The New Nation - Internet Edition

BANGLADESH now stands at the crossroads where there is no other option but to establish democracy in all walks of life. Politics free from corruption under capable leadership could have transformed the country into a full-fledged democracy during the last 36 years since independence. But due to the absence of rule of law, rampant corruption and anarchy, involving politics of violence and extermination by political perpetrators who got away with impunity, prevented democracy from flourishing Democratic institutions could not be strengthened and values that help democracy to grow could not be inculcated in the political leaders. When corruption continues to prevail democracy tends to perish and without democracy no social and economic development is possible in the long run. Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed has reiterated that corruption destroyed democracy and the country. He said this while he was speaking to a section of the Bangladeshi expatriates in the US recently. Terming corruption an obstacle to democracy, he said that corruption must be checked for establishing democracy.

Near about four decades have passed since Bangladesh achieved independence. The birth of the country could have ushered in an era of democracy. But democracy failed to penetrate its roots and so, became weaker and weaker while corruption and political anarchy became more intensive and strong. Now the situation in the country is such that corruption has not only belittled Bangladesh's prestige internationally but also eaten into the very foundation of economic development of the country. Anarchy and lawlessness have developed to such an extent that top ranking statespersons indulged in rampant corruption and placed themselves above transparency and accountability. The situation deteriorated to such a serious and alarming proportion that rival political workers were killed in broad day light, all in the name of political struggle for so-called democracy. Those who were really in a position to establish democracy resorted to all those self-seeking pursuits. At present, Bangladesh has but one possible option before her: to go for democracy and development. In the present situation, democracy, among others, can save the country from the impending ruination. So, establishment of democracy has posed before the nation as a challenging task. But democracy cannot be consolidated until and unless the country is freed from the clutches of corruption. Eradication of corruption and establishment of democracy are actually two aspects of a single process - the first will prepare the ground for the latter, and vice versa.

Establishment of the independent Anti-Corruption Commission and the Election Commission are only the initial steps of the journey of a thousand miles. They, while very important and indispensable, are just a few steps to and the beginning of the institutionalisation of democracy. The state administration must be made transparent and available for public scrutiny. All statespersons, politicians and public servants, must be made accountable for their activities. It must be turned into a culture. Without these, democracy will be short-lived and distorted. There is a tendency to equate and limit democracy to elections. But past experiences showed that mere elections and constitutional provisions failed to guarantee sustainable democracy in Bangladesh. The holding of a free, fair and impartial election to the Parliament is not an end in itself; it is a means to that end. The process of establishment and consolidation of democracy must be pursued vigorously for this.

A FOUR trillion dollar lawsuit was filed in London against Britain for Indian Malaysians against alleged atrocities suffered by them during the colonial rule. Seeking one million pounds (two million dollars) compensation for each of the currently estimated two million Indian Malaysians, the suit was filed in early September by a Malaysian human rights lawyer Ponnusamy Waytha Moorthy. Many Indians were brought to Malaysia from southern India as indentured labour by the British, but their future generations 'were left high and dry' when the colonial power left the country, as Moorthy was quoted to have said. There have been segregation, discrimination, marginalisation and other abuses of Indian Malaysians, he alleged as reported by AFP news agency.

Ethnic Indians and Chinese are minority groups in Malaysia, whose 26 million population is predominantly Malay. The resource-rich country which won independence in 1957 from Britain, has blossomed into one of Southeast Asia's top economies. But Moorthy said 70 per cent of Indian Malaysians were poor, with many in the middle and upper classes of the community migrating overseas. The colossal suit reflects the years of pain, suffering, humiliation and discrimination that the Indian Malaysians were subjected to after they were brought in from their country of origin. The negligence and failure of the British 'in not entrenching the rights of the minority Indians in the Constitution' when they granted Malaysia independence has been mentioned. The plaintiff while filing the suit asked 'the British courts to declare the Malaysian Constitution null and void.' In this context, the Malaysian human rights lawyer talked about a bleak future for which he took this action of filing suit because they have been pushed to the wall. He stated that he had three months to serve notice of the court action on the named defendant, the British Foreign Secretary.

At least one British law firm was considering handling his case. Amnesty International's Washington-based Asia-Pacific Advocacy, in this regard, noted that the British colonial power had taken tens of thousands of Indians as labourers to various parts of the world. Among them were South Africa, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Fiji and Mauritius. And mostly taking of nationals as labourers from one colony to another was for its own economic interests to serve the purpose of the British Empire only. Alex Hailey's 'The Roots' reminds one of the tragic scenes how the British colonial masters enchained people and sent them as slaves from African colonies to America after they made the continent across the Atlantic colony for work and development in total defiance of human dignity and rights. India, a resourceful country, had been ruthlessly exploited by the colonial power during its rule of about 200 years. The Indian Sri Lankans, mostly Tamils, who were taken by the British colonial power for tea plantation in the adjacent areas of the island nation, are now engaged in conflict with the mainland people obviously with instigation from outside.

Dwijen Mallick

Climate change is not a possibility rather it is now a harsh reality for many of us. This is demonstrated through various recent extreme climatic events around the world such as recent prolonged and devastating floods in Bangladesh, India, China and in the UK; severe drought in Asia and Africa, extreme heat waves in central Europe (e.g., 48°c temperature in Hungary on 24 July 2007, which killed over 500 people there), devastating cyclones and tidal surges across the coasts. Climate change as a global environmental problem is the direct result of the burning of fossil fuel and wasteful consumption by the people in industrialised and rich countries but the people in developing and poor countries are the main victims of the impacts of climate change.

We cannot prevent the current trend of climate change (i.e., high temperature in the atmosphere, erratic rainfall and extreme weather conditions) and it will affect the basic elements of human life including food, water, health, fodder and fuel. The developing countries including Bangladesh are the most vulnerable to the adversities of climate change. According to a recent Times Magazine report, Bangladesh will be the second most vulnerable country to climate change impacts as the country has very least capacity to address the devastating impacts.

Bangladesh is already facing many of the harmful impacts of climate change due to its geophysical location, hydrological influence by erratic monsoon rainfall and changes in regional water flow patterns. The country faces too much water in monsoon causing floods and too little water in dry season. This situation will be aggravated in the warmer climate resulting in severe droughts and increasing floods. According to the recent IPCC report, Bangladesh will experience 1.0-104°c rise in temperature in 2030-2050. By 2100, the average rise of temperature would be 2.4°c. The recent events and evidences suggest that we cannot withstand the 0.6°c temperature rise of the past century. Any further rise in temperature will bring deadliest consequences for ecosystems, human and social systems. Experts say that sea-level rise due to climate change will inundate vast areas of coastal Bangladesh. It is predicted that for about 45 cm rise of sea level along Bangladesh coast may inundate 10-15% of the land by the year 2050 and may dislocate over 35 million people from the coastal districts. Bangladesh is a very highly densely populated country in the world. Where those people will go? Salinity intrusion in the coastal areas and river bank erosion across the country are already affecting the lives and livelihoods of the millions of poor and marginal people in Bangladesh.

The IPCC report also says that there would be drastic changes in rainfall patterns in the warmer climate. The country may experience 5-6% increase of rainfall by 2030, which may create frequent big and prolonged floods in Bangladesh. The country is facing drought in the northwestern region, which affects agriculture, food production, water resources and human health. The moderately drought affected areas will be turned into severely drought prone areas within next 20-30 years.

The rising temperature and erratic rainfall (heavy and low and untimely rainfall) and their associated extreme events like drought, salinity intrusion in coastal regions, flood, cyclone and tidal surges, etc. are affecting ecosystems, productivity of land, agriculture, food security, water availability and quality, health and livelihood of the common people living in various climatic zones of Bangladesh. Frequent crop failures due to floods and drought in central and northwest parts of the country have increased hunger and poverty. Thus, today's moderately poor will be extreme poor in future due to negative impacts of climate on their lives and livelihood, because the poor has least capacity to cope with the environmental, economic and social shocks. Sectoral development, poverty alleviation and achieving of MDGs will be affected by the climate impacts in the long run in Bangladesh.

There is higher rate of rural to urban migration in Bangladesh, because of endemic poverty and various social factors. This will be aggravated by the climate impacts. Thousands of poor are becoming environmental and climate refugees in Bangladesh and living in city slums in inhuman condition without basic amenities. They are also putting enormous pressures on urban infrastructure, economy and service delivery systems. This process will be further aggravated in the warmer climate and associated sea level rise in Bangladesh.

People in Bangladesh don't emit much C02 and GHG. The per capita annual GHG emission is very low here. According to the recent World Development Indicators (2006) report of the World Bank the per capita carbon emission from Bangladesh has been 0.3 Mt only, while these were 20.2 Mt and 9.2 Mt per capita for the USA and the UK. The global per capita consumption has been 4.0. Bangladesh emits quite below the global average and thus people of Bangladesh did not create the problem, but are the victims of the global climate problem.

It is the rich and developed countries who have to take major responsibilities to stop dangerous climate change by cutting carbon emission and helping the poor countries like Bangladesh to address the negative impacts. We have to build capacity at community, regional and national levels to mitigate climatic impacts as well as safeguard our people, their assets and livelihoods, development process of the country and the ecosystems. We need greater awareness about climate change and its impacts; collective actions among vulnerable community people and key actors; policy measures and institution capacity; and massive preparedness to tackle the devastating impacts of climate change.

Climate change is a problem of unequal economic growth, over consumption, production and environmental injustice. Development agencies, volunteering organisations and civil society groups can play a key role in influencing governments, people, private sectors, business, industries and other stakeholders to make decisions and changing behaviour and practices to save the planet, people and ecosystems by reducing GHG emission and avoiding wasteful consumption and luxury. At present, we cannot prevent climate change, but the poor countries have to protect them from the devastating climate impacts and meet their development needs (such as food, nutrition, education, health and basic services and securities, which arc threatened by the climate change). Freedom from hunger, injustice and political repression will be again threatened by climate change all over the world. No part of the planet is free from this great danger. Climate security is a global affair and climate change is an issue of global justice and must be addressed now.

So, we must act together promptly.

-BCAS Feature

Md. Masum Billah

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto returned home on October 18 after eight years in exile defying Al-Qaeda death threats but she met a suicidal bombing attack killing 138 people at the homecoming parade in Karachi which she called an ' attack on democracy.' Hundreds of thousands of supporters thronged at the airport to receive her but the jubilant turned into a scene of bloody carnage. crowd turned into a Bhutto commented, " The attack was not on me, the attack was on what I represent. It was an attack on democracy and it was an attack on the very unity and integrity of Pakistan.' she continues " if it means sacrificing our lives then we are prepared to risk our lives but we are not prepared to surrender our great nation to the militants. Benazir has pledged to stay in Pakistan to combat militancy and fight general election in January. The attack has cast doubt over Bhutto's previous plans to tour the country whipping up support ahead of the polls.

Pakistan witnessed its presidential election on October 06, 2007 with the victory of General Parvez Musharraf who bagged 252 votes out of 257 national assembly and senate votes. The election being controversial cannot claim itself to be a democratic one but Musharraf says "Democracy means majority whether there is opposition or no opposition." How much credibility does the election has when the opposition boycotted it and Parvez participated in the election with uniform. Musharraf a key ally of the USA 'war on terror' declared that he would step down as head of the powerful army by November15, 2007., provided that he is re-elected as president he has won the election but can be sworn in until he gets the hearing from the Supreme Court whether he has the legality to contest as the president wearing uniform. The court has postponed the official result until it has resolved appeals against his eligibility and the legality of vote itself.

Former judge Wajihddin Ahmed got two votes and Makhdoom Amin Fahim vice-chairman of former Benazir's Pakistan Peoples Party got none. In four provincial national assembly Musharraf got ninety-nine percent votes. In Lahore and Multan Musharraf supporters chanted slogans and distribute sweetmeats with no protest and or opposition means either people don't have any headache of the win or many of them have accepted the result or they didn't dare to talk against Musharraf supporters. The United States has closely observed the election process and gave cautious congratulations to the Pakistan nation. "Lieutenant General Ashfaq Kiyanih has been appointed as the chief of army staff-designate' which analysts say just to ensure that Musharraf himself might not be usurped as civilian president by any military intervention. The Prime Minister Sahawkat Aziz has termed the election as the victory of democracy and a historical incident in Pakistan. Is it really so?

Parvez Musharraf has witnessed two serious jolts since he took power in bloodless coup in 1999. The first one was the removal of the Chief Justice of Pakistan by Musharraf and the protest from all quarters against his rule.

Prseident Musharraf said that the political violence over the suspension of Pakistan Chief Justice was the result of a conspiracy to stroke ethnic tensions. Around 40 people were killed in Karachi on May 12 during country's worst ethnic clashes for two decades -the bloody climax to two monks of protests against the removal to top judge.About 3000 lawyers, opposition activists and civil rights campaigners gathered for about an hour in the centre of the eastern city of Lahore chanting, " Musharraf go" and calling for the restoration of democracy.

However, Musharraf had to bow down his head before the public demand and had to reinstate Ifteker Mohammad Sayeed. People hoped then that Pakistan was slowly moving towards democracy.

Then again Pakistan saw street protest, slogans, several killings and assault of the religious fanatics on women giving meaningful hints to the political analysts. Critics say it emanates from Musharraf's diplomacy to linger his stay in the office and bar on the coming home of two exiled prime ministers. Then again, the unlashing of religious fanatics holds two hidden objectives.

First one to muddle the political ground for staying in power and the second one to draw more fund in the name of subduing the Talibans from the USA. The USA pays Pakistan about one billion dollars a year for its participation in counterterrorism operations along the boarder with Afghanistan. The New York Times reported on its website.

Benazir has held moths of power-sharing talks with Musharraf but they stuck on a number of issues including her demand that politicians who served during her time in power should be given amnesty. A famous Bangladeshi columnist says "In politics everything is possible, if it is not based on principles.

Politics of course, is all about power. Power is a possession and like any possession, is determined to retain it. Power is the great treasure that you often cheated another to have especially through a military coup power made everything else possible. "Power is an addiction and a magnet and hardly anybody sacrifices it or shares it. Greed and power replaces principles of honesty and integrity."

The USA has quietly encouraged Musharraf and Benazir to work together to stop Pakistan fattening into the thrall of religious conservatives and prey to militants. Shafqat Mahmud a former minister turned political analyst said," of course, it depends on the elections and whether the election is fair and free and whether Benazir wins but obviously the agreement on this means that they will cooperate with each other."

Musharraf announced that he would shed his uniform if he would win in the presidential election. This announcement pacified those force which were still skeptical that the would retain his army role. He has until now argued that he needed to be in control of the army to oversee Pakistan' continuing fight against al-Qaeda and Taliban rebels holed up in the country's tribal areas bordering Afghanistan. It has again cast gloom whiter he is really giving up power. Again, on October 10, Musharraf urged Bhutto to postpone her return to Pakistan until after the Supreme Court rules on his own eligibility for a new five-year presidential term. " I would say she should not come before the court verdict" Musharraf says The court started hearing from October 17 and it is still continuing But Ashfaq Kyani was already sworn in as the chief of Pakistan Army indicating that Musharraf has got green signal from the Supreme court. Otherwise he would not have arranged Kyini's swearing in ceremony .

" This is the end of your show-Go Musharraf go,' the Lawmakers of Pakistan chanted slogans in the month of March in their bid to reinstate the chief justice of Pakistan who were sacked by Musharraf on a flimsy ground. The chief justice was reinstated but Musharraf is not going rather he is coming with more power and hold as he indicated to hold the reign of military even as a president in the name of national security. We will have to wait what the verdict comes from the Supreme Court and will it satisfy Musharraf? Will he accept the verdict if it goes against him? Or Pakistan is going see Martial Law again though Benazir vows to establish civilian rule in Pakistan sending the uniformed people to the barracks?

Md. Asraf Ali

VIOLENCE against women has turned quite heavy over the years and decades. This is so, despite the UN declaration on elimination of violence against women. The preventive and corrective measures against violence remain quite inadequate and ineffective. The incidents of domestic violence against women are considered as personal affair of the husband and the wife. Other members of the family and the neighbours normally avoid persuading husbands to stop violence against their wives.

Reports on domestic violence appear in the press from time to time. The UNFPA along with the Ain O Salish Kendra has reportedly conducted a survey on the incidents in Bangladesh. The incidents of violence against women in the Dhaka city have been noted in the survey. The reasons for taking violent action against wives, and other dependents including maidservants, are not recorded by family members and the official agencies including the police department. Some husbands insist upon payment of dowry by the parents of women and opt for penalising their wives for non payment of the same.

The incidents of violence against women including the murder of women by their husbands have increased over the years. This scenario is horrible and physical torture of women has increased. Some women have literally been killed by their husbands even in the presence of other members of the family and neighbours around. According to the findings of the UNFPA, 40 per cent of women fell victim to domestic violence in the capital city of Dhaka in Bangladesh, which is ranked as the fourth highest in violence against women.

The findings of the UNFPA and the Ain Salish Kendra have to be noted with care by all concerned. The prospect of safe living in the family environment has to be brought under necessary measures. The legal provisions for safety of women including wives in Bangladesh are inadequate. Newly married women are tortured and even murdered by their husbands for very many reasons including the non-payment of dowry. Some husbands also blame their wives for retaining contacts and relations with their friends including classmates in schools and colleges, before attacking their wives.

Murder of wives by husbands and their agents, physical assault on the ground of non-payment of dowry have increased. Throwing of acid on the face and the body of women have occurred frequently. Some husbands even stop supplying food to targeted women, who remain without food for days together. Others even induce their allies to go for sexual abuse of their wives. The details of violence against women are quite diverse. Families of the victims usually try to conceal the facts and a sort of a social taboo has appeared in the society at large.

That being so, the implications of UN declaration on elimination of violence against women have to be appreciated by the official agencies, social groups including agencies like the Ain O Shalish Kendra in Bangladesh and members of the family. The sufferings of affected wives have to be contained with necessary campaign against violence. If needed, the deals on dowry for marriage have to be placed in the fathom of illegality. Physical torture of wives has to be brought under legal action against the greedy husbands with necessary punishment. The realities in family life have to be brought under review by the community around and the administrative agencies in the country.