The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

After Nora Ali, another most talented Bangladeshi girl become 'Miss Asia.'

Nazia Khan was earlier crowned as 'Miss Bangladesh,' in a local peageant competition at Wichita University at Kansas in the United States early this year. She has again proved that Bangladeshis in the USA are not behind at all.

The 21-year-old Nazia Khan was crowned 'Miss Asia' with the highest scores in all six criteria in front of 6,000 audience on October 27 last. The final eight contestants were judged on poise, how they answered a variety of questions, and on their personal talent.

The name of the event was 'Asian Festival', the largest in the USA with more than 10,000 attendees every year. The 'Miss Asia' pageant is held in conjunction with the 27th annual Asian Festival, which featured foods, artwork, crafts and demonstrations of martial arts and dance from throughout Asia including Japan, China, Korea, India, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Taiwan, Philippines, and all the Middle Eastern countries.

The most amazing thing was all the other 8 contestants (final) were born and raised in the USA with an advantage of language, whereas, Miss Bangladesh is a foreign student from Bangladesh who has been in the USA only for three years attending Wichita State University, in Wichita, Kansas.

Despite the disadvantages, Nazia scored highest in all six sections, including the question-answer section. Nazia impressed the crowd and judges in attendance at Century II Convention Hall in front of 6,000 audience with her performance of the traditional "Bengali Kathak' dance, an intricate classical dance-form from Bangladesh. The next day she was big news on 'The Wichita Eagle' the main newspaper in Kansas as well as local television networks.

Nazia Khan competed October 27 night with other contestants from Wichita's Asian community. Others were: Theresa Meas, representing Cambodia; Li Qiao (Cindy) Huang, China; Priyanka Bhakta, India; Grace Cha, Korea; Dara Ounaphom, Laos; Primchanok Vongjumnong, Thailand; and Barbara Nguyen, Vietnam. Contestants were judged on poise, how they answered a variety of questions, and talent.

Nazia Khan was born and raised in Doha, Qatar where both of her parents reside. Her father Mr. Nazir, an electrical engineer, works for the Qatar government at 'Qatar Electricity,' and has been working there for 24 years. Despite his daughter being born and raised in Qatar, he made sure that his daughter is raised as a traditional Bengali girl and he succeeded.

Also a brilliant student, Nazia Khan passed her SSC and HSC both with GPA 5.0 fom Doha, Qatar under the Bangladesh school system. In September 2004 she was granted a US F1 Visa for Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas. Since then she has been attending the university and is a common face in the Wichita Asian and Bangladeshi community. She is heavily involved in community work and instructs traditional dance to local Bangladeshi kids. She is the current acting Cultural Secretary for 'Bangladesh Students Association' at Wichita State University.

Staff Reporter

A faction of Islamic Oikya Jote (IOJ) yesterday claimed that there were minimum 50 war criminals associated with Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.

Addressing a press conference in the city yesterday, Mesbahur Rahman Chowdhury, Chairman of IOJ, said he would place evidence of the heinous activities of Al-Badr forces if the state started prosecution of war criminals of 1971.

The Al-Badr was the paramilitary wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh that earned infamy for its collaboration with the Pakistan army against the Bengali nationalist movement in the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.

The group is blamed for organising the mass killings of Bengali civilians, religious and ethnic minorities. The group is identified as one of the leading perpetrators of the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities.

The present chief of the Jamaat, Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami has headed the Al-Badr organisation as the all-Pakistan Commander in Chief during the war. The group was banned by the independent government of Bangladesh, but most of its members had fled the country during and after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, which led to Bangladesh's independence.

Demanding the trial of war criminals, Chowdhury called upon the caretaker government to ban the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.

Opposing the demand of banning religion-based politics, the IOJ leader said it would be a mistake to consider Jamaat-e-Islami as a democratic political party.

Meanwhile, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Barrister Amir-Ul-Islam yesterday called upon the government to form a commission to investigate the crimes of war criminals.

"We propose to try the war criminals on the basis of the findings of the commission," he said while speaking at a discussion on "Jail Killing Day" organised jointly by Jatiya Ganatantrik League and Muktijoddha Palli Society at the office of National Front in the city yesterday.

With Muktijoddha Ainjibi Parishad president Advocate Khondaker Shamsul Alam Dudu in the chair, the discussion was also addressed by historian Sirajuddin Ahmed, National Front chairman Comrade Nurul Huq Mehedi, Muktijoddha Palli Society president AH Alamgir, secretary general Alamgir Sheikh, Jatiya Ganatantrik League president MA Jalil, Mokhlesur Rahman, ASM Mostofa Kamal, Mokhlesur Rahman, Paritosh Talukder, Sardar Ruhul Amin, Arun Sarkar Rana.

DU Correspondent

Dhaka University has been invited to attend the third meeting of the Secretary-General`s Global Colloquium of University Presidents as it is one of the 25 leading research universities of the world.

United Nations Secretary-General and the five New York-area universities are organising the meeting on "Global Climate Change." The meeting will be held on November 28 at New York University in New York City.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will join several sessions of the conference. Five New York area universities are sponsoring the conference. On behalf of Dhaka University Vice-chancellor Prof SMA Faiz along with Dean of Law Faculty Prof Dr Burhan Uddin will attend the meeting.

On hearing the news, DU VC said, "We have to be carefull so that nobody could campaign against the university."

This year's colloquium will focus on a topic of crucial importance to the United Nations and the international community: global climate change.

Ten years after the negotiation of the Kyoto Protocol, climate policy remains a pressing issue, in which international ideas, effort and cooperation are essential.

BSS, Chittagong

Steps are being taken for faster off-loading of a huge quantity of imported wheat from the ships awaiting at the outer anchorage of the Chittagong Port for a long time, in a bid to bring down the soaring prices of flour.

The army-led joint forces have taken the initiatives after being informed that over two lakh metric tons of wheat imported by private importers were stockpiled in more than 100 lighterage vessels and some mother vessels using those as 'floating warehouses'.

The quantity of wheat is going to be three lakh metric tons by November 8 next if Chittagong Port bound other wheat carrying mother vessels are arrived at the outer anchorage in the Bay of Bengal as per schedule.

After a meeting between some of the wheat importers and the joint forces over why such a huge quantity of wheat have been kept in the ships for a long time, the trade body leaders and joint forces officials told BSS that the reasons showed by the importers for not unloading the cargos were not convincing, rather it seems to be a deliberate attempt on their part to earn unusual profit by creating artificial crisis. Sources said had the consignments of wheat unloaded and supplied in the market timely the price of flour could not have been reached at present abnormal level.

Senior officials of the joint forces here held three separate meetings at Chittagong Cantonment at temporary office of joint forces at Halishahar in the city yesterday night and yesterday with leading wheat importers, trade body leaders, C & F agents, surveyors, shipping agents, private ghat owners to assume the actual situation and to find out the ways to immediately supply the huge quantity of wheat in the market by expediting unloading the wheats from the ships.

Staff Reporter

In order to keep the prices of liquid milk stable in the market, the government is contemplating formation of a National Dairy Board, LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal said yesterday.

"Three private companies have compelled us to increase the prices of Milk Vita by raising the prices of their brands of liquid milk suddenly and unexpectedly," he told reporters after attending a discussion organised in observance of the 36th National Cooperatives Day at Samabay Bhaban, Agargaon in the city yesterday morning.

"If we don't raise the price, the farmers will not supply milk to Milk Vita affecting its production. Instead, the farmers will tend to supply milk to those three companies which have already raised the prices of their liquid milk," he regretted. Anwarul Iqbal alleged that the three companies had constantly been increasing the prices of liquid milk. "The government cannot take any measure against these companies as there is no legal body to control the price hike," he said.

"There'll be rules and regulations in the market if a National Diary Board is created. There'll be no unhealthy competition in the market of liquid milk if such a National Dairy Board is existed. Liquid milk producing companies will have to take permission from the proposed National Dairy Board to raise the prices of their products," he said.

The three companies which raised the prices of liquid milk from November 1 are Aarong manufactured by Brac Dairy and Food Project, a sister concern of Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) headed by Fazle Hasan Abed, Pran by Pran Dairy Limited, a sister concern of Pran Group, headed by Maj Gen (Retd) Amjad Khan Chowdhury and RD Milk manufactured by Rangpur Dairy and Food Products Ltd. These companies have raised the prices of their liquid milk by Tk 4 to Tk 6 per litre from November 1. For example, one litre of Aarong brand milk was selling at Tk 38 till October 31, but it is now selling at Tk 42.

Sudden hike of the prices of liquid milk by the certain private milk producing companies has aggravated the sufferings of consumers.

UNB, Dhaka

Drawing attention of the international community to adverse impacts of climate change on Bangladesh, President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed has said the government is trying to combat and overcome the challenges posed by the changing climate, particularly natural calamity and the threat of sea level rise. "The government of Bangladesh is trying to combat and overcome challenges posed by climate change, particularly the threat of rise of sea level and atmospheric temperature and natural disaster in the form of floods, cyclones, storm surges and drought," he said in a speech at Ohio State University Friday.

A message received here Saturday said the President gave his speech on 'Bangladesh: Problem of Global Warming, Land Inundation and Arsenic Poisoning'.

He also said that the government and its organizations have created fruitful alliance with the civil society and NGOs and aims at balanced development of the nation.

In his keynote speech, the President highlighted the impact of climate change on the water resources of Bangladesh, which may impact on the future monsoon patterns with severe impacts upon agriculture, land use and availability of usable water, the adverse effects of arsenic contamination in people and products. He drew attention of the international community to the adverse impact of climate change in the form of desertification and salinazation of land in Bangladesh.

Staff Reporter

Visiting Member of the EU Parliament for London Robert Evans yesterday suggested the British government to relax immigration rule and visa regime for Bangladeshi workers for the British-Bangladeshi catering industry, which is suffering from lack of workforce.

"I think the British government should issue three to four years work permit for Bangladeshi skilled and unskilled workers instead of the present one year permit," he told a press conference at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel yesterday afternoon.

"One year is not enough time for a worker to do a job in a foreign land since every person needs at least one year to adjust to a foreign society and culture in addition to the time necessary for training," observed Evans, who is also the Chair of the South Asia Delegation in European Parliament.

He, however, opined that politicians of the two countries should sort out the issues relating to the British immigration rule and visa regime for Bangladeshi workers.

Appreciating Bangladeshis contributions to the British economy, he said, "Bangladesh community is playing an important role in British society. Bangladeshis are settled in Britain and they are more prosperous." Evans said Bangladeshi catering industry in Britain is very successful and the industry earns about 4.2 billion pound sterling or 8.7 billion US dollars a year. "And there should be regular supply of Bangladeshi workers for this industry," he added.

He expressed the hope that the Caretaker government would be able to hold a free, fair and credible election 'as soon as possible.'

"We are watching the situation in Bangladesh very closely," Evans said while replying to a question about the present political situation.

"A Caretaker government is in power here and the (top) leaders of the two major political parties are in prison. An unusual situation is prevailing in Bangladesh," he said.

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Saturday told the visiting chair of the Board of Directors of Transparency International, a global anti-graft watchdog, that reforms basically reduce the scope of corruption and strengthen the foundation of democracy.

"All reforms will strengthen the base of democracy in the country," he said, referring to various institutional reforms being carried out by the present caretaker government alongside the ongoing combat against corruption.

Chair of the TI board of directors Dr Huguette Labelle, who called on the CA at his office, highly appreciated the caretaker government's performance and successes in a short time, particularly the anti-corruption drive, under the leadership of Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.

The Chief Adviser said his government has recast the Anti-Corruption Commission and further strengthened the commission to keep the anti-corruption drive on stream.

He said the government also focused on reform and strengthening local government structure and would hold election to the local bodies.

Referring to simplification of issuing passport, introduction of client-service charter in various utility service-providing organizations and introduction of online system of various forms, Dr Fakhruddin said reform, simplification and less physical presence of clients reduce chances of corruption.

He also mentioned the recent formation of the Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC) under his personal initiative to amend centuries-old rules and regulations and create new ones suiting needs of the time.

Dr Huguette said they found local government an area of major corruption and TI is making some tools to help governments cope with corruption in local-government sector.

Regarding information about offshore bank accounts, the TI chair said Bangladesh deserves support of the international community to have access to information from the international banks. The Chief Adviser said support has been sought from the World Bank and other central banks in this regard.

On election, the head of caretaker government reiterated that the stalled election would be held before the end of 2008. "The government is focusing on holding a free, fair and credible election and ensuring that future elections are also held in high standard," he told the TI chief.

Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TI Bangladesh, Secretary to the CA's office Kazi M Aminul Islam and CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim were also present.

UNB, Dhaka

Former BNP Vice-Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Mir Showkat Ali on Saturday termed illegal Saifur-Hafiz committee in accordance with the BNP constitution.

"The committee was formed beyond the BNP constitutional jurisdiction as any meeting of the party's standing committee must be convened with the permission of Chairperson Khaleda Zia," he told reporters at his Gulshan house.

He said that according to the BNP constitution, the party Chairperson holds absolute power. Showkat questioned whether or not Saifur Rahman or his followers sought any permission from the authorities concerned to meet detained Khaleda and apprise her of the standing committee meeting. He alleged that Saifur and Hafiz were making misleading statements about the BNP constitution and legitimacy of their committee. "Rather, they advised Begum Zia to oust Col. Oli and me," he said, adding unity in BNP is not be possible by bringing together 30 or so ex-MPs.

UNB, Vancouver

Former US President Bill Clinton has said the United States has lost its credibility in today's world due to Iraq war.

Addressing a conference of Pacific Economic Forum here on Friday, he said the United States is being alienated by the continuing war in Iraq.

Clinton was critical of US President George W Bush, saying that unease in many parts of the world about the American security concerns has been exacerbated by the republican leader's 'unilateralist foreign policy'.

Dwelling on the economic front, Clinton said many Americans are now deeply suspicious of liberalised trade because the economy is not working for them. The problem, said the former US President, is that while there is globalised investment, "there is no globalised social compact". He said that the world "we live in today essentially rewards individuals as investors and consumers more than it rewards them as workers". The charismatic former US President said the US needs to engage in dialogue with Canada and Mexico about how to keep its borders safe from terrorists without fanning xenophobia and jingoism.

Clinton criticized the media and US politicians for "making a mountain out of a molehill" by attacking his spouse, Hilary Clinton-a Democratic Presidential candidate-for her support of a move in New York state to give illegal immigrants driver's license. The former President said his philanthropic arm, the Clinton Foundation, was established to deal with the great issues that will shape this century: social inequality, climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions and ethnic identity problems that have led to terrorism and civil strife.

Staff Reporter

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) is preparing the list of illegal billboards in different parts of the capital. The DCC has no list of how many billboards are there in the Dhaka City. It could not prepare the list of illegal billboards during the last five years.

Sources said the DCC has taken an initiative to prepare the list of illegal billboards in the capital by November 7. Besides, the DCC has ordered different publicity agencies to remove all their illegal billboards by November 15.

"The step has been taken to turn Dhaka into a beautiful city," a source said. The source said the DCC will launch eviction drives unless the publicity agencies removed their billboards.

Xinhua, Abu Dhabi

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has vowed that it will impose tough penalties against illegal residents after the amnesty period ends, the official Emirates News Agency reported. In a bid to crack down on the employment of illegal workers after the amnesty, the ministry decided in September to impose a life ban on expatriates holding visit visas who are found working in the UAE.

The amnesty ended yesterday (Saturday).

The UAE Labor Ministry will coordinate with the Interior Ministry in the campaign to crack down on the employment of illegal residents after the amnesty, Labor Minister Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi said.

The three-month amnesty, starting from June 3, was given to illegal expatriate workers who violated the UAE residency laws to regularize their status or leave the country.

The period of grace was later extended to Nov. 2 for those who had completed the legal procedures of leaving the UAE before Sept.2.

"The labor-related problems facing the ministry include violation of employment contract terms, failing to renew work permits for workers, absconding, hiring undocumented workers and the fact that some employers not only hire illegal residents but also help them hide from the authorities," Al Kaabi said. The Labor Ministry will take strict measures against violators including banning and prosecution of companies which hire illegal residents, he added.

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday demanded a Commission to protect the jute industry of the country, as it is now on verge of destruction due to lack of proper policy, ignorance, corruption, illogical pressure of Word Bank and IMF for liberalization.

They also called upon Bangladesh Jute Mill Corporation (BJMC) to pay at least 50 per cent arrears of the old jute purchasing centres and purchase raw jute through the centres changing its existing arrear payment and jute purchasing policies.

Nagorik Sanghati with the cooperation of Action Aid Bangladesh organised the discussion titled "BJMC's Jute Purchasing Policy and Interest of Jute Cultivators" at the seminar room of Moni Singh-Forhad Trust Building at Purana Paltan in the city yesterday. Prof MM Akas of Economics Department of Dhaka University (DU) conducted the discussion with Prof ASM Atikur Rahman, President of the Sanghati, in the chair, while its General Secretary Sharifuzzaman Sharif was present.

Abdul Aziz, Organising Secretary of Small Traders and Cultivators Association, presented keynote paper.

They demanded payment at least of at least 50 per cent of the arrears of the old centres and purchasing of the raw jute by the 142 old centres.

The speakers said the government should allocate fund for the buying centres in time and take steps to increase the quality of jute.

Abdul Aziz said BJMC owes 142 business houses Tk 150 crore, but this year the BJMC opened only new 57 jute purchasing centres excluding the previous 142 centres, which is regrettable. The 57 centres are likely to fail to achieve the target of this year.

Besides, Shahidullah Chowdhury, workers' leader, Abul Hossain Bapari and Engr Sardar Amin, among others, were present at the discussion.

Staff Reporter

President of Workers Party Rashed Khan Menon said we are talking about reform, but it is not being implemented at all. Reform is necessary for the welfare of the country.

"A trend of militancy has established itself in the country. We want punishment of the war criminals as they were involved in assisting the Pakistani Army during the War of Liberation," he said.

"If the reform is done in a selective way, we cannot uproot corruption from the country. We have to make Anti-Corruption Commission independent," he added.

He was addressing a roundtable on 'Reform is necessary for terrorism and corruption free politics' organised by weekly Aporadh Bichitra at National Press Club yesterday.

Menon said, "We have to change our mindset about the reform process. It is a people's movement to reform all sectors."

Dr Tareque Shamsur Rehman, Professor of Jahangirnagar University, said only reform of political parties could not solve all problems of the country.

Staff Reporter

To build a hunger-poverty free Bangladesh Youth Against Hunger (YAH), a youth organisation declared to achieve the dream within 2021 at the 5th Youth Conference held at the Public Library yesterday.

To fulfil the dream the youth should prepare themselves for giving leadership to the nation. YAH the youth wings of Hunger Free World, was contributing to building its units in all educational institutions and trying to build relation with the mass people.

Ismail Hossain, Director General and KM Amanur Rahman, Director, of Youth Development Department, Prof ATM Atique Rahman of History Department of Jahangirnagar University, Rafiqual Islam Sarkar, chief adviser of the Daily Destiny, Masuad Mannan, president of National Youth Forum Fedaration, Kota Sun, representative of Youth Ending Hunger of Japan, among others, were present at the conference which was presided over by Wares Ansary Limon, president of YAH.

Ismail Hossain said out of about five crore youth of Bangladesh two crore are unemployed.