The New Nation - Internet Edition

ACTIVITIES of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Bangladesh expanded over the past three decades. A large number of NGOs have since been set up pledging to work for reduction of poverty and growth of the economy. Some leading NGOs have built high-rise buildings in the capital and other locations symbolising their strong presence. The expansion of activities of NGOs is quite pronounced. Some NGOs have provided fiscal support to the poor and the marginal farmers in rural areas. They have given loans to the target people on terms and conditions fixed by their field executives. The loan money has been used for income generating activities. The recipients of money and technical inputs from the NGOs have since been guided by their field workers for optimising the use of such money. The recovery of loan money from the recipients remains quite important for the NGOs and their workers.

The inflow of resources from developed countries for activities of NGOs has increased over the years. Speakers at a forum on the activities of NGOs have asserted that NGOs have obtained over sixty-six thousand crores of Taka from abroad. They have used the money for construction of buildings for their head offices and field offices. Some NGOs have built godowns for storage of different products. They have used handsome amounts of money for payment of salary to their executives at rates that are high compared to the pay structure of officials of government and private enterprises. Top leaders of some NGOs have also engaged themselves in the expansion of activities in the socio-political field. They have used resources for their personal gains and upgradation of their social status. In the process, they have bypassed their obligation to optimally use the resources procured from abroad for reducing poverty. The process of the utilisation of resources by NGOs often remains beyond review of the official agency, the NGO Affairs Bureau.

In such a context, it is imperative for the government to closely monitor the work of NGOs in the country. If need be, new laws may be promulgated to bring the activities of NGOs under review. The inflow of resources and their use have to be brought under legal and administrative provisions in the country. The sooner such effective measures are taken the better may be prospect of the use of resources obtained by NGOs. The assets and liabilities of the leaders and executives of NGOs may be made public for the sake of transparency. Those misusing the resources should be given exemplary punishment and that for accountability for aid-based activities of NGOs for building a corruption-free society.

IT was reported only days ago that the eagerly awaited comprehensive consumer protection Act would be introduced very soon. When this would be done, it would be likely cited as another great accomplishment of the present caretaker administration. But this would be really so, if only the proposed law is truly enforced in line with the very reasonable expectations of enlightened sections of consumers in the country. As it is, there are now considerable apprehensions centering on it.

Misgivings have been expressed by the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB). First of all, CAB people told the media last week that what is being discussed as enforcement of the Act, is not true. The Act in draft form is now ready for submission to the council of advisers after shuttling between different ministries where it was substantially amended and this amended version is likely to be considered and adopted now by the council of advisers. But, according to CAB, such adoption of a draft was noted several times in the past also in the previous council of ministers after which it went through long stalling processes and was never even introduced in Parliament to be acted upon and approved as law.

Thus, the draft law this time will have to go beyond just endorsement by the present council of advisers. It will become law if the endorsement is followed by a Presidential promulgation for enforcement. Besides, more significantly, as CAB disclosed to the media, the draft bill to be approved by the advisers marks no departure from the previous draft that was addressed and protested at that time for not adequately addressing major issues of consumers interests. The present draft has no really effective provisions for consumers to take legal actions against offences committed by producers, distributors and sellers of goods and services. It does not provide for a mechanism for the consumers to seek remedies legally for harms done to them or doing things against their vital interests. Penalties to be paid by offending businesses have been hardly stated unambiguously. This would leave the producers and sellers of goods and services with enough leeway to avoid suffering appropriate penalties for deceiving and harming the consumers.

Thus, it is only fair to expect that this government would start paying serious attention to the criticisms that the Act on the anvil has generated. There is yet time to further improve and strengthen it. Its submission to the Council of Advisers can be delayed for a while and the meritorious criticisms and suggestions considered for accommodation. The same should then be included in the draft to turn it into a really useful instrument of consumer protection before the attempt is finally made to introduce and enforce it as law.

Dr Nurul Islam

I had the unique opportunity of attending an International Conference at the Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India from 03-07 November 2007. I was invited as a special guest by Prof. Anis Ansari, Dean of the Faculty of the Unani Medicine at the University. My suggested topic was present and future of Unani Medicine in Bangladesh. This topic was suggested on the basis of my long association (15 yrs) with Hamdard Bangladesh as its Vice Chairman.

I got my lecture profiled in Dhaka and distributed that among the audience. This was to accommodate whole aspect of it in details within time limit of 20 minutes. Slide were projected following the deliberations before the audience. I emphasised that the CAM (Complimentary and Alternative Medicine) is now a recognised entity by the WHO and the system can ensure treatment of all diseases and provide enough manpower for the health care of the people as detailed in the WHO meeting at Alma matter.

I referred to about the TST (Three Systems Together) which I intend to introduce in the University namely University of Science & Technology Chittagong (USTC) founded by me immediately after the enactment of Bangladesh Private University Act-1992 where under the same roof the three systems shall work side by side and treatment will be made available for the patients so that they may have a choice of their own and we may reach a concession about the specialities of the systems viz. Allopath, Uanni and Ayurvidic system.

In Bangladesh Hamdard, we had Hakim Yousuf Haroon Bhuiyan and Hakim Shiri Farhad whose heart and soul work throughout the day and night for the development of the laboratory in Bangladesh. Their sincerity bore fruit and it is due to them what we are today.

In 1983 Prof Islam as Chairman of the Bangladesh National Drug Policy (BNDP) there three systems were recommended by them in the drug policy. In fact after the WHO this was the first recommendation by an expert committee which has far reaching affect on these three systems to the credit of the Islam Committee.

Hamdard India deserves credit for introducing the system in their post graduate education namely MDs and PhDs at Aligarh University. Aligarh University and Hamdard University of India can claim to be the first for introducing this in this sub-continent.

Participation of India is a challenge for Hamdard, India. This was said by late Hakim Mohammad Said of Pakistan. He continued to extend full support and cooperation to Hamdard Bangladesh. In fact he was such a large hearted man that he did not differentiate Hamdard Pakistan from Hamdard Bangladesh.

All facilities needed for Hamdard Bangladesh we are made available to Bangladesh Hamdard. These included technical know-how, patent rights and licence and even raw materials so that similar products could be produced by Bangladesh Hamdard. He agreed to become Chief Mutawalli of Bangladesh Hamdard at the request of the Board of Truste of Hamdard Bangladesh. He had a dream and he expressed openly on several occasions that Hamdard Bangladesh should attend the quality, standard and status of Hamdard Pakistan like Madinatual Hikma - A city of Science, Culture and Education.

In fact this was a unique contribution depicting his most liberal non-political and friendly attitude to Hamdard Bangladesh. Having received all these facilities Bangladesh Hamdard had at least one man fully devoted to utilise this unique opportunity and raised the organisation to the level- Hakim Mohammad Said desired.

Purchase of land and construction of Hamdard Laboratory at Meghna Ghat despite opposition by some members of the Board of Trustee has raised to the level that we could think of converting it into HUB (Hamdard University of Bangladesh). According to the Private University Act it fulfilled the criteria of establishing a university.

These are :

5 acres of land (already purchased)

A deposit of Taka 5 crore in a Bank

Arrangement for two Faculties.

I had the opportunity of being chairman of the committee constituted for the purpose. Several proposals were received by the committee for the development of a project.

The demand was high Taka two to three lakhs. I myself and Mr MA Jabbar, my PS had the experience of developing such a project for USTC now under solid footing with recognition from many international bodies like GMC, IMC, NMC, SMC and the WHO. We sat down seriously and prepared the PP within 4 weeks while others demanded as long as six months for the same. Our PP was approved by the Board of Trustee and ever the Minister for Education admitted that the proposal was acceptable and he would see that the proposal goes through. Unfortunately the Hamdard Administration was apprehensive of various imaginary draw backs and hesitated to resubmit the project. This I believe was the greatest mistake. Whatever be the situation now the facts remain that Hamdard Bangladesh has today a PP for HUB. It is only a matter of time. As the Vice Chairman of the organisation it is my sincere belief and hope that HUB (Hamdard University of Bangladesh) is not merely a dream but a reality. It will therefore independendly contribute for the development of Health Manpower. In the Unani System of Medicine, conducting research for the development of the system which is accorded a significant level in Pakistan and India, is commendable, having an associate like Hamdard Pakistan which is eagerful to help us in all difficulties. We may not lack behind go for what the establishment of Hamdard which can significantly contribute to the Health Manpower Development (HMD) for the nation.

I would suggest a sincere, neutral and scientific committee with representatives form each of the three to work together with a common goal for the relief and welfare of the people.

Working together I am sure we can win the battle.

(The writer is a National Professor, founder Vice Chancellor, USTC & founder President, ADHUNIK)

Tayeb Husain

Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed's disclosure on 6th of Nov 2007 that the government is working "to strengthen the local government so that it can take its services to people's doorsteps and bring transparency and accountability in all sectors" is a much desired step and every sensible person should look forward to seeing the government keeping the pledge. No Central administration can function well without a strong local government. In western democracies this base administration is the most powerful organisation that effectively and smoothly governs the country. Here I would like to take this opportunity to explain things from the Swedish model. Most of the Western countries have somewhat the same type of administrative system as Sweden. However, certainly I do not suggest that Bangladesh blindly adopts Swedish version for her own administration, neither do I expect that a Swedish system to work in Bangladesh perfectly well. Nonetheless, much we can learn from such an advanced system and by adopting it with minor adjustments a far better and superior administrative system can be established in Bangladesh and thereby peace and prosperity to our people could be ensured.

Sweden has 3 levels of administrations; National, Regional and Local levels. At the national level the Swedish people are represented by the Swedish parliament (Riksdag) which has legislative powers. The Government presents proposals for new laws and when the Riksdag accepts a proposal, the government implements it. The administration in national level is executed by a number of ministries and some 300 central government agencies and public administrations. The administration at regional level is called "Länstrrellcen" or in English Counties. The people of the County directly elect County Council members. They have specific and limited tasks and responsibilities and they are mostly in health-related matter.

The administration at local level in Sweden is 'Kommun' (Municipality); it is the most important organ of the administrative system of the country. Sweden has 290 'Kommun' and each Kommun has an elected assembly (the Municipal Council) which takes decisions on municipal matters and a Kommun Executive Board (appointed by Municipal Council) which leads and co-ordinates municipality works. Swedish towns or cities are also divided into small 'Kommun' and each and every 'Kommun' takes care of education, healthcare, housing, day-care centre, care for the senior citizens and other socio-political activities of its population. 'Kommun' is also the training ground of politicians and it is mostly through Kommun politics national leaders emerge. A Kommun Chairman in Sweden is a powerful person and the decision of the Kommun is what matters most in local administration.

Now, if we look to administrative system of Bangladesh we find that our Union Parisad, the lowest tire of Bangladesh's administration, is also the most neglected and utterly inefficient unit of the administrative system. Often a police officer in a Thana is more powerful person than a Union Parisad Chairman. At present it appears to me that the chairman of a Union Parisad is nothing but a subordinate fellow to look after the personal interest of the DC, Thana Nirbahi officer and even the OC of the Thana. It needs to be changed. A total overhauling of Bangladesh's administrative structure should be considered and full administrative power should be transferred to the Union Parisad. Our Union Parisad should be re-organised in such a way that each Union Parisad should have an elected body with an independent administrative unit to execute the decisions at this local level. Union Parisad members should have a reasonable salary. The executive branch of the Union Parisad should be independent but only to carry out or execute the Union Parisad's decision. Union Parisad shall be responsible for primary and middle school education, healthcare, law and order, housing, care for the destitute, employment of union's every able-bodied person (men or women) and in short, Union Parisad should do everything that goes with the total welfare of its inhabitants. Union Parisad shall act even as a primary court of justice and all local disputes shall be mitigated in this court. There should be even a small police force (3 / 4 policemen) and a jail in the Union Parisad. Present day DC or Uppa-Zilla Officer shall have no function whatsoever and these offices and the posts may be dissolved as soon as possible. To co-ordinate between the central government and the Union Parisad a co-ordinating office can be established at district or divisional level with only power of co-ordination with the central government and nothing else.

The benefit of making Union Parisad all-powerful will be great and it will have tremendous consequences not only in the administrative system but also in the whole structure of the country. Rule of law and an effective, corruption free (less I mean, as even a heaven can not be corruption free) administration can be established by giving power to this micro-level. A Union Parisad member and the chairman are local leaders, everybody knows them and these leaders also know well who their followers are. Thus, crime levels would fall sharply in the villages, towns and cities, unnecessary litigation organised by the local leaders in most cases to the full benefit of some people in the towns and cities would be settled in and by the local leaders at the local level. The very fact that a group of educated people would be brought to the village by this reform would again make the village life more colourful and interesting. And to cater the needs of these people lots of entrepreneurs and businessmen would also emerge in the countryside making it more affluence and well off.

Finally, I would cite an example on how effective the local government can be just talking about census. Bangladesh can count every individual, every cattle and even every goat within a week through an effective Union Parisad. Union Parisad can find out, without much effort, how many people are employed, underemployed or starving in the Union Parisad. This body can be made responsible to assess the food requirement in the Union, availability of food, stocking, procuring etc. etc. the most effective way than anybody else. Giving them responsibilities mean making them responsible and accountable and if not for the privileges but for power many educated people will like to get into local politics and will be doing good jobs in the process.

How to finance this administrative reform? Apparently it may appear too expensive but not really. The whole new administrative apparatus can be financed easily by selling to the public all the lands and buildings that government owns in each district towns. Slowly but steadily the face of the countryside can be changed adding even some of our development fund for restructuring the local government and its activities.