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Leading News
PM questions source of Khaleda’s
huge money and property
4-party govt was responsible for 1/11 changeover, she
says
UNB, Barguna
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has questioned the source of
huge money and property of opposition leader Khaleda Zia
who was left with "broken suitcase and torn vest" of her
husband, slain President Ziaur Rahman.
"Nowadays you speak about corruption…But how you have
amassed such huge landed property from broken suitcase and
torn vest?" she asked while speaking at a rally at the
Circuit House Maidan here, marking the inauguration of a
pilot project of the National Service.
Continuing her tirade against her arch political foe,
Hasina alleged that Khaleda Zia and her two sons had
whitened black money in the past. "Without corruption how
could you get this huge money?" she said.
The Prime Minister said whenever the opposition leader
assumes power "she gets busy in looting by striking the
poor below the belt."
About the 1/11 changeover, she said that the previous BNP-led
4-party government was responsible for this. "The 1/11
(changeover) came about because of corruption, loot and
the mindset of stealing the vote."
About the current power and gas crisis, Hasina also blamed
the 4-party alliance government as she claimed that her
previous government (1996-2001) had undertaken several
power plant projects but the BNP-Jamaat government did not
implement those projects "perhaps due to insufficient
commission."
She said the present Awami League-led grand alliance has
been working for overall welfare of the people. She
assured that steps would be taken to ensure electricity
for each district in the southern region and establishment
of mills and factories.
Hasina, who made her first visit to a southern district as
the Prime Minister, said she is taking the responsibility
of the entire region in her own hands.
The Prime Minister assured that Barguna Hospital will be
upgraded to 250 beds from the present 100-bed and water
treatment plant will be set up to ensure pure drinking
water. State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarkar
presided over the meeting.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the pilot project of the
National Service in a bid to generate employment for
unemployed youths. This is also in line with the Awami
League's election pledge to create jobs for the
unemployed.
Under the project, nearly 13,734 youths of five upazilas
of Barguna district will be provided basic training in
different sectors and on completion of training they will
be given jobs in different departments for two years.
20
BNP activists hurt in a factional clash in Sylhet
UNB, Sylhet
At least 20 party activists including a councilor were
injured in a clash between two factions of city BNP here
on Thursday evening.
The party activists also broke the camera of two local
photographers of the two daily newspapers.
Witnesses and local sources said a faction of BNP led by
the city convener organized a protest rally to realize
their 11-point demand, including attack on Khaleda Zia's
motorcade, around 3:00pm at the court point area.
When the rally was passing Zindabazar, another faction of
the city BNP, led by Elias Ali, chased the opposite
faction. At one stage, both the groups were locked into a
chase and counter-chase, and attacked each other equipped
with sticks and threw brickbats, leaving ten of both
factions including a city councilor injured.
Later, police baton-charged the altercation and brought
the situation under control. The police also arrested 22
BNP activists from the scene.
Kotoali Model thana OC confirmed this version of events,
and said they are going to file a case in this connection.
Dipu
Moni visits Russia on May 20-21
Dhaka and Moscow to sign deal on nuke power plant
UNB, Dhaka
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni visits Russia May 20-21 when
the two countries will sign a framework agreement on
setting up nuclear power plant in Bangladesh to deal with
nagging power shortage.
Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes disclosed this during a
meeting with news editors and senior journalists from the
print and electronic media over a luncheon meeting at the
Foreign Ministry on Thursday.
During the visit, Dipu Moni will hold talks with her
Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss other issues
like cooperation in the defense, trade, education and
cultural sectors.
On May 13 last year, the two countries signed a memorandum
of understanding (MoU) in Dhaka agreeing to enhance
cooperation for the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The
main purpose of the MoU is to take necessary steps for
building a 600-1000-megawatt power plant in Bangladesh. As
per that agreement, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)
and the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, Rosatom,
will work together to push forward the proposed
power-plant project. Earlier, a Bangladesh delegation led
by the state minister for science and ICT visited Russia
to oversee the nuclear-power projects and also learn about
the operation of nuclear reactor and other issues.
Bangladesh moves for implementing the nuclear-power
project at a time when the country has been experiencing
nagging power crisis due to ever-growing demand for
electricity. The Foreign Secretary said that after the
signing of the framework agreement, detailed discussions
would take place on financing and technical matters of the
nuclear power plant project.
He said the Foreign Minister's visit to Russia is going to
add "a new dimension to our bilateral ties" and will be a
curtain raiser of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to
Moscow before the year is out.
killing of Zakir
BNP announces 4-day protest programme
Half-day hartal in Bogra on Sunday
UNB, Dhaka
Opposition BNP has formally announced 4-day progarmmes
including half-day hartal in Bogra on Sunday in protest
against the attack on its activists on way to the grand
rally in Rajshahi, leaving a BNP activist dead and about
200 injured on Wednesday.
BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain announced
the programmes at a press briefing at the party's
Nayapaltan central office Thursday afternoon. Zakir
Hossain, a local BNP leader of Sherpur in Bogra, was
killed in the attack.
The other programmes included holding of namaz-e-janaza of
Zakir Hossain at Altafunnechha playground today, Gaibeana
Janaza of Zakir across the country on Friday and protest
rally and demonstration at district headquarters on
Saturday.
BNP leaders- Abdullah Al Noman, Amanullah Aman, Fazlul Huq
Milon and M Elias Ali-were also present at the briefing.
Most missions
and commercial wings fall below export targets
UNB, Dhaka
The country's export earnings are gradually coming out of
a negative trend (July-March, 2009-10 - 0.80%) as the
export earnings in March marked an 18.38 percent growth
compared to the corresponding month of the previous fiscal
(2008-09).
But, the diplomatic missions of Bangladesh as well as the
commercial wings are yet to gear up their performance as
most of them are below their export target.
According to mission-wise and commercial wing-wise
statistics available at the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB)
for the July-Feb period of the 2009-2010 fiscal, it was
found that most of the diplomatic missions and commercial
wings fell below their export targets.
The actual export earnings for the period was US$ 10020.35
million as against the target of US$ 11295.68 million,
which was 3.21 percent less than the corresponding period
of the previous year and also 11.29 percent less than the
target for the concerned period itself.
Out of the 44 diplomatic Missions of Bangladesh working
abroad, 20 Missions achieved their export target while 24
could not achieve the target set for them.
Although 24 Missions could not achieve their export
target, the export growth of seven missions was higher
than the corresponding period of the previous year (July-
February, 2008-09). These are Dubai, Singapore, Ankara,
Islamabad, Canberra, Manila and Kathmandu.
But the export growth of the remaining 17 missions was
lower than the corresponding period of the previous fiscal
(July-February, 2008-09). These 17 Missions are Brussels,
The Hague, Berlin, London, Rome, Ottowa, Stockholm,
Madrid, Pretoria, Tashkent, Washington, Seoul, Paris,
Bangkok, Riyadh, Kuwait and Brunei.
Of the diplomatic missions, the export performance for New
Delhi (July-Feb 2010) was US $ 234.26 million against the
target of US $ 195.26 million, representing a 19.97
percent growth over export target.
Tokyo totaled US $ 192.99 million against the target of US
$ 149.53 million with a 29.06 percent growth over target
while Beijing notched up US $ 125.37 million against the
target of US $ 68.37 million, marking a growth of 83.37
percent. But the major diplomatic missions, like
Washington which totaled only US $ 2526.63 million against
the target of US $ 3123.78 million (19.12 percent less
than the target), Berlin which totaled US $ 1459.62
million against the target of US $ 1686.24 million (13.44
percent short of the target) and London which totaled US $
1035.84 million against the target of US $1152.61 million,
left something to be desired.
There are 16 Commercial Wings (except Geneva, Kolkata and
Los Angeles) of Bangladesh working abroad. From the
statistics of Commercial Wings' export target and
achievement, it appears that out of 16 Commercial Wings, 7
Commercial Wings achieved the export target while 9 could
not achieve the target set for them.
Although these 9 Commercial Wings could not achieve their
export targets, the export growth of 2 Commercial
Wings-Dubai, Canberra -- was higher than the corresponding
period of the previous fiscal (July-February, 2008-09).
The growth rate of the remaining 7 Commercial Wings was
lower than the corresponding period of the previous
financial year (July- February, 2008-09). These are
Washington, Paris, London, Berlin, Brussels, Ottawa and
Madrid.
$114 m
syndicated loan from 10 banks for Bangladesh Biman
BSS, Dhaka
The government is to add two brand new Being 777 aircraft
in the national flag career Biman as part of its
commitment to bring positive changes in each key sector
for the coveted development in the overall economy.
To this effect, a syndicated USD term Loan Agreement for
Pre-delivery Payment Financing of US dollar 114.49 million
was handed over on Thursday to Biman Bangladesh Airlines
Ltd for purchasing two 777-300 ER aircraft from the
US-based Boeing Company.
Addressing the function as the chief guest, Minister for
Civil Aviation and Tourism Ghulam Mohammad Quader said the
government has again proved its sincerity in carrying out
positive changes in all key sectors by taking the decision
to purchase two brand new Boeing 777 aircraft for the
Biman fleet.
"Since the government has confidence on Biman, it has
stood as a guarantor for the national flag career to
purchase two Boeing 777 aircraft. Although the deal was
signed in 2008, the then government could not stand as a
guarantor but this government has come forward to help
mobilize the huge fund in this regard," he said.
Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman spoke at the
function as the guest of honor, while US Ambassador to
Bangladesh James F Moriarty, Chairman of Biman Air Marshal
(Retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed and Chairman of Eastern Bank Ltd
(EBL) Mohd Noor Ali spoke as special guests.
Biman Managing Director and CEO Air Commodor (Retd)
Muhammad Zakiul Islam, EBL Managing Director and CEO Ali
Reza Iftekhar, The Boeing Company senior director Anil K
Patel, Director for International Sales J Miguel Santos as
well as Managing Directors, CEOs and other high officials
of all participating banks attended the function. EBL has
arranged the syndicated term loans participated by AB Bank
Ltd, BRAC Bank Ltd, Dhaka Bank Ltd, IFIC Bank Ltd, Mutual
Trust Bank Ltd, National Bank Ltd, Prime Bank Ltd, The
City Bank Ltd, and The Premier Bank Ltd.
Terming this loan agreement as not only the biggest in the
history of Bangladesh but also the first ever, Quader said
Bangladesh is getting two latest model modern Boeing
aircraft to be delivered from the factory within next
year.
The Minister said Biman could not compete with other
global airliners as it did not have any latest model
aircraft. "This is for the first time, Bangladesh is
purchasing the world class brand new latest model aircraft
for its national flag career," he said adding that Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina's bold decision in this regard made
it possible.
Dr Atiur Rahman said this term loan has again proved that
Bangladesh's banking and financial sectors are capable to
afford such a huge financial arrangement.
"Bangladesh has been rated very high by the international
credit rating agencies Moodys and Standards and Poors
(S&P)," he said.
The Bangladesh Bank Governor said the central bank has
facilitated the confidence, which the government has
reposed on Biman. The central bank has stood by the banks
as transfer of confidence, he added.
Back Page
Coastal and riverine areas
PM’s directive to complete all dev projects within dry
season
UNB, Barguna
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directed the Ministries and
all departments concerned to complete all development
projects in the coastal and riverine areas within the dry
season.
"You will have to complete all paperworks during the days
of the rainy season so that you can best utilize the time
of dry season to implement the development projects," the
Prime Minister said. She was addressing a meeting with
government officials of districts of the Barisal division
at the Barguna Circuit House on Thursday morning with
Barisal Divisional Commissioner Nurannabi Chowdhury.
Sheikh Hasina at the meeting told the officials that if
they leave the development works to be completed during
rainy season, then there will remain a possibility of huge
loss of public money.
"Always keep it in mind that your salaries, allowances
come from people' s taxes. So everyone in the government
services must give their highest effort to ensure best use
of people's money," she said.
The Prime Minister told the government officials that the
government has a plan to chalk out programmes for overall
development of the Southern areas, including the districts
of the Barisal division. Once the much-expected Padma
Bridge is constructed, the government will take a big step
towards the Barisal region's development
The Prime Minister observed that without development in
Barisal region, the much dreamt-of balanced development
for the whole country cannot be achieved.
Describing modern and fast transport system as an
essential element of rapid development, the Prime Minister
said her government will chalk out projects for
development of communication system across the Barisal
division as well as around the whole country.
She opined that as rivers and canals dominate the land
areas of the Barisal division, modernization of water ways
there will play an outstanding role in accelerating its
development.
The Prime Minister reminded the government officials about
the present government's development strategy.
"Our development will be village-centered, not
city-centered. The rural economy is being given priority
by our government. We want to make our village people
self-reliant," she said. Hasina directed the government
officers to come up with ideas and projects so that
village people can complete all their economic activities
at their respective localities.
The Prime Minister further talked about the government's
thinking over bright future of the ship-building industry
in the country. She said Barguna and other Barisal
division districts can be a good place to flourish the
ship building industry.
Crimes against
humanity
President for holding trial in shortest possible time
BSS, Dhaka
President Zillur Rahman on Thursday urged the
International Crimes Tribunal to hold the trial of crimes
against humanity during the country's Great War of
Liberation within shortest possible time.
"The trial of crimes against humanity during the War of
Liberation is a demand of all countrymen," he said while
the members of the International Crimes Tribunal led by
its Chairman Justice M Nizamul Huq called on him at
Bangabhaban here.
The chairman of the tribunal was accompanied by two
members of the tribunal Justice ATM Fazle Kabir and AKM
Zahir Ahmed.
During the meeting, the chairman of the tribunal explained
to the President different features of the International
Crimes Tribunal Act 1973 and its amendments in 2009 as
well as other international tribunals and trials of crimes
against humanity, conducted aftermath of the World War II.
Chairman Justice Nizamul said the tribunal is firmly
committed to holding the trial expeditiously to discharge
the responsibilities bestow upon it.
He apprised the President that the tribunal has already
framed the rules for the trial as per the provision of
the International Crimes Tribunal Act.
President Zillur Rahman said those, who were involved in
crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971,
killed 30 lakh people, abused more than two lakh women and
forced about one crore people to leave their motherland.
Saying that there is no other example of killing of so
many people in the world history for seeking freedom, the
President said, "proper trial of those incidents of
heinous genocide and killings of the history is the demand
of the people of all walks of life."
President Zillur Rahman also urged the tribunal to be
vigilant during the trial so that a single innocent person
was convicted. "If any innocent person is convicted, the
people lose their confidence and respect to the tribunal,"
he added.
The members of the tribunal drew attention to the
President to their necessary logistic support, manpower
and transportation facilities.
The President gave them a patient haring and assured of
his all out cooperation to the Tribunal so that it can
hold the trial in a proper way as well as in a speedy
manner.
Trial of BDR Signal
Sector and RSU begins
UNB, Dhaka
The special court-6 on Thursday has begun the trial of 300
accused of Signal Sector and the Rifle Security Unit (RSU)
under BDR Headquarter.
The court also ordered the prosecutor to present the
accused before the court on Saturday 10:00am.
Court sources said the special court-6, began its trial of
the mutineers of Signal Sector at 9:30am. Subedor Mohammad
Neyamotullah brought allegations against 187 BDR members
under Signal Sector.
Prosecutor Lt.Col. Nazrul Islam Sarkar described the acts
of mutiny committed during the February 25-26 mutiny last
year and requested the court to take the offences
committed by the accused.
After hearing, the court took cognizance and ordered that
all the accused arrested in the case be presented before
it.
Among the 187 accused, 107 accused in this Sector are now
detained in a case filed with New Market police station.
The court asked to arrest the remaining 87 and send them
to jail, who are working now in different units. The court
also urged the prosecutor to present the accused before
the court on Saturday 12:00pm.
Meanwhile, the special court-6 sat again at about 11:30am
to try the accused of the Rifle Security Unit (RSU) under
BDR Headquarters.
The court also ordered the prosecutor to present the
accused before the court on Saturday.
Among the 113 accused, 57 are now detained in a case filed
with the same thana police. The court also ordered the
arrest of the remaining 56 accused and for them to be sent
to jail. The court also urged the prosecutor to present
the accused before the court on Saturday at 12:00pm.
Besides, representative of the Attorney-General, Deputy
Attorney General Kazi Izarat Haque was present during the
hearing. At least 73 people, including 57 army officers
deputised to the BDR, were killed at the Pilkhana BDR
Headquarters on February 25-26, 2009 mayhem.
Next 6-year health
plan to focus on mother, child health: Ruhal
BSS, Dhaka
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has been
preparing its next six-year sectoral plan for 2011-2016
focusing on mother and child health, particularly
neonatal.
Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque said
this while inaugurating a divisional workshop in Khulna on
the proposed sectoral plan, an official handout here on
Thursday said.
The minister said next sectoral plan of the ministry would
give highest priority to giving a better healthcare
service to mother and children through community clinics.
He said the government has been giving special importance
to involving local elected representatives and community
people for monitoring of the healthcare services to ensure
their better delivery.
With Health and Family Welfare Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali
in the char, the function as attended by Director General
of Department of Health Prof Shah Monir Hossain and
Director General of Department of Family Planning Mohammad
Abdul Quaiyum as special guests.
The health minister said family planning would also get
special focus in the next sectoral plan as the issue was
completely neglected for the last few years.
Social awareness programme should be taken to delay
marriage, encourage new couple to delay in getting first
child and take sufficient interval for second child, the
minister said.
He urged the health workers to make efforts for
coordination between the programmes of the Department of
Health and the Department of Family Welfare, saying
coordination is very important to ensure health and family
planning services from the same center.
Director (Health) of Khulna Division, civil surgeons of
different districts, family planning officials, upazila
chairmen and vice- chairmen and councilors of Khulna City
Corporation were present. In the workshop, three working
groups comprising doctors and health workers presented
their views on health nutrition, family planning service
and mother and child health management.
The health minister listened to the opinions of the
participants and replied to their questions.
Dhaka-Narayanganj
railway track modernization on
BSS, Narayanganj
The modernisation and renovation of 20.10-kilometer Dhaka-Narayanganj
railway track involving Taka 40 crore is progressing
steadily and satisfactorily.
Bangladesh Railway sources said 40 percent of the work on
the project that started from January this year has
already been completed and the rest is expected to be
accomplished by December 2010.
The sources said the work covers 16.40-kilometer main line
and 4.70-kilo meter loop line.
The condition of 125 years old railway route is now in a
very bad shape due to long standing use.
The Narayanganj Railway station was built in 1885 during
the British rule.
The sources said the damaged and deplorable sleepers would
be replaced by new 22186 steel sleepers and 7 thousand new
wooden ones.
About 15470 cubic meter of ballast would be set up between
these sleepers.
Nine level crossings on this meter-gauge line including at
Narayanganj Railway crossing No 2, Chashara, Fatullah,
Pagla, Jurain, Gandaria, Syedabad, Gopibag, and Kamlapur
gate, would be upgraded to prevent accidents.
A new aluminum shed would be constructed at Narayanganj
Railway station platform for the passenger.
Over 200 waymen have been employed for the modernization
and renovation of Dhaka Narayanganj Railway line.
When contacted Divisional Engineer M. Sabuktigin told BSS
that upon the completion of the project travelling
passengers will enjoy a safe and comfortable journey on
Dhaka-Narayanganj Railway route with the department
earning more revenue.
Editorial
Arsenic epidemic
Arsenic
is one of the few major diseases that afflict people silently
and cause major problems and sufferings to them. According to
an agency report published in the newspapers on Thursday, the
number of arsenic-attacked people is increasing in five
upazila of the Pirojpur district due to drinking arsenic
polluted shallow tube-well water as well as indifference of
the concerned departments to the issue. Pirojpur Civil Surgeon
office claimed that they identified 70 patients who are
attacked by arsenic in five upazilas namely Nazirpur upazila,
Pirojpur sadar upazila, Nechharabad upazila, Zianagar upazila
and Bhandaria upazila.
A survey revealed that at least 90 percent of the villagers
use shallow tube-well water. Usually, if above 0.05 pp arsenic
is mixed with one litre of water, it is unfit for drinking.
Even the Public Health Department marked safe and unsafe
tube-wells by putting on them red and green colour 10 years
ago. This marking process is stopped already. Sources claimed
4,577 arsenic polluted tube-wells were installed by the Public
Health Department in the district. However, a written document
published by the Public Health Department in Pirojpur did not
mention any number of the polluted tube-well mysteriously.
None of the health complexes in Pirojpur is able to provide
the tablet named Rex or Dec for the people. Health and Family
Planning officer, said although they are giving prescriptions
to the patients, they can not give any medicine. The patients
are buying Rex from outside. Arsenic-hit people may suffer
from Gangrin, Cancer and kidney or liver problem for drinking
arsenic polluted water for long.
The above mentioned report has depicted the serious situation
prevailing in the Pirojpur district alone. But the situation
relating to arsenic contamination of tube-well water and
spread of arsenic disease is almost the same in many other
districts of the country. This alarming scenario has developed
over many years as proper attention to addressing the arsenic
contamination issue was hardly given by any government since
independence. This gross indifference to a critical problem
led to the aggravation of arsenic disease and it continued to
attack more and more people with the passing of time. Some
foreign agencies are reported to have extended their helping
hands to tackle the arsenic crisis, but unfortunately no
tangible result was yielded due to lack of due attention and
action by the local authorities. It may be mentioned here that
majority of the rural people are still dependent on tube-well
water which carries the arsenic disease. And that is why the
arsenic disease is so widespread among so many people across
the country.
If the polluted tube-wells are not sealed off or medicines are
not provided or people are not made conscious of the arsenic
water, the number of arsenic patients will continue to
increase at an alarming rate. As has been mentioned in the
report, arsenic has already taken the shape of an epidemic
which is a major cause of concern for both the people and the
government. So the administration should go all out in
national interest for checking further arsenic contamination
and spread of the disease on the one hand and providing
medical treatment for those who have already been afflicted
with the arsenic disease.
Poverty
alleviation
Poverty
alleviation is a popular slogan in the country. It is heard
from the speeches of the participants in the TV talk shows,
MPs in the Jatiya Sangsad session and politicians' addresses
at Paltan Maidan. Poverty alleviation is one of our topmost
national priorities and almost every successive government
since the independence has tried to eradicate this curse, but
the success in this regard is not satisfactory at all.
Poverty is widespread and a burning problem in our country.
According to World Food Programme (WFP) officials, in
Bangladesh 4 children are born every minute of whom one is
extremely poor. 30 million of the country's 150 million
population are facing hunger and malnutrition. They are 'ultra
poor.' 200 children die in Bangladesh everyday due to
malnutrition while 28 million people do not have access to
enough food. The poverty rate has come down only slightly over
the years. The number of people living below the poverty line
was 47 percent in 1996 and it has fallen down so far to 40
percent. And, needless to say, the reduction by only 7 percent
over the last few years is not at all satisfactory.
It may be recalled here that the Dhaka Declaration of SAARC in
1993 set the target of poverty alleviation in the South Asian
region by 2002, but that target has already been missed. In
fact, poverty alleviation remains a very difficult task
despite government efforts and foreign assistance. Poverty
alleviation still remains a distant goal especially because of
the fact that the foreign money has mostly been looted or
misused by organized and privileged groups. In fact, only a
small portion of the foreign assistance is utilized for
poverty alleviation and development of the country. Foreign
assistance is very essential for a poor, developing country,
but is no panacea. And so, we shall have to try sincerely to
reduce dependence on foreign aid, mobilize domestic resources,
create job opportunities, increase production in the fields
and the factories and boost export for attaining self
reliance. Above all, we shall have to refrain from
implementing donors prescriptions and try to reduce poverty on
the basis of our own plans and projects.
Analysis
Saarc and dialogue
Once again, the leaders called it a 'landmark'
meeting, though there was nothing of note except that Bhutan
was hosting the summit for the first time.
Tariq Fatemi
The leaders of the
South Asian countries have just gone through another pleasant
but sterile Saarc summit meeting in the beautiful mountain
kingdom of Bhutan.
Once again, the leaders called it a 'landmark' meeting, though
there was nothing of note except that Bhutan was hosting the
summit for the first time. The summit declaration was as
ambitious as any, but if the past is any precedent, it will
remain a mere expression of good intentions.
It is this dismal track record that has encouraged the
perception that Saarc is a mere talking shop, unable to
achieve meaningful headway in implementing its declarations.
At the root of this malaise, lies the continuing hostility
between Pakistan and India.
While many of its faults could be removed through the revision
of its charter and the reordering of its priorities, unless
member states demonstrate greater political will and eschew
narrow national interests, Saarc will remain the weakest link
in the chain of regional organisations that girdles the globe.
This pervading atmosphere of mistrust was poignantly
acknowledged by the host, Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, when
he warned that "fractious and quarrelsome neighbours do not
make a prosperous community".
The summit's declaration called upon the leaders to ensure
that the organisation lived up "to the hopes and aspirations
of one-fifth of humanity". It also adopted the Thimphu
statement on climate change, besides unveiling a poverty
reduction fund. Leaders signed agreements on trade and
environmental protection.
But as in the past, the smaller states were not too thrilled
to observe India-Pakistan ties dominating the summit. The
Maldives president demanded that the two countries 'compartmentalise'
their animosities, so as not to impede regional cooperation.
Nevertheless, Thimphu's idyllic setting did succeed in thawing
the ice between the two countries, when it was announced at
the end of the tête-à-tête between Prime Ministers
Yousuf Raza Gilani and Manmohan Singh that they had agreed to
revive, without preconditions, the dialogue that had been kept
suspended
since the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.
Both sides termed the meeting as "very positive", with Foreign
Minister Qureshi gushing that the meeting was "warm, cordial
and engaging". He also claimed that all issues, including
Kashmir, Siachen and Sir Creek, were on the table.
According to him, Gilani assured Singh that the perpetrators
of Mumbai would be brought to justice. In view of the trust
deficit between the countries, their foreign ministers were
tasked with bridging the gap to "take the process forward".
Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao was more circumspect.
She told the media that the two leaders held good talks in a
"free and frank manner", but that Singh expressed concern over
the slow progress of the Mumbai trials in Pakistan, adding
somewhat ominously that Singh had been "very emphatic that the
terror machine needs to be controlled, needs to be
eliminated".
The agreement to resume the dialogue process is a positive
development. But the mere resumption of 'talks to have talks'
is not an occasion to go overboard. After all, the two
countries have been talking to each other for the past 60
years, formally and informally, within and outside established
formats. Talks are a means to an end, not the end itself. So,
the Thimphu announcement has to be treated with caution.
In any case, it should not be forgotten that since the foreign
secretaries' meeting in Delhi earlier this year, India had
been signalling its readiness to resume dialogue, but outside
the format mutually agreed upon between them as far back as
June 1997. Pakistan's stand, on the other hand, had been that
the dialogue needed to be conducted within the established
formal, structured format. What led Pakistan to abandon its
stand?
After all, India has always been willing to talk; what has
been lacking is the commitment to resolving differences. This
was painfully evident in the failure of the talks between the
Indus water commissioners, which was followed by Indian
statements to the effect that Pakistan's concerns on water
were a "gimmick" and a propaganda device, lacking substance
and reality.
Even during the Washington nuclear security summit last month,
Singh chose to dwell on Pakistan's transgressions and failures
in his meeting with Obama, while Foreign Secretary Rao accused
Pakistan of using terrorism as a policy tool, adding that
India should not be expected to resume talks until Pakistan
was able to "cease its encouragement of terrorist groups that
were targeting India".
What then explains this apparent volte-face, if Qureshi's
claims are to be taken at face value? For one, New Delhi has
made no secret of its disappointment with what it perceives is
a change in the Obama administration's attitude to the region.
Instead of piling pressure on Pakistan, Washington is now
appreciating Islamabad's efforts and seeking its cooperation,
especially in the unfolding post-exit strategy in Afghanistan.
More importantly, since this envisages a planned US drawdown
from Afghanistan, but not any diminution of its presence in
the region, Pakistan's role will continue to figure in all
American calculations. This explains the anxious flurry of
diplomatic overtures by India to Russia and Iran (even Saudi
Arabia), to work in concert with them on Afghanistan, which is
likely to remain an object of desire not only for Pakistan,
but for others, as well.
No less important has been the impact of the Obama
administration's 'counsel' to India to resume the dialogue
process with Pakistan. How else can Pakistan be persuaded to
devote its resources and energies to the western front? Voices
have also been raised in India itself, indicating that it
cannot achieve global player status while remaining
recalcitrant and prickly in its own region.
These developments call for the Pakistani leadership to
respond to India's gesture with maturity, because the
resumption of talks does not necessarily represent a change in
India's strategic approach to Pakistan - it is only a tactical
modification. Of course, this should not mean the weakening of
our resolve to achieve a cooperative relationship with India,
but to paraphrase Lenin, we must not confuse form with
substance.
The meaning
of democracy
Bureaucrats know that military men can be trapped and
tamed easily. This is why the best days that the
bureaucracy have had were the days of martial laws.
Muhammad Ahsan Yatu
An
interesting discussion on which institution is supreme
among parliament, the executive or the judiciary has not
concluded as yet, and it will continue till the supremacy
of political procedure is recognised by all those who are
in the debate as subjects and participants.
Political procedure is about the management of state and
society. Its best form - till an exploitation free society
evolves - is Scandinavian democracy. Hence, neither
constitution nor parliament nor judiciary nor the
executive is supreme. It was society, state, constitution,
judiciary, Congress and administration that practiced and
justified slavery in the US. It was democracy that ended
it. Today it is democracy that brought about the Health
Bill - it is no small change; it is converting capitalism,
though partly, into socialism.
Our debate does not end because most of our educated
urbanites are still obsessed with the khilafat and even
martial laws. The khilafat is a story of a simpler
society; the martial laws are a story of unfortunate
generations.
The reversal of out of turn promotions of a large section
of the 'superior' officers is the only non-controversial
structural decision that the Supreme Court has given
recently. The decision on the LNG contract is related to
the fiscal regime and this too is non-controversial. Both
decisions are being applauded by all except those who lost
the elevation and impending fortunes.
Every common Pakistani, other than the non-elected
administrators, agrees that we have a wayward,
self-serving and mafia like bureaucracy. Even the CJ
recently said that if the administration would do its job,
the terrible load of disputes that is finally passed on to
the courts would drastically reduce. If it happens, as the
CJ has wished, many lower courts might close.
The bureaucracy is not only uncommitted but also least
cooperative to the elected set-up. Even Nawaz Sharif and
President Zardari have talked many times about the hurdle
that the administration has become in the way of change.
No matter how the administrators work, the prime minister
should not have used his authority regarding promotions.
When all bureaucrats, from top to bottom, behave likewise,
promotions or demotions, and postings and transfers do not
matter; and this is what the judiciary too knows.
The judicial decision was a message to the politicians
that sticking to political procedures is the only option
for them if they want to deliver.
The use of discretionary powers, instead of adhering to
merit, is an act that the bureaucracy has become
conditioned to, and it wants that politicians too should
behave accordingly. It is not for nothing that bureaucrats
pave the way for martial laws. They know that military men
can be trapped and tamed easily. This is why the best days
that the bureaucracy have had were the days of martial
laws.
What is happening presently is that there is almost zero
interference of politicians in the working of the
bureaucracy. That the politicians did not turn to
governance in a manner they should have is not due to
their incompetence.
The talk shows have shown the difference. Politicians
appear wiser and more composed in comparison
to generals, journalists, judges, lawyers, analysts and
so-called state crafters.
When the PPP came to power, a friend who works in a
development authority would fill this writer's ears daily
with the information that PPP workers were getting their
illegal jobs done forcefully. The number of active PPP
workers in the capital is not more than a dozen.
The passive workers are hundreds in number, but they are a
poor lot who come out only during election days. So, six
or seven workers cannot make hostage a huge mafia-like
administration.
Generals and politicians come and go; politicians stay for
a short while, the generals stay as long as the Pentagon
allows. The state's political procedures thus remained
either unformed or wrapped in 'uniform', and the federal
capital became a playing ground for the babus only. From
section officers to secretaries, all are independent and
all are exercising ministerial, prime ministerial and
presidential powers. But things are changing. Politics has
emerged in a new and stronger form, and so have its
enemies.
The prime minister chose to exercise his discretionary
powers to check the misuse of bureaucratic authority so
that the government could deliver. Nothing changed. The
elevated ones proved equally useless. The easiest and
quickest method is that the ministers should get guidance
from the Supreme Court's decision on promotions and ensure
that merit is being encouraged.
It would require a minister to monitor that the files move
fast and without the wheels of connections attached. Only
a minister who is a workaholic and above greed and favours
can perform. There are many such ministers in the present
federal and provincial governments. All they need is to
become proactive.
Politicians have an advantage over the others because the
people are behind them. However, the support of the people
reduces if the political leadership fails to convince the
people about the nature of the problems and the remedies
taken to solve them.
Initially when Ishaq Dar was the finance minister, he
repeatedly spoke about the wrongs of the Musharraf era.
Once he left, the PPP government, for obvious reasons,
kept silent and took unpopular but much needed measures
such as turning to the IMF for help, and raising fuel and
other utility prices to bring the economy somewhat back on
track. The 'obvious' reason was that indulging in the
blame-game would have hampered the working of the
government. All, be it the media or civil-military
bureaucracy or jurists, played, intentionally or
unintentionally, a role that would have certainly
destabilised the government, if Zardari had not been
around and at the helm of affairs.
The PPP government also failed miserably on the energy
front. Not that it could produce the required energy and
that it did not; it failed because it again could not
convey the true picture to the people. While silence on
the miserable economy was perhaps justified, not
explaining the nature of the energy crisis was sheer
incompetence.
With 30 percent water shortage, diminishing gas reserves,
an increasingly affected population, obsolete distribution
system and aged power plants, no government could tackle
the shortage of power in a
short time.
The rental power plants (RPPs) were not an easy solution
either. Similarly, the installation of small hydro power
plants was likely to take time. As for the
Thar coal reserves, it was a bad idea even to talk about
it, as these coal deposits are of inferior quality and it
will be highly expensive and time consuming if they are
used to produce electricity. Alongside sticking to merit,
being fearless and truthful provides another way to set
things right.
The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached
at ahsanyatu@gmail.com
Viewpoints
Headed for a Hung House
As Labour
faces the increasing likelihood it will need to form a
coalition to stay in power, Brown’s spectacular ability to
self-sabotage could leave him facing the ultimate ignominy of
being sacked by his own party - a scenario that could thrust a
relative unknown into the top job.
Barry Neild
Of
all the obstacles to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's
efforts to get his Labour Party re-elected next month, the
biggest emerged with emphatic certainty this week: Brown
himself.
And as Labour faces the increasing likelihood it will need to
form a coalition to stay in power, Brown's spectacular ability
to self-sabotage could leave him facing the ultimate ignominy
of being sacked by his own party - a scenario that could
thrust a relative unknown into the top job.
The prospect of jettisoning the beleaguered Scotsman was
raised even before Brown landed yet another blow on himself
with a televised gaffe that even his detractors would have
found hard not to watch without burying their heads in their
hands.
It nearly went fine. Out on the campaign trail in northwestern
England, Brown was buttonholed by Gillian Duffy, a retired
widow who took him to task over policies including immigration
- an election hot potato that has caused many of left-leaning
Labour's core voters to defect to the right.
Ending in smiles and handshakes, the exchange could have been
a minor victory for Brown until, forgetting he was still wired
to a television radio microphone, he climbed into his car and
called Duffy "bigoted." The quote, taped by Rupert
Murdoch-owned Sky TV, was broadcast repeatedly.
It got worse. Sky played the quote back to Duffy, who
renounced her lifelong support for Labour, then Brown was
confronted with the recording during a radio interview and was
filmed cringing, head in hand like everyone else, while
offering hasty apologies.
What is unclear is whether it was Brown's idea or that of his
spin doctors to then visit Duffy's home and spend an hour of
what, for a prime minister still ostensibly running a powerful
country, must be extremely valuable time groveling before
publicly declaring himself a "penitent sinner."
Whoever called the shots was pulling the Labour leader away
from the equally pressing task of preparing for the last of
three live televised leadership debates, the previous two of
which have done little to enhance Brown's popularity.
Opinion polls have handed victory in the debates to Nick
Clegg, the youthful and (particularly next to an awkward and
uncomfortable Brown) polished leader of the previously
underdog Liberal Democrats, with David Cameron of the
Conservatives also gaining ground.
Yet, thanks to the British parliamentary political system,
under which voters elect their local representative rather
than their country's leader, a popular majority for Clegg is
unlikely to be translated into a win for the Liberals.
Political scientists see the more likely outcome as a
knife-edge split between Labour and the Conservatives, with
either party needing a coalition with the Liberals to form a
majority government. That Clegg and the Liberals have openly
rejected the notion of working with Cameron would be a rare
glimmer of good news for the prime minister, if it were not
for the fact their key condition for aligning with Labour is
that Brown must go. "I think, if Labour do come third in terms
of the number of votes cast, then people would find it
inexplicable that Gordon Brown himself could carry on as prime
minister," Clegg told reporters this week. It's a sentiment
likely to be shared in Labour's parliamentary offices, where
opposition to Brown earlier this year erupted in a failed bid
to replace him by a disgruntled gang of senior politicians,
resulting in high-profile resignations.
All of which begs the obvious question: Who would replace
Brown? Officially, no one from the Labour Party is unwise
enough to comment on such an eventuality, but heavy
speculation favors David Miliband, current foreign minister
and a man in the same polished and youthful image as Clegg.
That Miliband has proved a major success on the world stage -
he was a big hit with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
who, much to the amusement of the British press, described him
as "vibrant, vital, attractive and smart" - weighs heavily in
his favour. Given that there's nothing like an outright denial
in politics to raise suspicions, Miliband's own publicly
dogged support for his embattled boss is also perhaps
something of an indicator.
When asked about the prospect, he told The Guardian newspaper:
"We have chosen our leader and we have got a strong leader and
we have got a programme for the future. We are not having Nick
Clegg choosing the leader of the Labour party thank you very
much."
US, Karzai
seek common view on Taleban talks
Afghanistan expert Bruce Riedel said the administration
still appeared divided over how to handle talks, with some
showing flexibility but the Pentagon not wanting the
process to start until they had the upper hand on the
battlefield.
Sue Pleming
Does
talking to the Taleban or other extremist groups lead to
peace?" is the topic on the US Embassy in Kabul's Facebook
discussion page this week.
The embassy does not give its view - toeing the line that
talks must be Afghan-led and not dictated by Washington -
but it is an issue President Hamid Karzai is expected to
hammer out in meetings with US President Barack Obama next
week.
A peace assembly, or "jirga," is planned by Karzai in
Afghanistan this month to discuss possible talks with the
Taleban and US officials. Experts said Washington wanted
to make sure it was on the same page before then.
"A big part of this will be to make sure they are singing
from the same sheet of music (on reconciliation) when he
goes back to Afghanistan," said Brian Katulis, a senior
fellow with the Center for American Progress, a liberal
think tank.
Karzai sees the peace jirga as one of the major
initiatives in his plans to reach out to insurgents this
year, but Washington is cautious about such moves, saying
it is too early to expect a breakthrough in talks,
particularly as US military operations gain momentum in
the coming months.
Senior US officials have reiterated there are "red lines"
that cannot be crossed, and before Taleban commanders can
join the political process they must renounce violence and
links to Al-Qaeda and respect the Afghan constitution,
which includes women's rights.
Asked over the weekend whether she was resigned to the
fact the Taleban would ultimately be part of any Afghan
government, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said
simply: "No." "You've got to look to see who is
reconcilable. Not everybody will be," Clinton told NBC.
US relations have been particularly tense with Karzai in
recent months following a string of anti-Western
statements.
The hope is his White House meetings will underscore
Washington's commitment to Afghanistan and Karzai will not
feel pressured to cut deals with the Taleban due to fears
he will be abandoned, particularly in the buildup to the
target date of July 2011 for US troops to start leaving.
"Karzai knows we are pulling out and so he wants to cut a
deal (with the Taleban) that will save him," said
Christine Fair, assistant professor at Georgetown
University and expert on Afghanistan. "He is going to play
his cards." But Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai, a former premier and
leader for an anti-Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the
1980s, said Karzai needed US backing to talk to the
Taleban.
"Without the American consent and approval, Karzai will
not be able to do anything with regard to the negotiations
with the Taleban," he said.
Afghanistan expert Bruce Riedel said the administration
still appeared divided over how to handle talks, with some
showing flexibility but the Pentagon not wanting the
process to start until they had the upper hand on the
battlefield.
"The question here is, do we have a joint strategy for
moving forward on a political process? He (Karzai) is
ready to go forward and is waiting to see what we will be
prepared to go along with," said Riedel, a former CIA
analyst now with the Brookings Institution.
"Even if you are very skeptical about the Taleban's
willingness to talk, you had better have a game plan."
Former US ambassador to Pakistan and Iraq, Ryan Crocker,
cautioned the Obama administration against pushing Karzai
too hard on who should or should not be included in talks.
"It seems to me that we have got to have a basic trust in
Karzai as the leader of Afghanistan and I really don't
think we should be in the business of negotiating with him
over who he does and does not deal with," said Crocker,
now with Texas A&M University.
"I would hope to hear his detailed strategy and how he
hopes to achieve it and ask him some good questions, but
not be telling him you can't talk to A, B or C." US Gen.
Stanley McChrystal's adviser on reconciliation, retired
British General Graeme Lamb, had a similar view when he
spoke to Marines at a conference in Quantico, Virginia
last month, saying one lesson from Iraq was not to "get
ahead of the government" in talks with militants.
"It is a fateful error," he said, adding that allies
should not expect too much to emerge from the jirga later
this month.
Choosing the right moment for talks was key, and Karzai
needed to understand this.
Noah Weisbord is a visiting assistant professor at Duke
Law School and an independent expert on the working group
charged by the ICC's Assembly of States Parties with
drafting the crime of aggression.
Beyond India and China
Obama has to accept that Washington's financial and
political interests hinge on seeking avenues of
cooperation with other Asean members.
Ernest Z Bower
If
the US is to have a sustainable toehold in Asia,
Washington has to start paying serious attention to some
countries in the region that are not China or India.
There are 10 other countries in particular that hold the
key to America's central role in all of Asia. That's why
President Barack Obama must follow through on his
overtures to the region and carve out time to attend the
second US-Asean summit, this year.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) began
in 1967 to accelerate economic growth and collaboration in
the region. The group is made up of 10 countries: Brunei
Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar,
the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
About 650 million people live in the region, and each year
gross domestic product adds up to around $1.5 trillion.
The Philippines and Thailand are two longtime US treaty
allies. According to the latest US Department of Commerce
figures, which were for 2008, the US had $153 billion
invested in Asean, $53 billion in China, and $14 billion
in India.
Strategically, strong relations with Asean are vital to
American interests in Asia. Both Obama and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton seem to be starting to recognise
this. Clinton outlined core US principles for Asian
regional architecture in Honolulu earlier this year. And
Obama signed the Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation and
declared that US interests in Southeast Asia are
significant enough for annual presidential focus.
But lip service is only a beginning.
Strong ties with Asean are the metaphorical equivalent of
strong core muscles. They are fundamental to the effective
functioning of the other vital aspects of US policy in
Asia, including engaging, supporting, and balancing the
rapid transformation of both China and India onto the
regional and global stage.
Obama has a lot to gain from attending the US-Asean
Leaders Summit. He himself initiated the first US-Asean
Summit last November in Singapore.
Good strategy
It was the first time a US president met directly with the
leaders of all 10 Asean countries. And it was a smart
move. Asean meets regularly with China, Japan, Korea,
Australia, New Zealand, and India.
Major milestones from those summits include:
l Effective regional economic integration - Asean now has
free-trade agreements with all of the aforementioned
countries.
l The beginning of regional security architecture.
l Transnational issues - such as climate change and
nuclear nonproliferation.
If the US is absent, it could be excluded from a future
Asian 'consensus' on such key issues.
If he attends, however, Obama could continue to rack up
support for America's positions.
He could also make substantial progress on trade by
supporting increased Asean involvement in the Transpacific
Partnership - one of very few trade arrows in the
administration's quiver. Doing so would link US economic
growth to Asia, which is expected to grow at more than two
times the rate of the western economies over the next
several years, according to the World Bank.
By initiating the first US-Asean Summit, Obama laid down a
clear marker that America recognised its significant stake
in Southeast Asia and wasn't ceding the region to China's
nouveau Monroe Doctrine.
If he cannot make it to the summit, Obama could convince
the Asean leaders to meet him in Hanoi after the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Japan in
November. Another option is to invite them to Washington
or Hawaii before or after the annual United Nations
General Assembly meeting in September. A third option is
to piggyback on his visits to Indonesia, Australia, and
Guam in June or to India in October.
If Obama fails to show up it would be a serious blow to
relations in Asia. It would not only fulfil predictions
made by China that the US is only rhetorically, not
substantively, committed to the region.
Making time for the Asean summit may seem like a small
thing, but Obama's attendance would benefit the US in the
long run.
Ernest Z. Bower is director of the Southeast Asia
programme at the Centre for Strategic and International
Studies in Washington.
International
Pakistan
distances itself from condemned Mumbai gunman
Dawn Online, Islamabad
Pakistan on Thursday distanced itself from the Pakistani
gunman sentenced to hang over the 2008 Mumbai attacks but
called for perpetrators of the siege to be brought to
justice. An Indian judge imposed the death penalty against
22-year-old Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab on four counts of
murder, waging war against India and conspiracy and
terrorism offences.
"We would appreciate that our legal experts need to go
through the detailed judgment," Pakistani foreign ministry
spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters in Islamabad when
asked about the death sentence.
"Pakistan has strongly condemned the horrific Mumbai
attack. It is important that culprits are brought to
justice," he added.
Asked whether Pakistan would provide legal assistance to
Kasab, or a Pakistani-American charged with terrorism in
the United States over a failed New York bomb attack,
however, Basit said distinctions needed to be made.
"It is incumbent upon the government of Pakistan to
provide whatever assistance possible to all its nationals
abroad.
"Having said that we need to draw a distinction as to
where the assistance is required and where it is not," the
spokesman said.
US mounts pressure on
Pakistan over NY plot
Dawn Online, Washington
In a series of meetings with and telephone calls to
President Asif Ali Zardari and other Pakistani leaders,
senior US officials have informed Islamabad that the
failed attempt to bomb New York's Times Square had 'clear
links' with Pakistan, the US State Department said on
Wednesday.
"The purpose of the meetings was to inform Pakistan that
there are clear links to Pakistan and that we would fully
expect them to do what they should do and what they have
been doing," Assistant Secretary of State Philip J.
Crowley told a briefing in Washington.
"We came away from these contacts today with full
confidence that we are on the same page in terms of how
this investigation will proceed," he added. On Monday
night, authorities in New York arrested a
Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad for allegedly parking an
explosive-laden van at Times Square with the intention to
blow it up.US officials later said that Faisal learned
bomb-making in North Waziristan and has links with
militant outfits in the tribal region. The suspect's
liberal educational background and family links to senior
military officials has baffled US investigators who are
now urging Pakistan to help them investigate his ties to
groups like the Taliban and Al Qaeda.
Swiss cases cannot be
reopened: Pak Law Secretary
Dawn Online, Islamabad
The Swiss cases against President Asif Ali Zardari cannot
be reopened and therefore there is no need for any
correspondence with the Swiss authorities on the issue,
Law Secretary Justice (retd.) Aqil Mirza said in a written
statement submitted before the Supreme Court on Thursday.
This was for the first time that the government took a
categorical position in the Supreme Court on the issue of
reviving Swiss cases against President Zardari.
Hearing a suo motu case, the court's five-member bench,
headed by Justice Nasirul Mulk, expressed dismay over the
government's failure to implement the Supreme Court
verdict regarding the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO).
Justice Nasirul Mulk observed that it appears that so far
the government has not taken a single step to implement
the court's NRO judgment.
Attorney-General Anwarul Haq conceded before the bench
that no letter had yet been transmitted to the Swiss
authorities for reviving the cases against President
Zardari.
The Attorney-General's statement was contrary to what
Chairman NAB told the court on March 30 that two letters
had been transmitted to the Swiss authorities.
CIA drones have broader
list of targets
Internet
The agency since 2008 has been secretly allowed to kill
unnamed suspects in Pakistan. The CIA received secret
permission to attack a wider range of targets, including
suspected militants whose names are not known, as part of
a dramatic expansion of its campaign of drone strikes in
Pakistan's border region, according to current and former
counter-terrorism officials.
The expanded authority, approved two years ago by the Bush
administration and continued by President Obama, permits
the agency to rely on what officials describe as "pattern
of life" analysis, using evidence collected by
surveillance cameras on the unmanned aircraft and from
other sources about individuals and locations.
The information then is used to target suspected
militants, even when their full identities are not known,
the officials said. Previously, the CIA was restricted in
most cases to killing only individuals whose names were on
an approved list. The new rules have transformed the
program from a narrow effort aimed at killing top Al Qaeda
and Taliban leaders into a large-scale campaign of
airstrikes in which few militants are off-limits, as long
as they are deemed to pose a threat to the U.S., the
officials said.
Instead of just a few dozen attacks per year, CIA-operated
unmanned aircraft now carry out multiple missile strikes
each week against safe houses, training camps and other
hiding places used by militants in the tribal belt
bordering Afghanistan.
As a matter of policy, CIA officials refuse to comment on
the covert drone program. Those who are willing to discuss
it on condition of anonymity refuse to describe in detail
the standards of evidence they use for drone strikes,
saying only that strict procedures are in place to ensure
that militants are being targeted. But officials say their
surveillance yields so much detail that they can watch for
the routine arrival of particular vehicles or the
characteristics of individual people.
Mumbai gunman sentenced to
death
AFP, Mumbai
An Indian judge on Thursday condemned to death the sole
surviving gunman from the 2008 Mumbai siege after a
year-long trial over the bloody attacks that traumatised
the nation. Judge M.L. Tahaliyani imposed the death
penalty against Pakistani national Mohammed Ajmal Amir
Kasab on four counts of murder, waging war against India,
conspiracy and terrorism offences.
"He should be hanged by the neck until he is dead," he
said. "I don't find any case for a lesser punishment than
death in the case of waging war against India, murder and
terrorist acts."
Kasab, 22, dressed in a traditional white tunic, sat with
his head in his hands staring at the floor of the dock as
the judge passed sentence, three days after his conviction
on Monday.
Tahaliyani said the evidence showed "previous, meticulous
and systematic planning" of the atrocity, which left 166
people dead and hundreds injured and prompted India to
halt peace talks with its arch-rival Pakistan. "Brutality
was writ large," he added, describing the offences as "of
exceptional depravity".
Branded a "killing machine" and "cruelty incarnate" by the
prosecution, Kasab was the only gunman caught alive in the
60-hour assault by 10 Islamists on luxury hotels, a
railway station, a restaurant and Jewish centre. A
photograph of him carrying a powerful AK-47 assault rifle
and backpack at Mumbai's main railway station, where he
and an accomplice killed 52 people, became a defining
image of the atrocity.
Sri Lanka ex-army chief
vows to expose war crimes
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lanka's ex-army chief on Thursday vowed to "expose"
any war crimes committed at the end of the country's civil
war, raising pressure on the government, which has
resisted calls for a probe.
The United Nations estimated that 7,000 civilians perished
in fighting in the early months of last year when
government troops overwhelmed Tamil Tiger rebels and ended
their 37-year separatist campaign.
General Sarath Fonseka, who fell out with President
Mahinda Rajapakse and quit after successfully crushing the
Tamil rebels, said there were allegations that should be
thoroughly and independently investigated.
"I will go out of my way to expose anyone who has
committed war crimes," Fonseka told reporters. "I will not
protect anyone, from the very top to the bottom."
Fonseka, who was taken into military custody in February,
spoke with reporters inside parliament after being
escorted to attend Thursday's session as an opposition MP.
He won a seat at April parliamentary polls.
Fonseka said the government was afraid that he would
expose anyone found guilty of rights abuses and was "hell
bent" on silencing him.
"It is not patriotic to protect anyone who has caused
injustices to Tamil youth," Fonseka said, adding that he
himself was not personally aware of any instances of
abuses but wanted all charges investigated.
Even as he spoke, the president announced plans to review
the final phase of the battle against Tamil Tiger rebels,
but stopped short of calling it a war crimes probe.
The president in a statement said he would appoint a
commission to assess the lessons from the last stages of
fighting and recommend measures to prevent a return to
conflict.
"In assessing the lessons learnt from the recent conflict
phase there will be the search for any violations of
internationally accepted norms of conduct in such conflict
situations, and the circumstances that may have led to
such actions, and identify any persons or groups
responsible for such acts."
It did not specifically refer to rights abuses and
allegations that surrendering rebels were killed while
thousands perished in the crossfire or were deliberately
targeted.
Gigolos on the beach:
Cracking down on Bali's 'Kuta Cowboys'
Time Online
Muscular, bronzed Indonesian men with big smiles and long
wavy hair have been seducing foreign women along the white
sand beaches of Bali for more than three decades now.
Known as "Kuta cowboys" after Bali's popular Kuta beach,
these men often hold low-paying beach jobs renting
snorkeling gear or selling sodas, but what they are really
peddling is romance. Many call them gigolos - a term they
reject - but for years, they've been flirting with
foreigners without causing a fuss. That is, until now.
Local police raided the beach last Monday after the
trailer for a new documentary on the Kuta cowboys went
viral on the Internet. Indonesian authorities detained 28
men - described by the head of Kuta's beach security as
"young, fit-looking and tanned" - on suspicion of selling
sex. Could this be the beginning of the end for Bali's
famed Kuta cowboys?
The film that triggered the crackdown, Cowboys in Paradise
by Singapore-resident Amit Virmani, contains candid
interviews with Kuta cowboys in which they describe not
only their strategies for wooing foreign women but also
their hopes and heartbreaks on the beach.
Thai PM offers to dissolve
Parliament in September
AP, Bangkok
Thailand's prime minister said Thursday he would dissolve
Parliament in September, paving the way for new elections
demanded by anti-government protesters if they end their
crippling occupation of Bangkok's commercial district.
But in a sign of the deep mistrust between the opposing
sides, the demonstrators said they would not go home until
the government made its promise official and specified a
date for the legislature's dissolution.
On Monday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva unveiled a
roadmap to reconciliation that included an offer of new
elections on Nov. 14 - about a year before his term would
end - if they pulled out of their barricaded encampment in
the heart of the Thai capital.
Leaders of the anti-government movement, known as the Red
Shirts, welcomed that plan, which takes into account the
protesters' main grievances. It includes respect for the
monarchy, reforms to resolve economic injustice, free but
responsible media to be overseen by an independent
watchdog agency, independent investigations of violent
incidents connected with the protests, and amendment of
the constitution to be more fair to all political parties.
The Red Shirts, who draw most of their supporters from
Thailand's rural and urban poor, view Abhisit's government
as a symbol of an elite impervious to their plight.
UK
election: Best bet is that history will be made
AP, London
Polls in Britain's razor-edge election opened early
Thursday in a race that is likely to resh-ape the
country's politics in historic ways.
Should Gordon Brown cling to power, his Labour Party will
have pulled off one of the most unlikely political
comebacks in modern times. Victory for the Conservatives'
David Cameron would return his once-discredited party to
office after 13 years.
More likely - in an election with important consequences
for everything from the war in Afghanistan to the global
economy - there will be no clear winner but an
unprecedented boost for the Liberal Democrats and their
leader Nick Clegg. All three party leaders, accompanied by
their wives, cast their ballots on Thursday morning.
Earlier, Britain's tabloids had pulled the trigger with
the Daily Mirror running a picture of Cameron along with
the words, "Prime Minister? Really?" The Sun, meanwhile,
superimposed Cameron's face onto President Barack Obama's
technicolor poster that read, "Hope."
Only months ago, most thought the election would be the
Conservatives' for the taking â€" but that was before the
perfect political storm started brewing. An embarrassing
expense scandal last year enraged voters after lawmakers
were caught being reimbursed for everything from imaginary
mortgages to ornamental duck houses at country estates,
bringing trust in British politics to a record low.
And although lawmakers from all three parties were
involved, the backlash was most severe for Britain's old
guard, the Conservatives and Labour. Labour's popularity,
slipping since Tony Blair's landslide victory in 1997,
took a nose-dive after the unpopular Brown took the reins.
Britain votes in cliff-hanger election
Reuters adds: Britons voted on Thursday in a knife-edge
election, with opinion polls suggesting the opposition
Conservatives will win the popular vote but fail to secure
an outright parliamentary majority.
With the result too close to call, Prime Minister Gordon
Brown's ruling Labour Party retains a chance of staying in
power, perhaps in coalition with the centrist Liberal
Democrats.
Whoever wins will have to deal with a record budget
deficit running in excess of 11 percent of national
output, and demands for political reform following a
parliamentary expenses scandal last year which left
Britons disgusted with lawmakers. "This election has been
more exciting, more than I expected," said lawyer Lorraine
Mullins, voting at a busy polling station in central
London.
IAEA chief focuses on
Israel
AP, United Nations
The United States and the world's four other major nuclear
powers say they are ready for "concrete steps" to help
move the Middle East toward establishing a regional
nuclear weapons-free zone.
After 15 years of inaction, this long-dormant Arab idea,
intended to pressure Israel to give up its secretive
atomic arsenal, has been revived at the monthlong
conference reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).
But how far the United States, Israel's strongest
supporter, is willing to go is not yet clear. Washington's
chief arms control official said the lack of a
comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace remains an obstacle.
"The question is, how do you do that in the absence of a
peace plan?" Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher said
Wednesday of the "nuke-free" zone idea.
But in answer to a reporter's question, she said the U.S.
has been working "for months" with Egypt on the issue.
Washington also has been discussing it with the Israelis,
said another Western diplomatic source, who asked for
anonymity since he was discussing other countries'
contacts.
"The Five" - the treaty-recognized nuclear powers United
States, Russia, Britain, France and China - took their
position in a joint statement of nonproliferation and
disarmament goals read to the conference Wednesday, in its
third day, by Russian arms negotiator Anatoly I. Antonov.
Of the proposal for a Mideast free of weapons of mass
destruction, he said, "We are ready to consider all
relevant proposals in the course of the review conference
in order to come to an agreed decision aimed at taking
concrete steps in this direction."
In 1995, another of these twice-a-decade conferences
adopted a resolution calling for a Mideast zone free of
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Such a zone
would join five other nuclear-free regions globally -
Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, the South Pacific
and Latin America.
It was support for that 15-year-old resolution that the
five powers reaffirmed on Wednesday.
Palestinian leader warns of
Hamas arms smuggling
AP, Ramallah
The Palestinian president has accused Hamas militants of
smuggling large amounts of weapons into the West Bank,
just as peace talks with Israel are getting under way.
President Mahmoud Abbas said in a newspaper interview
published Thursday that his forces have largely thwarted
the smuggling efforts. He says they confiscate weapons,
explosives and other equipment from Hamas operatives every
day.
The comments, made to the London-based Arabic daily Sharq
al-Awsat, appeared to be aimed at easing Israeli concerns
as indirect U.S.-mediated peace talks begin this week.
Israeli officials have said security concerns are at the
top of their agenda. Israel fears that Hamas, which
controls the Gaza Strip, could one day topple Abbas'
government in the West Bank.
Money woes, long silences
and Islamic zeal
Internet
Theirs was an arranged marriage: two well-educated
children of prominent Pakistani families set up through a
mutual friend. He was the quiet one; she was the one who
laughed at parties. At their wedding in Peshawar six years
ago, men and women danced separately but also together, "a
rarity at that time," recalled one guest. "It was such a
huge gathering that even their family friends from Qatar
came."
When they returned to the United States, his colleagues at
the cosmetics maker Elizabeth Arden celebrated with a
small office party. The husband, Faisal Shahzad, put
photographs of his wife, Huma Mian, on his desk at the
Arden office in Stamford, Conn. They bought a brand-new
house for $273,000, 35 miles away on Long Hill Avenue in
Shelton. By the time they moved in, she was pregnant, the
neighbors recalled. As another day passed with Mr. Shahzad
talking to investigators about the car bomb he had
admitted driving into Times Square on Saturday, details
emerged on Wednesday about the couple and their life
together, along with speculation about his radicalization.
People who knew them, both in Connecticut and in Pakistan,
said he had changed in the past year or so, becoming more
reserved and more religious as he faced what someone who
knows the family well called "their financial troubles."
Last year, one Pakistani friend said, he even asked his
father, Bahar ul-Haq, a retired high-ranking air force
pilot in Pakistan, for permission to fight in Afghanistan.
Mr. Haq, now in his 70s, adamantly refused, according to a
person familiar with the conversation, saying that he
disapproved of the mission and reminding his son that
Islam does not permit a man to abandon his wife or
children. As a newlywed, the wedding guest said of Mr.
Shahzad by e-mail from Pakistan, "there was no sign of him
being extremist or, for that matter, he wasn't a bit
religious." But in the past couple of years, after
changing jobs and fathering two children, Mr. Shahzad
"started talking more of Islam." The guest spoke on the
condition he not be identified because of concerns about
his safety in the wake of the attempted car bombing.
"The recession had taken a toll on them, I guess," he
wrote in an e-mail message from Pakistan. He said that
their money worries became apparent in 2008 or 2009 and
that Mr. Shahzad "lost his way during the financial
problems." JPMorgan Chase has since moved to foreclose on
the Shelton house, which the couple had abandoned in a
hurry, leaving behind clothes and toys.
In February, Mr. Shahzad leased a two-bedroom apartment in
Bridgeport, Conn. His landlord said he never saw Mr.
Shahzad's wife. Faiz Ahmad, a friend from the Shahzad
family's ancestral village, Mohib Banda, said that when he
last saw Mr. Shahzad, at a wedding a year and a half ago,
he was sure that something was wrong. Mr. Shahzad seemed
changed, he said, sitting by himself and not talking very
much.
Mubarak warns about ‘chaos’
amid reform push
AP, Cairo
Egypt's president warned opposition groups Thursday
against fomenting "chaos" in the country and challenged
them to outline plans to rival his for sustaining growth
and development in the Arab world's most populous nation.
Hosni Mubarak's remarks are some of his sharpest yet since
near-daily protests have taken hold in the Egyptian
capital. The protesters - a mix of reformists and workers
- have rallied for greater political freedoms and better
wages, arguing that Mubarak's government has provided
neither while coddling the wealthy.
Speaking to a gathering of trade unionists, Mubarak lauded
the protests as "evidence of the vitality of our society."
But he also struck a cautionary tone, saying he fears
"that some might slip ... into chaos that would expose
Egypt and its sons to setbacks." The demontrations have
come at a critical juncture for Egypt, a key U.S. ally in
the Mideast. Parliamentary elections are months away while
presidential elections are slated for next year.
It remains unclear if Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for
nearly 30 years, will run again. He has no clear successor
and has never appointed a vice president, although many
suspect he is grooming his younger son, Gamal, to succeed
him.
But calls for reform, spearheaded in part by Mohamed
ElBaradei, the former chief of the United Nations' nuclear
watchdog agency, are resonating increasingly loudly in a
country where frustration over the political stasis has
now been eclipsed by anger that the promised economic
reforms enacted over the past five years have yet to
trickle down to the country's poor.
Mubarak stressed that the upcoming elections would be
"free," and that voters would decide the outcome.
Nuclear watchdog urges
united int’l pressure on Iran
Reuters, Vienna
The head of the U.N. atomic watchdog called for concerted
international pressure on Tehran which still refuses to
clear up doubts about its nuclear programme and cooperate
fully with watchdog IAEA's inspections.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiya Amano said
his agency was unable to rule out that Iran's nuclear work
was being diverted for military purposes, as feared by the
West. It was not clear if Amano was referring to more
diplomacy, sanctions or both but his call comes as major
powers are discussing a possible fourth round of sanctions
on Iran over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment and
cooperate with the IAEA.
"Without a policy change on the part of Iran, we cannot do
our work effectively. Policy change is needed," he said in
an interview with McClatchy Newspapers.
"The IAEA is not designed primarily to change the policy
of member states. In this area, influence, persuasion by
interested countries is needed. There is a role to be
played by the United Nations." A "synergy of effort by
(the) IAEA, the United Nations and interested countries"
is needed, Amano said.
In a separate interview with The Washington Post, Amano
said Iran must answer the IAEA's questions about Western
intelligence indicating that it may have worked on
developing a nuclear-armed missile. Iran says its atomic
work is for peaceful uses only.
"If the concerns are removed, that will be very nice. If
not, we need to ask for measures to remedy the situation."
Western diplomats credit Amano with taking a blunter,
tougher line on Iran than his predecessor Mohamed
ElBaradei. Amano says his approach is "factual", Iran
accuses him of bias.
Herschel space telescope
pierces giant star bubble
BBC Online
A colossal star many times the mass of our own Sun is seen
growing in a bubble of gas and dust just pictured by the
Herschel space observatory.
The image of the bubble, known as RCW 120, has been
released a few days ahead of the European telescope's
first birthday in orbit on 14 May. Herschel's infrared
detectors are tuned to see the cold materials that give
birth to stars. Pictures like RCW 120 will help explain
how really giant ones are made.
The monster in this picture is seen as the small white
blob on the bottom edge of the bubble. The "baby" star is
perhaps a few tens of thousands of years old and has yet
to ignite the nuclear furnace that will form at its core.
But it is some eight to 10 times the mass of our Sun and
is surrounded by about 200 times as much material. If more
of that gas and dust continues to fall in on the star, the
object has the potential to become one of the Milky Way
Galaxy's true giants, and it will go on to have a profound
influence on its environment. "It's the massive stars that
control the dynamical and chemical evolution of the
galaxy," explained Herschel scientist Dr Annie Zavagno
from the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille. "It's
the massive stars that create the heavy elements like iron
and they are able to put them in the interstellar medium.
And because they end their lives in supernova explosions,
they also inject a lot of energy into the galaxy," she
told BBC News.
Present theories of star formation struggle to explain how
objects larger than about 10 solar masses can exist. The
fierce light they emit should blast away their birth
clouds, limiting their growth. And yet, astronomers know
of stars that are 120 times the mass of our Sun.
The unique capabilities of Herschel - it works in the
far-infrared and sub-millimetre range (55 to 672 microns)
- mean it can see physical processes that are beyond the
vision of other telescopes.
Business/Economy
‘Dhaka-Washington trade ties now market-driven’
BSS, Dhaka
Leading financial analysts on Thursday said the country
saw a paradigm shift in the US-Bangladesh relations in
terms of trade and investment as the relationship is now
mostly market-driven instead of aid-dependent.
The analysts including bankers and diplomats at a seminar
focussed on issues, like trade liberalisation, duty free
access to the US market, trade-related agreements like
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) and
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI)
organized the seminar on US-Bangladesh Trade and Economic
Cooperation in its conference room in the city.
Chairman of Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Prof Rehman
Sobhan chaired the seminar while Commence Minister Lt Col
(Retd) Faruk Khan spoke as the chief guest.
Adviser to the Prime Minister HT Imam, US Ambassador to
Bangladesh James F Moriarty, former foreign minister
Barrister Annisul Islam Mahmud and MCCI president Anis-ud-Dowla
were guests of honour.
Former Commerce Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury,
Ambassadors Humayun Kabir and Ashfaqur Rahman and Chief
Executive Officer of Foreign Trade Institute (FTI) were
among the key discussants. Chairman of Policy Research
Institute (PRI) Dr Zahidi Sattar and Humayun Kabir gave
separate presentations on the topic of the seminar and
Recent Developments in US-Bangladesh Economic Relationship
where both them said the US- Bangladesh relations reached
a new height.
NRBs
to invest in bourses
BSS, Dhaka
Non-Resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) will now be able to
invest in the country's stock market as BRAC Bank Limited
(BBL) has launched a 'Probashi Biniyog' service.
The service is the first of its kind to pave the way for
the NRBs to invest into both primary and secondary capital
markets.
The service was unveiled at a local hotel recently, said a
BBL press release on Thursday. With the launching of the
service, the NRBs could open BO accounts, buy and sell
stock in both primary and secondary markets and repatriate
the profit to their country of residence. BRAC EPL
Securities Ltd, a concern of BRAC Bank, will provide the
stock-exchange related services while the solution will be
available to all NRB customers of BRAC Bank.
BD earns $11,541m from exports
BSS, Dhaka
The country fetched US dollar 11,541.23 million by
exporting goods during the first nine months of the
current fiscal year (July 2009 to March 2010).
The value of export earnings in March this year amounted
to US dollar 1,515.75 million, which was 18.38 percent
higher than that of US dollar 1,280.36 million during
March last year. It surpassed the target of export for the
month by 2.28 percent.
The earning of export during the first nine months of last
fiscal year was US dollar 11,634.36 million, according to
commerce ministry source.
Earnings from export of jute goods during the nine months
amounted to US dollar 199.21 million, which was higher
than last year's amount.
Other items which surpassed last year's earnings include
terry towel (US dollar 98.04 million), jute (US dollar
102.84 million), bicycle (US dollar 61.84 million),
agro-processed food (US dollar 34.26 million),
pharmaceuticals (US dollar 27.72 million), computer
services (US dollar 21.85 million), leather bags (US
dollar 12.83 million), electronics (US dollar 1.00
million) and iron chain (US dollar 1.23 million).
Volume of export of iron in March this year increased by
269.11 percent compared to same period of last fiscal,
while melamine tableware by 192.50 percent, petroleum
byproduct 85.82 percent, jute 51.23 percent, jute goods
60.81 percent, bicycle 32.18 percent, electronics 34
percent, other primary goods 5.21 percent, agro-processed
food 22.45 percent, leather goods 16.68 percent, terry
towel 22.17 percent and cut flower 13.30 percent.
Currency carry trade could spark next global
crisis: UNCTAD
AFP, Geneva
A top UN economist warned today that so- called carry
trades-a form of speculation on the currency markets-could
sink the global economy back into crisis.
"If you asked me what is the most serious problem in the
world now, I would say it's carry trade," said Heiner
Flassbeck, chief economist at the UN Conference on Trade
and Development.
Carry trade involves borrowing in a currency that levies
low interest rates, to invest in another which yields
higher interest rates. The investor makes a profit from
the difference in interest rates.
With currencies across the developed world, such as the US
dollar and the Japanese yen all levying low interest rates
at the moment, carry traders are borrowing these
currencies and investing in those of emerging economies,
such as India, which is paying higher interest rates.
"This dramatically destabilises economies, because
(capital) goes from low interest rate countries which are
low inflation countries or deflation countries to high
inflation countries and appreciates the currency higher,"
said Flassbeck at a press conference in Geneva.
"That is clearly a destabilising effect for global trade
and has always been a danger of collapse of this trade
later," he added.
National
Paddy, nut on 1,100 hectares go
under water
UNB, Madaripur
Paddy and nut on 1,100 hectares of land went under water
at four unions in Shibchar upazila due to sudden rise of
water level in Padma river caused by heavy downpour.
Farmers were frustrated as the crops as per their estimate
worth Tk 6.92 crore were damaged extensively due to the
flash flood. Local sources said water of the river rose by
three feet on May 1 inundating IRRI-boro paddy and nut at
four unions- Charjanajat, Bashkandi, Madbarer Char and
Bandarkhola. According to local Department of Agriculture
Extension (DAE), the flash flood damaged IRRI-boro paddy
on 800 hectares of land and nut on 300 hectares. Deputy
Director of DAE Mohammad Kafiluddin Mia said he never saw
such rainfall during Bangla month of Baishakh in his
lifetime in 50 years. He said that the affected farmers
need financial assistance.
Police arrests 40 in Rangpur
BSS, Rangpur
Police in separate drives arrested 40 persons including
suspected criminals from different places in the district
in 24 hours till Thursday morning, police sources said.
The arrested persons include absconding warrantees,
accused in different cases, drug-peddlers and traffickers,
criminals, antisocial elements, thieves and suspected
criminals.
Police also seized smuggled in ganja, fermented wine and
phensidyl, stolen goods and other illegal things during
the raids. Of the arrested, Kotwali police netted 10
persons, Gangachara five, Badarganj four, Mithapukur 12,
Pirganj two, Pirgachha three, Kawnia three and DB police
picked up one person during the period.
The arrested persons were sent to jail when police
produced them before the concerned Rangpur courts, the
sources said.
Body of unidentified young man
recovered
UNB, Narayanganj
Body of an unidentified young man, aged about 25, was
recovered from Purinda Bazaar Eidgah in Aaraihazar upazila
on Wednesday morning.
Police said villagers found the body in the morning and
informed them. Later, they sent the body to hospital
morgue for autopsy.
Police suspected that the assailants strangulated him to
death elsewhere Tuesday late night and left the body at
the Eidgah.
A case was filed in this connection.
Agriculture subsidy money
distribution work begins
BSS, Chuadanga
The distribution of agriculture (diesel) subsidy among
farmers of Gangni union under Alamdanga upazila of the
district began on Wednesday.
The programme was formally opened at a function held at
Asmankhali Bazar of the union with Jakaria Hossain, Acting
Chairman, Gangni Union Parishad, in the chair. On the
opening day, a total of four lakh Taka was distributed
among 500 farmers of the union. A total of 4000 farmers of
the union will get the agriculture subsidy, each farmer is
getting Taka 800 as subsidy, the rest subsidy money of the
farmers of the union would be paid gradually. Nayem Hasan
Joarder, a local Juba League leader who is also the
representative of the local MP Solaiman Hoque.
Freedom fighter killed in
B’baria
UNB, Brahmanbaria
A freedom fighter was killed when he went to save tractor
workers from the wrath of attackers in Akhaura upazila on
Wednesday.
Some local people locked into an altercation with two
tractor workers - Nurul Islam and Khayer Mia - when the
workers were unloading fish-feed at Mogra Bazaar at 8am.
At one stage, local people beat up the two workers
mercilessly.
10 people injured in Magura
clash
UNB, Magura
At least 10 people were injured in a clash over land
dispute between two groups of people at Nuhata village in
Sreepur upazila on Wednesday.
Sources said there was a longstanding dispute over the
ownership of a plot of land between the two groups.
They said an altercation ensued over the issue in the
morning and later both the groups equipped with lethal
weapons and sticks attacked each other leaving 10 people
injured from both sides.
25 alleged criminals
arrested
BSS, joypurhat
Police in separate anti- crime drives arrested 25 alleged
criminals from different places of five upazilas of the
district during the last 48 hours till Thursday morning.
Police sources said the arrested persons were absconding
warrantees, cheats, thieves, extortionist, accused persons
in different cases and other anti-social elements.
Sports
Qualifying round of Asian Games hockey
formally begins
UNB, Dhaka
The Robi Asian Games Qualifying Hockey was inaugurated by
Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul Muhith at Moulana Bhasani
National Hockey Stadium in Dhaka.
President of Bangladesh Hockey Federation Air Marshal SM Ziaur
Rah-man, General Secretary Khondoker Jamiluddin and other
officials were also present on the occasion.
However, the matches of the competition begin today with three
matches scheduled for the opening day.
Oman will play Hong Hong in the opening match at 10 am while
Sri Lanka meet Chinese Taipei at 12:30 pm and Singapore play
against Thailand at 4 pm in the other two opening day
fixtures.
The tournament was formally inaugurated this (Thursday)
afternoon at a simple ceremony although the competition will
begin on Friday morning.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith inaugurated the seven-nation
10-day Asian Games qualifying Hockey meet through a 40-minute
ceremony Thursday afternoon.
President of Bangladesh Hockey Federation and Air Force Chief
Air Marshall SM Ziaur Rahman, Federation general secretary
Khondoker Jamiluddin and Chief Marketing Officer of the meet's
title sponsor Robi Bidyut Kumar Basu were also present on the
occasion.
All the participating nations except Chinese Taipei, now
already in the capital, were present during the march past of
the participating teams. Hong Kong was the first team to reach
the capital on Tuesday while Chinese Taipei as the last team
was to arrive in the capital kater Thursday night.
Banglar Mukh Shilpi Goshti presented cultural show during the
ceremony.
Seven countries - Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Singapore, Oman,
Sri Lanka, Thailand and hosts Bangladesh - will compete in the
qualifying meet on league basis. Later, top two teams of the
meet will qualify for the eight-team final round of the Asian
Games Hockey.
Hosts Bangladesh, which aspires for the tournament title, will
start their campaign on Sunday (May 9) against Thailand at 2
pm. Moshiur Rahman Biplob has been named captain of Bangladesh
team with Mamunur Rahman Chayan as his deputy.
Mobile phone operator company Robi (Aktel) is the title
sponsor of the meet.
Dirk
Nannes wrecks Bangladesh hopes
BSS/AFP, Bridgetown
Fast bowler Dirk Nannes took four wickets as Australia beat
Bangladesh by 27 runs
here at the Kensington Oval here on Wednesday to advance into
the second round of the World Twenty20.
Bangladesh, who needed to win this match convincingly to knock
either Group A rival Australia or Pakistan out on superior
run-rate, reduced Australia to 65 for six inside 13 overs
after Aussie captain Michael Clarke won the toss.
But man-of-the-match Michael Hussey held firm with an unbeaten
47 and was well-supported in a seventh-wicket stand of 74 in
seven overs by Steven Smith (27) as Australia finished on 141
for seven.
And on a pitch full of pace and bounce, Bangladesh - who've
often struggled against fast bowling - collapsed to 15 for
four inside overs as they failed to cope with Nannes and
fellow quick Shaun Tait.
Left-armer Nannes finished with figures of four for 18 - an
Australian Twenty20 international record as Bangladesh were
bowled out for 114 with eight balls to spare.
Mohammad Ashraful also fell for a duck, well caught by a
diving Tait at third man off Nannes. Aftab Ahmed and
Mahmudullah (both one) also couldn't handle Nannes's pace.
Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan (28) gave Bangladesh
renewed hope in a stand of 48 with Mushfiqur Rahim before he
was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Michael Hussey, who
just stayed inside the ropes, to leave the Tigers 63 for five
and there was no way back.
Earlier, Bangladesh quick Mashrafe Mortaza took two wickets
for 28 runs from four overs as the Tigers, who defied all the
odds to beat Australia in a one-day international in Cardiff
in 2005.
And by the time Clarke struck spinner Mohammad Ashraful
straight to Jahirul Islam for 16, Australia were 52 for four.
Next ball David Hussey almost went the same way, only this
time Jahurul, running in, dropped the catch.
Not that David Hussey made much of his reprieve as on nine he
skied an intended pull off Mortaza to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur
Rahim to leave Australia 57 for five in the 11th over.
The collapse then continued as left-arm spinner Shakib bowled
a bemused Cameron White (eight) with a ball that bounced.
Michael Hussey, in when Australia were five down, staunched
the flow of wickets and struck a couple of Mortaza full tosses
for six and four respectively before late cutting another
boundary. Smith weighed in two sixes of his own, off Razzak,
in the penultimate over, before he was run out in the last.
Australia, who lost both its matches at last year's World
Twenty20, begin its Super Eights campaign against India here
today.
Bangladesh
League resumes today
TBT report
Bangladesh League re-sumes today after a two-day
suspension for the 35th National Athletics Champion-ship
at Bangabandhu Natio-nal Stadium in Dhaka.
Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra faces off Bianibazar Sporting
Club in today's match at Bangabandhu National Stadium. The
match kicks off at 4:00 pm.
Josephites and Europa Youth
win in basketball league
TBT report
Josephites and Europa Youth Club won their respective
matches in the Premier Bank 1st Division Basketball League
on Thursday.
Josephites Club scored a 52-44 victory against Mohammadpur
Basketball Club at Dhanmondi Wooden Floor Basketball
Gymnasium in the city.
The winners led the first half 32-17. Michael and Fayez
scored 11 and 10 respectively for Josephites, while Shams
scored 11 for Mohammadpur Basketball Club. Europa Youth
Club humbled Raiths Club 106-47 in the other match of the
day.
Europa had a 46-17 lead in the first session of the game.
Amin scored the highest 28 points for Europa, while Nahid
chipped in with 24. Jawad was the best scorer for Raiths
Club as he caged 11 to reduce the margin.
Clarke ready for trial by spin against India
BSS/AFP, Bridgetown
Michael Clarke admitted his bowlers were ready for a trial
by spin when they faced India in their opening Super
Eights clash at the World Twenty20 here today.
Australia collapsed to 65 for six against Bangladesh with
the Tigers' spinners taking four wickets between them
after fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza removed opener Shane
Watson on his way to figures of two wickets for 28 runs.
But man-of-the-match Michael Hussey held firm with an
unbeaten 47 and was well- supported in a seventh-wicket
stand of 74 in seven overs by Steven Smith (27) as
Australia finished on 141 for seven.
Left-arm fast bowler Dirk Nannes then took an Australian
Twenty20 record four for 18 as Bangladesh were bowled out
for 114.
But the way in which Australia's top order slumped against
Bangla-desh raised questions about how they would cope
with the seemingly stronger challenge of the India attack.
Australia are set to face an old antagonist in off-spinner
Harbhajan Singh, and several other quality slow bowlers,
as well as India left-arm quick Ashish Nehra.
"I think spin bowling is going to play a big part in this
tournament, whether that's how you face spin or you bowl
spin," Clarke said.
"India have got some good spin bowlers, Harbhajan is one
of the best in the world, so we're going to have to work
out a plan against him and back ourselves at that.
"Every player in our team plays spin bowling differently,
you need to be confident with your plan and stick to
that." Reflecting on the Bangladesh match, Clarke said: "I
think it is a very satisfying win. Our top order obviously
didn't perform as well as we'd like, the conditions were a
lot different to St Lucia, we probably didn't adapt as
well as we'd like.
"But to scrape our way to 140, Huss played a wonderful
innings as he always seems to do when we're under
pressure, and young Steve Smith batted really well. "Our
execution with the ball was spot on. I think these
conditions are really going to help our fast bowlers,
there was a lot of pace and bounce in that wicket.
Williams sisters
lighting up Rome
BSS/AFP, Rome
Williams sisters Serena and Venus have been a breath of
fresh air at the Rome Open but more so for their off court
rather than on court antics.
The pair remained on course for a semi-final meeting on
Friday by winning their third round encounters on
Wednesday.
World number one Serena beat German Andrea Petkovic 6-2,
3-6, 6-0 and will face Maria Kirilenko in the last eight
while Venus disposed of 16th seed Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-4 and
faces seventh seed Jelena Jankovic next.
Their on court success is nothing new but the most famous
tennis sisters of all time have long had a reputation for
being sultry and unresponsive in post match press
conferences.
Not in Rome, though, where they seem relaxed and even keen
to enjoy themselves.
Serena, for one, joked about what she had given up in
order to come to Rome and begin her French Open
preparations.
"Right now I was supposed to be at the Met Ball in New
York with Anna Wintour (editor in Chief, Vogue USA) and
Oprah Winfrey," she said.
"I was supposed to be there. I had a fabulous dress or
gown that I was going to wear.
"After that I was going to go to the Time 100 as I was
chosen as one of the 100 most influential people last
year.
"Unfortunately, or fortunately, I said 'I'm going to try
to play Rome' and so I skipped Oprah and Anna Wintour and
it hurts me.
"It hurt my soul because I really wanted to be there but
this is my career and I really needed the extra match.
But, I'm very sad."
Having previously described herself as cheeky in a
pre-tournament press conference, this time she promised to
be "sexy" in her next match.
When told how Serena was describing herself, Venus was not
to be outdone. "Maybe you should ask her how to describe
me seeing as she seems to be having these unbelievable
press conferences," she said.
"Maybe I should come along to the next one. I don't know,
I think I'm funny and cool." Back to matters of a
competitive nature, Serena was asked if four-time French
Open champion Justine Henin was the equivalent to her that
undisputed clay king Rafael Nadal is to men's world number
one Roger Federer.
Ronaldo hattrick keeps Real on Barca’s heels
BSS/AFP, Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo netted his first ever hattrick for Real
Madrid to move onto 25 goals of the season as Real came
from behind to win 4-1 at Real Mallorca on Wednesday to
move a point behind Barcelona and ensure the title race
goes down to the wire.
Ronaldo, the world's most expensive player, seems to be on
a personal mission to win the title for his side in his
debut season and followed up his decisive late winner
against Osasuna on Sunday with a timely treble to keep his
side firmly in the title race with two games to go.
"I have to thank my team-mates for helping me to settle
and score so many goals," said Ronaldo. "There was a bit
of pressure with Barcelona winning but we scored three in
the second half to win the match.
"We hope Barcelona drop points at Sevilla and all we can
do is beat (Athletic) Bilbao at home. We hope and really
want to be champions."
Aritz Aduriz had put Champions League hopefuls Mallorca
into a 16th-minute lead but Ronaldo took advantage of a
defensive mix-up to equalise ten minutes later and struck
again on 57 minutes.
A fine mazy run and finish on 72 minutes capped his first
Real hat-trick and his haul of 25 goals is all the more
impressive when one considers he was out injured for two
months.
A Gonzalo Higuain chip completed the scoring on 81 minutes
and the Argentine has 26 goals for the season, five behind
Barcelona's Lionel Messi on 31. With two games left,
champions Barca, 4-1 winners over Tenerife at Camp Nou on
Tuesday, hold a slender one-point lead over Real and have
a tough trip to Sevilla on Saturday while Madrid are at
home to Athletic Bilbao.
This was a ninth away win for Real as they became only the
third team to win at Mallorca's fortress Ono stadium and
dent their Champions League hopes.
Mallorca surrender fourth place to Sevilla who are a point
ahead after thrashing Racing Santander 5-1 on Wednesday
and take on Barcelona at home on Saturday.
Barcelona's tally of 93 points is the most any team has
chalked up in a league of 20 or 22 teams and there are
still two games to play although it may not be enough with
Real breathing down their necks.
With five minutes gone Mallorca had the ball in the net
but Uruguayan winger Gonzalo Castro looked up in dismay to
see his effort had been ruled out for a marginal offside.
Real looked shaky and they conceded from a corner on 16
minutes with Victor arriving at the back post to volley
into the danger area and Aduriz was on hand to convert his
12th goal of the campaign. However, the lead was
short-lived and predictably it was Ronaldo who provided
the equaliser. The former Manchester United man used his
pace to race onto a long diagonal ball over the top and
arrived just before the advancing goalkeeper Dudu Aouate
and managed to lob the ball high into the net before
colliding with the Israeli custodian.
Real goalkeeper Iker Casillas had to make two saves to
deny Aduriz and Castro inside two minutes and the visitors
were fortunate to go in 1-1 at the break. Madrid stepped
up their game after the interval and Ronaldo created a
great chance for strike partner Higuain who fluffed his
lines by shooting wide.
The Portuguese star showed the Argentine how to do it on
57 minutes controlling Sergio Ramos's cross-field pass on
his chest before poking the ball home for his second goal
of the game.
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