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Govt to aid storm victims

Posted by bangladesh

The government has announced to provide food support for the victims of a storm that rolled through the southern districts on Wednesday.

Disaster Management Minister A H Mahmud Ali on Sunday told a conference at the Press Information Department that each victimised family will get 20 kilograms food grains a month for three months.

The government also allotted Tk 200,000 to build houses urgently in Bhola and Noakhali, he said.

More help will be provided to rehabilitate the victims of the storm, if they need, he added.

At least 27 people died in the storm. Many went missing and are yet to be found.

The government has launched an investigation to find out as to why the weathermen failed to forecast the storm.

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Govt brings in private sector to curb births

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The government has finally involved the private sector to increase the use of long-term and permanent methods of family planning in its effort to reach the 2016 target of two births per woman.

Health and Family Welfare Minister AFM Ruhal Haque inaugurated the initiative in Dhaka on Wednesday and hoped working 'hand in hand' with the private sector would make the methods popular.

Experts have long been pushing for promoting those clinical methods of family planning to protect pregnancies for Bangladeshi women, most of who complete childbearing in their twenties with two decades of reproductive life in hand.

Although more women are using birth control methods now than before, a key survey shows the use of long-acting and permanent methods remained stagnant with only 13 percent of all contraceptive use.

Latest Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) found 65 percent women do not want more children and the rate was 82 percent in couples having two children and 90 percent with three or more children. But only 8 percent use long-term or permanent methods.

USAID's Strengthening Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) project will lead the joint initiative to create markets with Social Marketing Company (SMC) and Mayer Hashi Project.

SMC will ensure supply of commodities at subsidised price initially in Dhaka and Chittagong's busy private facilities while SHOPS will train up doctors, mainly gynaecologists, to do the procedure.

SHOPS Regional Manager of Asia and Middle East Stephen Rahaim said they had assessed the private providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to these methods of contraception in Bangladesh.

The survey showed 97 percent doctors and nurses agreed to increase the role of private sector in such methods, but obstetricians and gynaecologists have never been trained.

Discussing with clients, the qualitative survey also found service providers do not counsel them to help in method selection.

A 'remarkably low' level of knowledge of method specific side-effects has also been found among obstetrics and gynaecologists, it said.

Rahaim said the survey findings would help them 'clear some of the barriers' in creating markets for long-acting and permanent methods � implant, intra-uterine devices (IDUs), and sterilisations.

SMC's Managing Director Ashfaq Rahman said they had 10, 000 IUDs to supply at a rate of Tk 30 each and 30,000 IUDs at Tk 20.

Additional Director General for Health Services Prof Abul Kalam Azad said the initiative would help promote those methods as nearly 80 percent people go to private facilities in Bangladesh.

A Director of Directorate General of Family Planning (DGFP) Dr Mohammad Sharif, however, told bdnews24.com that due to lack of initiatives, those methods did not expand to private facilities in Bangladesh

Bangladesh's total fertility rate has decreased to 2.3 in 2011 from 6.3 births per woman in 1975, according to DGFP.

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Govt opens up egg, chicks import

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The government on Sunday opened up the local market to import of eggs and one-day-old chicks to increase supply in an attempt to make them cheaper.

The Ministry of Commerce issued a circular saying importers will not need to secure the ministry's permission to buy eggs or chicks from abroad.

The move aims to meet growing consumer demand and rein in abnormal price hikes, the circular said.

It said eggs of hens, ducks and other birds can be imported without any restrictions until further notice.

At present, a dozen of eggs of hens and ducks is sold at Tk 120 in the local market.

On June 9, the government had decided to open up the local market until Jun 30 to import of eggs and chicks to meet up the growing demand during the Ramadan. The time was further extended to Aug 31.

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Govt moves to free overbridges of hawkers, billboards

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The government has moved to evict hawkers and remove banners, festoons, posters and billboards from footbridges and underpasses in Dhaka City to ensure safe roads.

The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives on Wednesday directed the authorities of Dhaka City Corporation (North) and Dhaka City Corporation (South) to remove banners, posters and festoons.

State Minister for Local Government Jahangir Kabir Nanak told bdnews24.com on the evening, "The chief executives of the two city corporations have been given directives. They've also informed me that on getting the directives, they asked the officials concerned to take measures to this effect."

The junior minister said the foot-over bridges encroached upon by hawkers make it difficult for the pedestrians to move on the bridge. Pedestrians avoid most of the foot-over bridges and underpasses since billboards and banners leave them dark. As a result, muggers, bag-snatchers and pickpockets enjoy thrive in those places.

According to the Local Government Division and the Dhaka City Corporations, there are currently 52 foot-over bridges in the city while eight more under construction.

Of the three foot-underpasses built in the busiest areas in the city to facilitate movement of pedestrians, barring the one in Karwan Bazar, the two others have become unusable. Security risk, shabby environment and dark underground path in the city subways discourage people from taking them.

Hawkers have taken their control of the two other foot-overpasses at Gabtoli and Gulistan. The makeshift shops installed by the hawkers and presence of beggars add to the sufferings of the daily commuters.

As both sides of most of the foot-over bridges in the city remain covered with billboards, banners, festoons and posters, hawkers occupy the foot-over bridges during the daytime and at night-time, muggers and prostitutes prowl around.

The government has not been fully successful in previous attempts to rid the foot-over bridges of banners and billboards.

Nanak said this time the government will strictly monitor the eviction drive begun from Wednesday.

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BNP preparing formula for non-party govt

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Main opposition BNP is preparing an outline of a non-party caretaker government based on the 13th Amendment of the Constitution to oversee the next general elections, a senior party leader said on Saturday.

The non-party caretaker government to oversee the national polls was annulled through the 15th amendment of the Constitution in June last year.

"The next general elections would have to be held under a non-party government. That's why we are preparing to present an outline for a non-party caretaker government based on the 13th amendment of the Constitution," Standing Committee member Moudud Ahmed said.

He said the draft outline would be made public and they would ask the government to implement it.

Moudud's remarks came on Saturday while he was speaking at a discussion at the National Press Club at the capital amidst row between the ruling coalition and the opposition over poll-time government.

The party decided to prepare the draft outline of non-party government on Jul 2 at the National Standing Committee meeting presided over by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Several newspapers had published reports, but Moudud is the first one from BNP to make any official comment on the issue.

BNP has been protesting against the scrapping of the non-party caretaker government provision and demanding its reinstatement. Even, BNP chief Khaleda Zia has ruled out Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent idea of an all-party poll-time government. But the Awami League led by Hasina is adverse to the idea of handing over power to an unelected administration.

Moudud on Saturday said, "Everyone lost faith on the present government for their actions. They have made the administration into a partisan one in such a way that it would not be possible to hold fair polls under this administration."

"That's why we have raised the demand for a non-party government," he added.

He said only a non-party government would not serve the purpose. "The whole administration must be changed. Unbiased officials have to be posted in the field level administration by changing the partisan DCs-SPs-UNOs-OCs."

Giving reasons for rejecting the Prime Minister's proposal to join the all-party interim government, the former law minister said, "To overcome the political crisis in 1996 former Australian Governor General Sir Ninian Stephen had proposed to form an interim government drawing five members each from the two parties and led by then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. Why Sheikh Hasina did rejected the idea then?"

"This party [Awami League] has no principle. They led demonstrations in 1996 demanding the caretaker government. They observed 173 days of general strike. And then they scrapped the system and added the provision to hold the elections under a partisan government," he added.

Even if an interim government was formed under the incumbent Prime Minister, it would not be possible to hold fair elections, Moudud claimed adding that BNP would go for tougher agitations to realise their demand non-party caretaker government after the Eid-ul-Fitr.

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Govt set to rein in baby food marketing

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Bangladesh is going to have a tougher law to tackle 'aggressive marketing' of baby food companies that overwhelm the proper feeding practices of under-2 children.

Health Minister A F M Ruhal Haque said on Tuesday, ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, that they would place the law in one of the Cabinet meetings in August.

The ministry started the process three years back to replace the 1984 Breastmilk Substitute Ordinance as experts suggested a strong law to support live-saving feeding practices in Bangladesh where nearly 50 percent children are malnourished.

Dr S K Roy, Chairperson of the Bangladesh Breastfeeding Foundation that helped the ministry to draft the law, told bdnews24.com that the draft prohibited promotions of breast milk substitutes at all level. "It will strengthen the punishment for violation as well."

He said companies would not be able to advertise their products for under-2 children in any medium including televisions and newspapers.

He said the draft law was of high international standards one and said if passed, it would make companies marketing under-2 powder milk or any supplement to write clearly in big letters in the middle of the container that 'this product is not germ free and there is no alternative to breast milk.'

Roy said healthcare professionals would not be able to attend any seminars at home or abroad sponsored by the milk companies.

"It will be regarded as a conflict of interest," he said, "there will be punishment for that."

The draft, he said, had been finalised after consulting with all relevant ministries and stakeholders including Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Law and Bangladesh Medical Association.

For first-time violation of the law, according to Roy, a company will be penalised Tk 0.50million with two years imprisonment. And for second offence "it will be five years rigorous imprisonment".

He said once the law is passed, a committee would be formed to clearly outline how it would be implemented. The law, however, is not clear about the punishment of doctors for violation.

"It only says proper punishment will be given," Roy said, "It will also be decided by the committee after finalising the law."

Chairperson Roy said a new law was imperative in Bangladesh as the 1984 ordinance based on the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (International BMS Code) did not include all provisions of the code.

If a country adopts a strong BMS code, it decreases the use of breast milk substitutes, he said. It happened in the Philippines where a strong regulation saw the use of infant formula milk fall from 57.5 percent in 1986 to 2.8 percent in 1988.

An analysis of the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics shows that baby food in the absence of breastfeeding costs a high portion of a family's financial resources –30 percent of the average household income (Tk 137,760).

Euromonitor International in 2008 projected global sale of baby food to grow by 37 percent to $ 11.5 billion to $ 42.7 billion from 2008 to 2013.

It also said almost two-thirds of this growth will come from Asia-Pacific, with China and Indonesia as the biggest contributors.

The preliminary results of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) shows 41 percent children in Bangladesh are too short for their age and 36 percent are underweight.

Experts say proper feeding practices of children under-2 are imperative to fight malnutrition in Bangladesh.

But the same survey showed only 21 percent families strictly follow the under-2 feeding practices that include start of breastfeeding within first hour of birth and exclusive continuation until six months of age.

Proper under-2 feeding practices also recommend giving homemade food on the seventh month and continuing with breastfeeding until two years of age.

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Govt waits for WB to review decision

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Terming World Bank's decision to cancel fund for the Padma bridge project 'unexpected' and 'disgraceful', Finance Minister AMA Muhith has urged the global lender to review its decision.

He came up with the government's official reaction to the decision at a press conference on Sunday, a day after WB announced its pullout from the project.

"What the World Bank has said in its statement (announcing its pullout decision) is 'unexpected' and 'disgraceful'," said Muhith.

"I think the World Bank should review its decision."

In a statement on Friday, the World Bank (WB) alleged that the government did not take any step despite being provided with 'credible evidence' to probe allegations of corruption in the bridge project.

Muhith said talks were going on with the Bank even though it had decided to withdraw from the project.

"The Executive Director of the project is holding talks with the World Bank. We will wait for their (WB) review of the decision," Muhith said.

"I will deliver a detailed speech on the issue in parliament tomorrow (on Monday)," he added.

The Finance Minister said he decided to address the press conference even before speaking in parliament since media had been running reports containing half-truths since the announcement of the Bank's decision.

"We made a combined effort to prevent any corruption in the project. So, the World Bank's claim is not acceptable and not correct," he said after presenting an account of the steps the government had initiated over the matter.

According to Muhith, the Bank's interest in funding the bridge project went on a slope after a Chinese Construction Company, which the WB was favouring, got disqualified during the selection of pre-qualified contractors following forgery by its Bengali representative.

"After that, World Bank approved selection of five pre-qualified contractors. But we think they (WB) started delaying the project...," Muhith said.

Later, in October last year, the Finance Minister suggested the global lender to separate the processes of investigation and project implementation, as implementation of the project had never been halted ever since the World Bank came up with the demand for investigation into seven specific corruption instances in the project. But it cut no ice with the global lending agency.

He said changes in the project leadership and the investigation Anti-Corruption Commission conducted into the charges also failed to satisfy the Bank. The government continued to hold talks, but the World Bank did not help out ACC with information.

"We did not intervene in these matters as they fall within the purview of the Commission," said Muhith.

A team of WB representatives was invited in June for holding talks with the Economic Affairs Division and ACC. Several letters were exchanged between the Bank and the government during the month over separating investigation from the process of project implementation, followed by another visit of another WB team at the end of the month.

During this visit, WB demanded the government to reach consensus on three points including signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with it and spelling out a Terms of Reference for involving a foreign adviser in ACC's activities.

Muhith said the government accepted even those conditions with some minor practical changes to strike a chord with WB, thus ruling out possibilities of corruption from the project.

"It is unexpected and mysterious why the World Bank has cancelled its contract and issued such a disgraceful note," he wondered.

The Finance Minister also provided the media letters exchanged between the government and WB saying they refrained from getting those published as the investigation was underway.

According to him, WB has so far funded 251 projects worth $16.8 billion since the country's Independence. Of the amount taken as loan, $14.5 billion are still unpaid.

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Govt to revisit phone bill tax plan

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Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Wednesday promised a rethink of the government proposal to levy 2 percent tax at source on mobile phone bills.

He came up with the assurance at a meeting with mobile phone operators at the Ministry of Finance.

Rabi's Executive Vice-President Mahmudur Rahman later told reporter, "We discussed five issues with the Finance Minister. The minister said he would look into those issues."

The representatives of the operators said at the meeting that the operators would not be able to issue receipts if 2 percent tax at source was slapped on mobile phone bills, as this would hurt subscription growth, he added.

The budget for next fiscal 2012-2013 that Muhith presented in parliament on June 7 proposes the tax on the total bill for post-paid subscribers and on the sale of top-up cards or during recharge in case of pre-paid users.

Currently, 90 million mobile-phone users across the country pay 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on bills, according to the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC).

Rahman said they were pumping huge money in subsidies. "If Tk 600 tax on each SIM card is waived, services can widen at the grassroots level. It can also help execute the government plan to build a digital Bangladesh."

"If the import tax and supplementary tax on SIM are increased from 20 percent to 30 percent in line with the proposed budget, it will impact the sector negatively.

"Besides, expenses will also rise if import tax on software for network development and other technologies is hiked from 3 percent to 30 percent."

Rahman, however, quoted the minister as saying in the meeting, "The proposal was made to help Bangladesh's software industry."

"But we informed him that software necessary for mobile phones are not made in Bangladesh," he added.

A finance ministry official, requesting anonymity, told  that Muhith said the government would reconsider the proposal to charge tax at source on mobile phone bill but not the one to reduce tax on SIM cards.

"There will be a decision to slap tax on phone bills of a specific amount and beyond, like Tk 200 and above," the official said.

Grameenphone CEO Tore Johnsen, Airtel CEO Chris Tobit, Banglalink Head of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Zakiul Islam and top officials of other mobile phone operators attended the meeting.

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Oppn gives govt time until Eid

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Opposition chief Khaleda Zia on Monday gave the government time until Eid-ul-Fitr to reinstate the provision for caretaker government or face tougher agitation.

The BNP chaiperson issued the fresh deadline at the 18-Party Alliance's rally after the opposition's June 10 ultimatum expired on Sunday.

Adressing the gathering, the leader of BNP that leads the coalition said they were not considering fresh agitation programmes, for now, so as to spare people of avoidable sufferings ahead of Ramadan.

Khaleda, who was widely expected to come up with tougher agitation programme with many of her coalition's senior leaders still in jail, announced mild protest programmes in the months of Jun and July instead.

However, programmes like countrywide shutdown and laying of siege would be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr, she announced from the rally held in front of the party's Naya Paltan headquarters on Monday.

People were expecting the opposition to go for tougher agitation as the three-month deadline BNP had given the government for reinstating the non-party caretaker government system expired on Sunday without evoking any response from the government.

On Mar 12, from a similar public rally, Khaleda had threatened that the opposition would not have any alternatives but to go for tougher movement if their demand was not met by June 10.

The situation wornsened – adding fuel to the public apprehension of violent political standoff – as the government instead of considering the demand, went tough on the opposition leaders, throwing many of them behind the bar.

"I want to tell the government, accept the demand of the non-party caretaker government ... Resolve the problem through dialogue this time. I hope the government will be wiser this time ... Otherwise, tougher agitation like countrywide shutdown will be announced after Eid-ul-Fitr," Khaleda warned at the rally.

Opposition leaders including BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and its Dhaka metropolitan unit's President Sadeq Hossain Khoka are still inside jail even after securing bails from the court.

The protest programmes announced for the next two months are rallies on Jun 17 and 24, and July 1 and 15. The rallies will be organised across the country to press the government to meet their demands including cancellation of false cases against opposition leaders and their release.

The rallies will also protest what the opposition termed an 'anti-people budget' and demand 'return' of party leader M Ilias Ali, bringing killers of journalists duo Sagar-Runi and Saudi diplomat to justice, and reining in prices of essentials, fertilisers, agriculture products and power.

Besides, rallies will also be held at all metros and district towns on July 8 protesting corruption and gas-power-water crisis, and memorandum will be submitted to deputy commissioners.

Earlier, from a rally at Naya Paltan on Sept 27, the opposition leader had announced road march programme towards Sylhet, Chapainababganj, Khulna and Chittagong to drum up public support to their demands.

After ending the road-march programme at Chittagong on Dec 9, the opposition had announced another programme titled "Dhaka Cholo".

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Govt flays Economist's 'poor journalism'

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The government has strongly protested two articles appearing recently in The Economist and expressed its doubts over the intention of the writers.

"We feel very sad to see a gradual deterioration of quality and objectivity in the articles appearing in your well-reputed magazine over the past few years, particularly with respect to Bangladesh," said a rejoinder of the foreign ministry issued on Saturday.

The London-based magazine published two articles - "Politics in Bangladesh: Banged about: The prime minister sets the country on a dangerous path" and "Bangladesh's toxic politics: Hello, Delhi: It is up to India to try to stop Sheikh Hasina ruining Bangladesh" – in its May 26 issue.

The rejoinder said the two articles not only reflected a high level of ignorance of the reporter(s) about today's Bangladesh but were also full of misinformation and inaccurate conclusions.

"The Economist, in these articles, also shows utter disrespect towards the people of Bangladesh as far as their capability and ingenuity to address national issues is concerned, and nakedly invites foreign intervention!"

One of the reports said Bangladesh had 170 million poor Muslim, reacting to which the foreign ministry rejoinder urged the weekly to check facts before publishing stories in the future.

"We urge your reporters to study the demographics of Bangladesh for future reporting," it said.

The rejoinder, quoting several well-known international personalities including US President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, said Bangladesh had made significant progress in the recent times.

President Obama has told Sheikh Hasina last year in New York: "…You and your government are doing an excellent job in empowering women and in countering terrorism."

The rejoinder stated that the articles on Bangladesh's domestic politics seemed to be favouring return of an undemocratic rule in the country.

"Accusing the government of murder and attack on activists and journalists — without providing a thread of proof — is a malicious act and a demonstration of truly poor journalism by The Economist," the foreign ministry protested.

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Govt has no control over police: Moudud

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In the wake of several incidents of police attack on journalists, senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed said on Wednesday the government lost control over the law enforcers.

"The State Minister for Home has asked journalists to stay away from police. Such remarks after the brutal behaviour of police prove that the government has no control over them," said Moudud, a BNP Standing Committee Member. "They (government) have failed to run the country."

State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku on Tuesday suggested journalists to keep safe distance from police when they are on duty to avoid any tussle with them.

"Many untoward incidents can be avoided if newsmen keep themselves away from police when they are on duty in a chaotic place," he said.

Moudud reacted over the remarks while placing wreaths on BNP founder Ziaur Rahman's grave at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar to mark his 31st death anniversary.

The BNP and its associate organisations, led by Chairperson Khaleda Zia, placed wreaths on the grave in the morning.

Moudud said Awami League did not believe in democracy.

"It was Ziaur Rahman who returned the country to the path of democracy from one-party rule in 1975," he said.

"Our leader Khaleda Zia gave democracy an institutional shape through the 12th Amendment of the Constitution. But the government has violated the people's right to vote by annulling the caretaker government system through the 15th Amendment," he added.

Moudud also reminded that Khaleda would announce fresh agitations from a rally in Dhaka on June 11 if the demand for restoring an election time caretaker government is not met by the June 10 deadline.

Asked what type of demonstration could be announced, Moudud said, "The programmes are yet to be finalised. It will be decided on June 9 or 10."

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Govt nods draft anti-water wastage law

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The cabinet approved in principle the draft Bangladesh Water Act, 2012 on Monday with a provision of maximum five-year jail term or Tk 5 million in fine or both for wasting water.

The draft act, prepared in light with the National Water Policy to give the policy a legal framework for better management and use of water resources, was passed in a meeting of the cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Cabinet Division Secretary Mosharraf Hossain Bhuyian told reporters.

The draft would be presented to the cabinet again for final clearance after vetting by the law ministry, he said.

It stipulates that those violating the law would be sentenced up to five years in jail or fined Tk 5 million or both, depending on the level of violation, he said.

It also proposes fixing price for 'extra' water used from any source for meeting basic requirements like irrigation or personal use, the secretary said.

The cabinet had sent back the draft to the National Water Resource Council for correction when it had been placed in August last year.

The then government passed the water policy in 1999.

"It (the act) will prevent people from wasting water. After implementation of the law, it will be possible to supply pure water to the people," Bhuyian said.

"Underground and ground water levels are decreasing due to wastage of water. It happens as there is no law to check the wastage," the secretary said.

"This is a bad omen for us. The risk of quake increases when the level of water decreases," he added.

According to the draft act, the price of water would be fixed depending on the quantity of water used, the secretary said. "No one will have to pay for water used in household or farming."

In line with the policy, the draft proposes to keep the price of water 'logically less' for poor or underprivileged people, he said.

The price would be higher in case of commercial or industrial use, he added.

Former Director-General of the Water Resources Planning Orgnaisation Mohammad Shahjahan said the draft proposes to form a special tribunal to prevent water pollution and retention of water resources.

"The tribunal will take steps to assess damage caused by wasting water, try the violators of the act and collect fines," he added

He said the price of water would be fixed to ensure government's control over water.

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Khaleda sets terms for talks with govt

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The opposition alliance can sit with the government if it agrees for a non-partisan poll-time government and if there is a clearly spelt out agenda, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said.

"I want to tell the government that we want to discuss. But before that the government will have to make a clear and written announcement on non-partisan and impartial government," she said at the end of a mass hunger strike organised by the BNP-led alliance at Mahanagar Natya Mancha in Gulistan.

"We won't sit for any discussion without any agenda," she added.

The strike ended after Khaleda received sherbet from the daughter of missing party leader M Ilias Ali.

Khaleda's statement was aimed at clarifying her and her party's stance in response to various quarters calling the two parties across the table to settle their disputes.

The hunger strike programme was announced to demand release of BNP's missing leader M Ilias Ali, withdrawal of cases against BNP leaders and reinstatement of non-party caretaker government for overseeing the national election.

"No matter how many changes the government brings to the constitution, passes laws … no election will be held in this country under Awami League," Khaleda said.

"Now the government is luring the opposition saying that the president will oversee the election," she said.

"But we want to make it clear that this president is a partisan president. [No election] under his supervision will be accepted," she said.

"The government will have to either meet the demand of non-partisan government or step down," she added.

According to the latest constitutional amendment the ruling party brought last year, the next general election can be held under a partisan government as the non-party caretaker government provision has been scrapped.

BNP has been demanding cancellation of the amendment to reinstate the system of non-party caretaker government.

The European Union and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently urged the political leaders for sitting in a dialogue to settle the issues through discussion.

During her hour-long speech, Khaleda threatened to continue with movement if their demand of non-partisan government is not met by Jun 10. She also threatened of launching intensified agitation if arrested BNP leaders are not released from jail.

"We won't have any alternatives but to enforce countrywide general strike," Khaleda said. She also criticised police harassment of the family of Ilias Ali by setting up close circuit TV cameras at their house.

She once again blamed the government and the law enforcers for kidnapping Ilias Ali.

Regarding the killing of Sagar Sarwar and Meherun Runi, she said, "The journalists had learned a lot of information regarding corruption in the government. They would have disclosed those outside the country, had they survived."

"The government itself helped their killers escape. The law enforcing agencies are unable to capture the killers as they have already left the country," she added.

The opposition chief claimed that a relative of the prime minister and a member of the cabinet are directly involved in the alleged corruption in the Padma bridge project.

She claimed that many of the ruling party lawmakers are laundering money as they are preparing to flee the country in future.

Regarding the recent appointment of VC at JU, she said, "A partisan professor has been appointed from another university flouting rules."

Some BNP activists who had not been seen in active politics for quite a long time for their controversial role during the last caretaker government also participated in the hunger strike programme.

Family members of the arrested BNP leaders also joined the strike.

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Govt miscalculated power demand: Muhith

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Finance Minister A M A Muhith has admitted that the government made a mistake in assessing the demand for power.

"We made the mistake in calculating the actual electricity demand," he told a pre-budget discussion at a city hotel on Tuesday. "When we estimated the demand to be 5,000MW, it stood 3,000MW ahead of that," he said.

"We had set a target to generate 7,000MW power within 2015. But now we will need to produce 9,000MW," the finance minister said.

Private TV channel Maasranga and the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries had jointly organised the discussion.

The government has been facing widespread criticism over the power crisis. Although 3,000MW has been added to the national power grid over the past three years of the Awami League-led government, load-shedding remains a recurring phenomenon on account of the demand exceeding the supply.

According to the Power Development Board, the country produced 5,100MW on Monday, while the demand on the day was 6,100MW.

'Agri subsidy to continue'

The finance minister said the amount of subsidy for the agriculture sector in the budget for 2012-2013 fiscal would remain the same as in the current budget.

"We'll have to give the agriculture sector Tk 60 billion by way of subsidy. It will remain unchanged in the next budget," he said.

Former Agriculture Advisor to the Caretaker Government C S Karim said, "Production will get affected if farmers do not get fair price for their produce. Its effect will be much more dangerous than that of power or fuel crisis."

He suggested the government not to export rice for now.

Inflation

Muhith also admitted that 'excessive' bank loans taken by the government had impacted inflation.

"It is right that we have taken lots of loan from banks. It impacts inflation," he said.

"But," he added, "inflation is basically caused due to hike in prices of fuel oil and other commodities in the international market."

He also talked of devaluation of taka against US dollar as one of the reasons pushing inflation.

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Govt irked over 'deal' reports, says a lie

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The home ministry has reacted sharply to reports appearing in a section of the media on a 'deal' reached between the government and the BNP to 'return' missing leader M Ilias Ali.

Dubbing the report baseless, a media statement on Monday said all-out efforts were being made by the law enforcing agencies to trace the BNP organising secretary.

Ilias' wife Tahsina Rushdir Luna was sincerely helping the law enforcers, the statement said.

"Instead of helping the government for an early recovery of the abducted leader," the note said, "the opposition is misleading people by making false and instigative remarks to provoke them."

About the report on Ilias, it said, "These reports even talked of some imaginary conditions for the release of Ilias, thus creating confusion among the people."

The reports were, in fact, aimed at thwarting the efforts to recover the victims, Ilias and driver of his car Ansar Ali, it added.

The home ministry also urged everyone to help speed up the recovery.

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Govt moves to seal fate of Destiny

Posted by bangladesh

The government is considering initiating action against Destiny-2000 Ltd 'to protect people from deception', finance minister A M A Muhith said on Saturday.

"A commission like the one on Jubok will be formed to bar assets transfer by such firms," Muhith told reporters at his office.

Muhith's remarks followed recent newspaper reports on 'illegal banking' by Destiny Group.

"Media reports on Destiny are alarming," he said. "The government can't keep sitting and watching the situation."

"Jubok couldn't transfer all assets as its properties were confiscated. This will help in compensating its clients to some extent. A similar commission will be formed to look into this (Destiny) case also," he said.

The minister informed that the finance and commerce ministries and other related departments have already started working to form the commission.

Jubo Karmasangsthan Society, better known as Jubok, was found indulging in illegal banking by a central bank investigation in July 2006. It was asked to repay Tk 1 billion it owed to its depositors.

Jubok was listed as a 'society' with the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies.

A few days back, the parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry had decided to request the finance minister and the central bank governor for action against Destiny 2000 Ltd-like multi-level marketing (MLM) companies.

Following the parliamentary watchdog's move, the Bangladesh Bank on Apr 1 issued a statement warning people against investing in unapproved banking institutions.

"It is to notify all that some institutions under various names are operating like banks in various districts across the country. They are collecting money from people by promising an abnormally higher rate of interest and profits," said the central bank statement.

62 REGISTERED MLM COMPANIES

On Mar 6 last year, then commerce minister Muhammad Faruk Khan had said there are 62 registered MLM companies operating in Bangladesh.

He had told parliament that only Destiny has 4.5 million clients and that other MLM companies have fewer clients. Another prominent MLM company is Unipay-2 U.

The government is 'disturbed' to see the media reports on Destiny, the finance minister said on Saturday.

Two weeks ago, the central bank sent a report on Destiny to the finance ministry. The report alleged that Destiny-2000 is conducting illegal banking.

LAW ON MLM COMPANIES

Muhith went on to say the government has taken steps to formulate a law to bring MLM business under a legal framework.

The government took steps to formulate the law after clients of another prominent MLM company, Unipay-2 U, took to the streets in 2010 following allegations of deception by the company.

A commerce ministry official, requesting anonymity, told that they have already finalised a draft of the law but could not it present before the cabinet due to some objections by the public administration ministry.

"The draft proposes to form a directorate and appoint staff there. But the public administration ministry is not giving its clearance to the manpower recruitment clause. So, the draft hasn't been presented to the cabinet," he said.

JUBOK CLIENTS YET TO BE PAID BACK

Hapless clients of Jubok are yet to be repaid though six years have gone by since the MLM company was shut.

The central bank asked the company to stop illegal banking and pay back its depositors by March 2006. But as it failed to repay its clients within the stipulated time, the government shut its operations.

After the current government assumed office, a commission headed by former central bank governor Mohammed Farashuddin was formed to make proposals on Jubok and how to repay its clients.

The commission recommended selling off Jubok's assets to make the repayment and also suggested forming a permanent commission to keep a tab on such incidents.

Following the proposal, the government formed a permanent commission headed by former joint secretary Rafikul Islam. But the Jubok clients are yet to get their money back.

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Govt queried on law for old parents

Posted by bangladesh

Now a days many old parents are shock his/her children.The High Court has asked the government to explain within three weeks why it should not be directed to enact a law making it mandatory for the children to bear the maintenance cost of their parents in old age.

The vacation bench of justices Mohammad Anwarul Haque and Mohammad Khasruzzaman passed the order on Wednesday after primary hearing on a writ petition.

The law secretary and the social welfare secretary have been made respondents to the rule.

Abdul Jahid Mukul, founding president of Gazipur Adult Rehabilitation Centre, filed the writ petition seeking the High Court directive to the government to enact a law so that old parents can claim their maintenance costs from their children.

Advocate Fariduzzaman Farhad stood for the petitioner while deputy attorney general Rajik Al Jalil represented the state.

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Govt won't allow BNP rally

Posted by bangladesh

he home minister has claimed that the main opposition's Mar 12 rally in Dhaka is aimed at 'saving war criminals', so the government will 'thwart' the bid 'peacefully.'

"They (BNP) will not succeed at any cost," Shahara Khatun, also a ruling Awami League's presidium member, vowed while speaking at a massive human chain programme organised by the 14-party Grand Alliance on Tuesday.

The human chain, stretching from one end of the capital to the other, was formed to protest what they called "conspiracy to foil war crimes trial and throttle democracy".

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia declared the programme 'to topple the government' from a rally at Chittagong on Jan 9.

Joining hands around 3pm, the ruling coalition supporters formed the chain from Gabtoli to Jatrabari, lasting over an hour.

It stretched through Shyamoli, Asad Gate, Russell Square, Panthapath, Karwan Bazar, Shahbagh, National Press Club, Noor Hossain Square, Gulistan, Tikatuli and Sayedabad.

"BNP declared the Mar 12 programme to save war criminals. But, they will not succeed at any cost. On that day, our leaders and activists will peacefully keep them [the opposition] off the streets," Shahara said taking part in the programme at Gabtoli.

Syed Ashraful Islam, the LGRD minister and Awami League general secretary, had earlier announced the decision to form the 12-kilometre human chain between Gabtali bus terminal and Jatrabari crossing. The decision was taken at a meeting of the leaders of the 14-party alliance at the Awami League president's political office in Dhanmondi on Jan 29, he had said.

Ashraful had said that the human chain is an attempt to raise voice against a "conspiracy" at home and abroad to foil the trial of war criminals.

Among those who attended the meeting on Jan 29 were Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president Hasanul Haque Inu, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and party member Shirin Akther, Ganotantri Party leader Nurur Rahman Selim, Samyabadi Dal leader Harun Chowdhury and NAP leader Ismail Hossain.

An Awami League media release earlier in the said the party's leaders would take part in the human chain programme at different points of the city on Tuesday.

Former Jamaat-e-Islami chief Ghulam Azam, party's present chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, its secretary-general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed, central executive committee member Delwar Hossain Sayedee, and assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Quader Molla are facing charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed during the 1971 war.

They are all currently behind bars.

Facing similar charges, senior BNP leader Salauddin Quader Chowdhury is also in jail, pending trial, while former member of late president Ziaur Rahman's cabinet Abdul Alim is out on conditional bail.

The government formed the International Crimes Tribunal, lawyers' panel and an investigation committee on Mar 25 last year to try those involved in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War.

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Hasina rules out Khaleda talks

Posted by methun


Prime minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out a dialogue with her arch political rival Khaleda Zia.

She thinks that the people of the country will not support BNP which Khaleda heads.

Hasina claimed the main opposition will never succeed in its agitation to unseat her government. "The people of the country will not stand up for corrupt people. So, they (BNP) won't be able to impede the country's development and progress."

She urged the opposition to not make the people suffer in the name of protest.

About the reason behind her refusal to sit with Khaleda, she said, "The BNP leader has only one demand now — release of her corrupt sons. Also, [she wants] a stop to war crimes trial and withdrawal of cases of corruption and laundering money abroad. The purpose of their protests is identical."

"So, I don't think there discussions with them will do any good."

The prime minister was speaking to the press at the permanent mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations in New York on Saturday.

'EVERYONE WILL JOIN ELECTIONS'

Hasina recalled the series of incidents that had taken place after the Jan 11, 2007 changeover.

"People's constitutional right was restored after many struggles once again this time. Everyone will have to be alert so that none will be able to take away the right in future," she said.

In reply to a question about Khaleda's remark that BNP will not join any election without caretaker government overseeing it, she said, "Election will be held in the country when the time comes and every party will take part in the election."

"The Election Commission is working independently. The government never interferes with the commission's work. The party that will get people's vote will come to power," Hasina said.

The caretaker government system was cancelled by the 15th Amendment to the constitution passed in parliament on June 30 following a Supreme Court verdict.

BNP has been protesting the move and saying that it will not participate in any election without caretaker government.

Hasina said the government had taken a policy of zero-tolerance towards militancy and added, "BNP-Jamaat alliance government had turned Bangladesh into a terrorist country."

US first lady Michelle Obama wanted to know about Bangladesh and expressed her eagerness to visit the country during the dinner she hosted, Hasina said.

She also said she was trying to relaunch Bangladesh Biman's Dhaka-New York flight.

MORE ACTIVE UN

The prime minister said, "The UN's job is not limited to establishing peace now. We want to see the UN as a more active organisation."

She said she thought peace would be established if the 'peace-centric development model' she presented at the UN General Assembly was implemented.

TEESTA DEAL

About Bangladesh-India relations, Hasina said, "Friendly relationship between the countries remains unchanged. Discussions to share water of 54 common rivers are on-oing."

"It needs time to decide which country will get how much water [of the Teesta river]. We are discussing whether an interim deal can be signed."

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