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Thursday, June 30, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Awami League chooses to be a slave, not master, of history

Awami League chooses to be a slave, not master, of history

THE passage of the 15th amendment to the constitution in parliament on
Thursday marks a sad episode in the political history of Bangladesh.
By pushing the amendment through, the ruling Awami League officially
completed its deviation from the spirit of the liberation war and
bracketed itself with all those that it has consistently castigated as
forces opposed to the spirit of liberation.

In the objective clause of the amendment bill, the law minister
claimed that the legislative exercise is aimed at restoration of the
essence of the 1972 constitution by reinstating certain provisions
therein in respect of fundamental rights of the people, fundamental
principles of state policy, etc. The claim cannot be any farther from
truth, since the amendment approves functioning of political parties
formed on the basis of religious faith, and retains 'Bismillah' in the
preamble of the constitution and Islam as the state religion, which
were not in the 1972 constitution and run counter with the
secular-democratic spirit of the liberation war. Notably, these were
inserted in the constitution by the regimes that the party has always
projected as undemocratic.

The chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on law, justice
and parliamentary affairs in its report on the amendment bill termed
the retention of Bismillah and Islam as the state religion and
allowance of religion-based politics a 'compromise…in the greater
welfare of the people.' He suggested, albeit not in so many words,
that his 'matured' understanding of the 'importance' of religion in
power politics over the past three decades or so. In other words, the
ruling party, which dictated history when it presided over the
country's war of liberation, has now chosen to be a slave of history
despite its numerical strength in parliament.

The compromise regrettably has resulted in dichotomies on the basis of
not only religion but also ethnicity, between Muslim and non-Muslims,
Bengalis and non-Bengalis. The amended Article 6 (2) says the 'people
of Bangladesh shall be known as Bengalees', essentially relegating the
members of the non-Bengali ethnic minority communities, who have lived
in this country for generations through centuries, to second-class
citizens, just as retention of Islam as state religion has done people
of other faiths. While Bangladesh is the country of Muslims and
non-Muslims, Bengalis and non-Bengalis alike, its state has become
primarily of the Bengali Muslims.

The consolation clauses, so to speak, in this regard, i.e. Article 12
(b) that says the state shall not grant 'political status in favour of
any religion' and Article 23 A that says the 'State shall take steps
to protect and develop the local culture and tradition of the tribes,
minor races, ethnic sects and communities', tend to highlight the
contradiction on the one hand and the Awami League's nationalistic
chauvinism on the other. The religious and ethnic stratification,
needless to say, would contribute to further deepening of the sense of
insecurity of non-Muslims and non-Bengalis.

The least said about the essential hypocrisy behind the retention of
socialism as one of the fundamental principles of state policy the
better. The Awami League has long ceased to be a party ideologically
inclined to socialism, if it ever were, and pursued anti-people
neo-liberal economic policies, prime concern of which is
profit-making, not people's welfare, let alone egalitarianism.

By pushing the amendment through the parliament, the ruling party has
not only deviated from the spirit of the liberation war, which was
fought in the hope of establishing a state that would be politically a
people's republic, culturally secular-democratic and economically
egalitarian, and betrayed the people but may also have committed a
political suicide. After all, the party now stands bereft of even the
moral right to claim itself to be committed to the spirit of the
liberation war and at par with the pseudo-democratic and autocratic
military regimes of the past. Simply put, the Awami League has
ultimately joined the ranks of its political rival, whom it has called
anti-liberation.

As for scrapping the election-time non-party caretaker government
provision, which the party forced upon the constitution in 1996 to
pave its way to power, it only proves that the politics of the ruling
class is about crude struggle for retention of or return to state
power. Understandably, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is now
fighting for its retention.

Under these circumstances, it also draws the battle line between the
power-obsessed ruling class and the politically conscious and
democratically oriented sections of society. The latter needs to
realise that they need to win the battle for realisation of the values
and ideals of the liberation war so many people sacrificed their lives
for. They also need to realise that, to win the battle, they must
strive to become the master of history, not its slave, as the Awami
League and its allies have chosen to be.

http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/editorial/24452.html


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[ALOCHONA] Re: [notun_bangladesh] Bangladeshi TV channels blocked in India



BECAUSE OF THE ONLY AND THE ONLY OITIHASHIK OPROTIRODDHHO/ OBOMANONAKOR/OPOMANJONOK/

OSOMO/KALIMAMOY/ DURGONDHOMOY/EK TORFA HIDU  STAAAANER ONUKULEY BONDHUTTER PHOSOL.

On Tue, Jun 28, 2011 at 10:28 AM, abid bahar <abid.bahar@gmail.com> wrote:
 

Bangladeshi TV channels blocked in India

by Special Correspondent
June 22,
http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1525/bangladeshi-tv-channels-blocked-in-india




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[ALOCHONA] Trademark Infringement - United Airlines takes on Bangaldesh's United Airways




United Airlines takes on United Airways – Can we guess the victor?

By David Parker Brown at Airline Reporter

REUTERS

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/30/idUS168794700520110630

 

Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:20am EDT

 

United Airways Airbus A310 with a clear "United" on the left side.

 

What's in a name — a lot. Imagine you started an airline in 1926; one of the first in the world. You were uniting other airlines under one umbrella and came up with the name "United Air Lines." Time marches on, but the name stays (mostly) the same. Other airlines are bought out, mergers happen and United Airlines becomes the world's largest airline with 48,000 employees and operating about 3,300 flights per day. Now that is a big monster of an airline.

 

In 2005, while United Airlines was still a large airline, another airline was started in Bangladesh. When starting a new airline, there are a lot of choices when coming up with a name. Many people like to add the word "Air" to the location that the airline is based and call it a day. Unfortunately Air Bangladesh was an airline just going out of business at the time, so now what? United Airways!

 

For some reason this new airline decided to go with a name that sounds mighty familiar: United Airways. Just try to Google the airline's website — even with quotes around United Airways gets me nothing. All that comes up is United Airlines. To finally find the website you have to search "United Airways Bangladesh" to get to their site.

 

According to Flight Global, United Airlines claimed that United Airways had violated their trademark and on June 24th a UK court ruled in favor of United Airlines. The court has demanded that United Airways change their brand and re-paint their aircraft with-in 35 days.

 

The livery and colors of United Airways are different enough from United Airlines, but just writing this post shows a major problem. Most of the time "United Airlines" is written as just "United" and people know what airline you are referring to. On the United Airway's livery they have "United" printed on the left side of each aircraft, really causing some issues.

 

This could be a good opportunity for United Airways to change their brand before they get bigger. They have grown to a fleet of seven aircraft (two MD-83s, two ATR-72s, two Dash8s and one Airbus A310) and fly to international destinations in the Middle East and Europe.

 

This is not to say that United Airways isn't a successful airline — probably their success is part of the problem. Around the world airlines come and go, but since it seems like this airline might survive, it is probably time for them to come up with a unique name.

 

Is this a story of big 'ol bad United Airlines going after a smaller unknown airline? I do not think so. United Airlines spends a lot of money on their brand and it makes sense to defend it. Sometimes airlines can go a bit too far defending their name (I am talking to you ex-Northwest Airlines/Delta), but this case seems worth while.

 

Currently, United Airlines is not talking about the situation and an email to United Airways has yet to be answered.

 

Photo by Josh May via Airliners.net



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[ALOCHONA] Relations with Bangladesh cemented for Hasina govt



Relations with Bangladesh cemented for Hasina govt

Says Indian foreign secretary

India has said there is "enhanced trust and mutual confidence in its relations with Bangladesh", which have improved significantly with the Sheikh Hasina government assuming power two years ago.

Addressing the International Institute of Strategic Studies in London Monday (June 27), Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, dwelling on India's relations with its neighbours, said, "With Bangladesh, with which we share the longest border among any of our neighbours, relations have improved significantly over the last two years."

"Our dialogue has yielded benefits for both countries, in a people-centred manner that stresses trade, connectivity, easier transit, development, and the enhancement of mutual security cooperation against insurgency and terrorism. There is enhanced trust and mutual confidence that oxygenates our relationship", she said.

Rao said India's neighbourhood policy "emphasises the advantages of building networks of inter-connectivity, trade, and investment so that prosperity can be shared and the region can benefit from India's rapid economic growth and rising prosperity".

"We want to create an environment with our neighbours, which enables us to work together to pursue our common objectives of economic development", she added. She said India has adopted "an asymmetrical and non-reciprocal approach" in strengthening Saarc "where we are willing to go the extra mile in order to strengthen regional cooperation".

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=192155




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[ALOCHONA] Abolition of the caretaker system



Abolition of the caretaker system

Now the proponent is the opponent, and the opposer is the supporter

Mahfuz Anam


Tuesday's speech by the prime minister in the parliament made it amply clear that the caretaker government system will be abolished through a constitutional amendment most likely to be passed today.

There are three aspects from which we intend to discuss the issue today, the rationale, the method of amendment, and our political culture.

THE RATIONALE
The reason for abolishing the CTG system is very straight forward. Sheikh Hasina declared that no unelected person should be allowed to run the country for however small a period. This is against the fundamental principles of democracy and elected government. The CTG is a non-elected body and hence it should be abolished. The argument is flawless and that is why no democratic constitution in the world has it, just as we did not have it in ours.

So, how did we get into it? Who brought it in? And most importantly, why did they do so? The answers for all the three questions are also straight forward. We instituted the CTG in the face of relentless mass agitation by Awami League, spread over a period of several years, culminating into continuous hartals of five days, seven days, and lastly non-cooperation for an indefinite period. Why? Because Awami League, the then opposition party, did not have the confidence that the BNP government led by Khaleda Zia would ever give "free and fair" election. What evidence did AL have to substantiate their demand? None till Magura came along (Magura is the name of the place where a by-election was held in 1994, in which massive rigging by ruling BNP took place) and gave credence to AL's demand for a CTG. This, in spite of the fact that under BNP in the Dhaka mayoral election AL's Md Hanif won and became the first elected mayor ever in the country. May be it was BNP's defeat in Dhaka that made them nervous and rig the poll in Magura. But the result was a massive swing of support for the CTG proposal of AL.

This writer posed the question during that period to many AL leaders, including Sheikh Hasina, that how they could demand something which was not in the constitution of Bangladesh, and had no precedence in the world. The answer was, "Constitutions are made for the people, and not the people for the constitution. If the people feel the need to change the constitution, then it should be changed to suit the needs of the people." Under this argument AL pushed for the CTG system, built a mass agitation behind it, and was finally able to force BNP to adopt it in the 7th parliament, which AL leaders correctly claimed to be their singular achievement.

So why its symbol of achievement is suddenly today so abhorrent that it must be changed in a hurry, though the next election is more than two and a half years away? (See our editorial)

The question here is why does Sheikh Hasina want to abolish the CTG in such a hurry?

The reason for abolishing it could be the aberration the system exhibited during its last tenure. Of special significance is the ease with which the CTG was able to extend its 90-day tenure into a two-year one under the guise of an emergency. What will prevent any future CTG from extending to similar if not longer tenure? Because of its longer stay in power the CTG got involved in many activities that it was not empowered to do.

The additional reason for the PM to hate the CTG is that it first imprisoned her, tried to force her into exile, and then tried to forcibly retire her from politics, both by allurement of privileges and threats of dire consequences. The role of DGFI was particularly nefarious on this count. Also during that time the incident with Dhaka University teachers and students, and an attempt to float political parties, which would no doubt do its bidding, created grave doubts about the CTG formula.

THE METHOD
While the PM's reasons for wanting the CTG system scrapped is understandable, the process and speed with which she is pursuing it is NOT. In fact it is baffling. Constitutional amendments are never done in a hurry. PM's comment that as she has two-thirds majority, the opposition's suggestions can be incorporated later through further constitutional amendments, basically makes farce of both the constitution and its amendment process.

How will the PM and her government answer the question that the constitutional changes are being brought about without waiting for the full text of the Supreme Court verdict, which is supposed to be the main justification of the amendment in the first place.

Constitution is the fundamental source of laws, and the governance process in a democracy. It should be sacrosanct, above all controversy, and reflecting the highest articulation of our fundamental values of freedom, justice, equality, fundamental rights, etc. Changing the constitution without waiting for the full judgement of the SC, speaks of naked political expediency of those in power, and exposes their intention of using the "short order" of the SC for their own political end.

POLITICAL CULTURE
We believe that the PM will admit (and hopefully also Khaleda Zia) that all our political problems stem from our peculiar and specific political culture, whose hall mark is the complete lack of trust between the ruling and the opposition parties. This is the root of all our political problems. There is instant NO from the opposition to all suggestions of the government, regardless of which party is in power, and how good and beneficial the proposal is. The parliament boycott, which AL decries today, was their norm during BNP's last tenure. The economy destroying hartal is condemned by the party in power and practiced by the opposition, again regardless of it being AL or BNP. Thus there is a total lack of morality in their respective positioning which are filled with only political opportunism.

The lack of trust was also the reason for, what we call, 1/11. It started with BNP changing the retirement age of judges, that led AL to suspect that Justice KM Hasan was a BNP sympathiser, and as such not to be trusted to deliver a free and fair election, that led to a demand for a different chief adviser, that gave BNP the opportunity to prompt president Iajuddin to proclaim himself as the chief adviser, who then ran the CTG on orders from Hawa Bhaban, and so on and on.

All this led to 1/11. The root of it all was mutual suspicion between AL and BNP.

Let us pose a hypothetical question. If BNP was in power today, and it was proposing to abolish the CTG because of the same SC verdict, what would have been the reaction of the present ruling party? Need we answer?

The CTG was proposed by AL in the mid nineties because of the mistrust that we just spoke about. The only acceptable way to hold elections, AL repeatedly demanded at that time, was to create a neutral, non-partisan body, caretaker body. And so it was.

The question is, has the situation changed? Has trust between the two sides increased? In fact the contrary is true. Will BNP accept an election under AL government? Would AL have accepted an election under BNP?

When we know the answers to these questions, then why are we playing such dangerous games with the future of democracy?

We conclude by quoting in full the short order of the SC that triggered the amendment process.

"Short Order: It is hereby declared: (1) The appeal is allowed by majority without any order as to costs. (2)The Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Act. 1996 (Act 1 of 1996) is prospectively declared void and ultra vires the Constitution. (3)The election to the Tenth and the Eleventh Parliament may be held under the provisions of the above mentioned Thirteenth Amendment on the age old principles, namely, quod alias non est licitum, necessitas licitum facit (That which otherwise is not lawful, necessity makes lawful), salus populi suprema lex (safety of the people is the supreme law) and salus republicae est suprema lex (safety of the State is the Supreme law). The parliament, however, in the meantime, is at liberty to bring necessary amendments excluding, the provisions of making the former Chief Justices of Bangladesh or the Judges of the Appellate Division as the head of the Non-Party Care-taker Government. The Judgment in detail would follow. The connected Civil Petition for leave to appeal No.596 of 2005 is accordingly, disposed of."

There is of course a lot of vagueness in the order. It is also possible to interpret it in different ways. But there are enough elements in it for a dialogue between the two sides to have taken place, and some peaceful solution could have been found in solving the political problems that are looming large.

While the SC's short order sets the legal ground, holding credible elections is primarily and fundamentally a political task, and it can only be solved politically. While the SC gave the legal opinion, it was up to the parliament to find a political solution.

Here of course we severely fault the opposition for never attending the Sangsad, which is where they should have been every minute of the session, to voice their concerns, and to warn the government and the nation of the dire consequences of unilateral actions on constitutional amendments. Their action constitutes betrayal of democracy, betrayal of their pledge to voters to represent them, and also a betrayal of their responsibility to defend the constitution.

In democracy, political parties that enjoy a huge majority in the parliament sometimes confuse "majoritarianism" with democracy. While majority rule is the way democracy functions, there is also the danger of "brute majority" imposing its views and "bulldozing" descent.

The four-fifths majority that "Moha Jote" enjoys is also a "treacherous crown". It is very easy to fall into the trap of considering one's own opinion as that of the people. The arrogance that emanates from such a position is a dangerous allurement that often leads to the quicksand of overconfidence, and consequent overestimation of one's own strength, and underestimation of the strength and popularity of the opposition.

The history of all two-thirds majority governments of South Asia is example of such follies.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=192164


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[ALOCHONA] Bolivia - Salt Flats - Salar de Uyuni



Bolivia - Salt Flats - Salar de Uyuni








http://www.ultimatechase.com/chase_accounts/bolivia_stock_photos.htm


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[ALOCHONA] Why Bangladesh doesn't want climate adaptation loans



Why Bangladesh doesn't want climate adaptation loans

By pushing climate loans, the UK and the World Bank are making people in poor countries pay twice for climate change – even though we played almost no part in causing the problem

RICKSHAW IN WATER dhaka
Rickshaw drivers cycle through water after heavy rain in Dhaka. Photograph: Pavel Rahman/AP

This week in Cape Town, the World Bank will decide whether to approve new climate adaptation loans for five countries. In Bangladesh and around the world, campaigners are resisting these loans and urging their governments not to accept new debt for climate change. More than 50 organisations from countries due to receive the loans recently signed a statement opposing the concept of climate loans, which was initially invented by the UK.

In Bangladesh we have already seen the impacts of climate change, with thousands of lives lost and thousands of people displaced. By pushing climate loans, the UK is making people in countries like mine pay twice for climate change, even though we played virtually no part in causing the problem.

First, we have to endure the impacts. Bangladesh will lose around one-third of its land and there will be 30 million more displaced people due to climate induced problems in next 50 years. Second, if rich industrialised countries get their way, we will have to repay these unfair climate loans.

Countries such as the UK are historically responsible for causing climate change. By 11 January each year, the average UK citizen will emit as much as the average Bangladeshi will in an entire year. Industrialised countries not only bear the historic responsibility for climate change, but also current responsibility. They should be providing compensation to the countries where people are dealing with the impacts of climate change caused by the actions of others.

Offering Bangladesh climate loans through the World Bank is a form of trickery that will push us deeper into poverty, with no means of escape. Loans for climate adaptation are supposed to help countries cope with the worst impacts of global warming. They are not intended to fund income-generating projects, so no new money will be created to repay them.

Yet again, the World Bank has at heart the interests of the small group of countries responsible for climate change, and not those of the world's poor. It has repeatedly failed to consult the people whose lives will be directly affected by its projects, leading to loss of land and livelihoods for millions. The new climate loans programme perpetuates these problems, as Climate Loan Sharks, the report by our allies at the Word Development Movement, makes clear. What's more, the World Bank has a long history of funding fossil fuel projects, having increased its funding 40-fold in the last five years.

The World Bank and its financial allies are already pushing Bangladesh to privatise and commercialise power, water and education, which will leave the poorest people unable to access essential services. If it retains control of climate finance, it will have even more power over our government.

The World Bank cannot be trusted to deliver climate finance. Instead, we need the UK to help us adapt to climate change through democratic and representative institutions, like the UN Adaptation Fund. The UK has so far failed to put a single penny into this fund. And by pouring money into the World Bank's climate investment funds, it is undermining the UN fund.

We are at a critical time for the future of climate finance. At the Cancún climate talks last year, a new green climate fund was announced, and is currently being designed. The form this new fund takes will be one of the key issues at the next UN climate talks in Durban, in December. The UK government intends to model the new fund on the World Bank's existing programme, in spite of its woeful inadequacies.

The World Bank's approach must not be replicated. People in donor countries such as the UK, which is a key player, and recipient countries such as Bangladesh, must join forces to ensure a just and equitable solution to climate change. Pushing donor country interests through capitalist institutions like the World Bank, which has a huge carbon footprint and a terrible track record in pushing harmful economic policies, will exacerbate the problems of both poverty and climate change rather than solve them.

• Rezaul Karim Chowdhury is convenor of the Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/jun/30/bangladesh-climate-change-loans



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[ALOCHONA] Mockery with Pilkhana tragedy families



Mockery with Pilkhana tragedy families

by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina repeatedly said that the land of the residence, vacated by the leader of the opposition, Begum Khaleda Zia, will be used for construction of multi-storied residential buildings, where, families of victims of the February Massacre or Pilkhana Tragedy will be provided apartments. The Prime Minister and the ruling Bangladesh Awami League were repeating this statement everywhere.

But, finally the cat is out of bag! Though the leader of the opposition was visibly evicted from her residence few months back, and construction of multi-stories building started immediately under the supervision of military engineering wing, it is reported by a vernacular daily in Dhaka that, none of the members of the February Massacre or Pilkhana Tragedy will get any apartment in the buildings, which are under construction now over that land. According to the report, the government will allocate 104 'D' category apartments to 'Major' ranked army officers. It has also been said that, the decision came due to shortage of accommodations of the Majors inside Dhaka Cantonment.

There is no debate on construction newer residential buildings for the Majors or officers of any other ranks in the Bangladesh Army. If there is shortage, the government and the army should surely take necessary steps in resolving the residential problems. But, why the land, which was supposed to house only the victims of the February Massacre or Pilkhana Tragedy? How the Prime Minister and her entire team will now retreat from what they have been claiming for months? Was it just political stunt of the government and the ruling party? If it was just a political stunt, and I am by now convinced that it was, as a citizen of the country, I can always ask a straight question to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as to why she opted for just senseless and huge mockery with the victim families of the February massacre? Being a leader and a mother and a human being, she should now ask her own conscious if what she has already done was right or wrong.

Let me give a brief description on February Massacre or Pilkhana Tragedy to my readers, who might have never heard of this incident. On February 25, 2009, just a month after the Bangladesh Awami League formed government, anti-army revolt broke out inside the Head Quarters of Bangladesh Riffles [now Bangladesh Border Guards]. At least 73 army officers were brutally murdered during this 'mutiny', while a large number of family members of the army officers were humiliated, assaulted and violated by the renegades. Right after the incident, a number of officers expressed their anger in presence of the Prime Minister at the Sena Kunja meeting. They demanded neutral and prompt investigation as well punishment of the culprits.

Government did not allow the members of armed forces and other law enforcing agencies to storm into the Bangladesh Riffles headquarters to rescue the army officers and their family members who were made hostage inside the headquarters of the border security guard by the renegade troops. Instead of allowing army crackdown, the government opted for 'political settlement' of the situation and sent two of the junior leaders of the ruling party to negotiate with the mutineers. In the name of political negotiation, these junior leaders and later many other figures in the government spent almost 32 hours, thus giving opportunity to the mutineers in killing almost all the army officers who were held hostage inside the headquarters of the border security force and violated large number of female members of their families who were also held inside the BDR headquarters.

Right after the bloody massacre at Bangladesh Riffles headquarters in Dhaka, a number of responsible ministers and leaders of the present government started making wild comments on anticipation terming Islamists as well as other elements liable for this tragic incident. But, champion of all in making statements were none but the one and only FARUK KHAN, the grand gala flop minister in the present government in Bangladesh. It is even rumoured that, Faruk manages to continue as the minister despite series of failures because of his extra ordinary connection with someone in Florida. Whatever the fact may be, Faruk Khan made series of comments on the Pilkhana Massacre as well as probe report. It was even reported in the press that he was chosen as the top man to coordinate the 3 probe committees.

Many believe that the Pilkhana Massacre was pre set by anti-Bangladesh elements with a blue print of damaging Bangladesh's border security forces, with the aim of turning Bangladesh ultimately into a sub-servient like some small nations in the region.

It was also reported in the media that, former army chief, General Moeen U Ahmed was reluctant in moving army towards the spot of massacre, by unnecessarily killing time. If this is a fact, surely, General [Retired] Moeen should be immediately brought under Court Martial. Not only Moeen, but anyone, be it a military man or a politician or a mighty members of any 'Untouchable Family' in Bangladesh, none should be spared, who might have minimum hands behind the tragic massacre, and subsequent brutal murder of the army officers.

General Moeen U Ahmed is not only accused of indirectly abetting the murder of army officers and humiliation of their family members inside Pilkhana during February 25-26, 2009, he [Moeen] is also accused of violating the Army Code by giving anti-democracy statements during the period of military controlled interim regime. He also is accused of cashing millions of dollars through a business enterprise owned by his elder brother, taking the advantage of extra-ordinary situation created during the military controlled interim government's tenure.

Officials of Bangladesh Army described the 'mutiny' as the biggest massacre of defense commanders anywhere in the world, saying the impoverished South Asian nation's powerful military will need quite a long time to recover from such tremendous loss. Brigadier-General Mahmud Hossain, Director of Military Intelligence told reporters that, Bangladesh Army was ready to storm the headquarters of the BDR here soon after the mutiny erupted, but heeded to Premier Sheikh Hasina's advice at the last minute to resolve the issue politically.

Bangladeshis were in the awe of huge shock to witness the brutal murder of the heroic officers of Bangladesh Army during the February Massacre. The entire nation [except those conspirators and culprits, who were behind this massacre] left tears for the martyrs as well members of the families of the army officers. No one has any right to play political game with this extremely sensitive issue. The current government has already played the nastiest trick while evicting the leader of the opposition from her residence, by using the sentiment of Pilkhana Massacre victims and their families.

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/1544/mockery-with-pilkhana-tragedy-families


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[ALOCHONA] Tender tricks....



Tender tricks....


http://amardeshonline.com/pages/details/2011/06/30/90194


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Wednesday, June 29, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Tea, Jute & Skin insist for Bangladesh Liberation, Not Sheikh Muzibur Rahama



Do you know who insists for the liberation of Bangladesh?
 
That is Tea, Skin and Jute..................Not sheikh Muzibur Rahaman


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Tuesday, June 28, 2011

[ALOCHONA] Kazi Zaker Hossain on indigenous races



Kazi Zaker Hossain on indigenous races



http://sonarbangladesh.com/blog/tipu1900/48354


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[ALOCHONA] Foreign tours by public money...



Foreign tours by public money...




http://amardeshonline.com/pages/details/2011/06/29/89988


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[ALOCHONA] Disputed border survey and uranium



Disputed border survey and uranium


http://dailynayadiganta.com/2011/06/28/fullnews.asp?News_ID=285625&sec=1



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[ALOCHONA] TIB Study on 9th Parliament

TIB Study on 9th Parliament

98 bills passed in 135 work days; absence of MPs, sitting delay cause loss

Inclusion of the opposition in parliamentary committees is a positive
step towards establishing accountability, while low turnout of
lawmakers in parliament sittings hinders the democratic process, said
a study of Transparency International, Bangladesh.

Formulation of 48 parliamentary bodies in the first session of the
ninth parliament, accommodating members of the opposition, and setting
up of two committees headed by opposition politicians was hailed in
the TIB study.

The research also finds as many as 98 bills were passed in the ninth
parliament through 37 hours of discussions in 135 working days.

However, it says the parliament in the last six sessions spent about
Tk 19 crore just waiting for lawmakers to how up and make quorum.

About Tk 42,000 is spent in every minute of parliament proceedings,
the research estimates after calculating that total hours of delay by
quorum crisis was 74 hours.

"Although the ruling party enjoys huge majority and attendance of its
lawmakers is comparatively higher, quorum crisis delayed beginning of
all the sittings," says the research.

On average, each daily sitting was delayed by 33 minutes even though
the ruling party has over two-thirds majority in parliament, which
also experienced the largest ever period of boycott by the opposition.

"The trend of parliament boycott by the opposition has gradually
increased and reached a level of concern. Turnout of those who go to
parliament is also low," said TIB Executive Director Iftekharuzzaman
after briefing journalists about the research findings at the Jatiya
Press Club yesterday.

Titled "Parliament-watch", the research reveals BNP walked out 16
times during its short stay in only 23 out of total 135 working days.
The main opposition has so far boycotted 83 percent of working days,
which was 59 percent and 42 percent in the eighth and seventh
parliament respectively.

On average, the treasury bench lawmakers attended 66 percent of the
House proceedings, while it was below 25 percent for the opposition
lawmakers. Attendance of the leader of the House was 72.4 percent
against only five days or 2.9 percent by the leader of the opposition.

The research suggests reducing the deadline for mandatory attendance
from 90 working days to 30 days to change the existing attitude of
skipping parliament proceedings.

"Apparently our political culture suffers a lack of sense of
accountability. Once elected, the lawmakers act in a way as if they
were out of the question of accountability. All their activities are
concerned with the interest of their respective parties or personal
gain," said TIB Trustee Board Chairman Sultana Kamal.

Another interesting finding is that four percent of the total 433
working hours was spent in making irrelevant statements. In these
statements, the lawmakers praised their party and party chief 616
times and criticised the opposition 808 times.

Fourteen out of the total 16 BNP walkouts were triggered by ruling
party's criticism. In the latest boycott, BNP has been out of
parliament for 48 working days since the first day of the fifth
session.

Only around 8.5 percent of the total working hours was spent on
formulating laws and 24.5 percent on budget discussion, adds the
research conducted on information collected from parliament and
electronic media between June 2009 and December 2010.

Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, a member of TIB Trustee board, said "We are being
deprived of the constitutional rights by a negative practice in
parliament. The practice is not tabling the treaties or deals filed by
the government with other countries for open discussion."

"The unfortunate fact is that such discussion never took place in
parliament," he added.

The research suggests mandatory participation in the proceedings by
both the leaders of the House and opposition, praising highest
attendees and publishing a list of absentees, increasing working
hours, and involving people in discussion before formulation of laws
regarding public interest.

It also says the waste of money from the delay might be higher as its
estimate only includes non-development and power expenditures. In
addition to these two, the functioning of the House requires
expenditures in some other service sectors.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=191991

http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2011-06-29/news/166204


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[ALOCHONA] FW: More Hyperbole on Ghost Cities in China



           A cyber friend, Mayraj Fahim, shares my keen interest in Local Governance.  He has been digging information on successes of integrated local goverment planning and development in China. He has also been tracing the weakening local goverment functions in the U. S. A. which has enlightened me.
                    
                    So much of our attention is still rivetted on defending our open and ugly communalism in the subcontinent that we have hardly any intellectual energy left to attend to the real-life struggles for progress.

                  ~Farida

Date: Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:28:54 -0700
From: fmayraj@yahoo.com
Subject: More Hyperbole on Ghost Cities in China
To: farida_majid@hotmail.com





Basically US media doesn't get China has what US doesn't: integrated local systems geared for urban migration. Meanwhile, US hasn't been able to get its act together since the 1930s, when the problems of this failure were first identified!



http://www.newgeography.com/content/002307-more-hyperbole-ghost-cities-china

More Hyperbole on Ghost Cities in China

by Wendell Cox 06/28/2011
 
The so-called Chinese "Ghost Cities" have been the subject of a number of articles in recent months. There appears to be some truth in the reports, such as in the building of a near empty new city in Inner Mongolia (Ordos). There is also a good deal of hyperbole.
 
A recent article ran in the Business Insider, entitled "New Satellite Pictures of China's Ghost Cities," which relied principally on satellite images, some quite old. Somewhat more proximate (as on-the-ground")  pictures are provided and linked in this article. They show that at least two of the Ghosts have risen from the dead (or they may never have been dead at all).
 
Changsha, Hunan: Changsha is the rapidly growing capital of Hunan province, adding nearly 50 percent to its urban districts between 2000 and 2010 (even greater growth than in the US growth leaders, Las Vegas and Raleigh). The Business Insider article displays a satellite image showing huge areas of construction both to the northeast and to the west of the urban area.
 
 
When planning a 2009 trip to China, I chose to visit Changsha because of the extensive construction shown in this very same satellite image. In my continuing satellite image research on urban areas, especially relating to  Demographia World Urban Areas, I noted that this appeared to be the most extensive construction in the nation. A number of photographs are included inour Changsha Rental Car Tour,  which were taken in September 2009.
On a rainy and quiet Sunday afternoon I took a tour of the northeast construction area and found that much of the construction had been finished. Moreover it was obvious from both the traffic and the open shopping centers and shops that this was anything but a "ghost city" (see photograph, above).
The next day I took a similar trip to the western construction area. As in the northeast, much of the construction was complete and the communities were alive.
 
Zhengzhou, Henan: Zhengzhou is also rapidly growing even faster than Changsha (over 60 percent in 10 years) and is the capital of Henan province. The article displays multiple satellite images of the Zhengzhou New Area. Because of a previous article in the Daily Mail, I took the opportunity on a recent trip to visit the Zhengzhou New Area and file a report. The Zhengzhou New Area is alive.
The Business Insider also indicates an unfamiliarity with Chinese geography.
Outside Jiangsu? A couple of the photographs referred to empty developments as being "outside Jiangsu," as a Westerner might describe a development as being outside Phoenix or Omaha. However Jiangsu is not an urban area or city, it is a province. Thus, to refer to a development as being outside Jiangsu is akin to referring to a development as being outside Arizona or Nebraska.
 
Changsha Already Twice as Large as Los Angeles? The Business Insider also advises us that Changsha is already twice as big as Los Angeles. In fact, there are no comparable geographies between Los Angeles and Changsha that could make such a statement even close to accurate. Regrettably, many writers and much of the press make comparisons between China and other nations without the remotest idea of the meaning of the geographical terms they are using. Here are a couple of ways that Los Angeles and Changsha can be compared.
 
1. Central municipality: The central municipality or core city of the Los Angeles area is the city of Los Angeles. It has a population of approximately 3.8 million people, but accounts for less than one third of the population of either the metropolitan area (functional area or labor market area) or the urban area (physical area or area of continuous development). Strictly speaking, there are no central municipalities in China, because the regions or prefectures are themselves municipalities. It is as if the city of Los Angeles comprised both Los Angeles and Orange counties. Chinese municipalities are divided into districts and if a comparison were to be made at the central municipality level, Changsha's central district would have to be used. This would be the district (qu) of Furong, which has a population of 500,000 people, about 1/8 that of the city of Los Angeles.
 
Core city comparisons are fraught with difficulties. This is illustrated by Melbourne, which had little more than 70,000 people in the last Australian census, approximately two percent of the metropolitan population. The 2010 US Census showed Melbourne, Florida to be larger.
2. Urban Area: The one level at which they valid comparison could be made is the urban area, or the area of continuous urban development. The latest data for Los Angeles (2000) indicates an urban area population of 11.7 million people. The 2010 US Census counts for the Los Angeles area suggest that the urban area total, once released will be little higher than the 2000 figure.
Based upon the 2010 census data, the next edition of Demographia World Urban Areas will estimate the Changsha urban area at approximately 3,000,000 people. Thus, by the urban area metric, Changsha has a population approximately one-quarter that of Los Angeles.
It is possible that Business Insider like others, compared the population of the central city of Los Angeles (3.8 million), which is only part of the urban area to that of the Changsha municipality (7 million), which has more than double the population of the Changsha urban area and covers at least 25 times as much land area (virtually all it rural). They are not the same thing.
-----
Photograph: In the northwestern Changsha "ghost city:" September 2009 (by author)

Consider how US has failed to address a metro problem first highlighted in 1930!

The first report on the metropolitan governance problem was released in 1930, the report on "The Government of Metropolitan Areas" stated that the problem is not new, it is just different from past in a "quantitative,  not a qualitative manner".
See:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley. com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9299. 1931.tb02024.x/abstract

You should keep in mind that first efforts at city-county consolidation were the efforts in 1800s.

See what was said in 1941 about this phenom:


I guess we can say the same is the case since the 1950s in the US.



In 1955, a  Governors' Conference report recommended metro government units
Please see:
http://www.lib.niu.edu/1956/ im5610197.html

Meanwhile, Canada gets metro governance systems across provinces;but, not US. Meanwhile, China  has the largest  metro systems in the world by far. While South Asia is still stuck in the age of Rippon!








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[ALOCHONA] Physical and Mental Health of our Society



Physical and Mental Health of our society

1.

During my two weeks stay, mainly in my village, brought unforgettable happiness except when I had to return to the capital, close to the supreme authority of power and so called posh area of our unlivable Capital.

I had to visit a cousin who was recovering from serious ailment in a big hospital in Dhaka. As we all know of our medical facilities how little for how large a population, and top of it, those who can afford still can not rid him/her off  from the predatory attitude and chauvinistic characteristic of our doctors and medical service providers.                

Let me share what I have experienced during my stay - A kid of a friend of my brother went out to play cricket or foot ball ( I guess children do not play foot ball these days) and came running home that he got hurt in his head. Loving dad rushed him to a good hospital. Doctor asked for a CT scan immediately that revealed no fracture or injury - 'However we need to keep him under observation', bewilder dad couldn't argue, straight to 'CU' . Dad, who just lost millions in share market yet couldn't refuse the cost and the expenditure. When a simple xray could have been the initial test, I am not a doctor but it is common sense, you go step by step, boy was not vomiting or bleeding.  But you are talking against someone who deals with your life and death, you can not argue or negotiate.

2.

Our popular writer Humayan Ahmed's mother was put on a oxygen musk in another good hospital without oxygen and was detected by the 'word spinning' writer himself not by the attending nurse. An influential writer like Humayan Ahmed  did not argue or negotiate but to save his mother's life took her away from the hospital. He never complained – at least with his powerful pen, pencil or Notebook. He took his mother out, out of fear of maltreatment or death but he did not express his frustration, why, if I only meet him in heaven would ask, not in this world. If he would have spoke, a social ill would have got more exposed and benefit would have loomed large but that usually do not happen in our society, play safe and talk tall. The mother has another intellectual 'mover and shaker' son.

3.

I was told that doctor is coming in his tour and he doesn't like to see people around the patient but I was determined to take his wrath and if I can would ask him what is the chance of my sister's normal life here after. He is the best surgeon in the town. I stood firm, so the savior arrives. After describing what is her status and rehabilitation needs, I spoke. But surprisingly found him very appreciative, he sat down on the bed and put his hand on my sister's foot.  I was assured, though following day to my surprise she was taken to ICU again and my inlaw was struggling with more than a million taka bill.

 4.

Alhamdulillah! During my many yearly vacations I never had to visit doctors clinic so far, but was invited for  lunch or dinner many a time by famous doctors. They are generally very  hard working who works more than 14 hours a day, 5 to 6 hours with the government hospital, another 7 hours at the private hospital. Few of them goes abroad frequently, buys flats and land every other year, talk tall -a symbol of nouve rich in our society. Hospitals they work for not only lack confidence but lack minimum ethics.  

5.

It is not only that our health care is crumbling in the hand of politicians and their crony physicians but the doctors in their hospital void of any hospitality save the professional ethics.  This succinctly mirror our society, a young doctor tells me how the doctors were used who await it under a doctrine or philosophy of faith embedded in utter greed,  by the politicians from the successive governments that helped further the cause of deterioration of this service sector, thanks to the unqualified promotions and postings that also culminated into unbridle corruptions.

6.

Perhaps, I wouldn't have spoken that day had I not lived abroad, like our writer and scientist despite their mother was put at risk, symbolizing the fear that exists and greed that devoid us of our consciousness.   

Note – I have checked full weak following the incident of Dr. Muhammad Zafarullah's mother and found nothing on the issue in their favorite news dailies. I wish their mother all well.



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