Saturday, March 19, 2011

[ALOCHONA] And now 8-taka rice !

And now 8-taka rice !

http://www.amadershomoy1.com/content/2011/03/20/news0879.htm

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[ALOCHONA] Finance minister should resign in protest

Finance minister should resign in protest

New Age 17/3/11

I, ON behalf of myself and many friends and colleagues, both at home and abroad, am deeply shocked and dismayed by the disgraceful manner in which our Nobel laureate, Dr Yunus, has been dismissed from Grameen Bank. Throughout the world, patriotic citizens are lost for words when asked why we would treat Dr Yunus this way. My colleagues in the Middle East report that powerful and influential people are asking about it and that this damage to our reputation has a negative impact on our already shrinking labour markets. No one says that he should head Grameen Bank forever, but everyone expects us to conduct ourselves with minimum decorum. More dangerously, this incident has alerted the international community to the most unpleasant aspects of our political culture. Fellow countrymen know very well what we are talking about.

The finance minister, honourable AMA Muhith, has served the nation well his whole life. Mistakes in politics are inevitable, but we believe that this is a mistake too far for the good minister. He has, time and again, to his great credit, done his best to tone down the rhetoric and temper the situation. This time he has failed. We believe that he has been forced into an embarrassing and unconscionable situation by the foolhardiness of his peers.

In the best interests of his conscience and his legacy, I hereby request the honourable AMA Muhith to resign his position as finance minister in protest at the vindictiveness and jealousy that have fuelled this action against Dr Yunus. By resigning, he would set the noblest example for his peers, the like of which we have not seen in some three decades. By resigning he would create an example and a legacy for all politicians, present and future, in Bangladesh and regionally, that would shine as a beacon of hope for decades to come. By resigning, he would help our current government, and the opposition, to understand the errors of their ways. He would resign to a thundering crescendo of applause and love for him. In making this call for him to resign, we are expressing our expectations of a man who has led a patriotic life of service, defined by integrity, honesty and decency. I wish him the best of good fortune at this difficult time.

Ehsan Rahman

Saudi Arabia

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[ALOCHONA] Muhammad Yunus — 'the blue eyed boy of Washington’

Muhammad Yunus — 'the blue eyed boy of Washington' New Age 17/3/11

TWO responses were published on March 12 after my comments on the original article `Dr Muhammad Yunus—the blue eyed boy of Washington' by KBM Mahmoud. There seems to be an agenda to assist in the character assassination of Dr Yunus as a punishment for daring to declare an interest in politics, which is a democratic right. Up until then, the Awami League never challenged him about anything as either the ruling or the main opposition party. The past and present AL governments have had full representation on the board of directors of the Grameen Bank. Of course, these directors had the blessing of the ruling party. Murmurs about high interest rates came, but from outside the party. Even during its last term in power, the Awami League did nothing about interest rates at the Grameen Bank and did not accuse Yunus of anything. Even now, after two years in power, it has not moved to adjust the interest rates. None of this was touched upon in the article or the letters. This is the culture of silence in our politics where supporters of a party can never imagine saying a word against their party for any reason on any occasion.

The `non-borrower' in his letter holds the press more accountable than the government for the activities of Grameen. There are cases where borrowers lost much after borrowing from the Grameen Bank. But that is also the case with borrowers from any other bank. The Grameen Bank disbursed unsecured loans of more than Tk 400 billion to over six million borrowers in more than three decades. The `non-borrower' seems to be very concerned about one destitute woman. It's not like the Awami League ever took up her cause. From the pinnacle of power in the ruling party have come accusations of embezzlement and fraud. In our infamously corrupt country, there are hardly any convictions under the law for fraud. It is unfortunate that the only person of significance against whom the ruling party will try to build a case is our Nobel laureate. History has been unkind to us, but it seems, in the future, history will also laugh at us. The `non-borrower' of course could never ask for an investigation into the activities of certain businessmen who bankroll our political establishment. He could never dream of wanting to know about the real business activities of the ruling families.

As for the letter of Md Mujibul Alam Khan, I would like to say that Dr Yunus is absolutely correct to demand an honourable exit. Nobody should be fired dishonourably without proven due cause or just because they are too old. The income, promotion and posting of the average public servant in our country is always held hostage by politically motivated and morally corrupt operatives of the ruling party of the day. Fortunately, Yunus is in a stronger position than the average public servant.

Dr Yunus is right to want the job of chairman to protect the Grameen Bank. The current chairman of Grameen Bank seems to be a political lackey of the Awami League. Recently, he sent, to hundreds of important people and organisations worldwide, an email which is nothing less than the assassination of character of Dr Yunus and the Grameen Bank.

Md Mujibul Alam Khan accuses Dr Yunus of shrewd political activity over the last 40 years, but does not cite a single example. In Bangladesh, slur and slander comfortably pose as argument. Grameen has survived because Dr Yunus survived the dirty politics of Bangladesh. His survival is to his credit.

It is easy to portray Dr Yunus as the darling of Washington. But in truth, he is the darling of the world, which is unbearable for our small-minded politicians, any of whom would swim across the oceans to Washington for a congressional medal of honour. Mujibul Alam thanks the prime minister for unmasking a vast American conspiracy. Surely then the prime minister should move for a parliamentary debate on this conspiracy.

Even as I write, activists of the Chhatra League are burning the banners of citizens exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest against the sacking of Dr Yunus. Democracy cannot include thuggery, harassment, nepotism, extortion and blind loyalty. The political parties cannot translate their politics to the next generation. The next generation will not be defined by the sons of our prime ministers. The people in the next generation will exercise their democratic rights and resist the mafias that have laid waste to the ethics of our great political parties. The politics between our rotten political establishment and the bright future of the next generation seems to have just begun.

Ezajur Rahman

Kuwait

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[ALOCHONA] Don’t side with Yunus: Hanif

Don't side with Yunus: Hanif

Bdnews24.com . Dhaka 18/3/11

The Awami League joint general secretary, Mahbubu-ul-Alam Hanif, has urged the civil society not to take stance against the state by siding with Muhammad Yunus.

`Yunus has tainted the image of the country and its people by seeking money from foreign sources. The nation doesn't want the Bangladesh image he created abroad,' he said on Thursday.

Hanif made the remarks while addressing a discussion marking the 91st birth anniversary of liberation war hero Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Eden Women's College auditorium in the city.

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[ALOCHONA] 3 bodies of Bangladeshis found off Greece island

3 bodies of Bangladeshis found off Greece island

Bdnews24.com . Dhaka. 18/3/11

Three more bodies of Bangladeshi workers who went missing while fleeing Libya have been recovered in Souda Bay off the island of Crete in Greece.

The bodies were recovered on Wednesday, said a foreign ministry release on Thursday.

At least 11 Bangladeshis went missing as 50 people jumped into the sea from a ship to Hania in the Crete Island on March 5 to enter Greece without documents.

The release said there were nine more bodies of Bangladeshis in the mortuary of General Hospital of Hania, while two Bangladeshis were still missing.

Meanwhile, a Chinese constructions company, CSCEC, told the government that they had evacuated all Bangladeshis from Bengazi, and they will disburse their salary soon.

According to the latest reports, a total of 25,971 Bangladeshis who were employed in Libya have been repatriated to Bangladesh.

Of these, the repatriation of 3,287 people has been arranged by their employers, while some have returned on their own arrangement and 21,788 under IOM arrangement.

A total of 896 returnees availed of Bangladesh Biman flights.

The number of Bangladeshis at the border point of Al Salloum has come down to 200 as the remaining ones have been repatriated. Only 40 Bangladeshis arrived at Al Salloum on Thursday.

There are now some 5,000 Bangladeshis at Ras Jdir border point of Tunisia.

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[ALOCHONA] Friends of Grameen founder to meet Hasina

Friends of Grameen founder to meet Hasina

New Age 20/3/11 David Bergman

Former World Bank president James D Wolfensohn, also one of the founder members of the Friends of Grameen, is arriving in Bangladesh today in what may be a final attempt to try and negotiate a settlement in the conflict between the government and Muhammad Yunus.

Earlier this month, the Bangladesh Bank issued an order seeking the removal of Yunus from his position as the managing director of the Grameen Bank.

The matter is currently before the Appellate Division which last week adjourned proceedings for two weeks.

The US state department confirmed to New Age that during his two-day visit, Wolfenson will meet the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

The role of the US state department in the visit is unclear. While it insists that Wolfensohn is on `a private visit,' the former World Bank president is reported to have told colleagues that it asked him to come and is helping to arrange the visit.

Wolfensohn was president of the World Bank for 10 years between 1995 and 2005 having been nominated to the position by the US president, Bill Clinton, the husband of the current US secretary of state.

It is not known whether Wolfensohn has earlier met Sheikh Hasina.

In January, the government set up a three-month review into the Grameen Bank including looking at allegations aired by a Norwegian television documentary relating to misuse of funds.

The Friends of Grameen, an international pressure group whose founder members also include former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, and former Costa Rica president Óscar Arias, also a Nobel peace prize winner, believe that the `continued attacks against the Grameen Bank and Professor Yunus have been carried out for political reasons.'

Wolfensohn's two-day trip will overlap with the visit to Dhaka of US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake who is today due to meet Sheikh Hasina and the foreign minister, Dipu Moni.

The US embassy would not confirm to New Age whether Blake would raise the issue of Muhammad Yunus at this meeting, simply saying that he would `discuss numerous issues of relevance to the US-Bangladesh relationship.'

It is known that the United States government has been particularly concerned about what it sees as unjustified action against Yunus. The US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, is also a long-standing friend of the Nobel laureate.

It is possible that Wolfensohn may take part in the meeting that the US assistant secretary of state will be holding with the prime minister.

New Age could not get a comment from the Friends of Grameen about Wolfensohn's visit. The World Bank told New Age that he was not representing it in his meetings in Bangladesh.

The US embassy in Bangladesh told New Age, `Sir James Wolfensohn has come to consult with the government of Bangladesh and other experts in Bangladesh about microfinance in the region.'

It went on to say, `He is seeking the views of the prime minister and other top government officials.'

The embassy told New Age that it should contact Wolfensohn's office for details of his agenda in Bangladesh.

Many of the supporters of the government's actions related to Muhammad Yunus are suspicious of the international support for him.

Mozammel Babu, a journalist and businessman close to the government, who has recently been involved in setting up a `loose group of about 500 people' called the Friends of Bangladesh to try and counter the influence of international pressure relating to Yunus along with other issues, told New Age, `This is aggression from the west in the name of Dr Yunus on a sovereign country in applying the law of the land. Nationalist feeling is growing up very rapidly. We will resist [this] aggression.'

On Monday, the Friends of Bangladesh is starting a series of showings at the Star Cineplex of a revised version of the Norwegian Television documentary, directed by Tom Heinemann, which started off the whole controversy relating to the Grameen Bank.

Mozammel said that the Friends of Bangladesh has been galvanized to act in recent weeks by the Yunus issue but it had existed as an informal group of like-minded friends for a number of years.

The Grameen Bank declined to comment on the Wolfensohn visit.

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[ALOCHONA] libya

TRIPOLI, Libya — Even as the allied intervention began, a group of foreign journalists were bused on a rare visit inside Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi's compound — a labyrinth of concrete barracks, fortified walls and barbed wire designed to deter potential military coups.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/world/africa/20tripoli.html?ref=world

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[ALOCHONA] Success stories: Then and now

Success stories: Then and now

http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/blog/uploads/hassna201103111299846998_555.jpg

http://www.sonarbangladesh.com/blog/uploads/hassna201103111299846998_sakibb201103111299821490_s.jpg

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[ALOCHONA] Over a million illegal foreign workers in Bangladesh

Over a million illegal foreign workers in Bangladesh

http://budhbar.com/?p=4590

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[mukto-mona] Fwd: শর্মিলা বসুর কল্পজগৎ

http://www.sachalayatan.com/subasish/38130

Nuruzzaman Manik

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**************************************************** Mukto Mona plans for a Grand Darwin Day Celebration: Call For Articles: http://mukto-mona.com/wordpress/?p=68 http://mukto-mona.com/banga_blog/?p=585 **************************************************** VISIT MUKTO-MONA WEB-SITE : http://www.mukto-mona.com/ **************************************************** "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it". -Beatrice Hall [pseudonym: S.G. Tallentyre], 190

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[ALOCHONA] 1975: The Crime and Verdict in Retrospection

Taj Hashmi

1975: The Crime and Verdict in Retrospection

November 25, 2009

Since fact is stranger than fiction and eye-witness accounts at times are more unbelievable than Ripley's "Believe It or Not", any narrative of what this writer experienced first hand as a young university lecturer in Dhaka during the tumultuous, uncertain and bloody days of 1975 is bound to evoke controversy, doubts and even anger, among sections of the Bangladeshis at home and abroad. Then again, nothing could be more immoral than not telling the truth for the sake of it.
This is an attempt to appraise the following: a) the killing of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, one of the founding fathers of Bangladesh by his own troops in 1975 and the belated trial and the final verdict of the Supreme Court on 19th November 2009; b) some ardent Awami League followers and supporters' argument that some "misguided soldiers" who killed Mujib had nothing to do with a mutiny; c) some Awami Leaguers' contention that people at large and Mujib's followers could not publicly condemn let alone resist the killers as they were overpowered by a military takeover; and d) if the Verdict is going to usher in the rule of law in the country paving the way for good governance and protection of human rights.
As by 1969 I had been somehow convinced about the veracity of the "Two Economy Theory" sold by our teachers and leaders, to me, the emergence of Bangladesh signalled the advent of the "promised land", free from corruption, bad governance and exploitation; or at least this is what we believed for quite sometime up to early 1972. While 1971 was very traumatic and uncertain for almost everyone who lived in what was then East Pakistan, a land under an occupation army; a nation besieged by the state of Pakistan; most of us who survived 1971, paradoxically turned crestfallen not long after the Liberation.
For many including this writer, the declaration of the one-party government by Mujib "the democrat" was the last straw. Most University teachers felt their employers' asking them to join the ruling party (BKSAL) was frightful and humiliating. By mid-1975 from military generals to top bureaucrats had joined the BKSAL, while all other political partiers had been proscribed. The situation was not that different from what prevailed in the Soviet Union. Clenched-fisted BKSAL workers' orchestrated shouting in public places in 1975—"One-Leader, One-Country; Bangabandhu-Bangladesh" (Ek Neta, Ek Desh; Bangabandhu-Bangladesh)—sounded quite ominous for many non-Awami Leaguers, which may be likened with how fascist workers used to intimidate their opponents in Europe in the 1930s-1940s.
In spite of this, what took our breath away was the brutal killing of Mujib and most of his family members – including his ten-year-old son and pregnant daughter-in-law – by a handful of Bangladeshi soldiers in August 1975. What was even more startling – and sickening to the extreme – was the way all his cabinet ministers barring a few and most of his close associates and party-men either joined hands with Mushtaq, the new President, and / or publicly rejoicing defended the killing as "necessary" and "unavoidable". Newspaper editorials glorifying the killers demonized Mujib and his rule in justification of the killing and the new regime under Mushtaq. Among others, Mujib's close associate, Abdul Malek Ukil, the speaker of the parliament, within weeks after the killing publicly stated at Heathrow Airport: "The country has been relieved of the Pharaoh". While the military-backed Mushtaq regime glorified the killers as "brave sons of the liberation war", the successive governments kept most of them employed at Bangladeshi missions overseas until the election of Sheikh Hasina, Mujib's daughter, as the new Prime Minister in 1996.
Signalling the death-knell for the killers of 1975, the new government brought murder charges against the killers cancelling their immunities granted by the Mushtaq regime, and upheld by Gen Zia. Finally, after 34 years of the killing, on 19th November 2009, the Supreme Court in its judgment sentenced the killers to death for their dreadful crime. Meanwhile, people across the board are congratulating the judiciary and the government for upholding justice for the sake of ushering in the badly needed rule of law in Bangladesh. So far so good. Nevertheless, the question that bugs me a lot is that if this belated judgment is really going to bring about the elusive rule of law in this land of misrule, infested with crime, corruption and impunity.
Without having any reservations whatsoever about the fairness of the judgment, despite some loopholes in the method of trying military officers at a civilian court (as pointed out by some attorneys and legal experts), I am skeptical if the trial process could be ever initiated had Mujib's daughter not been the Prime Minister. I am equally skeptical about the possibility of trying all those state and non-state actors who have been killing their adversaries with impunity since the 1970s. They include members of the law-enforcers who have been killing suspects and innocent people in the name of "encounters" (crossfire); and influential godfathers who have been killing and expropriating people, often their political and business rivals, with impunity. As it is almost impossible to find out a BNP-supporter who would favour the posthumous trial of President Ziaur Rahman for his alleged extra-judicial killing of thousands of people; so is it almost out of the question to get an Awami-supporter in favour of trying those who killed Siraj Sikdar in the most gruesome manner. Similarly JP supporters would go up against any suggestion to try the killers of those killed during General Ershad's military rule; and nothing is more unpalatable to the Jamaat-i-Islami than the brewing demand for the trial of its leaders and supporters for committing "War Crimes", including murder, in 1971.
Now we hear from many Awami leaders/followers that the 1975 takeover in the wake of the brutal killings was not a mutiny but a "sporadic criminal act" by a handful of "misguided soldiers". One wonders as to why people and thousands of soldiers, BDR, Rakkhi Bahini and police did not come out on the street to punish those "handful of misguided soldiers"! These are quite enigmatic facts a) as to why General Osmani, the Commander of the Liberation War, went to Dhaka Radio Station in the morning of 15th August 1975 and was seen together with some of the killers; and b) as to why the army and air force chiefs paid allegiance to the "handful misguided soldiers" publicly through the media. Had the 15th August episode been simply a crime not a mutiny (or revolution), as to why all but four top Awami League leaders took oath of allegiance to Mushtaq as his cabinet members? As mentioned above, some Awami Leaguers assert that people at large were too afraid to condemn, let alone resist, the killers as they had been overpowered by a military takeover. Only one of the above versions may be acceptable to us.
Hardly anybody is telling the truth that not Mujib alone but the entire nation collectively created Bangladesh; so it is not fair to blame him for whatever went wrong in the country till his tragic death. Bangladeshis should learn from the Americans who believe their country was liberated by their "founding fathers", not by Washington alone. They share the credit and blames together. Sycophants ("Chatar Dal" to paraphrase Mujib) who had convinced Mujib that Bangladesh would become Sonar Bangla (Golden Bengal) through "socialism" or state-capitalism (a gold mine for corrupt politicians and bureaucrats) or through friendship with India, USSR and Cuba, not by bridging support from the rest of the world, must have been collectively guilty for the misery of Bangladesh.
Conversely, soon after his killing, Mujib's sycophants condoned and even celebrated the carnage to appease Mushtaq, the new patron at the Bangabhaban. With a view to currying favour with Sheikh Hasina, making fools of themselves, they are now singing an altogether different song. Most analysts believe that Mujib's alienation from the urban middle classes and intellectuals finally led to his tragic end. In sum, one may welcome the verdict as a major positive step towards justice; a bold departure from the path of condoning extra-judicial killing is nevertheless an auspicious beginning. Bangladesh has reasons to be happy about the verdict. However, nothing could be more hackneyed than assuming that without addressing the issue of extra-judicial killings in the past and the ongoing Draconian "cross-firing", the verdict alone is going to bring peace and progress in Bangladesh.

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[ALOCHONA] Rehman Sobhan on Grameen Bank

The Need for Statesmanship-Rehman Sobhan March 15, 2011

Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS.
Tags: Dr. Muhammad Yunus, Grameen, Rehman Sobhan, Sk. Hasina
trackback Rehman Sobhan, the Chairman of Centre for Policy

Dialogue, a think tank for Bangladesh policy issues has presented a discourse that published in the Daily Star on the present complicacies related to Grameen and Dr. Yunus and has outlined a way out from the present situation for the consideration of the Prime Minister herself.
The article is worth reading. It is one of the finest on the issue. Following is the concluding part of the article:
From confrontation to statesmanship
'The spokespersons for the government, in their recent public pronouncements, have stated that the government has no political quarrel with Yunus. All they wanted to do was to preserve the rule of law. I would like to take these declarations on behalf of the government at their face value. If, indeed, the only issue was the rule of law then the principal deviation from the law, as cited in the Bangladesh Bank order, was the failure of the Grameen Bank to seek prior approval of the Bangladesh Bank in their reappointment of Yunus as managing director in 1999. The Bangladesh Bank raised this issue in its Annual Audit Report of Grameen Bank, which gave a full reply to the queries in the Report.
If the Grameen Bank's reply was at all problematic for Bangladesh Bank or the GoB, the Bangladesh Bank could easily have sent further notices to the Grameen Bank to formally correct such a legal anomaly. The Bangladesh Bank, during the tenure of three democratic governments, two caretaker governments and four governors who held office from 1999 to 2011, sent no further notices to Grameen Bank. This sustained silence by the Bangladesh Bank was quite reasonably interpreted by Grameen Bank as the acceptance of their response to Bangladesh Bank's audit report and the validation of the Board's decision on their continuation of Yunus's appointment as managing director.
Even today, there was nothing to prevent the Governor of the Bangladesh Bank from sending such a notice to Grameen Bank before seeking to remove Yunus from office. Grameen Bank could have explained its actions and/or it could have sought an approval for the continuance of the appointment of Yunus. The Bangladesh Bank could then have accorded its approval if it thought that Prof. Yunus was running the bank efficiently, based on positive reports of the Bangladesh Bank audits of Grameen Bank over the last 12 years. Why such a sensible step was not taken needs explanation. We are, consequently, witnessing these legal encounters which do not greatly enhance the credibility of our institutions of governance nor are they likely to resolve this needless crisis.
So where do we go from here? Given the historic role of Yunus to the development of Grameen Bank, the confidence he generates among its investors and the corporate asset value of his name, such observations as indicated by the finance minister or the Local Government Minister, Ashraful Islam or even by Yunus himself, of providing Yunus with an "honourable exit" from the Bank, appear to overlook the central issue, which is the well being of the Grameen Bank and the livelihood of its millions of members. About the last thing anyone with the best interests of the Bank and its 8 million members in mind, would want is the "exit," graceful or otherwise, of Yunus from Grameen Bank.
Any precipitate move to oust its founder could shake the confidence of its members in the Bank and expose it not just to a withdrawal of their savings but even a default on their debts. Such a run on Grameen Bank could have a contagion effect which could jeopardise the financial stability of other micro-finance institutions across the country. The relevant issue to be resolved is, therefore, not Yunus's exit but the terms and conditions which should govern his continuing role in Grameen Bank until he chooses to withdraw from any institutional involvements.
Under the prevailing circumstances what may be a sensible way forward? Prof. Yunus has already suggested such a path. At the age of 70 Yunus still has the energy and creativity of a young man. Even if he were to withdraw completely from Grameen Bank, he chairs a variety of Grameen branded institutions dedicated to serve the resource poor. He can mobilise millions of dollars from both international development agencies as well as Fortune 500 companies to partner any of these or further ventures he sets up. A person of his energy, reputation and fund raising capacity should, thus, be irrevocably bound to the Grameen Bank with hoops of steel and age should not be seen as a bar to his involvement.
Indeed, in Bangladesh as in many countries, age is no disqualification to discharging responsibility. Bangladesh's finance minister is 78 years old. Our planning minister is nearly 80 years old. Several of the ministers or ministerial level appointees serving the prime minister as advisors have either crossed or are approaching 70. The prime minister as well as the leader of the opposition have led their respective parties for 3 decades, longer than Yunus's tenure as Managing Director of Grameen Bank.
All these public figures should have long been retired if the attorney general's declaration in court, that 60 was a universal retirement age, would have been recognised. Fortunately, all the above figures appear to be in the prime of life, enjoy the confidence of their party and government and appear quite capable of carrying on as long as they are willing to do so. To, therefore, apply some arbitrary age limit to the active engagement of Yunus with an organisation he has created from nothing, is neither fair nor good business.
In point of fact, Yunus himself, has declared that he is no longer interested in managing the day to day affairs of an organisation as large as Grameen Bank. He has repeatedly stated he wants to step down and hand over the position of CEO to a professionally competent person, selected through a fair search procedure, who can command the confidence of the millions of members who own the Bank.
In order not to shake the confidence of the members in the continuity of the organisation and to retain the presence of their most valuable capital asset with the Bank, ideally Prof. Yunus should be invited to assume the Chairmanship of the Board of Grameen Bank. In this capacity his presence will perpetuate the global reach of the Bank and retain its access to the policymakers of Bangladesh and the world as well as to the financial community. This would greatly reassure the Bank's 8 million members that their most prized asset remains engaged with the organisation which embodies their livelihood and life's savings. Any reluctance to accept such a logical and constructive solution to this gratuitously destructive confrontation would indicate to the world that other variables, unrelated to the interests of Grameen Bank, are in play.
The person who should initiate this constructive conclusion to this regrettable and damaging episode in our history should be none other than the prime minister, who could hardly be insensitive to the concerns of the millions of women who own Grameen Bank or to the political consequences of their alienation. Nor could she be unaware of the domestic political and diplomatic capital so painfully accumulated by her, which is being squandered over an issue which is quite peripheral to her immediate political agenda.
The time has come for the prime minister to re-evaluate the politically costly advise being fed to her. She has already demonstrated her maturity and statesmanship in her decision to resile from her government's unwise decision, based again on poor advice, to take over Arial Beel. She should now decide to put this unsavoury as well as destructive episode over Grameen Bank behind her and move on.
This may be done through an invitation to Prof. Yunus to meet with her and the finance minister, where all the misgivings she may have accumulated about Grameen Bank and Prof. Yunus should be discussed in a spirit of constructive engagement. The prime minister should then personally invite Prof. Yunus to assume the Chair of the Board of Grameen Bank and for them to open a new chapter in the relations between the state and Grameen Bank. Under such a dispensation the search for a managing director of international stature should be initiated.
Within such a spirit of reconciliation, the prime minister should perceive Yunus not as her adversary, which he obviously cannot be as she is the democratically elected leader of the country, but as an asset in the building of a din bodol where poverty and injustice can be banished from Bangladesh. The measure of a leader is the ability to transform her perceived adversary into an ally. The measure of a statesman is a leader who can join hands with her adversary in building a better tomorrow for the generations to come.'
For the full article, please click
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=177696

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[ALOCHONA] Politicised Bangladesh judiciary

Highly politicised Bangladesh judiciary has become a real joke and a judicial killing machine to exterminate powerful political opponents: Awami League sycophant ministers contradicting each other while carrying out vindictive Hasina's order about the hanging of the 12 Bangladesh Army officers, who had been Hasina and India's most fierce political opponents: From Dhaka:Advocate Fatima Begum Phuljhari and Dr Misbah Zaman Patwary:12.01.10 The so called TRIAL of THE Mujib's killers has been a political trial from the very outset. The accused, well educated, well trained professional Bangladesh Army officers and Freedom Fighters fought along side Indian army for the separation of East Pakistan from West Pakistan. So on that score Awami League could not say they were not "PATRIOT", so called "WAR CRIMINALS" or they were "THE ENEMY OF THE STATE/"INDEPENDENCE"! Hence they were accused as the KILLER OF THE FATHER OF NATION", i,e the father of vindictive Hasina. And India reckons their presence (REMAINING ALIVE) would prevent Bangladesh fostering deeper and real friendship with India, paving the way for the formation of a future confederation of a secular India a secular Bangladesh. These influential army officers are the main impediment. And almost 35 years after Indian puppet Mujib's death these brave Bangladeshi army officers are to be exterminated. This is why Kangaroo court was set up and a political decision was imposed upon the already highly politicised judiciary. Attorney General of the Hasina government has admitted publicly that, WE KNOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AGAINST THE HANGING OF THE ACCUSED BUT FOR DEMOCRACY AND LAW AND ORDER TO PREVAIL IN BANGLADESH IT IS INCUMBENT THAT THE KILLERS ARE HANGED. ONCE THAT IS DONE THERE WOULD NOT BE ANY POLITICAL KILLING IN BANGLADESH! This time he contradicted other ministers who claimed " THE ENTIRE NATION WANTS TO SEE THE KILLERS ARE HANGED……!!! It is said by some NGOs working inside Bangladesh that, vindictive Hasina over one and half decade has spent poor Bangladeshi taxpayers $1.2bn just to take revenge of her father's killing! There were demand from the people to let them know over the last 14 years how much money she has spent over the case but she refused to answer! Poor Bengalis are starving, living under open sky in this severe winter, hospitals cannot cope with the increasing number of patients. Due to shortage of gas/electricity and water families cannot cook their meals, factories cannot function normally, broken bridges and road building cannot be carried out due to shortage of fund. And there are other pressing national issues that demand priority and immediate attention. Yet Hasina is bent upon taking revenge. She and her entire team of ministers and pro-indian media are baying for the blood of her Bengali Muslim political opponents. Mrs Hasina Wajid, the prime minister has said time and again that she did not want anything from the people. All she wants is their support to see the killers of my fathers are hanged. This is the only reason, she said she entered into politics. To raise peoples religious sentiment and stimulate the ordinary party supporters she said, " IF MY FATHERS KILLERS ARE NOT HANGED MY FATHERS SOUL WOULD NOT GET PEACE(SALVATION). It is kufri to say so but her hired official ulema, half educated bunch of village Mullahs even did not or could not protest. Remaining silent at the Violation of the Islamic Sharia injunction by the Awami League they allowed and supported the ruling Awami party to erect Mujib's stone statues, did not prevent garlanding these statues and in Hindu style sprinkling holy water (GULAB JOL) over the statues. Some ignorant, uneducated sycophants even touch two feet of Mujib statues by their both hands, seeking blessing. Absolute polytheism! But again, the hired official small gang of Awami "Ulema" remained silent!!! And again Hasina has the audacity to inquire " WHY THEY ( her political opponents) MIX UP POLITICS WITH RELIGION"!!! ------------------- Hasina's Awami League Ministers contradicting each other. HIGHLY POLITICISED BANGLA JUDICIARY HAS BECOME A REAL JOKE AND A JUDICIAL KILLING MACHINE OF THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR BITTEREST POLITICAL OPPONENTS. Chief Justice was (promoted overnight ignoring seniority and ability) because he obeyed the order and passed the verdict that 12 Bangla Army Officers ( all Muslims) are to be hanged! He got instant reward! He has not to wait even 7 days for his reward. It was almost instant! This tells about the corruption of Bangla Judiciary that is organic.He, as Chief Justice could not write the 450 odd pages verdict in correct English. There are not only spelling mistakes but grammatical mistakes as well. THAT SPEAKS FOR HIS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT!!! What a shame!!! (We have obtained a copy of the verdict) An incompetent, inexperienced State Counsel Anisul Hoq said, "There was no problem in running the both mercy and review petitions simultaneously". He was asked how the authorities could force the condemned prisoners to sign MERCY PETITION to the president of the state before they submit the application for a REVIEW (of the verdict)? It was pointed to him that in this kind of trial MERCY PETITION is the last ACT! But a very arrogant and vain-glorious Law Minister Mr Shafiqur Rahman earlier said, " The accused had no chance of getting any mercy. Yet the Attorney Said, " The two who did not ask for mercy can still do so" (after the expiry of time limit of 7 days!!) Again the Law minister intervened . He said, "There would not be any mercy because the crime was horrible....... (THATS MEAN WE HAVE ALREADY DECIDED TO KILL THE ACCUSED!!!) Law minister first said, "They are obliged to submit mercy petition in 7 days time if they want". Then he said, "Review wouldn't alter the verdict." ( How did he know?) Already decided, is not it?- Attorney said, "their counsel said they would ask for the review". Law minister then changed his earlier version and said, " Review and mercy petition can go simultaneously"!!- Anglo Saxon colonial Judicial system and custom that operate in Bangladesh say: REVIEW COMES FIRST. AFTER HEARING THE REVIEW IF THE ACCUSED PERSONS VERDICTS STAND THEN HE/THEY MAY MAKE MERCY PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT" But in this case to prove guilty the accused were forced to sign MERCEY petition. But Bangla judiciary, run by the half educated, inexperienced party supporters seldom abide by the rule as it is. Jillur Rahman, before he was crowned as President of Bangladesh nearly 79 times, over the lasdt 35 years demanded at public meetings that the accused must be hanged! What mercy this person would or could show? In this highly political case the silence of the other political parties (most of whom are the beneficiaries of the successful coup of 1975 that toppled Mujib's oppressive rule) is not only surprising but a it is reflection of Bengali character Of sheer opportunism! If the Awami League can get their first batch of 12 prominent political opponents hanged then there is no guarantee that Hasina's party would not do the same to her other political opponents. Her father did so. And that expedited his departure from the political scene of Muslim Bangladesh. From the very outset this party has been the party of the goons and killers! Their most heinous kill was the murder of the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament in 1956. How can one person (Eye witness) saw the killing of Kamal, Mujib's son, Mujib himself and later on his younger son Russel staying in front of the killer? WAS THE KILLER SO STUPID NOT TO KILL THE EYEWITNESS (WHO WAS ARMED) TO ELIMINATE THE "EYE-WITNESS"? And WHY THE EYE WITNESS DID NOT DEFEND THE VICTIMS? THERE ARE MANY anomaly and contradiction. Falsification and editing have gone to the witness statements records, almost 35 years after the event. It was proved that some of the accused were not present at the scene at the time but still they got the same death sentence. And while the hearing was going on Law Minister, his Deputy, Home Minister, Deputy leader of the Awami League Parliament, state counsel, Attorney and other minister and the section of the media were addressing public meeting and also inside the parliament reiterated time and again that THE ACCUSED WOULD BE HANGED, WE SHALL KEEP OUR PROMISE" Was it not an open interference to the trial and an intimidation to the judges "TO DO AS YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD"??? How could the "EYE-WITNESS" remember and describe the event exactly, almost word by word after long 35 years? His strong memory was challenged in the Kangaroo court by the defence counsel but the Judge (now promoted to CHIEF Justice) did not allow the defence counsel to press on this vital point! One of the 12 accused is dead but his name is still there. This and the other points mentioned above proved beyond doubt that it was a miscarriage of justice, a political vendetta that needs retrial. And all the justice loving people should demand a fresh trial. Where is the allowance for the accused that spent already 14 years in jail? We are bound to say, THIS WOUND WOULD NOT HEAL. Mujib unlike Gandhi, Indira, Rajib Gandhi died because of political revolution that reshaped the nation. It was not at all a CONSPIRACY TO KILL.Even before anyone entered Mujib's house who started firing from the house outside? Why the "EYE WITNESS TELL US ANYTHING ABOUT THAT SHOOTING?This has never been explained orsolved. AND WHY THE OFFSPRING OF THE ACCUSED AND CLOSE RELATIVES ARE STILL IN DUNGEON WITHOUT ANY CHARGE OR TRIAL? Bangladesh has really become a COUNTRY OF THE MOGS!! And its heading for another bloody civil war. Arrogant, vindictive Hasina has contemptuously refused Amnesty International, Civil Rights Organisations and other human Rights organisations request to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment.---
[ Advocate Shahidul Islam has also contributed to this article] --------------------

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[ALOCHONA] India, the Water Terrorist and SAARC

India, the Water Terrorist and SAARC

16th SAARC summit was held at Thimpu, capital of Bhutan from April 28 -29, 2010. People of the participant countries are looking towards their leaders for establishment of regional peace in this highly adverse security environment. They feel that future of their new generation has become highly insecure due to poverty, continuous deteriorating living environment, terrorism and major regional conflicts like territorial and water issues that has brought the region to the brink of a major disaster, the nuclear war. Let's hope that this time our leaders find some solutions to resolve Kashmir issue, water issue, and Bangladesh border clash with India and Nepal Energy crises, Afghanistan problem and other bilateral matters for lessening our worries for the betterment of our future. Without resolving these major issues initiatives like 'Aman Ki Asha' nothing more than hypocrisy.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nation mentioned in its report that rural poverty and food insecurity has been intensified and is showing downward trend all over the world. Developing countries within the Asia-Pacific region represent more than half of the world population. Today, a total of 3.7 billion out of 6.3 billion people in 2000, which continued to grow at 1.4% per year (1990-2000) and slowing down to 0.7% per year in 2020-2025 live in this region. The population in urban areas will increase from 37% to 51% during the same period. The report further reveals that majority of the worlds poor live in this region, about 829 million out of a world total of 1.2 billion, living on an average of just one dollar a day.
An alarming aspect of under discussion issue is that despite having maximum manpower, natural resources and all weather pieces of land, why Asian countries failed to bring Green Revolution. The answer is simple, the expansionist designs of India that does not allow its neighbours to settle down and concentrate inwards. New Delhi never realized that her wishful thinking of attaining supremacy and capturing natural resources is pushing the region into war. She has forgotten that hunger is the only factor which changes the human characteristics. It gave birth to the world terrorism too. Here, in the region, if we have the highest peak, the Mount Everest the poverty is also matching in the same dimension. Most of the governments in south Asian region cannot maintain even daily necessities of their nations. Pakistan and Bangladesh have been directly threatened by chocking their water resources; Bangladesh may not be able to react militarily but Pakistan can hit back and hit hard.
Nepal, with which India entered into an agreement to supply power if Nepal allowed her to build hydel projects over its rivers. After having built the projects, India has turned the power supplies off to further squeeze Nepal. Who can trust India? Only a fool or who has no option to walk away from her.
India has added a new dimension to the war philosophy by using water as an instrument of war. It is also worth mentioning here that India is the only country which is having conflicts with its bordering countries while all others in the world want peace at their borders. She is constructing more than 300 dams to interlink her rivers. Out of these 71 dams are being constructed in Indian Occupied Kashmir alone, which defiantly is provoking Pakistan. She has the intentions of converting her neighbours land into ruins and deserts through inundation and trickling of water. In this regard her actions speak that she is emerging as a "Water Terrorist" in the world. New Delhi has planned number of barrages and dames by violating international water pacts. Now, it's the talk of the region that future war would be on water issue because none of the country will like to become barren as result of Water terrorism. Therefore, it is evident from the prevailing environment that if world community failed to control water grabber then insecurity of food would be the core issue of future Asia and would prove fatal for the world peace.
It is further emphasized that Agriculture sector is expected to continue to play the central role in achieving sustainable food security and poverty alleviation through increasing the food production, improving productivity and quality, expanding non-farm employment and enhancing trade and overall capital formation. But, the increase in capital is only possible if water resources shall be available to the countries. But unfortunately the major supporting element of future development revolves around Water. Unavailability or shortage of water might lead into environmental degradation, erosion of top soils, and depletion of soil fertility, pollution, starvation and low production of food.
The third word countries that are already suffering from depleted economies have to do something for their survival. The numbers of water issues of South Asian countries though have been taken up on various international fora but are still unresolved or pending due to disinclination attitude of India towards in execution of already concluded International Pacts.
Indus Basin Water Treaty between India and Pakistan 1960, Indo-Bangladesh water dispute over the Farakka Barrage (The Ganges Water Treaty) and the Indo-Nepal dispute over the Mahakali River are the glaring ones and endangering to the regional peace. It is notable here that India always used water as tool against Pakistan Nepal and Bangladesh. The Indian rulers exploit this natural resource through blocking the flow of rivers which originate from the Indian controlled territories and claiming their rights of using Nepalese Origin Rivers too.
It is also notable here that major water issue between two nuclear powers (India and Pakistan) is directly linked with the territorial dispute too. Pakistan and India have fought four wars over Kashmir. The sources three major rivers are located in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). India has started construction of dams and barrages over these rivers with the aim of destroying agriculture sector of Pakistan. According to the sources, India has also suggested Afghan government to construct dam over Kabul River which is the major water contributor to Indus. She has also offered her technical assistance to Afghanistan. Therefore it's a proven fact now that India will never be our trust worthy friend because of her mean nature. Her only aim is to create instability, destruction of Pakistan. Her ingress in Afghanistan is again questionable. She is using Afghan soil for fomenting terrorism in Pakistan.
Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal have tried to resolve their water issue with India. These countries also used SAARC platform to settle these long outstanding issues but some how on one pretext or other New Delhi showed her unwillingness in resolving the issue. India straightaway refused to come on
SAARC forum while saying that water dispute will be solved with Bangladesh and Nepal through tri-partite dialogues. In fact India is not interested to resolve the issues at all and will keep on avoiding the situation. Same situation is prevailing between Pakistan and India over water problem.
The reluctance of India in resolving basic issues is further depleting the regional security. In his regard probably, the political and military leadership of India have either failed to comprehend the real threat or deliberately causing insecurity for the completion of their hegemonic design. The ruling party of India is trying to corner the lonely Islamic nuclear power without realizing that Pakistan can not afford anymore conventional war with India. She must know that Pakistani nuclear programme is though very safe but off course in strong hands too. According to A Q khan Pakistan Nuclear Programme is of latest version and has edge over Indian nuclear programme too.
Pakistan has sufficient nuclear arsenals too. Careful analysis of current political and security environment dictates that future nuclear war would be on water issue. India must know that Pakistan can go for nuclear strike first, since it's the matter of her survival on the world map. To avoid this nuclear war, we have to establish, deliberate and redress the major water issues of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Present SAARC Summit is again providing the chance and forum our leaders to resolve the major regional issues
Author: Zaheerul Hassan

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[ALOCHONA] Operation Constitution

Operation Constitution

http://www.amardeshonline.com/img/news/Cartoon_21.jpg

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[ALOCHONA] Govt officials frustrated over contractual jobs

Govt officials frustrated over contractual jobs

Contractual appointments of retired bureaucrats and professionals in civil service have continued to obstruct promotion and posting of regular officials to a large number of key positions, causing frustration to aspirants.

Over two hundred retirees and outsiders have been appointed to different positions, including the posts of cabinet secretary, principal secretary, secretary to the Prime Minister's Office and ambassadors in last two years by Sheikh Hasina's administration.

Many officials believe that such practices open up ways for politicisation and favouritism in the public administration and stand in the way of promotion of the serving officials.

'The government has given contractual appointments mainly to some technical positions. And the number is not so large that it might frustrate others or block their promotions,' establishment secretary Iqbal Mahmud told New Age.

Cabinet secretary M Abdul Aziz, principal secretary Md Abdul Karim, secretary to the Prime Minister's Office Molla Waheeduzzaman, chairman of the National Board of Revenue Nasiruddin Ahmed, alternative executive director to the World Bank, Kazi Md Aminul Islam, rural development and cooperatives secretary Mihir Kanti Majumder, secretary to the statistics division Riti Ibrahim, Parjatan Corporation chairman Hemayetuddin Talukder and Tariff Commission chairman Mojibur Rahman are serving on contractual basis. All of them hold the rank of secretary.

Retired bureaucrats and professionals have also been appointed on contracts to various posts under different ministries in recent days.

The government on Wednesday appointed additional secretary Nepal Chandra Sarker, who was on leave preparatory to retirement, as secretary to the Information Commission on contractual basis for one year and contractual appointment of the chairman of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation Tulshi Das Mitra was extended for one year.

On March 13, contractual appointment of the Micro-credit Authority's vice-chairman Khandoker Mazharul Haque was extended by one year and associate professor of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hospital Dr Sunil Kumar Sarker, who was on leave preparatory to retirement, was appointed on contractual basis in the same post for one year.

Contractual appointment of retired major general Manjur Ahmed as director general of the National Security Intelligence has been extended by three years from March 19, 2011 or the date of joining.

On February 10, contractual appointment of Bangladesh Television's director general Kazi Abu Zafar Mohammad Hasan Siddique was extended by one year.

On January 10, Rajshahi Krishi Bank's managing director Pradip Kumar Dutta and Power Development Board's member (production) Md Mostafa Kamal were appointed on contractual basis for one year to their present positions and their LPR was cancelled. Contractual appointment of the Criminal Investigation Department's special superintendent Abdul Kahar Akand was extended by two years from January 12, 2011.

'Retired bureaucrats have been appointed to many top positions of civil bureaucracy blocking promotion process of eligible officials…Such appointments are causing frustration among the aspirants who are serving in the same positions [without promotion] for years,' a said senior bureaucrat preferring anonymity.

A retired cabinet secretary told New Age that contractual appointments always stood in the way of promotion of others causing frustration and resentment in bureaucracy. Such appointments, he said, should be confined to the technical posts only.

'Contractual appointments opens up ways for nepotism…The government should rather extend the age limit of the public servants to 60 years from 57 to create equal opportunity for everybody,' said former adviser to the caretaker government Dhiraj Kumar Nath, who is also a retired secretary.

Retired civil and military bureaucrats have been appointed in the top positions at various organizations, including Rajdhani Unnyan Kartripakkha, Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, National Security Intelligence, Bangladesh Television, Public Works Department, Directorate of Education Engineering, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, Tariff Commission and Bangladesh missions abroad.

Many senior assistant secretaries while talking to New Age on the issue expressed their grievances and frustration, saying they had been in service for around 20 years without promotion; whereas the government continued to fill up important positions in bureaucracy on contractual basis depriving many others of promotion to higher ranks.

AK Abdul Momen, chairman of the Economics and Business Administration at the Framingham State College in the United States, was appointed on a two-year contract as Bangladesh ambassador and permanent representative to the United Nations' headquarters in New York in August 2009.

The government earlier appointed retired army officers Manzur Ahmed on a two-year contract as director general of the National Security Intelligence, Zia Ahmed as chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and MM Iqbal as chairman of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation. Retired navy official Md Khorshed Alam was appointed as additional secretary to foreign ministry on contract.

Among the contractual appointees, former general manager of the now-defunct BTTB Mollick Sudhir Chandra was appointed as commissioner of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, industrialist Abdus Salam as chairman of Chittagong Development Authority and Kamal Lohani as director general of the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy with the status of additional secretary.

Abahani Club director Syed Shahed Reza has been appointed ambassador to Kuwait and retried additional chief engineer Nurul Huda as chairman of Rajdhani Unnyan Kartipakkha.

http://newagebd.com/newspaper1/frontpage/12274.html

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Saturday, March 19, 2011

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[ALOCHONA] Politicised Bangladesh judiciary

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[ALOCHONA] Operation Constitution

[ALOCHONA] Govt officials frustrated over contractual jobs

Govt officials frustrated over contractual jobs

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