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Leading News
PM
unhappy with slow pace of development works
Civil Service Act to be formulated soon, she says
UNB, Dhaka
Unhappy with a slow pace in public works, Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina Wednesday directed government officials to
implement development projects as fast as possible with
the spirit of patriotism and love for the common people.
She said development projects are not being implemented in
keeping with the nation's and government's aspirations.
"Development is not taking place at such pace as we want.
The pace of development is slow to a large extent. But
why?" The Prime Minister questioned at a function of
development cadres.
Indicating a shift in the national development strategy,
she said the present government wants to go back to
Five-Year Plan from the present PRSP (poverty-reduction
strategy paper), known as a donor-prescribed development
paradigm.
The Prime Minister came up with the observations and
future development-planning methodology at the opening
function of the silver-jubilee celebrations of the
National Academy for Planning and Development (NAPD) at
the city's Osmani auditorium.
With Planning Minister Air Vice-Marshal (Retd) AK
Khandaker in the chair, the function was also addressed by
Adviser to the Prime Minister HT Imam, Planning Ministry
Secretary Md. Habib Ullah Majumder and NAPD
Director-General Dr MA Kamal. The Prime Minister was given
a crest by the organizers.
Hasina in her inaugural speech also informed her audience
that the government is going to formulate Civil Service
Act with a focus on training for government officials for
their skill building in keeping with the present-day
national development priorities and needs.
She regretted that the government is holding regular ECNEC
meeting and finalizing various development projects but
the projects are not being implemented in line with the
expectations.
"It seems that there are weaknesses in formulating and
implementing development projects. Such things cannot
continue anymore," she clearly stated.
Official figures show 35 percent of the Tk 30,500 original
Annual Development Programme (ADP) for the current 2009-10
fiscal year could be implemented in seven months to
January.
Hasina said all government officials must work with a
sense and feeling of responsibility and accountability
towards the people.
She further deplored that some of the government officials
lack pro-people mentality though there are many others who
give their best in the efforts for bringing prosperity in
people's life through implementing the government schemes.
"It cannot be that we only go on enjoying fruits of the
hard labor of the masses like farmers and laborers-we have
many things to give back to those who through their
round-the-clock work have kept our economy vibrant and
strong," she said.
Hasina disclosed that she came to know that directors of
many development projects do not even go to field level to
monitor the progress on projects and programmes.
She urged the authorities concerned to be more attentive
and caring in formulating and implementing projects and
programmes, keeping in mind greater public interest.
Grand
alliance govt has faced grand failure: Khaleda
Country passing through difficult time, she says
TBT Report
Leader of the opposition and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda
Zia has said that the grand alliance government has faced
grand failure and as a result the country is passing
through a difficult time. "The government could not
fulfill even a single electoral pledges it had made to the
people" she said.
Begum Zia made the remarks while addressing the newly
elected pro-BNP office bearers of Dhaka Zila Bar
Association who met her at her Gulshan office on Wednesday
evening under the leadership of Sanaullah Mia.
The opposition leader blasted the government for its utter
failures to resolve the burning problems of the people and
said they have increased the power tariff again at a time
when the citizens are suffering bitterly from power, water
and gas crises besides rising cost of living due to
unchecked price spiral. She said, the government is
responsible for price hike and deterioration of law and
order situation. She further said that there are thieves
among the government party MPs and leaders and that the
country will face disaster if the stealing continue
unchecked. This government is a party government and
autocratic in nature, so it is working for the party and
not for the people.
"It is the prime duty of the government to ensure local
and foreign investment and generate employment. But
instead of doing that the government is engaged as
politicization, terminating employees and making officials
OSD. Over 400 people including army and police officers
have been made OSD. The government is leading the country
on the road to BAKSAL system", she added.
She also alleged that the government is politicising the
judiciary and there is no rule of law in the country.
"We have no other option but to go for movement with a
view to establishing true democracy and rule of law" she
said and expressed the hope that the people will be with
BNP in its struggle for their causes.
UNB adds: Opposition leader Khaleda Zia accused the
government of politicizing the judiciary where the judges
feel disappointed in administering justice, resulting in
what she said lawlessness.
"There is nothing called the rule of law in the country.
The behavior of the Attorney-General is unfortunate. The
judges feel frustrated," she said
Khaleda alleged that the government has been installed in
power by external forces to serve their interests. "The
only way to salvage the country from this repressive
regime is launch a united movement," she told the
lawyer-leaders.
79,245
vehicles plying without proper fitness certificates:
Minister
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Around 79,245 vehicles are now plying in the capital
without updating their fitness certificates, said
Communication Minister Syed Abul Hossain in the Jatiya
Sangsad Wednesday.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Enamul
Haque (Rajshahi-4), he said the government is now
contemplating special BRTC bus service in the city for
students to reduce traffic congestion during the school
hours.
Replying to another question from treasury bench lawmaker
Nasimul Alam Chowdhury (Comilla-8), the minister said 60
BRTC buses are now plying on 45 routes in the city.
Adequate buses will be supplied to the educational
institutions according to their demand when new buses will
be added to the BRTC fleet, he said.
Syed Abul Hossain said BTRC is now operating 415 buses and
139 trucks with profit. But, interest on public loans and
depreciation have jointly made the BRTC a non-viable
organization, he said.
The minister also said that the government has come up
with a Taka eight crore credit facilities for BRTC to
repair and maintenance of 125 shabby buses. BRTC will be a
profitable organization when the buses will be operative,
he told the House.
He said the authorities of the BTRC have taken initiative
to procure 100 CNG buses from China and 300 buses from
South Korea.
JS witnesses pandemonium, opposition walks
out
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
The Jatiya Sangsad Wednesday witnessed an otherwise
pandemonium when the opposition lawmakers staged a
volatile walkout during the discussion on thanks giving
motion on President's Speech.
The pandemonium broke out when two lawmakers of both the
benches made several un-parliamentary remarks during their
deliberations on the President's speech.
When an opposition member was making scathing attack on
Father of the nation, several treasury bench lawmaker
protested it but when a treasury bench member was making,
somewhat, similar remarks in another tone, the oppositions
members suddenly raised hue and cry, hurled abusive words
and then left the House.
As treasury bench members protested the speech of
opposition member Shammi Akhter, Chief Whip Vice-Principal
Abdus Shahid took the floor and requested the Chair of the
House Deputy Speaker M Showkat Ali for expunging her
un-parliamentary words.
The Speaker assured him of taking necessary steps in this
regard and gave floor to treasury bench member Iqbalur
Rahim to take part in the discussion.
At one stage, the opposition members started shouting
protesting one of his remark on leader of the oppositions.
At one stage, they walked out from the House. Taking part
in the discussion on the thanks giving motion on
President's Speech treasury bench members said Bangladesh
under the present leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh
Hasina is proceeding towards the dreamland of Bangabandhu.
While, the opposition member accused the government for
not what they said obstructing the opposition to play
their role in the parliament. The treasury bench member
said the opposition is trying to mislead the people by
saying that Awami League was committed to give rice to
people at Taka 10 per kg.
Over the last one year, the country witnessed many changes
in various fields, they said adding primary and secondary
school students were given 19 crore books free of cost and
major steps were taken for economic progress of the
country.
State minister for Cultural Affairs Promode Mankin,
treasury bench members Nasim Osman, Begum Zobeda Khatun,
Shahriyar Alam, Iqbalur Rahim, Atiar Rahman Atiq, Hosasain
Mokbul Shahriyar, BNP members M Shammi Akhter, took part
in the discussion. Nasim Osman said war criminals would be
tried and Bangladesh would reach its coveted destination.
Over 9 m children trapped in worst forms of
child labour
BSS, Dhaka
Over 9 million children are trapped in the worst forms of
child labour living in slavery-like conditions, separated
from their families or exposed to serious danger and
illness in the country, according to an estimate by Save
the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD).
Some children have to work in appalling and dangerous
conditions. Some are kept in institutions, separate from
their families and communities. Some are exposed to abuse,
violence, exploitation, neglect and kidnapped or tricked
into going thousands of miles from home.
According to Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics 2002-03 data,
there are 7.4 million child labourers in the country who
earn a meager amount of money confronting different kinds
of hazards.
The number of child labour in climate change affected
countries like Bangladesh may rise in near future as the
change may make it more difficult for children to attend
school whose families struggle to survive, warned SCSD.
Climate change is the biggest global health threat to
children in the 21st century, it said.
"Without concerted effort, millions of children will be at
increased risk from disease, under nutrition, water
scarcity, disasters and the collapse of public services
and infrastructure."
The charity warned that the global warming could cause the
death of a quarter of a million children next year
globally as a result of natural disasters causing an
increase in injuries, water- borne diseases and
starvation. By 2030, the figure will almost double to
400,000 unless more is done to help poor countries adapt
to a changing climate. It suggested that improvement of
sanitation to stop the spread of diarrhoea during floods
and food aid to stop famine during droughts have become
very much necessary.
According to the Save the Children, over 900 million
children in the next generation will be affected by water
shortages and 160 million more children will be at risk of
catching malaria - one of the biggest killers of children
under five - as it spreads to new parts of the world.
In the next 20 years 175 million children a year -
equivalent to almost three times the population of Great
Britain- will suffer the consequences of natural disasters
like cyclones, droughts and floods.
Two bullet-hit muggers
held after gunfight in city
UNB, Dhaka
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested two
bullet-hit members of an organized muggers' gang after a
gunfight with their cohorts in the city's Kadamtali area
early Wednesday.
The arrested were identified as M Shafiqul Islam Shafique,
26, and M Harunar Rashid Ronny, 24.
Being tipped-off that members of the gang were holding a
meeting on the bank of WASA pond for committing mugging, a
team of RAB-10 conducted a drive in the area at about 1am.
Sensing presence of the crime busters, the muggers opened
fire on them, forcing them to retaliate that triggered a
gunfight.
After the gun battle, the elite force arrested bullet-hit
Shafique and Ronny while others managed to flee.
The law-enforcers also recovered a revolver, five bullets,
a knife and a machete from the spot.
RAB sources said the arrested muggers confessed in
preliminary interrogation that they had long been involved
in criminal activities, including mugging in different
areas of the city.
Back Page
Pakistan loses $400m to ‘enhanced
oversight’
Dawn Online, Islamabad
Over $400 million in reimbursement claims by Pakistan
under Coalition Support Fund (CSF) for 2008 have been
rejected by the United States because of new guidelines
requiring 'enhanced oversight and accountability'.
Total claims for 2008 were $1.4 billion, but Pakistan got
$997 million in reimbursement, whereas the remaining
claims were disallowed on grounds of "inadequate
substantiation, over-billing" and other objections,
sources told Dawn.
About $548 million were initially paid and the rest was
deferred. It took the Pentagon another 18 months to settle
the deferred claims. While paying $349 million last week
in settlement of all claims from 2008, US officials
reportedly tendered a callous excuse for the long delay:
accounting problems.
Claims worth over $2 billion under CSF for 2009 are still
pending because of intense scrutiny of Pakistan's claims.
After the cuts in payments for 2008, there are renewed
fears in Islamabad that demands for last year would meet a
similar fate.
The claims pertained to expenditures incurred by Pakistan
on food and clothing of troops; fuel; transportation;
communication; medical charges; helicopter operations;
destroyed paraphernalia; and repair and maintenance of
equipment. Under a bilateral agreement between ministries
of defence, US repays 'legitimate expenditures' incurred
in support of its military operations. Pakistan's senior
military commanders, peeved at the 'penny-pinching' CSF
reimbursement procedures, say these were distressingly
impertinent to Pakistan's over 30,000 casualties in the
war on terror.
The problems in repayment have compelled Islamabad to
consume its trivial reserves for continuing its logistic
and operational support for Ameri-can counter-terrorism
operations while cutting on its own development needs and
compromising its war preparedness, senior government
officials and military officers suggested during
background interviews.
BITTERNESS IN ISLAMABAD: The inordinate delays in
clearing deferred amounts and linking of the issue by the
US to issuance of visas to its diplomats and embassy staff
have intensified frustration in Pakistan. The release of
latest tranche was made possible only after Islamabad
issued most of the requested visas.
"It is too cold-hearted of the US to stress on the money
it gives to Pakistan, but disregard its sacrifices," a
military commander said. The Americans in every
interaction try to make their Pakistani interlocutors
realise that 'they were doing great favour to Pakistan',
he added.
About 2,500 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives in the war
on terror while another 8,000 were injured, many of them
crippled and maimed for life. Additionally, some 22,000
civilians were killed or injured by militants.
"Pakistan has suffered more casualties than the combined
tally for troops from 43 countries fighting in
Afghanistan," another general noted, adding the government
had to compensate the families of those killed or injured
and look after their welfare. "In those terms, this huge
casualty figure for civilians and military men translates
into massive economic burden on government's treasury."
Another senior official said Washington was indifferent to
these realities and saw CSF only as a generous military
support programme and an incentive for keeping Pakistan
armed forces out on American counter-terrorism mission.
Additionally, Pakistan's road infrastructure has begun
crumbling because of heavy equipment and supplies for US
operations in Afghanistan shipped from Karachi to Chaman
and Torkham border. About 58,000 heavy US containers,
government figures show, were ferried through Pakistan
without any charge. There had been little acknowledgement
of Pakistan's support for logistics, a senior officer
looking after the security of shipments regretted, adding
that the focus had been on terrorist attacks on US
consignments passing through Pakistani territory.
Govt to build
multistoried apartments at Geneva camp for ‘stranded
Pakistanis’
UNB, Dhaka
About four decades of a cursed life in the gutters for the
'stranded Pakistanis' is now going to get a new lease as
the government will build multistoried modern apartments
for them at Mohammadpur Geneva Camp in the capital.
The Urdu-speaking people, who had migrated from India into
the then East Pakistan here following the 1947 partition
of the subcontinent at the end of colonial British rule,
opted for rehabilitation in Pakistan after Bangladesh's
independence. But, after the repatriation of some batches,
Islamabad didn't take the remaining ones left out in camps
39 years back.
The apartments would be built by Dhaka City Corporation (DCC)
at a cost of Tk 1259.62 crore in the existing camp area
for better rehabilitation of the god-forsaken people who
have now been granted citizenship of Bangladesh by a High
Court ruling given in 2008, ending long-lasting arguments
over their status. The government plan was revealed
Wednesday at a presentation on Geneva Camp Multi-story
Building Construction Project in the conference room of
LGRD Ministry at the secretariat.
LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam attended the
presentation ceremony as chief guest while his deputy
Jahangir Kabir Nanok special guest. A total of 45
buildings will be constructed under the project to
accommodate 38,500 Biharis of 5,667 families. Each
building will have capacity to accommodate 126 families.
The proposed project needs 44.14 bighas of land for the
multistoried apartment houses in the existing camp area
adjacent to Humayun Road and Townhall.
The size of each unit of the proposed apartments would be
575 square-feet with two bedrooms, a toilet, a common
space, and a kitchen.
It was projected in the presentation that the high-rise
building construction would be started from next fiscal
year and completed by 2013.
Speaking at the function the LGRD minister directed the
DCC authorities to prepare the project more specifically
for placing it in the ECNEC meeting for quick approval.
The proposed housing enclave will have 52 percent open
space and the ground floor of every building will be kept
open for setting up an educational institution, mosque,
market and a community space.
The Biharis have been housed six temporary camps in
Mohammadpur-
Humayun Road Geneva camp, Townhall camp, Krishi Market
camp, Community centre camp, RC camp and Government Staff
Quarter Relief Camp.
Their living condition in the camps is inhuman. Broken
toilets, dirty water, messy pathway and damp living
quarters are part of the miasma they live in.
On a writ petition, the High Court on May 18, 2008 ruled
that about three lakh Biharis living in different parts of
the country are citizens of Bangladesh. The court also
directed the Election Commission to include the
petitioners' names in the voter list.
BDR chief calls for
performing duty with more honesty, integrity
UNB, Dhaka
Director General of Ban-gladesh Rifles (BDR) Major General
Mainul Islam on Wednesday called upon the members of the
frontier guards to perform their duties with courage for
ensuring law and order in the country.
"Perform your duties with more honesty and integrity in
future for the welfare of the country," he told the BDR
jawans while addressing a special Darbar at the Training
Shed of Pilkhana Headquarters here in the morning.
Referring to the BDR mutiny at Pilkhana on February 25-26
last year, the BDR chief said such heinous incident would
not occur if the BDR jawans had not gone out of the Darbar
Hall. "It's not possible to realize demands from the
authorities by creating terrorism or committing killings
in any organization," he said.
About the trial of BDR mutiny, General Mainul said the
trial of the BDR carnage has already started in different
Battalions to mete out exemplary punishment to those
involved in the barbaric act. He suggested the BDR men to
be more disciplined to overcome the weaknesses in their
force after the mutiny and said there is no other
alternative.
The BDR chief said the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) would
emerge as a disciplined force after reconstituting it
within next one year.
The special darbar began at about 11 am, marking the
founding anniversary of the border force during the Rifles
Week-2010.
100-200 MW offshore
wind power plant to be set up
UNB, Dhaka
The government will set up a wind power plant having
capacity of 100-200 MW in the country's offshore area.
This was decided at a recent high level meeting at the
Power Ministry.
According to official sources, the decision was made as
part of the government's strategy to develop a diversified
power sector.
At present, 86 percent electricity is generated from
gas-fired power plants while the rest comes mainly from
liquid fuel. A very small amount of electricity is also
being generated through solar power system.
"Diversification of energy sources is one of the main
strategies of the government to resolve power crisis,"
Power Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told UNB, justifying the
recent decision.
Wind energy as a power source is an attractive alternative
to fossil fuel, because it is plentiful, renewable, widely
distributed and clean, and it produces no greenhouse gas
emissions. However, the construction of wind farms is not
universally welcomed because of their visual impact and
other effects on the environment.
Compared to onshore wind power, offshore wind power is
more complex and costly to install and maintain, but also
has several key advantages. Winds are typically stronger
and more stable at sea, resulting in significantly higher
production per unit installed. Wind turbines can also be
bigger in the offshore than on land because it is easier
to transport very large turbine components by sea. Many
Euro-pean countries, including United Kingdom, Denmark,
Germany and Holland are in the advance position to
generate wind power.
Two years back, the state-owned Power Development Board (PDB)
set up a small capacity wind power plant at Kutubdia on a
pilot basis. The total capacity of the plant is only one
megawatt.
A huge number of small turbines and batteries were used to
generate and store the electricity at the Kutubdia plant.
But the new plant will be a large scale one and the
turbine will be installed on the top of a huge 150 metre
tower.
Earlier, it was believed that Bangladesh's wind speed is
not suitable for any wind power plant. But inventions of
new technologies now offer new machines, which can be
suitable for different wind speeds.
Abul Kalam Azad said the Power Division is moving with the
idea of wind power plant on the basis of a study carried
out by Bangladesh Meteor-ological Department.
Investment not available for
adaptation and mitigation: Muhith
UNB, Dhaka
Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday lamented that big
scale investment is not available from the development
partners in adaptation and mitigation programmes to tackle
the adverse effects of climate change.
"Environmental funds and grants are available for
technical studies and planning of adaptation and
mitigation programmes, but not for investment in
adaptation and mitigation," he said while addressing the
inaugural ceremony of Fourth Global Environment Facility (GEF)
South Asia Constituency meeting at a city hotel.
Citing an example, the Finance Minister said the
government has almost built a new estate to relocate the
leather industry from densely populated area where the
river flow was badly contaminated by effluents from the
industry. "In order to adequately take care of the
effluents and solid wastes we need substantial investment.
But, unfortunately for the large effluent disposal plant
and waste dump, we could not garner support from any
development partner."
Pulak Chatterjee, executive director of the World Bank and
council member for GEF South Asia and State Minister for
Environment and Forest Dr. Hasan Mahmud addressed the
meeting. Economic Relations Division (ERD) Secretary
Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan chaired the inaugural ceremony.
Representatives from GEF, UNDP, World Bank and
participants from six countries-India, Bangladesh, Nepal,
Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan -- are taking part in the
two-day constituency meeting.
Muhith said that provision of funds for studies or
projects is a time consuming process. "We have to reform
it in order to tackle the problem of climate change," he
added. He said government has taken a big project for
leather industry (Tk 350 crore), but yet to get any big
investment. There are also some 1800 industries which are
causing contamination. "They have been served notices, but
the industry owners urged for investment."
Asked whether he was disappointed for not getting enough
investment in adaptation and mitigation, he said, "I am
not disappointed, but talking about the difficulties. The
GEF have passed almost twenty years and they have done
some good works. We are getting assistance in adaptation
and mitigation, but not getting any big investment." Ahead
of the next council meeting of GEF in June, Muhith said
the constituency meeting will pave the way towards
strengthening endeavors in resolving the trans-boundary
environmental issues prevailing in the areas of
biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land
degradation, the ozone layer protection and the persistent
organic pollutants.
Editorial
Power tariff rise
City
dwellers and industries will now have to pay a higher price
for electricity as the government raised the power tariffs by
6-7 percent on average with effect from March 1. Bangladesh
Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) Tuesday approved proposals
for the power-price hike, incidentally at the outset of the
dry season when people already feel the crunch of power
crisis.
According to media reports, the electricity tariffs were
raised differentially for different consumer groups: domestic,
commercial, industrial, and bulk consumers. The tariff rate
for the agricultural consumers remained same as the existing
rate of Tk 1.93 per unit. The rate of the Rural
Electrification Board (REB)-was raised in October last by 10
percent. The government last increased the power tariff in
2007 by 5 percent at the retail level.
It is unfortunate that the people will have to pay more now as
power tariff although they are suffering terribly due to
electricity crisis and frequent load shedding and the crisis
is likely to worsen further in the summer. The power tariff is
being increased on the ploy of rise in production cost and
resultant financial loss of the distribution agencies. But the
fact remains that two agencies already make huge profits. Out
of four agencies, DESCO made a profit of over Tk 100 crore in
2009. The DPDC and the WZPDC also made huge profits last year
as they purchased electricity at lower rates from the PDB and
sold at a higher rate to consumers.
At a time when the people continue to face the worst ever
power crisis and end to it remains a distant goal, the
decision to enhance the tariff of electricity is virtually a
cruel mockery with the consumers. The Power tariff hike will
intensify further the hardship of the people already
overburdened with rising cost of living. We opposed earlier
the move to raise further the power tariff at retail consumer
level. Again, now, we oppose the tariff hike and suggest that
the loss should be made up by checking rampant corruption and
wastage and reducing production costs and system loss. We feel
that power tariff hike is a wrong step and that a government
which is unable to ensure adequate electricity supply and
retrieve the consumers from unbearable frequent load shedding
has no right to enhance the tariff of power.
Private
university bill
Education
Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said on Tuesday that a private
university bill has been drafted to ensure that those
universities will abide by the rules and regulations and
maintain quality education. The private universities have to
follow some rules and regulations and meet some conditions set
by the government. The approval of the university will be
cancelled if they don't meet the conditions, he told a press
conference .The education ministry has sent the bill to the
parliament secretariat and it is hoped that it will be passed
in the current session, he said adding the proposed act will
help ensure discipline in higher education.
The move to enact a strict law for bringing the private
universities under discipline is encouraging as these
universities are running in a free style and maximising
profits but ignoring the basic need of ensuring quality
education. The draft bill states that each university will
prepare a structure for tuition fees consistent with
socio-economic conditions and take approval from the
University Grants Commission. The bill suggests formation of
an accreditation council to evaluate the educational
activities of private universities and upgrade the private
university education to world standards. The bill makes it
mandatory for each private university to have a syndicate
comprising its vice chancellor, Pro-VC, treasurer, one dean,
one departmental head and a member of its academic council
nominated by the VC, an educationist nominated by the
government, three members nominated by the board of trustees
and a member nominated by the UGC. One must have 20 years of
teaching or administrative experience or 10 years of teaching
and 10 years of administrative experience to become a vice
chancellor. It is clear that the new law will be very tough
for the private university owners and they will no more be
able to run the private universities just as commercial
establishments. This type of law is the need of the hour to
make private universities real institutions of higher
education.
In our country education at university level is in a shambles.
The public universities are unable to accommodate the growing
number of students. Taking the chance of this situation there
has been a mushroom growth of private universities. A total of
51 private universities are now operating in the country and a
section of them are engaged in education business to earn
quick money and allegedly involved in malpractices like sales
of certificates.
In view of this the enactment of the proposed law will be a
positive step towards stopping education business and ensuring
quality education. However, enactment of law is easy but
strict enforcement of that is difficult. If the proposed
private university law can be implemented properly it would,
hopefully, help ensure good governance and eradicate the
existing disorder in private universities, and reduce anxiety
of the students and guardians concerned.
Analysis
The link of Democracy, Poverty and Illiteracy in Bangladesh
Corruption, along this line of thinking, is a
weapon for the elites to keep the poor at bay and maintain the
elites in power in succession.
Syed Sajjad Ahmed
If
I were to say that, it is more pertinent to set a quota of
reserved seats in the Parliament for the poor people than it
is for women's reserved seats, you would most likely refute
me. You could probably say 'poor people are not only
uneducated but are hardly capable to sit in the Parliament and
perform the legislative function effectively'. You would in
effect be saying something along the lines 'poor people cannot
run this country, they do not know what is 'good' for their
own selves let alone the 'good' of the country'. However, if I
was then to reply to you that 'so you are an elitist', you
would then be confused and try to linger and try to come up
with a justification of what democracy actually stands up for.
If I then let you in on this technique of inverse
argumentation and let you share what I am getting at, you
cannot easily deny (according to your argumentative position)
that the majority of the citizens of Bangladesh do not know
what is 'good' for them and are not only unfit to run their
own country, but for that very reason democracy in Bangladesh
is an elitist club. It is even very clear if one tries to have
a look at the entry point to the Parliament: the poor cannot
run for election because to be nominated to the 'elite club'
one has to have 'money' (though not officially but in
political convention). Therefore, we see all the play of money
for getting a nomination to be selected to compete at the
elections from whichever party one seeks a ticket.
Once we agree, well roughly enough, that Parliament is an
elite club with no access for the ordinary citizens, we come
directly to a huge contradiction: if the majority of the
citizens are unfit to run this country and do not know what is
'good' for them-, then, not knowing their own good, they are
strictly unable to elect representatives who do. Because not
knowing one's good, one cannot delegate the performance of
that task to another. Yet, supposing they delegate that
authority to their representative on 'trust', it would still
not be legitimate because they would not be in any position to
judge violation of that 'trust' because they simply do not
know the 'good' they want to be done.
We then come to remarkable discovery: the 'magic' principle of
the 'election manifesto'. Do you really think that as the
majority is not in any position to know what shall be 'good'
for them, they can legitimately and in actual reality choose
between 'election manifestoes'? Yet the act of choosing must
be performed and voting is seen as a political duty and
obligation that 'must' be undertaken. Therefore, not reason,
but 'coercion' in choosing between candidates and parties, is
what comes to the foreground but is very aptly hidden by the
very grandeur of the image of democracy.
As years go by, the hidden relation of the fallacies of
democracy with poverty and illiteracy becomes more and more
exposed. And how are we to remove this apparent fallacy and
justify our stance if not with immediate drive to remove
poverty and illiteracy (on this politico-legal ground also)?
This direct relation of justifying democracy with removing
poverty and illiteracy is the order of the times, though there
remains other inter-relations and by its own accord poverty
and illiteracy demand its own alleviation on humane grounds.
However, democracy by its own demand of legitimacy to rule
needs removal of the two potent and volatile forms of elitist
impetus, i.e. poverty and illiteracy, until then, no matter
how so ever loudly we are at shouting out that 'we are a
democracy', it shall remain an elite rule, be it clothed in
any attire. Simply because when one does not know 'how to
rule' and 'what to rule for', then s/he cannot delegate that
authority to whomsoever as a representative to perform that
task on his or her behalf, because ignorance cannot delegate
knowledge. In legal parlance this principle is known as 'the
principle of legitimate delegation', i.e. 'one cannot delegate
an authority that one does not have'. Until then, indeed, as
we see today in Bangladesh, since inception, it is only a play
of powerful languages among the elites. Corruption, along this
line of thinking, is a weapon for the elites to keep the poor
at bay and maintain the elites in power in succession.
A final point that must not be missed out in this context is
that because the majority of the people are alienated from
governing themselves and the country is run by the elite few
in comparison to the whole, in relation to this, the
'sanctity' of the constitution being the 'will of the people'
should be addressed, discussed and resolved, though of course,
when the majority of the citizens of this nation are out of
poverty and educated enough and ready to 'talk' about it.
The wirter is the Editor of
The Bangladesh Today
A Giant Walks
off the stage
A giant has walked of the world stage and is mourned by
all those who knew him and knew of him.
Ikram Sehgal
Minister
for Higher Education and Scientific Research for the UAE,
Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, lost his beloved
father, Shaikh Mubarak bin Mohammad Al Nahyan on Wednesday
Feb 24, 2010. Having had the privilege of knowing Shaikh
Mubarak since 1997, I may be forgiven for dedicating my
column this week as a tribute to this unique person. "He
was the last of the giants", says Pranay Gupte, "these
tough men of the Bedouin desert who formed a raw nation
out of a harsh environment, those visionaries who created
a country that would occupy a special place in the global
firmament", unquote. Walking off the world stage, this
colossus has now joined the stars in the heavens.
When the Rulers of the Emirates engaged in protacted talks
in the 1960s to form the Union of the United Arab Emirates
(UAE), Shaikh Mubarak had a prominent role as the right
hand man of Shaikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nayhan, (than)
Ruler of Abu Dhabi and the founder of UAE. Appointed Chief
of Police and Public Security since 1961, he became Head
of the Department of Naturalization and Residency in 1966.
Promoted Maj Gen in 1968, Shaikh Mubarak was made the
Minister of Interior of Abu Dhabi in July 1971,
subsequently becoming the first Federal Minister of
Interior for the UAE, a position he served in till 1990.
Shaikh Mubarak had a challenging task in the Interior
Ministry, to create an environment of security in a new
union of Emirates that never had a history of internal
security. The experience of establishing the Abu Dhabi
Police stood him in good stead in bridging the differences
between the police structures of the different Emirates.
This relationship had to have balance to maintain the
Federal nature of the Union while enhancing the mutual
coordination of the Federating units with each other. The
basic togetherness this fostered was invaluable for UAE,
today the sense of security that you get when you enter
the Emirates is the one overriding factor that has
promoted foreign investments. No other country in the
world can boast such freedom from fear that is
increasingly pervasive in an insecure world. A 24/7 secure
environment has been an invaluable contribution for
business and industry, UAE's economic growth and its
sustenance could not have been possible without migrant
workers. Emirates today is a living testimony to what this
extraordinary human being achieved despite a lifetime in
public service cruelly cut in half by a stroke.
This attractive modern metropolis has its prime
responsibility not only the protection of lives, dignity
and honour of its citizens and visitors but gives its
inhabitants a sense of well-being. Shaikh Mubarak's close
friends, Shaikh Zayed and Shaikh Rashid, are eulogized
universally as UAE's founders, has many really know that
the quiet behind-the-scenes figure constantly gave sane
advice, allowing the two Rulers to steer a steady course
for the new emerging nation though extremely difficult
times. Their respect for him was evident not only in the
pride of place and the responsibilities they entrusted to
him, but also to his sons in the affairs of State. He is
credited with playing a vital role in erasing all border
problems so that Emirates (and its many visitors) could
travel freely by road between all the seven entities
without check. In 1974 he was the one who issued the
instructions lifting all the procedures in the Seeh Shuaib
police stations applied to cars and passengers, this was
instrumental in forging the unity among the states.
The very day that Shaikh Mubarak died was symbolic of his
work, 304 cadets, including 5 women, graduated from the
Abu Dhabi Police College, among those graduating was a
grandson of Shaikh Zayed. Shaikh Mubarak was extremely
interested to entrust women a significant role throughout
Emirati society, particularly in the field of security. In
1978 he installed a new unit of women Police, later
establishing a women police school in Abu Dhabi. He was
extremely enthusiastic for the consolidation and
integration of the police so that one entity, the Federal
Ministry of Interior, world exercise all powers to
supervise directly all issues of security, naturalization
and residency.
An indirect eulogy came from the top cop in the world,
Ronald Noble, Secretary General INTERPOL. Visiting Dubai
in connection with the recent assassination of an Hamas
leader, Noble said that in nearly a decade in his present
job he had witnessed many instances of compre-hensive
investigation but two stood out, the recent one being
Dubai Police's exhaustive enquiry into the recent murder
of the Hamas leader. The efficiency of the police in the
UAE was evident in the way over two dozen involved were
identified. The INTERPOL Chief considered it his duty to
personally condole with Shaikh Nahyan the death of his
father, the man who was the founding father of the
institution of security in the Emirates, truly a great
accolade for a great person. One looks forward to the day
when an institution symbolising security is dedicated in
the UAE to Shaikh Mubarak's memory.
Uncle to the present ruler of UAE, Shaikh Khalifa Bin
Zayed al Nahyan, this patriarch will be sorely missed.
Shaikh Mubarak Al Nahyan leaves behind a great legacy.
What his father achieved in defining the concept and
parameters of security in the Emirates, Shaikh Nahyan has
emulated, not only in public service in the field of
Higher Education but in the field of business through
enterprising ventures throughout the world. It was indeed
difficult to truly appreciate the willpower that kept this
frail man going after the stroke in 1979 almost felled him
and what he still managed to achieve in half his lifetime.
Despite his infirmity, Shaikh Mubarak always stood up
during his daily Majlis to greet each and every person who
entered, sometimes more than a 100 times. An
extraordinarily handsome statuesque figure with a dazzling
smile, Shaikh Mubarak's personal warmth was manifest in
the strong handshake. It was truly amazing to see how his
son Shaikh Nahyan looked after him all these years.
Despite his busy schedule Shaikh Nahyan built his entire
day around caring for his beloved father.
To quote Pranay Gupte, "watching father and son together
in such tenderness, it was impossible not to be moved, it
was impossible not to be reflect on the meaning of that
most atavistic of relationships". He further added, "a man
who led a full life, a man who left many smiles over many
miles, a great man who dreamed of an entire new society,
and lived to see it happen during his lifetime". This
grievous loss, felt by all of us, will have far deeper
effect on Shaikh Nayhan. To start with he will have to
change his entire lifestyle. True to his Bedouin origin he
was stoic in his grief, meeting each and everyone
individually, the sorrow deep in his eyes.
A giant has walked of the world stage and is mourned by
all those who knew him and knew of him (Ikram Sehgal has
been Director Bank Al Falah, owned primarily by the Nahyan
family, since 1997).
Ikram Sehgal is an internationally renowned columnist
and the Editor
of the Pakistan Defence Journal
Afghanistan
in 16 characters
By the 1970s, western armies had figured out why they
always lost, and began to avoid such struggles - but now,
they seem to have forgotten again.
Gwynne Dyer
Not
many of the Taliban guerillas in Afghanistan have read Mao
on guerilla warfare, but then, they knew how to do it
anyway. The current crop of officers in the western armies
that are fighting them don't seem to have read their Mao
either, which is a more serious omission. The generation
before them certainly did.
Mao Zedong didn't invent guerilla warfare, but he did
write the book on it. The 'sixteen-character formula' sums
it up: never stand and fight, just stay in business and
wear the enemy down. "The ability to run away is the
essence of the guerilla," as Mao put it - and that is why
the much-ballyhooed 'battle' for Marjah and Nad Ali, two
small towns in Afghanistan's Helmand province, is
irrelevant to the outcome of the war.
Breathless reports of the 'battle' by embedded journalists
have filled the American and European media for the past
two weeks, as if winning it might make a difference. The
truth is that some of the local Taliban fighters have been
left to sell their lives as dearly as possible, while most
have been pulled back or sent home to await recall. "The
enemy advances; we retreat."
Mao didn't invent guerilla warfare; he was merely a very
successful practitioner who tried to codify the rules.
Afghans don't really need instruction in it, since that
has been the hill tribes' style of warfare since time
immemorial. The only new element in the equation, since
the 1940s, is that these wars have almost all ended in
victory for the guerillas.
The Jewish war against British occupation in Palestine in
the 1940s; the war against the French in Algeria in the
1950s; the Vietnam war in the 1960s; the Rhodesian war in
the 1970s; the victory of the Afghan Mujahideen against
the Soviet army in the 1980s: in these and several dozen
other wars, western armies with all their massive
firepower eventually lost to the lightly armed
nationalists. By contrast, the number of times when they
won can be counted on the fingers of one badly mutilated
hand. By the 1970s, western armies had figured out why
they always lost, and began to avoid such struggles - but
now, they seem to have forgotten again.
The guerillas always won, in that era, because the western
armies were fighting to retain direct control of Third
World countries or impose some puppet regime on them, at a
time when the people of those countries had already
awakened to nationalism. All the guerillas had to do was
observe the sixteen-character formula and stay in
business.
They could accept a loss ratio of dozens or hundreds dead
for each foreign soldier killed, because they had an
endless supply of local 18-year-olds eager to join the
fight. Whereas the western armies could not take many
casualties or go on fighting for many years, because
popular support at home was always fragile.
In the end, the western army could always quit and go home
without suffering any especially terrible consequences.
The locals did not have that option since they were
already home, so they always had more staying power.
Eventually, pressure at home forced the foreigners to give
up and leave - and the Taliban's leaders know that. They
watched the Russians leave only 30 years ago.
The current generation of western officers are in denial,
as if the past half-century didn't happen. They parrot
some of the slogans of the era of guerilla wars, like the
need to win the 'hearts and minds' of the population, but
it's just empty words. The phrase dates from the Vietnam
War, but the tactic didn't work there and it isn't working
in Afghanistan.
The plan, in this 'offensive' in Helmand province, is to
capture the towns ('clear and hold'), and then saturate
the area with Afghan troops and win the locals' hearts.
Viewpoints
India-Pakistan conundrum
Pakistan was
adamant to put the Kashmir and water issues on the agenda,
while India was mainly interested in terrorism originating
from Pakistan.
Dr Manzur Ejaz
Like
many last decades, the recent Indo-Pak talks in Delhi did not
make any breakthrough. As usual, they provided the forum for
both countries to restate their positions. The US can force
the horse to the water, but cannot make it drink. As a matter
of fact, Indo-Pak reconciliation is becoming more difficult
every passing year because of increasing scarcity of water, a
mutual desire to pull the other side down, and conflicts
riddling societies in both countries. Sometimes it appears
that keeping the tensions up serves both sides.
Pakistan was adamant to put the Kashmir and water issues on
the agenda, while India was mainly interested in terrorism
originating from Pakistan. For Pakistan, the territory of
Kashmir may not be as important as the water issue. If the
Pakistani claims are valid, then Indian infringements into the
rivers running from its territory into Pakistan will leave
major parts of Pakistan barren. Agriculture is not possible in
Punjab and Sindh without river water. Therefore, unless
Pakistan is assured on the supply of water, it will never
abandon the proxies that can keep India on its toes by
destabilising Kashmir.
Many world experts have predicted that future wars will be
fought over water. States within India, like Punjab and Sindh
in Pakistan, are continuously at each other's throats because
of this scarce natural resource. If federating units within
India and Pakistan cannot forgo their claims, how will the two
hostile nations? Therefore, the Indo-Pak dispute over water in
the garb of the Kashmir problem is not unique and will not go
away unless credible international organisations provide
effective guarantees.
Besides the real issue of water, future scenarios are also an
unending source of tension. India is growing fast and may want
to leave Pakistan behind so that the competition between the
two neighbours becomes irrelevant. Following the Reagan
strategy against Russia to raise defence expenditures to the
level that your enemy breaks down if it tries to compete,
India, by military expansion, is forcing Pakistan to follow
suit and economically get destroyed.
Pakistan, with a regressing economy, cannot keep up with
Indian defence outlays even on proportional basis. Therefore,
Pakistan has no choice but to detract and pull India back
through other means. Pakistan's strategy has not worked very
well because, despite the Kashmir issue, India has grown
steadily.
Besides the real geographic and economic issues between India
and Pakistan, the public opinion in both countries has
hardened. The new electronic media, run by not-so-well-groomed
people, looks for the easy formula to dub villains in a
situation. The Indian media quickly blames Pakistan for any
bomb blast in their country and the Pakistani media
reflexively traces the tragic incidents on its territory to an
Indian conspiracy. The situation has become so messy that it
is hard to tell who is doing what.
The public in both countries accept the media versions because
of changing public psyche due to internal conflicts and
extreme rightwing forces donning the mantle of patriotism.
While Pakistan is fighting the Taliban and other jihadi
outfits, India is also mired in communal, ethnic and guerrilla
insurgency. The Gujarat massacre of Muslims, the Shiv Sena
crusade to cleanse Maharashtra and Mumbai of North Indians,
and the Maoist guerrilla war are just a few things that have
embittered the public psyche. A psyche born out of a constant
conflict-ridden atmosphere can easily be turned against other
nations.
The right wing's monopoly over patriotism in Pakistan, a
well-entrenched phenomenon, has been replicated in India. The
rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), especially the
Narendra Modi brand, and the likes of Bal Keshav Thackeray,
founder of Shive Sena, have become the standard bearers of
national pride. They have pushed the Congress Party to the
right as well in pursuit of patriotism. The decline of
communist parties in North India has also been responsible for
the unchecked rise of a jingoistic style of nationalism. The
dynamics of generating hatred are becoming much more powerful
than the forces preaching reconciliation within the country
and in the international arena.
Settlement of longstanding issues between India and Pakistan
is becoming more difficult than it was in the past. The fight
over water with hardening public opinion in both countries is
further complicating the situation. No one knows how and where
the chips are going to fall.
The writer can be reached at manzurejaz@yahoo.com
The Struggles
of Dalai Lama and Aung San Suu Kyi
There are a
number of similarities the two individuals share in common
that have earned them international respect.
Nehginpao Kipgen
The
politics of a nation is strengthened by the participation
of the people who run the government and the opposition
who checks the balance of power. A government earns
credibility when it can tolerate the varied views of its
citizens.
It is fortunate that there has been no major global
conflict since the end of World War II in 1945. However,
it is disheartening to see that there are nations who
still would not tolerate the dissenting views of its own
people, especially individuals who are admired by the
international community.
The struggles of Dalai Lama of Tibet (now under China) and
Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma are an inspiration to hundreds
of millions of people around the world. Yet, the very same
individuals are treated as if they are threats to peace
and security by governments in their respective native
lands.
Tenzin Gyatso, popularly known as the 14th Dalai Lama, has
been in exile since the failed Tibetan uprising in 1959.
Born on 6 July 1935, the 74-year-old Dalai Lama is a
spiritual leader and head of the Tibetan
government-in-exile based in Dharamshala, India.
Aung San Suu Kyi, born on 19 June 1945, is the only
daughter of Aung San, who negotiated the independence of
Burma from the British rule. The 64-year-old Suu Kyi,
after having lived years abroad, returned to her native
country in 1988.
There are a number of similarities the two individuals
share in common that have earned them international
respect.
First, both are recipients of the much coveted Nobel Peace
Prize. Dalai Lama was awarded the prize in 1989, and Suu
Kyi in 1991. Second, both are recipients of Congressional
Gold Medal, the highest civilian award in the United
States of America. Dalai Lama received the award in 2007,
while Suu Kyi was bestowed in absentia in 2008.
Third, both individuals are denied the chance of political
leadership in their own countries. The two enjoy
significant support internationally, mostly from the
Western world. Despite their popularity at home and
abroad, one has spent his life
in exile for over 40 years, while the other has spent 14
years of her life under house arrest.
Though Dalai Lama openly claims that his movement is for a
genuine autonomy and not complete independence, the
Chinese government accuses him as a dangerous separatist.
His recent visit to the White House on February 18 was
strongly protested by Beijing.
In his Cable News Network (CNN) interview aired on the
evening of 22 February 2010, the Dalai Lama was asked what
he wants from president Barack Obama and America. The
Dalai Lama stated his three commitments, including the
"promotion of human value in order to create a better
world, a more compassionate world, a peaceful world."
Washington's welcoming of the Tibetan leader heightened
the strained Sino-U.S. ties, which happened in the face of
tensions over U.S. weapons sales to Taiwan, China's
currency practices and internet censorship.
With China's rising economic power and its critical role
in international politics as a permanent member of the
U.N. Security Council, Washington needs Beijing's
partnership, especially on issues such as imposing tougher
sanctions on Iran, preventing nuclear proliferation in the
Korean peninsula, and forging a new global accord on
climate change.
The United States also wants to prove to the free world
that it is a champion of human rights. The 70-minute
meeting between president Obama and Dalai Lama perhaps
pacified many who say that Obama has focused on global
issues with Beijing at the expense of human rights.
On the other hand, Aung San Suu Kyi is serving her latest
18 months of house arrest. In its ruling on February 26,
the country's Supreme Court rejected her appeal for
freedom. A reason was not given for the decision.
Suu Kyi is one individual probably feared most by the
military junta. For many Burma observers, the court's
ruling was not surprising. Even if the junta considers
releasing her before the proposed general election this
year, it is likely to come with conditions. The more
likely scenario is that she will be freed after election.
One reason of Suu Kyi's unlikely release before election
is that the military learnt a lesson from the 1990 general
election, in which the military-backed National Unity
Party secured only 10 seats, while the National League for
Democracy, Suu Kyi's party, won 392 seats in the
492-member assembly.
The military would not want history to repeat itself. Aung
San Suu Kyi apparently enjoys a strong support from the
peoples of Burma's diverse ethnic nationalities. Despite
the reservation of 25 percent of parliament seats for the
military, the opposition still has a greater chance of
winning more seats provided that there is a free and fair
election.
Despite the troubles the two Nobel Peace Laureates have
faced, their spirits for the freedom of their own people
are unrelenting. Similarly, the support from the
international community does not seem to dwindle either.
It is still, however, precarious if and when they will be
given a chance to head the governments in their respective
countries. Recent developments pertaining to the two
democratic icons have once again caught the attention of
the international community.
Nehginpao Kipgen is general secretary of the U.S.-based
Kuki International Forum (www.kukiforum.com).
From Afghanistan to Dubai: An Eye for
an Eye?
Revenge is a blind alley. And America must lead by its own
- not a far more vulnerable ally's - example or it will
end up eyeless in GWOT.
Roger Cohen
Back
in 1976, a Chilean hit squad assassinated former Foreign
Minister Orlando Letelier and an American colleague in
Washington. Letelier was one of the most prominent
opponents of the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
A rough equivalent today would be China orchestrating the
elimination in the United States of a prominent Uighur
opponent, or the Russians assassinating a leading Chechen
on a Georgetown street. Needless to say, the US government
would be outraged at such extrajudicial executions on
American soil. We don't want to live in a world where
nations blow up enemies, or smother them with pillows, in
other countries with which they're not at war.
But nor, of course, can we do less than everything
possible to avert another 9/11, and that's where things
get murky.
So let's make a few things clear. Since 9/11, with greater
intensity under the Obama administration, the US has
wordlessly lifted the ban in effect since the Ford
administration on targeted killings by US intelligence
officers. Such killings are now taking place almost daily
under a CIA-directed covert programme. Drones firing
Hellfire missiles have eliminated several ?Al Qaeda
leaders.
The drone strikes are concentrated on Pakistan, with which
America is not at war. The Obama administration has
declined to say anything about this doctrine of targeted
killing. It's not clear how you get on a list to be
eliminated; who makes that call; whether the decision is
based on past acts (revenge, say, for the killing of CIA
agents in Khost, Afghanistan) or only on corroborated
intelligence demonstrating that the target is planning a
terrorist attack; what, if any, the battlefield limits
are; and what, if any, is the basis in law. The closest I
can find to an official accounting of the drone programme
was from Senator John Kerry last October: "I am convinced
that it is highly circumscribed now, very carefully
controlled within a hierarchy of decision-making,
significantly limited in its collateral damage, and
profoundly successful in the impact it has had in putting
Al Qaeda on the run. It is why we can now say that perhaps
14 of the top 20 Al Qaeda leaders have been eliminated."
That success is significant, even if "on the run" is
hyperbole. But the "collateral damage" is also substantial
and has a cascade terrorist-recruitment effect. On
balance, President Obama, who campaigned against the "dark
side" of the war on terror and has insisted that America
must lead by example as a nation of laws, owes Americans
an accounting of his targeted ?killing programme.
Revenge killings don't pass the test for me. They're
unacceptable under international law. I want to know that
any target is selected because there is verifiable
intelligence that he's actively planning a terrorist
attack on the US or its allies; that the danger is
pressing; that arrest is impossible; and that civilian
lives are not wantonly risked.
The bar of pre-emptive self-defence is then passed. A
pinpoint strike is better than the Afghan or Iraqi
scenarios. But that bar must be high. America departs at
its peril from its principles. I know, terrorists have no
rule book, no borders and no compunction. The global war
on terror (GWOT) is untidy. Still, the current
accountability void for US targeted killing is
unacceptable.America is treading a familiar path. Israel
pioneered the use of unmanned drones to kill Hamas
operatives. Gerald Steinberg wrote recently in The Wall
Street Journal that "US forces have copied Israel's
technique with their own drone killings of jihadi
terrorists." But, of course, the US is not Israel. It's
not a small nation, surrounded by more numerous enemies,
at war since its foundation against foes bent on its
destruction.
It's not consumed by the spectre of nonexistence. Vicky
Divoll, a former CIA lawyer, told The Los Angeles Times:
"At one time, the US did not kill in the shadows - until
we became as afraid for our lives as the Israelis have
been for decades." That's right - and unacceptable. Fear
cannot be a global licence for the United States of
America to kill. My doubt level that the Israeli
intelligence service, Mossad, was behind the murder in
Dubai last month of the senior Hamas operative, Mahmoud
al-Mabhouh, is about that of the Dubai police chief who
said he was "99 per cent, if not 100 per cent" certain
that Israel was responsible. An eye for an eye: Israel
says al-Mabhouh killed two Israeli soldiers and was a
shipper of arms to Hamas. I won't shed a tear.
But what a messy trail: all that video, European passports
belonging to Israelis whose lives are now at risk,
diplomatic fallout. So what, argues Steinberg, who teaches
political science at Bar Ilan University, al-Mabhouh was
"probably making arrangements for the next round of
attacks." Note the "probably:" That's insufficient grounds
for extrajudicial execution. Israel, too, must at a
minimum have specific intelligence that a target is
planning an imminent terrorist attack. Revenge is a blind
alley. And America must lead by its own - not a far more
vulnerable ally's - example or it will end up eyeless in
GWOT.
Roger Cohen is Editor at Large of the International
Herald Tribune
International
Taliban’s Bajaur
base falls, army eyes Tirah, Orakzai
Dawn Online, Damadola
Pakistan Security forces have taken control of Bajaur's
Damadola, known as the nerve-centre of Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan, and are now bracing themselves for an offensive
in Orakzai Agency and Tirah valley of Khyber Agency.
"We are facing problems in Orakzai and Tirah and will
launch operations there in the near future," Frontier
Corps Inspector General Maj-Gen Tariq Khan told a media
team from Islamabad here on Tuesday. The ISPR's director
general, Maj-Gen Athar Abbas, was also present.
The capture of Damadola, near the Afghan border, has
boosted the morale of troops and the military leadership
is now contemplating an all-out offensive in other
agencies where militants are strengthening their
positions.
With the success in Damadola, once a no-go area and
thought to be insurmountable, the entire Bajaur agency
stands cleared of militants.
The most significant feature of the episode was the
capture of a key Taliban complex in Damadola, the
stronghold of TTP leader Maulvi Faqir Mohammad. The
complex had a number of caves used by militants as
hideouts and ammunition dumps.
A large quantity of explosives, weapons and currency notes
were found in the caves. The complex faces ice-capped
mountains straddling Pakistan's border with eastern
Afghanistan.
Flag Flies High:
Maj-Gen Tariq said the Pakistan flag had been raised in
the region for the first time since independence.
Damadola has served as the main route for cross-border
activities of militants. The area came into the limelight
after the first US drone attack that killed 18 people in
2006. The strike was aimed at Ayman al Zawahri, Al Qaeda's
No 2. The Frontier Corps IG said that about 75 militants,
including foreigners, had been killed in the offensive.
"Among the dead were Egyptians, Uzbeks, Chechens and
Afghans." He said there were over 150 caves dug into the
mountains over a period of five to seven years.
Maj-Gen Tariq stressed Damadola's strategic importance as
a link to Afghanistan, Chitral, Swat and the main highway
to China.
He said the entire Bajaur agency and adjoining areas were
controlled from Damadola and Maulvi Faqir was receiving
help from the Wali of Kunar province in Afghanistan.
He said the area, which had been turned into safe havens
for militants, was cleared up to the Afghan border. "Now
the Taliban leadership does not exist. Twenty-five per
cent of them have fled to Afghanistan and 15 per cent to
Swat and other areas.
US to supply 1000 bomb kits
to Pakistan
Dawn Online, Washington
The US Air Force plans to deliver 1,000 laser-guided bomb
kits to Pakistan this month to help Islamabad in its
offensive against militants on the Afghan border, a
spokesman said on Tuesday.
The Air Force is providing the kits after having delivered
1,000 MK-82 bombs last month to Pakistan's military,
Lieutenant Colonel Jeffry Glenn told AFP.
The US military assistance underscored Washington's role
in backing Pakistan's months-long campaign against Taliban
and Al-Qaeda militants.
The Pakistani air force was playing "a big part" in
operations against the extremists, Air Force Secretary
Michael Donley said.
"As they had ramped up operations, they're looking for
ways to get additional capability," he told a gathering of
defence reporters.
Pakistan's air force chief had visited Washington last
year and made additional requests for US military
assistance, he said.
Donley said the Pentagon had arranged for "expedited"
delivery of the MK-82 bombs, which weigh 500 pounds each.
The United States also was due to deliver 18 additional
F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan in June, outfitted with
sophisticated night-vision equipment, Glenn said.
Confirmation of the arms deal came as Pakistan on Tuesday
revealed a vast Taliban and Al-Qaeda hideout dug into
mountains near the Afghan border, captured in an offensive
against militants.
36,000 Taliban fighters
operational in Afghanistan: General Barrons
ANI, Kabul
A US general in charge of negotiating with the Afghan
Taliban has estimated that there are nearly 36,000
insurgents in Afghanistan.
"There are probably 900 in the leadership, counting very
junior to very senior, and there are between 25,000 and
36,000 people who would call themselves fighters," The
Times quoted Major-General Richard Barrons, as
saying."Some are ideological full-time jihadis, some are
linked to the insurgency for localised reasons, local
grievances; some because it's a way to make a living; some
because they like to fight; some because their communities
are hedging their bets between the Government and the
insurgency," he added.
Pointing out that finding jobs for insurgents was the key
to ending the Afghanistan war, General Barrons said that
the Karzai Government had done little to earn the trust of
its people, while the Taleban had in some cases provided
better basic governance.
"People have found the local representatives predatory,
corrupt and incapable of improving their lives," he said.
Instead of simply fighting the Taliban, General Barrons
runs a NATO "reintegration cell" trying to understand what
motivates the militants to fight and using that
information to help Afghan officials to tempt them to swap
sides.
The incentives for peace is expected to cost about 1
billion dollars over the next five years, and it includes
jobs, money, training and sustainable development.
Despite 17 billion dollars spent on aid since 2001,
Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries on earth,
with 850 children under 5 dying every day, according to
Save the Children.
Nagas take part in rally to
support peace talks
ANI, Senapati
Nagas took part in a rally in Manipur to support the peace
talks in New Delhi, thereby demanding an early solution to
the pending Naga issue.
Holding placards with slogans like, 'We want peace', 'We
demand solution', 'Give peace a chance', 'Naga integration
is a must', over hundreds of Nagas marched down the
streets in a rally organised by several Naga organisations.
Rebel Naga leaders, who met the Prime Minister, Dr
Manmohan Singh, to discuss the issue of sovereignty were
disappointed when the Centre gave its nod to autonomy, but
said no to the demand for a "Greater Nagaland".
Sources within the government said the Centre has
formalized a peace formula to break the deadlock with the
Naga rebels, who held a first round of talks with the
Government today.
Naga leaders also called on Union Home Minister P
Chidambaram to discuss the issue of autonomy issue.
According to sources, the Government has a proposal to
counter the Naga demands, which would include a Naga body
without territorial jurisdiction, but with a
constitutional sanction.
The General Secretary of the banned National Socialist
Council of Nagaland (NSCN), Thuingaleng Muivah, who came
here from Amsterdam with four other leaders, again raised
the demand for a Greater Nagaland.
But the Centre made it clear that the demand for bringing
the Naga-inhabited areas of the region into a single
administrative setup was not possible in view of the
strong opposition from Manipur, Assam and Arunachal
Pradesh.
Muivah was also unhappy with the interlocutor R. S. Pandey,
who led the discussions at the peace dialogue.
The banned National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) -
Isak Muivah faction chairman Isak Chisi Swu along with its
General Secretary Thuingaleng Muivah arrived here for
talks with the Central Government in a bid to take the
vexed Naga peace process forward.
Protesting journalists
clash with police in Nepal
AFP, Kathmandu
Nepalese journalists on Wednesday clashed with police as
they picketed a government building in Kathmandu to demand
improved security after the murder of a newspaper
publisher.
Around 100 media workers were chanting slogans and waving
placards when the brief outbreak of violence took place,
an AFP photographer witnessed.
The protest followed the murder of Arun Singhaniya, the
owner of a regional newspaper and radio station, who was
shot dead near his home in the southern Nepalese town of
Janakpur on Monday.
The Federation of Nepalese Journalists said it had
organised rallies across the country to demand his killers
be brought to justice and to call for media workers to be
better protected.
"Our demand is simple-let us write and live. We want to
put pressure on the government to arrest those behind the
murder of Arun Singhaniya," organiser Ujir Magar, told AFP.
Singhaniya's killing came after the murder in February of
another media owner, Jamim Shah, although the two are not
thought to be connected.
The editors of Nepal's major newspapers on Wednesday
published an open letter condemning Singhaniya's killing
and criticising the government for failing to clamp down
on assaults against the media.
"We demand that the government immediately make efforts to
arrest the criminals and bring them to justice," they
said.
Malaysian opposition hit by
spate of defections
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia's opposition is putting a brave face on a spate
of defections and in-fighting that has hit just as its
leader Anwar Ibrahim fights sodomy charges that could end
his career.
Another opposition lawmaker quit Anwar's Keadilan party
Wednesday, joining two other legislators and a top party
official who also resigned recently, in a boost for the
coalition government which was humbled in 2008 elections.
The Pakatan Rakyat opposition alliance says the exodus,
which has included many more lower-ranking members, is a
necessary "cleansing" after the polls which saw some
untested candidates sweep to surprise victories.
"Before the 2008 general elections, Keadilan faced
difficulties in finding candidates and we took whoever we
could get, with the consequence that some of them were not
up to the mark," party vice-president Sivarasa Rasiah told
AFP.
"It's better they leave now rather than weaken us later at
a more critical time near or at the next general
election."
But analysts say that party-hopping is nudging the
government towards regaining the crucial two-thirds
parliamentary majority which it lost in 2008, depriving it
of the right to amend the constitution in its favour.
Anwar, a former deputy premier who was sacked and
convicted on separate sodomy and corruption charges,
emerged from prison in 2004 to forge an alliance between
Keadilan, the Islamic party PAS and the Democratic Action
Party.
N Korean soldier questioned
after crossing border
AFP, Seoul
A North Korean soldier was being questioned Wednesday
after crossing into South Korea across the heavily
fortified land border, Seoul's spy agency said.
The National Intelligence Service said it was mounting a
joint investigation with the military and the police but
would not confirm the soldier intended to defect.
Yonhap news agency, citing a government source, said
earlier the soldier crossed into the eastern province of
Gangwon late Tuesday and expressed a desire to live in the
South.
The spy agency refused to identify the soldier or give
details of the crossing.
Defections across the inter-Korean frontier, which is
surrounded by barbed wire and minefields in most places,
are rare. Incidents of North Korean soldiers crossing were
reported in 2002, and in April and October 2008.
Almost all civilians fleeing the North go first to China,
and travel on to third countries before winning
resettlement in the South. About 18,000 have arrived in
the South since the 1950-1953 war.
Arabs
approve indirect Israeli-Palestinians talks
AP, Cairo
Arab nations gave the green light Wednesday for
Palestinians to enter indirect negotiations with Israel
for a preliminary four-month period, a decision that
likely breaks the months-long deadlock over resuming
Mideast peace talks.
The United States has proposed so-called proximity talks
to end the impasse between Israelis and Palestinians over
the conditions for resuming negotiations, which broke down
more than a year ago amid Israel's military offensive in
the Gaza Strip.
The Arab approval gives Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbas the political cover he needed to accept the offer.
Abbas has staunchly rejected direct talks unless Israel
calls a complete halt to construction of Jewish
settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem - and he
had been wary of entering even indirect talks without Arab
backing.
The gathering of 14 Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo
agreed. "Despite the lack of conviction in the seriousness
of the Israeli side, the committee sees that it would give
the indirect talks the chance as a last attempt and to
facilitate the U.S. role," said Arab League Secretary
General Amr Moussa, reading from a statement.
Moussa said Arab foreign ministers backed the talks on the
condition that they last four months. "This should not be
an open-ended process," he said.
The ministers also said the indirect talks, mediated by
U.S. officials, should not turn into direct
Israeli-Palestinian talks without a total freeze in
settlement construction. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu instituted a 10-month halt on new construction
in the West Bank in November, but the measure does not
include building that was already started or construction
in east Jerusalem, the sector of the city Palestinians
claim as the capital of a future state.
Dubai seeks Netanyahu’s
arrest
Israel’s spy agency suspected in killing of Hamas
leader
msnbc.com news services, Dubai
Dubai's police chief plans to seek the arrest of Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of Israel's
spy agency over the killing of a Hamas leader in the
emirate, Al-Jazeera television reported Tuesday.
Dahi Khalfan Tamim "said he would ask the Dubai prosecutor
to issue arrest warrants for ... Netanyahu and the head of
Mossad," the report said. It did not give details.
Tamim has said he is "almost certain" Israeli agents were
involved in the killing of Hamas commander Mahmoud al-Mabhouh,
at a Dubai hotel in January, and has called for Mossad's
boss, Meir Dagan, to be arrested if it is proved
responsible. Tamim said on Monday Mossad had "insulted"
Dubai and Western countries whose fraudulent passports
were used by suspects in the assassination. Dubai has
asked the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation to look
into prepaid cards issued by the Meta Financial Group's
MetaBank that the suspects allegedly used, a United Arab
Emirates newspaper said. Citing an FBI source, The
National newspaper said the investigation would look into
any Israeli involvement in the killing.
"Thirteen of the 27 suspects used prepaid MasterCards
issued by MetaBank, a regional American bank, to purchase
plane tickets and book hotel rooms," the newspaper said,
quoting Dubai police. MetaBank said it followed proper
procedures when it issued the cards.
Stolen passports
Authorities told the bank that the suspects appeared to
have used stolen passports to get employment with U.S.
companies, MetaBank said in a statement on Tuesday. The
companies paid the employees with prepaid cards issued by
MetaBank and other banks.
MetaBank said it had launched its own review, and had so
far found that it followed all bank and regulatory
requirements.
Hillary seeks to press
Brazil on Iran
AP, Brasilia
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton faces an
uphill battle as she tries to win support from a skeptical
Brazil for new United Nations sanctions against Iran.
Clinton was in Brasilia on Wednesday for talks aimed at
convincing senior Brazilian officials to back fresh
penalties on Iran for ignoring demands to prove that its
nuclear program is peaceful and not aimed at weapons
development.
Brazil is a voting member of the U.N. Security Council and
its support will be critical to convincing Iran of
international solidarity on the matter. But Brazilian
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is an outspoken
opponent of sanctions and is seeking closer ties with
Iran. He hosted Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last
year and is set to visit Iran in May.
With Brazil asserting itself as a growing power in the
Americas and on the world stage, U.S. officials say they
want to persuade Silva to assume greater responsibility
for global security, particularly on the Iran question.
Brazilian officials are known to feel strongly that it is
best to have teh world seek closer economic ties with
Tehran and to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program
so the country doesn't feel isolated from the
international community.
Clinton was immersed in meetings at midday with
legislators, ahead of her alks with Silva and Foreign
Minister Celso Amorim.
Before arriving in Brazil on Tuesday night, Clinton said
she would explain to Silva the U.S. position that Iran has
the right to atomic energy, but not weapons. Its refusal
to come clean on its nuclear intentions violates Security
Council resolutions and must be punished, she said.
Suicide blasts kill 33
ahead of Iraq polls
AFP, Baquba
Three suicide bombings, including one carried out by an
attacker who rode in an ambulance to hospital before
blowing himself up, killed 33 people in central Iraq on
Wednesday, just days before nationwide elections.
The blasts, the deadliest to hit the country in nearly a
month, also wounded 55 people and spurred security forces
to clamp an immediate curfew on the city, 60 kilometres
(40 miles) north of Baghdad.
At least 10 policemen were among the dead, a security
official said. The attacks came despite heightened
security across the country ahead of Sunday's vote and
after the leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), Abu Omar
al-Baghdadi, threatened to disrupt the election by
"military means".
Two near-simultaneous suicide vehicle bombs ripped through
the provincial housing department's offices and a nearby
traffic intersection at around 9:30 am (0630 GMT), the
security official from Baquba operations command said.
A bomber dressed in police uniform then rode with wounded
victims in an ambulance to the hospital where he blew
himself up, according to Major Ghaleb al-Juburi, Baquba
police spokesman. "The suicide bomber tried to blow
himself up against the police chief when he came to see
the wounded in the hospital," the security official,
speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
Police chief Major General Abdul Hussein al-Shimmari
escaped unharmed but members of his personal security
team, including police Colonel Nabil Ibrahim, were
wounded. Diyala provincial health chief Dr. Ali al-Timimi
was also injured.
"Just a few minutes after we began receiving victims, the
police chief arrived," said policeman Hassan Timimi, who
was in the hospital when it was bombed and suffered
injuries to one of his legs.
Tymoshenko’s government
ousted in Ukraine
AP, Kiev, Ukraine
The Ukrainian parliament ousted the government of Prime
Minister Yulia Tymo-shenko in a no-confidence vote on
Wednesday, dealing a final blow to the leadership of the
pro-Western Ora-nge Revolution and leaving her to lead the
opposition in parliament.
The vote followed weeks of shifting alliances in the
parliament after the pro-Western Tymoshenko lost her bid
for the presidency to Kremlin-friendly Viktor Yanukovych.
Yanukovych has moved quickly to consolidate power, and
secured a major victory as the no-confidence resolution
passed with 243 votes in the 450-seat chamber.
The parliament now has 30 days to form a new governing
coalition. It is expected to coalesce around Yanukovych's
Party of Regions, and would then be able to put forward a
new prime minister. If no new coalition is formed,
Yanukovych will be able to disband parliament and call
early elections. Addressing the chamber ahead of the vote,
Tymoshenko said she would embrace her new role as an
opposition leader, and her speech showed a level of fervor
that was absent during the tumultuous weeks following her
election defeat.
She said her new goal will be to hold Yanukovych and his
team to account for every decision they make.
"We will protect Ukraine from this new calamity that has
befallen her," she said.
Tymoshenko's governing "Orange" coalition dissolved
Tuesday after it was unable to prove the minimum 226-seat
majority in parliament. The coalition, formed in December
2008, was loosely centered on the political ideals of the
Orange Revolution, a series of massive street protests in
2004 led by former President Viktor Yushchenko and
Tymoshenko.
Top Dems looking to Obama
for health care momentum
AP, Washington
Democratic congressional leaders hope President Barack
Obama's unveiling of his final health care package
Wednesday will help resuscitate an effort that seemed all
but dead until recently.
The president planned to describe his plan at the White
House, a day after he said he was open to melding four
Republican ideas into his proposal. In a measure of the
partisanship that has dominated the battle, his embrace of
those GOP policies drew no plaudits from Republicans;
instead, it appeared designed to coax votes from nervous
Democratic moderates by demonstrating an attempt to
cooperate with the other party. "I like the idea that the
president is working with Republicans and trying to find
common ground," said Sen. Mark Pryor, a centrist Democrat
from Arkansas. "I think that's a good place to be for him,
I think that's what the American people want to see."
Obama's effort signaled the climax of a yearlong duel over
his premier domestic priority, with the outcome still
uncertain. Democratic leaders hope to muscle the overhaul
package through Congress by month's end or sooner over
what is expected to be unanimous Republican opposition,
teeing up a pivotal issue for the November congressional
elections.
"He'll reiterate why reform is so crucial and what it will
mean for American families and businesses," said a White
House official who described Obama's remarks on condition
of anonymity to avoid upstaging the president. Obama has
already made the basics of his plan clear. He would extend
health coverage to about 30 million uninsured Americans,
leash the insurance industry by banning practices like
denying coverage for the ill, expand pharmaceutical
benefits for the elderly and give lower-income people
subsidies to help them afford coverage. It would be paid
for by raising taxes on upper-income Americans and culling
savings from Medicare.
Chile earthquake may have
shortened days on earth
Internet
The massive 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile may have
changed the entire Earth's rotation and shortened the
length of days on our planet, a NASA scientist said
Monday.
The quake, the seventh strongest earthquake in recorded
history, hit Chile Saturday and should have shortened the
length of an Earth dayby 1.26 milliseconds, according to
research scientist Richard Gross atNASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.
"Perhaps more impressive is how much the quake shifted
Earth's axis," NASA officials said in a Monday update. The
computer model used by Gross and his colleagues to
determine the effects of the Chile earthquake effect also
found that it should have moved Earth's figure axis by
about 3 inches (8 cm or 27 milliarcseconds).
The Earth's figure axis is not the same as its north-south
axis, which it spins around once every day at a speed of
about 1,000 mph (1,604 kph).
The figure axis is the axis around which the Earth's mass
is balanced. It is offset from the Earth's north-south
axis by about 33 feet (10 meters). Strong earthquakes have
altered Earth's days and its axis in the past. The 9.1
Sumatran earthquake in 2004, which set off a deadly
tsunami, should have shortened Earth's days by 6.8
microseconds and shifted its axis by about 2.76 inches (7
cm, or 2.32 milliarcseconds).
One Earth day is about 24 hours long. Over the course of a
year, the length of a day normally changes gradually by
one millisecond.
It increases in the winter, when the Earth rotates more
slowly, and decreases in the summer, Gross has said in the
past.
Business/Economy
$24.27cr
earned from Jute export in five months
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Jute and Textiles Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui told the
House on Wednesday that US Dollar 24,27,80,000 was earned
in the first five months of the current fiscal year by
exporting raw and finished jutes.
Replying to a question from BNP lawmaker Ashraf Uddin
Nizan, the minister said steps were undertaken to run all
public sector jute mills in full scale and the production
of some jute mills already resumed. Besides, he said, 10
percent subsidy on exporting jute is being given.
Responding to another question from treasury bench member
Kazi Keramat Ali, the minister said there are 20 public
sector jute mills now in operation. "Of them, 16 jute
mills are running by BJMC and four on lease," he said.
Latif Siddiqui told ruling party lawmaker Waresat Hossain
Belal that BJMC purchased 13,32,704 quintal jute in
2007-08 fiscal year and 10,64,669 quintal in 2008-09
fiscal year.
Answering to another question from Jatiya Party member
Salma Islam, the jute minister said the government has no
plan for time being to stop export of the raw jute
completely. "The government has taken a decision to stop
export raw jute temporarily from December 7 to ensure raw
jute in local jute mills," he said.
Replying to another question from Jatiya Party member
Mujibul Haque, the minister said the international demand
of jute and jute goods has increased massively.
Quoting a report of the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO), he said Bangladesh exports 95 percent raw jutes of
the international demand and the government has a plan to
control the international market of jutes in its own
interest.
BD
rated adversely for having no sovereign credit rating:
FBCCI
UNB, Dhaka
Bangladesh is rated adversely in case of obtaining loan
and investment in both public and private sectors in the
absence of sovereign credit rating, said a leader of
Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry
(FBCCI).
"Such adverse rating increases the cost of fund since
lenders charge more on account of risk premium," said
FBCCI vice-president Abul Kashem Ahmed at a meeting on
'Assessment of Sovereign Credit Rating of Bangladesh' with
Moody's Singapore Credit Rating Agency at FBCCI on Tuesday
evening. He stressed the need for one or two professional
and efficient credit rating agency in the country.
"Bangladesh is expected to have its initial ratings by
March 2010," he added.
Abul Kashem Ahmed presided over the meeting attended by
leaders of the business community, senior bankers and
representatives of export sectors.
Thomas J Byrne, senior vice-president of regional credit
officer for Asia and the Middle East of Moody's Singapore
Pvt Ltd led the delegation. Vice president Aninda S Mitra,
and director Catherine Bouvier D' Yvoire were present.
During the meeting, they discussed economic situation,
potential export sectors and the estimated growth rate of
the country.
Byrne assured the FBCCI leaders of all out cooperation
from his company regarding efficient credit rating of
Bangladesh.
US private sector sheds 20,000
jobs in February
AFP, Washington
The US private sector shed the smallest number of jobs in
two years in February, a payrolls firm said Wednesday in a
report signaling a healing labor sector as the economy
recovers from recession. Non-farm private payrolls fell
20,000 in February on a seasonally adjusted basis,
payrolls firm ADP said, matching the consensus forecast.
"The February employment decline was the smallest since
employment began falling in February of 2008," the ADP
National Employment Report said. ADP revised sharply
higher its January number of job losses to 60,000, from an
initial estimate of 22,000. The report came ahead of this
week's highly anticipated monthly government labor report,
a key indicator of economic momentum.
Though the economy posted growth in the second half of
2009, snapping a year of contraction, the troubled labor
market poses a major challenge to a sustained recovery.
With unemployment hovering near double digits and job
losses continuing, although decreasing, consumers have
hunkered down in the face of job insecurity.
Most analysts expect the Labor Department will report
Friday that the February unemployment rate ticked up to
9.8 percent from 9.7 percent in January, with nonfarm
payroll losses unchanged at 20,000.
EU finance chief vows to ease
economic cooperation
AFP, London
Europe's new financial overlord has pledged to ease
economic cooperation within the EU and said improved
regulation is the key to bolstering the single market, in
an interview published Wednesday.
"I want to be the commissioner for more single market, not
less," France's Michel Barnier told the Financial Times
newspaper.
Better regulation was needed to rebuild confidence in the
single market, he said. Without this, "we risk a
nationalist, populist and protectionist approach," the
European Union's new internal market commissioner said.
Barnier, whose appointment at the end of last year as the
bloc's internal market commissioner raised fears among
London's bankers of increased control from Brussels, also
said his credibility depended on his independence.
"I'm not horrible, but I'm not a pussycat either," he
said.
Fears over his ascent to the European Union's top finance
post were compounded when French President Nicolas Sarkozy
declared the British government the "big losers" of the
bloc's jobs battle.
But Barnier has distanced himself from accusations that he
is driven by an interventionist ideology and appointed an
Englishman, Jonathan Faull, as his right-hand man.
Speaking as he ended a trip to London on Tuesday-described
by the Financial Times as a "24-hour peace mission"-Barnier
expressed support for the British capital as a leading
financial centre.
He praised London, which is home to 80 percent of Europe's
financial services funds, as "the financial powerhouse of
Europe".
But he made clear his wish for markets to come under
stricter control as European economies struggle to recover
from the worst recession for decades.
"Markets should be at the service of the economy and not
the contrary," he said.
The City of London and Europe would benefit from "good,
intelligent regulation," added Barnier.
The commissioner also pledged to work further on EU plans
to impose regulations on hedge funds and private equity.
He conceded that a directive to regulate private equity
and hedge funds had been rushed and told the paper: "The
directive has been improved and it might be improved
further."
During his London visit, the Frenchman met British
Chancellor Alistair Darling, and George Osborne, finance
spokesman of the main opposition Conservative Party.
He also met the governor of the Bank of England, Mervyn
King
and other senior City figures.
China emerges as Lanka’s top
lender in 2009
AFP, Colombo
China has emerged as Sri Lanka's biggest single lender in
2009, overtaking the World Bank and the Asian Development
Bank, the treasury said Wednesday.
China lent 1.2 billion dollars to build roads, a coal
power project and a port in the island's south last year,
more than half the total of 2.2 billion dollars in foreign
aid in 2009. Project loans accounted for 1.9 billion
dollars of the total, with another 279.6 million dollars
in grants, the treasury said ahead of the 2010 budget.
Western donors have curbed aid to Sri Lanka over human
rights issues and the government's handling of the final
weeks of a 37-year-old conflict with Tamil Tiger
separatists, which ended last May.
The US has scaled back military assistance to Colombo,
while Germany and Britain have pruned their aid to Sri
Lanka. The European Union is also set to withdraw trade
concessions to Sri Lanka from August. As ties with allies
in the West have soured, President Mahinda Rajapakse has
deepened ties with Japan, India, China and Myanmar, as
well as Iran.
"The government of China, Asian Development Bank and the
World Bank were the three main donors who accounted for
1.9 billion dollars or 84.3 percent of the total
commitment in 2009," the report said.
Japan and the Manila-based Asian Development Bank have in
the past been the biggest lenders to the island.
Greek PM raises appeal to IMF if
no EU support
AFP, Athens
Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou kept the option on
Wednesday of asking for IMF help if the European Union
does not offer support in averting national bankruptcy,
the semi-state Athens News Agency said.
Papandreou made the statement while addressing a special
cabinet meeting, ANA said, later telling Greek President
Carolos Papoulias: "We are awaiting European solidarity,
the other side of this agreement." The Greek Prime
minister warned on Tuesday that the country was at risk of
bankruptcy if it did not push through policies to retrieve
its credibility. He is scheduled to travel to Berlin on
Friday and Paris on Sunday for talks with German
Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas
Sarkozy. There is a growing sentiment in financial markets
that a European aid plan of some kind may be in the
making, conditional on tough measures to be announced in
Greece later on Wednesday.
Greece will reveal additional austerity cuts worth 4.8
billion euros (6.5 billion dollars) in a bid to rescue its
debt-stricken economy, state television NET reported.
"These decisions are necessary for the survival of the
country and the economy," Papandreou later told reporters.
"So that Greece can exit the vortex of speculators and
defamation, so that we can breathe and keep on fighting,"
he said.
NET reported that the latest crisis package will include a
two-percent rise in sales tax, a pension freeze, and a cut
in holiday allowance for civil servants who have already
been targeted by benefit cuts.
National
7.20 lakh youths to receive
training in three years: PM
BSS, Sangsad Bhaban
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told the Parliament on
Wednesday that 7.20 lakh unemployed young men and women
would be provided with training to raise their skill and
efficiency over the next three years through a project.
The project titled 'Strengthening of Programme-based
networking between the Youth Development Department and
the Non- government Voluntary Youth Organizations' was
recently approved with a view to making the unemployed
youths self-reliance in various trades.
Replying to a scripted query from ruling party lawmaker
Abdul Majid Khan, the Leader of the House during her
scheduled question-hour session said the government has
undertaken massive programmes of efficiency-increasing
training, self-employment and loan assistance through
different ministries and departments to involve the
jobless youths in employment.
As per the election manifesto of the present democratic
government, she said, the National Service Programme has
been undertaken by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to
involve the youth community in the nation-building
activities by providing employment to the jobless young
men and women.
"The programme has already been undertaken initially in
Kurigram, Barguna and Gopalganj districts as the pilot
programme to create a two-year temporary employment for
the young men and women with secondary level education or
above" the Prime Minister said.
She also said that the programme would start very soon and
a plan would be undertaken to implement the programme
across the country in the light of experiences of the
pilot programme.
The Prime Minister said the Manpower, Employment and
Training Bureau under the Ministries of Labour and
Employment and Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment
has been providing training to the less-educated
unemployed youths and young women."Technical training is
being provided to the unemployed youths through 38
technical training centres," she said, adding that 42,000
youths were imparted training in 38 trades in 2008 and the
number would stand to 49,000 this year.
The Prime Minister said 8,75,000 Bangladeshi workers went
abroad with jobs in 2008 and the government has taken
initiatives to expand foreign job markets. She said the
government has taken steps to build 30 technical training
centres in those districts with no such centres. Five
institutes of marine technologies in Munshiganj, Chandpur,
Bagerhat, Sirajganj and Faridpur will also be established,
she said.
To solve the 'monga' problems in northern region, Sheikh
Hasina said, training in garment trade and mid-level
garment supervisor trade is being provided to the
unemployed youths in monga-hit areas under joint
initiatives of Manpower, Employment and Training Bureau,
Char Livelihood Programme and BGMEA. The Prime Minister
also said that steps have been undertaken to construct a
hotel management and catering institute in Sylhet. "The
youths trained from the institute would get employment
scope," he hoped. She said the government has taken
initiatives to fill up the vacant posts of Labour
Directorate, Factory and Organization Inspection
Directorate, Labour Appeal Tribunal and Minimum Wage
Board.
"Advertisements for appointment to some posts have already
been published and the process for appointment there is
continuing," Sheikh Hasina added.
Organic farming
ultimate solution for sustainable agriculture: Experts
UNB, Dhaka
The eco-friendly organic farming is the ultimate solution
for sustainability in the country's agriculture, as it can
ensure biomass recycling and conservation of biodiversity,
agriculture experts said.
They said that the hi-tech agriculture has destroyed the
seeds which were supposed to be kept by the farmers. It
has been making the poor marginal farmers getting poorer
with high cost agriculture in the name of poverty
alleviation.
"To be safe in life, there is no alternative to organic
farming," Prof Dr Mohammed Ataur Rahman, Director, Centre
for Global Environmental Culture (CGEC) of International
University of Business Agriculture and Technology-IUBAT,
told UNB.
Canadian John Vanden Heuvel, Coordinator of World Wide
Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF), who is presently
working with Prof Ataur Rahman in the IUBAT, said that
indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
have killed the soil, polluted air and water, and of
course, harmed human health causing various diseases.
The two experts said Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)
and High Yielding Varieties (HYVs), based on high inputs
(costly chemical fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, less
storage life crops/seeds, etc.), are causing health
hazards, although very easy and eco-friendly organic
farming can ensure biomass recycling and conservation of
biodiversity. About the prices of some agricultural
produce, they said carrot, cabbage, potatoes, tomato and
cauliflower are now sold at Tk 10 per kg while the farmers
get Tk 5 or less during the production period.
The agriculturists mentioned that as the high-yielding
hybrid commodities have very short normal storage life, it
is the rich entrepreneurs who reap the benefit by storing
and transporting after the prices rise two to three times.
"Are these crops sustainable? Why don't we choose our
hundred and thousand years' adaptable crops? They have
more resistance power, long storage life. Moreover,
indigenous practices can keep them in good condition for
long time," they said.
About the farming of corns, taros, sweet potato, maize,
millets, pulses, grams, lentils and many more, the
agriculturists said crop rotation, mulching, drought
resistant crop, use of green manure, composting, surface
water re-use and recycling are the common practices for
organic farming. They also said that irrigation dependent
cropping culture especially in the dry season has
destroyed many drought-resistant valuable crops like
lentils, pulses, grams, onion, garlic, mustard,
groundnuts, maize and millets. "And now we are reduced to
importing these essential commodities with the hard-earned
foreign currency."
The experts said the groundwater table is going down and
there is water scarcity everywhere. Now, with
indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides, birds and
insect bees are killed in the rural areas. "It is hardly
believable that many birds are migrating to the cities for
shelter since pesticides are being used for almost every
crop." They said: "Think about the foods we are eating
everyday. Almost every food are adulterated, crops are
produced and preserved with chemical fertilizers, and
deadly poisonous pesticides like melation, dimicron,
endosulfan for cow and chicken fattening.
"Fish meal mixed with poisonous chemicals, testosteron
hormone for monosex fish culture, use of deadly formalin
for fish preservation, and food dyes containing arsenic
and chromium."
The experts said all these are creating human health
hazards like cancer, tumor, heart blockage, blood pressure
and lung diseases.
Potato growers facing problem due to low price
UNB, Madaripur
Potato growers of five districts in greater Faridpur
region have been facing problems with their bumper
production due to its low price in the local markets.
The growers said they are compelled to sell potato in the
markets at throw away prices due to lack of cold storage
facilities.
According to the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE)
some 3,426 hectares of land have been brought under the
potato cultivation in the five districts this season with
a production target of 54,440 metric tons. But the farmers
achieved bumper production this season.
Of the total land, 398 hectares have been brought under
the potato cultivation in Madaripur district with output
target of 6,567 mts while 2,057 hectares in Shariatpur
district with the target of 33,941 mts, some 508 hectares
in Faridpur with target of 8,382 mts, 338 hectares in
Gopalganj with the target of 5,544 mts and 125 hectares in
Rajbari with output target of 2,046 mts.
Abdul Hamid, a potato grower at Kornopara village in
Kalkini upazila of Madaripur district told UNB that they
have to sell per kg potato at Tk 8/9 in the market against
the production cost of Tk 10. districts.
Deputy Director of the DAE M Rafiqul Islam informed that
the growers in the five districts have achieved bumper
production of the potato due to favorable weather and
availability of quality seeds. He said there are only two
small size cold storages in Madaripur and Faridpur
districts and the farmers are facing problems with their
bumper production.
British FM praises role of
Bangladeshis in UK’s dev
UNB, Dhaka
British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs David Miliband praised the role of minority
people, including Bangladeshis, in the socioeconomic
development of his country.
He made the appreciation at a programme of the Labour
Party at Bangladeshi restaurant 'The Red Fort" in central
London on Monday, according to a message from the British
capital.
The function was organized in honour of the Labour Party
candidates from minority communities for the upcoming
local and national elections in the United Kingdom and
leaders of minority supporters of the party.
The British foreign minister noted that when the
Conservative Party was in power 13 years back, Britain's
foreign-assistance budget was very poor. "But now the
budget topped the lists of developed countries of the
world in providing assistance for poverty alleviation and
socioeconomic development of Asian and South African
countries, including Bangladesh," he was quoted as saying.
The minister also said that Labour Party is being enriched
day by day with the participation and work of ethnic
minority people, the Bangladeshis in particular as some
Bangladeshi-origin people became this party's leaders.
He asked all to work in unison in the ensuing elections
for carrying forward the trend of development initiated
with the leadership of Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The founder of 'The Red Fort' restaurant, Amin Ali, and
chair of the home affairs select committee of the British
House of Commons Kieth Vaz welcomed David Miliband to the
restaurant-one of many reputed eateries in the UK.
Lions Clubs to cover 1 mln
primary students by June
BSS, Dhaka
Lions Clubs International Multiple District-315 Bangladesh
on Wednesday declared that they would cover as many as one
million primary students within June this year and 10
million by 2015 with moral and need-based education under
the Lions Quest Programme.
"Keeping this in view, we are giving maximum importance on
moral education with a deep sense of patriotism side by
side with holding rallies, seminars and distribution of
education materials among the primary students," said Lion
Engineer M Shahjahan Khadem in his keynote paper presented
at a seminar at the CIRDAP auditorium here.
Lions International Faculty Member Naresh Agarwal was the
chief guest while Past Internal Director of the Lions Club
International Sheikh Kabir Hossain was the special guest
on the occasion.
Lions AKM Mosharraf Hossain, Kazi Akramuddin Ahmed and M A
Aziz, among others, took part in the discussion,
suggesting massive infrastructure development and
empowering of the parents at the root level to send their
kids to schools.
In his keynote paper, Khadem said primary education, the
very foundation of a nation's future, saw deterioration in
the past due mainly to lack in proper learning of English
and teaching of moral values. "The present government is
now coming up with a very pragmatic and time-befitting
approach to further improve the primary education in the
country," he said.
Naresh Agarwal from India favoured correct policy
formulation as well as implementation keeping in view the
right perspective with maximum emphasis upon primary
education. "This tier of education is the foundation of a
nation's future progress and prosperity," he said
stressing on the need for improved health service
particularly in the rural areas.
Other Lions leaders praised the present government's
future perspective plans in all key areas including the
education sector and assured of their all-out cooperation
towards any holistic approach towards ensuring need-based
education at the primary level across the country.
Sports
BD ITF Junior Tennis Championship
reaches quarterfinals stage
UNB, Dhaka
The boys' and girls' singles competitions of the Grameenphone
24th Bang-ladesh ITF Junior Tennis Championship moved to the
quarterfinals stage at the Ramna National Tennis Complex here
Wednesday.
Eight boys and eight girls reached the quarterfinals of the
ITF junior meet eliminating their rivals in the
pre-quarterfinals on Wednesday morning.
In the boys' singles pre-quarterfinals, Bowen Ouy-ang (CHN)
beat Rishabdev Raman (IND) 6-3, 7-6, Xin GAO (CHN) beat
Leander Lazaro (PHO) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Haadin Bava (IND) beat
Boris Greco (SUI) 7-6, 6-4, Phassawit Burapharitta (THA)
defeated Arjun Kadhe (IND) 6-1, 6-1, Ting Yu Chuang (TPE) beat
Chung Huo Woo (KOR) 7-6, 6-4, 6-2, Chieh-Fu Wang (TPE) beat
Kittipong Chienwichai (THA) 6-3, 6-0 Sai Kartik Nakireddi (IND)
beat Chi Shan Jao (TPE) 6-2, 6-4, Mohit Mayur Jayaprakh
beatSamir Iftikhar (PAK) 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the
quarterfinals.
In the girls' singles pre-quarterfinals, Saisai Zheng (CHN)
beat Anna Clarica Patrimonio (PHI) 6-0, 6-2, Xi Yang (CHN)
beat Sowjanya Bavisetti (IND) 6-3, 6-0, Nadya Syarifah (INA)
beat Adnya Naik (IND) 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, Meng Ning Deng (CHN) beat
Amy Askew (GBR) 6-4, 6-3, Sabina Sharipova (UZB) beat Ankita
Raina (IND) 6-0, 6-2, Ratnika Batra (IND) beat Chu-Chen Chuen
(TPE) 6-4, 6-2, Trang Huynh Phung Dai (VIE) beat Xianghong Yin
(CHN) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4 Xuanshuo Ou (CHN) beat Rimpledeep Kaur
Bath (IND) 6-2, 6-3.
The quarterfinal matches of both the boys' and girls' singles
will be held today morning while the boys' and girls' doubles
quarterfinals will be held in the afternoon.
 Waqar
Younis signs as Pakistan coach
Cricinfo Online
Waqar Younis has signed on as the new coach of the Pakistan
side, in the process becoming the fourth coach of the team in
three years. The former fast bowler has been in negotiations
with the PCB over the last few days, but confirmed that he
will now replace Intikhab Alam on a tenure that sees him
through to December 2011.
Waqar, who is based in Sydney currently, will arrive in Lahore
next week to begin work, the first assignment of which will be
to prepare Pakistan's defense of the World Twenty20 crown in
the Caribbean in April-May. "I've signed on and agreed to the
contract," Waqar told Cricinfo. "I'll be arriving in Lahore
from next week to begin work."
Though the PCB had talked of - and approached - at least one
foreign option to replace Intikhab in the aftermath of the
tour to Australia, Waqar emerged as a favourite to take over
last week. He was sent a contract over the weekend and though
there initially were a few sticking points, it is believed the
chinks have been ironed out.
"I'm absolutely honoured to take on the role and it is a very
exciting challenge," Waqar said. "Hopefully I can deliver on
the role.
Cricket has given me a lot over the years and I want to give
something back to cricket and country now. I've always played
my cricket with passion and aggression and I want the team to
play like that." This will be Waqar's first official role as
head coach at any competitive level, though he has worked with
Pakistan twice previously as a bowling coach. The first was a
stint under Bob Woolmer between March 2006 and January 2007, a
successful stretch during which a number of bowlers prospered.
The second time was on the recent Australian tour, where he
was one of three coaches in a set-up headed by Intikhab and
that appointment was for the series only.
But Waqar believes his relative lack of experience in an
expansive role will not be a hindrance, hinting that he would
relish the broader sweep such a post would afford him.
"I'll probably have more control of various situations and
have a say in more decisions. I really enjoyed my time as
bowling coach, especially the first one under Bob.
"The last one was a little more difficult but I'm confident I
can deliver. I learnt a lot from Bob during his time and I'm
hoping I can put that to good use."
Choi on dual mission at Malaysian
Golf Open
AFP, Kuala Lumpur
South Korea's K.J. Choi is eyeing victory at the
two-million-dollar Maybank Malaysian Open to complete a
grand double in the country and enhance his Masters
Tournament aspirations.
The seven-time US PGA Tour winner was victorious when he
last visited Malaysia in October and feels right at home
at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club where the
tournament tees off Thursday.
Choi is confident he can enjoy a good week in the event
co-sanctioned by the Asian and European tours to bolster
his chances of returning to the world's top-50 and
qualifying for the Masters Tournament in April.
But he is up against the likes of two-time Malaysian Open
winner Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, former Ryder Cup star
Darren Clarke and defending champion Anthony Kang of the
United States.
"It is very good to be back. I feel the love already and
I'm having a good time right now and I'm going to enjoy
the rest of the week," said Choi.
"I feel that my fitness is coming back. It has been a
slower start than what I expected because my shots have
improved but it is progressing tremendously on a
week-to-week basis. I have big expectations in the
upcoming tournaments."
Australia down
Indonesia 1-0 to reach Asian Cup finals
AFP, Brisbane
Australia qualified for the 2011 Asian Cup finals with 1-0
win over plucky Indonesia Wednesday.
The World Cup-bound Socceroos controlled possession for
long periods of the lopsided match but had only defender
Mark Milligan's 42nd minute goal to show for all their
dominance. Asia's top-ranked nation fielded a largely
A-League lineup against the 136th-ranked Indonesians and
only needed a draw to go through to next January's
showpiece in Qatar.
Australia have now lost only once to Indonesia in 15
encounters and have won all their five home games.
Indonesia's only win (1-0) over Australia came in a World
Cup qualifier in Surabaya in 1981. The Australians, under
Dutch coach Pim Verbeek, have now qualified for both
June's World Cup in South Africa and the Asian Cup, where
they will be looking to do better than their disappointing
quarter-final exit to Japan on penalties at the last
tournament in 2007.
With midfielder Jason Culina, leading his country for the
first time and always on the ball, the Socceroos had
virtually all the play but lacked the cutting edge against
the out-of-contention Indonesia.
Australia dominated the opening half, controlling
possession and probing for openings, but engineered few
definite scoring chances until Milligan's opener three
minutes before halftime.
Luke Wilkshire's free kick hit Milligan's shoulder and on
to the bar before the Japanese-based defender swivelled
and rifled the rebound past goalkeeper Markus Harison for
his first international goal.
The Australians almost doubled their advantage in added-on
time when defender Simon Colosimo's bullet-header off a
corner was tipped over the bar by Markus. The Indonesians'
best chances in the opening half came through Budi
Sudarsono, but Eugene Galekovic had a quiet time in the
Australian goal.
Japanese-based target man Josh Kennedy had several heading
opportunities off crosses from 18-year-old debutant Tommy
Oar and Dinamo Moscow utility Wilkshire, but was unable to
convert any of the chances.
Cool Styris gets New Zealand home
Cricinfo Online
Scott Styris went from probable 12th man to match-winner
after guiding New Zealand to a two-wicket victory in a
tense chase of 276 in Napier.
Styris began the day outside New Zealand's starting XI but
was called in late due to Daniel Vettori's stiff neck, and
the inclusion helped Ross Taylor start his international
captaincy career on a high.
Styris sealed the win with a six over long-off from the
second ball of the 50th over from Doug Bollinger and
finished unbeaten on 49 from 34 deliveries, with Shane
Bond also at the crease on 11. The pair had combined for a
35-run stand that meant Jacob Oram did not have to bat
after suffering a potentially serious injury to his left
knee in the field.
Although it was Styris who saw the chase home from No. 7,
fittingly it was the fill-in captain Taylor who had put
New Zealand in a winning position with his 70 from 71
deliveries.
He woke up on match day unaware he was about to lead his
country for the first time and by the end of the evening
had a 100% winning record. The late withdrawal of Vettori
had the potential to ruin New Zealand's victory chances.
He is their captain, a selector, their best bowler, an
important lower-order batsman and in his spare time
probably maintains the New Zealand Cricket website. But
New Zealand showed that Australia, who made seven changes
from Sunday's Twenty20 side, were not the only squad with
depth.
Daryl Tuffey bowled well, James Franklin stepped up as a
bowler in Oram's absence, Peter Ingram gave them a good
start to the chase and Styris did the rest. There were
also the expected contributions from Taylor, Bond and
Brendon McCullum.
The key to New Zealand's chase was getting a strong start
and a 75-run opening stand from McCullum and Ingram
fulfilled that requirement. McCullum looked set to
continue the form he showed on Sunday when he posted a
Twenty20 century. He took to Bollinger early and flicked
short balls comfortably off his hip behind square, and
drove with supreme power through the off side.
Ingram (40) began in scratchy fashion and for a while
looked outclassed, until he got a few away off the middle
of the bat through the off side against Ryan Harris.
Eventually Ingram tried to lift Mitchell Johnson over mid-
off only to see Michael Hussey sprint back to take a
wonderful catch with the flight of the ball.
Bollinger was understandably elated when he cramped
McCullum and drew an inside edge onto his stumps for 45
from 43 deliveries. From there, Taylor's confidence and
Styris' calmness finished the job, albeit in tighter
fashion than they hoped.
Taylor was aiming to be there at the end but his
departure, caught at deep midwicket off Shane Watson, gave
Australia a sniff. In the finish, it wasn't enough to save
Australia from their first defeat in their past 14 one-day
internationals.
Dunga admits Brazil must go up another level at
World Cup
AFP, London
Brazil coach Dunga admits his side must raise their game
to an even higher level to live up to their billing as
World Cup favourites.
Dunga's team showed the good and bad sides of their game
in Tuesday's 2-0 friendly win over the Republic of Ireland
at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and the Selecao coach knows
there is still room for improvement in South Africa later
this year.
As ever, the five-time World Cup winners are regarded as
strong contenders to win the tournament, but Dunga claims
he is surprised by that tag because he keeps hearing how
badly his players are performing in Europe this season.
While that comment was laced with irony, Dunga is honest
enough to admit Brazil will have to improve on a curiously
flat first half against Ireland. It took Keith Andrews'
own goal just before half-time to finally spark the South
Americans into life.
Robinho's 76th minute finish to a sublime 22-pass move
featuring back-flicks from Kaka and Grafite perfectly
encapsulated the magical play the world expects from
Brazil, yet Dunga cares more about putting out a team with
the right balance than entertaining his country's
demanding fans.
"Every time Brazil goes to the World Cup it is the same
story. To be favourite or not doesn't really tell me
anything. We just have to play," Dunga said.
"For me it is a surprise that Brazil is a favourite
because I have been reading lately that all the Brazilian
players are playing badly in Europe!
Germany thrash Canada
in World Cup Hockey
AFP, New Delhi
Defending champions Ger-many toyed with lowly Canada 6-0
on Wednesday to record their first win in the men's field
hockey World Cup.
The Germans, looking to become the first team to win a
hat-trick of World Cup titles, came back strongly after
being held to an embarrassing 2-2 draw by South Korea in
their first match.
The reigning Olympic champions pumped in four goals in the
first half, three of them with penalty corners after
Benjamin Wess had put them ahead in the 3rd minute with a
field goal.
Jan-Marco Montag, Max Muller and Martin Haner fired in
set-piece goals, before man-of-the-match Florian Fuchs
sealed the emphatic win by striking twice in the second
session.
Germany, who won the last two World Cups in 2002 and 2006
before underlining their supremacy with a gold at the
Beijing Olympics two years ago, now have four points from
two matches.
The 11th-ranked Canada, who lost to New Zealand in their
first match, remain without a point.
The Netherlands and Argentina are the other teams in group
A, from where two will advance to the semi-finals.
Chittagong reaches final,
Rajshahi-Dhaka match ends in draw
UNB, Dhaka
Chittagong Division smartly reached the final of the EBL
11th National Cricket League beating Khulna Division by
three wickets in the 4th and final day of the last super
four match Wednesday at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in
Bogra.
Chittagong Division, which luckily managed a super four
berth as the last team after the first phase matches,
booked the final berth securing 84 points from eight
matches, winning all the three super four matches.
Rajshahi Division, which earlier confirmed the final,
finished at top securing 89 points from eight outings.
Dhaka and Khulna Divisions quit from the race bagging 77
and 74 points respectively.
Chittagong Division will play holders Rajshahi Division in
the title deciding five-day final, which will begin on
Saturday (March 6) at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium
in Mirpur.
Chasing 139 runs on the final day with eight wickets in
hand, Chittagong Division (308 in 1st innings) resumed the
2nd innings Wednesday morning with overnight 63 for 2 and
reached their goal scoring 204 runs for seven wickets in
47 overs.
After the departure of two night watch batsmen-Abdullah Al
Mamun (25) and Kazi Kamrul (2) -- without adding a single
run today, number six batsman Foysal Hossain came to the
rescue of Chittagong Division with not out 68 runs off 76
balls that featured nine fours and a six.
Later, Foysal Hossain of Chittagong Division was adjudged
man of the match.
Besides, lower order Mominul Haque (22), number five
Nazimuddin (21) and skipper Nafees Iqbal (16) were the
other notable scorers for Chittagong while another 22 runs
came from extras.
National colour pacer Dollar Mahmud, who claimed both the
wickets on day three, finally completed his five-wicket
haul conceding 57 runs in 12 overs while Nizamuddin Ripon
and Rabiul Islam took one wicket apiece.
Brief score: Khulna Division first innings - 241 all out
in 70.4 overs; Amit Majumder 41, Nazimuddin Ripon 31,
Mohammad Mithun 30, Dollar Mahmud 29, Sahagir Hossain 27,
extras 18, Kazi Kamrul 4/36 and Elias Sunny 4/86.
2nd inning s- 268 all out in 87.2 overs ; Sahagir Hossain
79, Amit Majumder 35, Syed Rasel 32, Taposh Ghosh 29,
Nazimuddin Ripon 23, Mohammad Mithun 22, Dollar Mahmud 11,
extras 25, Abdullah Al Mamun 3/20, Elias Sunny 2/35, Iqbal
Hossain Ronny 2/64.
Chittagong Division first innings - 308 all out in 77.5
overs; Gazi Salahuddin 60, Mahmudul Hasan not out 59,
Arman Hossain 41, Faisal Hossain 36, Momin Ul Haque 24,
Syed Rasel 5/60, Monwar Hossain 2/56.
2nd innings - 204 for 7 in 47.5 overs (overnight score 63
for 2 in 21 overs); Foysal Hossain not out 68, Abdullah Al
Mamun 25, Mominul Haque 22, Nazimuddin 21, Nafees Iqbal 16
extras 22, Dollar Mahmud 5/57, Niza,uddin 1/14, Rabiul
Islam 1/57.
The day's other league match between Rajshahi Division and
Dhaka Division ended in draw on the 4th and final day at
the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in Khulna.
Replying to Dhaka Division's 1st innings total 400 for 8
(declared), Rajshahi Division (1st innings 241) resumed
the 2nd innings with overnight 269 for 6 and declared at
404 for 7 in 122 overs.
Sabbir Rahman, who resumed batting with 32 runs, scored a
brilliant century making just 100 runs off 149 balls with
16 fours while his night watch partner Farhad Reza (53)
made 66 runs off 107 balls with 12 fours and a six.
Lower order Mohammad Shahzada added another useful not out
46 runs off 64 balls with six boundaries.
Pacer Mohammad Sharif grabbed three wicikets for 69 runs
while Mehrab Jr took two wickets for 96 runs.
In reply, Dhaka Division in their second innings scored
151 for 8 in 62 overs at stumps on the final day to settle
for a draw.
Shuvagoto Chowdhury scored not out 74 off 199 ballss with
eight fours and a six, opener Rony Talukder made 15, tail
ender Arafat Sunny not out 19 and Mohammad Sharif 11 for
Dhaka Division.
Pakistan cricket reels year after
Sri Lanka attacks
AFP, Lahore
Pakistani cricket on Wednesday marked the first
anniversary of a devastating attack on the Sri Lankan
cricket team, searching for a revival of fortune and path
out of isolation.
Seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach were
injured and eight Pakistanis killed when attackers on foot
opened fire and hurled grenades at the tourists' bus en
route to the Gaddafi Stadium in the eastern city of
Lahore.
The attackers escaped, the second Test was abandoned and
the Sri Lankan team flown home as condemnation poured in
and the Al-Qaeda-linked menace in Pakistan was again flung
under the spotlight.
Lahore police chief Pervez Rathor told private TV channel
Express on Wednesday that two presumed attackers had been
charged, one killed in a shootout and five were on the
run.
Pakistan blamed the assault on the Taliban and the attack
ended hopes in the cricket-mad nation of hosting
international matches in the immediate future.
Pakistan had already been a virtual no-go zone for foreign
teams since the September 11, 2001 attacks, which put the
nuclear-armed country on the front line of the US-led
invasion of Afghanistan and the war against Al-Qaeda.
The Sri Lankan team had been in Pakistan only to replace
India, who cancelled a tour after the November 2008 Mumbai
attacks, blamed on Pakistani militants.
Police and the law minister of Punjab province, Rana
Sanaullah, laid wreaths at the scene of the attack in
Liberty Square on Wednesday, saluting six police and two
civilians who were killed and watched by tearful
relatives.
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