The New Nation - Internet Edition

Political parties need to establish accountability through reforms: CA: Emergency to be eased gradually, Bangladesh different from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, Fakhruddin on WEF

UNB, Davos

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed has said the state of emergency will be eased gradually, but political parties have certain responsibilities and need to establish accountability through reforms.

"State of emergency will be relaxed gradually, but you know why the time is needed? Political parties require to establish accountability within themselves through reforms," he told a group of Bangladeshi journalists covering the annual meeting of World Economic Summit (WEF) 2008.

Commenting on Bangladesh's first ever participation in the WEF as well as on domestic politics, the Chief Adviser said the government will not impose any reforms on parties. "But the parties, we hope, will perceive the necessity as people also want it."

He said the day would come when the parties within and outside the government would take decision for consensus on national issues for steering the nation towards sustainable democracy and development. Admitting that political activities have slowed down, Dr Fakhruddin reiterated his government's plan to lift the restriction on indoor politics outside Dhaka. "But political parties have also responsibility to bring dynamism to politics," he said. Replying to a question how Bangladesh was benefited from the WEF meeting, the Chief Adviser said he has been able to project Bangladesh's stories of successes as well as concern to the world political, economic and social leaders during his formal and informal interactions during the meeting.

"I've told them Bangladesh will emerge as a developing economic power soon," he told the reporters at the Congress Center. He said he also pointed out Bangladesh's concern over the climate change, underscoring that Bangladesh would be one of the vulnerable nations in the wake of the global warming. The world leaders have agreed with this view, he added.

He hoped that Bangladesh would get substantial assistance from the Global Adaptation Fund to cope with the adverse impact of the changes in the climate.

Asked whether Bangladesh was put in line with Pakistan, Afghanistan or Iraq as he had to sit with the leaders of those countries as a panelist at a session in the WEF, Dr Fakhruddin said Bangladesh is completely a different country from others.

Bangladesh is an example of peace and tranquility in the region.

"And I've told them that Bangladesh is different from others.

Bangladesh is now on the road to transition to democracy." Replying to a question, he said each country has its own perception about democracy, human rights and other issues.

Bangladesh has already framed laws to establish an independent National Human Rights Commission and enact the Right to Information Act to strengthen the foundation of democracy, he said. "Question does not rise whether we will see these issues through western lens." The Chief Adviser said he also highlighted his government's one-year activities and its ultimate aim of holding a free, fair and credible election. Bangladesh has been built up as a nation of peace and tranquility in the otherwise turbulent region.

In reply to another questuion, he admitted the fact that the price-rise in the world market particularly increasing price of petroleum products, rice and edible oil have impacted on the Bangladeshi market and aggravated the sufferings of the people as the country is to import all these items.

He, however, said the government has decided to strengthen the OMS from next month and provide food through 30 lakh cards under the VGF programme.

Dr Fakhruddin said the government has finalized the process of importing 10 lakh metric tons of rice from abroad. Besides, the government has taken adequate steps to ensure smooth supply of seeds and fertilizer, and provide irrigation facilities to boost the Boro production.

On the economic scenario, he said some says foreign investment has slowed down and export also came down. Now the scenario has started changing with the increase in export. Besides, with the implementation of the ADP, economic activities would be accelerated, he added.

The Chief Adviser said the public procurement rules were simplified to ensure quick procurement of goods including rice. Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed chowdhury, CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim and Bangladesh permanent representative to UN offices in Geneva Ambassador Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya were present.

Another cold wave within 2 days likely: Drizzles, chilly wind disrupt normal life

Normal life was disrupted for the third consecutive
day on Saturday as the severe cold spell and drizzles
continue. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Normal life in the capital and outside was disrupted for the third consecutive day yesterday as continuous drizzles and chilly wind coupled with dense fog blanketed the country.

The cold spell and inclement weather particularly affected the low-income group of people mounting their sufferings and paralyzing their normal lives.

The Meteorological office forecast yesterday that another cold wave is underway within the next two to three days.

In most of the cities and towns, traffic was thin on streets, shopping malls and kitchen markets had a very bad day as people ventured to go out only to meet urgent needs.

The chilly weather also hampered farming as many peasants could not go out to work and farm labourers were staying at their houses finding no work. Since there is little or no work available, poor people in both rural and urban areas have been passing their days borrowing money from each other.

Besides, attendance of students at schools and colleges in rural areas has gone down due to the inclement weather.

The lowest temperature in the country yesterday--12.7 degrees was recorded at Rangpur. In Dhaka, the lowest temperature was 15.7 degrees, which was 5 to 7 degrees Celsius higher than the normal temperature.

On the other hand, the highest 44mm rainfall was recorded in Jessore.

Dhaka, Khulna, Barisal, Jessore, Patuakhali and many other areas of the country also experienced rainfall, the Met office said.

According to the Met office, there is no possibility of change in today's (Sunday) weather. However, the night-time temperature may go down to 10 degree Celsius. The temperature will fall in different parts of Rajshahi division, resulting in more cold spells.

In the capital, difference of minimum and maximum temperature was only 2.4 degrees Celsius causing the biting cold.

People living in the open were seen covering themselves and their belongings with polythene sheets.

Price of many items, including rice in kitchen markets further shot up yesterday as supply was disrupted.

Wholesalers blamed inclement weather behind the fresh price hike of rice.

Visiting Badamtoli and Babubazar, two largest wholesale rice markets in city yesterday, this correspondent found that the prices of rice had increased by Tk 20 to Tk 40 per maund.

The wholesalers said the supply of rice to the wholesale markets had gone down during the last three days due to foul weather.

They said the rice producers in the northern districts could not dry up their rice due to constant drizzles and bad weather.

Besides, transportation of rice has been hampered due to dense fog. The impact of short supply of rice has fallen on wholesale markets.

Our correspondents in Rajshahi, Rangpur and Bogra report: A cold wave was sweeping over the districts for the last four days, coupled with drizzles.

Hundreds of people living on streets, river embankments and open spaces suffered the most.

The district administration of Rangpur sought 20,000 pieces of blankets and equal numbers of sweaters, jackets and children's clothes for distribution among distressed people.

Our correspondents in southern districts reported that severe cold and rains affected economic and other activities in the entire region yesterday.

Met office sources said the highest and the lowest temperatures in the region on the day were almost the same.

Sufferings of home-bound Ijtema devotees know no bounds: Transport system fails to cope with pressure

Devotees facing untold sufferings to return home as
the Bishwa Ijtema was concluded on the opening day due to
cold spell and rainfall. This photograph was taken from
Tongi area yesterday. FocusBangla

Staff Reporter

Tens of thousands of homebound devotees on Saturday faced untold miseries due to sudden closure of the Bishwa Ijtema and inadequate number of transports to reach their destinations.

They waited for hours on roads in rains and cold and very few of them were about to get into the buses as the passengers out-numbered the arriving buses by several hundred times. Many of them rushed to Tongi Rail Station. But as the Bangladesh Railway did not get ample time to provide extra trains, the passengers' sufferings lingered.

Sources said, notwithstanding adverse situation, most of the devotees left Tongi for their homes by Saturday night.

The devotees were found waiting at different bus, train and launch terminals for getting the transport.

Many of them took shelter at their relatives' houses or other places in the city and adjacent areas of Tongi.

However, a good number of devotees remained stranded at the Ijtema venue till yesterday due to transport shortage.

Some devotees expressed their dissatisfaction for sudden closure of Bishwa Ijtema due to inclement weather.

Many city dwellers repented as they could not be able to attend the much awaited akheri munajat (mass prayer).

The three-day Biswa Ijtema, the second largest annual Muslim congregation in the world, was due to end today with akheri munajat, but the organisers decided not to proceed with programme and declared the grand assembly over on the very opening day on Friday considering the untold sufferings of the devotees.

Millions of devotees from about 60 countries flocked the sprawling venue on the bank of Turag River in the outskirts of the capital city, Dhaka.

About five thousand of foreigners who participated in the Bishwa Ijtema stayed at the Ijtema venue till Saturday night. They are expected to leave the Ijtema premises for Kakrail Jame Mosque in the city today. Thereafter, they will depart for their respective countries at their convenient time.

Still hundreds of volunteers have been taking care of those devotees are still there and other materials, including the tents. Weather becoming fair, the tents and other housing materials will be removed from the Ijtema grounds.

Meanwhile, a Pakistani devotee named Haji Nesar Uddin, 65, died of severe cold early hours of Saturday. With this the number of dead stood at three.

Bird flu breaks out in 3 dists: Red alert along border with West Bengal

Staff Reporter

Over 35,000 fowls were culled following bird flu outbreaks in three districts of Borguna, Rajshahi and Jessore in the past week, official sources said.

Experts fear the H5N1 strain could mutate and pass on to humans. However, no human infections have so far been reported in the country.

Some 11,243 chickens, ducks and pigeons were slaughtered and 2,000 eggs were destroyed in Barguna, Patuakhali and Dinajpur districts in last two days after detection of avian influenza. Suspected outbreaks were also reported at a farm in Rangpur, where the virus has resurfaced.

Bangladesh needs house-to-house surveillance to fight bird flu because the situation has worsened and is "posing a danger to public health," the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations said on Thursday.

"The situation has worsened in the past week compared to the first few months of the outbreak. The international community is very concerned," FAO's Bangladesh chief Ad Spijkers said.

"We took the concern to the Minister on Wednesday and donors are going to meet with the government very soon to discuss comprehensive measures to fight the disease. It's posing a danger to public health," he said adding, "The government should do active house-to-house surveillance to control the disease."

Bangladesh border security forces were put on high alert on Thursday to stop the transport of poultry from India's West Bengal state, where authorities are struggling to control a massive bird flu outbreak, agencies reported.

Since Bangladesh's first bird flu outbreak in March last year, the disease has been detected in 26 out of the country's 64 districts, prompting authorities to slaughter at least 355,000 birds.

Officials said the situation has worsened in the past week but the disease remains contained. "We don't think the situation is as bad as in West Bengal," said Salahuddin Khan, Director of Livestock Department.

Experts differed, saying the situation was far worse than the government claims, with farmers holding back from reporting many cases. "Bird flu is now everywhere. Every day we have reports of birds dying in farms," M M Khan, leading poultry expert and the treasurer of Bangladesh Poultry Association, said last weekend.

The situation was serious and public health was in danger, Khan said. "The government is trying to suppress the whole scenario."

The FAO country chief said the world's most densely-populated nation faced a "delicate situation" since the poultry industry employs five million people.

"It's tough to impose movement control in a small country populated by more than 144 million people. It has become a sensitive and difficult issue as the livelihoods of a lot of people depends on birds," Speakers said.

Asia Energy plans to set up 1000mw power plant: $2b to be invested to develop Phulbari Coalmine: CEO

Staff Reporter

Asia Energy plans to build a 1000-MW power plant in its prospective Phulbari Coal Mine Project area for optimum utilization of the mine's coal.

The UK-based coal-mine developer has announced their plan recently considering the country's electricity demand, now increasing at a rate of about 8-10 percent a year.

However, implementation of the power project will depend on government approval to a development scheme submitted by the company in 2005.

The government is yet to approve the Asia Energy's development scheme as it was waiting for adoption of a national coal policy on the basis of which all the future development projects in the coal sector will get approval.

Now a draft coal policy has been framed and it is expected to be approved by the government within a few months, through a careful vetting of the maiden policy for the up-and-coming sector of the country's natural resources.

As per the development scheme, the Asia Energy will invest over US$2 billion to develop the Phulbari Coal Mine project through open-pit mining method from which it would annually produce 15 million metric tons of high-quality coal.

Asia Energy (Bangladesh) Corporation's CEO Gary N Lye said that the proposed power plant would consist of two units, each having 500-MW generation capacity.

He said his firm has a plan to extend the generation capacity of the power plant to 2000 MW considering the future electricity demand.

According to Gary, the power plant was designed to set up within the Phulbari Coal Mine area as a mine-mouth plant aiming to reduce the cost related to transportation of the coal.

The country has been facing a nagging electricity crisis as it could produce about 3500-3600 megawatts of power against a demand for more than 5000 MW. The shortage always prevails at 1500-2000 MW.

The government is aggressively trying to reduce the shortage by installing new plants. But fund constrains have been the main barrier.

Sources said if the government gave approval to the Asia Energy's development scheme, it could be a breakthrough in its effort to resolve the power crisis.

As per the Power System Master Plan 2005, the country will need 42,000 MW additional electricity by 2025 to meet the growing demand.

Of this, 37,000MW power will have to be generated with coal as the country's gas reserve is proceeding towards depletion.

Experts believe that the present gas reserve in the country would exhaust by 2015 if no new discovery could be made in the meantime.

The country's total proven and probable recoverable gas reserve is 20 trillion cubic feet (tcf) from 22 gas fields, of which 5 tcf has already been consumed.

On the other hand, country's coal reserve is estimated to be 2,514 million tons.

The government is also considering not allowing any new gas-based power plant after 2011 because of limited gas reserve. Rather, its target is to encourage installing coal-based power plants after 2011.

EC plans to hold city corpn, several poura polls in April

Staff Reporter

The Election Commission (EC) is contemplating holding elections of the city corporations and several pourasavas in April, said EC Brig Gen (Retd) Sakhawat Hossain yesterday.

"Necessary preparations have been going on in this regard," he told reporters while visiting Dhamrai upazila yesyerday to witness voter registration work.

Sakhawat said the reforms to the electoral rules would be completed by March. The Election Commission is considering to hold elections of the city corporations and several poura-savas in April.

"There is no alternative to election to take the country to the path of democracy," he said, adding that the EC has been working to hold a free, fair and credible election.

"With this objective in mind, voter list preparation work has been moving fast. The election that will be held under this voter list will remain an example in the history of Bangladesh," he said.

He further said that the process of holding election would start once the voter's list is completed.

However, Sakhawat said the Election Commission expected that the government would create a conducive atmosphere for holding election by lifting the state of emergency before holding the election process.

Dutch PM offers help for water management

BSS, Davos

The Netherlands has offered its assistance for water management in riverine Bangladesh as Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende called on Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed here.

"We have offered our assistance for the water management in Bangladesh because of our expertise in the area" he told the reporters after meeting Dr Fakhruddin on the sideline of World Economic Forum at the conference venue on Friday.

During the talks, the Dutch Premier discussed issues on Bangladesh politics, upcoming polls, climate change, human rights and other bilateral issues. " We had a very fruitful meeting and discussed important issues," the Dutch Prime Minister appreciated reforms initiatives undertaken by the present caretaker government.

He conveyed his deep sympathy at the loss of life and property during the last cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh. Jan Peter recalled his last meeting with the Chief Adviser in New York in last September and hoped the bilateral relation between Dhaka-The Hague will be strengthened further in future.

Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Bangladesh Ambassador to UN office in Geneva Dr Debapriya Bhattachariya and Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim were present.

Earlier, ILO Director General Juan Somagia also called on Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed at the same venue and discussed labour related issues.

Banks urged to help improve educational institutions

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed yesterday urged the commercial banks to contribute in the improvement of educational institutions and the teachers alongside their ongoing stipend programme for the poor but meritorious students.

"There is no alternative to education… it needs decentralisation," he said a stipend distribution ceremony of Shahjalal Islami Bank Limited at the auditorium of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IE,B). The Governor said many schools and colleges in rural areas were suffering from fund crisis.

"It's a good investment beyond traditional banking to help develop educated citizens. It's not possible for the government alone," the central bank Governor added reminding the banks of their corporate social responsibility.

In the recent days some of the financial institutions came forward and engaged themselves in different charitable activities responding to their corporate social responsibilities.

Shahjalal Bank distributed stipends among 111 poor and meritorious students, who passed SSC and HSC examinations in 2006, to carry out their educational expenses at their respective next levels of academic career.

Education secretary Mohammed Momtazul Islam, the bank's founding chairman Sajjatuz Zumma, chairman Akkas Uddin Molla, director Anwar Hossain Khan and Mohammed Solayman, managing director Muhammed Ali and stipend recipient Mishkatul Momtaz of Holy Cross College also addressed on the occasion.

No letup in edible oil price hike

Staff Reporter

People are yet to see any letup in the price hike of edible oil, one of the most essentials, instead of continuous rising.

Per litre of loose soyabean oil was selling between Tk 101 and Tk 105 in the retail market while in the wholesale market it was selling at Tk 96 yesterday.

Palm oil and palm oil super was selling, in the retail market, at Tk 92 and Tk 96 respectively in the city's different markets.

In the Saturday's market a five-litre container of Rupchanda brand was selling at Tk 502. Most of the five-litre containers of other brands were selling between Tk 495 and Tk 500.

Sources said, the mill owners, wholesalers and the retailers made the consumers hostage and continuously raising edible oil price.

Informed sources said mill owners raised Tk 10 on per 40 kg of edible oil and subsequently the retailers increased Tk 5 to Tk 10 on per kg.

The Government fixed the mill gat price of soyabean oil at Tk 91.10 per kg and palm oil at Tk 87.08 effective between January 22 and February 06. And the price of per 5-litre container at mill gate was fixed at Tk 494.

However, the BDR outlets in the city are selling per litre of soyabean oil at Tk 88, per 2-litre bottle at Tk 184 and 5-liter container at Tk 455.

Informed sources said price of edible oil in the international market rose significantly in the last couple of days. Edible oil price might rise in the local market further in the coming days.

South Carolina primary begins: Hillary narrows gap

Barak Obama

AFP, Columbia

Democrats in South Carolina began voting early Saturday in a primary election fiercely contested by the party's two leading contenders, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Polls opened throughout the southern state at 7:00 am (1200 GMT) and were set to close 12 hours later. The 'first in the south' nominating contest is also the final contested Democratic nominating clash before February 5, "Super Tuesday" when nearly two dozen states hold contests, on a night that could play a key role in deciding this year's presidential candidates.

Expectations are highest for Obama, who desperately needs a victory after Clinton scooped up the Nevada caucuses and New Hampshire primary following his shock win in the opening Iowa caucuses on January 3.

An MSNBC/McClatchy poll Friday showed Obama leading Clinton by 38 percent to 30 percent in South Carolina, based largely on staunch backing from African Americans. Former senator John Edwards was third on 19 percent. But Obama's standing among whites in the southern state had plunged 10 percent in just one week, despite his efforts to portray himself not simply as an African-American candidate, but as someone with cross-racial appeal.