The New Nation - Internet Edition

The low-cost carriers issue

A GOVERNMENT committee has reportedly recommended giving permission to low-cost airlines to use the Zia International Airport (ZIA) for carrying passengers at cheaper fares in spite of Biman's apprehension that it would hinder the growth of local airlines flying on international routes. The committee submitted its report to the Ministry of Civil Aviation late last month stating that low-cost airlines should be allowed to use ZIA to fly to countries with whom Bangladesh has bilateral air service agreement, provided they operate at least three weekly flights from Chittagong.

A low-cost carrier actually offers low fares but omits many traditional passenger services. Legally, there is no difference between a full-service and a low-cost carrier as both require approvals from the regulatory authorities and have to take similar safety measures. Biman authorities said Bangladeshi carriers suffer from 'competitive disadvantage' due to higher fuel price and high tax on aircraft spares. If low-cost carriers are allowed to operate to and from ZIA, this disadvantage would deepen and the local carriers would suffer. This would seriously hinder the government's initiative to develop private sector airlines, they said. Besides Biman, there are four local private airlines operating mostly on domestic routes. They are planning to expand services to different international destinations.

An aviation analyst reportedly said, allowing low-cost airlines would rather increase 'competition' and thus attract more passengers. However, withdrawal of taxes both on fuel and aircraft spares may turn local more cost efficient. It was stated that 40 per cent tax on fuel stop local airlines from being competitive in relation to foreign airlines. The civil aviation authority (CAAB) earlier granted permission to a low-cost carrier, Air Arabia of the United Arab Emirates to operate international flights from Shah Amanat International Airport at Chittagong to Sharjah. The whole thing should be examined from a long-term perspective.

Dealing with bank robberies

AN organised group of robbers last week took advantage of the loopholes in the security system of the Agrani Bank National Press Club branch and fled with more than Tk 12 lakh encashed to pay salary of staffs of the Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Department. The robbers spread banks notes to mislead the people present. In another case earlier, robbers broke into lockers of a bank and looted gold ornaments. In both the cases the robbers used newer techniques in commiting crimes. Use of small but sophisticated weapons and acids, chemicals and sedatives are some of the new tricks. The incidents suggest that the law enforcing agencies should have more preparedness to deal with the criminals.

Reports hint at serious slackness in security arrangements at the Agrani Bank branch. The branch did not have CCTV cameras, nor armed guards or even an effective security alarm system. It had only two security guards. The branch officers had sent one guard outside to bring tea. This was done at a time when maximum security preparedness was needed. The robbers may also have had collusive relationships with some members of the bank staff, security guards or people at the education office. Otherwise, there was no scope for the robbers to know the exact date and time and place of withdrawal of the cash money. Those involved in the long chain activities leading to the incident are potential suspects. The law enforcing agencies must conduct a thorough investigation to bring the culprits to book. The bank branch should tighten security arrangements to stop such robberies in broad day light.

Governance in Pakistan: Plurality, Participation, and Per capita welfare

Dr. M. S. Haq

In the present day world, factors such as, mindsets, theories, structures, and practices that are associated with domains of governance have found to be suffering, in varying degrees though, from limitations at relevant operation, non-operation and other levels - relative to time, space and other variables. Governance in Pakistan is not immune to those limitations - as applicable. A brief analysis of a number of above limitations against the backdrop of effort towards enhancing, sustaining and promoting contents of people's representation in the country's governance and their meaningful participation therein - all pursuits of say, the people's welfare would reveal several things. For example:

The result of recently concluded national assembly (hereinafter: the national parliament) election in Pakistan represents inter alia the verdict of less than 50 percent of the country's registered voters - save and except those Pakistanis who were unable to register themselves as voters this time due to a variety of reasons. Further, those, who did vote this time, had cast their votes along various party lines, party manifestos and other things. As a result of above and other related developments, it now appears: the upcoming national parliament will not be able to represent the majority of Pakistani voters; the national parliament will not be able to represent those Pakistanis who could not get themselves registered as voters this time - perhaps a many of them were interested in exercising their voting rights, though; opportunities for dealing with or playing with or reigning over (or otherwise) the needs, wants, desires and expectations of a greater number of Pakistanis by a relatively lesser number of them through their representatives in the national parliament will perhaps be wider and more arbitrary - a somewhat free rider situation; the national parliament will be relieved of, in a sense and to an extent, the direct or indirect burden of its accountability to at least the majority of voters who constitutes the majority of Pakistanis and who did not cast their vote in the election; and accountability of the majority of Pakistanis to the national parliament could find inter alia its expression via democratic and anti-democratic agendas, street politics and pro plus anti-people activities - whether voluntary or not, whether peaceful or otherwise.

The decision pertaining "to cast vote" or "not to cast vote" falls, among other things and in general, within the rights of an individual voter. But the onus in above matter lies, to an extent, on actors such as, political parties when it comes to ensuring maximum participation of voters in elections in the interest of plurality in democracy, better governance, sound politics and so on - relative to time, space and other variables, though.

There could be several reasons as to why the national parliament of 2008 will be represented by a minority of Pakistani voters. In that respect, one could argue: the national parliamentary seats for women (for example) that will be determined on the basis of seats obtained by political parties in the election in a pro rata manner will increase eventually the size of people's representation in the national parliament. In a deeper sense, I believe that would not be the case because the strength of parliamentary seats for women will come from the same aggregate strength of male candidates whom the voters had voted to for example, the national parliament in the election.

Further, allegations concerning the allocation of parliamentary seats for women to friends and relations that have been coming up to the attention of PTV viewers via the courtesy of current affairs programs of Saadia and others tend to suggest that the impact of 'insufficiency' associated with allocation of seats to women could affect the ultimate tensile strength (used in an engineering sense) of the parliament in the near future.

It will be real challenging tasks for the minority-led and somewhat divided (at least on the basis of reported issues) national parliament to for example: strengthen bottom up transactions in governance for higher accountability and transparency; take the right decision at the right time and cost on competing national and other priorities; enhance the per capita welfare of Pakistanis in a significant and sustainable manner; and satisfy maximum number of Pakistanis and others on a continuous basis under the ongoing war on terror situation, price hikes, energy cuts and the present phase of transitional democracy - unless the efforts of treasury, opposition and others at national, provincial and other levels towards building and sustaining consensus on at least a minimum national plus provincial agendas and a common ground for implementing those agendas in a concerted and corruption free fashion under the overall stewardship of the country's experienced President Pervez Musharraf, become successful, for an instance. I believe Pakistan should not go - at least at this point in time and as far as practicable - for policies like inclusions for exclusions. The bottom line is: unite Pakistan, transform enemies into influential friends and harness potentials of all stakeholders for the country's progress and prosperity in a sustainable manner and to the satisfaction of all concerned.

It now appears PML-Q is second in popular vote (PPP is first) in this year's national assembly election. Interesting though, the size and impact of popular vote will have no direct bearing on future parliamentary decisions because those decisions will be taken on the basis (if not changed) of for example: one seat one vote and not one seat one vote plus popular vote, as applicable. In other words, the decisions of upcoming parliament will lose further the amount of people's representation in an already minority led parliament due to present day absence of any provision concerning: as to how to factor popular vote along side one seat one vote in parliamentary decision making processes - unless parliamentary decisions are products of a government of national unity at a given time, per se.

With a view to enhancing further the representative character and content of parliamentary decisions and to making those decisions more competitive and acceptable (to all concerned) within the existing constraints associated with voters' turn out in elections and the ramification thereof, I believe the time is ripe now for the world people to remedy the situation at least in part by considering for example, popular vote as a coefficient of one vote for one seat in relevant cases in future parliamentary decisions. Consider the example: in a mathematical sense, 1.5 is the coefficient of x in1.5x. Now, if the coefficient 1.5 represents the proportionate value of popular vote per qualifying seat where applicable, if x is the value of one vote for one seat, and if the value of x is 10, then the total value of decision vote for a popular vote winner will be 15. In such an event, 10 will be the value for one vote for one seat plus 5 will be the value of the popular vote for each of the wining party members or the runner up party members in national and other elections. But before embarking on what I would call a popular parliamentary decision formula, few things need to be settled.

For example: Whether or not the formula will be applicable to reserved seat holders? Whether or not the formula will be applicable to say, the members of parliament of winning party (in terms of popular vote) and the members of parliament of runner up party (in terms of popular vote) in the elections? Whether or not value differentials will be applied to coefficients of say, the winning party and the runner up party in the elections?

The bottom line is: efforts should be made towards enhancing and sustaining the parliament's accountability to people through the enlargement of people's choices in the parliament and strengthening their ownership therein, and towards the empowerment of the parliament itself, to mention a few.

Governments that are broken or repaired or re-engineered under democratic systems of governance before the expiry of their legitimate terms can affect - either positively or negatively or otherwise and in varying degrees - political stability, economic growth and general well-being of people (to mention a few) of concerned countries, relative to time, space and other variables. PPP, PML-N, PML-Q and other political parties of Pakistan who are now (as of 06 March 2008) apparently busy in the finalization of configuration of future governments at the center and in the provinces - with or without coalition partners - should take note of that.

It is expected the people of Pakistan including inter alia the civil society, the media (print, electronic) and others will assist the political parties in taking decisions concerning the formation of upcoming governments - whether coalition or otherwise - against the backdrop of their (I mean, the concerned political parties) strengths, weaknesses, records and potentials, to mention a few. In that respect, the parties might elect to establish success criteria for the assessment and evaluation of upcoming partners (meaning, political parties) in the governments. Those criteria could include inter alia: previous records of performance; potentials for best performance; organizational behavior; risk taking capacity and capability; honesty, fairness and commitment; governance related leadership, the level of self-realization and self-awareness when it comes to wellbeing of say, Pakistanis; entrepreneurial exposures, skills and experiences; and result-orientations.

The success of upcoming governments would depend on inter alia the quality and the quantity of managing challenges and opportunities (as appropriate) that might arise out of those governments or in the course of governance by those governments or in the process of making outcomes and impacts by those governments or otherwise. A few of them are: duration related stabilities; short and medium term interest, as well as perspectives at local, national, global and other levels including inter alia geo-political interest, situations and ramifications; emerging scenarios of competition and continuity; the country's comparative, competitive and other advantages - both existing and potential; promise realization capabilities during easy times and in trying times; creation of future for the people, the country and the world at large; contingency, as well as fire fighting arrangements for dealing with any unforeseen emergency including inter alia the protection of democracy from risks, threats and vulnerabilities; extremism, terrorism and development; trade and environmental diplomacy; trusted, reliable and dependable partners and leaders in governance during peace times and in difficult times; successor arrangements; people-state synergies; and corruption, terror and poverty free Pakistan - I mean to a humanly possible extent.

As regards the matter of floor crossing, I believe the members of upcoming parliaments should be allowed - with the consent of respective parties - to cast vote in favor of any assembly resolutions that will appear prima-facie to be pro-people or pro-country (to mention a few) and the members should not lose their parliamentary seats on account of those votes.

I also believe the demand of ANP for changing the name of NWFP is, in many respects, fair and justified. It is hoped the change of name will be instrumental in triggering further and sustaining further internal motivation of Pakhtoons for positive engagement in nation building and nation unification activities and not in the disintegration of Pakistan, among other things - in the foreseeable future.

The last word: let Pakistan have a full taste of democracy on a continuous basis. A question is: how would masses, sizes and credibility of coalition partners affect successes, failures and sustainability of upcoming governments and governance in the country? The mass and size of a possible coalition government - PPP plus PML-Q plus ANP - at the center does not appear to be promising at least at this point in time against the backdrop of two heavyweights sharing different views on key national issues. Let us hope for the best!

A sleepless night on a sleeping berth

Maswood Alam Khan

I am perhaps one of very few among my friends and colleagues who enjoy journeying the whole night away by train spending double the amount of time needed on road. My friends may guess I eschew bus journey in favour of a cushy chair by Sundarban Express train to save money---which is not true. At times I spend a substantial amount of money for a sleeping berth in a single air-conditioned coup of the train that leaves Dhaka Cantonment Railway Station at 7 in the evening for a 10 hour journey to reach Khulna before break of dawn.

The other day, the only accommodation in the sleeper of 'Sundarban Express Nishitha' I could get was Upper Berth No 4 in a non-air-conditioned first class compartment on my way to Dhaka. This train leaving Khulna in the evening is very old and shabby compared to the new train that leaves Dhaka in the evening: both of Sundarban Express Nishitha service running in opposite directions.

The train left Khulna around 8 in the evening. Sitting on the yet-to-be-occupied lower berth number 1 I was scanning the whole compartment accommodating six berths: three lower and three upper, each not more than 3 feet wide. Lower berth no 2 was occupied by a young officer of Bangladesh Navy who was leading a big group of coastguards boarding the same train to Dhaka in preparation of ceremonial march for our Independence Day on March 26, the lower berth no 3 by an officer from BDR who was also leading about 200 BDR jawans in the same train on way to their new place of posting at Chittagong Hill Tracts, and the upper berth no 6 by an employee from Bangladesh Railway. Both the lower berth no 1 and upper berth no 5 are still vacant which are soon to be occupied by passengers from the next Jessore railway station. I was helplessly looking at the upper berth no 4 fated for me and was wondering how I could climb up to the bed without any ladder visible.

From Jessore railway station a newly married couple entered our compartment to occupy their berth numbers 1 & 5, one atop the other, and I immediately stood up to leave their berth and to start my odyssey on my upper berth no 4. I have had marvellous experiences abroad of travelling on sleeping berths, both lower and upper, in long distance trains. But this is my first experience of climbing onto the fixed upper berth of a train in Bangladesh---a sleepless whole-night journey on a precarious bed I am not going to forget in the rest of my life!

Primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel restful sleepers are provided by passenger trains and many businessmen and executives who don't like to waste their daytime on travelling appreciate the time-saving advantages of comfortable overnight travels sleeping on berths. Moreover, sleeping accommodation offers an ascetic traveller the possibility of obviating one or two nights of boarding at a hotel.

Trains in America or even in India offer a wide range of choice as to sleeping berths which are basically two seats---one facing forward and the other backward---converted at nighttime into the combination of an upper and a lower berth, each berth consisting of quite a specious bed screened from the aisle by a heavy curtain to ensure travellers' privacy. Those berths are dismantled at daytime by some release gears to turn them into settees. Lest a sleeping traveller slides and falls down from his berth, heavy-duty 'bed guardrails' with locking devices are affixed protecting the entire length of the berth, especially of the upper one.

Measures on privacy and safety are meticulously ensured in sleeping booths of overnight trains as I found in Singapore and North America. Oh no, not in the upper berth number 4 of Sundarban Express I was clambering on exerting all my hands and feet, stepping on a side rest of the lower berth, grabbing the handrail on the wall and breast walking the torn out cushion of my upper berth---an athletic feat impossible to achieve on the part of a man or a woman heftier or older than me.

All the five pairs of eyes in the compartment perhaps enjoyed with some sadistic pleasure my struggles for safety and comfort in my loft. I didn't mind at all their ogling at my acrobatic movements; but what really pained me was a chuckle of delight the young lady---the only female passenger with us---gave me when I missed to catch the blanket that fell on the floor from my berth.

What however really filled me with dread was a prospect of my falling out of the loft and hitting my head on the floor in the absence of any effective guardrail. Upper berths are supposed to be guarded with detachable guardrails made of tubular frames covering its full length to keep a passenger's mind safe and secure so that he won't be tumbling onto the floor during the night when the speeding train would be swaying and rocking. The so-called guardrail attached with my berth end, instead the middle, covered only one-fifth of its length and the rickety guardrail, devoid of any locking device, swung freely back and forth. Instead of standing perpendicular the rail rests at a slanted position, like the back of an easy chair, giving a psychological illusion that the guardrail has already been bent by wear and tear and is about to give way under a pressure.

But what truly surprised me was the aplomb with which the Railway guy jumped to and from his upper berth number 6. I could not figure out how he with a slight tap of his toe on the slender edge of a side rest of the lower berth could negotiate the vertical climb effortlessly whisking his hefty body onto the upper berth without even holding the handrail. And what more burned my heart was the composure of his body language and the cool with which he wrapped his body with a blanket and sank immediately into a deep slumber on a berth similar to mine.

In case I tumble down, I imagined, I should not allow my head to fall first. So, on the side where the slanted guardrail is affixed I set my pillow whereon I rested my fatigued head. To avoid the glare of the ceiling light I rolled sidewise facing the wall of the compartment and made some futile attempts to sleep while a procession of wayward thoughts was creeping into my mind amid the roaring but rhythmic sounds of the wheels clattering on rail tracks and the locomotive driver whistling the powerful horn while speeding his engine at full throttle.

A loud ouch from a female voice suddenly perplexed me! As I turned around I found the new husband massaging the ankle of his wife. She was hurt somehow. I advised the husband to switch the light off with a view to allowing them a semblance of privacy and myself a chance to sleep in the dark. The young boy in his late twenties and his wife in her early twenties looked and sounded a happy couple. The boy seemed a very caring husband. I was pretty sure the husband would climb up to sleep on the upper berth number 5 facing mine and would advise his wife to enjoy a trouble-free sleep on the lower one. Surprisingly they decided that she would climb up and he would lie down, maybe on some privacy consideration. Obviously I was eager to see her athleticism compared to mine as she was preparing for her climb. But it was disturbing to see her husband's excessive care to help her ascend by a push from backward the way a basketball player carefully pushes the ball onto the rim.

It was already a quarter past one at night and I could not sleep even one iota. The BDR guy sleeping on the lower berth just beneath me woke up after about an hour to go out of the compartment perhaps for smoking. He was investing his full strength to pull the handle of the sliding door by his right hand, but the door was too jammed and needed further force to be opened. He had to brace himself against something solid to gather higher strength. So while pulling the sliding door by his right hand his left hand reached for the side of the upper berth number 5 to push in the opposite direction; but his left hand involuntarily slipped onto the free-swinging guardrail that slammed on the forehead of the young lady in deep sleep.

The compartment reverberated with another loud ouch from a female voice. God saved it was not fatal. The caring husband razed like a bristled lion. Had the BDR guy not been in his uniform a cantankerous quarrel would have ensued. The BDR officer humbled himself so much by begging him for an apology that the husband's raze melted away in no time. I wondered why railway engineers did not solidly weld the guardrails as permanently fixed if adjustable rails with locking device were really costlier.

If such was the situation of a railroad sleeping car in North America stars of many passengers would have been in the ascendant. A lawyer would have rushed to this lady with an affidavit for her signing only with no obligation to pay any legal expense. The lawyer himself would have presented her after a few weeks a fat cheque of a few hundred thousand dollars extracted from the railroad authority as compensation on filing a damage suit against improper safety measures.

"Safety first" and "Quality, uncompromising" are two catchphrases that are boldly declared by posters pasted on walls of factories and other workplaces in a developed country. Germany would not have risen as a developed nation if Germans compromised with quality in their workmanship.

Efficient guardrails of a sleeping berth may sound like a requirement of low priority in our country when scores are dying from road crashes due to our violation of laws. But unless we can imbue every Bangladeshi with a sense to ensure total safety and quality everywhere and at every stage---no matter it is securing a shaft to an engine or repairing an electric circuit---a small negligence on the part of a petty handyman may cause a giant system collapse.