The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Bali

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the world on Wednesday to agree to work out a new climate treaty by 2009 but said it might be "too ambitious" to set goals for greenhouse gas cuts in Bali.

China said it was disappointed by a lack of progress at the December 3-14 talks and said emissions targets were exactly what was needed to prove rich nations were committed to fight global warming.

Washington is leading opposition at the meeting to any mention of scientific evidence of a need for cuts in greenhouse gases of 25 to 40 percent by 2020 below 1990 levels as part of the guidelines for negotiations.

"Realistically it may be too ambitious if delegations would be expected to be able to agree on targets of greenhouse gas emission reductions" in Bali, Ban said, echoing a view given by Washington.

"Sometime down the road we will have to agree on them."

Still, he also said that all countries should respect a finding by the U.N. climate panel that a range of 25-40 percent was needed to avert the worst impacts of climate change. The range was still in the draft text on Wednesday evening.

Ban said the overriding goal of the December 3-14 meeting was to agree to launch negotiations on a pact to succeed the current Kyoto Protocol.

He told more than 120 environment ministers that climate change was the "moral challenge of our generation" and said there was a "desperate urgency" to act to curb rising seas, floods, droughts, famines and extinctions of wildlife. "The time to act is now," Ban told the ministers, split over the ground rules for agreeing to launch formal negotiations on a new long-term global treaty to limit greenhouse gas emissions, expanding the 37-nation Kyoto pact to all countries.

"You need to set an agenda-a roadmap to a more secure climate future, coupled with a tight timeline that produces a deal by 2009," he said. The United Nations wants a new pact adopted at a meeting in Copenhagen in late 2009.

The United States, supported by Japan, Canada and Australia, says that even a non-binding mention of a 25-to-40 percent range could prejudge the outcome of negotiations.

Canada's environment minister said the fight against global warming would only work if big developing countries took on legally binding targets, underlining a major split at the talks.

BSS, Dhaka

The Chief Adviser, Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, yesterday said participatory development has no alternative to move Bangladesh forward.

Inaugurating the four-day 16th biennial conference of the Bangladesh Economic Association (BEA) he said to achieve the national development objectives the educational institutions of the country should be transformed into 'centres of excellence' instead of 'centres of politics,' he added.

To step up national development efforts, he called for a three-point strategy with stress on increased investment in education and human resource development, infrastructure development, and transformation of finance, agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors.

Speaking at the inaugural session on 'Participatory development: external and internal challenges' he said to become a mid-income country in a decade, as many experts believe, the progress achieved by Bangladesh in various fields should to be carried forward further.

Dr Fakhruddin, himself an economist, said explaining his three-pronged strategy, investment in education and human resource development should be raised and the value chain should be pushed up for a sustainable export based growth pattern for the country.

He called for the development of infrastructure, including power generation and supply, urban communication system, ports and roads and highways, which would support internal economic activities as well as export growth.

Thirdly, he called for the transformation of the activities of public and private sectors in different fields including finance, agriculture, construction and production.

The efficiency of the public sector utility services, should be increased for improving the overall business environment, he said.

Held at the Bangladesh Institution of Engineers the BEA President Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad chaired the session conducted by General Secretary Dr. Abul Barkat while Prof. Dr. Ashrafuddin Chowdhury gave the welcome address.

The Chief Adviser gave away BEA Gold Medals-2007 to economists, scientists and an editor, recognised by the BEA for making contributions in their respective fields.

Recipients of the medals included, Prof. M Kaiser Husein, Prof. Dr. Abul Hussam, Dr. AKM Munir, Prof. Sanat Kumar Saha, Prof. M Sekander Khan, Prof. M Eunus (posthumously) and The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam.

BSS, Dhaka

A special meeting of the Council of Advisers was held here yesterday with Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed in the chair.

The meeting discussed in detail the ongoing relief and rehabilitation programmes of the government in the cyclone SIDR affected areas of the country.

Chief of Relief and Rehabilitation Cell of the government and Communications Adviser Maj. Gen (Rtd) MA Matin presented a report at the meeting on the damages caused by the cyclone and the ongoing relief operations in the affected areas.

In the report, the Relief and Rehabilitation Cell Chief recommended to refrain from cutting trees in the Subdarbans for at least three years,

providing easy term loans to the victims and ensuring supply of seeds and fertilizer to the farmers in the affected areas.

He also recommended for modernizing the regional radio stations and introduction of community radio so that people could get information about natural disasters quickly and easily.

The report also put emphasis on giving priority to four worst affected districts in distributing relief and conducting post- cyclone rehabilitation programmes to resume normal life of people in these areas.

The Chief Adviser asked the concerned authorities to distribute relief and provide easy loan systematically in the worst affected areas on priority basis.

Laying emphasis on immediate rehabilitation, he said after relief operations, rehabilitation programmes have emerged as an important task to resume normal economic activities by the victims.

He asked the ministry of information to start the process of introducing community radio in the country.

The Chief Adviser told the banks and other micro-financing institutions to disburse loan in the affected areas in a coordinated manner so that more people get benefits.

Advisers of the caretaker government attended the meeting held at Chief Adviser's Office (CAO).

Cabinet Secretary, Secretary to the CAO, Press Secretary and secretaries concerned were present.

UNB, Dhaka

The Energy Ministry is set to send the 3rd round gas block international bidding documents to the Cabinet for approval.

"We've received the Law Ministry's vetting and now we'll send the documents to the Cabinet within a day or two," Energy Secretary Mohammad Mohsin told UNB.

As part of the move to invite bidding, the Energy Division last Monday held an inter-ministerial meeting to give the finishing touch to the bidding documents.

The move was initiated by the previous BNP-led alliance government about two years ago. But it was stalled due to various reasons.

Mohsin said they have plan to float international tenders by December 31, 2007 and complete the process of awarding contract by August 2008.

"We're actually trying to expedite the move in order to utilize the next dry season when work on exploration of gas is easy to start … That's why we have targeted to complete the bidding by August and start exploration as early as possible."

The official sources said the government has earmarked 28 new gas blocks in the maritime territory for exploration in shallow and deep sea. Each of the blocks will have an area from 2,000 to 7,000Skm.

Officials said the 3rd round bidding will have little scope for negotiation. "We will want everything done on the basis of the merit of the offers," said the official preferring anonymity. A model production sharing contract (PSC) was prepared for the 3rd round bidding which will be the main basis for the international tender.

As per new PSC, Petrobangla will always have a stake in every block along with the selected bidder.

The 1st round international bidding took place in 1993-94 in 23 onshore and offshore gas blocks while the second round bidding was held in 1997-1998.

Staff Reporter

Rescuing of trapped day-labourers inside the collapsed Rangs Bhaban at the city's Bijoy Sarani could not be started yesterday as the experts did not give permission to do so on safety grounds.

Experts of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said they would allow the rescue operation after completion of installation of iron-props up to the 7th floor of the collapsed building. They also expressed the hope that rescue operation could be started some time today after installation of additional props.

Visiting the Rangs Bhaban yesterday morning this correspondent found that the situation remained unchanged. Rescue operation was not resumed although necessary preparations were taken to retrieve the bodies of the day-labourers from the rubbles.

Four wooden coffins along with other necessary things, including clothes and tea dust were taken to the Rangs Bhaban in the morning to pack up the decomposed bodies of the day-labourers.

Officials of the Fire Service and Civil Defence said they would launch the rescue operation once they received the permission of the BUET experts.

However, the Fire Service took three vehicles, ladders and an ambulance outside the Rangs Bhaban in the morning.

On the other hand, Housing and Public Works Secretary ASM Rashedul Hye yesterday visited the collapsed Rangs Bhaban.

Talking to newsmen he said the Rajuk sought cooperation of the Bangladesh Army to launch the rescue operation. "Such a huge building has not collapsed in the history of Bangladesh. This is something new to us," he said.

Rashedul Hye said," We've sought cooperation from the Bangladesh Army. We don't want anyone die after starting the rescue operation. That is why we will go for the rescue operation taking enough time."

Relatives of the day-labourers who were killed in the collapse of the building were also found wailing for their near and dear ones outside the Rangs Bhaban throughout the day yesterday.

They were eagerly waiting to receive the bodies of their near and dear ones so that they could bury them properly.

"We're poor people…we're passing our days in untold sufferings as the only bread-winner of my family has died in the building collapse. I did not get anything else to eat for the last two days. Where we will go now," the father of a day labourer killed in the Rangs Bhaban collapse said.

Amin Mohammad Foundation, a construction firm, appointed by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) completed the installation of as many as 20,000 iron-made props or iron-made support bars underneath the ceilings of the ground and first floors of the collapsed building on Tuesday.

Earlier, Rajuk appointed Amin Mohammad Foundation to install the steel props to bring the Rangs Bhaban back to safer condition for launching rescue operation by the Fire Service and Civil Defence forces.

"We'll start the rescue operation as quickly as possible since the installation of iron-made props underneath the ceilings of up to the first floor of the Rangs Bhaban has already completed," ASM Imdadul Dastagir, a magistrate of Rajuk, told reporters yesterday.

"We hope that we'll be able to launch the rescue operation from tomorrow (Wednesday)," he said.

The ceilings from the 18th floor to the 2nd floor of the 22-storeyed Rangs Bhaban were suddenly collapsed on Saturday night, leaving four day labourers killed and injuring a dozen others. Three decomposed bodies of ill-fated day-labourers were visible from outside the building. The bodies are still remain trapped inside the building as they could not be retrieved from the debris till yesterday, three days after the collapse of the building.

Besides, at least a dozen people feared trapped inside the building.

Members of the Bangladesh Army, RAB and police have been patrolling around the Rangs Bhaban to ensure the safety of the pedestrians. Stickers have also been put on the walls of the building asking people to stay away from the building.

Visiting the Rangs Bhaban yesterday morning, this correspondent found that workers appointed by Amin Mohammad Foundation were placing steel-made props underneath the collapsed ceilings of the Rangs Bhaban.

Officials of the Amin Mohammad Foundation said they were trying to ensure safety of the Rangs Bhaban at free of cost. "We're trying to ensure the safety of the building so that it could not collapse further," an official of the construction firm said.

The official said as many as 20,000 steel props would be installed underneath the collapsed ceilings.

The Fire Service and Civil Defence officials said they would start the rescue operation only after the construction company declared the building safe. "Otherwise, we will not send our people inside the building," an official said.

Director General of Fire Service and Civil Defence Brigadier General Rafiqur Rahman told reporters on Sunday that they were looking for some safer means to rescue the victims and clear the debris.

The ceilings--from the 18th floor to the 3rd floor-- suddenly collapsed as the 22-storeyed Rangs Bhaban caved in on Saturday night, leaving four people dead and minimum a dozen of people, mainly construction workers injured.

At least a dozen people are feared trapped inside. Fire Service and Civil Defence has so far rescued 12. Of them, one died at the city's Orthopaedic Hospital on Sunday and the rest were undergoing treatment at different hospitals.

Staff Reporter

Inadequate marketing and lack of quality assurance for Bangladeshi products were held responsible for their lower demands among Malaysian consumers, said Chief Secretary Government of Malaysia, Y Bhg Dato' Musa Muhammad.

"Despite significant trade potentials for Bangladeshi products, a few could be found in Malaysian markets. People there either don't know about them or have lack of trust in their quality," Musa Muhammad explained.

It is the failure of marketing agents who could not restore general confidence on the products, which is keeping your business away from Malaysia, he added.

He was addressing the formal inauguration of Malaysia Trade Centre (MTC) at Gulshan-2 and pre-launching ceremony of upcoming Show Case Malaysia Fair in the capital yesterday. The session was presided by Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Center (BDPC) Muhammad Saidur Rahman.

Pointing at the vast trade imbalance between Bangladesh and Malaysia, Hon'y Secretary General of Bangladesh-Malaysian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) Syed Moazzem Hussain criticized Bangladesh government for their lack of assistance in this regards. "In case of any trade fair arrangement or private initiatives, in order to promote Malaysian products, their government always offer numerous financial and logistical supports as encouragement. But in our case, such assistance is so little to mention," said Hussain.

He urged the Bangladesh government to support establishment of Bangladeshi Trade Center in Malaysia, which the BMCCI plans to inaugurate in March 2008.

According to his experience from recent trade fair in Malaysia he said, "If proper product marketing and promotion is carried out, Malaysia is a great potential market for Bangladeshi products." Establishment of Bangladeshi trade center there could play a vital role in this regard, he added. Speaking on the relocation proposal from Malaysian companies to Bangladesh, Malaysian High Commissioner to Dhaka Dato' Abdul Malek Bin Abdul Aziz said spadework was yet to be taken from the Bangladeshi side.

According to him, to invite Malaysian company to relocation here, some basic initiatives like tax relaxation, power security and smooth transportation are to be ensured.

"Bangladesh government is working on these and negotiations are taking place between both the sides," said the Malaysian envoy.

Expressing optimism about the future of Malaysian trade in Bangladesh, President of MTC Hajah Hazizah Binti Awang expected great response from importers in the trade center.

"Even before formal inauguration, numbers of interested importers have visited here and showed great interests," she said.

"Through MTC display, some products have already being imported and are available in the local markets. It indicates the bright future of Malaysian trade in this country," added Masudur Rahman," Chairman of MTC.

Staff Reporter

Some 650 containers are piled up in different ports and toll collection booths in the country due to lack of Customs clearance.

A total of 11,050 metric tonnes of raw materials for production of plastic goods are waiting for release in these ports and booths and the total demurrage on these shipments amounts to Tk 20 crore.

Leaders of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) said this at a press conference at BPGMEA office in the city yesterday.

They urged the National Board of Revenue (NBR) to release the imported goods immediately.

They said that the plastic industry is playing a vital role in the economic development of the country, as 'backward linkage industry' so to face the present global challenges the government should withdraw bank guarantee on the exported items. Md Jashim Uddin, President of the association, read out a written statement, while Md Yusuf Ashraf and ASM Kamal Uddin, advisers of the association, spoke on the occasion.

Leaders of the association claimed that some bond organisations renewed their licences without taking membership certificate and recommendations of the BPGMEA. They urged the NBR not to permit any licence to those bond organisations without the requisite certificate and recommendations of the BPGMEA.

They said due to various notifications and orders by the NBR authority in different times, the sector of the plastic industry is passing through a crisis period. About 234 running export-oriented industries are going to be shut down soon.

They urged the government to take initiative to solve the present crisis in different ports and toll collection booths for releasing both import and export consignments.

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission has decided to initiate a primary inquiry into the wealth of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's younger brother and former BNP MP Major (retd) Syed Iskander.

According to sources, the Commission has already appointed its deputy director Moniruzzaman Khan to conduct the primary inquiry against Iskander, also a BNP vice-chairman.

At the onset of the Awami League government in 1996, now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption issued a notice to Iskander directing him to submit his wealth statement.

Subsequently, the High Court, following a writ petition by Iskander challenging the legality of the notice, issued a stay order on the functioning of the notice. But that stay order has been vacated recently, prompting the ACC to decide to begin an inquiry.

If anything suspicious is found in the primary inquiry, he would be issued notice directing him to submit his wealth statement, the sources said.

The notice was issued to him in 1996 under the Corruption Prevention Act, 1947 and this time notice will be issued under the Anti-Corruption Commission Act, 2004 and the Anti-Corruption Commission Rules, 2007.

Meanwhile, the Commission chose two officers to investigate the two cases filed Sunday against former Prime Ministers Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Hasina and 10 others for alleged corruption in awarding deals to Niko, ACC director general (admin) Col Hanif Iqbal told reporters Wednesday afternoon.

But, he said one of them has been issued order to be posted outside the ACC headquarters while the other official said he is sick.

The Commission would now decide whether the official ordered to be posted outside would be kept in Dhaka for the sake of the investigation and would wait for the recovery of the other officer, or the Commission would think about their alternatives.

Hanif said the Commission in its today's meeting would take a decision on this.

Meanwhile, the Commission has appointed deputy director Akhter Hossain as inquiry officer to inquire into the wealth of Dhaka City Mayor Sadek Hossain Khoka who submitted his wealth statement to the ACC on December 6.

Fujimori jailed for burglary

LIMA: Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to 6 years in prison on Tuesday for sending an aide to steal documents from his spy chief, a ruling that could harm his defence in a separate murder trial. Supreme Court judge Pedro Urbina found Fujimori guilty of ordering the aide to break into a house where intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos had hidden 40 boxes of videos and tapes that documented corruption in Fujimori's government.

US mum on

CIA tapes

WASHINGTON: A White House spokeswoman insisted Tuesday that the United States does not use torture, but remained mum on the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes that might have proven it does. "I can say that any interrogations have been legal and that they have been fully briefed to the United States Congress," said White House spokeswoman Dana Perino. The White House is facing intense new questioning since the CIA chief revealed last week that the agency destroyed two videos showing the interrogation of suspected extremists in 2005, when Congress was investigating allegations that suspects were tortured.

Lavatory trap

LONDON: A retired Scottish school teacher was recovering on Monday after spending nearly four days trapped inside a men's toilet with no food or mobile phone. David Leggat was locked inside the bathroom at a lawn bowling club near the Scottish city of Aberdeen after the door jammed and the handle on the outside fell off. The 55-year-old kept warm by dipping his feet in hot water but only managed to get about three hours' sleep a night in the freezing temperatures.