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Wednesday, March 16, 2011

[ALOCHONA] WATER POLICY IN BANGLADESH - Aspects of Privatisation [3 Attachments]

[Attachment(s) from Isha Khan included below]

WATER POLICY IN BANGLADESH - Aspects of Privatisation

By Mohiuddin Ahmad


Water has been a free gift of nature. Now it is a commodity. Access to water is recognised as a basic right. But procedural and fiscal measures are enforced to harness and regulate its mobilisation and use. The Government of Bangladesh has formulated a National Water Policy, which is in operation since1999.

Objectives

The water policy aims to provide direction to all agencies working with the water sector, and institutions that relate to the water sector in one form or another, for achievement of specified objectives. These objectives are broadly outlined in the policy as:

 To address issues related to the harnessing and development of all forms of surface water and ground water and management of these resources in an efficient and equitable manner;
 To ensure the availability of water to all elements of the society including the poor and the underprivileged and to take into account the particular needs of women and children;
 To accelerate the development of sustainable public and private water delivery systems with appropriate legal and financial measures and incentives, including delineation of water rights and water pricing;
 To bring institutional changes that will help decentralise the management of water resources and enhance the role of women in water management;
 To develop a legal and regulatory environment that will help the process of decentralisation, sound environmental management, and improve the investment climate for the private sector in water development and management;
 To develop a state of knowledge and capability that will enable the country to design future water resources management plans by itself with economic efficiency, gender equity, social justice and environmental awareness to facilitate achievement of the water management objectives through broad public participation.

Water Rights and Allocation

According to the Government policy, the ownership of water does not vest in an individual but in the State. The Government reserves the right to allocate water to ensure equitable distribution, efficient development and use, and to address poverty. The Government can redirect its use during periods of droughts, floods, cyclones, and other natural and man-made disasters, such as contamination of groundwater aquifers that threaten public health and the ecological integrity. Allocation rules will be the formal mechanism for deciding who gets water, for what purpose(s), how much, at what time, for how long, and under what circumstances water use may be curtailed. Rules for water allocation will be developed for in-stream needs (ecological, water quality, salinity control, fisheries and navigation) during low flow periods; for off-stream withdrawal (irrigation, municipal and industrial, power), and for groundwater recharge and abstraction. Allocation for non-consumptive use (e.g. navigation) would imply ensuring minimum levels in water bodies used for that purpose.

The Government may confer water rights on private and community bodies to provide secure, defensible and enforceable ownership rights to ground water and surface water for attracting private investment.

Public and Private Involvement

The Government wants involvement of the public and private sectors in the delivery of water-related services. The policies of the Government regarding the respective roles of the public and private sectors are:

 Government's investments in water programme will be directed towards creation of public goods or for addressing specific problems of market failure and protecting particular community interests.
 Policies and programmes of any public agency involving water resources will be coordinated with the policies and programmes of all other public and private bodies to build synergy and avoid conflict.
 Public water institutions will, to the extent feasible, use private providers of specific water resources services in carrying out their mandates, giving preference to beneficiary groups and organisations.
 The management of public water schemes, barring municipal schemes, with command area up to 5000 ha will be gradually made over to local and community organisations and their O&M will be financed through local resources.
 Public water schemes, barring municipal schemes, with command area of over 5000 ha will be gradually placed under private management, through leasing, concession, or management contract under open competitive bidding procedures, or jointly managed by the project implementing agency along with local government and community organisations.
 Ownership of FCD (flood control and drainage) and FCDI (flood control, drainage and irrigation) projects with command area of 1000 ha or less will gradually be transferred to the local governments, beginning with the ones that are being satisfactorily managed and operated by the beneficiary/ community organisations.
 Appropriate public and private institutions will provide information and training to the local community organisations for managing water resources efficiently.
 Enabling environment will be created for women to play a key role in local community organisations for management of water resources.
 Government, where appropriate, will restructure its present institutions and design all future institutions for efficient implementation of the above policies.

Water and Agriculture

Support of private development of groundwater irrigation for promoting agricultural growth will continue, alongside surface water development where feasible. But there will be a renewed focus towards increasing efficiency of water use in irrigation through various measures including drainage-water recycling, rotational irrigation, adoption of water conserving crop technology where feasible, and conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water.

Despite criticisms for indiscriminate extraction of groundwater for irrigation, the Government policy is to continue mining of groundwater for this purpose. The policy of the Government is to:

 Encourage and promote continued development of minor irrigation, where feasible, without affecting drinking water supplies;
 Encourage future groundwater development for irrigation by both the public and the private sectors, subject to regulations that may be prescribed by Government from time to time.

Economic and Financial Management

Changes are brought in the system of prices and other economic incentives affecting water demand and supply. The policy is that "the users pay a price for water". This is phrased as a mechanism for 'cost recovery' for investments and O&M.

Public service agencies so far in charge of water delivery are more and more tightening their grip to collect tolls. This has been the result of gradual withdrawal of subsidy from the agriculture sector. The policy of the Government is:

 Water will be considered an economic resource and priced to convey its scarcity value to all users and provide motivation for its conservation.
 For the foreseeable future, however, cost recovery for flood control and drainage (FCD) projects is not envisaged in this policy. In case of flood control, drainage, and irrigation (FCDI) projects water rates will be charged for operation and maintenance (O&M) as per Government rules.
 Relevant public water supply agencies will be gradually given authority to charge for their services.
 Recovery of O&M cost will, as far as possible, be made through private collection means such as leasing and other financial options.
 The pricing structure will match the goals and needs of the water provider and the population served. Water rates will be lower for basic consumption, increasing with commercial and industrial use. The rates for surface and groundwater will reflect, to the extent possible, their actual cost of delivery.
 Water charges realised from beneficiaries for O&M in a project would be retained locally for the provision of services within that project.
 Effective beneficiary participation and commitment to pay for O&M will be realised at the project identification and planning stages by respective public agencies.
 Appropriate financial incentives will be introduced for water re-use and conservation, responsible use of groundwater, and for preventing overexploitation and pollution.
Domestic Water

The National water Policy (1999) does not adequately address the issue of domestic water. The issue of domestic water has been dealt with in the National Policy for Safe Water Supply and Sanitation 1998.

The Government acknowledges that many functions of the water supply and sanitation sector can be undertaken by private organisations. Government thinks that it would "promote increased service coverage and thereby lessen the burden on the Government". Government policy is to strengthen an administratively and financially enabling environment for the private sector to participate and contribute to sector development.

For rural water supply, the Government policy is that user communities shall be responsible for operation and maintenance of water supply facilities and shall bear its total costs.

For urban water supply, private sector participation will be promoted through BOO/BOT (build, own and operate / build operate and transfer) and other arrangements. For this purpose, opportunities will be created for involving the private sector in billing and collection. The Government will prepare a guideline on private sector participation in the sector.

-------------------------------
Mohiuddin Ahmad is the Chairman of the Community Development Library (CDL), which is a network of development information and communication in Bangladesh. He is a founder member of South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE), Coordinator of South Asian People's Forum on River Water and Environment, Co-Convener of People's SAARC and an ARENA Fellow.

http://www.jubileesouth.org/news/EpZZZZkVklINTiHJSC.shtml

DRAFT BANGLADESH WATER ACT:

http://www.warpo.gov.bd/PDFs/Draft_BWA.pdf

http://www.warpo.gov.bd/RETA/Draft%20BWA.pdf

National Water Policy:

http://www.warpo.gov.bd/nw_policy.pdf

Attachment(s) from Isha Khan

3 of 3 File(s)


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[ALOCHONA] RE: [Alapon] Re: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?



Br. Dilawar.
 
Thanks for your comments. Though, it was very hard for me to judge wheather you commented on me or Mr. Turkman. 
 
I totally agree with you on that (that is fee or chatge). There should be a hefty surcharge or fee to make money through this transit/corridor avenue. We should make 2.3 billion dollars (per one calculation by CPD) in 30 years if we spend 1.7 billion in iproving our infra-structure. But, Inida says, "What fees?" We do not have fee included in our agreement. There were hue and cry from our custom's department on that. They stopped mobilasation of Indian vessels in our territory. You must have remembered what our wise Finance Minister Mr. Abul 'Maal' abdul Muhith said then, "কিছু একটা তো নেবই, এমনিতে তো ছাড়া যায়না". That means Bangladesh is getting nutta/zip from India even though imprvement will be done by our tax payer's money or international loan (the one we got few months ago from India with above and beyond international interest rates). India is not following any international norms in this regard. In this regard i am attaching an article written by a prominent diplomat. Please refer to the article.
 
Shahadat Suhrawardy

 http://www.sydneybashi-bangla.com/Articles/Harun_Transit%20Issue%20with%20India.pdf


To: Diagnose@yahoogroups.com; chottala@yahoogroups.com
CC: tritiomatra@yahoogroups.com; awamileague@yahoogroups.com; sa7rong@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; bogra@yahoogroups.com; alochona@yahoogroups.com; alapon@yahoogroups.com; bangladeshiamericans@googlegroups.com
From: Oline2@cox.net
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:23:53 -0400
Subject: [Alapon] Re: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?

 
Every bilateral treaty or transit whether it is truck transport, container transport or pipeline has fees , taxes and surcharges . there is nothing is free.
 
For example; Suez Canal  fee for a medium size ship will cost about $ 165,000 dollar just to pass the canal while Panama Fees for same  $ 55,000 dollar 
 
on the other hand there are many cross border transportation betwwen sea or land locked countries like Ethiopia, Chad, Mali, Bolivia etc also pays hefty fees, taxes and surcharges while 
Turkey,  Egypt , Iran or  Azerbaizan etc etc may  cost fior container or truck between $ 75.00 to 250 dollar
Also between USA and Canada or Mexican fees are also between 25 to 95 dollar. 
 
So if anyone do not know of the world trade or cross border trade and its fees, taxes and surcharges please do not mislead reader.
 
thank you 
Dilawar Hossain
Washington DC 
 
 
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2011 4:55 PM
Subject: RE: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?

 

Mr. Turkman
You probably don't know that Bangladesh gets zip nutta from India by giving transit/transhipment. The other countries that you cited as examples get good amount of revenue in terms of fees to make money. You are comparing apple to oranges though the situations look alike. If India gives proper fees then there should not be any problem. But Hasina in some cases gave more than they needed. Please talk substance, not just talk.
Shahadat Suhrawardy
 


To: chottala@yahoogroups.com
CC: tritiomatra@yahoogroups.com; awamileague@yahoogroups.com; Diagnose@yahoogroups.com; sa7rong@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; bogra@yahoogroups.com; alochona@yahoogroups.com; alapon@yahoogroups.com
From: turkman@sbcglobal.net
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:52:47 -0700
Subject: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?

Look at Iran ...!
* She is at fault in making money through Bandar Abbas port also because it is providing Transit Corridor to Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and all Central Asian States 2 decades ago.
Iran is so stupid that 2 decades ago, she spent billions to build a Highway connecting that port of Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan and also built a Railway Line going through whole length of the country from that port to connect with old USSR Railway System northeast of her.
What a stupid country ...!
* And then, there is a stupid country, Germany that conceded Transit to Soviet Natural Gas Pipe Line in 1970's to let her Gas be sold to almost all countries in Continental Europe despite US Opposition.
USA is a stupid country. She had also conceded transit of Natural Gas Pipe line to Canada going through whole north-south length of it going to Mexico.
* Pakistan is another example of such stupid concession. She has conceded transit to Iranian Gas Pipe Line despite US Opposition, going to India and our stupid Enemy, India has conceded Transit of that Pipe line to BD after it reaches her. 
What can we do?
This world is full of stupid countries like BD.
.
S U Turkman

--- In reform-bd@yahoogroups.com, Zoglul Husain <zoglul@...> wrote:
>
>
> Equipment from India arrives
>
> http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=177610

> Comment: We are totally opposed to transit/corridor agreement with India under the present circumstances. Roads constructed for these purposes will almost certainly be used for India's military purposes, which may even be from the very first consignment of smaller items, scheduled from 20 March. (Please see: ODC shipment begins March 20 http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=189840). This is not only a security risk, it is occupation of our infrastructure, an attempt to subjugate us, which may also drag us between warring parties. 

> I don't know if there would be demos, barricades, etc., but the govt is making a grievous betrayal of the country. They know we were denied transit from/to Nepal, Bhutan, etc. They know the problems between the two countries have not been resolved. The very serious problems of river water, border killings, smuggling in India's favour, enclaves, trade policies, conspiracy and hegemony, military and security, etc., etc. are in the way of developing friendly relations between the two countries. The govt is still behaving like lackeys mesmerised under the spell of a hegemonic power.

> It's all an utter betrayal of national interest and sovereignty. We condemn the govt on Hasina's MoU's with India, in which our national interests have been sold out and our sovereignty surrendered. We must unite to resist these.





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[ALOCHONA] FW: Is Rep. Peter King Anti-Semitic?




 


From: farida_majid@hotmail.com
Subject: Is Rep. Peter King Anti-Semitic?
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 19:02:47 -0400



Is Rep. Peter King Anti-Semitic?

By JP Sottile, Reader Supported News

13 March 11

 
e will not stand for anti-Semitism. Right?
 

Representative Peter King is testing that premise. He cut to the quick with his attention-grabbing inquiry into the ominous threat posed by Muslims lurking within our own borders and, in so doing, exposed both the depth and power of a racial stereotype rooted as deeply in our popular culture and collective psyche as any we've seen since World War II.

 

Has Mr. King, along with his supporters in Congress and the media, kicked off a new era in America's long tradition of racial demonization? Is this the camel's nose under the tent? Are we embracing a new brand of anti-Semitism?

You see, a quick and simple examination of history reveals what may be to many a shocking truth. It also exposes the type of pervasive ignorance that so often feeds the chamber of racism with bullets of hatred.

 

Arabs are Semites.

 

That's right, folks. If you or anyone you know off-handedly or reactively degrades, demonizes, hates or simply wants to dispense with all Arabs ... they are anti-Semitic. And we can certainly agree upon the need to diligently reject all forms of anti-Semitism.

 

"Semitic" is a classification older than Abraham and more misunderstood than American foreign policy. Semitic peoples are those who share a linguistic heritage rooted in the Ancient Near East. Both Hebrew and Arabic are Semitic languages. They are both Semitic peoples. But knowing that would require knowing some history. And knowledge, particularly of history, is rarely the strong suit of the anti-Semite. In Nazi Germany, history and science became malleable fairy tales of racial superiority, feeding a meta-narrative about some epic genetic struggle for the purification of the human race.

 

In America, we've found our epic struggle rooted in economic survival and religious purification. We've found our Eternal Arab ... buying up our country, killing our children, menacing our cities, cutting off our life's blood and threatening the very foundation of the nation's identity. After all, they are not really American. They believe in a different God. Swarthy and hook-nosed, they all look the same. They wear strange clothes. Their beards and headwear give them away. And we've barely batted an eye as we've killed tens of thousands of them. Women, children ... no matter. They are not like us and not quite human. Sounds like anti-Semitism, doesn't it?

 

If you doubt the depth of the racism evoked by the likes of Peter King, Newt Gingrich or Glenn Beck, step back and take a closer look. Racial stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims are and have been so familiar in our films and TV shows ... we barely notice them.

In 2006, a gut-wrenching documentary explored those depths. You probably never heard of it. But it is more relevant today than ever. In Reel Bad Arabs, which you can and should watch for free right here [1], Dr. Jack Shaheen shows in relentless, shocking detail the extent to which Arabs and, by popular conflation, all Muslims have been, for over 40 years, Hollywood's reliably acceptable race to kill, to demonize, to ridicule and to fear. But not really fear, because they are also shown to be inept, soul-less, subhuman and slimy. It is the classic line each racist must tread, stoking the fear needed to incite violence and sustain discrimination while also risking the elevation of the menace to the point of being an actual threat to one's implied superiority. If they can win, doesn't it mean they might actually be, in the final analysis, superior?

 

It is a problem that the Jim Crow South worked tirelessly to solve. They did so with a campaign of terror and lynchings, with cross-burnings and the extra-constitutional use of force and segregation. And they did it with a barrage of racist cartoons, movies and imagery.

 

It is a process we've seen replayed at Abu Ghraib, through indiscriminate drone attacks on wedding parties and America's reliable support of one brutal dictatorship after another. It is a problem encapsulated at Gitmo, where we store them in a state-of-the-art concentration camp and use them as de facto guinea pigs. And we've got vile cartoons [2] from Disney, an onslaught of conscience-numbing movies and the widely-accepted imagery of evil, dark Arabs. Imagery that predates 9/11 by three decades, if not longer.

Now, just like suspicious Southerners in 1950s Selma, we wonder what will happen if they decide to turn against us.

 

Framed against rising gas prices, chronic unemployment and a prevailing brand of fear and paranoia that America has not seen since the Red Scare of the 50s, the Arab and the Muslim offer those holding media megaphones and political titles an easy target - the ready-made devil that obscures the details. Forget our ruthless pursuit of oil at any cost. Forget that we've had our boots on their ground for decades, and the fact that we armed both Iran and Iraq as they fought a bloody war of our convenience. Forget the CIA's support of Bin Laden and the five decades of backing we've lavished on the ultra-repressive Saudi royal family.

 

And forget that the true threat to the Constitution lies not in the hearts and minds of American Muslims, but in the buying and selling of favors that Rep. King and his cohorts in Congress do with such ease and with such utter disdain for the will of their constituents. The real enemies of the Constitution held actual power for eight years and re-wrote the very foundation of our revered document by ignoring due process and transgressing the first principles of a republic based on the separation of powers.

Where are the hearings on the damage caused by the purveyors of the Unitary Executive?

 

They will never come because we are too busy seeking the dark boogeyman of Sharia Law. Too busy inciting the purest Americans to look suspiciously at their dark neighbors.

 

The "King Hearing" is, indeed, a test. A test we barely passed when we ignored the thinly-veiled claims that then-candidate Obama was a secret Muslim. A test many still fail today. A test we must revisit by watching what we've been watching and seeing the extent to which we've all bought into Hollywood's typecasting. When you do, consider that Arabs and Muslims have been watching all those movies, too. And think of how we'd regard and abhor those images if they depicted any other American ethnic group.

 

No doubt, those who profit from and survive on this brand of anti-Semitism will continue to associate the guilty with the innocent, will continue to appeal to the basest elements of human tribalism and racial competition. But America has been there. We've done that.

We have consistently, if slowly and reluctantly, discarded one racist idea after another. Make no mistake, it is in our national interest to discard one more. Let the people of Egypt and Libya and Yemen and Bahrain ... and America ... know that we see them as human beings, complete with human desires and foibles and aspirations. But first we must step back from the highly-conditioned tendency to see them and treat them all the same way.


JP Sottile is a newsroom veteran. His credits include a stint on the Newshour news desk, C-SPAN, Executive Producer for ABC affiliate WJLA in Washington, and a two-time Washington Regional Emmy Award Winner. In addition, JP is a documentary filmmaker.




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[ALOCHONA] RE: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?



Mr. Turkman
You probably don't know that Bangladesh gets zip nutta from India by giving transit/transhipment. The other countries that you cited as examples get good amount of revenue in terms of fees to make money. You are comparing apple to oranges though the situations look alike. If India gives proper fees then there should not be any problem. But Hasina in some cases gave more than they needed. Please talk substance, not just talk.
Shahadat Suhrawardy
 


To: chottala@yahoogroups.com
CC: tritiomatra@yahoogroups.com; awamileague@yahoogroups.com; Diagnose@yahoogroups.com; sa7rong@yahoogroups.com; khabor@yahoogroups.com; bogra@yahoogroups.com; alochona@yahoogroups.com; alapon@yahoogroups.com
From: turkman@sbcglobal.net
Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2011 10:52:47 -0700
Subject: [Diagnose] BD concedes Transit Corridor to India?

Look at Iran ...!
* She is at fault in making money through Bandar Abbas port also because it is providing Transit Corridor to Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and all Central Asian States 2 decades ago.
Iran is so stupid that 2 decades ago, she spent billions to build a Highway connecting that port of Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan and also built a Railway Line going through whole length of the country from that port to connect with old USSR Railway System northeast of her.
What a stupid country ...!
* And then, there is a stupid country, Germany that conceded Transit to Soviet Natural Gas Pipe Line in 1970's to let her Gas be sold to almost all countries in Continental Europe despite US Opposition.
USA is a stupid country. She had also conceded transit of Natural Gas Pipe line to Canada going through whole north-south length of it going to Mexico.
* Pakistan is another example of such stupid concession. She has conceded transit to Iranian Gas Pipe Line despite US Opposition, going to India and our stupid Enemy, India has conceded Transit of that Pipe line to BD after it reaches her. 
What can we do?
This world is full of stupid countries like BD.
.
S U Turkman

--- In reform-bd@yahoogroups.com, Zoglul Husain <zoglul@...> wrote:
>
>
> Equipment from India arrives
>
> http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=177610

> Comment: We are totally opposed to transit/corridor agreement with India under the present circumstances. Roads constructed for these purposes will almost certainly be used for India's military purposes, which may even be from the very first consignment of smaller items, scheduled from 20 March. (Please see: ODC shipment begins March 20 http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=189840). This is not only a security risk, it is occupation of our infrastructure, an attempt to subjugate us, which may also drag us between warring parties. 

> I don't know if there would be demos, barricades, etc., but the govt is making a grievous betrayal of the country. They know we were denied transit from/to Nepal, Bhutan, etc. They know the problems between the two countries have not been resolved. The very serious problems of river water, border killings, smuggling in India's favour, enclaves, trade policies, conspiracy and hegemony, military and security, etc., etc. are in the way of developing friendly relations between the two countries. The govt is still behaving like lackeys mesmerised under the spell of a hegemonic power.

> It's all an utter betrayal of national interest and sovereignty. We condemn the govt on Hasina's MoU's with India, in which our national interests have been sold out and our sovereignty surrendered. We must unite to resist these.


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[ALOCHONA] WikiLeaks - Hasina prepares for 'transformational' visit to India



Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty.  Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

 

 SUMMARY ======== 

 

1. (C)  Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed will arrive in New Delhi January 10 to begin her most important foreign visit since assuming office in early 2009. Recognizing the inertia within Bangladesh's bureaucracy, the Prime Minister entrusted her own office with preparations for the visit, and her advisors tell us they expect the results to ""transform"" Indo-Bangladesh relations.  Hasina and her team believe that New Delhi would like to use improved Indo-Bangladesh relations to send a message to other neighbors regarding India's willingness to take a new approach to regional issues.  The Prime Minister does not, however, seem to have sufficiently focused on the need to sell any agreement to a skeptical audience at home.  Improved India-Bangladesh ties would serve U.S. interests by bringing greater stability and prosperity to a region that can use more of both.  PM's Office Finalizes Preparations for Hasina's India Visit


FULL TEXT –

http://deshcalling.blogspot.com/2011/03/bangladeshs-prime-minister-prepares-for_16.html

 

 

 



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[ALOCHONA] Cables :Sheikh Hasina's adviser did not want her to linger in India



Sheikh Hasina's adviser did not want her to linger in India


Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's adviser did not want her to linger in India for fear of criticism at home.

Gowher Rizvi, her Foreign Policy Adviser, "sabotaged" her planned stopover in Kolkata during a "transformational" 2010 visit to India as he believed any delay in returning to Dhaka would give her opponents time to "put their spin" on the visit before she had a chance to tell the nation about it.

Dr. Rizvi, who taught at a U.S. university before joining the Hasina government, believed that even the 24-hour delay in the Prime Minister returning home to accommodate her visit to Ajmer after finishing her meetings in New Delhi, was too much.

Dr. Rizvi confided this to the U.S. Ambassador to Bangladesh James F. Moriarty hours ahead of the January 10, 2010 visit.

The conversation, reported by Ambassador Moriarty in a cable sent on January 10, 2010 (243013: confidential), revealed the hopes Prime Minister Hasina and the Indian government pinned on this visit for improving strained ties with India, and the domestic difficulties of such a venture for the Bangladeshi leader given the country's confrontational politics.

Dr. Rizvi told the Ambassador that pre-visit negotiations with the Indian side had been held very close within the Bangladesh government. The Foreign Minister had been brought into the loop only in the last week before the visit. Dr. Rizvi was dismissive of the Foreign Ministry bureaucracy. According to him, it "lacked creativity and vision."

Contrary to the media focus on what new agreements the Prime Minister would sign in India, Dr. Rizvi revealed that in his negotiations with the Indians, the focus had been on implementing past agreements on transit and connectivity that had long been dormant. Two advisers in the Prime Minister's office had been drafted to help in the rapid implementation of these agreements.

"He told the Ambassador he thought the Prime Minister was making a mistake by delaying her return to Dhaka until January 13, following a one-day pilgrimage to Ajmer. Rizvi confided that he had 'sabotaged' the PM's plan to prolong her stay in India further by adding an additional stop in Kolkata," Mr. Moriarty cabled.

Dr. Rizvi had argued in favour of an immediate return to Dhaka following the conclusion of bilateral talks on January 12.

At his insistence, it had been planned that the Prime Minister would address Parliament on her return from India to outline the results of her visit.

But he feared that the 24-hour delay would allow the media and the opposition to put their spin on the visit before Prime Minister Hasina got a chance to say her piece.

Dr. Rizvi was not far off the mark, as the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, led by Khaleda Zia, mounted a vociferous campaign against the visit calling it a "sell-out" to India.

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/article1541123.ece


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[ALOCHONA] U.S. Senators Voice Concern over Future of Grameen Bank



U.S. Senators Voice Concern over Future of Grameen Bank and Bangladesh Government's Treatment of Grameen Bank's Founder, Father of Microcredit Muhammad Yunus


Global Communicators

WASHINGTON, DC -- Five U.S. Senators and a Member of Congress have written Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressing "strong concern" over the future of the Grameen Bank and the Bangladesh government's treatment of Grameen Bank Managing Director Muhammad Yunus.

(http://www.muhammadyunus.org/), who founded the bank nearly 30 years ago to provide low-interest, collateral-free loans to poor Bangladeshis. Their letter was released today by Grameen Research.

Meanwhile, the appellate division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court today adjourned for two weeks after an initial hearing into Dr. Yunus' appeal of the government-controlled central bank ruling that he must give up his post because the 70-year-old Nobel Laureate has passed the sporadically enforced public sector retirement age of 60.

Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennett (D-CO), Michael Enzi (R-WY), and John Boozman (R-AR), plus Representative Rush Holt (D-NJ) said they "are troubled by what appears to have been a months-long effort on the part of the Bangladeshi government to discredit Professor Yunus and remove him as Managing Director while increasing government influence at Grameen Bank."

In addition to potentially impacting the U.S.-Bangladesh relationship, they wrote, "[T]he potential for these actions to have a destabilizing effect on Grameen puts the effectiveness and long-term integrity of the bank and its critical programs at great risk."

The Senators and Representative urged the prime minister "to work with Professor Yunus to find an amicable solution to this unfortunate situation – one that treats him with the dignity he deserves while preserving the effectiveness and operational integrity of Grameen Bank for the millions of Bangladeshis who depend on it, as well as for your nation's reputation as the home of the microcredit movement."

Grameen Research also provided links on news reports from Bangladesh on cadres of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student front of ruling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, which attacked and foiled a human chain of Grameen Bank employees in Barisal city yesterday peacefully demonstrating against the government's attempts to remove him from the Grameen Bank:

(http://www.shahidulnews.com/2011/03/mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-whos-the-noblest-of-them-all/ and http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=28851.

[]

Photo: The Daily Star: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=177393

Grameen Bank has 2,564 branches in Bangladesh, with 19,800 staff serving 8.29 million borrowers in 81,367 villages. Women comprise 97 percent of the borrowers. More than 97 percent of the loans, which are financed entirely from internal resources, are repaid, a recovery rate higher than any other banking system. Grameen methods are applied in projects in 58 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, The Netherlands and Norway. (http://www.grameen-info.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=329&Itemid=363). As of March 1, 2011, Grameen Bank (http://www.grameen-info.org/) has disbursed more than US $10 billion, with the average loan of US $882.35.

Grameen Research (http://grameenresearch.org/), a not-for-profit company headed by Vidar Jorgensen, provides research, training and other microfinance support and other services for low income populations.

# # #

Global Communicators, LLC
E Mail : kheine@globalcommunicators.com

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=350723

Read the Full text of the Letter in PDF :

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/dbimages/350664-0-letter%20from%20Bangladesh%20Caucus%20in%20Congress.pdf



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[ALOCHONA] Cables:Hasina prepares for "transformational" visit to India



Hasina prepares for "transformational" visit to India


Recognizing the inertia within Bangladesh's bureaucracy, the Prime Minister (Hasina) entrusted her own office with preparations for the visit, and her advisors tell us they expect the results to ""transform"" Indo-Bangladesh relations.

243013 1/10/2010 9:16 10DHAKA27 Embassy Dhaka CONFIDENTIAL "VZCZCXRO4229OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPWDE RUEHKA #0027/01 0100916ZNY CCCCC ZZHO 100916Z JAN 10FM AMEMBASSY DHAKATO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9854INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVERUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 2209RUEHGO/AMEMBASSY RANGOON 2966RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HIRHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI" "C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000027

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/INSB AND SCA/FO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/10/10 TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PINR, ETRD, PTER, KDEM, BG, IN SUBJECT: BANGLADESH'S PRIME MINISTER PREPARES FOR ""TRANSFORMATIONAL"" VISIT TO INDIA

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)

SUMMARY

========

1. (C) Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed will arrive in New Delhi January 10 to begin her most important foreign visit since assuming office in early 2009. Recognizing the inertia within Bangladesh's bureaucracy, the Prime Minister entrusted her own office with preparations for the visit, and her advisors tell us they expect the results to ""transform"" Indo-Bangladesh relations. Hasina and her team believe that New Delhi would like to use improved Indo-Bangladesh relations to send a message to other neighbors regarding India's willingness to take a new approach to regional issues. The Prime Minister does not, however, seem to have sufficiently focused on the need to sell any agreement to a skeptical audience at home. Improved India-Bangladesh ties would serve U.S. interests by bringing greater stability and prosperity to a region that can use more of both.

PM's Office Finalizes Preparations for Hasina's India Visit

============

2. (C) Dr. Gowher Rizvi, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Foreign Affairs Advisor, met with the Ambassador early January 10 and reported that preparations had been completed for the PM's visit to New Delhi later in the day. Rizvi returned from Delhi January 8, concluding his fourth round of discussions with Indian interlocutors to prepare the ground for the PM's visit. While Rizvi confessed that the Indians had initially been skeptical of what the visit could achieve, he told the Ambassador the stage had been set for agreements to ""transform"" Indo-Bangladesh relations. Rizvi told the Ambassador that negotiations had been kept very close hold within the GOB, with the Foreign Minister only being brought into the loop within the past week. PMO Advisors H.T. Imam and Mashiur Rahman had been drafted in the final stage to help push through implementing agreements that had stalled within the bureaucracy. Rizvi was dismissive of the Foreign Ministry bureaucracy, which he said lacked creativity and vision.

Focus on Implementing Old Agreements

====================================

3. (C) While the Bangladeshi press has focused on new, relatively minor, agreements (extradition, prisoner transfer, electricity sharing, etc.) that would likely be signed during the visit, Rizvi told the Ambassador that he and his Indian interlocutors had instead focused primarily on the need to implement long dormant agreements on transit and interconnectivity. According to Rizvi, there would be agreement on enhancing interconnectivity between India and Bangladesh focused on both expanding rail networks as well as water transport. The two sides would agree to allow access to Chittagong, Mongla, and Ashuganj ports in Bangladesh to India. (Note: Rizvi said of the three, Mongla had proved to be the most controversial given sensitivities in West Bengal to diversion of trade from Kolkata's port.) Rizvi said that border markets would also be authorized, which would cut down on smuggling.

And Bilateral and Regional Trade

================================

4. (C) Rizvi saw enormous opportunities for enhanced trade, particularly with India's northeastern states. He said the agreement would also allow for transit of goods from Nepal and Bhutan through India and into Bangladesh. Rizvi said he had talked with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Montek Singh Aluwalia about the possibility of a future free trade agreement. According to Rizvi, the Indian leadership was committed to opening trade with Bangladesh, in part to provide competition for domestic industries. While the Indian States' interests would have to be taken into account, Rizvi said he was confident that the Indians were serious about removing trade barriers.

Maritime Boundary and Teesta Water Sharing Remain Problematic

============================================= ================

5. (C) Rizvi said the one bilateral issue that had proved most complicated during the discussions was demarcation of the Indo-Bangladesh maritime boundary. Rizvi told the

DHAKA 00000027 002 OF 002 Ambassador the Indians had been disappointed when Bangladesh unilaterally referred the maritime boundary dispute to international arbitration. He was slightly more optimistic on water sharing from the Teesta River. According to Rizvi, both sides had agreed that the first step would have to be a meeting of the Joint Rivers Commission and an agreement to conduct joint hydrological surveys of the river to establish the current water flow. Rizvi was optimistic that some water sharing would begin even before a final agreement was negotiated.

PM Neglects Need for Communications Strategy

============================================

6. (C) Rizvi told the Ambassador he thought the PM was making a mistake by delaying her return to Dhaka until January 13, following a one-day pilgrimage to Ajmer. Rizvi confided that he had ""sabotaged"" the PM's plan to prolong her stay in India further by adding an additional stop in Kolkata. Rizvi had argued in favor of an immediate return to Dhaka following the conclusion of bilateral talks on the 12th. At Rizvi's insistence, the PM will address Parliament upon her return to outline the results of the visit. Rizvi shared his fear, however, that this 24-hour delay would allow the media and the opposition to put their spin on the visit before the PM had a chance to address the nation. According to Rizvi, the PM believed that the agreements would sell themselves. We discussed with Rizvi the possible benefits if the Government were to offer to take the Opposition into confidence and provide a separate briefing on the results of the visit. We also discussed the value of continued Indian engagement with the Opposition.

Comment

=======

7. (C) One of the Awami League's priorities since taking office has been to improve relations with India. The February 2009 Bangladesh Rifles Mutiny dealt a temporary setback to these efforts. In recent months, however, preparations for the PM's visit to India have been her office's primary focus. The decision to hand over several high profile Indian insurgents in late-2009 helped to create a favorable atmosphere for the visit. As a result of the groundwork that has been laid, it appears that the results of the visit could well exceed the Bangladeshi public's expectations and provide a boost to the Government. In a recent poll, 80 percent of Bangladesh's population expressed support for improved Indo-Bangladesh ties. At the same time, the political opposition can be expected to criticize the Government for failing to protect Bangladesh's interests. (Poor strategic communications weakened the 2007 - 2008 Caretaker Government's hands as it tried to implement reforms. It appears that Sheikh Hasina's government has not learned this lesson from its predecessor.) That said, a positive transformation of the Indo-Bangladesh relationship could help bring greater stability and prosperity to a region that could use more of both.

MORIARTY

http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/article1541569.ece


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