The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Left leaning politicians have taken a move to form a "people's tribunal" against international lending agencies like World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Initiators of the move include Justice (Rtd) Golam Rabbani, Prof Anisur Rahman, Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Journalist Foiz Ahmed, Engr Sheikh Mohammed Shahidullah, Dr Akmal Hossain, KM Saduddin, Prof Anu Muhammed, Prof MM Akash and Prof Pias Karim among others.

Being organised under the banner of 'National Preparatory Committee on Public Tribunal about WB, ADB and IMF' at the National Press Club, the noted personalities revealed the plan at a press conference yesterday afternoon. A host of leftist politicians were present at the press conference.

Prof. Anu Mohammad read out the concept paper describing the plans and works of the proposed Public Tribunal.

He said, the tribunal would conduct an investigation into the negative policy implications of the international lending agencies for next four months and will be put those international bodies on a symbolic open trial within six months.

The tribunal would also identify the persons and institutions working in favour of the three international agencies.

To assess the impact of WB policies in mineral, jute, agriculture and other sectors, the tribunal will go to Fulbari, Khulna and other remote areas giving the victims chance to narrate their plights, initiators of the tribunal said.

A symbolic court-bench, headed by a retired High Court judge, will be formed which will hear plights of the sufferers, victimised by WB, IMF and ADB. The lending agencies may appoint lawyers to defend them. Otherwise, the initiators themselves will set a lawyer to defend the accused.

The chief focus of this tribunal will be to study the impact of the World Bank's policies and projects as it is increasing its influence in all directions encompassing the country's economy as well as its educational, social and cultural fabric.

The speakers at the press conference said institutions like WB, IMF and ADB are implementing various projects in Bangladesh in the name of development, poverty reduction or good governance, but their main target is to confine the country within the orbit of power of the "imperialist powers".

The institutions work in a totally undemocratic and bureaucratic process. Though many countries are members of these institutions, practically they are "active part of some influential countries headed by the United States of America", they alleged.

Prof. MM Akash said Bangladesh now has to buy its own gas at higher rates after following the policies of those funding agencies, and the jute industry has reached the verge of destruction for implementation of the WB-IMF policy.

"Country's all the gas and oil fields are now under the authority of the foreign companies and a large portion of the country is waterlogged due to establishment of embankments on prescription of the banks," he said.

MM Akash said GDP in Bangladesh has increased to a great extent, but, at the same time, the numbers of billionaires and floating people also have increased in a stark contrast. And 90 percent of the total population is yet to attain a minimum standard of living.