The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB,Dhaka

Water is an essential requirement for human and ecosystems survival. In recent years water has steadily gravitated toward the top of the national agendas. In view of the increasing importance of water in the future development scenarios in Asia and Pacific regions Asian Development Bank (ADB) has commissioned the Asian Water Development Outlook (AWDO). It is with this in mind Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC) is developing a media project to assist and encourage the media in the Asia-Pacific region to report on issues related to water and sanitation on a more engaging and interesting manner. The following is one of the flagship reports prepared by a team of water experts.

Water scarcity or lack of management?

A morning stroll on a rainy Kolkata Kalinga Seneviratne clicks his camera on a rainy day in Kolkata Before flying back to Singapore on a Sunday evening in late September 2007, I had planned to take a stroll along the Hoogly River, perhaps cross the famous Howrah Bridge on foot and see some of the other sights of West Bengal’s state capital.

Having woken up early morning and looking out of my hotel window in central Kolkatta, I realized my plans were coming unstuck. It was pouring outside and I was certain that there wasn’t going to be much life on the banks of the mighty Hoogly river.

However, I decided to take my umbrella venture out for a morning walk around the area … never mind the rains. But, this is what I saw right outside my hotel gates. I had to navigate the street holding my sandals in one hand and the trousers folded up to my knees.

The shacks lining this street were filled with families, men, women and children, some as young as a year or two, the previous night. They add to the statistics of over a million people living on the streets of this teeming Indian city. I was wondering where they were now … not in any of the hotels lining this street for sure.

When I was able to click this picture (below) I realized that they were still sleeping inside, these destitute people seem to find ingenious ways to survive and shelter from the perils of mother nature.

I decided it is better to go back to the hotel for a hearty breakfast. By the time I finished it the rains have seized and I took to the streets again when the floods have subsided and life was slowly returning to the streets. While there was much water which was not needed or welcomed in the streets, yet, there seem to be a scarcity of water at the same time …. I mean clean water to drink and bathe.

Well it didn’t take the water vendors much time to get into business. The street taps courtesy of the local authorities provides them their source of income and the city’s poor middle classes their customers.

There is a kind of early morning rush hour traffic here. It is not oil consuming, air polluting cars and trickshaws, but, those who need to fill up their bottles and other water carriers. Some do not look like filling up for their own use. Perhaps, not all residents here have tap water in their homes. This is where private enterprise takes over.

Yet, there are others who don’t seem to be sure how to clean up these bottles …. or are they waiting to fill them up for drinking supplies? I didn’t know Bengali to find out.

Yet, for some, a bucket of water is all that is needed to have their morning bath … or may be that is all they could afford. Well its time for a cuppa now .

UNB,Dhaka

A man was shot to death by robbers while another died as he fell in panic from the rooftop during a robbery in city’s Mirpur area early Sunday.

Police said a gang of 10/12 armed bandits entered the house of Jalal Sikder, a car trader, at Mirpur Section 1, Block-C, at about 3 am cutting window grill.

The bandits looted cash Tk 2.65 lakh, 35 tolas of gold ornaments and other valuables worth about Tk 15 lakh, keeping the inmates of the house hostage at gunpoint, said a family member.

“The house inmates raised alarm when the bandits were fleeing with the booty. Hearing the hue and cry, neighbours rushed to the scene and gave a chase to the bandits,” said a spot account of the incident.

Sensing danger, ¾ dacoits tried to take shelter at a house in Block-C and opened fire to the people chasing them, killing Mohammad Ali, 45, who was on way to local mosque to offer Fazr prayer, on the spot.

Local people nabbed a dacoit, Mantu Hawlader, and recovered a revolver and seven rounds of bullet from his procession while the others managed to flee.

They also found another revolver and two cartridges on the roof of Jalal’s house.

Police said Monir Hossain, a garment worker, fell from the roof of a three-storied building out of fear during the dacoity and died on the spot.

Monir’s family members claimed he was gunned down by the robbers as they were fleeing.

Mantu Hawlader was handed over to police. Police started a massive hunt to arrest Mantu’s accomplices.

A case has been filed.

UNB,Dhaka

Secondary Education Access and Quality Enhancement Project (SEAQEP), a World Bank supported project, will be implemented with a view to provide stipends to both poorer boys and girls in secondary education.

A high level Task Force and a Project Preparation Team of the Government are working on the preparation based on inputs from consultation with stakeholders.

The proposed SEAQEP will be implemented in 121 upazilas from early July 2008, said a press release of World Bank.

Although a follow-up to the second Female Secondary School Assistance Project 73230&theSitePK=40941&menuPK=295792&Projectid=P044876> (FSSAP II) of the Government which ends on 30 June 2008, the SEAQEP would include a number of new dimensions.

It aims to provide targeted support to the poorer girls and boys; improve academic performance through incentive awards to students, schools and teachers; extend additional support to teachers and students in teaching and learning; provide water and sanitation facilities to retain girls in school and develop an effective monitoring and evaluation system.

FSSAP II has already helped more than eight hundred thousand girls with stipends that improved SSC pass rates for stipend girls from 39% in 2001 to 60% in 2007.

A training program has reached 19,000 stakeholders, largely from the communities, while some 6000 institutions were brought under school management and accountability training program.

The Mobile Training Resource Teams (MTRTs) pilot project has shown positive results. A Family Attractiveness Program to identify out-of-secondary-school girls from very poor families living in remote and economically disadvantaged areas has been introduced under this program.

UNB, Dhaka

Many organisations, business houses and individuals donated over Tk 1 crore, US$ 1 lakh and other relief materials to the Chief Advisor’s Relief and Welfare Fund for the cyclone-hit people till 12 noon on Sunday.

The organisations and individuals who contributed to the relief fund include Youngone Corporation, Korea- US$ 100,000, Sonali Bank-Tk 1.05 crore, DCCI-Tk 20 lakh, Officers’ Club, Dhaka- Tk 5 lakh, Lt ABM Abdullah and Mostafizur Rahman-Tk 1.50 lakh and 400 cartons biscuit, RB Group-Tk 1 lakh, Khan Brothers Group- Tk 1 lakh, Dr Humayun Kamal Islam of USA- Tk 1 lakh, Humayun Kabir Islam of USA-Tk 50,000, Dr M Nurul Islam- Tk 50,000 and Begum Asia Khatun-Tk 50,000. Besides, Dr HM Mahmood Kabir donated Tk 25,000 while Abu Naser Khan-Tk 25,000, Fahad Filling Station, Brahmanbaria- Tk 25,000, Liao Shih-Cheng, Chairman of Double Fortune Co Ltd-Tk 20,000, M Salahuddin-Tk 10,000, Mohidur Rahman-Tk 10,000, MT Hossain-Tk 3,000 and Ahmed Ahsan Mostafa-Tk 720.

Staff Reporter

There are some 20,000 injecting drug users (IDUs) in Bangladesh, and of them, 5,000-7,000 live in the Dhaka city alone.

HIV infection among IDUs increased to over 10 per cent in a particular area in the capital, which crossed concentrated level of 5 per cent indicating the impending danger of HIV epidemic.

In Myanmar, 80 per cent of total HIV epidemics are being contributed by IDUs.

It was stated at a four-day training programme on "Evidence Based Drug Dependence Treatment for DNC and Prison Officials" of the "Police, Prisons, Narcotics Control and Community Service: A Tripartite Project to reduce crime, drug addiction and to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Dhaka City" that began at the Department of Narcotics Control in the city from yesterday.

It was organised jointly by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Family Health International and South-South Centre, Bangladesh.

Experts observed that training of evidence based drug dependence treatment of medical professionals of DNC and prisons would strengthen the trainees' ability in combating drug dependence and HIV/AIDS.

A total of 15 doctors and pharmacists especially working in drug dependence treatment at DNC and prisons are participating at the training programme.

Director General of DNC Md Humayun Kabir attended the opening ceremony as the chief guest, while South-South Centre Coordinator Mohammad Hadis Uddin as special guest.

Prof Dr Nazmul Ahsan, Director and Chief Consultant of Central Treatment Centre, DNC presided over the opening ceremony.

Md Saiful Islam Shaheen of SSC conducted the opening ceremony, while Khondker Zakiur Rahman of FHI and Mahidul Islam of SSC were present, among others.

UNB, Dhaka

Awami League today expressed hope that the government will accord permission to detained party president Sheikh Hasina to go to the cyclone affected areas and distribute relief among the survivors.

Earlier, Hasina applied to the government through the jail authority to allow her going to the distressed people.

Awami League's sub-committee for monitoring and coordinating relief distribution at a meeting today urged the government to accept the appeal.

The committee head Adbur Razzak reiterated the demand for declaring the affected areas as national disaster and lift emergency from the affected districts.

He said five medical teams of the party were providing treatment to people suffering from post-cyclone diseases. Besides, four relief teams were now distributing relief to the affected people. Another five relief teams will soon leave for the worst affected areas.

Amir Hossain Amu will lead a team to Jhalokati, Mukul Bose and Con (Retd) Faruq Khan to Gopalganj, Tofail Ahmed to Bhola and Advocate Rahmat Ali and Abdur Rahman to

Staff Reporter

Experts and representatives of the civil society at a press conference in the city urged the government to ensure participation of poor women in development projects.

They also emphasised on the need for including them in discussions on issues related to climate change.

In facing climate change in the country the role of matriarchal families occupy the leading position. But the necessity of women and their rights are absent in the 'UN Convention on Climate Change' or 'Kyoto Protocol' in financial management, speakers said.

They recommended strict gender balance for the implementation and development of the national projects.

They urged the government to include NGOs in disbursing efficient adaptation fund to make sure that the right-based adaptation of women was made effective.

The press conference on 'Climate Change Adaptation: What Women Want' was organised by Actionaid at the National Press Club yesterday.

Dr Quazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Member of International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Naima Imam Chowdhury, Head of Women's Rights and Gender Equality of Actionaid, AFM Shahidur Rahman, Head of Livelihood Promotion, among others, spoke, while Wahida Bashar Ahmed of Actionaid presented key-note paper.

Speakers said the government should involve poor women in all stages of financial managements and develop micro-credit and insurance systems according to their need.

The government should train poor women at the local levels, which would create alternative opportunity for empowerment of them and also guarantee application of their knowledge and skills in agriculture-based project, they said.

They urged the government to expand social security net for poor women so that they could easily cope up with the situation resulting from climate change.

They also urged the government to coordinate various activities of the government, different institutions of the civil society, community and development agencies, which would help in reducing the impact of climate change in the country.

UNB, Dhaka

BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain Sunday said that despite dissention by a few leaders BNP remained united under the leadership of party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Talking to reporters at his NAM apartment after recovering from nearly two months' illness, he said: "BNP is not split up despite different opinions and different paths being followed by some leaders."

Delwar criticized the way the Election Commission was carrying out its activities, saying people has doubts whether free and fair elections would be held by the present Commission.

He also termed illegal and unconstitutional the Commission's letter inviting Saifur-Hafiz group for its dialogue on electoral reforms.

However, the High Court, upon a writ petition, recently stayed the Commission's letter addressed to Major (retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed.

The BNP secretary general also brought allegations against police for being biased towards Saifur-Hafiz faction and allowed them to attend the BNP central office.

Replying to a question, he said: "We don't want to go to our office under police protection. We want to attend our office under the protection of our leaders and workers."

Dewar again claimed himself as the legitimate secretary general of BNP, saying he would continue to hold the office as long Khaleda Zia wished.

He urged the government to expedite relief and rehabilitation works in the cyclone-hit coastal districts.

BNP joint secretary general Nazrul Islam Khan and several former MPs of BNP were present.

BSS, Rajshahi

The date for deliberation of verdict in the case filed against six teachers of Rajshahi University (RU) has been deferred till December 4.

Additional Chief Metro-politan Magistrate Ruhul Amin yesterday fixed the date after completing recording the statements of 23 prosecution witnesses and the argument on Tuesday last.

Teachers Prof Dr Saidur Rahman Khan, Prof Dr Abdus Sobhan, Associate Prof Moloy Kumar Bhowmik and Assistant Prof Selim Reza Neuton, Dulal Chandra Bishwas and Abdullah Al Mamun were produced before the court from the Rajshahi Central jail.

The police lodged the case on charge of their involvement in bringing out a procession violating the State of Emergency Power Act-2007 on the RU campus and allegedly instigating students in unleashing vandalism on August 21 and 22 last.

After completing investigation, the police submitted charge sheet accusing the teachers.

BSS, Dhaka

Australia has offered scholarships to 74 talented Bangladeshi students to its world-class universities.

Australian High Commissioner Douglas Foskett said on Sunday at a pre-departure ceremony held in the city.

Foskett said the Australian scholarship has focused on developing Bangladesh's capacity in the key areas of education, public health, water management, gender, public policy and diplomacy.

On their return from Australia, the scholarship awardees will be able to contribute significantly to their own workplaces and the country as a whole," he said.

The scholarship has been offered to another 15 Bangladeshis under Australia's global Australian scholarship programme "the Australian Leadership Awards (ALA)" targeting current and future leaders and key personnel in corporate, academic, non-government and government services, he said.

The high commissioner said, "It should be noted that like last year, Bangladesh did extremely well in the ALA selection process. Bangladesh received the second highest number of scholarships globally and the highest number regionally."