The New Nation - Internet Edition

Demand to meet election expenses

THE Election Commission (EC) held dialogue with the 15 political parties. The Awami League, one of the two main political parties of the country, was conspicuous in making a demand that the government should provide at least 15 lakh Taka to each of its nominees contesting a parliamentary seat and Taka 50 crore towards a central party fund for the election. In other words they are demanding at least 100 crore Taka-- considering that there are three hundred parliamentary seats-- for the purpose of the election from the public exchequer. The party's demand is a reaction to allegations that elections in Bangladesh have become money games with profligate spending of black money.

Thus, the parties should contest elections with white money so that the political process may also be clean. There is nothing wrong in such observations and the Awami League's claim of money from the national exchequer was made to counter the blame for contesting elections with black money. The question is, why the people should pay such a vast sum of money to them for contesting elections? The EC proposed that a registered political party should contest election with a maximum of 3 crore Taka. The EC has also proposed to sponsor election campaign meetings to bring down electioneering costs.

The major parties may negotiate a higher ceiling of expenditure but the election should in no case again become a money game. Elections should be essentially fought by the parties persuading them to be on their side attracted by their manifestos and giving proofs of their own credibility. Elections must not degenerate into vote buying and selling contests. For this and some more reasons, all should have a stake in limiting election expenditures.

Climate change threat to fisheries

ACCORDING to the latest UN report released the other day, the world's major fishing grounds, depleted already by over-harvesting and pollution, are now severely threatened by climate change. Warmer water and acidification caused by the seas' absorption of atmospheric carbon dioxide are disrupting fragile natural cycles and threaten a dramatic collapse in fish stocks. 'What we do over the next decades has the potential to affect ocean chemistry for tens of thousands of years, and marine life for millions of years,' marine scientist Ken Caldeira one of the authors, was quoted to have said. The UN report was unveiled at an international meeting of environment ministers in Monaco focussing on global warming.

Over-fishing, pollution and now climate change have had catastrophic impacts on the world's wild fish populations, the report said adding previous studies showed that 90 per cent of many of the ocean's big fishes - including tuna, marlin, swordfish, some sharks, cod and halibut - have disappeared from the seas due to industrial exploitation. Virtually all of commercially fished wild species are on decline. Stocks were also threatened in areas that were once thick with fish.

More than 50 per cent of the fish extracted from the sea comes from only seven per cent of the planet's oceans. The marine scientists sounded the alarm over a discovery that global warming could imperil an ocean circulation system that has allowed fish stocks to replenish despite intensified industrial fishing. These 'natural pumps', dotted across the world including the Arctic and the Mediterranean, bring nutrients to fisheries and keep them healthy by flushing out wastes and pollution. Scientists apprehend seriously that if this system stops, collapse of major fishing grounds in the world would be the outcome. A dramatic fall in fish yields has more than an economic impact - over 2.6 billion people depend on them as their main source of protein.

Human trafficking: Most profitable business

Md. Abdul Alim

The minor girl, Nasimon, come from a poverty stricken family, was approached by a sympathetic-looking Bangladeshi woman, who offered to take the girl to Mumbai with the promise that the family would see a change in their fortunes. Nasimon narrated her woeful tale of being bought in from Bangladesh and being forced into the prostitution trade, to the counselor appointed by the government.

This is one of the scenarios and there are thousands of this type of scenarios happened in Bangladesh. Human trafficking is a million-dollar trade in human misery," said Chandi Joshi, South Asia Program Director of United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) at the workshop participated NGO and media representatives from India, Nepal, Srilanka, and Bangladesh

Over the past decade, human trafficking has reached epidemic proportion. No country is immune. Now-a-days, human trafficking is being considered as one of the most profitable forms of illegal activity. Its high profit, low penalty nature makes it attractive to the criminal gangs and large -scale organized crime, facing a growing number of people into slavery around the world including Bangladesh.

In Asia, girls are trafficked whom are under 18 years and are sold to brothels / prostitution for sex industry. Human trafficking is not confined only to the sex industry. Children (aged about 4 to 15 years) are also largely trafficked:

· To work in the " Three D - Jobs" , i.e. dirty , difficult and dangerous as bonded or forced labor ;

· To use the body parts of children, such as Kidney etc.

· To send them to Arab Gulf countries for using them as drivers for "Camel Jockeys (Race)", where they face a life of danger, misery and loneliness.

Bangladesh is one of the countries in the world in which the rate of trafficking is very high. Because of the hidden nature of this crime of trafficking, reliable statistics are hard to come out. Nevertheless, according to the statistics of the Human Rights activists, the rate of trafficking in Bangladesh is as follows:

· 200 -- 400 young women and children are smuggled and trafficked every months from Bangladesh to Pakistan and Arab gulf countries;

· An estimated 10,000 - 15,000 are trafficked to India annually;

As per reports mentioned by Coordinating Council of Human Rights in Bangladesh (CCHRB), there are mainly the following ways of trafficking:

· Promise of better life / jobs ;

· Promise of a marriage proposal or fake marriage ;

· Kidnapping ;

· Selling by known people and relatives.

Human trafficking is the third most profitable business after drugs and gunrunning in the South Asian region and twenty-one points in the border have been identified as vulnerable areas in Bangladesh. There are people on both sides of the border i.e. Bangladesh border and Indian border, who are the people of this trafficking chain.

At a workshop on Trafficking in Women and Children, organized by the Centre for Women and Children Studies, it was revealed that from January 2000 till June 2003, around 3000 children have been missing in the northern districts of Bangladesh. Despite the revision of laws in the Middle East regarding use of boys as camel jockeys, the majority of boys are still sent there for this purpose, whereas girls are sold for sexual exploitation in neighboring countries

The strategies to put and end to trafficking of children include speedy trial of offenders and stringent punishment for those proved guilty. Speedy Trial Tribunals must take up such cases and should give exemplary punishment. As in the case of smuggling of drugs and other contraband items, routes of trafficking have to be identified, and strict security and surveillance ensured.

Trafficking of woman and children is one of the most heinous of crimes, and society and the government have to work untiringly to put a stop to this in our country. Governments, community leaders and human rights groups must be extra vigilant to stop sexual exploitation and use as bonded labor of girls and boys. For this the developed countries must come to the assistance of less developed countries like ours by providing funds and technology for security and surveillance efforts. The European Commission is actively pursuing research on trafficking and effective remedial measures in Bangladesh and other developing countries. The Middle Eastern countries and the SAARC nations must also jointly launch effective programs to combat this menace which is a sheer violation of human rights.

(PID-UNICEF Feature)

Avoid panic about bird flu

Md. Sazedul Islam

People should not be worried about the outbreak of bird flu, which was first detected near the capital in March last year and has since spread mostly to northern districts though there have been no cases of human infection.

Many of our poultry farm businessmen would face financial trouble if people being unnecessarily panicked stop eating poultry birds or eggs. People should not also spread panic unnecessarily for the interest of the country.

As per the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestocks, till February 23, some nine lakh chickens in 44 districts has been culled since H5 virus has been detected in 177 poultry farms of the country.

The government said there is no reason for any panic or concern and has advised the public that "poultry birds and eggs can be consumed as usual through normal cooking".

Asking the people not to panic, government officials said they should be more aware of the disease and should take cautionary measures like refraining from buying sick chickens or other sick fowls, washing their hands properly with detergent after touching fowls and eggs, and putting a stop to mixed fowls farming as ducks are sometimes the carriers of the virus, spreading it to other fowls.

The government took tough measures by banning the importation of poultry from dozens of countries. Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) was directed to check illegal entry of poultry and eggs from India as in West Bengal the outbreak is currently at a severe level. The already infected farms in the country are under continuous monitoring and the city corporations were directed to improve their waste management to contain the spread of the virus

Although no human being has been infected with bird flu virus yet, the government is nonetheless prepared to face any such infection, said the officials.

The situation in Bangladesh now with regard to bird flu is far better than the situation in the adjoining Indian state of West Bengal, said officials of the Department of Livestocks.

People concerned should be made conscious of the need for correct waste management, particularly of poultry faeces which need to be buried deep into the soil instead of being thrown into open dustbins. 'The government already has enforced a countrywide poultry farms inspection programme involving all field level livestock officials and Ansar and VDP. Squads of veterinarians and animal health workers have been deployed at eleven border points for anti-viral drug sprays and their services will be made available for farms, which are already affected or exposed to attacks. Anti-viral drugs are also being given to farm owners and employees, who come in close contacts with farm birds.

The government emphasised the need for raising public awareness about safe dumping and management of poultry waste at the wet market places and also in the household.

To prevent the spread of bird flu disease into humans, public health officials have been ordered to conduct laboratory test of suspected cases, health officials said.

The H5N1 strain was first detected in humans in 1997 and has killed 60 people in Southeast Asia in 2003. Bird flu has hit poultry flocks across the world and killed more than 175 people since late 2003, most of them in Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organisation. Wild migratory birds have been blamed for the global spread of the disease.

Bird flu - avian influenza - is caused by an influenza type virus that mainly affects wild and domestic birds particularly domestic poultry and waterfoul such as chicken and ducks. It can spread rapidly between birds causing sickness and high death rates, especially in poultry farms and live bird markets where birds are kept close together.

Symptoms in humans are fever, headache, cough, muscle pain, eye infections, pneumonia, and severe respiratory diseases such as acute respiratory distress.

Those who have become infected have had close direct contact with infected birds. Human infection with avian influenza viruses usually causes mild conditions such as conjunctivitis (eye infection) and mild flu-like symptoms, with one notable exception, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. More severe infection can lead to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, viral pneumonia, and other severe and life-threatening complications.

Experts advised people to be aware while buying fowls because if fowls seem sick, then it has to be avoided. They also asked people not to buy prepared fowls from shop. They said people should not approach the guest birds and not allow our poultry birds to mix with guest birds.

Local people have been asked to inform respective live stock office or ward member if any wild bird or guest bird show unnatural behaviour or die. People have also been asked not to buy and eat guest birds and refrain from its business.

The government advised, "Avoid touching the bird with your bare hands. If possible, wear disposable protective gloves when picking up and handling. Place the dead bird in a suitable plastic bag, preferably leak proof. Care should be taken not to contaminate the outside of the bag. Tie the bag and place it in a second plastic bag. Remove the gloves by turning them inside out and then place them in the second plastic bag. Tie the bag and dispose of in the normal household refuse bin. Hands should then be washed thoroughly with soap and water ".

If disposable gloves are not available, a plastic bag can be used as a make-shift glove. When the dead bird has been picked up, the bag can be turned back on itself and tied. It should then be placed in a second plastic bag, tied and disposed of in the normal household waste.

Alternatively, the dead bird can be buried, but not in a plastic bag. Any clothing that has been in contact with the dead bird should be washed using ordinary washing detergent at the temperature normally used for washing the clothing. Any contaminated indoor surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned with normal household cleaner.

Awareness about bird flu could combat the disease.

(PID-Feature)

Pakistan after polls

Dr.Abdul Ruff

The February 18 poll in Pakistan has left none of Pakistan's parties with a majority in the National Assembly and negotiations are continuing between rivals keen to forge a coalition big enough to hold power in the 342-seat parliament. Though PPP and PML-N have agreed to form a coalition government, they're talking about a national-consensus government. It remains to be seen whether they can carry on their much-lauded effort to get along with one another for a long time because both want to be the most popular parties and have their own agendas. Sharif's party had yet to decide whether to join a PPP-led government or support it without being part of it. "Either is possible. It is being worked out," said party chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq. In another sign of looming trouble for Musharraf, Sharif said he and Zardari had agreed in principle to restore judges Musharraf fired when he imposed emergency rule in November. The judges, if reinstated, can be expected to take up the question of the eligibility of Musharraf to stand for re-election as president while still army chief last October. They were expected to rule against Musharraf when he imposed the emergency.

Pakistan's opposition election winners were already trying to forge a coalition on 22 Feb, raising the prospect of a government intent on forcing U.S. ally President Pervez Musharraf from power. A coming together of opposition parties are leaving the president vulnerable to a hostile parliament. U.S. President George W. Bush's administration has urged the next government to work with Musharraf and says Washington needs Pakistan -- which borders Afghanistan where U.S. and NATO forces are fighting Islamist militants -- as an ally. Nawaz Sharif, whom Musharraf overthrew in 1999 and whose PML-N came second in the vote, told a news conference after his meeting with Zardari that the two parties would work together to form a government. Zardari, whose PPP party won the most seats but not an overall majority, said he wanted a broad government but one excluding the main party that backs Musharraf.

Sharif met Asif Ali Zardari, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's widower and leader of her PPP since her murder on December 27, in Islamabad on Feb. 21 evening for their first face-to-face talks since the election. If they forge a coalition, it will be the first time in Pakistan's history the two main parties have come together. Musharraf's 1999 coup ended a chaotic decade of civilian rule alternating between Bhutto and Sharif governments. Zardari and Sharif also separately met with leaders of the Awami National Party, a Pashtun nationalist party set to join them in a coalition after sweeping Islamists out of power in North West Frontier Province.

The Election Commission is expected to issue official results on March 1.

Musharraf should then convene an inaugural session of the National Assembly. But how soon after may depend on whether there is a government-in-waiting, as the president has to invite a member commanding the confidence of the majority to become prime minister.

President Pervez Musharraf is overwhelmed by the fact that his government could successfully conduct a free and fair poll to put in place a new government, said the Feb 18 election was a victory of the democratic process and moderation in Pakistan and would serve as a stabilising factor. As President, Musharraf is expected to guide and counsel the new government which he has volunteered. The President emphasised the need to continue with the goals of political stability, economic growth and the need for fighting terrorism. President Pervez Musharraf said that he desires a healthy and improved relationship between the President and Prime Minister for a better democratic system in the country.

President Musharraf, who never had been under illusion about PMLQ winning a landslide victory and was the worst suffer of the assassinaion of Benazir Bhutto with whose PPP he wanted to forge an alliance to form a govenment, said that he has fulfilled his promise to the nation as well as the international community for holding of peaceful, transparent and fair general elections. He said that he is committed to making Pakistan a fully democratic state and he would ensure a workable environment with the Prime Minister the winning party chooses. He expressed his hope that the new PM and he would develop a close working relation as he did with ex Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The president said that he does not believe in politics of confrontation and would accept the mandate of the party, which forms the government and is ready to facilitate government formation. Musharraf seized power from Sharif in a 1999 coup and was seen in Washington as a bulwark against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban. Pakistan's new government, which could drive President Pervez Musharraf from office, will likely name its choice for prime minister when parliament reconvenes next month. They have agreed that the PPP would designate the next prime minister. Officials from both parties said the frontrunner to be prime minister was Makhdoom Amin Fahim, the widely respected vice president of slain former PM Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP). "There is an agreement that Fahim should be the parliamentary leader and candidate for PM but the announcement is unlikely to be made public before the parliament is convened into session, most probably in the first week of March," a senior PPP official told AFP. The commoners think some of these people who've been elected were corrupt during the previous regimes and therefore one should be a bit wary about the future. PPP, PML-N and ANP agreed to form a coalition government after winning elections. Asif Zardari and Nawaz Sharif agreed on a common agenda. This includes the restoration of democracy, end of military intervention and reinstatement of the deposed judges and independence of the judiciary. PPP and PML-N won a lion's share of seats in the National Assembly, but it has yet to be seen if the coalition enjoying a two-thirds majority in Parliament can get enough support to oust President Pervez Musharraf from power.

USA congratulated the President for holding free and fair elections which they said would lead to stable political environment in the country. The President appreciated the US assistance to Pakistan. Pakistan has been made an attractive destination for investment by pursuing liberal policies, US seems to be trying for cooperative coalition between Musharraf and the opposition parties in the future course.

PPP and PML-N want to sideline Pervez Musharraf from the whole process. If both the parties stay united and succeed in getting the support of MQM which is supportive of, then opposition would restrain the power of President Musharraf and, if possible, they would also construe that Musharraf's days would be numbered. If the opposition stays together on national issues and if Musharraf is ousted, the politicians will have complete command on the affairs to run the state ideally. Corruption and nepotism would, perhaps, reign again the Pakistani scene.

Nawaz Sharif has been persistently demanding the president step down peacefully; other options, including his impeachment through Parliament, remain open. PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Pakistan Bar Council have warned that if the judiciary is not restored, anarchy will creep up and the popular parties will have to face agitation. In the presence of a vibrant civil society and an aggressive media, the public opinion is likely to be respected. Pakistan Bar Council has already given the March 9 deadline for the restoration of judiciary to pre-November 3 status. It is most likely that a constitutional package will be tabled in Parliament by the new government to amend the Constitution under the heading of 18th Amendment and the main expected clauses are restoration and independence of the judiciary, change of name of NWFP, abolition of the National Security Council, dissolution of local governments and reversion of the Constitution to the status of October 12, 1999, keeping intact the women seats' clause. That might ignite further turmoil in the country.

A united Pakistani leadership is absolutely necessary to positively foster peaceful resolution of Kashmir re-independence. It is economic status that defines real advancement and determines the strength of the nation, and not exactly the nuclear weapons. Nuclear India, using very cunningly a pro-market economist Manmohan Singh to go appeasing the anti-Islamic elements in USA, cannot threaten or bully Pakistan for too long!