The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fakhruddin meets Gordon Brown: Smooth power transfer to elected govt stressed

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed called on British
Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street in London
on Tuesday. PID photo

BSS, London

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have pledged to work together to promote sustainable democracy and economic development and combat climate change and terrorism.

They made the pledge in a "Bangladesh-UK Joint Statement" after a meeting held at 10 Downing Street, the official residence of British Prime Minister, on Tuesday night.

The two heads of government expressed satisfaction at the thriving strategic partnership of equals between Bangladesh and Britain and acknowledged the important role played by the vibrant British-Bangladeshi community in forging that partnership.

In the statement, the Chief Adviser categorically reaffirmed his government's firm resolve to hold free, fair and credible parliamentary elections in Bangladesh by December 2008. He expressed the hope to work closely with international partners such as Britain towards that end.

They expressed happiness over the good progress of the project to update the voters list. The Chief Adviser expressed appreciation for Britain's practical assistance for this project.

The British Prime Minister underlined the importance of a smooth transition of power to an elected government promptly following the elections.

The Prime Minister and Chief Adviser agreed that credible elections that can sustain democracy in the longer term are essential for Bangladesh.

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed informed the Prime Minister that the caretaker government would hold early dialogue with the political parties and remove restrictions to enable them to fully participate in successful democratic Parliamentary elections.

The Prime Minister and Chief Adviser agreed that strong public institutions, justice and observance of due process and human rights were the bedrock of healthy democracy.

They reflected with satisfaction on the institutional reforms of the caretaker government to strengthen the mandate of the Anti-Corruption, Election and Public Service Commissions and establish a Human Rights Commission.

They agreed that public institutions should play a leading role in setting high standards of governance under the newly elected government and that it was vital for them to act with respect for international standards of due process and basic individual rights at all times.

They noted that the separation of the judiciary from the executive in Bangladesh had been a historic step forward and underlined the importance of a strong and independent judiciary for ensuring fair and transparent trials for all.

The Chief Adviser highlighted the climate change challenge uniquely faced by Bangladesh due to global warming and sea level rise.

Both sides agreed to work together in international forums to secure an effective and responsible international response to climate change.

The Prime Minister confirmed that Britain would host an international climate change conference in London in May 2008, at the request of the Government of Bangladesh, to explore how the country can best prepare and adapt to a changing global environment.

The Chief Adviser confirmed Bangladesh's support for the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Call to Action. This was launched by the UN Secretary General and the Prime Minister in July 2007 to encourage greater collective action to attain the MDGs by 2015.

Both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in achieving the MDGs in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister announced British support for a new 50 million education programme - "English in Action" - with the government of Bangladesh.

It would contribute to economic growth by improving the English language skills of 25 million Bangladeshis, helping them participate more effectively in business and international trade.

The two heads of government expressed satisfaction at the level of bilateral trade and investment between two countries.

Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed expressed the hope that British investment would continue to grow in Bangladesh and Britain would play a leading role in the G8 and in multilateral trade negotiations to secure duty free market access for LDCs such as Bangladesh.

Both sides agreed to work closely together to combat terrorism and enhance Bangladesh's institutional capacity to that effect. They agreed that education, women's empowerment, opportunity and prosperity in mainstream society offered the most effective defence against extremism.

Foreign Adviser Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, Bangladesh Ambassador to UK Shafi U Ahmed and Press Secretary to the Chief Adviser Syed Fahim Munaim were present during the meeting.

Meanwhile, Douglas Alexander, British Secretary of State for DFID, called on the Chief Adviser at his hotel suite here yesterday. The Chief Adviser was also interviewed by the BBC World Service. He launched an updated website at Bangladesh Embassy here.

New discoveries will take 8 years to yield gas: 50 IOCs keen to participate in latest bidding

Major (Retd) Muktadir Ali

Staff Reporter

Gas from the new discoveries under ongoing 3rd round international block biding would take at least eight years, said Petrobangla officials at a press briefing yesterday in the capital.

"We have set eight years to complete seismic survey, exploration and development of shallow gas fields and nine years for deepwater gas fields," Petrobangla Director (PSC) Major (Retd) Muktadir Ali told reporters at the Petrobangla office.

It had seen good initial interest from international oil groups for its planned auction of offshore gas blocks, he said.

The government body to deal with national petroleum sector issued tenders for international oil companies (IOCs) last month to explore 28 offshore gas blocks in the Bay of Bengal.

"The response from the IOCs is more than our expectations. So far 15 firms have bought documents at a cost of $7,500 each," Chairman Petrobangla Jalal Ahmed told reporters.

Officials said the firms included Thai PTT Exploration and production PTTE.BK, Australia's Santos International (STO.AX: Quote, Profile, Research), Singapore-based Pearl Energy, ConocoPhilips, China's CNPC International, Japan's Nippon Oil Exploration, India's ONGC Videsh and Canada's Talisman Energy.

"Demand for gas is increasing at a rate of 10 per cent every year and is expected to reach at 5,700 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) in the year of 2025," Jalal said.

Bangladesh now supplies up to 1,738mmcf of gas daily against a daily demand of 1,833mmcf, officials said.

He also said Bangladesh would expedite the tender process as existing gas reserves were depleting fast and would sign production sharing contracts in October so that exploration could begin by next winter.

"We will require about 24 trillion cubic feet of gas over the next 17 years to achieve the economic growth at the rate of 7 per cent," he added.

Ruling out the allegations made by some quarters that the government is not maintaining transparency and fairness in the bidding process; the Petrobangla chairman said there is nothing to hide here as all the documents were posted on the websites and anybody could have access to go through the documents.

Replying to a question on legality of the bidding and any possible litigation, he said the Petrobangla obtained all the requisite approval from the government, including vetting by the law ministry.

Muktadir Ali said that the present model production-sharing contract (PSC) prepared for the 3rd-round bidding has got some differences in terms of arbitration procedures. "We had to keep the arbitration provision in compliance with the Bangladesh Arbitration Act 2001 under which arbitration venue will be in Dhaka," he said.

7,500 tons rice from India on way to Ctg

Women and children waiting in long queue to buy rice
at fair price at an OMS Centre at Companiganj, Noakhali on
Wednesday. FocusBangla

UNB, Dhaka

As part of the Indian government's announcement of supplying 15,000 metric tonnes of rice to Bangladesh during March-April 2008, a commercial vessel carrying 7,500 mt rice is presently bound for Chittagong Port.

Earlier, some 5,000 mt rice was delivered to the government and the supplies were effected through eight shipments by Indian Naval vessels between December 2007 and January 2008, said an Indian High Commission release.

India announced an assistance of 40,000 mts of rice, 10,000 mts of wheat and 1,000 mts of skimmed milk powder in 2007 for relief and rehabilitation of people of Bangladesh affected by floods and other natural disasters.

As part of the commitment, the Indian Government supplied 1,000 mts of skimmed milk powder during February and March 2008 to the Bangladesh Government.

The aforesaid quantity of skimmed milk powder is being distributed by the Relief and Rehabilitation Department of Food and Disaster Management Ministry of Bangladesh Government through their network to cyclone-affected areas in southern Bangladesh.

Taslima Nasrin leaves India

Taslima Nasrin

Agencies, New Delhi

The exiled Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin left India for sweden claiming the conditions she has been living under in Delhi amount to "virtual house arrest" and that she has been denied urgent medical attention.

Nasrin fled Bangladesh in 1994 when a court ruled she had "deliberately and maliciously" hurt the feelings of religious Muslims. Her books remain banned in the country.

After a decade in Europe, she moved to Kolkata in 2004, where she planned to settle, but came under increasing pressure from Muslim groups' protests at her "anti-Islamic" novels and memoirs. These culminated last November in violent protests which saw her taken under government protection to a safe house in the Delhi area.

According to Nasrin, her health has deteriorated dangerously under the stress of her situation, and she has been refused proper access to doctors for a serious heart condition, as well as visits from friends. In a distraught email to journalists, Nasrin said last night that a government keen to see her leave has kept her away from doctors for what it claims are "security reasons".

Nasrin, who holds a Swedish passport, said that she now has no option but to leave India.

Cathy McCann, Asia researcher at the writers' association International PEN, said the organisation was unaware of Nasrin's health problems. "Our focus is on the impunity with which the Indian government is treating the attacks against her." She added that Nasrin's situation could be resolved if the Indian government were to issue a full condemnation of the protests.

Vicious circle of cell phone theft, selling in city

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

The shady trading of cellular phones is on the rise at various markets in Dhaka city as incidents of muggings and thefts have increased considerably.

The muggers and thieves are turning greedier and more ruthless as they are able to make a quick cash without even risking too much when they sell or trade in their loot of choice, cell phones, in these markets.

With the growing popularity of cell phones, the criminals find it easier and more lucrative to target their victims for cellular phones.

Most of these cell phones usually end up at mobile phone markets at Islampur, Gulistan, Bangabandhu National Stadium and Baitul Mukarram National Mosque or on the pavements of Gabtoli inter-district bus terminal. The thriving business of this type of cell phones is controlled by an organised interest groups and one such cell phone usually changes hands multiple times, said sources.

With the 'right connections,' a stolen or snatched cell phone can even be retrieved from these places, added the sources.

Tahmid Mostafa, a graduate student of a private university, tracked down his Nokia N92 cellular phone, an expensive model that had been snatched from him by muggers, at one of these markets. He ended up buying back his phone.

He then went to a local cell phone shop in Banani the next morning and told the shop attendant about the mugging incident. He was quite startled as the shop attendant was unusually curious about specific details of the incident. He asked me a lot of questions about the incident - especially about the exact time and location where the mugging took place, he said.

After hearing me through, the attendant told me that there might just be enough time left for me to get my phone back, said Tahmid said and adding that he was asked to come back after lunch with a few of his friends.

With a glimmer of hope in the horizon, Tahmid, along with his friends, met the attendant at the specified time. The attendant took them to Islampur Market in Sadarghat.

According to sources, most stolen or snatched cellular phones are collected and stored at different slums in the city by organised crime rings.

A businessman at Bangabandhu stadium market, said, "Muggers usually keep in touch with local contacts who trade second-hand sets. These people collect and keep the cellular phones in local slums."

The slums usually also have a small mobile phone repair shop with a group of technicians, spare parts and accessories. The phones are cleaned up and their covers are replaced so that they look almost new. Later, most sets are packed into suitcases and usually sent to the different selling points, he added.

The buying process of these phones is also just as tricky. The traders usually sit with their suitcases closed and consider a number of things before displaying their stock to anyone.

According to an owner of a cell phone shop at Uttara, the underground cell phone market has become a huge business in the city where traders are swindling people out of money by selling bootlegged and refurbished cell phones that are in fact malfunctioning.

"Stolen and malfunctioning cell phones are being sold there after being tampered with by technicians. These phones hardly last for more than six months," he pointed out.

Varieties of brands and models of these kinds of cell phones are being sold at the underground markets at bargain prices - usually at prices much lower than that of the genuine and brand new ones. As a result, various types of mobile sets are available in this connection.

"The phone sets that we sell in here usually do not cost more than Tk 2,000 because they are mostly second hand sets. We, basically, offer people the opportunity to buy cell phones at really cheap prices. This is what drives hundreds of bargain hunters flocking to these markets," said a trader at Baitul Mukarram market.

Hasina's ears treatment begins at Square Hospital

UNB, Dhaka

Treatment of ears of detained Awami League president Sheikh Hasina is progressing well in Square Hospital, DIG (prison) Major Shamsul Haider Siddiqui informed newsmen yesterday.

Hasina was admitted to the hospital on March 11.

Talking to newsmen after visiting Hasina in the hospital Major Haider said the doctors conducted some tests including 'Eco Test' and ultrasonogram of her ears. Reports of those tests will be available tomorrow.

Dr Shah Alam, Dr Ziaul Haque and Dr Salma examined physical condition Hasina yesterday afternoon.

Mufti Shahidul gets 10-yr jail

Mufti Shahidul

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

A Dhaka court yesterday sentenced Islami Oikyo Jote leader Mufti Shahidul Islam to 10 years rigorous imprisonment on charges of amassing illegal wealth.

Judge Md Sirajul Islam, of Special Judge's Court -7 on the Sangsad Bhaban premises, also fined Shahidul Tk 10 lakh or another year in prison on failure to pay the fine.

As Shahidul is presently behind bars, the sentence is effective from the day he was detained.n The Anticorruption Commission filed the case with Mohammadpur Police Station against the former lawmaker from Narail, and his wife Nadira Begum, on August 5, last year.

The ACC after investigation pressed charges against Shahidul for obtaining illegal wealth amounting to Tk 29 lakh beyond his known sources of income.

His wife's name was dropped from the charge sheet.

Charges were framed on Jan 31 this year, and witness depositions began on Feb 3. Some 25 witnesses testified on behalf of the state.

On Feb 18 last year, the ACC made a list of 50 corruption suspects that included politicians and government officials.

They were asked to submit accounts of their moveable and immoveable assets within 72 hours. Shahidul was on the list.

The judge set the verdict date after hearing from closing arguments in the case on March 16.

2nd ODI against Ireland today

Sports Reporter

Spirited Bangladesh led by Mohammad Ashraful will take on Ireland today in the second ODI of the three-match ODI series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur.

Earlier, Bangladesh vanquished Ireland by eight wickets in the first ODI at the same venue on March 18.

It may be mentioned that Bangladesh tasted a 74-run defeat by Ireland in their first encounter in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2007 in the West Indies.

After registering the comprehensive eight-wicket victory, Mohammad Ashraful, the skipper of Bangladesh team, said that he was happy as it was the first win after the victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007. Ashraful added that he believed that the team could win if they could stay at the wicket.

Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, the vice-captain of the team, who was adjudged the man of the match in the previous match said, "Victory is more joyous rather than becoming the man of the match."

On the other hand, Trent Johnson, the skipper of Ireland, said that the weather of the city was their problem to show their actual performance. Johnson added that if they could adopt to the weather, they could come back in the series.

Tk 263.49 crore fund to develop DU facilities

Jamal Uddin Jami

Government, non-government and corporate bodies have decided to donate some Tk 263.49 crore to the Dhaka University fund to solve the students and teachers` accommodation problem, increase research and other facilities of the university.

The Government will allocate directly Tk 188.59 crore and Tk 45 crore through University Grants Commission (UGC). Besides, Japanese government and Dutch Bangla Bank will donate Tk 30 crore.

Sources said the government is approving the projects of the university on a priority basis as Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin will visit Dhaka University (DU) to inaugurate the Senate Building on April 10.

Of the amount, Tk 40.39 crore will be spent on construction of a 10-storyed new residential hall for 1,000 male students, Tk 29.24 crore for female students, Tk 28.62 crore for a 12-storeyed tower building for the teachers, Tk 11.81 crore for F Rahman Hall extension building and Tk 11.88 crore for TSC complex, sources confirmed.

However, Tk 6.75 crore was recently approved to increase food subsidy, sports and vehicle facilities. Of them, Tk 2.50 crore will be spent on food subsidy to the students, Tk 3 crore for sports and cultural facilities and Tk 1.25 crore for buying three new vehicles and repair. Besides, the university authority decided to build a tower of 66 flats for the young teachers at Babupura with their own fund.

The government will also allocate Tk 27 crore for scholarships of the DU teachers while Dutch Bangla Bank is donating Tk 1 crore for constructing research building and Japan is donating Tk 20 crore for making a Centre of Excellence.

The new dormitories in the name of Moulana Bhasani will be made at the location situated between Surja Sen and Muktijoddha Ziaur Rahman Hall and female hall for 500 students will be constructed in front of the Fazlul Haque Muslim Hall.

It is learnt that the university authority will get possession of the Atomic Energy Commission compound situated adjacent to TSC by April as per the deed of the commission with the government.

Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz urged the rich people and corporate bodies of the country to extend their hand side-by-side with the Government to develop the education of the university.

He told journalists that the Government took some significant decisions to meet the demand of the university despite its financials limitations.

He hoped that the government would approve the projects of the university before the arrival of the Chief Advisert on the campus.

Local body polls may be delayed

Staff Reporter

The planned elections in four city corporations and seven pourashavas scheduled to be held in April may be delayed since the Election Commission (EC) was yet to receive the amended local government election regulations.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) ATM Shamsul Huda made the hint while talking to journalists at his office yesterday.

He, however, said that the election roadmap would not be hampered even if the local-government elections were delayed by one or two months.

Terming the national elections as the main target of the Commission the CEC said they did not mention any specific date or month in the roadmap for holding the local body elections as it was taken as an additional task.

"It does not matter if the local level elections are shifted to a later date as the main target of Election Commission is to hold the national elections," he said.

Shamsul Huda said the announcement of election schedule for the four city corporations and seven municipalities would be possible only after the EC receives the legal guidelines for holding the polls.

"I cannot announce the election schedule until I get the laws in hand. When the gazette notification of the laws will come in my hand, then I would think of announcing the schedule," he said.

The CEC said the ministry concerned wants to conduct the local elections under the new law and lots of changes are to come in the new law.

Asked whether the Dhaka City Corporation election would be held simultaneously with three other city corporations-Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna-he replied in the negative saying that the election of Dhaka City Corporation will be held separately as it is a big matter.

The CEC said the voter registration project cell had informed him that the programme is going on smoothly and about five crore (50 million) voters would have been registered countrywide by March 26.

The EC was preparing to hold polls in the four city corporations of Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Khulna, and the seven municipalities of Shariatpur, Shitakunda, Cox's Bazaar, Gopalganj, Sreepur, Fulbaria and Manikganj.

CA tells BBC: Emergency to be lifted at an appropriate time

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed said that the state of emergency would be lifted at an appropriate time in the transitional process.

The Chief Adviser made the remark in an interview with the BBC in London Tuesday,

facing a host of question over the country's prevailing situation.

BBC special correspondent Nik Gowing also asked Dr Fakhruddin when the army will return to barracks.

In reply, the head of caretaker government said the army is assisting the caretaker government in improving law and order, doing post-Sidr relief and rehabilitation works and preparing voters' list to hold a free and fair election.

Dr Fakhruddin said the army is working as a helping hand of the government in the fight against corruption and crimes, and particularly the army is playing an outstanding role in formulating a flawless voter list.

BBC also asked the Chief Advisor about the reported deterioration of human rights situation in Bangladesh.

The Chief Advisor said the human-right situation is much better than any other times of Bangladesh.

"The number of individual incidents of human rights violation has gone down. An independent Human Rights Commission is being set up," he said.

The Chief Advisor also refuted an allegation that the press in Bangladesh is being controlled under the emergency. He said newspapers and electronic media are enjoying freedom and they were allowed to criticize the government.

Dr Fakhruddin also attended a press conference at Bangladesh High Commission, attended by Bangladeshi-British journalists, on Wednesday.

The Chief Advisor narrated the outcome of his talks with British Prime Minister Gordown Brown and other British Ministers.

He said he raised the concern with the British Prime Minister over the shortage of staff at the Bangladeshi-run curry restaurants in the UK. He requested Prime Minister Brown to allow semi-skilled people from Bangladesh to work as chefs in the restaurants.

In reply to a question, the Chief Advisor said there is no food

crisis in Bangladesh, as he observed there is enough food in stock.

However, he agreed that prices of rice and other commodities have gone up due to price hike on the international market.

Asked about the 'minus-two' formula to exclude Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina from active politics, Dr Fakhruddin said he is not aware of it but added the reform in political party is the demand of the people.

He hoped that the reforms undertaken by the Election Commission would bring about a lot of changes in political parties.

Asked about controversy over the holding of the local-body elections prior to general election, Dr Fakhruddin said elections would be held based on new voters list for those local bodies whose terms have expired. He observed that national elections would not be hampered by the local elections.

About holding trial of the war criminals, he said the incumbent government has time constraint to do it.

BCL rival groups clash at DU

DU Correspondent

A powerful cocktail explosion, clash, chase and counter chase between two rival groups of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), students wing of the Awami League, occurred on the Dhaka University campus yesterday leaving three leaders including the president of the organisation injured.

The situation was created following an internal feud between current leaders and those who did not get post in the committee despite having more contribution to the organisation, sources said.

The injured were identified as Central President of BCL Mahmudul Hasan Ripon, Vice President Lablu Molla Shishir, and Joint Secretary Mizanur Rahman.

A section of BCL activists declared their president Mahmud Hasan Ripon persona-non-grata on the campus saying he is not qualified enough to lead the 'glorious' organisation.

BCL leaders and activists gathered on the campus at the noon and took part in a silent procession. Later, a rally was held at the Battala of the university.

During the rally, an altercation occurred between Shishir and Mizan over their presence in front of the rally, which spread the tension among the BCL activists and later, they marched on the campus divided into two groups.

A section of BCL activists chased another group that turned into a clash while BCL president was harassed and assaulted by their followers. Later he fled from the campus on a motorcycle.

BCL President told The New Nation that the some conspirators was hatching conspiracy to divert Sheikh Hasina`s release movement but the BCL will still stand on its position to carry the on going movement.

He said there is no rival group in the BCL and they would face all kind of plots created by some troublemakers.

Sources said a tension was brewing among the BCl activists for some times over leadership.

Earlier, BCL staged a demonstration on the campus demanding to ensure proper treatment of Sheikh Hasina, Awami League chief, where only a portion of BCL activists participated.

No leader of the organisation who are possessing key posts took part in the demonstration calling it not mainstream Chhatra League programme, sources added.

Rice supply, widening trade gap: World Bank to take up case with India

Staff Reporter

Managing Director of the World Bank Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala yesterday announced in Dhaka that the Bank would take up the case of Bangladesh with Indian authorities to ensure the supply of five lakh metric tonnes of rice committed and improvement of bilateral trade through reduction of trade imbalance between the two next-door neighbours.

"As World Bank we will explain the situation in this country to the Indian authorities so that trade situation as well as the rice supply will be eased," she told a pre-departure press conference at Westin hotel in the city, concluding a four-day official visit to Bnagladesh.

Appreciating the programme under taken by the Caretaker Government positively she noted that strong development progresses, including advancement on girls education, the responsible roles of the civil society and significant reform are going.

"Growth at 6.5 per cent of GDP in 2007 was respectable but Bangladesh can and must do better to reduce poverty at a faster rate," she observed.

Iweala, who, along with Bank's vice-president (South Asia) Praful C

Patel, is going to new Delhi tomorrow (Thursday), would not however detail her plan of action as the go-between to thrash out the problems.

Asked if she would ask the Indian authorities to bring down the export price of Indian rice, she said, "I am not going into details. It is not going to be government-to-government-type negotiation. We

will try to take up the case of Bangladesh."

Iweala said India has agreed to export 500,000 tons of rice to Bangladesh and some of the quantum is on the way to this country. She understood that there are some disputes over the prices of the rest quantum of rice.

"I am not sure whether I will be successful or not, but I hope that we can get our voice heard."

Earlier, during her visit to the Bank-aided projects in Jamalpur, she assured that the World Bank would help Bangladesh cope with the current price hike that hit hard the poor and vulnerable sections of society.

In reply to a question, Iweala said the price hike of commodities is not a unique phenomenon to Bangladesh. It is happening in every country of the world.

She observed that this phenomenon could be faced off in short and long-term policies.

In the long term, the WB official said, Bangladesh can provide support to the agriculture sector so farmer could produce enough to meet the requirement and adequate protection against frequent floods, cyclones and other natural disasters under the impact of climate change.

And under the short-term measure, she said, the Bank would look at ways of how it can help Bangladesh. One is her plan to raise Bangladesh's case to New Delhi for easing supply of rice and bilateral trade.

Despite repeated queries, Iweala would not agree with the notion that being an un-elected government it has become hard to tackle the price-hike situation.

"Whatever the form of government in place, every government, elected or unelected, tries to alleviate the suffering of the poor by making food available to them," she said.

The MD of the multilateral donor agency said this could be done through import of more food, releasing grains from storage and getting food from a country under a bilateral agreement.

Iweala said the Bank would try to make sure that a country of food surplus cannot put artificial restriction in the way of exporting its grain to another country or push the price high on international market.

About the adverse impact of climate change on Bangladesh, she said

Bangladesh has now a unique opportunity to seize the goodwill of the world and make its case strong.

Iweala said a global conference on the climate change would be held in London next May where Bangladesh can seek assistance from different funds of climate change for building its infrastructure to adapt to and mitigate the impact of the change in climate.

In reply to a question, she said Bangladesh and India can sit together to resolve the problem of excess water coming from melting glacier. She said the World Bank could help this dialogue.

About the Bank's effort to recover Bangladesh's stolen money from abroad, she said the Bank has launched the project for several months. Under the project, she said, the Bank will help recover the stolen money if Bangladesh can identify the country where the money has been kept.

About slowed-down GDP growth in Bangladesh, Iweala said the country suffered several shocks from floods, cyclone and increase in fuel price, resulting in loss of some points.

She appeared optimistic as she said Bangladesh has capacity to regain the lost points and attain growth rate of 7-8 percent to become a middle-income country in next 10 to 15 years.

Iweala said she was impressed to see the resilience of the Bangladeshi people to overcome the impact of the Sidr and return to work with the support of the government and donor agencies.

She appreciated institutional reforms of the caretaker government and hoped this would be pursued by next elected government to have sustainable democracy and development.

World Bank vice-president Praful C Patel and Bangladesh Country Director Xian Zhu were present.