The New Nation - Internet Edition

Business leaders urged to take part in greater public-pvt cooperation

A large number of people visited the International
Trade Fair in the capital yesterday. Focus Bangla

UNB, Davos

A group of prominent World Economic Forum business leaders Thursday issued a call to their peers to join collaborative efforts to strengthen public governance frameworks and institutions as a core element of their approach to corporate citizenship.

Fourteen global CEOs and chairmen, representing a range of industries and regions, signed a leadership statement calling on businesses to engage in public-private partnerships to strengthen public policies and institutional capacity at the national, regional and global levels, as part of the Forum's Global Corporate Citizenship Initiative in partnership with lead partner Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), as well as Accountability, Harvard's Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative and the International Business Leaders Forum.

Signatories of the leadership statement include the Chairman/CEOs of Ayala Corporation; Diageo; Merck & Co.; Microsoft Corporation;

Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO); Tata Industries; The Coca-Cola Company; and the big four accounting firms - Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The outcome of the project, entitled Partnering to Strengthen Public Governance - The Leadership Challenge for CEOs and Boards, is a CEO-signed leadership statement and supporting report, which provide a roadmap for business leaders seeking to work with governments and other stakeholders to improve the enabling environment for sustainable economic growth and development.

In launching this effort, the signatories call for a new frontier in corporate global citizenship and a new era in public-private partnership, recognizing the increasing convergence of public and private sector agendas. "Public governance is a global issue. No longer can businesses, governments, or non-governmental organizations afford to act independently of each other - the stakes are just too high," said John Connolly, Chairman of the Global Board at Deloitte. "Only through a combined effort can we achieve economic growth, sustainability, and create an opportunity for a better life for people everywhere."

"Over the past 18 months," said Richard Samans, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, "this project has attempted to improve understanding of the business case for improved public governance and provide concrete guidance on how businesses can engage in public-private efforts to strengthen the effectiveness of such frameworks and institutions."

"We hope that by stating so clearly that business has a role to play in partnering to promote effective public governance, these leaders will open new partnership channels on critical social, environmental and economic questions," said Aron Cramer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), USA.

The paper acknowledges the essential role that partnership plays in advancing the global agenda, and the essential need for business to take on this agenda based both on its capacity and legitimacy. Business engagement in promoting effective governance is most effective, and most credible, where it reflects key principles including transparency, dialogue and respect for the unique role of public institutions, and recognizes the central value of working with civil society organizations.

"Weak public governance harms both a country's people and its environment," said E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Coca-Cola Company, and Chairman of the International Business Leaders Forum.

He continued: "As this report highlights, business has opportunity and motive to change that by contributing to building better governance systems and public institutions… which are fundamental to sustainable social and economic development and therefore sustainable communities and business success."

"Strengthening public governance is an ongoing challenge for us all. Moreover, creating and sustaining the will to reform is a critical ingredient of successful public sector reform," commented Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), regarding the work stream.

"As experience has shown, if there's a willingness for the public and private sectors to work together, positive results will occur," said Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ayala Corporation.

The World Economic Forum, signatory companies and the World Economic Forum's Partner companies will be exploring forward action to advance this agenda, sharing learning and looking for opportunities to translate the leadership statement into action.

The signatories of this statement are: Kishor A. Chaukar, Managing Director, Tata Industries, Tata Enterprises; Richard T. Clark, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Merck & Co.; John P. Connolly, Chairman of the Global Board, Deloitte; Samuel A. DiPiazza Jr, Global Chief Executive Officer, PricewaterhouseCoopers; William H. Gates III, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation; E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company;

Alexander V. Izosimov, Chief Executive Officer, VimpelCom; Lubna S.

Olayan, Chief Executive Officer, Olayan Financing Company; Mark G. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nike; Jalees Ahmed Siddiqi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO); James S. Turley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ernst & Young; Paul S. Walsh, Group Chief Executive, Diageo; Michael Wareing, International Chief Executive Officer, KPMG; Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ayala Corporation; The member companies of the GCCI Advisory Committee.

Nokia launches IAC for music talents

Prem Chand, Managing Director of Nokia Emerging
Asia, addressing a launching ceremony of IAC at a city cafe
on Thursday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Nokia launched Independent Artists Club (IAC), a programme that will promote the discovery of the country's home-grown music and talent from Bangladesh.

IAC will not only provide opportunities for new artists from around the country to be heard by people from across the world, but also give music fans a new platform to discover new music that will be available in countries across the Asia Pacific region.

This was disclosed at a press conference held at a city cafe on Thursday.

Prem Chand, Managing Director of Nokia Emerging Asia, said, "The IAC website for Bangladesh opened on January 15, which is www.nokia-asia.com/iac .

Through this site artists will be able to upload their songs and have those songs rated, consumed and downloaded by music lovers. Artists have to register as members to the site to be able to upload their songs along with their pictures and profile. Once the artists upload the songs they will be published on the site after a screening.

"Music is an important pillar of our consumer internet services strategy, so it is important for us to nurture the local music industry, which will ultimately be the catalyst for great local content to be discovered and appreciated by consumers," said Prem Chand.

Sajid Matin, Category Manager of Nokia Emerging Asia, presented the registration process and the future of IAC in detail.

Shabnam Huq, Communications Manager of Nokia, representatives from the invited bands and record labels and popular artistes of the music industry were also present on the occasion.

Mystery shrouds Sarkozy’s Taj visit

Agency

India's media is frenziedly speculating over whether France's president will be accompanied by his beloved on his visit to the monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

President Nicolas Sarkozy's aides say that he will visit the Taj during his visit to India which begins on Friday.

But on Tuesday, his girlfriend Carla Bruni told a French newspaper that she would not be going to India with him.

That has led to press speculation that he may emulate Princess Diana's solitary visit to the Taj in 1992.

"Is he going alone? At a time when he's deeply in love and contemplating matrimony for the third time? asks The Times of India.

The paper suggests Ms Bruni may come to India on a "private" visit to coincide with that of the president.

It points out that such a tactic would be a good way to sidestep the Indian foreign ministry's "constraining protocol" over the presence of unmarried partners on state visits. Unmarried couples are still a rarity in largely conservative India. Correspondents have already begun asking whether the president will follow in the footsteps of Princess Diana, who visited the Taj Mahal alone in 1992.

That visit took place as her marriage with Prince Charles was collapsing.

She sat by herself and posed for customary photographs on a bench in front of the marble mausoleum.

The image epitomised the couple's estrangement.

"Sarkozy had reserved some private time for himself on the afternoon of January 26 before flying back," the NDTV website reported.

"So perhaps he can catch up with Bruni at the monument of love, the Taj Mahal.

"If Carla Bruni does indeed come to India, her visit will inevitably lead to renewed focus on Sarkozy's private life.

"And that to many, is much more interesting than the politics of the visit," it said. On Tuesday, Ms Bruni told Liberation newspaper that she could not go on an official trip to India as she was not married to President Sarkozy.

The decision meant that Indian officials do not have to resolve protocol issues of how to treat a head of state's girlfriend.

Sarkozy has been inseparable from Ms Bruni over the past few months and their romance has been grabbing headlines around the world.

Sarkozy will be the chief guest at India's Republic Day parade on 26 January.

When the possibility of Ms Bruni accompanying him first emerged, the media went into overdrive, speculating whether the tall ex-model would share the plush five-star hotel suite where the president will be hosted.

Dr. Kamal for intra-party dialogue

Staff Reporter

Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain urged for a dialogue between the like-minded political parties before the talks with the government to get rid of criminalised trend of politics.

He said this at a press briefing after a meeting of the party at the party's head office at Motijheel in the city.

Dr Kamal said, "Dialogue among the parties, civil society representatives and professional organisations are needed to bring the country out of the criminalized trend of politics in the country".

Replying to a query Dr Kamal said the government should start the process of the trial of the war criminals and the political parties could project the demand in the proposed dialogue with the government.

"We want a normal situation by holding a free and fair election and for that the corrupt people should be tried."

Answering to another question the Gano Forum President said the general elections could not be held within 90 days because of the failure of the then four party alliance government, which did not prepare a correct voters' roll and constitute a credible election commission.

He also urged the Government to take positive actions to bring down the price of essentials.

"The government should increase import, start rationing among the people of fixed incomes, Vulnerable Group Feeding and introduce subsidised rice marketing to control the price of rice" he said.

Acting General Secretary of the party Subrata Chowdhury, Presidium members of the party Pankaj Bhattacharya, Advocate SM Altaf, Organising Secretary Mostafa Mohsin Montu and central leader Mostak Ahmed, among others, were present at the meeting presided over by Dr Kamal.

Death anniversary of SAMS Kibria tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

The 3rd death anniversary of Awami League leader and former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria, who was assassinated in a grisly grenade attack in his home district of Habiganj on January 27 in 2005, will be observed Sunday. Elaborate programmes have been scheduled for on Saturday and the next couple of days to observe the death anniversary. Family members, different socio-cultural and political organisations will place wreaths at the grave of the late AL leader at the Banani graveyard in the city from 8:00 am on Saturday.

Memorial Lecture by AMA Muhith, organized by the Bangladesh Foundation for Development Research, will be delivered at the Sufia Kamal Auditorium of National Museum at 4 pm on Monday, said a press release.

Shah AMS Kibria and four others were killed in a grenade attack carried out shortly after a rally at Boidderbazar in Habiganj on January 27, 2005.

Kibria's murder had sparked violent protests in the streets and the opposition alliance put the blame on the then government. Different foreign missions in Dhaka and the international community also protested against the killing of Kibria, who was also executive director of the ESCAP with the rank and status of the UN under-secretary-general.

Following the attack, Asma Kibria, wife of late Kibria, organized a series of peaceful protest programs (including 'Shantir Shopokkhe Nilima' - 81 weekly protests - and 'Rokter Akkhare Shopother Shakkhor' - a 3-km long signature banner) both in Bangladesh and overseas, demanding an end to culture of political killing and that the killers be brought to justice.

The Kibria family demanded an international investigation alleging the inability of local investigators to withstand political pressure. Various international agencies (including the International Parliamentary Union, the European Union and the United Nations) as well as public representatives from around the world called for a full investigation into the assassination.

In March, June and September 2005, a number of US Senators and Congressmen (including Senators Edward Kennedy, Barack Obama, Lincoln Chafee, John Sununu, John Kerry and Rep. Barney Frank) wrote letters to the US and Bangladesh governments urging that those behind the Kibria assassination be brought to justice.

The family of Kibria blamed the then BNP-Jamaat-i-Islami alliance government for creating obstacles to a complete, independent and credible investigation and failure to provide the conditions needed for full FBI participation in the investigation.

The present Caretaker Government (CG) appointed a new investigating officer and formed a committee to oversee the investigation, but no progress has been reported to date, family sources said. They said the CG refused to give permission for the peaceful protest programs organized by the family.

ADB assures continued support for Bangladesh

UNB, Davos, Switzerland

Asian Development Bank President H Kuroda Thursday assured of the Bank's continued support to Bangladesh for its infrastructure and power and energy sector development, and appreciated the performance of the caretaker government for its various reforms in political, administrative and economic sectors.

The ADB President's appreciation came during a courtesy call on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed at Congress Center on the sidelines of the world economic forum meeting.

"I'm greatly impressed with your government's performance, particularly the reforms brought about in governance and economic sectors," he said.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, CA's Press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim and Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Debapriya Bhattachrya were present at the meeting. The Chief Adviser sought ADB's support for the construction of the proposed Padma Bridge as well as cooperation in the power and energy sectors. The ADB chief said they would look into it and hoped that big countries will also come forward to finance these sectors. Dr Ahmed apprised the ADB chief of the political and economic situation that led the incumbent government to assume office one year ago.

He also mentioned reforms of the Election Commission, Anti-Corruption Commission, Public Service Commission, University Grant Commission and separation of the judiciary as well as strengthening the local government institutions.

He said the government is also going to set up Human Rights Commission in the country.

The Chief Adviser said the revamped institutions after reforms and reformed political parties would help govern Bangladesh more effectively for the betterment of the people.

He reiterated that the elections would be held by December this year and the Election Commission is reforming its rules and regulations through dialogue with political parties, and preparing the voter list with photographs to hold a credible election in the country.

Shortage of ships Jute export faces uncertainty

Staff Reporter

One of the country's major export earner jute is currently facing a challenging situation due to lack of ships at Mongla port, export goods valued approximately US $14.6 million is lying within the mills.

On the other hand the misery of the jute sector deepens with the workers demonstrating for arrears and other demands in front of the jute mills. According to the exporters, the foreign buyers may soon lose interest if the demands are not met on time.

From the last three months they are unable to export 35,000 meters of jute which has created tension and insecurity among the businessmen nationwide.

The exporters are not interested in exporting their raw product through any other port as the transportation cost increases. Due to which their profit margin reduces. They are waiting for the ships to return which are at various parts of the world.

Meanwhile, around 4,000 workers of six jute mills gathered in front of Jessore Jute Industries (JJI) and Carpeting Jute Mills at Rajghat in Abhoynagar upazila to agitate against the Government on Thursday.

The labourers wanted payment of arrears and improvement in the present condition of mills. Some of them also declared self immolation if demands are not met.

Police interfered and asked the workers to postpone the blockade programme and not to violate emergency rules, till higher authorities of Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation (BJMC) arrive at Khulna to solve the crisis.

Bangladesh is the world's largest grower of quality Jute. But the mills are now virtually on the verge of collapse as the caretaker Government has not allocated any fund in the recently-announced national budget for running them properly, which led to the present chaos.

30 militants killed in Pakistan clashes

Reuters, Kohat

Up to 30 pro-Taliban militants and two soldiers were killed in clashes in a tribal region in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, the military said.

The clashes broke out in Darra Adam Kheil tribal region near the city of Peshawar a day after militants seized four trucks carrying ammunition and other supplies for paramilitary forces.

"Reportedly, 25-30 miscreants have been killed," the military statement said. The small dusty, town of Darra Adam Kheil is known as Pakistan's "gun capital" as its ethnic Pashtun residents have made weapons, including rifles, pistols and shotguns, for generations.

Though notorious as a haven for smugglers, the town until recently had been relatively free of the militant violence that has plagued other parts of Pakistan's tribal belt along the border with Afghanistan.

However, pro-Taliban militants have stepped up activities in the area in recent months with attacks on music shops, and an intelligence agent was killed there last year.

The military said the paramilitary Frontier Corps cleared strategic heights of militants south of Spina Thana village in the region.

Further to the southwest of the tribal belt, security forces battled militants in South Waziristan, renowned as a sanctuary for al Qaeda militants.

Nearly 150 militants and more than 20 government soldiers have been killed in South Waziristan in a week of clashes with fighters loyal to Baitullah Mehsud, a Taliban commander the government says was behind the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto last month.

Mehsud met other Taliban commanders in Waziristan on Friday, and they ordered their fighters to step up attacks on Pakistani security forces, Haji Omar, a spokesman for the militants, told Reuters.

US offer for joint operation against militants rejected: Pakistan capable of protecting nuclear warheads

AFP, Islamabad

The chief of Pakistan's powerful army on Friday dismissed "unrealistic" fears that Al-Qaeda could seize the country's nuclear weapons, as the military test-fired a ballistic missile.

In a rare foray into politics, the normally reclusive General Ashfaq Kiyani rejected speculation that Pakistan's warheads could be at risk amid the turmoil sparked by the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto.

The United States and other Western allies have showed mounting concern about the security of Islamabad's estimated 50 warheads, with Pakistani forces battling a growing insurgency by Al-Qaeda-linked militants.

Kiyani however told troops after the training launch of the medium-range Shaheen-1 (Hatf IV) that the military was "capable of safeguarding and securing nuclear assets against all categories of threat."

Pakistani troops on Friday combed mountains in the volatile tribal stronghold of an Al-Qaeda-linked militant blamed by Islamabad and Washington for the killing of Benazir Bhutto.

But Pakistani officials rejected US Defence Secretary Robert Gates's offer that the United States is "ready, willing and able" to conduct joint combat operations in the troubled region if Islamabad agrees.

Gates's offer came amid escalating clashes in the tribal region of South Waziristan, the hideout of Islamist warlord Baitullah Mehsud, who is accused of masterminding opposition leader Bhutto's assassination last month.

Around 200 militants and 30 soldiers are said to have died during three weeks of fighting.

The army said it had fired artillery and mortar rounds on Friday targeting militant hideouts from which troops had come under fire overnight in South Waziristan.

"A house-to-house search operation is underway in the areas where the security forces have consolidated their positions," chief military spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP.

No loss of life was reported in the latest skirmishes in the troubled region, which is described by the United States as a sanctuary for Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants.

Uphold Constitution for safeguarding democracy: Speakers

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a roundtable yesterday called for upholding the constitution to safeguard democracy.

They said violation of the constitution in the past pushed the country backward.

Some speakers alleged that finger print system in voter ID card has been introduced to serve the interests of some colonial powers.

They were speaking at a roundtable marking the 'Democracy Killing Day' organised by Chironthan Bangladesh Central Committee at National Press Club. Alamgir Mohiuddin, Editor, Daily Naya Diganta, Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Editor, The New Nation, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, Senior Assistant Secretary General, Jammat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Shafiul Alam Prodhan, President ,Jatiya Gonotratik Party, Maulona Abdul Latif Nezami, Secretary General, Islamic Okiya Jote, BNP leader Maj(Retd) Akhtarozzaman, Jubo Dal General Secretary and former BNP lawmaker Moazzem Hossain Alal, Jatiya Party leader Ismail Hossain Bengal , Human Right activist Adv Bodroduzza Chowdhury , Islamic Party General Secretary Adv Abul Momen, among others, took part at the discussion.

Alamgir Mohiuddin alleged that maintaining instability in Bangladesh was a design of the world's super power.

Introduction of fingerprint in making voter ID card is not for our country, it is only to serve the purposes of the Pentagon, he alleged.

Mostafa Kamal Majumder said urge all to uphold the consensus constitution to steer the country clean of political problems.

Shafiul Alam Prodhan criticised politicians for giving foreigner chance to interfere in country's internal affairs.

Maj (Retd) Akhtaruzzaman vowed to launch movement for democracy and urged countrymen to join him.

Mohammad Kamaruzzaman blamed Awami League for the present situation of the country.

Moazzem Hossain Alal demaded the immediate release of the detained Awami League president Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for the people to benefit from their leadership.

Ismail Hossain Bengal called for upholding the character of Bangladesh as a moderate Muslim country and said even during the political chaos, the price of essential commodities was within the buying capacity of the common people.

Maulona Abdul Latif Nezami called for unity of nationalist forces to preserve the democracy.

Adv Bodroduzza Chowdhury said that the leadership vacuum in the country can only be filled by an elected government.

40 injured in road accident

UNB, Noakhali

At least 40 people were injured when a bus skidded off Begumganj-Laxmipur road in Begumganj upazila Friday morning.

Local sources said the bus, carrying a picnic party from Sonapur Catholic Mission, turned turtle at Kalikapur at about 7:30am as the driver lost his control over steering.

On information, police rushed to the scene and rescued the injured.

They were admitted to different hospitals.

The condition of four injured passengers was stated to be critical, hospital sources said.