The New Nation - Internet Edition

HC bail jurisdiction on EPR cases taken away: Appellate Division accepts Govt appeal: Doors of many bigwigs to politics, business and bureaucracy shut

UNB, Dhaka

The Supreme Court yesterday struck down a High Court ruling empowering itself with jurisdiction to dispose of bail petitions in criminal cases being tried under the stringent Emergency Power Rules.

A seven-member full hierarchy of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin passed the order, allowing a government appeal against the HC verdict.

"The appeal is allowed," the CJ pronounced the four-word judgment, which shut the doors on many VIPs in politics, business and bureaucracy caught under the emergency rules and are seeking bail.

Grounds for justifying government appeal were not immediately known, court sources said.

The six other judges endorsing the government appeal are M Fazlul Karim, MM Ruhul Amin, M Tafazzal Islam, M Joynul Abedin, M Hassan Ameen and MA Matin.

On April 22 last year, a High Court division bench comprising Justice Nozrul Islam Chowdhury and Justice SM Emdadul Huq in its ruling had affirmed that it has the locus standi to deal with petitions by persons seeking bail in the EPR cases.

The High Court verdict came on March 29 last year following an application by an oil trader of Khulna, Maijuddin Sikder, who sought bail in a criminal case placed for trial under the EPR for supplying adulterated oil. Delivering the verdict, the HC had also granted bail to Maijuddin.

Before giving ruling by the High Court, it had sought opinions of senior lawyers on the legal dispute, suspending its orders on bail petitions moved on behalf of bigwigs, including politicians, detained on charges of corruption and serious crimes.

On March 21 last year, the government promulgated an amendment to the rules under the Emergency Power Ordinance 2007 revoking the rights to appeal for bail and seek redress from any higher court until a case under the EPR is resolved in the trial court.

According to the amended EPR, an accused will not even be able to file a bail petition during the investigation or trial of a case under it.

Moreover, an accused cannot seek redress from any higher court against order given by any court or tribunal before or during the trial-until the delivery of the final verdict.

In the bail-related section, the amended Ordinance says, "Regardless of whatever is stated in sections 497 and 498 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) or any other law, an accused under the EPR will not be released on bail during the inquiry, investigation and trial of the case against the person."

Earlier on March 6, the Supreme Court gave a ruling stripping the High Court of jurisdiction to grant bail to any convicted appellant tried under the EPR.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's wife, Cherie Blair, a senior lawyer, was present at the court during pronouncement of the crucial judgment.

Before resumption of the court, Barrister Ajmalul Hossain, QC, on behalf of Cherie, sought permission from the bench for allowing her to witness court proceedings, and the court granted the prayer.

Reacting to the apex-court judgment, Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, the principal counsel for the two detained former Prime Ministers-Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina-termed it "last nail in human rights' coffin". He further said the Supreme Court relegated its status to the subordinate court or tribunal.

Former Law Minister Abdul Matin Khasru, also counsel for Maijuddin, likened the SC verdict to tsunami on the rule of law and the judiciary as well. "My heart bleeds, as I became deprived of fundamental rights," he said.

Former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Barrister Shafique Ahmed said, "It appears a black chapter in the judicial history in Bangladesh."

He said that right to bail is a constitutional and fundamental right, it cannot be curtailed, and if so, it will turn into a "black law". The SC has recognized it by "snatching away the inherent jurisdiction of the constitutional court".

Dr Shahdeen Malik, a human rights lawyer, said the power of the law-enforcers became "absolute" following the SC judgment, which may result in "abuse of power".

Cherie Blair witnesses Supreme Court proceedings: Application of constitutional principles on human rights stressed

Cherie Blair QC accompanied by a host of lawyers
coming out of the Supreme Court building after attending the
proceedings of the court yesterday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

Cherie Blair QC, wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair, yesterday laid emphasis on the need for applying the principles of Bangladesh Constitution to ensure the rule of law and human rights in the country.

"The Constitution of Bangladesh is full of principles totally complying with international conventions. It is important to ensure that these principles are not just on paper but those principles must be applied," she said while briefing journalists after a meeting with Adviser for Foreign Affairs Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at the state guesthouse Padma.

Earlier, at a press conference at the chamber of her fellow Barrister Ajmalul Hossain QC at the Supreme Court Bar Association, Cherie Blair said Bangladeshis would decide for themselves how to protect their human rights and come back to democracy.

Asked to comment on the political situation, Cherie parried the question saying that she cannot make any comment on domestic politics.

She said the purpose of her visit was to observe judicial proceedings and the human rights situation in Bangladesh, which were her special areas of interest as a lawyer.

Cherie Blair came to Bangladesh on a three-day visit at the invitation of her friend and colleague Ajmalul Hossain QC and Barrister Rafiqul Haque. This is her fist ever visit to Bangladesh.

She went to the Supreme Court in the morning to observe appeal proceedings involving a graft case against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Cherie stayed in the courtroom till 1:00 pm and observed the proceedings in the Government appeal against a High Court verdict that scrapped the case filed by businessman Azam J Chowdhury against Sheikh Hasina.

Asked about political parties' complaint against the legal process being followed against Sheikh Hasina, she said that is the matter of the Supreme Court to settle.

Cherie referred that the legal system in Bangladesh is based on common laws of the UK saying, "We have fair and independent judges in Britain", upholding laws and constitution.

"I am sure judges in Bangladesh will uphold their own positions and duties to rule of law," she said.

About the luncheon meeting with the Foreign Adviser, Cherie said she discussed the progress of Bangladesh election in coming December and also the role of women in Bangladesh.

Barrister Ajmalul said Cherie Blair was his colleague and she came here on a personal invitation. "Her visit does not have any relation with the political case," he said.

Row over BNP invitation: CEC’s house at Faridpur comes under attack

Shamsul Huda: Under attack

Staff Reporter

The house of Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda was attacked by a group of activists belonging to Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) in Faridpur town yesterday.

According to our Faridpur correspondent, pro-Khaleda Zia leaders and activists of Faridpur district town of BNP became angry hearing that the CEC had invited pro-reformist BNP leader Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed for electoral reforms dialogue at the Election Commission in Dhaka.

At about 12:00 noon, Faridpur district unit of JCD brought out a demonstration from Rajendra University College campus in Faridpur town. Parading different roads and streets, the agitating JCD activists carried out an attack on the CEC's house at Kamalapur area under Kotwali Police Station in the town. They hurled brick-bats at the CEC's family house "Razzaque Plaza'.

Local branch of IFIC Bank Limited, regional office of Bangladesh Krishi Bank, a printing press and several shops housed at Razzaque Plaza were partially damaged in the attack.

However, no relatives of the CEC live in this house.

Following the incident security has been tightened in Faridpur town. Additional police forces have been deployed at different strategic points in the town.

Police later arrested Faridpur district JCD vice-president Murad Hossain and Mokhlesur Rahman.

BNP’s no to polls under present EC: Govt trying to set up select parliament, says Delwar

Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal brought out a procession on
Dhaka University campus yesterday demanding resignation of
Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda and Election
Commissioners Sohul Hossain and Brig Gen (Retd) Shakhawat
Hossain for their alleg

Staff Reporter

Pro-Khaleda BNP faction led by Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday demanded resignation of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and two Election Commissioners and announced that they would not take part in the parliamentary elections under this Election Commission.

Secretary General of the faction Khondoker Delwar Hossain made demand while talking to reporters at his NAM apartment after a meeting with party's senior leaders.

He also said that BNP leaders and workers all over the country already have declared him 'persona non-grata'.

The demand was made a day after the Election Commission sent letter to his rival, reformist BNP leader Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed, for the dialogue on electoral reforms.

Meanwhile, acting chairperson M Saifur Rahman and acting secretary general Maj (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed of reformist faction of BNP yesterday submitted a petition to the jail authority for permission to meet detained BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia to seek her direction for running the party.

Begum Khaleda Zia is now in jail. We have to talk to her on important issues. We need the direction to run the organisation, that's why we seek permission from the jail authority to meet her, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told reporters at his residence yesterday.

However, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons) told reporters that the request of reformist faction of BNP to meet Begum Zia would not be accepted, as the Jail Code does not allow this. Khondoker Delwar alleged that despite request by five standing-committee members of BNP to invite him as legitimate secretary general, the CEC sent letter to the breakaway faction.

He reminded that the Commission's prime task is to hold the general election under the Constitution, but holding the constitutional post the CEC is acting beyond his constitutional jurisdiction.

Asked if BNP will announce agitation programme to realise the EC's resignation, he said people are ready to go for agitation to get rid of the prevailing unbearable situation.

The BNP secretary general alleged that the present caretaker government assumed power under a blueprint to split political parties and hold elections by banishing the two former Prime Ministers.

He said different quarters of the government are pressing BNP leaders and former MPs to work with the 'government-manufactured BNP.

Referring to the arrest of standing-committee member Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui and threatening another member Shamsul Islam over telephone he said it is unprecedented.

BNP leaders Dr RA Gani, Brig Gen (rtd) Hannan Shah, Nazrul Islam

Khan, Selima Rahman and Rizvi Ahmed were among others present.

Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that he has got the EC letter and urged their rival faction to forge unity. "Let us be united, even if it costs the posts in the organisation.

"We talked about the unity open-heartedly and Saifur Rahman contacted senior leaders, including Khandakar Delwar, but we failed to get any response from him," he added.

He claimed that more than 90 percent former parliament members lent their support to them in writing.

About his proposals to the EC at April 27 dialogue, he said that he would place the demands for a black money, musclemen and terrorism-free election.

Hillary wins key Pennsylvania votes

Hillary Clinton

Agencies, Washington

Hillary Clinton has beaten rival Barack Obama in a critical vote in the state of Pennsylvania as the two battle to be the Democrats' presidential candidate.

Speaking after her convincing 10-point win, she said Americans deserved "a president who doesn't quit".

Although this victory keeps her campaign alive, Mrs Clinton's win is not enough to turn the tables on her rival, correspondents say.

Obama said he had done well to gain ground on Mrs Clinton in Pennsylvania.

With 99% of returns counted, Mrs Clinton was leading Obama by 55% to 45%.

The former first lady told cheering supporters at a victory rally in Philadelphia that she had beaten a "formidable opponent" who had outspent her three-to-one.

"Some people counted me out and said to drop out, but the American people don't quit and they deserve a president who doesn't quit either," she said.

She also appealed for more donations to her campaign war chest, saying it was the only way she could continue to compete with a rival who was outspending her "massively".

Obama congratulated Mrs Clinton as he addressed a rally in Indiana, one of the next states to hold a primary vote, but also said his campaign had done better than expected in Pennsylvania.

"There were a lot of folks who didn't think we could make this a close race when it started," he said. "Six weeks later, we closed the gap. We rallied people of every age and race and background to our cause."

DEMOCRATIC DELEGATES

Barack Obama:

Pledged delegates: 1,415

Super-delegates: 233

Total: 1,648

Hillary Clinton:

Pledged delegates: 1,251

Super-delegates: 258

Total: 1,509

Source: AP estimates ahead of 22 April primary

While her win is not enough to turn the tables on her rival, who still retains the overall lead and has much more cash to spend, it suggests her perseverance and resilience is paying off, our correspondent adds.

Exit polls for US media suggest Mrs Clinton won by taking the votes of blue-collar workers, women and white men, the Associated Press reported.

Women - who have tended to favour Mrs Clinton - made up 60% of Democratic voters in the state, according to the exit polls.

Mrs Clinton also won the support of six out of 10 of those who decided which of the pair to back within the last week - a period during which campaign rhetoric sharpened.

The economy once again emerged as the most important issue for voters, with more than 80% of those surveyed saying the nation was already in a recession.

With four million registered Democrats, and 158 pledged delegates to the Democratic Party's nominating convention in August, Pennsylvania was the last of the big states to hold a primary.

Although Mrs Clinton is behind in the delegate count and in the total votes cast, she has won most of the big state contests.

With the delegates split in proportion to the vote, neither candidate is expected to win sufficient pledged delegates to seal the nomination in the remaining primaries, and the two are courting 800 or so unelected "super-delegates".

Mrs Clinton's argument - which she hopes will sway the super-delegates - is that only she will be able to secure wins in critical large states come November's presidential election.

Obama has dismissed the big-state argument, saying there was "no chance" of the Democrats losing New York or California in the presidential election, no matter who the candidate was.

The Republican Party also held a primary in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, with presumptive nominee John McCain set to take all the delegates on offer.

McCain spent the day in Ohio - expected to be a key battleground state in November - where he spoke of the need to create new opportunities to replace lost blue-collar jobs.

Thousands of insurance claims remain unsettled

Syful Islam

Thousands of insurance claims remain unsettled for years as the insurance companies do not pay any heed to the existing rules and the authorities concerned are careless to force those.

"Insured has to go to door to door year after year to get the insurance claim settled despite the companies are earning huge sum each year," said a high official of the Department of Insurance.

"Each year the 62 insurance companies do business of more than Tk 15,000 crore. But the companies are reluctant to settle insurance claim of only Tk 2 to 3 crore. We cannot take appropriate measures against the companies due to lack of adequate manpower, he said.

According to the rules, the insurer has to settle all the claims within three months. But most of the claims remain unsettled year after year. Each company sends a quarterly report to the Department of Insurance mentioning the position of insurance claims but in most cases the number of settled claims remain lower.

The Federal Insurance Company Ltd has settled only 74 claims between January and March 2008 out of unsettled 287 claims. Till March 2008, the company has 213 unsettled cases of worth Tk 3 crore.

Statistics say more than 50 claims of the Federal Insurance Company remains unsettled for six months, 48 cases unsettled for one year and 54 cases unsettled for more than one year.

Informed sources said the insurance companies misappropriate huge funds showing many reasons. Directors pocket huge sumon different occasions but hardly agree to settle insurance claims.

The government earlier had decided to appoint an Insurance Ombudsman to speed-up the disputes but yet to take any final decision in this regard.

Meanwhile, a good number of disputes between the insurer and the insured remains pending at the office of the Chief Controller of Insurance (CCI) for settlement.

The Department of Insurance, regulator of the sector, is lacking the power to compel the insurance companies to implement its order in this regard. Most of the insurance companies in many of the cases flout directives of the CCI office to settle disputes.

At present, in this region, the post of Insurance Ombudsman exists in India and Sri Lanka and they are working successfully to settle the claims and disputes.

A regional meeting of South Asian Insurance Regulatory Forum (SAIRF) held in Nepal held earlier reached a consensus that dispute settlement between the insurer and the insured should be handled by the Insurance Ombudsman. The decision of Ombudsman would be binding on the insurer but if he is not happy with the decision he is free to go to the higher court.

Experts said no effective punitive actions are taken against the insurance companies disobeying to follow the directives of the office of the CCI.

"Trade organisations are also the barrier in this regard and insurance Ombudsman with appropriate power in hand is needed to control them," experts said.

Army Chief opens boro harvest in Bhabadah today

UNB, Jessore

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed is coming here today to visit Bhabadah beel, once a curse for the farmers for water logging and now turned a boon for them at army initiative.

The Army Chief is expected to reach Bhabadah College at noon to meet with the army officials and then visit the Bhabadah sluice gate that changed the destiny of the villagers.

After inaugurating the reaping of boro paddy harvest at Monohorpur, general Moeen will exchange views with the affected farmers of the waterlogged area on the Technical College ground. He will also see the success of the army in extracting stagnant water as well as the affected area.

"We are expecting that the water-logging problem in the Bhabadah area might be solved permanently with intervention by the Army Chief," many an enthusiastic man here said ahead of Moeen's tour. This year, farmers on their own initiative made their croplands suitable for boro cultivation removing stagnant waters as army troops played an important role in removing embankments from rivers and canales.

Internal feud 3 BCL activists injured in attack

DU Correspondent

Three activists of the rival group of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), student wing of Awami League (AL) were injured in an attack by the mainstream group of the organisation on the Dhaka University (DU) campus at around 1:45pm yesterday.

The injured were identified as Jewel, Jibon and Mofizul Islam Dhali, supporter of splinter group of the BCL.

A group of 8 to 10 activists of the BCL mainstream group with sharp weapons attacked them in front of Fine Arts Institute while they were taking tea after forming a human chain in protest of the assault of Sima Islam on April 20 (Sunday).

The mainstream activists led by Sohel Rana Mitho swooped on them and fired six rounds of bullets and exploded a crude bomb creating panic among the teachers, students and passer-by.

The injured were rushed to the different city hospital for treatment.

A large number of police deployed on and around the campus to avert further any untoward situation.

Leaders of BCL's rival group Aminur Rahman Jewel and Utfal filed two separate cases with Shahbag police yesterday in this connection of the clash and attack on Sima Islam recently.

Aminur Rahman lodged the case no-45 against BCL, DU unit president Sheikh Sohel Rana Tipu, BCL activist Mithu and Golam Sarwar Kabir, while Utfal filed the case no-46 against BCL, DU unit president Sheikh Sohel Rana Tipu, Mithu and Jewel.

4 City, 8 Poura polls likely to be delayed

UNB, Dhaka

Elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet City Corporations and eight municipalities are likely to be delayed till July next, as the proposed law to regulate the local bodies could not yet be finalised.

"We were supposed to hold the elections (four city corporations and eight municipalities) by May 27… But we can't declare the schedules since the new law could not be finalised yet," Chief Election Commissioner Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday told a Gono Forum delegation led by party chairman Dr Kamal Hossain.

"The HSC examination, which is scheduled to begin on May 29, also needs to be taken into account," he said, adding, "So, it seems that the elections might be delayed by a few days more."

The Gono Forum delegation voluntarily met the EC to discuss the electoral reforms. Election Commissioner Sohul Hussain and Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain were present at the meeting.

Apart from the suggestions from the EC-selected 17 political parties, the EC is also ready to welcome suggestions from other political parties on the electoral reforms either in written or through informal talks.

Some 45 days, starting form the announcement of the election schedule to the poll date, are required to hold an election, sources in the EC said, adding that at least 15 days should be given to the aspiring election candidates to file their nomination papers.

Another five days are needed for scrutiny and canceling the nomination papers, filing any appeal against the cancellation, withdrawing and hearing the appeal as well as withdrawing the candidature.

The sources said election candidates need at least 15 days for their electioneering after the withdrawal of the nominations and sometimes they need up to 21 days.

Yet, the sources said, the new law that would regulate the local bodies would require some days for formulating the necessary rules.

"If all these factors are taken into account, it becomes clear that the Commission won't be able to hold elections to the four city corporations and eight municipalities before July next. And the HSC examination that would begin on May 29 will continue throughout June," one of the EC officials calculated.

The EC, in its election roadmap announced on July 15 last year, targeted that the local body elections would be held throughout the timeframe of January to October this year.

Later, the EC announced that elections to Rajshahi, Khulna, Barisal and Sylhet City corporations and eight municipalities would be held either in March or April.

Later, they shifted the possible election time to May due to the delay in finalising the new law. Now, the EC is again stepping back form the May timeframe, which CEC Huda himself indicated today (Wednesday).

Earlier on March 19, CEC Huda said the election roadmap would not be disturbed even if the local body elections are delayed by one or two months since holding the national elections is the EC's main target.

About declaring the schedules for the city corporation and municipality elections at the end of March, as decided by the EC, the CEC then said he cannot announce the election schedules until he gets the concerned law in hand.

"When the gazette notification of the law would be in my hand, then I' shall think about announcing the schedules," he told reporters.

US Ambassador calls on FS: Bilateral issues discussed

UNB, Dhaka

US Ambassador James Moriarty Wednesday made a courtesy call on Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain and discussed a broad range of bilateral issues between Dhaka and Washington. After the nearly 40-minute meeting, the US Ambassador told reporters that he had very nice discussion with the Foreign Secretary on entire range of bilateral issues, but would not go into details about the subjects discussed.

This was Moriarty's first meeting with the top Foreign Ministry official after he presented his credentials to the President on April 21.

Later, the Foreign Secretary told reporters that they discussed issues including Bangladesh's GSP facilities in US market and Dhaka's desire to have access to MCA (Millennium Challenge Account) of the US President.

Rice at fresh peak on supply fear

BBC Online

Rice prices have scaled fresh heights in Asian trade amid concern that export bans by key producers will hit demand.

Rough rice for July delivery touched $24.745 per 100lb for the first time, before falling slightly.

Curbs are in place in India and Vietnam to protect domestic supply and there are fears that Thailand, the world's largest producer, could follow suit.

The global food crisis is a "silent tsunami" with an extra 100 million people facing poverty, the UN said.

"This is the new face of hunger - the millions of people who were not in the urgent hunger category six months ago, but now are," said the head of the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP), Josette Sheeran.

The international price of rice - a staple food for half the world - has risen about 68% since the beginning of the year.

The prices of soybeans, corn and wheat have also been marching higher and are currently near their all-time peaks.

A combination of high fuel costs, bad weather and land allocated to biofuels is constraining food supply. At the same time, producer countries are seeking to conserve food for their own people by curtailing exports.

But Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said Thailand would continue to be known as the "world's kitchen", as the government considers using abandoned government land to increase agricultural output.

Thailand's Office of Agriculture Economics projected that rice production after milling would be 20.4 million tonnes from this year's crop, with 55% for domestic consumption and the remainder for export.

Chinese FM arrives today

Yang Jiechi

Bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi arrives in Dhaka today on a two-day visit, a foreign ministry official said.

The Ministry confirmed that Foreign Affairs Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury would receive his Chinese counterpart at Zia International Airport at 3.40pm.

The Adviser will hold bilateral talks with Jiechi at state guesthouse Padma Thursday, according to the foreign ministry. The Chinese Foreign Minister will leave for his next destination Pakistan on Friday.

Analysts say the Chinese foreign minister's visit to regional countries was aimed at mobilising support in its favour on the Tibet issue and uninterrupted holding of the Olympic Games in Beijing in August.

The Communist China is under pressure from the western countries since the "Free Tibet" uprising in March was controlled allegedly by force.

Some countries have been threatening China of boycotting the inaugural function of the Beijing Olympic.

Bangladesh in a statement termed the political unrest an "internal affairs" of China.

Cash subsidy for diesel among farmers in 20 days

Staff Reporter

Agriculture Adviser Dr CS Karim yesterday said that the Government has taken initiative to hand over the cash subsidy for diesel among the real farmers within 20 days.

"The government has decided to complete the distribution of the cash subsidy between 10 to 20 days, Karim said, adding: ""I have directed the Deputy Commissioners through letter to take initiative to paste lists of the real beneficiaries under the diesel subsidy programme at Union Parisad level."

He was addressing as a chief guest a workshop on Diesel Subsidy Programme for the Poor Farmers in Bangladesh, organised by Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) at its Conference Room yesterday. Dr Quazi Shahabuddin, chairman of BIDS chaired the workshop, while Zafrul Islam, acting world Bank country director was present as special guest.

"None of the real farmers will be left out from the lists. Everyone will get their subsidy for diesel in time," Agriculture Adviser Karim said.

"If we provided seeds, fertiliser and irrigation in a due time, we would meet our target," he said.

BIDS researcher M Asaduzzaman who is now conducting a survey on "Adequacy and Effectiveness of Fuel Subsidies to the Poor Bangladesh Farmers," said that it is impossible to reach the subsidy for diesel among the marginal and small farmers if the Government fails to update the existing list of the beneficiaries under the diesel subsidy programme.

Zafrul Islam said that the overall objective of the study is to determine the impact of the increase of price of inputs on farmers and of the intended diesel subsidies.

"We are hoping that this study will review policy on possible options for the implementation of subsidy and its impact. And we hope, such policy options, will help in the design of future support programme for poor and marginal farmers," he said.

"It is difficult to identify clearly who has been affected by the increase in the price of fuel from last year, and those who might be affected the most by a possible further increase in the price of fuel from last year, and those who might be affected the most by a possible further increase in the price of diesel or other inputs such as electricity or fertiliser. One indication is that the smaller and marginal farmer buying irrigation and power tillage services are likely to be affected adversely," he further said.

"To ease the situation, the Government has already started to provide subsidy to farmers, in the form of cash handout, hoping to have a positive impact on agricultural output and protect, in particular, the marginal and small farmers. We appreciate this effort of the Government," the World Bank country representative said.