The New Nation - Internet Edition

Survival of the Sunderbans

Sunderbans located in the south-west of the country is the pride of Bangladesh. The forest is also a money-spinner. Every year, thousands of tourists-both local and foreign-come to this region to enjoy the beauty of nature. Large quantities of fishes are caught from the water bodies in the Sunderbans. Some 15 to 16 thousand tonnes of honey is harvested annually along with other forest products. There are some 3,500 species of trees and 4,500 species of wildlife and for this unique bio-diversity alone it was identified by UNESCO as worth protecting.

But the Sunderbans is facing threats from many sources. Due to the absence of lean flows of rivers fresh water cannot push the saline water back. Sundari trees cover a large part of this forest land but this species has been dying with rot taking hold at the top. This phenomenon is called 'top-dying’ and linked to excess saline waters. Apart from the salinity, human greed and plunder plays no small a part in the destruction of the forest. The Sunderbans now covers only 6,017 sq km. which is far smaller compared to its previous size. The forest in recent years have also been facing threats of fires. Cyclone Sidr last year caused widespread damages in the Sunderbans.

Clearly, urgent steps are required to save Bangladesh’s biggest forest when forests have largely disappeared in other parts of the country. The first task should be ensuring that forest department employees do their job sincerely. They will have to be made truly accountable for what they do or do not do that lead to destruction of the forest in any form. The government should engage in talks with the neigbouring country so that dry season flows of the rivers are ensured to help reduce salinity intrusion.

Release plastic raw materials

Since April 1 the Chittagong Customs House has stopped release of imported plastic raw materials used by the plastic manufacturing industries. These industries manufacture packing carton, hanger and slip polybag which are used by export-oriented garment factories.

Four days' stoppage of supply of raw materials has led to a chain effect in the industry and the relevant sector is apprehending non-availability of packaging materials. The Bangladesh corrugated carton and accessories manufacturers and exporters association (BCCAMEA) has informed the garment manufacturing sector of their inability to supply garment packaging materials because of interruptions in the supply of raw materials. The Cause of stoppage of supply of plastic raw materials by the Chittagong customs House is not all that clear Apparently, this is due to absence of inscription on the materials the mandatory declaration that Import Under Bond, Not for sale."

Importers have informed that the exporting countries have declined to inscribe the above seal on the goods which according to the BCCAMEA is possible to do at the Chittagong port by spending only Tk 2,000/- per container. If the exporting countries are to do the job the expense for each container of goods would be Tk.56,000/-. If this calculation is correct then the matter needs utmost consideration of the authority. The BCCAMEA has informed at a press conference that it had talks with the customs authority. They claimed that without any declaration from the NBR the customs house has stopped clearing the plastic raw materials.

If plastic raw materials are not released immediately many other garment accessories manufacturing mills will be closed down rendering about one lakh workers jobless. The garment manufacturing units due to non-availability of packing materials, again, may fail to meet their export demands.

Consumer’s rights: Points to ponder

Dr. Md. Shairul Mashreque

A strong institutional base for ensuring consumer's rights is quintessence of consumer's participation. It shapes feedback mechanism to accommodate a large variety of consumer's preferences. Consumer's associations as organized citizen bodies - civil societies in other words - are doing their utmost as watchdog to prevent any obnoxious process that impairs normal functioning of market. The concerns for protection of consumer's right against such processes remain the concerns of the consumer's association.

A vibrant civil society with consumer's activism as citizens can redynamize governance in information age articulating the interests of the consumers of goods and services. Participatory components of consumer's sovereignty in western democracy provide institutions for communication between the policy community and consumers. The members of the policy communities being the members of the civil societies reinforce such communication. This is clearly manifest in the advocacy for normal market operation enabling the consumers to have access to goods and services.

Growing partnership between the business communities and consumers/ customers is a sign of participation. Consumer's sovereignty as anchored in such participation may go to the extent of forming consumer's society for awareness building, market information, consumer's preferences for goods and quality services in competitive market, and protection against the evils of syndication. In Bangladesh, for example, there are associations of stakeholders to speak for the consumers in conference rooms and meetings. This is, of course, a clear indication of participation. Yet, anti-adulteration drives taking place now and then makes it clear that the vulnerability of the consumers to the whims of unscrupulous traders has reduced such participation to nullity.

Public choice theory is a convenient analytical tool conceptually understanding policy consumers. It stretches over a wide array of choice-centered activities fitting well into democratic structure and economic liberalism. Such theory, as such, provides knowledge about the underlying dynamics of consumerism as an essential ingredient of consumer's sovereignty. Input-function of public policy seeks adjustment with economic environment taking stock of public demand for consumer durables and competitive price in the market. Any policy change is tampered with changes in economic world like market that tends to influence public choice. The cardinal point in public choice is methodological individualism in the application of rationality in democratic theory and economic liberalism. It proclaims free flow of market transaction without interruption and distortion. Market is supposed to operate in normal conditions to maximize social welfare.

Predicaments of the consumers are associated with distortion and malfunctioning of the market. In Bangladesh such predicaments have become a way of life. A marked deterioration in the material conditions in the stressful economic life has seriously affected consumers leaving them into a cauldron of crises. On the contrary, the upstart traders in collaboration with criminal syndicates have been stumbling onto overnight riches. The concerned authorities have a tendency to blissfully overlook such crises. And, the ordinary consumers happen to be 'a threatened species'. The upstart traders amidst criminalization of business are consistently swindling them. The proceeds of business -- not according to rules -- have shattering impact on policy consumers. Inordinate profiteering, hoarding, black marketing, and adulteration matter a lot in afflicting the consumers.

In Bangladesh, the urbanities now live in the state of insecurity as well as uncertainty. Two-fold dangers confronting the urban consumers are under consumption and health hazards arising out of price spiral and massive adulteration. The onslaught of criminilization in commercial operations continued to jeopardize the rights of the consumers in the recent past. Added to it many a fraud practice unnoticed by the authorities went against public safety and security. Even now, the ordinary consumers have mush less access to the concerned authorities and the latter have been found to be inefficient - not equal to the task in the face of manipulation of the market by the criminal syndicates.

However, social movement in consumer's regime puts consumerism first. 'Consumer's Voice' is at the heart of such movement. Of course, belatedly, the Consumer Association of Bangladesh organized such movement through awareness building campaigns, conferences, rallies and publications. This is in response to the development of consumerism at the global level. Initially, there were four globally recognized rights of the consumers: 1 the right to safety, 2. the right to be informed, 3. the right to choose and 4. the right to be heard.

Later on, four more rights were incorporated in the UN guidelines for consumer protection. They were: 1. the right to protection against exploitation by unfair trade practices, 2. the right to protection of health and safety from the goods and services the consumers buy or are offered free, 3. the right to get the grievances redressed and 4. the right to physical environment that will protect and enhance the duality of life (Khan Ferdousour Rahman, 2007). Of course constitutional provision of basic necessities recognizes protection of life through 'safe and clean food,' 'safe drinking water, public health hygiene, sanitation and safety.

Consumer Association of Bangladesh (CAB) is the first non-governmental voluntary association that works towards shaping the themes of the development of consumer's rights. The major areas of its concerns include, thus, education for the consumer, investigation of the consumer complaints, advocacy for consumer right, research, information and documentation, campaign against health hazards, etc.

CAB speakers at 'a daylong orientation of media personnel's in Rajshahi 'underscored the need for enacting a law for protecting consumers' right' focusing on the 'right to information, choice, redress and representation'.

The consumers are always deprived of the quality of services of gas, water, electricity, education and health'. The CTG has already approved in principle the consumer Rights Protection Ordinance 2007 to provide "full-fledged legal cover for consumer's interests. The proposed new ordinance provides for the formation of a 21-member council with Commerce Minister as its Chairman including Presidents of FBCCI, Jatiya Press Club, CAB and a representative from civil society as other members. The committee will enjoy the functions like preparing policy guidelines, holding periodic meetings, conducting research and formatting committees at the district and sub-district levels.

It indicates that something positive is going to happen to promote development of consumer right as a social movement. We cannot but appreciate the role of CTG in shaping legal dimension of consumers' rights against the contextualism of inflationary stress, abnormal price-spiral, adulteration, rigging in weights, etc. The process of legislation started since 2001, but it was held up for a long time.

Actions Suggested:

Actions suggested for the kind attention of the policy makers may be mentioned below:

* Business malpractices in existence in the country have damaging impacts on the consumers. Adequate institutional control may well be exercised to minimize such practices that are responsible for extremely high prices, adulteration, shoddy commodities and environmental degradation. It is advisable to rid market of all kinds of distortions enabling it to operate transparently to maximize social welfare.

* In a recent conference on 'Business and Society' held -on 19th July 2007 at Hotel Agrabad, Chittagong, there was a thematic paper focusing on the need for a comprehensive competition law in Bangladesh. This is, of course, thought provoking. We know anticompetitive business practices are characterized by hoarding, 'restrictive supply of essential commodities, 'collusive price- fixing' and 'abusive monopoly'. Such practice tends to hurt consumer's interests. The article highlights among others recommendations: pro-competition economic policies coupled with a competition law to ensure a competitive market economy. Competition legislation can prevent 'collusive cartels, 'unscrupulous market dominance, 'unfair mergers and acquisitions' and other anti-competitive business practices.

* Consumptive value added tax (VAT) is certain to come under review. This sort of indirect tax makes consumers bear the burden of tax imposed on each transition. Such tax is added to the value of the sale of goods and services in retail price shops. But the burden is shifted to the consumers leading to price hike all to their dissatisfaction. And, the extreme use of VAT system touching even the trivial matters, as was the case with economic management style of the Ex-finance Minister, might vex the consumers inviting vehement public criticism.

* Governance has now become a much talked about issue featuring prominently in development dialogue. What is considered of importance is development of social capital as reflected in past business tradition in the Eastern Countries molded by the moral values of socialisation. We should consider ethical social fabric, religious spiritual moorings, positive mindset and corporate governance.

* E-governance for commercial operation and customer service is a good idea. But, we are lagging behind in the field of service marketing or customer service. It requires efficient management of service organization to focus sharply on the needs of the customer. Banks rendering credit and ATM facilities may be advised to remove unnecessary charges.

* Now services in the age of information offer much promise to consumers. Even then the consumers are threatened to be deprived with lingering with bureaucratic constraints. We should take lessons from the new paradigm like new public management (NPM) that proclaims flexible bureaucratic operation in favor of the consumers. The CTG seeks to involve public sectors in the distribution channel of business to counter- balance business malpractice in the private sector. This is a good idea calling for wide networking.

* BSTI ought to be revamped with enhanced manpower to promote adequate capacity disposition. Its operational coverage needs to be extended both horizontally and vertically. Here, attention may be called to strict monitoring of the quality and size of the food products in bakeries, food industries and restaurants. What really matters much is the practice of reducing the size of the food product on the plea of price hike of the ingredients like wheat, edible oil etc. Such practice should not go unpunished. Authorities should take a serious view of the profiteering tendencies of the sweet traders. When the price of sugar increases, they turn to increase the rate of sweets per K.G, when if falls (the rate of sugar) they do not go back the previous rate.

* Establishment of Consumer Development Council.

* Advocacy for Public Policies to protect the rights of the consumers.

* Empowerment of CAB with infrastructural facilities to strengthen consumer's movement. There needs to be a functional collaboration between CAB and BSTI.

* Formation of consumer's co-operatives in each housing society to facilitate participatory marketing.

* Improved action of public utilities like WASA, WAPDA, PDB, DESA, TNT, TITAS, enabling them to meet the rising expectation of the consumers in modern time using New Public Management (NPM) as an acceptable doctrine.

(Professor of Public Administration, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh)

Romanticism may be counterproductive

M.T.Hussain

One woman activist had an interview with the BBC Bengali Radio service on the 28 March morning wherein she has seriously objected to the formation of an Ulema committee for scrutiny of the inconsistencies of the recent recommendations of what is known as formulated by women's rights group for bringing complete 'equality' of women and men. Her objection blasted out any legality whatsoever of the Ulema Committee having had been initiated by and in presence and persuasion of 4 members of the ten Advisors including the one for looking after law and legal matters, an eminent Barrister himself in his own right of high level expertise and standing. She appeared in her interview using words in Bengali that sounded very much arrogant so much so that she asserted that the matter had been 'settled' one as the Chief Advisor had given his nod in their conference sometime ago on the 'equality' issue.

Apart from her abusing all Ulemas summarily in a blanket for all wrongs against women in Bangladesh and for the women's group claiming rightly formulating the 'equality' policy papers that need only to be implemented by the government of Bangladesh and nothing more of any further interference, much less for any reconsideration, particularly by the Ulemas, howsoever qualified they could be in Islamic jurisprudence and learning.

It is claimed further by the quarter that the policy drawn is consistent with UN declaration of human rights and the recent Bejing declaration for women's 'development'. It is, in addition, complained by the group that the present Caretaker Government (CG) of late has yielded to pressures by 'Fundamentalist' in their forming the Ulema Committee.

There is possibly nothing to deny that soon after the issue started to be celebrated in jubilation by the particular group, not necessarily by some groups of women alone but by the ultra left atheist group, some Islamic groups rose to react and oppose the matter as it appeared to them to run in conflict with the Quranic provisions for women's right of inheritance of paternal properties.

It is true that the government yielded to the Islamic groups is proved by the formation to the Ulema Committee. The issue would not at all come into head on as it has surfaced provided the Chief Advisor (CA) avoided attending the women's conference or else could use diplomatic niceties on the main issue. He could have well done so giving them a simple plea that the issue could not be any matter to be decided by the CG but by the elected representatives of the people in the national parliament. Such assertion by the CA would have been nothing misfit, because, the matter can in no way be any job of the non-political CG led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad but by the national parliament alone.

Now that the Ulema committee is formed and the report is due in less than three weeks time, there is nothing to murmur by the women's group at this stage. Let the report come in; let all see what they recommend. There will be time then for the ultras to bring their grievances. And if in the meantime the matter is not settled up to their satisfaction they would be free to lobby with the 9th parliament members to be soon elected. In all legal yardstick and good reason the matter is to be decided in the parliament and not in any way by the CG. Whoever had brought the matter for the CG to make final decision and implementation of the socially sensitive issue hardly been sincere enough but only to create some untoward condition to delay the election to the parliament, if not to make it difficult to follow the road map already announced by the Election Commission.

Possibly in the same token way and for the hidden agenda to foil the road map of next parliament election, the 37 year old issue of 'war criminal' has been brought forward by another group but having known close link between the groups that the CG can do nothing except, if would try to do anything that would only waste their energy for no fruitful outcome just as the most charismatic leader Sheikh Mujib could do little except making some humbug rhetoric of and on for about two years in 1972 and 1973. Soon after he let the listed 195 war criminals safely and honorably to go to their own country Pakistan, he had to make the last rhetoric of humbug in the matter, 'we know how to forgive'! It is interesting and very painful to note that these issues are given high weightage in a section of the lobby here and outside when at the same time, people have been witnessing lot of foul games in regard to rice import from India, pressure for inland transit including giving India alone the unhindered use of Chittagong seaport, and the renewed pressure for yielding to the so-called Bangbhumi/Notun Bangla movement now known to have been led by Subash Chakravarty based in India coincidentally at the same time when the renowned Indian Jewish General Jacob with his team making a 'courtesy' visit to Bangladesh. One must wonder if these groups having unity in thinking with the long dreamers for the goal of realization of the Akhanda Bharat or reunited India have not made the national independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh a hostage. The political vacuum now running in the country in the clear absence of politically elected government made a safe haven for all these groups to grind their own axes of vested interests not for real welfare of the common people, much less for the poor women that the elite women group masquerading to represent.

One may recall and think a bit deeply that Bangladesh as an independent country, no doubt, is bound by international obligations, but it is at the same time a member of the 57 member OIC or Organization of the Muslim Conference that made it imperative for her to abide by the basic norms and values of Islam.

But romantics of the ultra left atheist have some shyness in the matter that although their own right for belief is, yet overwhelmingly common people of Bangladesh having a different belief and faith are in all likely tend to distance away from the ideological persuasion of the ultra left that had been clearly manifested in the issues including the few mentioned above that may well be termed as a sort of unrealistic romanticism on their part so far as common peoples' ethos, beliefs, practices and usages are concerned. Their approach continued to have been counter-productive as is proved by their isolation from masses, a well-established fact so far as it had been proved time and again in the past several general elections. I recall the late and great parliamentarian Dr. Alim Al Razi stating without any ambiguity that the Muslim people of this land would part away with bread but not with Islamic belief. The romantics may have a good lesson from the observation of the great man believing in Islamic equity including between men and women as they both husband and wife hold Ph.D. degrees.

There are many other serious matters of priority as containing illiteracy, reducing social ignorance, minimizing unemployment rate and thus attempt to reduce extreme poverty or destitution of millions of poor and helpless people in the latest vicious attacks by unprecedented price spiral of essential food items.

How about giving attention to these critical problems rather than engineering social commotion by unreasonably demeaning Islamic norm of inheritance that even 'secular' India failed to do as yet and also by digging up once again the issue of 'war criminal' settled finally in 1973. I am afraid, such counter-productive romanticism would only help our enemies of independence and sovereignty.

Opinion: Be kind to the poor

Sarker Nazrul Islam

Profit making should not be the sole motive behind trade and commerce. Industrialists and business entrepreneurs, as members of the community, have some social responsibilities to carry on. They must take up social welfare activities with a view to reducing the sorrows and sufferings of the poor and distressed sections in the society. Most experts feel in that way and they think that the government should take initiative to formulate a policy for industries and business enterprises in the country to carry out wide range of welfare activities under Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR). That is there should be a structured format for such CSR jobs. And the big business houses - be that national or multinational - should go by that format.

Immediately after the independence there were swift policy changes and a form of neo-socialistic economy was introduced nationalising the business infrastructure and business in the country. The economy was principally placed under sector corporations. Expansion of trades and commerce at private level began to flourish mainly from the eighties. It was natural that at the initial stages of development businesses were motivated by profit making. Lack of education and experiences also led to the dearth of social responsibility in the trade and industries sectors though some business personalities had set examples of benevolence in the past. Now time has come to work out a change in the state of affairs. Naturally the changes are to begin from the state. It should reset its policy matrix.

Almost half of the population of the country live under acute poverty line - with 25% below ultra poverty level - with less than one dollar a day income. These teeming millions are in dire necessity of help to come out of the vicious cycles. It is difficult on the part of the government alone to address to the situation. The business community should also come in a big way to render services to the distressed as part of their social responsibility. They should conduct philanthropic activities where it is felt necessary, especially at places of their operation. It cannot be an ideal social environment where business community is isolated from the majority of the population. CSR activities will not only help the needy, but also help remove alienation of the business community. This is expected to reduce social tension as well. Social commitment should therefore be incorporated into the overall strategy for business. Trade and commerce should be guided by a human relationship approach. However, CSR drive should not be a tax-evading tool in the hands of the people who value their perks and packages more than the national interest. It should be real in sprit and space of delivery. It should not be a publicity stand as well as a 'feel good' dressing-up for the poor.