The New Nation - Internet Edition

Cancellation of quota in BCS exams urged

Dhaka University students brought out a huge
procession on the campus yesterday demanding the
cancellation of quota system in BCS examinations. Focus
Bangla

DU Correspondent

Students of different universities and colleges staged demonstrations on their respective campuses against the quota system of Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) that recruit class one officers of the government.

The students are demanding nullification of the quota system from BCS to enable more meritorious students to get the cadre job. A good number of students of Dhaka University yesterday gathered at the foot of Aparajeyo Bangla and took part in a demonstration that marched the different area of the campus including TSC as part of their continuous movement.

They said at a rally that the most meritorious students of the country try to get the dream job of the BCS but many of them have to be disappointed due to quota system.

Taking advantage of the quota, the less qualified students are getting the job raising questions about the calibre of the class one government employees, they added. They urged the government to cancel the quota system from BCS as soon as possible. Sources said the students are now more active in the movement to ahead the 28th BCS.

SAARC capital markets confce begins today

Staff Reporter

The regulators and capital market stakeholders of SAARC countries will discuss the potential of regional integration of stock exchanges at a conference, beginning in the capital today.

The South Asian Federation of Exchanges (SAFE) and Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) jointly organised the conference, titled the 2nd South Asian Capital Markets Conference-2008 at Hotel Sheraton.

According to the programme Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam will inaugurate the two-day long conference at 9:00 am. Market stakeholders and regulators from home and abroad are likely to attend the seminar.

"The conference is to integrate the stock markets of the region and introduce cross border trade," SAFE chairman and managing director of Bombay Stock Exchange Limited Rajanikant Patel told a press conference at DSE yesterday.

Adv Habib murder case: HC acquits Shahid commissioner, Tanoy Mollah

Staff Reporter

The High Court yesterday acquitted condemned prisoner Ward Commissioner Shahidur Rahman alias Shahid Commissioner and lifer Tonai Molla of the murder of Old Dhaka's BNP leader Advocate Habib Mondol over seven years back.

On August 20, 2000, unidentified assailants in a deadly attack front of his Banagram Road residence in the city gunned down Advocate Habib Mondol, a city BNP leader.

A division bench comprising Justice AKM Fazlur Rahman and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui, following jail appeals against the December 15, 2002 trial court verdict, delivered the judgment exonerating the two convicts.

The High court, however, confirmed the death sentence of dreaded terror Kala Jahangir, now on the run, and life-term imprisonment of 12 other convicts. The lifers are Nurul Huq, Abdul Malek, Chakma Apu, Pichchi Hannan, Kala Sharif, Rahman, Sentu, Akhtar Hossain, Alamgir, Kachi, Biplab and Dakat Shahid.

Improvement of RMG workers' livelihood: Govt urged to ensure safe water, sanitation facilities

Staff Reporter

National and international experts at a seminar in the city said if the government ensure safe drinking and sanitation facilities for migrant garment workers, their living costs would be reduced. As a result, they could improve their livelihood.

Some 92 per cent garment workers came to Dhaka from rural areas. The majority were unmarried and independent of family to join the garment sector. Of them, 39 per cent came with their spouses, keynote paper revealed at the seminar.

A section of unmarried women also came with family as accompanied members. Only a few deserted and divorcees who also came independent of their respective households. As many as 69 per cent of them studied up to class V, 72 per cent were working as general machine operators and earning Tk 2,300, it said.

On an average, the total family income of those who were married or had other earners in the family was Tk 8,000. Single unmarried divorced or separated ones had very little money to maintain themselves in the capital city, it added.

This was disclosed at the seminar on 'Migrant Garment Workers' Impact on Rural and Urban Economics' organised by Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit (RMMRU) in partnership with DRC on Migration of Globalisation and Poverty in UK at BRAC Centre Inn Auditorium yesterday.

Prof Nazrul Islam, Chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC), addressed the session as chief guest, while Dr Ravi S Srivastava, Professor of Economics of Jawharlal Nehru University in India, Dr Jagannath Adhikari, Nepal Institute of Development Studies of Kathmandu, Dr Shahnaz Huq-Hussain, Professor of Department of Geography and Environment of Dhaka University and Anwar Uddin Chowdhury, Deputy Manager of Challenge Fund of Remittance and Payments Partnership of Bangladesh Bank, spoke as discussants at the seminar. Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, Lead Researcher of RMMRU, presented keynote paper.

Garment workers act as bridge between urban and rural areas. Those who have their families in rural areas visit them frequently.

Workers who do not have immediate family members in the village also visit their villages from time to time. During their visit they introduce products, commodities, ideas, fashion and new technology to the immediate family, said the speakers.

Remittance is an important form of intervention through which garment workers connect with their rural origin. Some 64 per cent remit to their villages regularly. Unmarried migrants who had immediate families in rural areas remit more. The majority of those who remit do it on regular basis. The other section remits once in three months. The amount they remit is very little. Less than half remit Tk 500 to Tk 700 each month and the others only remit Tk 800 to Tk 1,000 every three to four months, the paper said.

Although the remittances sent by individual garment workers are insignificant, there are more than one migrant in these households and their combined remittance along with the income from the rural sources keep the family economically viable, it said.

Recent unrest in RMG sector: Involvement of foreign body confirmed

UNB, Dhaka

Law enforcing agencies have confirmed that a foreign organization and leaders of a section of garment workers were involved in alleged provocation in recent unrest in garment factories in city's Mirpur area.

Six cases were filed with Kafrul police station, while one case was filed with Pallabi police station in connection with the workers' unrest.

After investigation, an intelligence agency arrested Mehedi Hasan, Bangladesh representative of Washington-based Workers Rights Consortium (WRC), from Zia International Airport prior to his departure for Bangkok on January 24 and handed him over to Pallabi thana in connection with the case. Police produced Mehedi Hasan before a CMM court and prayed for a 10-day police remand for interrogation on January 25. But the court granted a 4-day remand. At the end of the remand, police again produced Mehedi before CMM court yesterday and prayed for a 7-day remand for further interrogation.

The court granted for 3 days' remand. Court sources said, Mehedi reportedly confessed to interrogators that he used to collect information about workers' problems and send the information through E-mail to the WRC headquarters in Washington DC.

Mehedi was also learnt to have disclosed that he incited garments workers to press for their demands and held several secret meetings with a section of garment workers' leaders. On January 12, hundreds of workers from several garment factories, including SQ Garments, Outwear Fashion, Outright Fashion, Outfit Fashion and Hisna Knitting Pvt Ltd, blocked the busy Rokeya Sarani at Shewrapara for nine hours from 8am and chanted various slogans in favour of their demands. Earlier, on January 4, the workers of SQ garments also demonstrated on the same road on similar demands. Later, they withdrew the demonstration programme as the owners accepted their demands. On January 15, the workers of MBM Garments came out on to the street in Mirpur-13 in the morning, incensed by hearsay in and around the factory that a garment worker was beaten to death in Opex Group's factory during January 14's unrest that also left dozens of workers wounded. Later, they put barricades on the road nearby with electric poles in front of the BRTA office, causing traffic disruption on Mirpur-Kachukhet road.

During the five-hour-long chase and counter-chase from 9am, police charged batons and also used tear shells to disperse the belligerent protestors, leaving at least 50 workers injured.

Ekushey Book Fair opens tomorrow

BSS, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is likely to inaugurate the Amar Ekushey Book Fair-2008 at 3 pm on February 1 on the premises of the Bangla Academy in the city.

The Dhaka-Ka centre of the Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the inauguration programme live at 1000 kilowatts medium wave that is 693 kilohertz, and at 100 short wave that is 4750 kilohertz, said an official handout.

All regional centres of the Bangladesh Betar will simultaneously relay the programme.

Global Integrity Report says: Corruption, governance problems for Bangladesh

Staff Reporter

Bangladesh has serious problems with the anti-corruption and governance framework, with a significant gap between written anti-corruption law and actual implementation, said Global Integrity, an independent organisation tracking governance and corruption trends around the world.

"Government accountability (executive, legislative, judicial) and the civil service are all rated as very weak. Freedom of information is very limited and political financing is effectively unregulated," Managing Director Nathaniel Heller said in Global Integrity Report: 2007 released Wednesday.

The report identified Bangladesh's overall integrity indicators as 'week' while it find civil society, public information and media 'very weak', elections 'very weak', government accountability 'very weak', administration and civil service 'moderate', oversight and regulation 'weak', and anti-corruption and rule of law 'moderate'.

The report identified Bangladesh's civil society organisations strong, role of media moderate, public access to information very weak. It also finds voting and citizen participation strong, election integrity moderate and political financing very weak.

The Global Integrity found that Bangladesh's executive accountability very weak, legislative accountability very weak, judicial accountability very weak and budget processes moderate. It also found civil service regulations very weak, whistle-blowing measures moderate, procurement process strong and privatisation procedure very strong.

The non-profit organisation also identified the role of Bangladesh's national ombudsman very weak, supreme audit institution moderate, taxes and customs moderate, state-owned enterprises very weak and business licensing and regulation weak. It also finds anti-corruption law very strong, anti-corruption agency strong, rule of law weak and law enforcement very weak.

The report assessed anti-corruption mechanisms and government accountability in 55 countries.

In a press release GI said, "Although elections are often touted as the linchpin of governance reform efforts around the world, a new report finds long-term benefits offered by elections are often undermined by a lack of government accountability and the absence of strong anti-corruption mechanisms."

"We have to stop using elections as a simplistic litmus test for a government's commitment to democracy," Nathaniel Heller said.

"We now know there is little linkage between elections and the much tougher reforms that must be made, especially in countries at political crossroads such as Pakistan, Ukraine, Georgia, and Kenya."

"China's lack of strong anti-corruption mechanisms could soon be to foreign investment what sub prime mortgages have been to the US economy," stated Heller.

The report said the US and other G8 countries suffer from many of the same corruption challenges as developing countries, especially in election and campaign financing. While many observers tend to assume that wealthier countries have developed to a point where corruption is no longer a problem, Global Integrity's 2007 data for the United States, France, Italy, Japan, and Canada paints a decidedly different picture.

Poor ratings for several close allies of the United States highlight the challenges the U.S. faces in promoting democratic reforms in countries where it has competing security interests. The report found that countries like Pakistan and Georgia posted 'weak' or 'very weak' ratings for many of the anti-corruption, accountability and transparency indicators.

A widespread lack of government accountability among foreign aid recipients presents serious dilemmas for Western and multilateral aid agencies. Despite a growing awareness by aid donors of the need to direct aid to non-governmental stakeholders, like civil society groups, aid agencies continue working primarily with the very same executive branches that are often hindering democratic reforms.

President urges scholars: Forgo insularity, share peoples experience

BSS, Dhaka

President Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed yesterday called upon scholars, academicians and intellectuals of the country to come forward to contribute to the development of the country through their writings.

"As you know our mission is to build a modern and prosperous Bangladesh free from hunger, illiteracy, superstition and exploitation, and as a worthy nation we have to face the challenge of the 21st century by exploiting our human resource, scientific and technological know-how," the president said while speaking at the 12th biennial general meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh at its auditorium here. President of the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh Professor Emajuddin Ahmed, General Secretary Professor Sajahan Miah and Secretary Professor Dulal Bhowmik also spoke on the occasion.

The President said our scholars and academics prefer to live in a rarefied academic atmosphere and they must forgo insularity and come down from the ivory tower and share the sorrows and joys of the common people.

"Their writings must reflect the thoughts, sentiments and aspirations of the common people and the interest of the nation should be the overriding consideration in their writings," Professor Iajuddin added.

He said the intelligentsia has a great role to play in highlighting the nation's history, culture, heritage and achievements both at home and abroad.

Professor Iajuddin said teachers as the conscience-keeper of the nation can contribute to the development of the nation with their wisdom, learning and talent.

He said the present government is committed to encouraging education at all levels and promoting academic, cultural and intellectual pursuits in the country upholding its tradition and heritage.

"If we want our nation to march towards progress and prosperity, peace and stability, we must keep all the educational institutions of the country suitable for real education and create real academic atmosphere where our teachers can devote themselves to imparting real knowledge and the students groom themselves to becoming worthy citizens of the country," he added.

The President also urged all to work unitedly in building a happy and prosperous Bangladesh.

Describing the various activities of the society to disseminate and promote learning and knowledge over the last five decades, Dr Iajuddin, who is also the Chief Patron of this organization, said the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh has made a tremendous contribution towards the advancement of knowledge and human understanding among the nations of Asia.

"It is, no doubt, a laudable work to promote research and creative work of high quality from our scholars and academics leading to national renaissance and regeneration," he said.

He said as a scholarly organisation, the Asiatic Society of Bangladesh can contribute more to the development of a democratic, politically, economically and culturally sound society.

Take action against bldg material price hike cartel: REHAB

REHAB President Mokarram Husain Khan (2nd from
right) addressing a press conference at the National Press
Club in the city yesterday on the current price hike of
building materials. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Not the international market inflation but syndicates of local dealers and manufacturers are responsible behind the current price hike in building materials. Government needs to take immediate action to save the housing sector, said members of the Real Estate and Housing Association (REHAB) and other developers.

Since the last week of December-2007 till January 30, 2008, price of 60 grade iron rod, which is one of the most essential building materials, has witnessed increase by Tk16,000 per ton.

Local dealers and manufacturers are to be blamed for this abnormal increase as international market price did not rise in this way, said REHAB President Mukarram Husain Khan.

"Local dealers and manufacturers of this particular but most essential element of construction have frozen their trade. It has caused artificial crisis in the market. The item, which was sold at Tk 48,000 per ton by the end of 2007, is now selling at Tk 63,000 per ton," he said.

"Yet, syndicated dealers and manufacturers have cut off all supply, expecting the price to reach as high as Tk75,000 per ton," he added.

He was addressing a press conference on the abnormal price hike of building materials at the National Press Club yesterday.

According to some reports published in several national dailies in last couple of days, unscrupulous syndicates of 20 to 22 iron manufacturers, along with their main dealers have stopped production to cut off market supply.

This was revealed, when law enforcement authorities had raided some of their factories and exposed huge amount of raw lots, dumped to create imaginary crisis in the market.

We run our business on advance booking with a marginal time period of two to three years. Present price hike is going far beyond our consideration, added the REHAB President. "If Government don't take immediate action against those evil aspects, we will have no option but to modify, our service cost. It will result in significant increase in cost of flats and apartments, which means further decline of customer number," added Mukarram Hossain.

Echoing his statement, REHAB General Secretary Engineer Tanvirul Haque Probal further explained the situation, while addressing the press conference.

Directly or indirectly, over 25 lakh unskilled and semi-skilled labours are employed in the construction sector, who eventually support over one crore families.

If the construction sector faces any major downfall, they will also lose their source of living, he said.

According to him, following rods, price of other essential construction materials have also increased significantly in last couple of years.

"Price of each bag of cement increased by 10 to 20 per cent, from the price recorded in 2007," said the REHAB Secretary General.

Main submarine cable devlop fault: Internet-users in problem

UNB, Dhaka

Internet-users will face congestion problems in getting connection as the main submarine cable of SE-ME-WE-4 now developed fault.

A press release of BTTB Wednesday said six STM-1 used for internet service and three STM-1 for voice remained disconnected as SE-ME-WE-4 submarine cable was cut off at about 10:15am in the sea, 12,334 kilometers far from the Alexandria Cable Landing Station in Egypt.

"Congestion in internet connection will be felt as only two STM-1s of Singapore, out of eight for internet Bandwidth, are operative," the release said.

Meanwhile, the land-link of the submarine cable, connecting Bangladesh to the global information superhighway, has been wrecked allegedly by miscreants several times since its installation.

Reform in management of WB, IMF stressed

Staff Reporter

Bangladeshis want to free themselves from $140 foreign loan per head and existing poverty. They also want reform of management of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.

Bangladesh Economic Association President Dr Kholiquzzaman Ahmed yesterday said this while speaking at a seminar on 'Cancellation of Foreign Debts and Public Service Sector organised by SUPRO, a development organisation at WVA auditorium in the city.

Speaking as special guest at the programme Tasnim Atahar, Deputy Director, Gona-shakkhrota Obijan said, ''We want a just society where every child has access to education, health and other basic needs.'' Though there is a law to ensure primary education for all, we yet cannot provide such facility to all the children, he regretted.

Moderated by Supro President Abdul Awal, Mohammad Shahid Ullah, Supro research coordinator presented keynote paper, while development activist Noresh Modhu, farmer leader Sobal Das and journalist Proshun Chompu, among others, took part at the discussion.

They said, Bangladesh should not waste any single dollar in paying the foreign loan adding, Bangladesh needs $ 7.5 billion per year to achieve the Millennium Development Goal but it is getting only $ 1.4 billion.

Some speakers proposed a separate commission under the United Nation to supervise the aid load, while some others demand the investigation of all loan and their impacts.

They said people would not bear the responsibility of looting by the rulers.

Sheuly Akter, a class seven student hailing from Tona village of Sadar Upazila under Pirojpur district who manages her educational expenses through begging stated her miseries, which drew the attention of the audiences.