Remove Buet VC: Dr Kamal, B Chy

In this undated file photo, eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain and Bikalpa Dhara President Dr Badruddoza Chowdhury attend a programme.

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

Eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain and Bikalpa Dhara President Dr Badruddoza Chowdhury on Monday called upon the prime minister to remove the Buet vice-chancellor immediately.

“I want to inform you that I’m going to disappear soon for my stand against the Buet VC,” Kamal told reporters at a discussion at the National Press Club in the city.

He also threatened to stage sit-in in front of the prime minister’s official residence Gono Bhaban to realize the demand.

He came up with the demands a day after the government removed pro-VC Prof Habibur Rahman amid months of agitation by the teacher and students of the university.

Krishak Sramik Janata League President Kader Siddique was also attended the meeting.

BCL hurts 10 JCD leaders at DU

Bangladesh Chhatra League activists beat up a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal activist on Dhaka University campus on Monday noon. Photo: Palash Khan

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

At least ten leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal were injured in an attack by the activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Dhaka University on Monday.

Around 400 BCL men equipped with sticks, hockey sticks and helmets attacked the newly formed committee leaders of JCD near the vice-chancellor’s office around 1:50pm.

A number of reporters and an assistant proctor of the university managed to quell the BCL men around 2:20pm and sent the critically injured JCD men to hospital.

The injured — Mahfuzur Rahman, Rokonul Islam Srabon, Mijan, Abbas, Mohsin and Shohagh — were admitted to different city hospitals.

The victims were waiting for other leaders of the newly formed committee as they had a schedule to meet with DU Vice-Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique at his office around 2:00pm.

In a press conference at National Press Club, the JCD leaders condemned the attack and demanded exemplary punishment to the attackers.

They also asked the university authorities to ensure co-existence of all the student organisations on the campus.

When contacted, the VC told The Daily Star that action would be taken after forming an inquiry committee if any incident of attack happened.

After abolishing the previous central committee, a new 201-member JCD committee was announced on September 4 with Abdul Qader Bhuiyan Jewel and Habibur Rashid Habib as its president and general secretary.

No escape route for Muhith: BNP

BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam speaks at a discussion at the National Press Club in the capital on Monday. Photo: Focus Bangla

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

Holding Finance Minister AMA Muhith responsible for all the financial grafts, including the Hall-Mark one, under this regime, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam

Alamgir on Monday said the minister will have no way to escape.

“He (Muhith) said he has been trying to quit for the last nine months. We would like to tell him… where will you flee? There’re mountains in the North, the Bay of Bengal in the South and 16 crores people in between the two. You won’t find any escape route and will have to be accountable for looting public money,” he told a discussion.

Student leaders of the 90s organised the discussion at the National Press Club, marking the 4th jail release day of BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Fakhrul apparently made the remarks in response to his criticism by Muhith.

Criticising the BNP leader for frequently demanding his resignation, the finance minister on Sunday said, “He (Fakhrul) always starts with that demand. He (Fakhrul) often makes false speeches….his style is how to present false speeches in a better way.”

Muhith also said he had wanted to quit nine months ago due to his health condition. “But, we can’t act according to our wish always.”

Reacting to the remarks, Fakhrul said the minister will have to take responsibility and answer to all questions for plundering thousands of crores of taka through the stockmarket, Destiny, quick rental power plants and Hallmark, and also for Padma bridge project graft.

Fakhrul expressed deep concern over a news item carried by a Canada based-online newspaper about a conspiracy to kill opposition chief Khaleda Zia. “There’s no scope to consider it lightly as a small matter.”

A vested quarter is hatching such a plot following The Times of India’s report that BNP may return to power as the popularity of Hasina’s government has been on the wane sharply, he said.

The BNP leader also alleged that those who had killed BNP founder and late president Ziaur Rahman are now trying to keep Tarique Rahman away from politics by implicating him in ‘false’ cases one after another.

AL leader shot dead in Narsingdi

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

A local leader of ruling Awami League was gunned down by some miscreants in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi early Monday.

The victim was identified as Dulal Bhandari, 45, president of Putia Union No 8 ward unit of Awami League and a resident of Kararchar village in Shibpur upazila.

Firoz-Al-Jalal, officer-in-charge of Shibpur Police Station, said some unidentified miscreants fired bullets on him and then stabbed him indiscriminately on the way to his home from Narsingdi town at about 12:00am, leaving him critically injured.

He was first rushed to Narsingdi Hospital and then shifted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries at Dhaka Medical College Hospital early Monday.

Family of the victim alleged that miscreants killed him over previous enmity.

NBR accepts Ctg C&F agents’ demand C&F agents’ strike rolls into 2nd day

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

National Board of Revenue on Monday has accepted the demands of Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) agents in Chittagong after a meeting with the protesters.

“We have accepted their six-point demand and hope that they will go back to work withdrawing the strike.” Farid Uddin, a member of NBR told to The Daily Star immediately after coming out of the meeting.

The three-member delegation held talks with the leaders and workers of the C&F Agents’ Association at Chittagong Customs House premises for hours to resolve the stalemate centering ‘excessive fines charged by the customs authorities’, reported our Chittagong correspondent.

The clearing and forwarding agents had been demonstrating from Sunday to protest the practice of randomly valuing goods by Chittagong customs officials, which are in violation of customs valuation rules.

Harassment of C&F agents by customs officials, damaging goods in the name of physical examination and punishment to an association leader for his protest against alleged corruption by officials, were the association’s some other gripes.

On the other hand, customs officials claimed the streamlining of the customs procedure introduced by the current regime to prevent irregularities in import and export activities, rubbed the association leaders the wrong way.

The association leaders were now demanding resignation or transfer of Chittagong Customs House Commissioner Maruful Islam.

Islam, however, denied all the allegations made against him and the administration.

The NBR team held the discussion with the representatives of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association’s (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufactures and Exporters Association (BKMEA), Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and the leaders of the Chittagong Custom C&F Agents’ Association.

Govt sets poverty reduction targets

The Daily Star, 10 September 2012

The government has targeted to reduce extreme poverty rate to 25 percent by 2013 and 15 percent by 2021 from the existing 31.5 percent through continual implementation of different poverty alleviation and social safety net programmes in a more effective way across the country.

To implement the target, the cabinet on Monday approved some suggestions of the Central Monitoring Committee on Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Net Programmes.

Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan placed a report on “Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Net Programmes” at the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Allocation for the programmes was 14.85 percent of the total budget in 2010-11FY under which a total of 99 programmes were implemented, the report says.

Mosharraf proposed a five-point recommendation to effectively implement the social safety net programmes and other initiatives to alleviate poverty in the country.

The recommendations are formation of a comprehensive social safety network strategy, prepare a database on the overall social safety net programmes and a list of the beneficiaries, increasing involvement of implementing organisations, evaluation of the programmes after a certain period, and expansion and implementation of school feeding and national nutrition programmes.

Briefing newsmen, the cabinet secretary said over 24.74 crore people are getting benefits from the social safety net programmes and the number of beneficiaries is higher than that of the total population of the country as some of them are getting benefits from more than one programmes.

With the implementation of the social safety net programmes, the maternal and infant mortality rates have come down, the prices of food grains become stable, enrolment, presence and pass percentage of children in schools have increased apart from increased farm output and food security, according to the findings of the report.

Besides, the reports says, the programme also helped solve famine like situation in the country’s northern region, enhance rural employments and improve the living standard of people, raise financial and social status of women and turn the youth into responsible, confident and skilled human resources.

US team due Tuesday for talks on Rohingyas

The Daily star, 10 September 2012

A US mission currently visiting the Rakhine state of Myanmar to see conditions of the Rohingyas in the post sectarian violence will arrive in Dhaka on Tuesday to discuss the US role in assisting the refugees.

Diplomatic sources said a fact-finding mission comprising four senior officials of the US Department of State went to Myanmar on September 8 and are expected to pay a three-day visit to Dhaka and Cox’s Bazar.

They are: Deputy Assistant Secretary for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Joseph Y Yun, Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Ms Alyssa Ayres, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration Kelly Clements, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Daniel Baer.

The team will hold talks with government officials and representatives of international organisations regarding the role of the US in helping improve the living conditions of the Rohingya refugees.

According to the programme schedule, US Ambassador in Dhaka Dan W Mozena will also accompany the visiting team during their inspection at the Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar.

Sources said the US team has discussed with Burmese government officials how to ensure long-term peace, security and humanitarian aid for the Rohingya population.

Besides, the mission intends to discuss the issue with diplomats of various countries to seek their suggestions for an effective solution to the Rohingya problems, foreign ministry sources said earlier.

In June, Rohingya Muslims were attacked by the Arakanese and Myanmarese Buddhists in the Rakhine state on the western Myanmar frontier. Officially, 80 people were killed, mostly Rohingyas, while 70,000 people were left homeless.

Countless Rohingya Muslims attempted to enter Bangladesh to escape persecution but most of them were pushed back by the Border Guard Bangladesh.

Industrial gas connections from next month : Tawfiq

The Financial Express, 10 September 2012

Prime Minister’s Energy Adviser Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury said Sunday that the government would resume providing new gas and electricity connections to industries from next month.

“We shall start giving new gas and electricity connections to industries from next month. But the consumers must have to be conservative while using energy”, he said.

The PM’s adviser also urged the consumers to get ready to pay more for electricity consumption and suggested efficient use of energy.

Mr Chowdhury was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar titled: “Coal-fired Power Plant: Bangladesh Perspective.”

Country’s apex trade body — the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) — organised the seminar at its conference room in the city.

State Minister for Power and Energy Muhammad Enamul Haque was the special guest at the seminar chaired by FBCCI President AK Azad.

Former adviser to the caretaker government and eminent businessman Syed Manzur Elahi, Energy Secretary Mohammad Mesbauddin, professors of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Dr Nurul Islam and Dr Ijaz Hossain, former Petrobangla director Maqbul-e-Elahi, eminent educationist Abdullah Abu Sayeed, Chief Executive of Bangladesh Environment Lawyers’ Association (BELA) Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Editor of Amader Arthonity Naymul Islam Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Power Secretary Abul Kalam Azad made the keynote presentation on the country’s power sector and future plan of coal-fired power plants.

Pointing to the country’s future energy requirement Mr Chowdhury stressed the need for setting up coal-fired power plants.

“To reduce environmental pollution we should utilise super critical technology in coal-fired power plants,” he said.

Pointing to the proposed 1,320 megawatts (mw) coal-fired power plant planned to be built under joint venture with India at Rampal in Bagerhat, Mr Chowdhury said the environmental impact assessment (EIA) is yet to be completed over the project.

The government is serious about the environmental issues and it will share its views with the stakeholders at an appropriate time, he said.

The government will move with the plant keeping in mind the environmental issues, he added.

Speaking at the seminar the environmentalists were critical of the proposed power plant at Rampal.

They said it would badly affect the environment especially the ecology of the Sundarbans.

Syed Manzur Elahi said the country requires providing due importance to smooth growth of the manufacturing industries for employment generation.

The manufacturing industries require energy, he said.

Mr Elahi urged the government to provide electricity at an affordable cost to small and medium enterprises and energy to big industries.

“There is no way to avoid the manufacturing sector,” he said. Otherwise the country would face consequences like those of Greece and the USA, which rely more on service sectors, Mr Elahi added.

He also suggested formulation of energy related policies as soon as possible to accelerate the country’s economic growth.

Energy Secretary Mesbauddin said the government has moved to build imported coal-based power plants as there are many unsettled issues relating to environment and extraction of coal from local mines.

The government is diversifying energy sources, he said.

“There should be a coal research institute before setting up coal-based power plants to determine the merits and demerits of using coal, the methodology of coalmining etc,” said Prof Nurul Islam.

Prof Ijaz Hossain said super critical technology is being used in the developed world to address the environmental issues in coal-fired power plants.

“We can also use the technology here in Bangladesh, if we are ready to bear the cost,” he added.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan said despite repeated appeals from environmentalists, the government did not provide any documents relating to the proposed Rampal power plant.

“So we have to make our comments on the basis of news published in the newspapers,” she said.

She censured the government for not preparing the coal policy yet.

Mass protest in Japan against US hybrid aircraft

New Age, 10 September 2012

Tens of thousands of people rallied on Japan’s southern island of Okinawa Sunday against the deployment of US Osprey military aircraft after a series of accidents elsewhere involving the planes.
Protesters demanded the United States and Japan immediately scrap plans to deploy 12 MV-22 Ospreys at the Futenma US base on Okinawa and shut down the Futenma base in the crowded city of Ginowan.
The turnout at the main rally was estimated by organisers at more than 100,000. Okinawan media put the number at ‘tens of thousands’.
‘We don’t want the Osprey, the world’s most dangerous aircraft’ read a placard at the mass rally at a seaside park near the base, according to television footage. ‘Osprey. No!’ said another.

India economy, democracy flounder after monsoon washout

New Age, 10 September 2012

A total impasse in India’s parliament is not only undermining the world’s biggest democracy but also deepening its economic woes as long-awaited reforms fall by the wayside.
A now familiar chorus of recriminations echoed around the grandiose circular chamber on Friday as the second of the three annual sessions ended in paralysis.
Faced with MPs from the main opposition BJP party shouting and waving papers, the parliamentary speaker called an end to proceedings shortly after midday.
The BJP has been demanding the resignation of beleaguered prime minister Manmohan Singh over a scandal involving the awarding of coal mining concessions in his first term as premier, which has come to be dubbed ‘Coalgate’.
Auditors say the concessions were handed out too cheaply and in a process that lacked transparency — heaping more embarrassment on the main ruling Congress party and Singh in particular who was in charge of the coal ministry at the time.
Once widely admired as the architect of reforms in the 1990s that transformed the Indian economy, Singh now finds his latest legislative plans thwarted at every turn.
In the latest ‘monsoon’ session which began on August 8, lawmakers spent just 25 out of a possible 120 hours considering legislation, according to PRS Legislative Research, a New Delhi-based independent study group.
Only four bills were cleared by both houses of parliament, despite as many as 30 being listed for consideration on issues such as pensions, land acquisition, tax reform and corruption.
‘The coal scandal has changed the entire political and economic complexion of the country,’ Arun Kumar, chairman of the Centre for Economic Studies and Planning in New Delhi, said.
‘The victim of this deadlock is the economy which has been stopped from getting back to growth,’ Kumar said adding that lawmakers had unanimously ignored their ‘real business’ which, is to ‘pass bills and introduce reforms’.
‘They are holding back India’s economic growth story.’
Singh, not normally known for his temper, made a rare outburst to reporters as he expressed his frustration on Friday afternoon outside parliament.
‘We take pride in the fact that since independence we are a practising, functioning democracy. What we have seen in this session is a total negation of that,’ said the 79-year-old Congress party veteran.
While few commentators believe the BJP really wants to force elections before the scheduled date in spring 2014, the Coalgate revelations have put further wind in their sails at a time when the economy is experiencing a sharp slowdown.
India’s economy grew by 5.5 per cent in the second quarter of the year against a figure of eight percent over the same period in 2011.
The BJP, a right-wing Hindu nationalist party which lost power in 2004, has been unapologetic about its wrecking tactics, saying the protests were necessary and that obstructing parliament was a legitimate measure.
‘We are fighting for a cause,’ Sushma Swaraj, the leader of the party in parliament, told reporters.