The New Nation - Internet Edition

Facilities for the treatment of patients for different diseases have been increased in the government hospitals over the years. The Institute of Chest Diseases and Hospital was set up at Mohakhali in the city in 1955. It had initially 200 beds for patients. Over the decades the number of seats have been increased to seven hundred and fifty and that with the end of giving service to greater number of patients. Over one hundred and fifty doctors and two hundred and fifty nurses plus twenty technicians are employed in this hospital in the city.

The services of the specialised hospital for treatment of chest diseases have been used by an ever increasing number of chest patients. The patients come from different areas in the country as referred by doctors and technicians of hospitals and clinics in upazilas and districts. Patients registered with the hospital which is also known as TB hospital, have started facing problems of different types. Some doctors and technicians are reportedly offering suggestions to patients for going to private clinics around for checkups. Patients and their guardians are thus forced to pay more for such checkups. In the process, the treatment of chest diseases in the Mohakhali Hospital has turned costly and uncertain. Reports on transfer of patients to private clinics have appeared in the press from time to time. One may note that existing facilities in the TB hospital are not used properly for rendering service to the patients. Some professionals have reportedly encouraged their partners to set up clinics and laboratories and have started earning extra money from such centres.

The problems faced by patients and their guardians are many faceted. The treatment of diseases has turned quite costly. Tests and checkups, done at private clinics and laboratories before giving patients prescriptions from doctors of hospital, cost patients a lot of money. The tests are done allegedly even by nonqualified technicians and mistakes on the results of such tests are detected frequently. Sufferings of patients thus increase and the costs of treatment also turn heavy. In such a context, the doctors and technicians in public hospitals including the Chest Diseases and Hospital at Mohakhali have to be made accountable to authorities under the Ministry of Health. Any corruption in offering services to patients has to be contained with appropriate measures.

The youths of SAARC countries can play a vital role in the development of their respective countries and of the region as a whole. Their determined efforts to bring changes to society can have a positive impact on the progress and prosperity of their countries. While inaugurating the First SAARC Youth Camp 2007 at Savar on the outskirts of the capital city, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh the other day called upon the young men and women from South Asian countries to join development activities of the region. Representatives from Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the host country took part in the camp.

This was the first camp of the kind. It was organised with a view to 'Connecting South Asian Youths’. Through this camp, the participants got chances, first of all, to know each other and establish contacts among themselves. They will be able to initiate a process of acquiring knowledge about historical and cultural diversities, and at the same time, unity of the nations of this region. They got ample opportunity to exchange views on different subjects. The meet is expected to widen the mental horizon of the participants.

The camp also aimed at developing leadership qualities among the youths of the region. The young generation represents the future of a nation. Today’s youths will lead the future course of a country. The development of a country depends much on what role the youths will play. Their active roles in development works will help them understand the processes of development of a nation. Such kind of first-hand knowledge will enable them to give leadership to development activities in their respective countries.

Forward march on the road to prosperity of a nation depends on initiatives and determined efforts made by its younger generation to a great extent. The efforts to bring changes to society can only have positive impacts on the overall development of a country. The countries of the South Asian region face a host of problems including unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, inadequate healthcare services, spread of HIV/AIDS and drug addiction. These common problems call for concerted efforts for effective solution. Common fight against such problems,it is hoped, will broaden the horizon of this knowledge and outlook and, at the same time, inspire them to be concerned with matters of common interests of the people of the region.

It is hoped that such youth camps will have positive impacts on the material and spiritual development of the future leaders who would be able to carry forward and implement the ideals and spirit underlying the formation of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

Syed Ashraf Ali

The great festival of Eid-ul Azha, popularly known in this subcontinent as Bakrid, is celebrated by the Muslims all over the world on the tenth of Dhul-Hijja every year through sacrifices and prayers in memory of the glorious sacrifice of the prophets Ibrahim Khalilullah and Ismail Zabihullah (peace be upon them). Millions of cattle are slaughtered on this auspicious day with a view to receiving the Divine Mercy through benevolence, Samaritanism, patience and constancy. This noble effort is, however, condemned by many an ignorant non-Muslim (including the immodest and sinful Brigitte Bardot), shrouded by total ignorance about the significance and sublime essence of Qurbani, as an act of wanton cruelty. What is more, the Islamic practice of slaughter or sacrifice by slitting the throat with a sharp knife has come under attack by some animal rights activists as being an inhuman form of cruelty to animals. It is claimed that the slaughtering of an animal with a knife is the most painful and tortuous method of killing. Nothing can be farther from the truth. It has been established beyond any shadow of doubt, through impartial scientific experiments conducted in non-Muslim countries, that the Islamic method of slaughtering with a knife is the least painful and thus the most humane method of killing an animal.

In most of the Western countries, it is required by law to stun the animals with a shot in the head before the slaughter. It is done with a view to rendering the animal unconscious and thereby preventing it from reviving before it is killed so as not to slow down the movement of the processing line. It is also used from a humanitarian point of view. It is presumed that this stunning prevents the animal from feeling pain before it dies. But research conducted in a non-Muslim country like Germany recently has come out with very surprising findings which nail to the counter the allegations against the Islamic method of slaughtering with a knife. The intensive research conducted at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hanover University in Germany was headed by Professor Wilhelm Schulze. He was assisted by Dr. Hazim. The study was named: "Attempts to objectify pain and consciousness in conventional (captive bolt pistol stunning) and ritual (Islamic method of cutting with knife) methods of slaughtering sheep and calves." The results were most unexpected to the non-Muslim Westerners. The claim that the CBPS (Capital Bolt Pistol Stunning) method was least painful and most humane was dashed to the ground. The findings testified to the fact that the slaughter of an animal with a sharp knife is the least painful and most humane of all methods of killing.

In the study several electrodes were surgically implanted at various points of the skulls of all animals under experiment, touching the surface of the brain. The animals were allowed to recover for serveral weeks.

Some animals were then slaughtered, according to the Islamic method, by making a swift, deep incision with a sharp knife on the neck cutting the jugular vein and the carotid arteries as well as the trachea and esophagus. Other animals were stunned with the aid of a 'Captive Bolt Pistol' (CBP).

During the experiment an electroencephalograph (EEG) and an electrocardiogram (ECG) recorded the condition of the brains and the hearts of all the animals during the course of slaughter and stunning.

The results were as follows:

Slaughtering with a knife (The Islamic Method)

1. The first 3 seconds from the time of the slaughter (in the Islamic Method) as recorded on the EEG did not show any change from the graph before slaughter, thus indicating that the animal did not feel any recognisable pain during or after the incision.

2. During the following 3 second, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep-unconsciousness. This is due to the large quantity of blood gushing out of the body. The sudden and profuse bleeding from the incision on the neck causes a shock resulting in a state of unconsciousness due to severe shortage of blood supply to the vital centers located in the brain.

3. After the above-mentioned 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all.

4. As the brain message (EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord) driving out a maximum amount of blood from the body, thus resulting in hygienic meat for the consumers.

Captive Bolt Pistol (CBP) Stunning Method

1. The animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning.

2. But EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.

3. The hearts of animals stunned by CBP stopped beating earlier as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Islamic method, resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.

CBP Method and mad cow disease (MCD)

The Western method of stunning animals with a shot in the head is not only severely painful, as shown by the above experiment, but it is also alarmingly unhygienic. There is rising concern (Based on the findings of some researches) that the method may be a factor in the spread of Mad Cow disease (MCD) from cattle to human beings. Two independent researches carried out recently at the Texas A & M University and by Canada's Food Inspection Agency discovered that a method called Pneumatic Stunning (in which a metal bolt is fired into the cow's brain and followed by a pulverising burst of 150 pounds of air pressure) delivered a force so explosive that it scattered brain tissue throughout the animal's body. The findings are really disturbing since brain tissue and spinal cord are the most infectious parts of an animal with Mad Cow Disease which causes Swiss cheese like holes in the brain of the infected animal. It is all the more alarming because 30 to 40 per cent of the American cattle are stunned by pneumatic guns before the slaughter.

As for the most modern method of electric stunning being practiced in many developed countries, the Meat Inspection Branch of the United States Department of Agriculture came to the following conclusion in 1953: "The use of electric stunning methods by plants which operate under federal meat inspection has not been permitted as a result of experiments which were conducted several years ago at the University of Chicago. These experiments indicated that electric stunning in hogs resulted in certain changes in the tissues which could not be differentiated by gross examination from similar changes produced by disease."

In 1955 the Danish Ministry of Justice issued a circular which said, "Stunning with electricity causes extravasation in meat, sanguinary intestines and fracture in the spinal column, pelvis and the shoulder blades through shock. The blood in the meat makes it more susceptible to putrefaction and has a detrimental effect upon its taste. The properties of the meat which would co-operate with the salt in extracting the blood traces are interfered within the animal undergoing shock convulsions prior to slaughter."

In 1954 British regulations were amended and electric stunning was prohibited, "the reason being that stunning seriously affected the quality of British bacon."

It was also observed: "Electric stunning hastens the onset of putrefaction in meat. The explanation of the phenomenon lies in the high lactic acid level following electric shocks prior to bleeding. High lactic acid alters the bacterials resistance of meat."

If the head of the animal is severed by one sharp blow through guillotining or Bali at the sacrificial post, there will be sudden contraction of voluntary muscles which will expel important nutrient fluids and, as in electric shock, some lactic acid will also form. What is more, since the heart will stop suddenly, there will not be sufficient bleeding which is needed for better and healthier meat.

It is evident from the above-mentioned studies that the Islamic slaughter of animals is a blessing to both the animal and the person who consumes it. It may, however, be mentioned in this connection that the Islamic method insists on several measures to make the slaughter lawful. This is done to ensure maximum benefit to both the animal and the consumer.

The holy Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) emphatic declaration in this regard should be mentioned first. The holy Prophet (pbuh) said: "Allah calls for mercy in everything, so be merciful when you kill and when you slaughter: sharpen your blade to relieve its pain."

According to a tradition transmitted by Muslim, the Apostle of Allah (pbuh) ordered a horned ram with black legs, a black belly and black round the eyes, and it was brought to him to be sacrificed. He told Bibi Ayesha Siddiqua (RA) to get the knife, and then told her to sharpen it with a stone. When she had done so he took it, then taking the ram he placed it on the ground and cut its throat.

The Islamic method indeed demands that the knife to be used for slaughtering animals must be sharp and used swiftly. The swift cut of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerves in the brain responsible for pain. Thus the slaughtered animal feels no pain. It may be mentioned in this connection that the movements and withering of the different limbs of the animal after the incision is made are not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles deficient in blood. The convulsions are due to the contraction of the muscles in response to the lack of oxygen in the brain cells. The muscles, by these contractions, squeeze out blood from the blood vessels in the tissues to pour it into the central circulation system to be sent to the brain, but this is lost on the way (due to cutting of big vessels in the neck) and the brain cells consequently keep on sending messages to the muscles to wring out blood, until the animal dies, Convulsions thus occur when the animal becomes unconscious. And because the slaughtered animal becomes unconscious for massive haemorrhage, it does not feel pain while bleeding.

The holy Prophet's (pbuh) kindness to the animals extended to such an extent that he also instructed the Muslims neither to sharpen the blade of the knife in front of the animals nor to slaughter an animal in front of others of its own kind. It is unfortunate that very few Muslims today abide by this noble and unparalleled instruction of the last and greatest Prophet. While offering Qurbani on Eid-ul-Azha most of the Muslims unfortunately, ignore the above-mentioned humane instruction of the Apostle of God (phub) and recklessly slaughter camels and cows and lambs right in front of other animals. We not only fight shy of the holy Prophet's unique instruction but also very easily forget that the animals feel and suffer in the same way as the humans do.

Lastly, the Islamic method also insists that the cut should involve the windpipe (trachea), gullet (esophagus), and the two jugular veins without cutting the spinal cord. This method results in rapid gush of blood draining most of it from the animal's body. If the spinal cord is cut, the nerve fibres to the heart might be damaged leading to cardiac arrest, thus resulting in stagnation of blood in the blood vessels. The blood must be drained completely before the head is removed from the body. As most of the blood, which acts as medium of microorganisms, is removed the meat becomes purified and also remains fresh for a longer period as compared to the meat obtained through other methods of slaughtering like gullotining or decapitation, CBPS and electric stunning.

The Islamic method of slaughter is, therefore, not only the most humane and least painful but also the most hygienic of all the methods of killing animals.

Tarequl Islam Munna

A compromise deal for a new international climate change agenda was agreed at the UN summit in Bali today.

The move was hailed by environment secretary, Hilary Benn, as "an historic breakthrough".

Ministers from around 180 countries were united in accepting the agenda for a global emissions cuts agreement to launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement to tackle climate change.

Consensus for the road map followed a dramatic U-turn by the US, which had threatened to block the deal at the 11th hour and been booed by other countries. It dropped its opposition to poorer countries' calls for technological and financial help to combat the issue.

The sudden reversal by the US in the marathon talks which saw the country duelling with European envoys was met with rousing applause.

While it will be two years before a final deal on post-2012 is likely to be struck, countries have been fighting for the kinds of things they want to see on the table for those talks.

Mr Benn said: "This is an historic breakthrough and a huge step forward.

"For the first time ever all the world's nations have agreed to negotiate on a deal to tackle dangerous climate change."

He said it was the compelling clarity of the science and the strength of the case for urgent action that has made this agreement possible.

But it was political leadership that made it happen, Mr Benn added.

He continued: "Our changing climate has changed our politics, because we knew that we could not let people down.

"We came here saying we wanted a road map that included every country and covered emission reductions from developed countries and fair and equitable contributions from developing countries.

"We leave here with all of this and more - a groundbreaking agreement on deforestation, and others on adaptation and technology.

"And against predictions these negotiations will be guided by ambitious goals for emission reductions.

"What we have achieved here has never been done before.

"Less than a year ago, many would have said this agreement was impossible.

"Now we must make it work, and in the next two years agree the detail of a comprehensive global climate deal that will take us beyond 2012."

The agreement follows two weeks of insults, arguments and threatened boycotts and trade sanctions, as countries wrangled over who should take responsibility for cutting carbon pollution

UN secretary general Ban Ki-Moon, who returned to Bali as the conference stretched into another day, had earlier said he was "disappointed" at the lack of progress. A highly emotional Mr Ban had told delegates: "Now the hour is late. It's time to make a decision. "You have in your hands the ability to deliver to the people of the world a successful outcome to this conference."

Ministers worked through the night to hammer out the details of an agenda for the agreement, which will replace the current Kyoto Protocol.

The EU conceded on one of the main sticking points - the inclusion in the road map of a reference of 25% to 40% emissions cuts by developed countries by 2020, which scientists have said are necessary to avoid dangerous climate change.

The EU had insisted the figures were in the document because they are based on the science of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and an ambitious road map was needed. But the US demanded - and won - their removal, claiming they could "prejudge" outcomes of negotiations over the past two years. This morning the Europeans accepted a road map in which the targets were missing, as were references to the need for emissions to peak within 10 to 15 years and for global greenhouse gas output to halve by 2050.

Instead the document said countries recognise that "deep cuts in global emissions" will be required, and calls for a "long-term global goal for emissions reductions". In turn the US conceded over the issue in the road map of how much developing countries need to do to curb their emissions.

Paula Dobriansky, the head of the US delegation, said: "I think we have come a long way here.

"In this, the United States is very committed to this effort and just wants to really ensure we all act together. "We will go forward and join consensus."

Campaigning groups said the deal had been stripped of important targets and hit out at the US's "wrecking policy".

Keith Allott, Head of Climate Change at WWF UK, said:

"We are not at all pleased.

"We were looking for a road map with a destination."

But he praised the talks having been brought back from the brink of collapse, with the alliance of the G77 developing countries with the EU.

He said positive aspects included the beginning of a framework to ramp up the finance to help poorer countries adapt and potential for "real movement" with technology transfer.

Looking ahead, Mr Allott hoped for a new administration in the US. "We are seeing a dynamic situation in many of the countries," he said."We have had a sea change in Australia."

Greenpeace said that the agreement had been stripped of the emission reduction targets that humanity needs.

The Bush administration has unscrupulously taken a monkey wrench to the level of action on climate change that the science demands," said Gerd Leipold, executive director of Greenpeace International. "They've relegated the science to a footnote."

Greenpeace said it remains confident that mounting public pressure on every continent will force governments over the next two years to agree "inevitable" deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions.

The group criticised the US's strategy, saying the Bush administration was "shamed" by the firm resolve of the developing countries China, India, Brazil and South Africa, who came to Bali with concrete proposals.

Nelson Muffuh, a Christian Aid senior climate change policy analyst, said: "For most of the conference, the US delegation in particular proved a major obstacle to progress.

"They appeared to operate a wrecking policy, as though determined to derail the whole process.

"We welcome their last minute agreement to support the consensus in accepting the Bali road map, having said less than an hour earlier that it was unacceptable, and we sincerely hope they are serious in their stated desire to negotiate."But the way ahead will be hard. The Bush administration has said throughout that it wants to see developing countries agree to cuts in carbon emissions. "A number of emerging economies put creative, flexible plans on the table, but will have little incentive to negotiate further until the industrialised world agrees deeper cuts.

"Climate change is already having a devastating impact on the lives of some of the world's poorest communities through drought and flooding."

He said the lack of clear targets in the road map leaves them exposed to further catastrophe.

"We were expecting a road map, and we've got one," said Mr Muffuh. "But it lacks signposts and there is no agreed destination."

A spokesman for the Carbon Markets Association (CMA) welcomed the breakthrough "of a road map to engaging all nations, including the US, in meaningful negotiations toward long-term commitments by 2009.

"The process to 2009 should at a minimum deliver an extension of the first phase binding commitments beyond 2012 as well the engagement of a broader group of nations with binding commitments."

The US is the only major industrial nation to reject Kyoto.

President George Bush has complained that it would unduly damage the US economy, and emission caps should have been imposed on China, India and other fast-growing developing countries. The Bush administration favours a voluntary approach with each country deciding how it can contribute in place of internationally negotiated and legally binding commitments.

Tarequl Islam Munna: Conservator, wildlife ang environment, in taking positive environmental action around the world to conserve the nature and ecological balance on behalf of World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) Correspondent, Today's magazine, NC, USA