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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

[ALOCHONA] Bangladesh political climate



-------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Shimul Chaudhury <honestdebater@yahoo.ca>
Date: Jul 1, 2010 3:46 PM


The Daily Star, Dhaka, 27 June 2010
 
 
 

Political climate

Shimul Chaudhury, On e-mail
 
The forecast of the political weather of Bangladesh is not very good. The way the ruling regime Awami League is treating the opposition parties and stifling dissent reminds people of the BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League) of 1975 when all opposition political parties and newspapers were banned.
 
During the campaign of the last general election, the Awami League never mentioned that, in honour of the founder of BAKSAL Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it would go back to a one-party political system in Bangladesh. But now we notice an irresistible tendency in the Awami psyche to return to BAKSAL style politics.
 
Television channels and newspapers are being shut down. Rallies of opposition parties are being thwarted with bright Awami excuses: Awami affiliate organisations call counter rallies at the venue where opposition parties want to hold a meeting; and then the police step in and declare 144 to proscribe any political rallies. On one occasion, obviously directed by the government high-ups in Dhaka, a local UNO emerged in the midst of a political meeting and declared 144 on the spot. Needless to say, if such an episode occurred in the midst of an Awami rally, the UNO would not have returned home alive.
 
Unlike the first Awami regime of the 1970s, the present Awami government does not shut down a newspaper without an excuse. It locates a man, takes him away from his home and keeps him in a secret location for 6 hours. Then the country comes to know that this man sued an editor, on the basis of which the government arrests the editor and shuts down his newspaper.
 
Unlike the earlier Awami regime, the current one has a big advantage: it has produced dozens of 'intellectuals' affiliated with universities who issue moral certificates to Awami human rights violations. Many of these intellectuals appear on TV, write for newspapers and sell statements. They are instrumental in distracting the attention of the people from the pressing issues and in bringing in issues in public attention that have no relevance to the eradication of poverty or to the advancement of the country. These intellectuals will present the 21st-century BAKSAL to the world in a sugar-coated way. Since the Awami League uses the secularism slogan to sell its fascist ideas, the secular west may turn a blind eye to a one-party political system in Bangladesh. However, the people of Bangladesh will have to bear the brunt of the atrocities of such a one-party political system.

-------------------------------

The Financial Express, Dhaka, 27 June 2010
http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=104277&date=2010-06-27

Protecting freedom of press, respecting voice of dissent

Shimul Chaudhury

It appears that the government has a strong motive to continue harassing and torturing editor of 'Amar Desh' Mahmudur Rahman in the name of legal proceedings. What is most worrying is that the Supreme Court (including the High Court and the Appellate divisions) is on holiday until July 03, 2010. If the government takes this long vacation as an opportunity to harass and torture this patriotic man further in police custody, freedom-loving people in Bangladesh and beyond, will have some strong reasons to feel disturbed.

On a personal note, let this scribe make it very clear that he is not a member of any political group in Bangladesh. But he has deep respect for Mr Rahman. We all know that he has been honest and brave in exposing the wrongdoings of the people in power. When many columnists remained largely silent and exercised self-censorship during the last army-backed government, he was the one to write relentlessly against human right violations during those two years. He was the man to challenge them! After the present government came to power, he continued writing for the betterment of his country and against any power trying to exercise political and economic hegemonistic goals in the region and also against the government's ineffective actions to counter the same.

Recently I contacted a lawyer who has been partly involved in handling Mr Rahman's case. This is what he said to me:

"He [Mahmudur Rahman] was taken to an unknown place, eyes were folded, he was undressed, tortured ... was not allowed to sign a letter of authority for 'appointment of lawyer' (it was later allowed), he was kept in police custody without food and drink for long hours, he was not allowed to see his lawyers / family members for over 24 hours. He was arrested on June 01, by now he has lost his weight @ 7 Kgs, he was taken on police custody for interrogation in criminal cases which were filed after he had been arrested!!!.....his life is endangered. Please see the reports (Naya Diganta, Amar Desh and other dailies June 03-June 15). His very arrest was not justified. He said to his lawyers/family members and even to the Court that he had been brutally tortured: physically and mentally....starvation, inhuman and degrading treatments in violation of all norms of human rights, constitutional safeguards....all have taken place by now...."

Upon court appearance, Mr Rahman told the judge that he was not supposed to be alive after what he had gone through in police custody and called upon the judge to save his life.

The political party currently in power in Bangladesh does not tolerate freedom of the press. On June 16, 1975, the then Awami League government had closed all newspapers except four under government control and banned all other political groups. Since this regime came to power in early 2009, it has kept torturing people of opposition political groups, threatening journalists and shut down television channels like Channel 1 and Jamuna TV, and the newspaper, Amar Desh.

What we have gathered after reading different news reports on Mr Mahmudur Rahman's arrest and torture on him is that he was severely tortured by unidentified five people in one early morning in the name of remand; he was blindfolded, stripped naked. When those men started torturing him, he fainted and remained senseless for many hours. He was reportedly questioned not about the issues relating to his cases but about other extra-judicial matters.

The people in Bangladesh do generally believe that Mr Rahman has been the target mainly for his writings where he talked about the circumstances in which about 60 army officers were killed in February 2009 and also about the involvement of some very powerful persons in the current polity, in various financial irregularities.

We most humbly request all to do whatever they can to for rescuing this uncompromising writer.



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Re: [ALOCHONA] Economy passing to alien hands



let us not put our hands up. i wonder,
 
1. yesterdays news paper reported, 09-10 garment export grew 4% to 08-09. why these local owners are selling out the factories?
 
2. what kind of "free economy" we are practicing in bangladesh, which allows foreign investors to invest beyond the epz's?
 
regards
 
md shamim iqbal

--- On Tue, 7/20/10, Emanur Rahman <emanur@rahman.com> wrote:

From: Emanur Rahman <emanur@rahman.com>
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Economy passing to alien hands
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, July 20, 2010, 2:02 PM

 
The final design of Sheikh Mujib is coming to fruition. He traded the future of an entire nation in return for the opportunity of absolute power. Awami League and their supporters should be jubilant and bring out their processions as they have finally fulfilled the bargain Mujib made. Perhaps now he can finally rest in peace.

There were many in civil society who opposed Independence as they feared falling under the Indian yoke. Their fears are now coming true. Mujib, his blood line, his party and his followers are traitors.

The fact is that no one cares and the evidence suggests no one ever did. Perhaps the truth is that our very nature means we cannot be a nation state. It is our destiny to lurch from yoke to yoke as we simply do not have the inherent sense of unity that defines a nation.

I have no expectations or hope......like so many of my countrymen.

Joy Bangla.
Emanur Rahman | m. +447734567561 | e. emanur@rahman. com

From: Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail. com>
Sender: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:29:42 +0600
ReplyTo: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Economy passing to alien hands

Economy passing to alien hands

In the business front, the country's fragile political situation is being utilised to use Bangladesh as the gateway to northeast

The economy is slowly but steadily passing hand to the aliens at a time when the country's ruling elite remained deeply embedded to new found strategic allies to beat back nationalist and Islamist forces in domestic politics.In the business front, the country's fragile political situation is being utilised to use Bangladesh as the gateway to northeast and Indian businessmen are out to capture the key service sector and manufacturing industries.

Leaders of BGMEA and BKMEA, two apex bodies of the garment sector slowly speaking out the truth. They said Indian investors are now buying major garment factories in Bangladesh.News reports meanwhile said many British, US and Canadian businessmen of Indian origin have already bought at least 50 key garment factories of the country including the famous SQ group, Crystal, Mustard, Hollywood, Shanta, Rose, Fortune, Trust, Ajax and such other manufacturing plants which have the record of earning billions of dollars in export earnings annually.

Businessmen of Indian origin are also negotiating the buying of another 100 garment factories at the moment, senior BGMEA sources are quoted to have said in talks with the local press. In addition to this, there are 140 garment factories now being laid off and they may eventually end up at the hands of foreign buyers.BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy reportedly said such passing of hand is taking place as part of free market economy in certain situations. He said many Indians are engaged here at managerial levels.

Former BKMEA president Fazlul Haque reportedly said the question is not who is buying, the truth is that it is going contrary to the country's interest.The garment sector is treated as the major contributors to the nation's economic fortune generating tens and thousand of jobs mainly to the poor in addition to expansion of banking, insurance, transport, ports, shipping and such other services,Now these engines of fortunes are passing hand to aliens mainly by way of violence, arson and vandalism.

Foreigners are also working to take control of the country's telecommunication sector by buying big telecom companies and sharing the submarine cable system. The country's domestic consumer market is already in the Indian hand with over US$ 3.5 billion trade deficit and Delhi is not willing to open its market to substantive duty free exports from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has agreed to open the connectivity under the joint declaration with India in Delhi in January this year.In this background, a 21-member strong business delegation visited Bangladesh last week to hold talks with government and business leaders about how to use the mutuality to set up new infrastructure facilities in Bangladesh to open the transit gateway from western India to its northeast.

Influential Congress parliamentarian and former minister responsible for development of northeast Moni Sankar Iyar led the delegation. During the visit he also has urged Bangladesh businessmen to invest in the northeast.The Indian trade delegation visited Ashuganj where India seeks quick mobilisation of resources to set up its port of call and develop port handling facilities. It is also in a hurry to build the 40 km long Ashuganj-Akhaura road to add new capacity to run heavy Indian transport vehicles.

Delhi has sought initial permission to carry equipment for a 1000 MW power plant to the Tripura state. The delegation also visited Chittagong port, assessed its present and future handling capacity and expressed the Indian desire to make investment in port facilities. It also talked about expansion of highway from port city to Tripura and Mizoram and developing infrastructure of the Mongla port to connect it with Indian business.

There is no study or configuration about it. Moreover, what is the security arrangement or sovereignty guarantee that Bangladesh will not become a vassal state at the end.
The Indian delegation has reportedly explored to build every bit of connectivity network by road, railway and water ways, by building bridges and dredging rivers.

http://nation. ittefaq.com/ issues/2010/ 07/19/news0714. htm



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[ALOCHONA] Looking northeast



Looking northeast

Harun ur Rashid

FORMER Indian union minister and Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar came for a four-day visit to Dhaka. He was accompanied by a 21-member delegation of industrial leaders from the northeast. He met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on July13.

Aiyar is no stranger to Bangladesh as he was closely involved as a diplomat from the ministry of external affairs during the Bangladesh Liberation War and soon thereafter. Later, he joined politics, and when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi visited Bangladesh Aiyar came with him.

Aiyar was the union minister looking after the northeastern states. The region consists of seven adjacent states -- Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal, Meghalaya and Assam. Some areas -- Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Koch Bihar -- may also be considered as part of the group.

At a talk on "Bangladesh-India Relations" on July 11 at BEI auditorium, Aiyar spelt out the Indian government's plan for infrastructure development in the northeastern states, where 50 million people live.


Aiyar said that the government had allocated Rs.14 lakh crore under the Northeast Industrial and Promotion Policy 2007 for a period of 12 years. The amount is being spent for developing infrastructure and encouraging business communities to invest in the region.

He invited Bangladesh businesses to invest in the region, saying that India had withdrawn all restrictions on Bangladeshi investments two years ago. The growth of the region would rise to 9%, from the current 4%, with huge Indian public investments.

According to the diplomat-turned politician, the prosperity of the northeast Indian region and Bangladesh is interlinked. He said Bangladesh could reduce the widening trade gap that favours India through transit fees and remittance from northeast India. The trade gap was nearly $3.5 billion in fiscal 2009-10.

He was an eloquent speaker, and sold very well the potential attractiveness of investment in the region by the Bangladesh private sector. It was a tantalising offer that no business person could ignore.

The growth of the economy of the region is half of the economic growth of mainland India. It seems that the purpose of such a plan is to develop the region into a hub of trade and commerce so as to eliminate the deprivation of basic needs and facilities of the people, arguably the main root cause of insurgency, in the region.

While there are merits in Aiyar's proposition, there are many ground realities that are obstacles in conducting business with northeastern states. Some of them are mentioned below:

-The northeastern region is a "problem child" of India. It has been the most enduring theatre of separatist guerrilla war, and the Bodos, the Karbis, the Dimasas and the Rabhas all joined the Assam movement to expel "foreigners" and "Bangladeshi infiltrators" to restore tribal rights.

-Given the scenario, Bangladeshi investment might be perceived as "economic exploitation" by tribal insurgents in the region.

-Bangladesh's main exportable products cannot get access to Indian market because they are included in India's sensitive list of 480 items, which include agricultural and textile products.

-Non-tariff barriers in India, such as testing and certification, technical standards and banking regulations are some of the identifiable non-tariff barriers. For example, quality standard certificate from Bangladesh is not accepted by India. Normally, Bangladeshis are not allowed to open bank accounts in the northeastern states of India, and import-export number is issued from Kolkata, which is at least 1,680 km from Agartala.

-Non-tariff measures are often turned into non-tariff barriers/technical barriers by India while complying with sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

-Poor logistics for land ports, restriction of commodities that can pass through land ports, cumbersome customs requirements, manual clearance, excessive inspection in the name of security, no customs cooperation or joint inspection, no harmonisation of standards, lack of warehouse facilities in land ports, and no testing facility in any land port, all act as hurdles in trading.

-Business people from Bangladesh complain of visa restrictions that make it difficult to travel to, and promote trade with, India.

The visit of the Bangladesh prime minister to India in January this year ushered in a new era of opportunity in bilateral relations. The Joint Communique of 51 paragraphs released after the visit has put in place a comprehensive framework of cooperation in all possible areas.

Paragraph 33 of the Joint Communique states clearly: "With a view to encouraging imports from Bangladesh, both countries agreed to address removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers and port restrictions and facilitate movement of containerised cargo by rail and water." Paragraph 37 states that border hats shall be established in selected areas, including the Meghalaya border.

Bangladesh wanted to open the border hat on Bangladesh-Meghalaya border on April 14 (1st day of the Bengali year) but could not do so.

It seems that the implementation process of the areas agreed at the highest political level has been painfully slow, which is disappointing for the people of Bangladesh. The sooner the agreement is translated into concrete action, the better it will be for the economic ties on bilateral level for mutual benefit.

Once India takes non-reciprocal measures for access of Bangladeshi products to its market, I believe that the private sector in Bangladesh will be more easily swayed to enter into trade and investment in the northeastern region.

Finally, I would propose widening of Aiyar's offer to include Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and northeastern states of India to create a common economic space. When the region is able to exploit fully its resource endowments, it will be the key to peace and prosperity.

Barrister Harun ur Rashid is a former Bangladesh Ambassador of Bangladesh to the UN, Geneva.
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=147558


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[ALOCHONA] BSF kills 3 more Bangladeshis



BSF kills 3 more Bangladeshis
 
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) killed three more Bangladeshi nationals at Ghosahalpur border of Jheidah dustrict onTuesday. With the killing on Tuesday BSF killed 37 Bangladeshis in last four months.

The number of Bangladeshis killed by BSF during the nine years period from January 1, 2000 to July 20, 2010 stands at 838. BSF also injured 860 people and abducted 903 Bangladeshis in the same period.

According to an UNB report, Indian BSF shot dead two Bangladeshi cattle traders at Ghosalpur border of Jhenidah district Tuesday morning. Locals and family members of the victims said Obaidul Islam (32) of Padmapur village and Akbar Ali of Sejia village left home in the morning for purchasing cattle across the border.

BSF patrol team of Pakhiura outpost fired 10 or 12 gunshots killing Obaidul and Akbar on the spot. Their bodies were dragged away by the killers to Hashkhali thana.Shaympur union parishad chairman Shahanur Rahman told UNB by phone that cattle traders Obaidul and Akbar died of BSF bullets in the morning. He said the BSF killing created tension in the area.

Local BDR commander Lt Col Sultan Ahmed said BSF firing resulting in death of two Bangladeshi cattle traders was strongly protested at a flag meeting with BSF at company commander level at 4-30 pm. But BSF denied the killing of Obaidul and Akbar.

Another report from Satkhira said BSF troopers of Kanaikati outpost caught and tortured to death cattle trader Asghar Ali and thrown into the river. His body floating on the Kalindi border river was rescued at 8am today. Family sources said his two associates Nurul Islam and Subid Ali remained missing.

http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/leading%20news.htm


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[ALOCHONA] HEC refused to accept Fake Degrees of Politicians - Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: During the ongoing scrutiny supervised by Higher Education Commission (HEC), University of Sindh and University of Balochistan have given clean chits to all their graduate lawmakers, (without checking, who's degree is fake. What a country ...!), an outcome (of the HEC's request because Pakistan Constitution disqualifies any Elected to Legislative Branch, who has less than 4 years of College education). HEC has promptly refused to accept their answer. Its suspected that about half of Elected Members of Assemblies and Senate have lied about their education. Earlier they had tried to amend the Constitution but failed so it means, fake degree holders do not have a majority in the Parliament.

According to the HEC, 105 members of the parliament and provincial assemblies claimed to obtain their BA degrees from Sindh University, whereas 56 lawmakers said they had had their education at University of Balochistan.

"Both these universities have sent us their one-line response that each degree sent to them is genuine, which the HEC has refused to accept. The commission has asked them to repeat the entire verification exercise," said an HEC official close to the development.

The HEC formulated a special form for scrutiny of lawmakers' educational backgrounds, whereby all universities were supposed to check not only their BA degrees but also matriculation and intermediate certificates along with their computerised national identity cards. The criterion was the same for every university, and the HEC would not compromise on that, said the official.

Though the exercise was taking considerable time, the universities were largely following HEC instructions in running checks on the claims made by the lawmakers, he added.

According to the HEC, the University of Punjab tops the list as 313 legislators have claimed to have completed their graduation from that university. Next comes the University of Peshawar which is scrutinising the degrees of 110 members of parliament and provincial assemblies.

The University of Karachi has 100 of its former students in national and provincial legislatures followed by the Bahauddin Zakariya University with 50 graduates.

The Pakistan Military Academy, which also has the status of a degree-awarding institution, is verifying degrees of eight graduates. The Gomal University and Allama Iqbal Open University are investigating educational qualifications of 10 legislators each. Ten members of parliament and provincial assemblies have done their graduation from the now-defunct Al-Khair University.

The HEC is also investigating degrees of 36 legislators who have claimed to have graduated from foreign universities. Twenty-one lawmakers had contested elections on the basis of certificates issued by 10 madressah boards of the country. The HEC has already written to the boards, seeking their confirmation.

The Election Commission is yet to (be) provide(d) degrees of 161 legislators to the HEC for verification.

[ALOCHONA] IMF rattles Pakistan cage

IMF rattles Pakistan cage
By Syed Fazl-e-Haider

KARACHI - The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has reportedly warned Pakistan of derailing its US$11.3 billion rescue program if the country fails to meet agreed performance criteria. With Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh warning that the government will have to seek a new package from the IMF when the present deal expires, the pressure to comply is considerable,

The visiting IMF team, headed by Adnan Mazari, assistant director for Middle East and Central Asia, held extensive meetings at the weekend with Pakistani team led by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh. The IMF mission reportedly told the Pakistani side that the country would have to perform or the fund's executive board would question its own staff over how they

clear pixel  

allowed space for Islamabad to breach criteria that were part of the bailout package.

The IMF, which at the weekend expressed concern over uncontrolled expenditure, rising inflation, slow revenue reforms and poor performance of the power sector, tightened the screw at a time when visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced more than $500 million in new aid projects for Pakistan.

At risk to Pakistan is the loss of the remaining $2.6 billion in IMF funds to be delivered in two parts under a 2008 rescue package of $7.6 billion that was expanded last August. The IMF is not willing to allow the country to raise the fiscal deficit target of 4% of gross domestic product (GDP) in the fiscal year ending next June, and it has asked the central bank to raise the discount rate by the end of this month to counter inflationary pressures.

Critics say Washington's latest aid to strife-torn Pakistan is a carrot to encourage the government in Islamabad to do more in its war on Islamist extremists, while the Washington-based IMF is waving a stick with a threat to hold back the next $1.2 billion payment due under the Standby Arrangement Program (SBA).

The fund has reportedly portrayed a picture in which Pakistan will not be able to impose value added tax on both goods and services from October 1 or achieve the fiscal deficit target, putting the whole macroeconomic framework at stake.

"The underlined message is quite clear that the IMF's remaining ... $2.6 billion of the Standby Arrangement programme (SBA) will be in danger," The News reported, citing sources privy to the ongoing talks with the IMF on the macroeconomic framework for the current fiscal year.

In contrast, Clinton on Monday announced a string of new projects - including dams, power generation, agricultural development and hospital construction - funded under US legislation passed last year that triples civilian aid for Pakistan to $7.5 billion over the next five years.

Pakistan is failing to reduce its fiscal deficit despite large parts of the country's economy, including rich landlords, not being taxed. The tax-to-GDP ratio is only 10.2%, one of the world's lowest. About 65% of the country's budget goes to debt retirement, defense expenditures and the current expenditures of the government, while almost 60% of the economy is outside the tax net.

The New York Times recently commented: "It is ... a sorry performance for a country that is among the largest recipients of American aid ... Though the [Pakistani] authorities have tried to expand the [tax] net in recent years, taxing profits from the stock market and real estate, entire swaths of the economy, like agriculture, a major moneymaker for the elite, remain untaxed."

The IMF team expressed concern over slippages on fiscal deficit limits for the fourth consecutive quarter and warned the authorities that they would need to work hard to get a waiver on the criteria. The government has so far been unable to meet the fiscal deficit target of 5.1% of GDP, equivalent to 769 billion rupees (US$9 billion), for the fiscal year that ended last month, and may have a deficit of 6.2%, or 900 billion rupees. The 4% target requires financing of 685 billion rupees in the current fiscal year.

"There were issues that lacked clarity on part of government policies and raised uncertainty about the continuation of the [$11.3 billion IMF] programme," Dawn reported, citing comments by a Pakistani official.

The next round of talks in the United States next month will be crucial for the government to persuade the IMF's senior management and board of directors to approve release of the remaining two installments. Local analysts believe that a delay in implementing value-added tax (VAT) after October may disrupt the delivery of IMF funds, which might cause a ripple effect on aid from other multilateral agencies and donors.

Under the $11.3 billion bailout package, the country committed to imposing VAT from July 1, but the government delayed the implementation for three months to try to take all the provinces on board. Critics say this delay was due to political exigency and a failure to convince the country of the need for a VAT regime.

Some analysts are even skeptical that the October 1 deadline will be met because tax rates have not yet been set and the local business community and opposition parties continue to have deep reservations about the new tax regime. The tax could also face practical and administrative hiccups if the government of Sindh continues to insist that it should collect the tax on services in the province.

Though the IMF program will conclude by next June, the government has already indicated that it will seek further support from the fund. Finance Minister Sheikh warned that the country could go bankrupt if the government did not sign a deal with the IMF for another loan. During a budget debate in the senate last month, Sheikh said there was no way out of the economic crisis other than to sign a deal with the IMF.

Pakistan's total debt-to-GDP ratio has crossed 61%, breaching the 60% limit set under the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation Act. The external debt-to-GDP ratio is now 30%, while the domestic debt-to-GDP ratio is an alarming 31%, according to the State Bank of Pakistan.

Critics say the government depends excessively on foreign aid and loans without having any plan to lead the nation to self-reliance.

Syed Fazl-e-Haider (http://www.syedfazlehaider.com) is a development analyst in Pakistan. He is the author of many books, including The Economic Development of Balochistan (2004). He can be contacted at sfazlehaider05@yahoo.com.
-----------------
TURKMAN: The Problem is, Pak Establishment is Punjabi and it does not want its own Punjabis to pay any Tax. It wants 'Pakistan Occupied' Provinces, especially Sindh to pay all the Taxes. It does not want Sindh to collect Sales Tax in Sindh either. It wants all the Sales Tax collected in Pakistan for itself like an ancient Medieval Empire. Its not a bit ashamed that it has been collecting 70% of all Taxes from Karachi and her own, Richest Province of Pakistan, Punjab with 56% of Pakistan's population has been paying as little as 12% of the total Taxes for decades because it thinks, Non Punjabis are not Pakistanis and 'Occupied Territories', where Non Punjabis live should be paying all the Taxes. May be it thinks, they are not paying Taxes, they are paying Protection Money (Jiziyah). Who knows? Good thing is, East Pakistanis do not have this trouble since 1972 and they are free of Punjab.

Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Militancy in Bangladesh



There is another reason for world wide Militancy is an Ideological conflict. The western is patronizing behind Militancy and linking & propagating through media against Islam, so that people reject Islamic Ideology. The capitalism is failed to solve the human problem and about to dying. They are feared about rise of Isalma as an Ideology. They are using militancy as a  tools against Islam.



From: Md. Aminul Islam <aminul_islam_raj@yahoo.com>
To: notun_bangladesh@yahoogroups.com; history_islam@yahoogroups.com; dahuk@yahoogroups.com; banglarnari@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; Bangla Zindabad <Bangladesh-Zindabad@yahoogroups.com>; Sonar Bangladesh <sonarbangladesh@yahoogroups.com>; bangla vision <bangla-vision@yahoogroups.com>; wideminds <WideMinds@yahoogroups.com>; vinnomot <vinnomot@yahoogroups.com>; Dhaka Mails <dhakamails@yahoogroups.com>; alochona <alochona@yahoogroups.com>; ayubi_s786@yahoo.com; faruquealamgir@gmail.com
Sent: Tue, July 20, 2010 4:19:49 PM
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Militancy in Bangladesh

 

Dear All,
It is very clear from Mr Shimul's article who or which country is behind the so called JMB attack in Bangladesh.
"
A neighbouring country became the immediate beneficiary of the embarrassment that Bangladesh was having. While many Bangladeshi migrant workers were being sent home, those from the neighbouring country started to receive special treatment and their opportunity to enter the international labour market became wider.
   The above facts are important in understanding those militant incidents in Bangladesh during the period. Militancy in Bangladesh did not benefit the political parties in power at that time at all or those who do not subscribe to India's political interest in the region. So it would be a worthwhile investigation to look into the genesis of militancy in Bangladesh.


From: Shimul Chaudhury <honestdebater@ yahoo.ca>
To: banglarnari@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 11:28:45 AM
Subject: [Dahuk]: Militancy in Bangladesh

 

Weekly Holiday, 9 July 2010
http://www.weeklyho liday.net/ 2010/090710/ edit.html

Militancy in Bangladesh


   During the last four-party coalition government, some sporadic and inept militant incidents occurred across Bangladesh, which left the people utterly shocked and dumb-founded. Such incidents involving religious zeal had no place in Bangladesh in the past. In no time, the events became a subject of news headline and different theories were being propounded. As a result, the country terribly suffered both economically and politically.
   Bangladeshi expatriates and migrant workers especially those in the Middle East and in countries like Malaysia started to bear the brunt of this image crisis of their country. They have been looked down upon through a prism of suspicion and distrust. Foreign investment in Bangladesh, especially in garment industries, was halted for a period and still has not been fully resumed - not to the extent as it had been before.
   A neighbouring country became the immediate beneficiary of the embarrassment that Bangladesh was having. While many Bangladeshi migrant workers were being sent home, those from the neighbouring country started to receive special treatment and their opportunity to enter the international labour market became wider.
   The above facts are important in understanding those militant incidents in Bangladesh during the period. Militancy in Bangladesh did not benefit the political parties in power at that time at all or those who do not subscribe to India's political interest in the region. So it would be a worthwhile investigation to look into the genesis of militancy in Bangladesh.
   In all likelihood, the strong intelligence services of some of the countries might have been involved in the training of the militants to gain political advantage. And in all probability, the preparation period of militancy was during the late 1990s when some of the Qaomi madrasas were allegedly being used for stirring up militancy and for providing training to the prospective militants.
   Despite the widespread damage to Bangladesh's image in the global arena, those militant incidents failed to give anyone inside or outside the country any dividend. They have failed to establish a clear political link between the militancy and any of the political parties inside the country.
   In my opinion, the arrest of the three prominent Jamaat leaders (Motiur Rahman Nizami, Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Ali Ahsan M. Mujahid) is an attempt to see how the people react to such incident.
   Tortures on such respected and religious scholars will definitely offend many, especially those belonging to Jamaat-e-Islam. Anger may lead some of them to militancy; few individuals may even take the wrong route of suicide bombing out of desperation. If such things happen, God forbid, Bangladesh will fall into the category of Iraq, Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan. I hope the people of Bangladesh will wise up before we find our beloved country turned into another Afghanistan, another Iraq or another Pakistan!
   Shimul Chaudhury
   Email: honestdebater@ yahoo.ca




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RE: [ALOCHONA] More than 2.5m Muslims threaten to leave Facebook after four Islamic pages are taken down



Quote,

 

There is no specific ban on images of Allah or the Prophet Mohammed in the Koran but there is one line which is commonly taken to mean that it is impossible for human hands to recreate his likeness. To attempt to do so would is an insult to Allah, it is believed.

 

Unquote,

 

This is a very vague argument. Human imagination always comes with an image. We don't think void. Whenever we think of Allah or anything we never saw or experienced an image invariably created in our mind. Logically anything that does not have a shape or color does not make an entity. I challenge any one who can claim that he/she imagined something but did not visualize anything. If my contention is wrong I seek clarification from the knowledgeable. I will not appreciate anything based on blind faith.

 

Akbar Hussain

 


 

From: bdmailer@gmail.com
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:15:57 +0600
Subject: [ALOCHONA] More than 2.5m Muslims threaten to leave Facebook after four Islamic pages are taken down

 
More than 2.5m Muslims threaten to leave Facebook after four Islamic pages are taken down

By Niall Firth

More than 2.5million users will leave Facebook unless certain Islamic pages are reinstated, it has been claimed.A template letter that has been pasted into numerous Facebook pages accuses founder Mark Zuckerberg and other senior members of Facebook of 'ignoring the feelings of more than 2.5million Muslims'.The Muslim community is angry that four extremely popular Islamic pages were removed from the site and the letter warns that unless its demands are met Facebook's Muslim users will move to an Islamic alternative.

The letter demands not only that the pages are reinstated but that new rules are introduced which make it a violation of Facebook's terms to post anti-Islamic comments.And Facebook is given notice that unless the changes are introduced then 2.5 million Muslim users will leave to join madina.com, a social networking site for Muslims.

The letter reads: 'Although you have attended the world's best communication skills courses you have been most successful in growing great hatred and hostility between you and Muslims around the world, but seriously this time you have caused an almost unrepairable [sic] damage.'

It also accuses Facebook of 'irresponsible behaviour' for allowing to host 'Everybody Draw Mohammed Day' pages which sparked controversy for encouraging users to draw portraits of the Prophet.

There is no specific ban on images of Allah or the Prophet Mohammed in the Koran but there is one line which is commonly taken to mean that it is impossible for human hands to recreate his likeness. To attempt to do so would is an insult to Allah, it is believed.

The letter demands that the four deleted pages are reinstated, disrespecting Islamic religious symbols is banned and any Facebook page which does so is disabled.Madina.com was a social networking site set up specifically for the Muslim community. It pledges to abide by the 'highest Islamic principals' and encourages Muslim unity. Female users are asked not to use pictures of themselves as profile pictures.

According to Facebook the Islamic pages, which included 'I love Mohammed' and 'Quran Lovers', were taken down because they were being used to 'spam' users, which is against the company's policy.The pages were  were using a JavaScript code that when entered in the address bar, would add all a user's friends to the Page Suggestions – making it similar to spamming people across Facebook.

A spokeswoman said: 'The pages in question were taken down because they violated our policies about spamming users. These pages were not removed because of content violations.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1295187/Muslim-Facebook-users-threaten-leave-site-Islamic-pages-taken-down.html




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[ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Militancy in Bangladesh



Dear All,
It is very clear from Mr Shimul's article who or which country is behind the so called JMB attack in Bangladesh.
"
A neighbouring country became the immediate beneficiary of the embarrassment that Bangladesh was having. While many Bangladeshi migrant workers were being sent home, those from the neighbouring country started to receive special treatment and their opportunity to enter the international labour market became wider.
   The above facts are important in understanding those militant incidents in Bangladesh during the period. Militancy in Bangladesh did not benefit the political parties in power at that time at all or those who do not subscribe to India's political interest in the region. So it would be a worthwhile investigation to look into the genesis of militancy in Bangladesh.


From: Shimul Chaudhury <honestdebater@yahoo.ca>
To: banglarnari@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, July 19, 2010 11:28:45 AM
Subject: [Dahuk]: Militancy in Bangladesh

 

Weekly Holiday, 9 July 2010
http://www.weeklyho liday.net/ 2010/090710/ edit.html

Militancy in Bangladesh


   During the last four-party coalition government, some sporadic and inept militant incidents occurred across Bangladesh, which left the people utterly shocked and dumb-founded. Such incidents involving religious zeal had no place in Bangladesh in the past. In no time, the events became a subject of news headline and different theories were being propounded. As a result, the country terribly suffered both economically and politically.
   Bangladeshi expatriates and migrant workers especially those in the Middle East and in countries like Malaysia started to bear the brunt of this image crisis of their country. They have been looked down upon through a prism of suspicion and distrust. Foreign investment in Bangladesh, especially in garment industries, was halted for a period and still has not been fully resumed - not to the extent as it had been before.
   A neighbouring country became the immediate beneficiary of the embarrassment that Bangladesh was having. While many Bangladeshi migrant workers were being sent home, those from the neighbouring country started to receive special treatment and their opportunity to enter the international labour market became wider.
   The above facts are important in understanding those militant incidents in Bangladesh during the period. Militancy in Bangladesh did not benefit the political parties in power at that time at all or those who do not subscribe to India's political interest in the region. So it would be a worthwhile investigation to look into the genesis of militancy in Bangladesh.
   In all likelihood, the strong intelligence services of some of the countries might have been involved in the training of the militants to gain political advantage. And in all probability, the preparation period of militancy was during the late 1990s when some of the Qaomi madrasas were allegedly being used for stirring up militancy and for providing training to the prospective militants.
   Despite the widespread damage to Bangladesh's image in the global arena, those militant incidents failed to give anyone inside or outside the country any dividend. They have failed to establish a clear political link between the militancy and any of the political parties inside the country.
   In my opinion, the arrest of the three prominent Jamaat leaders (Motiur Rahman Nizami, Delwar Hossain Sayedee and Ali Ahsan M. Mujahid) is an attempt to see how the people react to such incident.
   Tortures on such respected and religious scholars will definitely offend many, especially those belonging to Jamaat-e-Islam. Anger may lead some of them to militancy; few individuals may even take the wrong route of suicide bombing out of desperation. If such things happen, God forbid, Bangladesh will fall into the category of Iraq, Palestine, Pakistan and Afghanistan. I hope the people of Bangladesh will wise up before we find our beloved country turned into another Afghanistan, another Iraq or another Pakistan!
   Shimul Chaudhury
   Email: honestdebater@ yahoo.ca






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Re: [ALOCHONA] Economy passing to alien hands



The final design of Sheikh Mujib is coming to fruition. He traded the future of an entire nation in return for the opportunity of absolute power. Awami League and their supporters should be jubilant and bring out their processions as they have finally fulfilled the bargain Mujib made. Perhaps now he can finally rest in peace.

There were many in civil society who opposed Independence as they feared falling under the Indian yoke. Their fears are now coming true. Mujib, his blood line, his party and his followers are traitors.

The fact is that no one cares and the evidence suggests no one ever did. Perhaps the truth is that our very nature means we cannot be a nation state. It is our destiny to lurch from yoke to yoke as we simply do not have the inherent sense of unity that defines a nation.

I have no expectations or hope......like so many of my countrymen.

Joy Bangla.

Emanur Rahman | m. +447734567561 | e. emanur@rahman.com


From: Isha Khan <bdmailer@gmail.com>
Sender: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Mon, 19 Jul 2010 13:29:42 +0600
ReplyTo: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ALOCHONA] Economy passing to alien hands

Economy passing to alien hands

In the business front, the country's fragile political situation is being utilised to use Bangladesh as the gateway to northeast

The economy is slowly but steadily passing hand to the aliens at a time when the country's ruling elite remained deeply embedded to new found strategic allies to beat back nationalist and Islamist forces in domestic politics.In the business front, the country's fragile political situation is being utilised to use Bangladesh as the gateway to northeast and Indian businessmen are out to capture the key service sector and manufacturing industries.

Leaders of BGMEA and BKMEA, two apex bodies of the garment sector slowly speaking out the truth. They said Indian investors are now buying major garment factories in Bangladesh.News reports meanwhile said many British, US and Canadian businessmen of Indian origin have already bought at least 50 key garment factories of the country including the famous SQ group, Crystal, Mustard, Hollywood, Shanta, Rose, Fortune, Trust, Ajax and such other manufacturing plants which have the record of earning billions of dollars in export earnings annually.

Businessmen of Indian origin are also negotiating the buying of another 100 garment factories at the moment, senior BGMEA sources are quoted to have said in talks with the local press. In addition to this, there are 140 garment factories now being laid off and they may eventually end up at the hands of foreign buyers.BGMEA president Abdus Salam Murshedy reportedly said such passing of hand is taking place as part of free market economy in certain situations. He said many Indians are engaged here at managerial levels.

Former BKMEA president Fazlul Haque reportedly said the question is not who is buying, the truth is that it is going contrary to the country's interest.The garment sector is treated as the major contributors to the nation's economic fortune generating tens and thousand of jobs mainly to the poor in addition to expansion of banking, insurance, transport, ports, shipping and such other services,Now these engines of fortunes are passing hand to aliens mainly by way of violence, arson and vandalism.

Foreigners are also working to take control of the country's telecommunication sector by buying big telecom companies and sharing the submarine cable system. The country's domestic consumer market is already in the Indian hand with over US$ 3.5 billion trade deficit and Delhi is not willing to open its market to substantive duty free exports from Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has agreed to open the connectivity under the joint declaration with India in Delhi in January this year.In this background, a 21-member strong business delegation visited Bangladesh last week to hold talks with government and business leaders about how to use the mutuality to set up new infrastructure facilities in Bangladesh to open the transit gateway from western India to its northeast.

Influential Congress parliamentarian and former minister responsible for development of northeast Moni Sankar Iyar led the delegation. During the visit he also has urged Bangladesh businessmen to invest in the northeast.The Indian trade delegation visited Ashuganj where India seeks quick mobilisation of resources to set up its port of call and develop port handling facilities. It is also in a hurry to build the 40 km long Ashuganj-Akhaura road to add new capacity to run heavy Indian transport vehicles.

Delhi has sought initial permission to carry equipment for a 1000 MW power plant to the Tripura state. The delegation also visited Chittagong port, assessed its present and future handling capacity and expressed the Indian desire to make investment in port facilities. It also talked about expansion of highway from port city to Tripura and Mizoram and developing infrastructure of the Mongla port to connect it with Indian business.

There is no study or configuration about it. Moreover, what is the security arrangement or sovereignty guarantee that Bangladesh will not become a vassal state at the end.
The Indian delegation has reportedly explored to build every bit of connectivity network by road, railway and water ways, by building bridges and dredging rivers.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/07/19/news0714.htm


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