The New Nation - Internet Edition

Concern over lowest ADP implementation rate in 10 yrs

Staff Reporter

Economists and experts in relevant fields have expressed their concern agony over the lowest ever Annual Development Program (ADP) implementation, recorded in the first half of current fiscal year.

According to the IMED annual report 2008, ADP implementation rate was recorded 21 per cent only till December 31, 2007. It was the lowest ADP implementation rate, recorded in last 10 years.

It is a serious case of strategic failure by present government who have slowed all development programs in the country by operating unregulated anti-corruption movement, said former Secretary of Bangladesh Government Muhammad Shahidul Alam.

He presented his study paper on ADP implementation and current situation yesterday at a seminar organised by Bangladesh Policy Forum (BPF) at the national press club in the capital.

Chairman, Public Administration Department of North South University Bangladesh Dr Shaikh Toufiq read out the paper in his absence.

According to his paper, ADP implementation rates in the first half of current fiscal year is two per cent lower than the rate recorded during the same period of 2006-07 fiscal year.

ADP implementation rate in the ministry of LGED was only 16 per cent in July-December 2007 period while it was 33 per cent recorded during the same period of 2006. Similar decline in implementation rate was also reported in the ministry of roads and transportation, which was 18 per cent recorded in the first half of current fiscal year in place of 29 per cent in the earlier year.

Ministry of power and electricity has also reported 14 per cent ADP implementation rate in the first six months of current financial year, which was 10 per cent lower than that the rate recorded in previous fiscal year. Similar slow was also reported from the health department of Bangladesh Government, which was six per cent lower than the earlier year's record.

It is considered as a failure of the present Government as they have failed to spend a major proportion of money, allocated to for various development works during this period, said Mahmudur Rahman former Energy Adviser of Bangladesh Government.

"Present anti-corruption movement has turned against the development," he said. According to him, if the Government tries to spend the rest 78 per cent ADP with in the last six month of this financial year, there is a strong chance of mismanagement and wastage in the process.

"Present non-political Government has in fact shown the difference between the political government and themselves," he said.

With in two years of their rule, they have set up three major records in negative aspects for national economy. One is the lowest ever ADP implementation rate, secondly highest ever inflation rates and lowest private sector investment in national economy as third record, he added.

This three negative records would pull back our national economy for over years and have already stopped ongoing growth of national development, which continued for last several years.

The nation would have to suffer for many years to overcome the damages, done by present non-political Government in the name of corruption free state.

Professor of Dhaka University Dr Muhammad Mahbub Ullah, Professor of Law of Dhaka University Dr Mainul Ahsan Khan, Secretary of BPF Dr Azizur Rahman Khan were also present on the occasion.

Four convicts in Bangabandhu murder case, 3 VIPs become voters in jail

Staff Reporter

Four convicts of death sentence in Bangabandhu murder case and three VIP prisoners became voters yesterday in Dhaka Central Jail.

The convicts of death sentence-Col (Retd) Faruk, Maj (Retd) Mohiuddin, Maj (Retd) Shahriar and Lt Col (Retd) Mohiuddin-became voters enrolling their names in the Dhaka Central Jail.

Besides, former communications minister Nazmul Huda, wife Sigma Huda and former state minister Amanullah Aman became voters yesterday. Of them, Nazmul Huda and Sigma Huda became voters under the city's Dhanmondi Police Station while Amanullah Aman became voter under Keraniganj Police Station in the city.

Division status of 5 VIP detainees under review

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The division status of five VIP detainees held in Dhaka Central Jail is under review after they were caught using mobile phones inside the jail, prison authorities said yesterday.

The five detainees are Barrister Nazmul Huda, former air vice-marshal Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir, Salauddin Quader Chowdhury and Sigma Huda.

"They may have their division revoked for using mobile phones inside their cells in violation of the jail code," Inspector General of prisons Zakir Hassan told bdnews24.com.

A court could hand down a sentence of imprisonment for the offence, he added.

Zakir said prison authorities have sent a letter to the chief judicial magistrate asking for stern action to be taken against the five.

"There is also the possibility that one or two other detainees have mobile phones. We are conducting surprise raids to find out," the prisons chief said.

The IG said the five VIP detainees possibly acquired the mobile phones while being transferred to and from the court.

"While they are in court it is often fairly relaxed and they can talk freely with many people," said the IG.

"On some occasions they are returned directly to jail after their court appearances. They could receive mobile phones at any stage of this process," he said.

The caretaker government had arrested and detained all five on charges of corruption.

Their cases are currently under trial.

Bangladesh exports to USA on rise

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh exports in USA have shown some increase in the fiscal year 2007 (January-December). A data released by US Department of Commerce on Friday showed that Bangladesh exports to USA was US$ 3,271.4 million during 2006 whereas in 2007 that figure has increased to US$ 3,433.2 million.

An increase of US$ 161.18 million between 2006 and 2007 could be considered as a notable boost considering the recent natural and political upheaval in Bangladesh during that period as well as slowing down of US economy beginning from the middle of 2007.

The US Department of Commerce ranked Bangladesh at 32 in terms of their volume of trade deficit this year that translates to a three digit upward change from Bangladesh's 2006 rank of 35. The US Bureau of Economic Analysis showed that US export to Bangladesh also increased between 2006 and 2007 and thereby establishing a positive correlation between the two economies. This means that more Bangladesh exports to USA may spur more imports from USA and thereby establishing a two-way linkage between the sectors of the economy of these two friendly countries. Market analysts believe that Bangladesh could expect further increase in its market penetration in the USA if the ongoing policy and institutional reforms could be strengthened along with reforms in the working environment of exporting sectors.

Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, DC is engaged in further promoting greater economic relationship between Bangladesh and the US including expanded trade opportunities, said a Bangladesh Embassy press release.

WB minister hands over relief for Sidr victims

BSS, Benapole

The West Bengal government yesterday handed over 111 truckload of relief goods for the Sidr-affected people of Bangladesh here.

Subhash Chakravarty, minister for transport, sports and youth of West Bengal government, handed over the goods to Mohammad Abdul Bari Khan, additional secretary of the food and disaster management ministry, at the Benapole Parjatan Motel, an official handout said.

The relief goods included 1010 metric tons of rice, 50 tons of wheat, 7,500 pieces of blankets, 10,000 pieces of sarees and 6,000 pieces of mosquito nets.

The West Bengal minister said that being neighbouring country they felt great attachment with Bangladesh for similarity of language.

Indian RMG export down by 13 pc

Staff Reporter

Indian readymade garment export has marked 13 per cent lower this year facing tough competition of emerging markets like Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam, industry players said.

Moreover, appreciation of rupee against US dollar has deepened the crisis, they added.

"The scenario is pathetic. We are already down by 13 per cent over the last year. In terms of rupee revenue, each dollar is giving us 11 per cent less than what we were earning a year back," Rakesh Vaid, Chairman of Indian Apparel Export Promotion Council told CNBC-TV18.

Recently, the garment industry has been hit hard by the appreciating rupee but the exporters have decided that they are going to go beyond sops and beyond Budget 2008 to focus on lasting competitiveness and bring about labour reforms.

Rakesh Vaid said the industry is going through a phase where they are losing money and laying off people.

Deepika Rana, Country Director of Li & Fung said there is a huge pressure on prices, which the Indian exporters are finding very difficult to compete especially with emerging markets like Indonesia, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Vietnam.

"Therefore we are seeing a lot of our business move out of the country either with our own exporters setting up manufacturing basis in those countries or with us sourcing over there," she added.

Sudhir Dhingra, Managing Director of Orient Craft has a view that the Indian garment industry needs a boost to survive.

Gautam Nair, Managing Director of Matrix Clothing said there should be a National Minimum Wage Board, which will look after interest of workers in the apparel manufacturing sector which will enable India to compete with countries like Bangladesh.

Hari Kapoor, Executive Council Member of AEPC said that a forum should be setup of all the concerned authorities who are involved in the export trade and manufacturing to come to a conclusive solution.

BCL factions clash over seat : two injured

DU Correspondent

A clash between two groups of students belonging to Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL, student wing of Awami League ensued yesterday at the Kabi Jasim Uddin Hall of Dhaka University leaving two injured.

Sources said the clash began over a seat of the dormitory at about 1:30pm that created panic among the general students. The injured were identified as Nurul Islam Sagar who is sitting in the Masters degree examination under the Department of Bangla and Jahangir, a 2nd year student of the History Department.

The hall officials and the BCL leaders rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. Jahangir accompanying Raj and Enayet beat Sagar with baton following an altercation.

Prince, another student of Mass Communication and Journalism Department, in connivance with Shohag and Jibon beat Jahangir as he also intended to occupy the seat.

Obama sets sights on Wisconsin as Hillary eyes bigger prizes

AFP, Washington

White House hopeful Barack Obama rallied support in Wisconsin Friday as he sought to notch another win over Democratic nomination rival Hillary Clinton, who was eyeing bigger prizes in Ohio and Texas.

On the Republican side, front-runner John McCain could take one step closer to the 1,191 delegates he needs to secure the party's presidential nomination for when Wisconsin holds its primaries on Tuesday.

Obama is heading to the Tuesday primary on a high after winning eight straight nomination contests, giving him a slight delegate lead over Clinton, who has re-shuffled her campaign team in the past week.

The Illinois senator was given another boost in the last two days when the 1.9-million strong Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the 1.3 million-strong United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) endorsed him.

With polls giving him a four-point lead in Wisconsin, Obama hit the trail in the Midwestern state, which has 74 delegates at stake. His home-state of Hawaii, which has 20 delegates, is also voting Tuesday.

Clinton -- who finally got some good news Thursday when New Mexico finally announced she had narrowly won its nine-day-old caucuses -- is hoping to bounce back on March 4 when delegate-rich Ohio and Texas hold their votes. The Democrats are battling for the workers' vote, vowing to reverse President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the rich and raise the minimum wage.

Despite their similar messages, the two candidates have been exchanging sharp words as they each vie to make history as the first black or the first woman US president.

Clinton has been hammering her silver-tongued rival hard over his platform, charging that his eloquent speeches lack substance.

"Speeches don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank, or fill your prescription, or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night," Clinton said Thursday in Ohio. "That's the difference between me and my Democratic opponent. My opponent gives speeches, I offer solutions."

Obama has countered by criticizing Clinton as too ingrained in Washington politics.

"You know, after defending Washington lobbyists as people who 'represent real Americans' at a debate in August, Senator Clinton said yesterday that she would take them on as president," he said.

"But in this campaign, she's taken nearly double the amount of money from lobbyists than any Democrat or Republican running for president. That's not being a part of the solutions business. That's being a part of business-as-usual in Washington," Obama said.

Clinton was the only one of the leading presidential candidates to campaign in Ohio Friday, an industrial state with 141 delegates in play. She also deployed her husband, former president Bill Clinton, to Texas, where 193 delegates are at stake.

Polls out this week have given her an edge in Ohio and Texas.

In Ohio, she leads with 55 percent to Obama's 34 percent, according to a Quinnipac University poll released Thursday.

A Texas Credit Union survey published Friday gave her a 49 percent lead over 41 for Obama.

Obama has 1,289 delegates so far, compared to 1,237 for Clinton, according to independent website RealClearPolitics. At least 2,025 delegates are needed to win the Democratic nomination at the convention in Denver in August.

For his part, McCain has taken big strides toward becoming the Republican nominee. With 825 delegates in hand, his former rival Mitt Romney endorsed him Thursday and urged his 291 delegates to vote for McCain.

Former president George Bush, the father of the current president, is also due to endorse him on Monday.

Even though McCain appears to have an insurmountable lead, ordained Baptist minister Mike Huckabee has remained in the race, hoping to pull of a miracle with only 240 delegates on his side so far.

In Wisconsin, which delivers a total of 40 Republican delegates, McCain has an 18-point lead over Huckabee, according to a poll by Strategic Vision last week.

Three killed, 5 injured in cylinder blast

UNB, Savar

Three people were killed and five injured critically as the gas cylinder of a truck exploded at a CNG-filling station here yesterday.

Local sources said the cylinder blew off with a big bang when it was being refilled in the filling station of Energy Plus Limited company at Savar Upazila bus-stand at about 1:45pm, killing three truck laborers and injuring five others.

Two of the dead were identified as Rafiq, 23, of Bhola district and Syful, 25, of Sherpur.

On information, police rushed to the spot and sent the bodies to hospital morgue.

The injured included Sohag and Sushanto, employees of the CNG station, one taxi driver and two laborers of the truck.

Injured Sushanto was released after first aid while condition of the other injured was stated "critical".

EC may relax party registration rules

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

The Election Commission is considering relaxing the proposed rules of registration for political parties, the chief election commissioner said yesterday. A final decision will be made when the second round of party talks has been completed, ATM Shamsul Huda told bdnews24.com.

A number of political parties, during the first round of talks, had asked the EC to relax the conditions of registration to create a suitable environment for the elections.

"Many political parties may have to change their constitution in line with the new registration regulations. They need time for that," the chief election commissioner said.

"We will allow them (the political parties) to register with the EC until the declaration of the election schedule, instead of the deadline of June, if necessary," Huda said. BNP vice president MK Anwar told bdnews24.com Thursday: "The conditions of the proposed rules of registration are very significant."

"It is not possible to implement them in a short time. Each party will have to change their manifestos to abide by the rules," Anwar said.

The EC is slated to begin its second round of dialogues with political parties from Feb 24.

Election commissioner M Sohul Hussain told bdnews24.com that invitations to the second round of talks may be sent out from Sunday (Feb17). "We will try to relax the registration conditions if possible," said Sohul.

The two main bones of contention for the parties are a requirement for 33 percent of central committee members to be women, and alterations to the administrative structure at the district and upazila levels.

"If most parties agree to implement the conditions in phases, the EC will relax them.

The legal reforms will be finalised in March," Sohul said. Awami League presidium member Matia Chowdhury told bdnews24.com Thursday that the EC is unnecessarily delaying the process.

"The EC was supposed to complete the electoral law reforms earlier. We want elections soon after the legal process has been completed," Matia said.

The EC's first round of dialogue covered 15 political parties and finalised the draft recommendations for reform of the electoral law.

Election commissioner Sakhawat Hossain said Saturday that the EC is waiting for a court verdict regarding dialogue with BNP.

"We will talk with them after the court decision," said Sakhawat.

The BNP was initially scheduled to dialogue with the EC on Nov 22, although the talks are yet to go ahead following a factional dispute within the party.

The main electoral laws under discussion in the first round of talks included the Representation of the People Order, 1972, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Candidates, 1996, and the rules regarding Registration of Political Parties, 2001.

Parties who have agreed to fulfil the newly proposed registration conditions have been invited for further talks, although there are over 100 political parties in the country.

The proposed conditions for registration include a requirement for a party to have won at least one constituency in any national parliament since independence.

A party should have gained at least 2 percent of the vote in the last national election and have steering committees and offices in at least half of the district upazilas.

All central and committee members must be elected either by direct or secret ballot after regular intervals.

No wing of a party may participate in a business organisation or academic institution.

No party may maintain an overseas office.

Parties must declare their sources of income and any foreign or domestic bank accounts prior to registration.

If a registered party merges with an unregistered party it may have its status revoked.

In the first round of dialogues, in apparent allusion to Jamaat-e-Islami, many parties demanded that unconstitutional parties should be declared unfit for registration.

Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Md Kamaruzzamn said the manifesto of Jamaat-e-Islami was not unconstitutional.

"We will bring change to the constitution through discussion if required, and in line with the proposed law from the EC . However, we have not discussed this at the party level," said Kamaruzzamn.

Civil Aviation Secy made OSD

UNB, Dhaka

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Sheikh Altaf Ali has been made officer-on-special duty (OSD) in a latest change in the administration under the caretaker government.

A circular of the Establishment Ministry said yesterday Altaf Ali "has been made officer-on-special duty under the Establishment Ministry".

Dhaka-Ctg highway to be made 4-lane soon

Chittagong Correspondent

Adviser for LGRD, Labour and Employment affairs to the caretaker government Mohammed Anwarul Iqbal pledged here on Saturday that the Dhaka-Chittagong highway would soon be made four-lane for faster communication between the cities.

"Faster and smoother communication is the pre-requisite of rapid socio-economic growth," the adviser said adding that the proposal in this regard had been approved and physical work of the project would take place soon.

The adviser was addressing the concluding ceremony of 6th 'Chittagong Apparel Fabrics & Accessories Exposition (CAFAXPO) at the premises of Institute of Engineers, Chittagong as the chief guest.

Commerce Secretary Feroz Ahmed addressed it as special guest while acting Mayor of Chittagong City Corporation Alhaj M Monjur Alam joined it as the guest of honour. President of the BGMEA and Chairman of Management Committee, CAFAXPO-08 Anwar-Ul-Alam Chowdhury presided over the function. First Vice President of the BGMEA MA Salam and second Vice President Faisal Samad also addressed it.

The LGRD adviser urged the garments owners to ensure friendly environment in the garments sector at any cost for boosting its image both at home and abroad.

Considering the garments sector as driving force of the national economy, the adviser said that the gap between the owners and workers should be minimized for the betterment of the sector.

"Crisis will never be solved if the relation between workers and owners can not be improved," the adviser claimed.

Mentioning the proposal of BGMEA President, the adviser urged the BGMEA leaders to take dealership and he would manage rice with affordable cost for them so that the rice can be distributed among the workers of garments sector.

"The government has continuously been struggling to bring discipline in all sectors and the government scrapped unnecessary trade bodies in Chittagong port and only one trade body is now operating," the adviser said describing the significant development of premier seaport.

He mentioned that there is no domestic gas connection in many neighboring countries but it is available in the country which will be reconsidered.

He urged the BGMEA leaders to ensure minimum wage for the garments workers in the truest sense. He said that the concerned ministry would check the fact regarding the maintenance of minimum wage structure.

Trial of war criminals by Mar 26 demanded

UNB, Chittagong

Sector Commanders Forum, a platform of sector commanders of the Liberation War yesterday demanded that the process to bring the war criminals to justice be started by March 26.

The demand came from a meeting of the Sector Commanders at the city's Muslim Hall in the morning.

Earlier, the forum leaders placed wreaths at Shaheed Minar and visited slaying fields in Nathpara and Foy's Lake areas.

Besides, a seven-day signature collection programme of the forum, seeking trail of the war criminals, was inaugurated at DC Hill Park yesterday.

Air Vice Marshal (retd) AK Khandker, who was present at the programme as chief guest, said it is necessary to start trial of the heinous crimes first to establish a justice-based society. "Committing war crimes is worse than doing corruption. We do hope that this caretaker government will start the trial process of the war criminals," he said.

AK Khandker said if the government fails to start the process to bring the war criminals to book by the given time, then their forum would announce a fresh programme from a rally here on March 26.

Royal romance triggers protest in India

AFP, Jodhpur

A lavish film about the love between a Muslim emperor and his Hindu wife, played by Bollywood's most glamorous star Aishwarya Rai, has opened in India to angry protests.

Cinemas in western Rajasthan state have refused to show "Jodhaa Akbar" after threats from the region's Rajput community, which says the historical romance is grossly inaccurate. The film-said to be one of the most expensive Bollywood movies ever made-depicts a romance between the 16th century Mughal ruler Akbar and Rajput princess Jodha Bai.

But Rajputs and many historians say Jodha Bai was in fact Akbar's daughter-in-law.

"We will not allow the film to run unless the director makes a public apology," Lokendra Kalvi, the chief of a Rajput group, told reporters in the state on Friday. Former Miss World Rai portrays Jodha, while Akbar is played by Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan.

"Jodhaa Akbar" is Rai's first film since her high-profile marriage to actor Abhishek Bachchan, the son of Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.

India's prolific Bollywood film industry-famed for its sexually suggestive song-and-dance routines-is no stranger to controversy in a country known for its chaste public behaviour.

In December, a film starring superstar Madhuri Dixit was banned in an Indian state after low-caste Hindus said its song lyrics were offensive.