The New Nation - Internet Edition

Making enclave people voters

VOTER registration of people living in the Dahagram and Angorpota enclaves, in Lalmonirhat district started last week but the process in other enclaves remained 'uncertain'. Several thousand people living in 49 other Bangladeshi enclaves may not be able to register as the Indian authorities are yet to respond to a request for permission to visit the enclaves through the Indian territory. The Election Commission has thus reportedly dropped its plan to go for voter registration in those enclaves. The EC selected 34 enclaves for voter registration and accordingly, in October last it sent a list of the selected enclaves to the ministries of home and foreign affairs to take the required steps in this regard.

The commission also planned to hold talks with all departments and agencies including Bangladesh Rifles about the processes of voter registration in all the selected 34 enclaves. Later, at the end of January, one election commissioner reportedly said that the commission planned to register voters in only two enclaves Dahagram-Angorpota because of 'time constraints'. The two enclaves of Dahagram and Angorpota are connected with the country's mainland through the Tinbigha corridor that is now being used under an accord with India as it has not yet been given to Bangladesh in exchange of Berubari handed over long ago.

There are 57 Bangladeshi enclaves inside Indian territory, while India has 111 enclaves measuring within Bangladesh. About 25 thousand voters were registered in 20 enclaves under the Lalmonirhat district in 1990 and for the first time they exercised their voting rights in the 5th parliamentary elections in 1991. Those who could have registered their names in the two enclaves, obviously, felt happy. The Election Commission should clear its stand why it has failed to register all the Bangladesh enclave people as voters to exercise their rights as citizens like many others living in the country.

Reducing bank loan interest rates

ACCORDING to reports, the weighted average rate of lending by banks in Bangladesh stand at 12.06 per cent. The spread of interest between lending and for deposits, thus, stand at some 5.38 per cent. This contrasts with the average spreads being 2 to 3 per cent worldwide, according to the same reports. Investors have been insisting on rationalising the spread. The banks say that they need to maintain the present spread positions to maintain their profitability while the entrepreneurs say that banks can ensure this profitability by streamlining their operations and pruning unnecessary administrative costs.

Besides, they point out, by lowering the lending rate and facilitating more businesses the total volume of the business of banks would rise adding to their profits substantially. At the same time, the wheels of the economy would be also running faster and better. The high lending rate in the backdrop of too many bottlenecks that entrepreneurs face in Bangladesh from electricity shortage to bureaucratic procedures, raise the costs of doing business. But business operators say that they can still maintain their competitiveness if only the lending rate is decreased meaningfully.

The Bangladesh Bank can help increase liquidity of the banks by lowering compulsory cash reserves. The banks thus could lend more and at lesser rates of interest. There are also other means which the Central Bank can employ to bring the lending rate down to make money available on easier terms. The central bank must do these things without worsening the inflation situation. The banks again may attempt to reduce the spread by only cutting interest rates against deposits but not by similarly reducing the lending rates. But this would be grossly unfair for the savers, specially the small savers and may even undermine saving efforts and should be taken care of.

Protecting the interests of expatriate female workers

Sayeeda Islam Mita

Shahana Akhter, 26, works in a garment factory in Dubai. She migrated to the UAE in 2005. In September last year, Shahana had come home on a three-month leave and then returned to Dubai with a very heavy heart.

"No one will understand how hard it is to be abroad leaving behind the husband and the children. But, I have to do this only to support my family," said Shahana prior to her departure.

Thousands of women like Shahana are leading a hard life abroad for the sake of their families. The remittances they send back home not only help their families, but also help boost up the national economy. The contribution of these female expatriate workers to the country's socioeconomic development is very significant.

It is possible to export more female workers abroad if their safe migration can be ensured in addition to creating more skilled women workers.

There is no specific information as to when female workers began migrating to various countries in search of jobs. But government statistics show that it mainly got a boost in the 90s.

According to Bangladesh Manpower Employment and Training Bureau (BMET), the number of female workers in different countries was 74,074 as of August 2007. Of them, 54,835 female workers left the country in the last three and half years.

"Besides, there are many female workers working abroad who have not been included in the statistics," says a senior BMET official.

According to him, the government has only issued licenses to seven recruiting agencies for sending women workers abroad. But reports have it that many unauthorised agencies send female workers abroad.

A figure shows once female workers accounted for only one percent among the total expatriate workers, but now the figure stands at six percent.

Besides, a significant number of women are going abroad seeking jobs through middlemen. There are also instances that the brokers smuggle out the women workers taking advantage of their ignorance. Many women even lose everything being victims of the touts.

Minu Begum (not her real name) of Chandpur is one of them. After a hell lot of troubles, she collected Tk 58,000 and gave it to a broker who promised to provide her a job of domestic worker in Dubai. Once landed in Dubai, Minu could realise that she fell prey to human smugglers. Having suffered untold miseries for a long time, she came back home with the help of police.

Bangladesh Women Lawyers' Association councilor Dipti Ball says, "The trafficking of women will continue if their safe migration cannot be ensured. Though many women from Bangladesh go abroad for selling labour, they literally get smuggled due to lack of information about the type of job and lack of knowledge about migration law."

She also says the government should firmly enforce the related law apart from being more cordial in dealing with the problems facing by women workers both at home and abroad. The government should have all the information as to who went where and when. And, the Bangladeshi missions in relevant countries should also have all these information so that they can provide necessary assistance to the workers in need.

Female workers going abroad illegally are not the ones subject to cheating. Many of those going legally also fall victims to cheating. On many occasions, it is seen that women are not provided with jobs they are promised of. Rather, they are forced to take up other works.

For instance, Monwara Akhter, 28, was promised of a job of tailoring in Dubai. But, she was given a domestic job where she was forced to work inhumanly. Having failed to endure the misery, she returned home only after 18 days with many nightmares. "Now I'm ready to die of starvation in my own country. But, I'll never ever go abroad in search of a job," says Monwara, now works in a garment factory.

The Middle East has been the destination for most of the female workers. These days some are flying for a few Asian countries. Even though in tiny number, some are now going to Europe. Most of these migrated workers are engaged in domestic works. The number of workers in garment and other sectors is gradually increasing.

Female workers can be divided into three categories-skilled, semiskilled and unskilled. Among the expatriate female workers, the number of skilled and semiskilled workers is higher. Most of the expatriate females fall into skilled and semiskilled categories. Female workers, who are almost illiterate, face problems regarding language and in using modern technologies, resulting in many unwarranted incidents, including torture.

The expatriate female workers are mainly harassed for issues relating to working extra hours, non-payment of wages, irregular payments and inadequate food. There are even allegations of sexual harassments.

But those involved in sending female workers abroad claim the trend of harassing the workers continues to fall. "The increasing number of female workers going abroad is the proof of that," says Samiha Huda, national programme officer of a migration-related NGO.

According to concerned officials, there is a huge demand of Bangladeshi female workers in different professions, especially in domestic works, in Europe, the USA and the Middle East, but the problem is that they are not trained enough. So, they are lagging behind the workers from other countries.

A few NGOs and private organisations, however, have come forward to address the issues, but it's too inadequate to fulfill the needs. In government sector, there is one training centre in Mirpur and six such centres have been set up at the divisional level too, but those are yet to start their activities.

Rabeya Islam, chairperson of Handicraft Workers Welfare Association, says, "Time has changed. Now, along with males, women are also intent to work overseas. But, they can't for lack of necessary support and information. The rate of female migration will increase if the government can make arrangements to provide them with soft loans."

General secretary of Bangladeshi Migrant Women Workers' Association Sheikh Rumana worked for seven years in Malaysia where she saw for herself the adversities faced by expatriate female workers. Emphasising the need for skill development and raising awareness of female workers, she says, "A little bit of training can make a big difference. And, the level of harassment will also decrease if they can improve their skills."

Cook chickens well

M Zahidul Haque

A few days back we were having an informal talk in the cabin of our varsity's Vice Chancellor, Prof.Dr.A M Farooque. We were discussing about the "Bird flu" or "Avian influenza". At one stage, Prof. Farooque jokingly said - "Can you remember, in our boyhood, we have seen that a chicken showing drowsy sign was immediately slaughtered and cooked. That's all. Who knows if those chicken had today's Bird flu or not!"

True, with the advancement of science and technology many hidden and new facts are coming out. Every morning people all over the world are learning new things. For instance, how many people had died due to Diabetic in the past is not known because the disorder called 'Diabetic' was not discovered in those days.

Of course environmental degradation and climatic changes is giving birth to new strains of virus and bacteria. And the human beings are frequently getting exposed to these harmful microbes. As a result humans are being attacked by new diseases everyday. However, under the natural process, when a new disease attacks us, a new strategy evolves to combat it. So, there is nothing to worry about. The only thing we are to do is to take some precautions.

It has been proved that soap and heat can kill the Bird flu virus. If we wash our hands with a soap or hand-washing liquid everytime after handling chicken,eggs,or meat the risk of being attacked by the bird flu virus would be lessened.We can wash eggs in dilute liquid soap and preserve after wiping by a clean cloth or tissue paper. Well cooked chickens and eggs are quite safe for human consumption because heat (at 70 degree C) kills the Bird flu virus.

It is a fact that when a poultry bird is infected by the Bird flu virus, it soon starts transmitting/spreading the virus to other birds including ducks,turkeys through their faeces and saliva. So the only way to stop the transmission of the virus is to destroy and bury all the birds in the flock or farm.

Now the point is, why are we taking so stringent measures against bird flu by killing all the poultry birds in a farm or homestead? The simple answer is, to contain spreading of the virus so that it may not infect humans and other healthy poultry birds.

In reality, Bird flu is no different to Human flu. But the Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 which causes Bird flu or Avian influenza after entering into the human body may mutate through genetic recombination with another virus and the new mutated virus may create a pandemic which may claim more lives! Of course this is also a scientific assumption, it may happen or may not. But to take protection against such mutation,stringent measures have been recommended.

At the moment, a person if infected by the bird flu virus will show signs of common human flu which include, fever, diarrhea, cough, sorethroat, muscle pain, vomiting, eye infection, etc. In acute case, the patient may experience serious respiratory distress and lung infection(pneumonia).

Everyone should keep in their home sufficient number of Paracetamol tablets and ORS so that in time of emergency these

can be used to control fever and for rehydration.There is no appropriate drug for the treatment of Bird flu but Roche's 'Tamiflu' is widely used.In our country Bird flu drug 'Oseflu' is available.

Meanwhile a recent enzyme mixture created by the Icelandic Company Zymetech is capable of killing the H5N1 virus in less than 5 minutes without damaging healthy cells with cent percent success rate.

That's all in brief about the Bird flu. But one thing really makes me grieved when I see hundreds of chickens are being culled and burried under the soil. I have also asked some people involved in the poultry business that cannot we, instead of destroying cook, if not the already infected chickens but the to be infected ones near the farm site and distribute the cooked meat among our poor people as well-cooked chickens are safe for human consumption?

Imagine! If these chickens were not infected by Bird flu, we wouldn't have even dreamt to cull them or to distribute those among the poor people who cannot afford to buy chickens, cook the meat and eat. But now since we have no alternative but to cull the infected chickens, cannot we make them consumable for the poors? This may sound otherwise but I mean it !

[Prof.M Zahidul Haque is Chairman, Department of Agricultural Extension & Information System, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University,Dhaka]

Shift in Pakistan's politics?

Dr.Abdul Ruff

February 18 poll in Pakistan with a split verdict denying the opposition parties majority has not brought about any tangible prospects for the nation or any visible hopes for a bright future for the people. Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won 88 seats, the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) 66 and the ANP 10 in the elections. But the newly formed PPP-PMLN coalition has intensified their horse trade to acquire two-third majority in the Parliament required to impeach the President. Further, 27 independents also seem to have expressed their willingness to join the coalition. But the fact remains that Musharraf-backed PML-Quaid could win 39 seats against all odds. Party position in the new National Assembly of Pakistan does not justify any action by the split opposition to remove the president who in the first place, conducted, as required by opposition parties and the USA, a free and fair poll that has only helped the combined opposition to forge unity to initiate action to remove Musharraf. However, the opposition parties have got just one point program for Pakistan: removal of Musharraf from presidency. They don't seem to be in hurry to support the genuine cause of the poor Pakistanis who have suffered for so long.Elections are deemed necessary for gauging the support of the people for the political parties in a country. Opposition wants the poll for any change of regime. Without having a strong political party of his own, Musharraf has embarked upon a "democratic voyage" without proper goals, thinking that people and the politicians-cum-media are solidly behind him, even while criticizing him vaguely. President Pervez Musharraf seems to have misunderstood his own people while opening up the Pakistani society to modernity step-by-step and has lost much hope for survival without the support from the opposition. When he shed his military uniform in order to assume civilian presidency, he might have thought his future is fully secured. But politicians, irrespective of their vision of new Pakistan, were bent on kicking him from presidency just as a matter of taking revenge, as if people have voted the opposition only to get Musharraf out.

Certainly the Feb 18 poll was not a referendum on Musharraf or his policies. Neither the opposition nor the media have accepted the fact it was not an anti-Musharraf vote, but a vote for collective wisdom and a creative action to lift Pakistan from the present impasse and achieve greater goals set for the new nation by the founder Jinnah. If there is another vote, Musharraf's margin would possibly be better with more seats for PMLQ supporting him. And that party aligns itself with some more parties they might even secure sizeable number seats. That is arithmetic of poll strategy, considering revision of emotional levels of the voters. That has exactly been happening in many countries including India. People forget the events quickly with time.

Pakistan's media owe greatly to Musharraf's positive contribution to their flourishing and expansion. Yet, bulks of Pakistani media as well as Indian have intensified their insistence for Musharraf's exit earlier than later. Pakistani media want USA to push Musharraf out and help the new regime take charge and rule according t their whims and fancies, because Pakistan's policies are not going change significantly irrespective of who and how rules from Islamabad. Apparently, media reiterate that there is no alternative for Musharraf but to accept people's verdict that overwhelmingly repudiated him as Bush's man in Islamabad. They have already tolled exit bell for him. Washington, his sheet anchor of power is solidly with him.

Meanwhile, US President George W. Bush's has praised President Pervez Musharraf for responding to all the steps that Washington proposed in fighting terrorism and restoring democracy in Pakistan. President Bush does support Musharraf for all the work that he has done to help us in counter terrorism, and if you look at what we asked President Musharraf to do, which is to take off the uniform, set free and fair elections and lift emergency order - he did all of those things," White House spokesperson Dana Parino said. And thus the president does certainly support Musharraf. USA insists on collective leadership in Pakistan. Pakistani leaders, cutting across the political spectrum, would find it difficult to ignore the suggestions being made from Washington. And, therefore, President Musharraf is most likely to stay.

Mediated by the USA, both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had returned to Pakistan on tacit understanding with Musharraf to make a new parliament to advance Pakistan's legitimate national interest. And Benazir returned to Pakistan on the agreement of sharing power with Musharraf, who also softened his stance on her by allowing many concessions to her electioneering. By keeping the background of her return, the PPP now wants to avoid unnecessary friction through quarrels with Musharraf that would ultimately harm peaceful change of power.

The PML-N chief, Nawaz Sharif has already sounded the alarm bell that time was running out for him, and he has no options but to quit. However, it looks, reformer president Musharraf has become a lone ranger against many odds that he will some how surmount as before. All his moves to stay in power have been resisted by the "smart" opposition and his unpopularity is being fueled by them. Nawaz Sharif has been saying Musharraf is not acceptable under any circumstance, the PPP leader Zardari is reportedly considering a revision in the tactic of his PPP party by cooperating with Musharraf on some understanding. However, behind the scene a move is gaining momentum to reach an agreement between opposition and Musharraf.

In a move to make compromises with the opposition, Pervez Musharraf has sent a message to PPP Chief Asif Ali Zardari that sacked judges of the higher courts can be reinstated provided they do not hear the cases against him, said an official privy to the developments. The olive branch was sent to the PPP, which is discussing details of government formation with Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N), "The presidency is ready to restore the judges provided they don't sit on benches hearing cases against the President," a top government official reportedly said. He said the presidency has also suggested that judges appointed by Musharraf after last year's November 3 emergency would be accommodated in the same positions or transferred to government positions usually held by serving judges. Musharraf has also agreed to forego powers of sacking parliament and appointing services chiefs.

It is unfortunate that none of these parties think seriously about national interest or the welfare of the voters who have given the mandate to govern the nation better. The February 18 polls in Pakistan have proved it beyond any shadow of doubt that Pakistani politicians and media magnet must rise about petty quarrels and shed their narrow interests and begin to rebuild the nation on refreshed resolutions. The opposition has not yet come out with any future plan that would take the country out of turmoil toward growth, development and advancement in keeping with the global advances in all spheres of human endeavors.

Pakistani politicians and media would serve the nation and people better if they remember that they have a primary duty before the people and the Islamic nation that is being under constant threat from a stronger neighbor India ill-focused on a strong Pakistan and bent upon seeing the worst to happen the next doors. And any upset in Pakistan's governance would directly affect adversely the prospects of early resolution of Kashmir issue pending for decades, because India seems to be keen to delay the grant of re-Independence to Kashmiris as long and far as possible.