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Leading News

Petroleum price will not be raised in next budget: Finance Adviser
Staff Correspondent

Finance adviser Dr. A.B. Mirza Azizul Islam has said there is on alternative but to raise the price of petroleum in the country in the wake of abnormal price spiral of the product on the international market.
He said this while talking to newsmen at Zia International Airport on his arrival in the country, after attending the annual meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in Bangkok and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) meeting in Madrid.
The governments of the country have been giving subsidies for long so that the price of the petroleum products is kept low. But now it is quite impossible to continue the on-going subsidy as oil prices have soared to an all-time high on the market abroad. Prices of all kinds of fuel oil are on the rise in the international market. So, to keep pace with the fast-growing global economy, the government has to raise the price of oil in the country, the finance adviser said adding the government will soon take a decision regarding oil price issue.
He said, the existing petroleum oil subsidy in the country will continue during the next fiscal year in order that the common people do not suffer from price hike of the essential commodity.
When asked about the tax policy for the fiscal year 2008-09, the adviser said tax policy will be made as business-friendly as possible to help flourish the national economy smoothly.
The tax coverage will be widened during the new fiscal but tax rates will not be increased, he added.

Dhaka Polytechnic closed sine a die, students asked to leave hostels
Clash between students and cops leave 50 injured

Staff Correspondent

Centering the death of a student of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute a fierce clash between the students and cops left at least fifty students including law enforcers injured in the city's Tejgaon area on Saturday.
Meanwhile, apprehending more violence and untoward incidents the college authority closed the institute sine a die and asked the students to vacate their respective dormitories by 5 pm yesterday.
The surrounding area of the Institute including Satrasta turned into a battle ground as the students pelted stones on law enforcers who replied with lobbing of tear gas shells. The clashes continued for several hours almost into the afternoon.
The clash ensued when Ashiqur Rahman, a second year student of Civil Engineering Department met the tragic end of his life under the wheels of a bus at Satrasta at about 9 pm on Friday.
As the news spread in the campus, hundreds of student from different residential hostels came out and launched attacks on vehicles on Tongi Diversion Road. They also staged demonstration in front of the institute and placed a 12-point demand including compensation. The other demands are setting up speed breakers in front of the institute, banning movement of heavy vehicles in front of the institute and half transport fare for the students.
On Saturday morning, agitated students came out on the streets and again engaged in violence. They damaged various transports on the route at about 8.45 am. In a bid to foil their agitation a heavy contingent of law enforcer were called in and around the institute. When law enforcers tried to disperse the students, the student got furious and from different places including roof tops of the hostel continued to pelt stones and bricks. Police later swooped on them and started clubbing the students indiscriminately. Chase and counter chase also took place during the clash which left both students and cops injured.
Tejgaon Zone DC of Police Mahbubur Rahman, ADC Walid Hossain, OC of Tejgaon Industrial area Sikdar, Inspector (Riot) Babul Miah, Tejgaon thana OC Lutfar Rahman, SI Yakub, ASI Shamsu, and constables Hadi and Masud were among the injured. Following the incidents, traffic movement from Maghbazar to Mohakhali via Nabisco road was disrupted for more than five hours causing suffering to the city people. The authority also deployed huge contingent of additional forces to maintain law and order.

  Businessman shot dead, 2 extortionists beaten to death in Tongi

Staff Correspondent

A businessman was murdered by a gang of armed extortionists at Dattapara under Tongi police station in Gazipur district on Saturday morning and soon after the incident, when the gang, after shooting down the businessman, tried to flee local people caught them red handed and beaten to death two of them on the spot.
The businessman has been identified as Jahangir, 50 while the extortionists are Faruque, 28 and Selim, 25. They had been living in the same area.
According to police, a gang of three to four extortionists equipped with firearms swooped on Mohammad Ali at Dattapara at about 11 am while he was going to his office. The gang started firing indiscriminately and leaving him critically injured. Hearing the cry for help of the victim, local rushed to the spot and caught Faruk, 26 and Selim, 30 identified extortionists of the area. Later the mob launched an attack on them and beat them up. At one stage, the two extortionists died on the spot. Soon after the incident, police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies to the DMCH morgue for autopsy. After searching their bodies, police recovered two pistols and a revolver with bullets.
Jahangir died on the way of the Tongi Hospital. Deceased's younger brother Mohammad Ali also received bullets during the attack. He was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) for treatment. His condition is stated to be critical.
Victim's family sources said, a group of criminals demanded Tk ten lakh as toll over cell phone and threatened that if he fails to meet their demand he will be killed.
Rassul son of the deceased lodged a case with Tongi police station.

 AL vows to participate in next polls with Hasina: Amu
Staff Correspondent

Awami League presidium member Amir Hossain Amu has reiterated his party's demands for taking part in upcoming general election under the leadership of detained AL President Sheikh Hasina and implementation of EC's roadmap by December this year.
Referring to the EC's move to re-demarcate the electoral constituencies, he said, "In the name of re-demarcation of 133 electoral seats, the date of the next Jatiya Sangsad (JS) polls may be further delayed. The authorities concerned must cancel the decision for the interest of the national election."
Amu was addressing a condolence meeting of Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote (BSJ) commemorating the sad demise of the Muktagacha unit AL president and former presenter of Btv, Rasheda Mohiuddin at Bangabandhu Avenue's AL central office in capital on Saturday.
Chaired by BSJ general secretary Advocate Tarana Halim, the veteran AL leader observed that the EC should give up all type difficulties or barriers that may linger the stipulated timeframe earlier scheduled for the Parliamentary Election.
Emphasising on polls schedule within the shortest possible time, the former AL minister said, "The nation is eagerly waiting for a political government and for that reason, the election is a must."
About the prevailing political situation of the country, he said, "Demand of Hasina's release is not only the demand of a certain political party, but also national issue."
"If indoor politics is opened, mass people will be united," he observed adding "We don't want to create any circumstance that may destroy the existing election process of the country and none can blame AL in this regard."
He called upon the partymen to unite for the upcoming street agitation to press home the five-point demands, especially the release of Hasina.
Expressing deep shock and sorrow at the death of Rasheda Mohiuddin, the meeting also prayed for the salvation of her departed soul. Noted TV presenter Rasheda Mohiuddin died of cardiac arrest in a city hospital on May 1.

 Root level leaders and activists organised
BNP will face conspirators, says Delwar

Staff Correspondent

 BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain on Saturday said interim government and conspirators jointly are hatching conspiracy to destroy the BNP.
"We will face the government's and conspirators' conspiracy and overcome this critical juncture in due course of time. The government is lodging false cases one after another against detained BNP Chairperson in bid to prevent her from participating in the next general election. This blue print and farcical election will not be accepted by the BNP and the people of the country," he said after a meeting with the leaders and activists of Nator district BNP unit held at his NAM flat residence yesterday.
Delwar asked the leaders not be discouraged as in due course of time people will raise their voice against the verdict of the Supreme Court and launch movement against it.
BNP Joint Secretary General Nazrul Islam Khan said the root level leaders and activists of the party are still organised. "We have already surmounted a jolt of conspiracy which caused huge damage to our party. No direction from any quarters would be considered except BNP Chairperson appointed Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain to avert misunderstanding among the party and its leaders and activists," he said.
Another Joint Secretary General Goyeshwar Chandra Roy said the leaders who sacrifice for the party, are not evaluated properly and taking this chance opportunists usually manage their position. "We firmly believe that if our Chairperson is released, the honest and dedicated leadership will be established. If the opportunists mange the Chairperson, I will resign from the party" he said.

 Eradicate activities of extremists, militants, antisocial elements, Home Adviser orders

UNB, Rajshahi

 Home Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) MA Matin on Saturday directed law-enforcing agencies and the administration to halt any "evil acts" of extremists, militants, antisocial elements through a well-coordinated combined drive.
"Stern actions have to be taken against the extremists and militants and their organizations to eliminate them," he said at a meeting held in the city for stocktaking of the situation after the attack on police patrols at Taherpur in Bagmara upazila.
"Administration, police, RAB, BDR, Ansar and intelligence agencies should work together for suppressing extremists with an iron hand. Community police should also be used to check extremism," said the home advisor of the caretaker government while speaking at the meeting.
Expressing grief over the incident of police killing and arms loot at Taherpur recently, he said, "Stern action would be taken to stop the activities of the extremists."
He also said that measures would be taken to provide treatment to the victims who were injured in the attack.
Terming stable law-and-order situation a prerequisite for economic development of a country, he told the officials that the law-and-order situation has improved much due to their (officials) hard work.
In this context, he mentioned the ongoing purge against corruption. He said verdicts of 59 cases have so far been given and there are over 500 more such cases whose verdicts would be coming in phases.
The Advisor observed that 2008 is an important year as the government is working hard for holding an election according to a roadmap.
With this end in view, ban on indoor politics has been withdrawn from the capital. And lifting the ban on indoor politics countrywide is "under consideration", he informed the meet.
Divisional Commissioner Hafizur Rahman Bhuiyan chaired the meeting, attended, among others, by Vice-chancellor of Rajshhai University Prof M Altaf Hossain, acting mayor of Rajshahi city Rezaunnabi Dudu, DIG of Rajshahi range Mokhlesur Rahman and RAB and Police high officials.

 ACC Chairman doubts future of anti-corruption drive
Staff Correspondent

Anti-Corruption Commission Chairman Lt. Gen. (rtd) Hasan Mashhud Chowdhury apprehends whether it will be possible to continue anti-corruption drive if emergency is lifted or an unsuitable atmosphere comes in the country.
"Now we are fighting against corruption in a favourable environment where the government itself and police are supporting us but there is much apprehension whether we shall be able to continue our drive if emergency is withdrawn or situation of the country turns unfavourable", he said at a discussion on" Role of lawyers in curbing corruption and crime" organised by Bangladesh Lawyers' Forum on Saturday. He said corruption and crime reciprocally damaged the country but mere effort of the ACC is not enough to stamp out corruption and thus people's support is necessary.
TIB chairman Prof Mozaffor Ahmed said elimination of corruption is necessary for establishing rule of law and development of the country but corruption captured all departments like judiciary, educational institutions, hospitals, land offices and WASA. He alleged that for lack of legal provisions, cases cannot be filed against a physician without permission of the BMA or action cannot taken against corrupt officials of other departments for bureaucratic problems. As such reforms in law and system are necessary.
IGP Noor Mohammad said it is a matter of regret that good governance was not established in 36 years after independence and people could not raise voice against corruption but after 1/11 an environment is created where people can protest against corruption and atrocities, but courage is needed to address crime and
corruption.

 Agro-census begins today
BSS, Dhaka

The fourth agriculture census begins across the country today (Sunday) to collect information on agriculture and its related issues.
The first agriculture census was held in 1960 during the Pakistan regime and the last one took place during 1996-1997 only in rural areas. But this year's census will cover both the rural and urban areas, a press release of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) said on Saturday.
During the 15-day census, information on the issues like number of households, manpower employed in agro-work, agro- workers' households, total agro-lands and its utilization, agro- equipment under the ownership of the households, number of cattle and poultry birds, loan-receiving, fallow lands and lands used for temporary crops will be collected. A total of 1,42,000 enumerators and 20,000 supervisors have been appointed to conduct the census. Besides, eight persons will work as census coordinators at the divisional level, 22 at regional level, 76 at district level and 1938 at upazila level from the officers of BBS, the release said.
The enumerators will collect information on agriculture on the basis of some fixed queries visiting the households.

Back Page

Regulatory commission, jute policy needed to save jute sector
Jute industrial belts turn into a bleak and desolate landscape

Staff Correspondent

To save the country's jute sector, a strong regulatory commission and proper jute policy are needed immediately, said economists and experts at a discussion on 'In search of a future for the jute sector: constraint opportunities and policy option ' held in city on Saturday.
"The present time demand for jute has increased globally. We have fame, name and potentially of jute across the world. So we will have to produce quality raw jute and jute products to attract the domestic and international market. To achieve this target, government will have to ensure supply of quality seeds and adequate fertilizers. Side by side process of jute rotation should also be ensured," they suggested.
CPD Chairman and renowned economist Rehman Sobah, Jute Secretary Abdur Rashid Sarker, BJMC Chairman Atharul Islam, jute mills owners and experts took part in the discussion. During the session a keynote paper was presented before the participants. The jute experts criticising the keynote paper said CPD should not prepare such incomplete and baseless research papers.
They said if the farmers don't get fare price for jute, they would not be encouraged to grow jute. "Government will have to ensure that farmers get fare price and this suggestion should be included in the policy. In the interest of the country's economy, we all should come forward for saving the jute sector," they added. They further stressed the need for a jute board which will work to develop the sector and decide policy relating to this sector. "It is not right that the jute mills be handed over to the private sector; jute will bring back its previous glory", they added.
Rehman Sobhan in his speech said, "Many people of the country are directly and indirectly involved in the jute sector and they earn their livelihoods through this sector. In our context, we should take decision on how we can save and promote our jute sector. It may be mentioned here that China and India have formulated policies regarding jute sector. Apart from the jute sector, they have various resources from where they can earn more money. But we should not follow their policy. Considering our context, we should take decision," Rehman Sobhan said.
It is learnt that in fiscal year 1972-73, Bangladesh had produced 0.45 million tonnes of jute products, but by 2005-06 fiscal production had declined to only 0.15 million tonnes. On the other hand Indian production had increased by nearly 60 per cent in the period to 1.6 million tonnes.
Meanwhile, the present caretaker government has decided in principle to cut the number of workers in public sector jute mills by 50 per cent to make the state-owned mills, now reeling under perennial losses, commercially viable.
Jute workers and trade union leaders, however, termed the decision suicidal for the country's industry. They said it was nothing but a conspiracy, orchestrated by the international lending agencies, against Bangladesh. Jute has once been the called golden fibre of Bangladesh and the farmers used to call it a cash crop. But the days have gone by. The previous government shut down the country's largest Adamjee Jute Mills due to mismanagement and corruption.
The present interim administration also shut down four out of 22 mills in the public sector recently in a bid to reduce public sector losses. The government move, if implemented, would render more than 20,000 workers and employees jobless. They will be sent into voluntary retirement under a scheme to be implemented by December this year.
At present, there are 22 jute mills under the Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation with over 43,000 workers and employees on its pay roll. The mills now owe Tk 136 crore to jute sellers as the finance ministry was not giving them any funds and they were suffering from liquidity crisis for three years, said ministry sources.

 Lawachhara 3D seismic survey
Chevron investigates causes behind cracks in houses

UNB, Dhaka

Chevron, an international oil company, has launched an investigation to find out the causes behind the cracks developed in mud-houses of Lawachhara national forest in Moulvibazar where it has been conducting a seismic survey.
There have been press reports that cracks have developed in a number of mud-houses of the Lawachhara forest following the start of Chevron's 3D seismic survey. Local residents alleged that the cracks have developed in their hoses because of the seismic survey. When contacted, Chevron Bangladesh chief Steve Wilson told UNB that his company has initiated an investigation following reports on cracks in some houses of the forest.
He said they want to see whether the damage has been done by their seismic activities, which might have been affected due to soil structure or week construction. "We take up such claims seriously and will act accordingly. We've taken extreme care and special precautions in conducting the seismic work in locations where there are human settlements," he said.
Wilson said a safe zone of a 75-meter radius is respected around household structures to avoid any impact. Usually, the impact from the seismic waves is not strong enough to make structural damages.
About the formation of a new monitoring committee, he said Chevron welcomes it and considers its formation as an opportunity for the company to demonstrate that the seismic work is being carried out in full compliance with the Environment Management Plan approved by the government.
Steve, however, said he had conveyed his concern to Petrobangla that no representative of Petrobangla and Chevron has been taken "onboard" the committee, which, he believes, would have facilitated good coordination. He said Chevron would continue to provide its full cooperation to make sure all terms of the ECC are followed.
It is recommended that any new committee would be seen as supplemental to the existing monitoring team and that the new committee also carries out its responsibilities in the spirit of the ECC.
Refuting an allegation that Chevron has not been providing support to the committee, the Chevron chief said the Ministry of Environment notified about the formation of the committee. "But no further communication has been made by any member of the committee as yet. Therefore, the question of not proving support is not true," he added.

EU to provide 35m euro to ensure food security
BSS, Dhaka

More then two lakh distress poor women across the country will receive 35 million euro from European Union (EU) to help themselves phasing out from extreme level of poverty.
The Delegation of European Commission (EC) here will provide the fund as grants to help the government for ensuring food security as well as achieving the first Millennium Developing Goal (MDG), halving the poverty level by 2015, food security programme manager of EC Stephane David, told BSS on Saturday.
The main objective of the programme is to contribute to reduce extreme poverty and food insecurity of the most vulnerable women and their dependants, with providing various income generating training to develop their skill and ensuring household food security.
"Though our goal of giving this assistance to improve the food security situation of the country, we won't give any food aid", David said adding, " we will provide various income generating training and transferring cash and assets to the women as they could be self-reliant after the prgogramme".
Priority areas, David said, would include those prone to disasters with focus on sustainable development actions linked to improving disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of women falling back into food insecurity in case of disasters.
At the first stage, he said, the beneficiaries would get various type of income generating training as per their and local demands.
That includes goat and cow raring, handloom, handle crafts, swings, poultry and vegetable gardening, he said.
Knowledge on nutritional education, preventive health, hygiene and sanitation awareness would be also given to the women during the programme for improvement of utilization of food, he added.
After getting the training, the women will get assets like cow, goat or swing machinates or hard cash, he pointed out adding, "We are expecting that after the programme, the women could upgrade themselves and to be eligible for success part of microfinance net." The programme will start end of the year and will continue for next five years. EC would implement the programme by three to four non-government organizations (NGOs).
EC has already sought proposals to the NGOs in this regard. The last date of submission of proposal is July 24 next. After submission the proposal EC would select three to four organizations for implementing the task, David told BSS.
EC would organize an information session on the programme on May 13 next. In last 15 years, EC provided 140 million euro in various poverty alleviation and food security programmes, implemented in the country, EC sources said.

Well-managed migration key to dev
BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a roundtable here on Saturday said that well-managed migration could be a key contributor to development in Bangladesh.
Addressing as the chief guest, Additional Foreign Secretary M A K Mahmood called for an effective mechanism to monitor activities of the recruiting agencies and proper management of migration. He also highlighted the role of international cooperation in managing migration and said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh missions abroad could play a pivotal role in this regard. The daylong roundtable on 'Irregular Migration" was organized jointly by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a local hotel.
It was a part of an ongoing USAID Bangladesh sponsored project titled "Counter-Trafficking Interventions in Prevention, Protection and Prosecution for Victims of Trafficking in Persons in Bangladesh" implemented jointly by IOM and the Ministry of Home Affairs, a foreign office press release said. Director General of the Consular Welfare of foreign ministry Supradip Chakma, Additional Home Secretary Dr. Sk. Abdur Rashid, USAID official Kapil Gupta, Advocate Dr. Naim Ahmed and IOM officials Mizanur Rahman and Dr. Uttam Kumar Das conducted different sessions. M A K Mahmood said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs might coordinate with other ministries and agencies concerned including NGOs and civil society to deal with all matters related to migration.
Ms. Rabab Fatima of IOM, who moderated the roundtable, said Bangladesh government should take note of the seriousness of exploitation in the labour migration processes. "Irregular migration and trafficking are cross-cutting issues and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a vital role to tackle the problem," she said. The IOM official observed that the existing Emigration Ordinance of 1982 does not have any provision guaranteeing the rights of the labour migrants and called for modification of the existing legal framework and a comprehensive migration policy in Bangladesh.

Crime

Two arrested, 14 bombs recovered
Our correspondent, Chapainawabganj
Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-5 two arrested and 14 bombs recovered from Debinagar union under Sadar upazila in Chapainawabganj district on Saturday morning.
Sources of RAB-5 said acting on secret information a squad of RAB-5 conducted a drives in Ibrahim Mondol village in Debinagar union under Sadar thana and recovered 14 bombs from behind of Dulal's home and arrested two persons, Dulal, 25, son of Siddiqe and Khairul Islam, 28, son of Bashir. A case was filed.n
Wife killed by husband
UNB, Brahmanbaria
A pregnant housewife was killed allegedly by her husband at Nasirabad village in Nabinagar upazila on Thursday evening.
Police said Durjoy Das beat up his seven-month pregnant wife Amita Das, 24, following a quarrel with her over a trifling matter leaving her dead on the spot. Victim's father filed a case in this connection. Police arrested Durjoy Das on the following day.

Outlaw killed, arms recovered
A Correspondent, Meherpur
A listed, notorious extremist was killed in a face to face gun battle with police on Saturday in the small hour at village Koshba-Bahatpara under Gangni Upazila of the district.
The deceased was identified as Akram Hossain Sikdar, 32, son of late Abul Kashem of village Gozaria Hemayetpur under Gangni Police Station of Meherpur district. He was a regional leader of outlawed party Purba Banglar Communist Part (ML-Lalpotaka) and accused of several murder cases including extortion and explosive.
According to police and villagers, a smart contingent of police led by Motiar Rahman, Officer-in-Charge of Gangni police station conducted the special drive at village Bhatpara on Saturday. They challenged a group of miscreants near Bhatpara bridge. The suspected miscreants opened fire on the police leaving two cops injured. Police also traded gun fire on self-defense leaving him (Bhashan) dead on the spot and his associates managed to flee the scene.
Police recovered the dead body and one shutter gun, 3 round of live cartridges and 3 covers of used cartridges from the spot.
During operation villagers assisted the police spontaneously. After spreading the news of killing of hatred Bhashan, the people of the area distributed sweats among each others.
When asked Police Super Abdur Razzak acknowledged the incident saying that the deceased had been creating criminal activities in the region since long. A few days back he gave a death threat to the Chairman of Roypur Union Porishod of Gangni Upazila.

Man killed over enmity
Our Correspondent, Sirajganj
A village man was killed allegedly by his opponents following a previous communal enmity in Sirajganj on Saturday.
Police said Md. Shahid Pramanik, 35, son of late Madhu Pramanik, of village Kalikamari under Shahzadpur upazila of the district was reportedly attacked by some opponent people of Shikder group of the same village, adjacent to his house while he was coming from the bazaar at about 11:00 am. Later, he died on the way to hospital. Police recovered his body and sent it to Sirajganj general Hospital for post mortem examination.
However, Md. Lablu Pramanik, deceased son, recorded a murder case with Shahzadpur police station against at least ten members of Sikder group. Biman Kumer Das, the police Officer-in-Charge said there have been an enemy-type relationship between Pramanik and Shikder group for long. Several clashes were occurred for some minor incidents and both groups lodged at least ten to twelve cases against each other.

Mob kills cattle-lifter
UNB, Narail
A cattle-lifter was killed in a mass beating at Tularam Babu village in Sadar upazila on Friday morning.
Local people said an organized gang of thieves went to the village to lift cattle by a pickup van at about 8:00 pm on Thursday. Sensing their presence, local people chased the gang and caught one of them while the rests managed to flee the scene.
The angry mob beat the thief, Alamgir, indiscriminately leaving him critically injured. On information, police rescued Alamgir in the morning and admitted him to Sadar hospital where he died later.

Two fake army men netted
UNB, Brahmanbaria
Local people caught a fake army major and a captain from Haripur village in Akhaura upazila on Thursday. Police said three young men went to the house of C&F agent of Akhaura Land Port Abbas Uddin and demanded money after introducing themselves as army officers. Of the three, Abu Bakkar Siddique introduced himself as a major while Salauddin as a captain.
On suspicion, Abbas with the help of local people caught Abu Bakkar and Salauddin and after a good beating handed them over to the police. Another young man, however, managed to flee the scene.

Prisoners clash with each other in Feni jail; two warders among 50 injured
UNB, Feni
Around 50 people, including two jail guards, were injured in a clash between two groups of prisoners in the district jail on Saturday morning.
Jail sources said the clash between the under-trial and convicted groups of prisoners broke out on the second floor of the jail at about 8am over establishing supremacy.
According to the sources, the under-trial prisoners, led by Chhatra Dal cadre Daudul Islam Minar, had been trying for the last few days to establish supremacy over the convicted prisoners. They also had a heated exchange Friday night.
At one stage this morning, the two groups attacked each other with firewood from the jail kitchen. When the jail guards tried to quell the situation, the prisoners swooped on them, leaving havilder Abu Taher and Abdus Sobhan injured. Later, police and joint forces brought the situation under control.
When contacted, Dr Sarwar Jahan, physician of the district jail, said 35 of the injured prisoners were given first aid in the jail.
Magistrate Shahidul Islam, in charge of the jail, said 15 prisoners were taken to Comilla central jail hospital for treatment. Deputy Commissioner Masum Khan visited the jail soon after the incident and asked the prisoners to remain cool.
A three-member inquiry committee, headed by ADC Mominur Rashid Amin, was formed to probe the incident. The committee was asked to submit its report by a week. At present, there are 65 convicted and 669 under-trial prisoners in the district jail.

Fake spice factory unearthed
A Correspondent, Tangail
RAB-12 recovered a huge quantity of fake spices from Rosulpur village of sadar upazila on May 10 at 3:30 am. RAB sources said, acting on a tip-off led by the company commander, Major Md. Nasiruddin incorporation with Captain Lutful Habib and ASP Abdul Jalil conducted the drive. The law enforcers raided the resident of Polan Pal and Haran Pal, and found a fake spice factory. They also recovered 1020 kg of different variety of fake spices and other materials.
The owner of the factory Polan Pal, 42, and Haran Pal, 34, both are son of late Kanailal of Rosulpur of sadar upazila, factory staff Abdul Karim, 25, son of late Fatik Pramanik of Mirpur village, Dolu Chandra Pal, 55, son of late Fatik Chandro Pal of the same upazila, Anondho Chandro Das, 30, son of late Purno Chandro Das of Kodomtoli of Ghatail upazilla in Tangail were arrested. RAB handed over all the arrested persons to Tangail sadar thana and filed a case.

Two arrested, heroin seized
BSS, Sylhet
Police arrested two heroin paddlers with 300 grams of heroin in Kuarpar area in the city on Thursday.
Police said the arrested were identified as Emdadul Haque, 32, son of Soleman Haque and Shafiqul Islam Lobu, 22, son of Abul Kashem of Kotabari Sagorpara area under Rajshahi district.
The sources said, in a secret information, CID police raided the area and arrested them with the heroin. A case was filed with the concerned police station in this connection.

3 fugitives held
BSS, Rangamati
Kotwali police arrested four fugitives, who were allegedly involved in a timber burglary case in 2007, on Thursday night from the town, police said.
Being informed, police raided different places and arrested Mohan Miah, 36, of Dhan Meah Pahar, Md Hasmat, 28, and Abdul Gani, 40, of Sawarnatila village in the town.

Editorial

30 Million Hungry

30 with six zeroes looks neat and tidy on paper, but when it comes to counting people who more or less go hungry everyday in Bangladesh, that is a colossal figure which defies imagination. While the Emergency Government is busy holding exhibitions, on how to eat potatoes, in five star hotels and the politicians are busy extolling the virtues of elected governments, the number of people who go hungry everyday, has risen to some 30 million, double of what it was just a year back. This deplorable situation occurred, not only because of food shortages but because of inflation and escalating prices of food commodities. Bumper harvests of paddy, potatoes, vegetables and even of seasonal fruits have had little impact on markets and prices because the Emergency Government is consistently refusing to intervene in the market and institute effective continuous measures to control prices.
The politicians of both AL and BNP, under constraints of an Emergency, are now claiming that only a democratically elected government can tackle the numerous woes of the Country, including that of the food and price crisis but people are hard put to believe such claims considering the fact that from 1991 to January 2007, political parties and politicians have done little, if anything, for the people and have done everything to enrich themselves at the cost of the entire Nation.
Over the last 37 years of the existence of Bangladesh, governments of military, quasi-military and civilian hues have bedazzled and often befooled the Nation and its people with grandiose plans and budgets of developments but little has been implemented to ensure that people are empowered to earn and live a decent life, free of privations and exploitations of various sorts; neither has anything been done to ensure that our population does not outstrip our resources and our capacities for survival. Now of course, with the world-wide crunch in food and energy, it is impossible for Bangladesh to do anything alone to secure its vital needs. Therefore, when politicians claim that they have solutions to the problems that Bangladesh faces, they are merely misrepresenting facts, if not stating outright falsehoods.

An unending crisis

According to a report published in The Bangladesh Today on Saturday there is no good news for the people from the power sector and it is apprehended that the alarming situation may deteriorate further in the coming days. The whole country is in the grip of a severe power shortage and even in the capital, electricity supply goes off seven to eight times a day and every time the load shedding lasts for at least an hour. Aggravation of the power crisis has been attributed to disruption of gas supply to some power plants and suspension of electricity generation due to repair work in some other plants. As a result, power generation and supply have fallen drastically plunging the people into untold miseries as the power crisis is also bringing in with it severe water crisis.
On Friday PDB claimed that it had generated 3300 mw of electricity against the demand for 4000 mw, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser for power Dr. Tamim Ahmed said recently the demand for electricity in the country is 5000 mw daily while the average production stands at 3900 mw. But according to unofficial sources the actual demand is 5,500 mw during summer and the gap between demand and supply stands at nearly 2000 mw. But surprisingly, in display of the allegiance to bureaucratic tradition of downplay or conceal truth relating to crises Power secretary Dr. M. Faizul Kabir Khan has claimed that there was no crisis in the power sector. This ridiculous claim has been made at a time when the country is running huge short of power and many areas in the capital itself are going without electricity and water for hours every day.
The grave power crisis is hitting hard the people's day to day life as well as agriculture, industry, trade and business alike. It has been created over the years due to rampant corruption in power sector and lack of necessary measures to boost electricity generation capacity by installing new power plants. In fact, the last BNP- Jamaat government as well as the present caretaker government have miserably failed to make any headway in power generation while the demand for electricity continues to rise rapidly. This has contributed to the deterioration of the crisis. Now the time has come for the government to make all out efforts to set up new power plants and increase electricity generation and import electricity if possible to meet the growing demand. Alongside, the people should exercise austerity in using electricity to ease the crisis.

Analysis

Myanmar in Crisis

The junta is able to maintain its grip on power through extensive economic and military relations with its many Asian neighbors, notably India and China.

Jayshree Bajoria

A cyclone in Myanmar last weekend has so far left tens of thousands dead and missing and many more homeless, exposing the vulnerabilities of a repressed population under an isolationist military regime. Even while the government sought international aid, its resistance to allowing entry to Western agencies has resulted in a delay in relief efforts (BBC). Daily estimates of the death toll have mounted, with a U.S. diplomat saying the number of fatalities could rise up to 100,000 (WashPost).
In response to the disaster, several countries, UN agencies, and international NGOs have offered assistance (AP), but Myanmar's government has only allowed limited aid into the country thus far. While the United States waits to fly in aid supplies-it offered $3 million and the use of U.S. Navy ships to help find the missing-India, China, Thailand, and other Asian neighbors, less critical of the regime, have been allowed (Reuters) to fly in supplies. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has suggested the United Nations invoke the doctrine of the "responsibility to protect" civilians as the basis for a resolution to allow the delivery of international aid even without the junta's permission (IHT). But the French proposal faced opposition (NEWS.com.au) from Security Council members Russia, China, and South Africa as interference in a domestic crisis.
The cyclone comes at a time of extreme political sensitivity for the regime. The country is set to vote on a referendum May 10 to decide whether to adopt a new constitution. Myanmar's government says the constitution will pave the way for elections by 2010, but critics, including the U.S. State Department, have said it appears "intended only to perpetuate the rule of the existing military junta in Burma." Amid growing international skepticism about the referendum, experts say, it is unlikely the government will allow access to the country. "Like Mao's China or Kim Jong Il's North Korea, the Burmese regime would rather allow the deaths of tens or even hundreds of thousands than alter its pet political projects or allow foreigners free access to the country," notes an editorial in the Washington Post. The government has announced the referendum will go ahead despite the cyclone, except in the worst-hit areas.
Some, like Independent columnist Peter Popham, argue the cyclone may actually force the generals to open up the country to preserve their own rule and to "avoid an outbreak of violent disorder." Last September, economic hardship prompted Buddhist monks and students to take to the streets to demand the overthrow of the regime. Some analysts feel the lack of access to basic necessities could spark additional anger among the population (Newsweek).
But as this Backgrounder points out, the junta is able to maintain its grip on power through extensive economic and military relations with its many Asian neighbors, notably India and China. Competing with each other to gain access to Myanmar's vast natural resources and oil, China and India have each resisted criticizing the regime. China has consistently defended the government against UN efforts to press sanctions in the past. Coming to Myanmar's aid after the cyclone, the Chinese government stepped up its initial offer (Xinhua) of $1 million to $ 5.3 million. CFR's Adam Segal says this is a great opportunity for China, facing international ire over Tibet, to improve its image (ABC). But China may not be the best equipped to help Myanmar. As this recent congressional report points out, China's disaster relief efforts pale beside those of the United States.

(Jayshree Bajoria is Staff Writer for the Council on Foreign Relations. Source: www.cfr.org)

Are conditions ripe for negotiating with Iran?

While views of the United States are still quite negative, the poll found some signs of thawing.

Steven Kull

College Park, Maryland - A number of serious voices are saying it is time for a new approach on Iran. Senator Diane Feinstein and former high-level US government officials have called for the United States to enter into negotiations with Iran without preconditions, at the same time proposing ideas to surmount the current impasse over Iran's nuclear program. Combined with new polling suggesting that public opinion in Iran and the United States echo these views, conditions appear to be ripe for renewed efforts to improve US-Iran relations.
A poll conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org in partnership with Search for Common Ground in February found that substantial majorities in Iran (57 percent) say they favored Iranian and American "direct talks on issues of mutual concern", and 69 percent say they also favor talks focused on stabilizing the situation in Iraq.
Iranians also support various other steps for improving Iran-US relations, with large majorities favoring greater trade (64 percent), "more access for each others' journalists" (70 percent), and "greater cultural, educational, and sporting exchanges" (63 percent). All of these numbers were up sharply from just over a year ago.
While views of the United States are still quite negative, the poll found some signs of thawing. Those with a very unfavorable view of the United States have dropped from two-thirds to half. And a growing majority (now 64 percent) believes that it is possible for "Muslim and Western cultures" to "find common ground".
These results may be related to the release of the US National Intelligence Estimate, which concluded that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapons program. Several poll findings suggest that Iranians appear to have interpreted this as a decline in the US threat to use military force against them.
The American public shows a corresponding readiness to enter into closer relations. Large majorities in WorldPublicOpinion.org polls conducted by Knowledge Networks express support for all of the steps mentioned above, with 82 percent of respondents favoring direct talks.
When Americans were asked how the United States should deal with the Iranian government, only 22 percent favored "implied threats that the United States may use military force against it" while 75 percent favored "trying to build better relations."
Of course, the thorniest issue is Iran's nuclear program, with its growing capacity to produce nuclear fuel that can be used for nuclear energy and, with more advanced enrichment, for nuclear weapons.
Eight in 10 Iranian respondents are quite determined that Iran should have the capacity to produce nuclear fuel for nuclear energy. However, most endorse the government's position that it should not produce nuclear weapons. More significantly, six in 10 say that producing nuclear weapons would be contrary to Islam - consistent with fatwas, or legal opinions, that have been issued by a number of prominent Iranian clerics.
This does not disprove the idea that some members of the Iranian government may have aspirations for such weapons. It does reveal, however, that in the moral and political environment of Iran today, a prohibition of nuclear weapons has been generally established and changing this position would likely encounter some public resistance. Similarly, proposals predicated on Iran not having nuclear weapons, while still being able to produce nuclear energy, may be difficult for the government to simply reject.
A proposal endorsed by US Senator Diane Feinstein has been put forward by former government officials William Luers, Thomas Pickering and Jim Walsh, calling for a multi-national enrichment facility inside Iran under extensive international supervision, which would give Iran the capability to produce nuclear fuel for energy but not for nuclear weapons.
Iranian respondents in the poll were presented a possible deal whereby Iran would have a limited right to produce nuclear fuel provided that the IAEA has full and permanent access to ensure that Iran is not producing nuclear weapons. Fifty-eight percent said they supported such a deal while just 26 percent were opposed.
Such a deal was also endorsed by Americans and others in a recent 31-country BBC World Service poll, conducted by GlobeScan and PIPA. The deal was endorsed by 55 percent of Americans, 71 percent of the British, 56 percent of the French and a majority of other nations polled. The BBC poll also found that tougher options for dealing with Iran, such as economic sanctions or military strikes, receive very low levels of support.
The George W. Bush administration has limited time left in office, and faces widespread disapproval of its foreign policy. A new approach to the Iranian challenge may be one of the last and best options for the administration to shore up its legacy at home and abroad by contributing to a more stable world.

(Steven Kull is director of WorldPublic Opinion.org, an international research project managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland. Source: Common Ground News Service, 6 May 2008.Copyright permission is granted for publication).

A composite dialogue

No one wants to see famine and chaos in this part of the world. The root causes of radicalism and militancy can be found in economic deprivation as well as political disenfranchisement.

Kuldip Nayar

IF I had anything to do with the formulation of a policy on Pakistan, I would have sent a goodwill mission to Islamabad soon after the elections.
For the first time, after many years, democratic forces have emerged victorious and that is a great achievement in a country which was tightly controlled by the military. It was a limited democracy, but a democracy nonetheless.
New Delhi could have sent at least a team of artists, academicians, writers and the likes to meet their counterparts across the border. Their interaction might have thrown up new ideas and suggested a different approach. One such busload went to Lahore when the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee visited Pakistan and changed the atmosphere for some time.
'Composite dialogue' and 'confidence-building measures' are overused phrases that have come in handy for rulers on both sides. But they have not changed the status quo. Governments in New Delhi and Islamabad are scared or too confused to take steps to sort out even a minor dispute like that over the Sir Creek in the backwaters of Gujarat.
Yet, all concede that there is no better time than the present to seek a solution to the problems souring relations between the two countries. Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Asfandyar Wali Khan and Fazlur Rehman are comparatively the most liberal elements in Pakistan that New Delhi can assemble to do business with. All four want good relations with India and have said so on record. The atmosphere is also congenial with practically no tension between the two countries.
Still, there are some real problems hampering result-oriented talks. India has to go through fresh elections. A new Lok Sabha is due for constitution by May 2009. Naturally, the present government cannot bind the next formation to anything new without a public debate and without the approval of the opposition parties. For example, the Kashmir problem cannot be settled by the present government, however close the interlocutors behind the scenes may be. On the other hand, the Yusuf Raza Gilani government is still to settle down. The coalition is going through spasms of uncertainty. There is a host of domestic problems which the two key leaders have to tackle. Their plate is too full to take on problems relating to India.
The core issues will have to wait. Nawaz Sharif's statement that trade and business will have to progress in proportion to the advance made on Kashmir may prove to be a spanner. Suppose Kashmir proves to be intractable, as has been found so far, does it mean that there should be no trade or business? The two have to be separated.
The real problems are economic in nature. They can change the course of history. Kashmir or Kargil are emotional issues and they do not lessen the misery of poverty and deprivation in the two countries. True, Kashmir has to be settled but some more time would not matter when we have been grappling with it for the last six decades. Pakistan's fear is that the rivers allotted to it under the Indus Water Treaty rise from Kashmir and India may divert them. The treaty has served both countries well. But there can be a mechanism where all six rivers are controlled by both countries. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said some time ago that India was ready to accommodate Pakistan on the river waters.
From whichever point the Gilani government may start, it would have to take the economic route. Disputes or religiosity cannot engage people who want bread. They are not anti-India, but anti-feudal. Economic cooperation with India gives rise to new hopes. People-to-people contact is a means, not an end by itself. The ultimate goal is the uplifting of the common man from the dire conditions he faces.
New Delhi's response has to be unilateral and positive. India is a developed country as compared to Pakistan. For a level playing field, New Delhi must offer Islamabad concessions in excise and customs. If Indian companies can invest in China, Great Britain and other countries, then why not in Pakistan?
Islamabad should lift restrictions so as to allow joint ventures and even direct investments, keeping the interest of its companies in mind. I see a lot of resistance from vested interests. They have not extended the preferential treatment (MFN status) to India when New Delhi did so to Pakistan a couple of years ago.
Too much time and too much money have been wasted on issues which the government powers cannot solve but that the participation of the people can. This participation means the ousting of mistrust and bias that comes into play whenever there is any serious attempt to sort out things. Communal forces jump into the fray even at the hint of an agreement. India and Pakistan are still prisoners of a history which cannot be rewritten but can be reinterpreted. Both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari can do so because they are committed to peace and good relations between the two countries.
Their problem may be the military which exaggerates differences to justify its large strength. India does not face this situation because the military is apolitical and under the control of the government. True, the military in Pakistan has withdrawn to some extent but how far is the question staring at the coalition or, for that matter, the country. To test the waters, the government should change the ISI head from a military officer to a civilian.
What is required more than anything else is a break with the past. Let politicians and bureaucrats realise this and let people on both sides feel it. Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari are the best bet. Were they to take a unilateral step to do away with the visa for visitors from India, they would put pressure on New Delhi. Manmohan Singh, hailing from Punjab in Pakistan, is rearing to take action.
But he feels handicapped when Jaish-i-Mohammad, with its headquarters in Pakistan, continues to operate in Kashmir. Militants and the fallout of their activities are irritants which come in the way of cordiality between India and Pakistan. They also arouse indignant opinion in India - something which can sabotage any reconciliatory effort.

Source: www.dawn.com

Viewpoints

Mideast conflict: need for a new perspective

Israelis and Palestinians live in the same land with divergent national narratives, and both want and need sovereignty and self-determination.

Ziad Asali

JERUSALEM-Peace is not easy. Achieving it requires summoning the deepest forms of courage. It means examining one's darkest prejudices that dehumanize and demonize the other. The quest for mutual recognition of humanity and dignity is an arduous task.
The question facing both Israelis and Palestinians is: Do they prefer to cling to the pain of past injuries and the suffering of their forefathers, or will they determine to move forward and build a better future for their children?
While there have been all too many shrill voices lamenting the grievances of decades and centuries between Israel and the Palestinians, there is a harmony that strums through us all. When we fight for peace, we fight not against each other, but together and for all of us. This means accepting that there are like-minded people on the other side, and identifying, making common cause, and building peace with them.
Israelis and Palestinians live in the same land with divergent national narratives, and both want and need sovereignty and self-determination. The only means to reach a reasonable accommodation is to have two states, Israel and Palestine, living side-by-side in peace. No other solution has any serious prospect of ending the conflict and creating a modus vivendi between the parties. The two-state solution, for all its faults, is the only way out of the cycle of violence and hatred that has plagued Israel and the Palestinians since 1948.
This idea enjoys the support of solid majorities of both Israelis and Palestinians, and of the international community. In many ways we have never been closer to realizing this all-important goal. And yet, as I write, the only realistic hope for the future is in serious jeopardy due to the actions of extremists, driven by nationalist fantasies or religious zealotry, among both Israelis and Palestinians.
Extremists on both sides feel that time is on their side. Some Israelis delude themselves that Palestinians over time will become exhausted or new generations will forget their national identity. They believe they will win complete control of the entire area between the river and the sea. Meanwhile, some radical Palestinians are under the illusion that Israel is an artificial foreign imposition akin to the Crusader states that cannot last and will eventually collapse. They too believe that time is their greatest weapon, and that the best strategy therefore is to never compromise.
We cannot afford to sacrifice generation upon generation in order to test the validity of these competing metaphysical visions and certainties about the trajectory of history.
These dangerous delusions are most damagingly expressed in the expansion of Israeli settlements and by the use of terror by Palestinian extremist groups. Settlements threaten a peace based on two states by strengthening rather than loosening Israel's grip on the occupied territories-greatly complicating the process of creating a Palestinian state. They also profoundly erode Palestinian confidence that Israel is interested in allowing a viable, contiguous state of Palestine to be born. Similarly, the use of terror by Palestinian extremist groups makes Israelis question whether Palestinians would ever accept Israel and agree to live with it in peace and security. It is up to both peoples to decide whether they will allow themselves to be driven by extremist agendas, or to pursue what is plainly in their national interests. Their past trespasses against each other, both real and imagined, have to give way to the recognition that Israelis and Palestinians clearly now need exactly the same thing: An end of conflict based on two states.
I do not believe that the conflict should be seen any longer as pitting Israelis against Palestinians, but must be re-conceptualized as a struggle between those who are committed to ending the conflict based on two states against those on both sides who persist in clinging to hostility. Those who are prepared to recognize each other's dignity and self determination in two sovereign states share a common purpose, and have more in common with each other than with their compatriots who are bent on conflict for generations to come.
At 60, Israel is a technologically and politically sophisticated state with a diverse population and vibrant economy. Israelis deserve a peaceful country with security and economic progress. Palestinians deserve no less.

(Ziad Asali, MD, is president of the American Task Force on Palestine. Source: Arab News, 05 May 2008, www.arabnews.com. Copyright permission is granted for publication.)

The Dilemma Myanmar Poses for Aid Agencies

Countries such as Myanmar and North Korea, where the WFP also has a large program, pose a real dilemma for humanitarian agencies about how far they should be prepared to accept such restrictions in the interests of the people they are trying to help.

Conor Foley

Even before the devastating cyclone hit Myanmar at the weekend, the country was in desperate need of help. The government now says 22,000 people have died and 41,000 are missing, figures far higher than it originally admitted. The biggest problem will be obtaining access to affected areas. Myanmar's government has long been suspicious of international aid agencies, and although it has accepted help from UN agencies already working there, their activities are tightly controlled.
Myanmar only receives around $3 per capita of international aid, far less than its neighbors: Vietnam receives $33 per capita, Cambodia $47 and Laos $63. This is a result of the international sanctions in place since the mid-90s. Some humanitarian agencies, such as Médecins Sans Frontières, have left the country, while the Red Cross has suspended its programs due to government restrictions.
Myanmar used to be one of the largest rice exporters in the world, but decades of conflict and economic mismanagement by its reclusive military junta have pushed much of its population to the brink of starvation. According to the World Food Program (WFP), one of the few international agencies allowed to operate in the country, 10 percent of the population does not receive enough food to meet its basic daily needs, and 30 percent lives under the absolute poverty line. This figure climbs to 70 percent in many rural areas.
It is extremely difficult for agencies to obtain permission to begin operations. Those allowed to do so must accept restrictions as to where they can work and have to submit their assessments, surveys and reports for clearance by the authorities. During the uprisings last autumn, the UN country team issued a statement highlighting the difficulties faced by the population daily. Although it drew exclusively on government statistics, this brought a furious rebuttal from the regime. It expelled the UN humanitarian coordinator and has since carried out a bureaucratic harassment of aid workers - delaying visa applications or refusing accreditation.
Countries such as Myanmar and North Korea, where the WFP also has a large program, pose a real dilemma for humanitarian agencies about how far they should be prepared to accept such restrictions in the interests of the people they are trying to help. A couple of years ago I spent a week on the Myanmar-Thai border talking to opposition activists about the human rights and humanitarian situation there. Most felt that the presence of the international community had helped provide cover for the development of Myanmar civil society, although clearly there is a dilemma as to how much "constructive engagement" merely legitimizes the regime. During a humanitarian crisis, however, such calculations need to be set to one side, since the imperative is to provide people with life-saving help.
Aid agencies estimate that about a million people may be without shelter after the cyclone tore away their homes, and whole villages have simply vanished in the floods. The problem with mounting humanitarian operations during complex emergencies such as this is that it is very difficult to separate the effects of conflict, natural disaster and the overall political situation. Myanmar has experienced several decades of conflict, and there have been a number of ethnically based insurgencies, which the regime has dealt with through coercion and cooption. This has led to the creation of military fiefdoms which in effect ruled by former warlords. Even when humanitarian agencies have obtained central government permission to operate in a particular area, they often have to negotiate it again at a local level.
The opium trade has done much to fuel the conflicts, and both warlords and the army are accused of conscripting labor and levying taxes. This creates a further dilemma for humanitarian agencies, whose staff often witness such violations. Ignoring them might be seen as tantamount to condoning them, but speaking out could bring loss of access.
In practice, most agencies tend to opt for private advocacy with the authorities and a continual reassessment of the costs and benefits of their presence. Some have argued that aid should be made conditional on the government agreeing to meaningful political reform and dialogue with the pro-democracy movement. But if the government rejects this, then refusing aid will simply increase the suffering of the poorest and most vulnerable people.

Source: www.arabnews.com

The unravelling of Gordon Brown

The big question in the wake of the Labour defeat in the mayoral and local elections: is it the end of the road for Labour?

Hasan Suroor

The big question in the wake of the Labour defeat in the mayoral and local elections: is it the end of the road for Labour?
The stunning defeat of Labour's London Mayor Ken Livingstone at the hands of a Tory lightweight like Boris Johnson pretty much sums up the state of Britain's ruling party which has been lurching from one crisis to another since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister barely 11 months ago.
London may not set the political weather for the rest of Britain but it is good at reflecting the national mood (mostly by imitating it), and in voting out Mr. Livingstone it did exactly that: followed the fashion set by voters in other parts of the country where local elections were held.
For a huge political figure like Mr. Livingstone, whose legacy is secretly acknowledged even by his critics, to have lost so ignominiously to a man regarded as a bit of a "bumbling buffoon" in his own party is an indication of the depth of anti-Labour public sentiment. His defeat capped the party's humiliation elsewhere in England and Wales, with its share of the national vote crashing to an all-time low in its worst performance in local elections in 40 years.
There is an ominous echo here of what happened to the Tories under John Major in the 1995 local elections, two years before their historic defeat by a resurgent New Labour. With the Labour vote now at the same level as the Tories' was before their fall from power in 1997, pundits are asking whether Mr. Brown is approaching the "John Major moment." Will 2009-10, when the next general elections are due, be for Labour what 1997 was for Tories?
Pollsters say: yes, the Tories are not only on course to winning the next election but on the strength of their current vote (an unprecedented 44 per cent, well beyond their expectations) could expect a landslide victory. No wonder Tory leader David Cameron has hailed it as "big moment" for his party while.
And, in the words of a Guardian editorial, as things stand Mr. Brown is in "great danger of becoming the least successful Labour Prime Minister ever."
Indeed, Labour has never had it so bad. Even in the worst phase of Tony Blair's premiership it was in much better shape. And despite the anger over Iraq and criticism that he was out of touch with the public mood, Mr. Blair led it to a third consecutive victory in 2005. Yet, he was forced to quit and Mr. Brown stepped in vowing to revive the party and to "reconnect" with its "core" supporters.
Less than a year later, however, Labour seems even more out of touch, making the much-maligned Blair era look almost like a golden age. Many, both within and outside the party, are now recalling it with a touch of nostalgia. For all his faults, Mr. Blair could at least win elections for the party.
So, what went wrong with Mr Brown? How come a man once hailed as Labour's "Iron Man" has managed to bring the party and his own reputation to such a pass that he is now widely seen as a liability?
In a sense, Mr. Brown has been the author of his own tragedy - a fact acknowledged even by his own supporters. Things began to go wrong for him in October-November 2007 after the controversy over the famous election-that-never-was. For those who may not have closely followed the story, it is important to recall it because that was the seminal moment when Mr. Brown's leadership really started to unravel.
Remember, Mr. Brown started off well and the first few weeks of his leadership, especially after the failed Glasgow airport terror attack, were marked by a huge surge in Labour's poll ratings. This tempted him to toy with the idea of calling an early election to seek a popular mandate for his leadership, and for weeks there was feverish speculation of an "imminent" election. But then, Labour ratings started to wobble with the Tories taking a lead after announcing a series of populist tax proposals. Suddenly, all talk of mid-term elections stopped. And Mr. Brown made the astounding claim that there never were any serious plans for an election. In remarks that voters found insulting, he claimed that poll ratings had nothing to do with his decision and that even if Labour were topping the charts he would not have called an election. Really?
Mr. Brown never quite recovered from that fiasco, and the image of a "dithering" Prime Minister who could also be economical with truth has continued to haunt him. This has been compounded by a series of damaging policy flip-flops and U-turns, not to mention the brazen theft of at least two major Tory plans (raising the threshold for inheritance tax and imposing a tax on rich non-domiciled foreign businessmen) designed to woo middle-class voters. At the same time, he alienated tens of thousands of working class voters by abolishing the lowest tax rate without providing for compensation - provoking widespread public anger and a backbench rebellion, just days before last week's elections.
There is a sense of drift in the government, and the general perception is that Mr. Brown has lost the plot. Attempts to blame the election debacle simply on the economy or to dismiss it as "mid-term blues" have failed to impress his own loyalists.
In a scathing assessment, one of his closest aides and favourite Ministers, Ed Balls, said: "I don't think we can dismiss this as [being] simply about a mid-term normal set of problems. I think people are worried about the state of the economy, but on the doorstep they have also been cross with us. They think that their tax bills are going [up], that their fuel prices are going up, that their utility bills are going up, and they want to know that we're doing more to help them through difficult times and that we are on their side."
There is already talk of a possible leadership challenge if things do not start to improve over the next six months. Mr. Brown has promised to "listen and lead" - a formulation which commentators have called absurd. And The Times commented that if he "actually listened" to the voters there was only one course open to him: "he would leave."
Ironically, during a tense Commons exchange just a day before the election Mr. Brown contemptuously dismissed Mr. Cameron as a "shallow salesman." In the light of the events since then, though, the cap seems to fit Mr. Brown more.

Source: www.hindu.com

International

Cyclone relief food still stuck in Yangon: WFP
AFP, Bangkok

A shipment of high-energy biscuits that could feed 95,000 survivors of Myanmar's Cyclone Nargis remains impounded by authorities at Yangon airport, a World Food Programme spokesman said Saturday.
More than 24 hours after the supplies landed in military-run Myanmar, they are still no closer to reaching the more than 1.5 million people at risk of disease and starvation in the worst-hit areas, he said.
"My understanding is that it has not yet been released into our hands, but we are working around the clock to get access," said Marcus Prior, a Bangkok-based spokesman for WFP.
"We have people who know how to work these channels, and they are."
He said the biscuits had been unloaded, the aircraft had left Yangon-and negotiations with the junta were ongoing.
"It is frustrating but that doesn't mean we're going to throw up our hands and give up. To the contrary-we're going to work harder," Prior said.
Two more relief flights coordinated by the WFP and carrying more food, shelter and medical supplies are due to land in Yangon on Saturday, he said.
The organisation late Friday temporarily suspended its aid flights over what it said were "unacceptable" restrictions imposed by the country's military rulers.
State media in isolated Myanmar report that more than 23,000 people were killed when Nargis ripped its deadly path through the country's southwest last weekend, while foreign officials estimate the death toll at closer to 100,000.
United Nations officials have said they fear the death toll could climb even higher if the 1.5 million people in need of emergency food, drinking water and medicine are not reached soon.
Meanwhile, "We haven't eaten rice for the past few days," says Dowla Shwe, sitting forlornly by the roadside in southern Myanmar, begging for food from every passer-by.
Since last week's cyclone, she says, her five children have only had bananas and coconut. And while the government has told the outside world it alone can deliver aid, her starving brood have not seen any assistance at all.
"We have nothing," she says, nodding toward her starving kids. "They are getting weak, and I fear they will fall sick and die."
She has heard the reports of how her leaders-military generals who run one of the most controlled and isolated nations on the planet-will not let in foreign aid workers to help distribute food.
And she cannot understand.
"I am angry with the government," Dowla Shwe says. "If they can't help, why not allow foreigners to come and help us?"
Across Myanmar's ruined Irrawaddy delta, there are similar scenes of suffering, frustr