. "The offenders must be
tried in an international tribunal which could be formed
with the help of the United Nations and the onus is on the
government," he said.
Khandker urged all to portray the correct history of the
Liberation War before the youth, the new generation.
Presided over by Habibur Rahman, sub-sector commander of
Patuakhali region during the 1971 war, the reunion was
also addressed by retired lieutenant general
Harun-Ar-Rashid and retired major general Masudur Rahman.
Prizes were given away among the winners of a cultural
programme organised by the Patuakhali wing of Muktijoddha
Sangsad to mark Independence Day.
CA for
development of hilly people
Various projects with emphasis to
education likely
UNB, Bandarban
Chief Adviser
Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed on Friday said various projects would
be taken for the development of unprivileged tribal people
of the CHT region with special emphasis on education.
"The present government is also giving importance to
various income-generating projects for the people of the
region," the CA said at a cultural programme performed by
Murang tribe at Kapurpara area in Bandarban on Friday
morning.
Dr Fakhruddin said there is a bright prospect of tourism
in the panoramic region.
Earlier, the CA visited the people of Murang tribe at
Kapurpara, 50 kms away from Bandarban town, at 9:30am in
the morning.
Murang people welcomed the CA by playing their special
musical instrument and wearing traditional dresses.
The Chief Adviser donated Tk 100,000 to solve the crisis
of pure water of Murang people and distributed various
gift items among the community members.
Dr Fakhruddin arrived here Thursday and spent the night in
army-operated Nilgiri resort.
Army Chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed and top military and civil
officials accompanied the Chief Advisor.
Dutch Film
Controversy
Protest of EU presidency
AFP, Brdo Pri Kranju, Slovenia
The European Union's Slovenian presidency slammed on
Friday an anti-Islam film from a Dutch lawmaker, which it
said served "no other purpose than inflaming hatred."
"The European Union and its member states apply the
principle of the freedom of speech which is part of our
values and traditions," the presidency said in a
statement.
"However, it should be exercised in a spirit of respect
for religious and other beliefs and convictions," it
added. The Netherlands was relieved Friday at mild initial
reactions to a controversial anti-Islam film posted on the
Internet by far-right deputy Geert Wilders amid lingering
fears that reception abroad may not be as calm. On
Thursday the Dutch government was quick to say it
regretted that the film finally aired, despite calls on
Wilders to reconsider.
Supporting The Hague's reaction, the EU presidency said:
"We believe that acts, such as the above mentioned film,
serve no other purpose than inflaming hatred.
BD condemns posting it on the Holy Quran on www
Staff Correspondent
A spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "condemned
in the strongest terms" the posting of a film on the
website by a Dutch right-wing politician critical of the
Holy Quran, said a statement issued to the press on
Friday.
This totally unwarranted and mindless action can have
grave consequences, the spokesman added, because it will
offend millions of Muslims around the world.
No right thinking person can endorse this, the spokesman
further stated, also noting that the Dutch government has
distanced itself from this aberrant act.
"Islam is a faith of peace which preaches patience and
understanding, and the message of the Holy Quran has been
the source of hope and inspiration for humanity through
centuries. The posting of this film on the web does not
alter that abiding truth in any way", the spokesman
observed.
Crime
Prisoner
dies in custody
UNB, Dhaka
Mystery shrouds the death of an under trial prisoner of a
murder case in the custody of Mirpur Model thana here on
Friday.
The deceased was identified as Monirul Islam alias Moshiur
Rahman, 25, son of Nawsher Ali of Bharatpur village in
Monipur upazila of Jessore district.
Police said they found Monir hanging from the ventilator
of a bathroom of Mirpur thana while they were checking
prisoners at about 12:30am.
"Monirul committed suicide by hanging himself from the
ventilator of the bathroom with his Lungi," a police
officer said wishing anonymity. But he could not explain
the reason behind the suicide.
Being tipped, Monipur thana police on Thursday arrested
Monirul from Gabtoli area in capital Dhaka in a murder
case and kept him to local police station.
Monirul was the main accused of Masud Rana murder case.
Masud Rana was killed at Bhabatpur village in Monipur
upazila on March 17.
Meanwhile, a three-member inquiry committee, led by
assistant police commissioner of Mirpur zone Emdadul Haque,
was formed to investigate the incident. The committee was
also asked to submit its report by March 31.
The body was sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue
for autopsy.
Two murdered
UNB, Pirojpur
A man was murdered by a gang of unidentified assailants in
South Bandar area of Mathbaria pourasabha on Wednesday
midnight.
Police quoting local people said the gang waylaid retired
army man Shahin Sardar, also a a small trader, 42, while
he was returning to his residence from his business
establishment out of previous enmity.
They took him to a remote place and stabbed him
indiscriminately. They later strangulated him to death and
fled the scene.
Local people found the body Thursday morning in a field
and on information police recovered the body and sent it
to Pirojpur Sadar hospital morgue for autopsy.
Another report from Thakurgaon adds: An old woman was
murdered by her rivals at Bhangabari village in Haripur
upazila on Tuesday.
Local people said a scuffle took place between Rabiul
Islam, son of Nazrul Islam and his neighbour Sohel, son of
Tasar Ali of the village over taking bath in nearby Kulki
river in the morning.
Later, the guardians of the two youths picked up quarrel
over the matter and at one stage a fierce clash ensued
between them that left Nazrul's mother Rahima Bewa, 60,
seriously injured.
She was rushed to the upazila health complex where she
died in the evening.
BRAC Bank requests to expedite recovery of stolen goods
Press Release
BRAC bank Chairman Fazle Hasan Abed on Thursday met Home
Affairs Adviser Major Gen. M A Matin (Retd) at his
Secretariat and requested to hasten the process of
recovery of stolen goods from the locker holders of
Dhanmondi Branch of the Bank.
He thanked the adviser for the good work done by the
police personnel which led to the recovery of a large
portion of the stolen goods.
The Chairman also emphasized on the recovery and
investigation process should be completed as early as
possible so that the stolen goods of the locker holders
could be returned.
The Adviser assured the Chairman that he will look into
the matter.
Poura chairman held for threatening father
UNB, Natore
Natore Bonpara municipal chairman Sanaullah Noor Babu was
arrested by police on Thursday in a case filed by his
father for threatening him.
Dr Saber Ali, father of Babu, filed the case with the
Chief Judicial Magistrate Court under Speedy Trial Act on
March 25.
Earlier, police arrested Babu on charge of beating his
parents and he was later granted bail by a court.
After getting bail, Babu again started to threaten his
parents, police sources said.
BDR seize smuggled goods
UNB, Benapole
BDR jawans seized smuggled electronic goods and phensidyl
syrup worth about Tk 29 lakh in separate raids in border
areas of the district Thursday.
A BDR team of Agrabhulot camp seized the electronic goods
including loud speaker, antenna and receiver worth about
Tk 28 lakh from Kholshi bazar along the border.
In another drive, BDR members seized 1000 bottles of
phensidyl syrup worth about Tk 1 lakh from Lautara Bazar
here from an abandoned house. The seized goods were
deposited to customs house. A case was filed.
Touchstone statue recovered
UNB, Chandpur
A touchstone made statue of god Narayan worth about Tk 10
lakh was recovered from a pond at Gotepur village in
Kachua upazila Tuesday.
Sources said the day labourers found the 4kg statue while
digging a pond in the village.
On information police recovered the precious statue.
Two held with hemp
A Correspondent, Comilla
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two persons along
with hemp from Comilla rail station in Sadar upazila on
Thursday night
The arrested were identified as Md. Sakib, 27, and Kabir
Miah, 27, of Choripur village in Brahmanbaria district.
RAB source said, on secret information they raided the
rail station area and arrested three persons along with 16
kg of hemp from their possessions
A case was filed.
Housewife commits suicide
A Correspondent, Comilla
A mother of three children allegedly committed suicide by
taking poison at Dotala village in Chandina upazila on
Thursday night.
The victim was identified as Halima Begum, 27, wife of
Abdul Kalaque.
Family members broke into her room and found her body.
Later police on information recovered the body and sent it
to Comilla Medical College hospital morgue for autopsy.
The reason behind the suicide could not be known
immediately.
A UD case was filed with the thana police.n
4 arrested, drug sized
A Correspondent, Faridpur
A special team of Bangladesh drugs control Department, in
a drive of a passenger bus on Dhaka-Khulna highway under
Bagat bazar at Madhukhali upazilla in Faridpur district,
sized 92 bottles phensidyl and arrested four persons with
two women. Arrested were Mrs. Rashida Begum, Mrs. Salina
Begum and Md. Arshad. A case was filed at Madhukhali thana
in Faridpur.
Pipe-gun recovered
BSS, Barguna
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) recovered a
pipe-gun from a house of Bamna upazila headquarters in the
district on Thursday.
RAB sources said acting on a tip-off, a RAB team raided
the house of Bamna UP member Salauddin Ahmed and recovered
the pipe-gun in an abandon condition. None was arrested in
this connection.
BDR seize smuggled gas cylinders, fertiliser
BSS, Satkhira
The members of the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) seized 400
pieces of smuggled AC Gas Cylinders worth about Tk 28 lakh
from a truck in a pre-dawn swoop on Thursday.
Acting on a tip off, the border guards of Satkhira BDR 41
battalion led by Major Kamrul Hasan ambushed at Jamtola
Bazar area under Sarsa upzila of the district and
challenged a truck which fled away ignoring BDR's signal.
At one stage, the boarder security forces chased the truck
at Balamada Bazar area under Kalaroa upazila and found 400
pieces of AC Gas Cylinders brought here from China to
smuggle to India. The seized truck with cylinders have
been deposited with local Customs office.
BSS from Satkhira adds: Members of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR)
seized 200 sacks of adulterated fertiliser from a godown
in Shyamnagar upazila of the district on Thursday.
Editorial
Incidence of Crime Rising
It
is really worrying to find the wave of crime getting stronger
with each passing day. A glance along the headlines of city's
Dailies would convince one about the constantly deteriorating
scenes in matters of the law and order. Newspaper headlines
tend to make one particularly concerned about security to
people's life and property. Is the present Government doing
its job properly happens to be the question of the people at
large.
Some of the headlines in the Dailies say just before the
nation observed the Independence Day on March 26 show that the
people out there in the districts are none too happy about the
shape of things at the moment. In the City itself as many as
20 were arrested with illegal firearms and drugs, while a
trader was shot dead and the muggers had snatched away some 35
lakh takas from his possession. A report from Chapainawabganj
said that illegally imported drugs worth Tk.8 crores were
destroyed there while a woman was strangulated to death at
Khulna. A separate report from Chittagong spoke of arrest of "Aggyan
Party" from Chittagong, while four accused were jailed on
charges of rape and murder at Laxmipur. There was a report of
recovery of a body of a young man at Shibganj upazilla. These
indicate a constantly deteriorating picture of things. And
when one considers the appalling number of road accidents
throughout the country one is bound to get concerned about the
state of affairs.
These make citizens ask the question where are we headed to?
The present administration in the country is apparently busy
with its primary task of ensuring the next general elections
in the country and handing over power to the elected
government. But then it cannot neglect its day-to-day
responsibilities like maintenance of law and order in society.
By the looks of things, there has emerged a whole class of
desperados who are out to make the quick buck without doing
the hard, perspiring work.
There is a need for identifying these sections of people in
the greater interest of the nation. These are apparently
organized groups of criminals who need to be identified and
brought to book without delay. It, will, therefore, be in the
national interests to identify these bands of criminals. The
task will not be very difficult to achieve provided that a
determined beginning can be made and without delay. After all,
the nation is bidding its time for the general elections to
come in December next at the latest.
We cannot be expected to gradually and inevitably pass on to a
period that can be likened to those of mediaeval Europe. We
have come a long way from that phase of history and we are
looking forward to better, shinier days. The days of the
present government are numbered and it would behoove those in
leadership to help increase the income of the people, reduce
prices of day-to-day essentials and make these available in
large quantities. That would, perhaps, initiate a period of
optimism and dissuade the thugs from making life miserable for
the common people.
If the present administration can make it possible before
bowing out of power it will have achieved something really
praiseworthy. In order to do that the government will have to
have a list of criminals at the centre as well as in the
districts. The work of the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC),
which has its hands already full, will have to expand its work
in the districts out there. This is expected to yield the
desired results in matters of fighting crimes related to
economic corruption at a national level.
What is needed most is mass awareness in regard to fighting
crime. Crimes cannot be altogether eliminated but the State,
at least must ensure that criminals are caught and brought to
justice. Law-enforcement must come out from within the
confines of mere Police functioning and extend into the
community and the society at large; only then would it be
possible to limit crimes in a population of 150 million mostly
poor and hungry people. Countless millions may have to wait
indefinitely for such a time to come, but a start must be made
now. The people who are in the lead, however, will have to do
something tangible and within the brief period that they have
in front of them-especially in matters of controlling crime in
society.
Analysis
Explaining Shari’a
Shari’a is best understood as a kind of higher
law, albeit one that includes some specific, worldly commands.
Noah Feldman
Cambridge,
Massachusetts - Last month, Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of
Canterbury, gave a nuanced, scholarly lecture in London about
whether the British legal system should allow non-Christian
courts to decide certain matters of family law. Britain has no
constitutional separation of church and state.
The archbishop noted that “the law of the Church of England is
the law of the land” there; indeed, ecclesiastical courts that
once handled marriage and divorce are still integrated into
the British legal system, deciding matters of church property
and doctrine. His tentative suggestion was that, subject to
the agreement of all parties and the strict requirement of
protecting equal rights for women, it might be a good idea to
consider allowing Islamic and Orthodox Jewish courts to handle
marriage and divorce.
Then all hell broke loose. From politicians across the
spectrum to senior church figures and the ubiquitous British
tabloids came calls for the leader of the world’s second
largest Christian denomination to issue a retraction or even
resign. Williams has spent the last couple of years trying to
hold together the global Anglican Communion in the face of
continuing controversies about ordaining gay priests and
recognizing same-sex marriages. Yet little in that contentious
battle subjected him to the kind of outcry that his reference
to religious courts unleashed. Needless to say, the outrage
was not occasioned by Williams’s mention of Orthodox Jewish
law. For the purposes of public discussion, it was the word
“shari’a” that was radioactive.
In some sense, the outrage about according a degree of
official status to shari’a in a Western country should come as
no surprise. No legal system has ever had worse press. To
many, the word “shari’a” conjures horrors of hands cut off,
adulterers stoned and women oppressed. By contrast, who today
remembers that the much-loved English common law called for
execution as punishment for hundreds of crimes, including
theft of any object worth five shillings or more?
How many know that until the 18th century, the laws of most
European countries authorized torture as an official component
of the criminal-justice system? As for sexism, the common law
long denied married women any property rights or indeed legal
personality apart from their husbands. When the British
applied their law to Muslims in place of shari’a, as they did
in some colonies, the result was to strip married women of the
property that Islamic law had always granted them — hardly
progress toward equality of the sexes.
In fact, for most of its history, Islamic law offered the most
liberal and humane legal principles available anywhere in the
world. Today, when we invoke the harsh punishments prescribed
by shari’a for a handful of offences, we rarely acknowledge
the high standards of proof necessary for their
implementation. Before an adultery conviction can typically be
obtained, for example, the accused must confess four times or
four adult male witnesses of good character must testify that
they directly observed the sex act.
The extremes of our own legal system — like life sentences for
relatively minor drug crimes, in some cases — are routinely
ignored. We neglect to mention the recent vintage of our
tentative improvements in family law. It sometimes seems as if
we need shari’a as Westerners have long needed Islam: as a
canvas on which to project our ideas of the horrible, and as a
foil to make us look good.
In the Muslim world, on the other hand, the reputation of
shari’a has undergone an extraordinary revival in recent
years. A century ago, forward-looking Muslims thought of
shari’a as outdated, in need of reform or maybe abandonment.
Today, 66 percent of Egyptians, 60 percent of Pakistanis and
54 percent of Jordanians say that shari’a should be the only
source of legislation in their countries.
Islamic political parties, like those associated with the
transnational Muslim Brotherhood, make the adoption of shari’a
the most prominent plank in their political platforms. And the
message resonates. Wherever Islamic political activists have
been allowed to run for office in Arabic-speaking countries,
they have tended to win almost as many seats as the
governments have let them contest. The politicized Islamic
movement in its various incarnations — from moderate to
radical — is easily the fastest growing and most vital in the
Muslim world; the return to shari’a is its calling card.
How is it that what so many Westerners see as the most
unappealing and pre-modern aspect of Islam is, to many
Muslims, the vibrant, attractive core of a global movement of
Islamic revival? The explanation surely must go beyond the
oversimplified assumption that Muslims want to use shari’a to
reverse feminism and control women — especially since large
numbers of women support the Islamic political activists in
general and the ideal of shari’a in particular.
One reason for the divergence between Western and Muslim views
of shari’a is that we are not all using the word to mean the
same thing. Although it is commonplace to use the word
“shari’a” and the phrase “Islamic law” interchangeably, this
prosaic English translation does not capture the full set of
associations that the term “shari’a” conjures for the
believer. Shari’a, properly understood, is not just a set of
legal rules. To believing Muslims, it is something deeper and
higher, infused with moral and metaphysical purpose. At its
core, shari’a represents the idea that all human beings — and
all human governments — are subject to justice under the law.
Shari’a is best understood as a kind of higher law, albeit one
that includes some specific, worldly commands. All Muslims
would agree, for example, that it prohibits lending money at
interest — though not investments in which risks and returns
are shared; and the ban on Muslims drinking alcohol is an
example of an unequivocal ritual prohibition, even for liberal
interpreters of the faith.
Some rules associated with shari’a are undoubtedly
old-fashioned and harsh. Men and women are treated unequally,
for example, by making it hard for women to initiate divorce
without forfeiting alimony. The prohibition on sodomy, though
historically often unenforced, makes recognition of same-sex
relationships difficult to contemplate.
But shari’a also prohibits bribery or special favors in court.
It demands equal treatment for rich and poor. It condemns the
vigilante-style honor killings that still occur in some Middle
Eastern countries. And it protects everyone’s property —
including women’s — from being taken from them.
Unlike in Iran, where wearing a headscarf is legally mandated
and enforced by special religious police, the politicized
Islamic view in most other Muslim countries is that the
headscarf is one way of implementing the religious duty to
dress modestly — a desirable social norm, not an enforceable
legal rule. And mandating capital punishment for apostasy is
not on the agenda of most elected Islamic political activists.
For many Muslims today, living in corrupt autocracies, the
call for shari’a is not a call for sexism, obscurantism or
savage punishment, but for an Islamic version of what the West
considers it’s most prized principle of political justice: the
rule of law.
(Noah Feldman is a law professor at Harvard University and an
adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
Source: New York Times Magazine, 16 March 2008)
Who Speaks for German Muslims?
The state must be more open to the
critical Muslim voices that are independent of organizations,
and it must do more to encourage Muslim pluralism.
Loay Mudhoon
Bonn,
Germany - The German Islam Conference has achieved its first
concrete result: Muslim religious education will be introduced
as a subject in German schools from next year. The move was
agreed upon by representatives of the state and its Muslim
population – in spite of what was sometimes a bitter
controversy. A number of Muslim participants wanted to see a
different kind of religious education – the sort of neutral
education about Islam which half the German states already
offer.
The Federal Interior Minister, Wolfgang Schäuble, sees Muslim
religious education as a clear signal to encourage Muslims to
integrate into German society. But he quickly had to scale
down his initiative after it became clear that there were many
open questions and possible risks involved. He had to admit
that the main preconditions for the introduction of Muslim
religious education have not yet been fulfilled.
Before Muslim religious education can be introduced, it will
be necessary for there to be an organization representing all
Muslims in the country. This organization will also have to be
recognized by the state as a Corporation in Public Law. German
churches and the Jewish community already enjoy such a status,
which gives them certain semi-state rights and duties.
The right to such an organization is a central demand of the
four largest, mainly conservative Muslim associations: the
Central Council of Muslims in Germany, the Muslim Council, the
Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB) and the
Association of Islamic Cultural Centers (VIKZ).
These four organizations got together in March 2007 to found
the Coordination Council of Muslims in Germany, and since then
they have taken it upon themselves to define the terms of
negotiation for the process of developing a consensus in
society over the integration of Islam in Germany.
An unintended side-effect of Schäuble’s position has been to
place the core question of the institutionalization of Islam
in Germany into the centre of the public debate. Who has the
power to define what German Islam is? And who speaks for
German Muslims?
It is obvious that, in respect of its interpretation of Islam,
the contents of its teaching material and its educational
objectives, any proposed Muslim religious education can only
take place under the control of the constitutional authority
of the state and can only be carried out by teachers educated
in Germany. Anything else would simply be reckless and
scarcely in conformity with the German constitution.
But it remains questionable whether such a Muslim religious
education would “provide competition for the preachers of
hate”, as Schäuble has said he wants it to. The real causes of
the segregation and radicalization of parts of the Muslim
community are far too multi-layered and complex for them to be
countered with a single initiative.
It is understandable that the state should want a
representative partner for negotiations which will represent
all Muslims, especially when one thinks that the state needs
to be able to make binding agreements with representatives of
any social grouping.
All the same, this wish is scarcely to be realized in the
context of the Islam Conference in its current form – not just
because Islam doesn’t have church-like structures, but also
because the discussions so far have shown clearly that Muslim
representatives are themselves not in agreement as to whether
they should recognize the value system of the German
constitution in its entirety. That applies particularly to the
representatives of the Muslim associations.
Since the setting up of the German Islam Conference 18 months
ago, it has become clear that the front line in this debate
over how Islam should be integrated into Germany does not run
between the secular state and Muslim representatives.
The confrontation over the power to define “German Islam” and
the nature of Muslim life in Germany is in fact between the
mainly conservative officials of the Muslim associations and
the liberal, unorganized Muslims attending the conference who
long ago adopted the German value system as their own and who
see Islam as an important part of their cultural identity.
This criticism of the current structure of the German Islam
Conference, of course, is not intended to hide the fact that
there is and can be no alternative to the difficult process of
dialogue with the various representatives of the Muslims. In
addition, such a dialogue cannot be based on fear of
politicized Islamic terrorism but must be based on the
self-interest of the parties and their simple awareness of its
necessity.
The desire to see Islam institutionalized in Germany by the
creation of a single umbrella organization is one that raises
questions as to whether such an organization, however
politically desirable it might be, would be really
representative. And there is also a danger that it will be
subject to political exploitation. For this reason the state
must not allow the Muslim associations to take over the power
of definition as far as Islam is concerned.
The state must be more open to the critical Muslim voices that
are independent of organizations, and it must do more to
encourage Muslim pluralism. It is only this inner-Muslim
pluralism that provides the urgently needed protection against
political exploitation. Above all, it is in full conformity
with our basic principles – those of a free democracy which is
able to stand up for its values.
(Loay Mudhoon is a freelance writer based in Berlin. Source:
Qantara.de, 18 March 2008.Copyright permission is granted for
publication.)
Comment
Decoding the battle for Basra
The
current fighting between rival Shiite militias in Basra, the
strategically crucial Iraqi port at the head of the Persian
Gulf, is simultaneously of vital importance and exceptionally
confusing to outsiders unfamiliar with the fractured chaos
that Iraq has become. But it still should teach sobering, as
yet unlearned policy lessons to U.S. leaders.
The fighting first of all underscores the myth spread by the
George W. Bush administration and neoconservative commentators
over the past five years that Saddam Hussein, al-Qaida and a
few hundred Sunni Muslim extremists were at the source of all
Iraq's problems. It also demonstrates the hollowness of the
short-term tactical successes achieved by U.S. Gen. David
Petraeus in his "surge" strategy over the past 15 months.
For the fighting in Basra has nothing to do with the
continuing Sunni-Shiite civil war in central Iraq and Baghdad.
The surge strategy could not prevent it from breaking out for
the very good reason that even with that strategy, the United
States has no troops to spare to create any kind of security
at all across all of Shiite-inhabited southern Iraq.
The fighting also nails the old, resilient, imperialist myth
that the British "know" Iraq and the Arab world and can
operate as skilled, successful masters in it. That myth was
certainly not true during the 40 years from 1918 to 1958 when
the British either dominated the region or remained a
significant presence in it, and it is certainly not true
today. The remaining British troops at Basra remain holed up
in their last stronghold at the city's international airport
from which they can be rapidly airlifted out.
Finally, the fighting shoots down yet another myth, that
Petraeus, his "surge" strategy and a supposedly "tough" and
"courageous" U.S. policy to remain in Iraq has brought, or is
visibly bringing, peace to that long-suffering country.
The drive by leading Iraqi Shiite militias, especially the
Badr Brigades and their allies in the Baghdad government of
Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is clearly a power-play by the
main alliance of Shiite forces, increasingly backed by Iran,
to secure control of Basra. They want to squeeze out the
volatile, popular, but politically inept Moqtada al-Sadr.
Sadr and his Mehdi Army appear far more popular among ordinary
people in the Basra region than the array of forces opposing
him from the Badr Brigades, al-Dawa and the Islamic Supreme
Council of Iraq. But Sadr has been even more of a problem to
the dominant Shiite constellation of interests than it has
been to the United States.
U.S. policymakers appear to be welcoming the current move to
force Sadr out of his Basra stronghold. But they should not
cheer too soon. The anti-American Sadr is viewed with caution
and considerable distrust by Iran too. And as Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's recent successful visit to
Baghdad showed, Tehran has built warm ties to the Maliki
government, as well the leading Shiite militias, especially
the Badr Brigades.
Far from securing Basra from Iran's allies, as Sadr is widely
assumed to be, U.S. policymakers may soon find that the port,
and their vital land supply routes to Baghdad, may soon be
secured for Iraqi Shiite militia allies of Tehran instead.
Source: www.middleeasttimes.com
Viewpoints
Democratic Games
To his credit, the PM's first official act
after being elected was to release the judges who remained
incarcerated without reason along with their families.
Ikram Sehgal
Easily
the most popular pastime in Pakistan till recently was the
guessing game who would be PM, the swearing-in of PPP's Yusuf
Raza Gilani made that into a fait accompli. Unless something
quite extraordinary happens, and there is always that
possibility in Pakistan, the electoral process will stand
completed well before mid-April 2008. The delay in calling the
various Assemblies and forming Provincial govts is grist for
conspiracy theorists, of that particular ilk many abound in
the country. To his credit, the PM's first official act after
being elected was to release the judges who remained
incarcerated without reason along with their families, a major
blot on our sordid history. On their release the heavens did
not fall!
MQM's joining of the grand coalition "unconditionally" is a
stunning coup for Asif Zardari, probably always part of his
gameplan. Without co-opting the MQM's urban majority, a
successful PPP govt of Sindh is possible but difficult.
Keeping the political representatives representing the
majority in the economic gateway of Pakistan out in the cold
would have been counter-productive, if not outright stupid.
MQM's entry into the grand coalition despite Mian Nawaz
Sharif's strong reservations is significant. Co-existence with
the MQM would be a compromise; do politicians let self-respect
stand in the way of political convenience? Mian Nawaz Sharif
should be careful not to be accused of racism, have we not
learnt any lessons about ethnicity since1971? PML (N)
presently is a regional party confined to the Punjab; Mian
Sahib needs Asif Zardari more than Asif Zardari needs him.
Mian Sahib should avoid confrontation putting him in
opposition in his own Punjab stronghold, can his party afford
five more years in the cold?
Outstanding leadership, particularly during crisis conditions,
requires good advice from a competent inner circle, with
media-savvy political whizkids like Hussain Haqqani around,
Zardari could not be better served. Mian Sahib also has
excellent advisors, of course Ch Nisar Ali Khan should
reconsider why he got Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan superseded in 1998,
and the repercussions thereof for nearly a decade. After the
death of his PSO, Lt Gen Ghulam Ahmad (GA) in 2002, Musharraf
unfortunately gave greater weightage to loyalty over
competency, and has suffered since by getting lousy advice.
In persevering with the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO),
the blackest of black laws, the President kept his part of the
bargain and withdrew all corruption cases, mostly affecting
Asif Zardari. This spells reciprocation and Asif Zardari is
not the sort to renege on any deal. With political pragmatism
in mind rather than engaging in confrontation, is it
politically possible for Zardari to deliver? One can
understand Mian Nawaz Sharif's enthusiasm in getting rid of
the President, his enthusiasm in restoring the superior
judiciary wholesale is less understandable given that the
Charter of Democracy of early March 2007 requires all judges
who took PCO to be removed, that was very Ch Iftikhar-specific.
Many of the judges who did not take oath under PCO-2 (Nov 3,
2007) did take oath under PCO-1 (March 30, Jan 30, 2000).
I last met President Pervez Musharraf on Friday 25 Jan 08,
when he very kindly graced my traditional "Pakistan Breakfast"
at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2008 at Davos,
Switzerland. Among the 325 guests present at eight in the
morning in an event (the fifth consecutive since 2004) meant
to project Pakistan were many of the world's elite in govt,
business, media, academia, NGOs, etc, dignitaries included
Rupert Murdoch, George Soros, Martin Sorrell. In my
introductory remarks I requested the President to join me in
playing golf and going fishing in the near future, while
smiling away that broad hint he fielded very sensitive and
tough questions quite coolly. While perceptions about the
internal situation in Pakistan were solidly negative, the body
language of the very knowledgeable audience of world leaders
gave him favorable vibes. Notwithstanding Musharraf's present
predicament, due recognition must be given in ably presenting
Pakistan's point of view whenever and wherever possible.
An oil "grant" from Saudi Arabia notwithstanding, the
Coalition will still be put to great strain during the summer,
the initial internal challenges being economic, bread, water,
electricity, etc, force-multiplied externally by the world
recession into protests in the streets. Suicide-bombings will
only add to the political turmoil. Co-existence and
cooperation rather then confrontation must be the order of the
day.
Frankly I, for one, did not believe that he would hold free
and fair elections on Feb 18 and/or see a peaceful transition
to whoever won the elections. This was hardly possible in the
presence of the army-officered intelligence agencies and the
known preparations to rig and manipulate the electoral
process. I was wrong! While the separation of army officers
from governance and politics was why transparent and clean
elections took place, it was on specific and unambiguous
orders from Kayani. However it is Pervez Musharraf's legacy
that will record the most free and fair elections in
Pakistan's history (counting 1970) and a smooth transition of
executive power to his diehard opponents, some of whom are
baying for his blood. Peaceful co-existence with such a lot is
hardly possible! Top US officials John Negroponte and Richard
Boucher are on an urgent visit to Islamabad to get a first
hand look at the political transition and talk to the new kids
on the block. Their major concern must be Pakistan's future
stance on the "war against terrorism". It is in our interest
to continue fighting the war relentlessly but we must do it
our way, hopefully with US cooperation.
Whether Musharraf has secured his Presidency because of the
NRO, the blackest of black laws, is still a matter of doubt.
He must dispassionately evaluate his future. Can he curb his
penchant for interfering in governance in the new democratic
era? Can a leopard change his spots? When clause 58 (2b) goes,
it will clip Musharraf's wings! As for staying in the Army
House, by rules he can for six months into retirement i.e.
mid-May 2008. The present army hierarchy will probably not be
as petty when Musharraf refused a mere two-months extension in
the CGS House (which the new CGS Aziz was not even going to
occupy) to his senior course-mate Lt Gen Ali Kuli Khan when
Ali's new house was only a couple of months away from
completion.
One would strongly recommend Pervez Musharraf go out on a
high, I say this as a friend. Taking great liberty in
paraphrasing Marc Antony in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, "the
evil that men do is oft forgotten with their exile, only the
good remains after them". Over time the people of Pakistan
will remember his successes and forget his excesses, the
people of Pakistan are very good at this! Pervez Musharraf
should do so on his own terms while he still has plenty of
residual goodwill left. While it is not easy to let go of the
trappings of power, self-respect requires this rather than be
humiliated further. He must not allow his family, on
outstanding behavior throughout his incumbency, to be
subjected to this. Pervez Musharraf owes this to his legacy,
to the uniform he has worn with pride, and to the nation.
(Ikram Sehgal is an internationally renowned columnist and the
Editor of the Pakistan Defense Journal)
Tourism and socio-economic mobility
A rapid expansion of international
tourism has led to significant employment creation. For
example, the hotel accommodation sector alone provided around
millions of jobs worldwide last year.
Mohammad Shahidul Islam
A
community, with a sense of feasting and merry-making, long
ago, created interest for people to gather to spend time and
buy their products. Townsfolk realized that visitors from afar
would need places to relax. Someone knew enough to organize
events to represent culture and heritage. That person was a
creative thinker. He knew that merry-makers would pay to watch
the sun rising as well as setting.
Visitors created opportunities for the host communities.
Entrepreneurs entered the scene to ensure sustainable
festivals and the market place was the result. The community
got a commercial centre. Lodgings became inns and eateries.
The sun could be trusted to rise and sink without fail. This
was the place where tourism was born.
It was the simple model of tourism development. But it has
gone a long way since. It became big business. Tourism
developers know marketing. Their marketing activities include
recruitment as well as the creation of products that entice
the tourists to linger their visits and seek leisure
activities that cost them their money. But people love to
spend for all practical purposes; tourism development and
tourism promotion is the same thing. Promotion is an element
of marketing.
Economic developers are good at marketing also. In areas of
the world where the Industrial Age has ended, there is only a
semantic distinction between tourism developers and economic
developers, in terms of how they function to create prospects.
In fact, industrial developers in North America only began to
change their identity to "economic developers" about three
decades ago. Most people worldwide still think of economic
development in terms of industrial development.
Economic developers, who switched towards industrial
development often, refer to themselves as community developers
when they are engaged in activities related to building local
infrastructure. Economic developers often refer to themselves
as product developers when they are oriented toward tourism
development and engage themselves in readying their
communities. Splitting economic development activities into
"industrial" or "tourism" is of little importance until it
causes confusion for those who own opportunities and have
decisions to make that affect locations or expansions and
start-ups. The smaller is the community, the more important it
is for the local economic developer to be capable of
addressing the needs of all types of prospects.
Entrepreneurs are more likely to be involved in
tourism-related product development than corporate executives,
responsible for relocating or expanding operations.
Entrepreneurs are also more likely to be unfamiliar with the
nuances of the economic development process as it relates to
finding resources and assistance. Entrepreneurs, investors and
property or project developers are needed for a "whole"
tourism-related prospect.
Tourism expenditures as well as the export and import of
related goods and services generate income to the host
economy. It can stimulate the investment necessary to finance
growth in other economic sectors. Some countries seek to
accelerate this growth by requiring visitors to bring in a
certain amount of foreign currency for each day of their stay
and do not allow them to take it back at the end of the trip.
Government revenues from the tourism sector can be categorized
as direct and indirect contributions. Direct contributions are
generated by taxes on incomes from tourism employment and
tourism businesses, and by direct levies on tourists such as
departure taxes. Indirect contributions come from taxes and
duties levied on goods and services supplied to tourists.
A rapid expansion of international tourism has led to
significant employment creation. For example, the hotel
accommodation sector alone provided around millions of jobs
worldwide last year.
Tourism can generate jobs directly through hotels,
restaurants, nightclubs, taxis, and souvenir sales, and
indirectly through the supply of goods and services needed by
tourism- related businesses. According to the WTO, tourism
supports some 7.0 per cent of the world's workers.
Tourism encourages the local government bodies and autonomous
organizations to improve infrastructure like water and sewage
systems, roads, power supply, telephone and public transport
network, all of which, in turn, contribute to local economic
activities, and better living conditions for the populations.
Tourism revenues are often used to measure the economic value
of protected areas
Other local revenues cannot be easily quantified, as not all
tourist expenditures are registered. Tourism also creates
informal employment for street vendors, informal guides,
rickshaw pullers and others. The positive side of informal or
unaccounted for, is that the money is returned to the local
economy with a multiplier effect, as it is spent again and
again.
The government's plan for changing Bangladesh Parjatan
Corporation (BPC) into National Tourism Authority (NTA) could
revolutionize the total tourism scenario in the country. The
NTA would be given administrative power to monitor hospitality
and tourism business as well as promotion and exploration of
tourism in Bangladesh. Revenue earning would help boost
socio-economic mobility and generate employment opportunities
even in remote areas. Tourism in Bangladesh can now be
expected to get a real professional touch to facilitate real
tourism development. Tourism will grow rapidly.
(Shahidul Islam is a tourism professional. Email:
mohd-s-islam@myway.com)
The Iraq War Continues With Lie
After Lie After Lie
Comment
It has been a war
of lies from the start. All governments lie in wartime but
American and British propaganda in Iraq over the past five
years has been more untruthful than in any conflict since
World War I.
The war began with just such a mistake. Five years ago, on the
evening of March 19, 2003, President George Bush appeared on
American television to say that military action had started
against Iraq. This was a veiled reference to an attempt to
kill Saddam Hussein by dropping four 2,000lb bombs and firing
40 Cruise missiles at a place called Al-Dura farm in south
Baghdad, where the Iraqi leader was supposedly hiding in a
bunker. There was no bunker. The only casualties were one
civilian killed and 14 wounded, including nine women and a
child. On April 7, the US Air Force dropped four more massive
bombs on a house where Saddam was said to have been sighted in
Baghdad. "I think we did get Saddam Hussein," said Vice
President, Dick Cheney. "He was seen being dug out of the
rubble and wasn't able to breathe." Saddam was unharmed,
probably because he had never been there, but 18 Iraqi
civilians were dead.
Cheney was back in Baghdad this week, five years later almost
to the day, to announce that there has been "phenomenal"
improvements in Iraqi security. Within hours, a woman suicide
bomber blew herself up in the Shiite holy city of Kerbala,
killing at least 40 and wounding 50 people. Often it is
difficult to know where the self-deception ends and the
deliberate mendacity begins. The event which has done most to
shape the present Iraqi political landscape was the savage
civil war between Sunnis and Shiites in Baghdad and central
Iraq in 2006-07 when 3,000 civilians a month were being
butchered and which was won by the Shiites.
The White House and Downing Street blithely denied a civil war
was happening - and forced Iraq politicians who said so to
recant - to pretend the crisis was less serious than it was.
More often, the lies have been small, designed to make a
propaganda point for a day even if they are exposed as untrue
a few weeks later. On Feb. 1 this year, two suicide bombers,
said to be female, blew themselves up in two pet markets in
predominantly Shiite areas of Baghdad, Al-Ghazil and Al-Jadida,
and killed 99 people. Iraqi government officials immediately
said the bombers had the chromosonal disorder Down's syndrome,
which they could tell this from looking at the severed heads
of the bombers. Sadly, horrific bombings in Iraq are so common
that they no longer generate much media interest abroad. It
was the Down's syndrome angle which made the story front-page
news. It showed Al-Qaeda in Iraq was even more inhumanly evil
than one had supposed (if that were possible) and it meant, so
Iraqi officials said, that Al-Qaeda was running out of
volunteers.
Source:
www.arabnews.com
International
US won't meddle in
Pakistan to help Musharraf: Envoy
AFP, Karachi
A senior U.S. envoy promised Washington would not
interfere in Pakistan's politics to save longtime ally
President Pervez Musharraf, but he was cautious on the new
government's hopes to talk peace with pro-Taliban forces.
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State John Negroponte offered
little defense for Musharraf, the former army general
whose help in combatting Islamic extremists was deemed
crucial by Washington after the Sept. 11 attack on the
United States. Any debate "with regard to the issue of his
status is something that will have to be addressed by the
internal Pakistani political process," Negroponte said
Thursday, alluding to calls for Musharraf to resign and an
impeachment threat from an incoming government bent on
slashing presidential powers.
"We will certainly respect whatever is decided in that
regard," the diplomat told reporters in Karachi, the
southern city that is Pakistan's business center.
It was a clear indication Washington has shifted from its
singular reliance on Musharraf in relations with this
nuclear-armed Islamic nation, where voters repudiated the
president's allies and handed his opponents a resounding
victory in parliamentary elections last month.
Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard
Boucher met this week with Musharraf's foes, who are
setting up a governing coalition after winning the most
seats in the Feb. 18 voting. Partners in the new
government have suggested dialogue with pro-Taliban groups
that are blamed for the country's escalating violence - an
approach that has drawn criticism from Washington, which
has provided about US$10 billion in aid to Pakistan since
2001.
Negroponte said he did not see how it would be possible to
hold discussions with some "irreconcilable elements who
want to destroy our way of life."
"I don't see how you can talk to these kinds of people,"
he said.
But he added that he thought some religious hard-liners
could be persuaded to take part in the democratic process.
While Pakistan is unlikely to entertain the possibility of
talks with foreign militants linked to al-Qaida, the
government could be willing to negotiate with pro-Taliban
fighters mounting attacks on Pakistani security forces and
suspected of attacks in Afghanistan. The incoming regional
administration in the North West Frontier Province has
signaled a willingness to negotiate with Mullah Fazlullah,
leader of a militant uprising last year in the Swat
Valley.
A senior lawmaker in former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's
party, which holds the second largest number of seats in
parliament, sought to assure the Americans the incoming
government's counterterrorism policy will "not only prove
feasible for Pakistan but also for them."
"Let us make it clear that we are going to hold talks only
with reconcilable elements, and we believe that the
irreconcilable elements, if any, will consequently be
phased out," lawmaker Sadiq ul-Farooq said.
Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaida suspects are believed
to be hiding in the border region, which has seen a spike
in U.S. airstrikes in recent months.
Malaysia's PM faces leadership election after poll losses
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia's
ruling party Thursday decided to hold a leadership
election in December, with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi vowing to fight to stay on as party chief.
Abdullah has been battling for his political life since
disastrous results in March 8 general elections by the
United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), which leads
the Barisan Nasional coalition.
"We will have elections to select the party leadership,"
Abdullah, who is UMNO president, said after chairing a
meeting of the party's top decision-making body.
"The date that has been set is from the 16th to 20th
December," he said, adding that "if they (possible
candidates vying for his post) have the support and are
ready to challenge me... why not? Go ahead, I am not going
to run away." The elections will also cover other posts
within the party.
UMNO information chief Muhammad Muhammad Taib said earlier
this week that party leaders had urged Abdullah to
postpone the meeting until as late as June 2009.
But chief minister in Negri Sembilan state, Mohamad Hassan,
said the party must act fast to reform after the polls,
which saw the coalition lose its two-thirds parliamentary
majority for the first time since 1969.
"I think we should face the problem head-on instead of
running away from it," he said, according to the New
Straits Times Thursday.
"There is no use postponing because, even if we postpone
it for five or six years, the problem will still be there
and it might even escalate further," said Mohamad, who is
also a UMNO supreme council member.
UMNO maverick Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a former finance
minister and a member of Malaysia's royalty, has said he
would challenge Abdullah if he received enough support.
After the March 8 polls he called on the entire leadership
to step down, saying the coalition had been "defeated and
shamed on a scale without precedent in our history."
Former premier |