The New Nation - Internet Edition

CA addresses nation today: Guidelines on lifting emergency, ban on politics to be spelled out

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed

Shahidul Islam

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed is expected to address the nation today evening spelling out the guidelines of the formal dialogue between his Government and the political parties.

In his speech, the Adviser will touch pressing issues, including lifting of the state of emergency, restriction on indoor politics outside the capital and important matters of politics, where a national consensus is necessary.

Disclosing this, after a meeting of four advisers, who were entrusted to prepare ground and work out guidelines of the formal dialogue, Communications Adviser Maj Gen (Retd) Ghulam Quader said, "The Chief Adviser's speech is ready…..he will give specific guidelines on lifting of restriction on indoor politics and the state of emergency."

He said after the Chief Adviser's address, political parties would be formally invited for the dialogue with the Government. "The Chief Adviser's Office will send separate letters of invitation to each of the political parties to join the dialogue."

The head of the Caretaker Government, in his address to the nation, is likely to announce the date of the beginning of the formal dialogue, he added.

He would not say whether Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed would touch on the issue of the release of two detained former Prime Ministers-Begum Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, who respectively heads the two major political parties-the BNP and the Awami League (AL)-of the country.

Ghulam Quader, however, hastened to add, "It (Khaleda-Hasina) is too sensitive an issue for me to comment."

Earlier last month, the four Advisers-Ghulam Quader, Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, Anwarul Iqbal and Law Adviser Advocate Hassan Ariff together held separate pre-dialogue sessions with political parties.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury had also participated in pre-dialogues with major political parties, including the AL and two factions of the BNP.

Meanwhile, detained Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, through her lawyers, yesterday directed her party leaders to make the formal dialogue a success.

The AL Presidium, the highest policymaking body of the party, at a meeting with its Acting President Zillur Rahman in the chair at his Ivy Tower residence yesterday evening decided to join the dialogue and place the demand for the unconditional release of Sheikh Hasina and the assurance of holding a free, fair and credible general election.

When asked, BNP (anti-reform) Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain said he would decide as to whether they would join the dialogue in consultation with party leaders after getting the letter of invitation.

"To my mind the dialogue will not be successful if the two detained former Prime Ministers-Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina are not allowed to sit with the Government," he said, adding, "We are not sure as to what is there up in sleeves of the Chief Adviser but we are waiting to hear him."

BNP (reformist) Secretary General Maj (Rted) Hafizuddin Ahmed said they would join the dialogue and try to make it a success. "There is no reason to boycott the dialogue, as it has no alternative to a smooth transition to the democracy and elected governance," he asserted.

Political analysts, who maintain close contacts with both the Government and political leaders, yesterday evening told The New Nation that the dialogue agenda would also include issues, including an amendment to the Constitution in order to legitimise the present Caretaker Government's tenure, strike a balance of power between the President and Prime Minister of the Republic, the institutional reforms carried out, banning of disruptive agitation programmes like hartal and roadblocks as political weapons.

Besides, political, electoral and administrative reforms to ensure unhindered growth and development would also get importance in the talks, they added.

When asked, a western diplomat expressed his optimism about the success of the dialogue, saying, "There is no alternative to the talks to the politicians or the Government."

"We are waiting to see the dialogue a success for a leap forward of this nation to progress and advancement from poverty and under development," he said, adding, "You all should respond positively to the dialogue call."

After their meeting, Commerce and Education Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman sounded a positive note about the success of the ensuing formal talks.

"The dialogue must be successful, as there is no alternative to it," he asserted.

Asked how he could predict a successful dialogue by sidetracking the two major parties' crucial demands for the release of Begum Zia and Sheikh Hasina, he said: "We are giving importance to the enthusiasm of the parties about the dialogue. It's not the question of the two leaders, but the enthusiasm of the parties would make the dialogue successful."

Replying to another question, Dr Hossain Zillur said there are some small differences between the Government and the political parties on different issues. "Those differences will not hamper the dialogue," he asserted.

LGRD Adviser Anwarul Iqbal told journalists that the Chief Adviser would deliver his speech this evening.

On the preparations for the dialogue, the Adviser said, "We have already done our pre-dialogue talks with the political parties."

Severe water crisis looms large over city: River-fed Sayedabad, Chandnighat water plants virtually useless

People of Mohammadpur along the city protection
embankment being supplied drinking water under the
supervision of the army yesterday. FocusBangla

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

The Sayedabad and Chandnighat water treatment plants may become useless in the near future, if the pollution of water of Buriganga and Sitalakhya rivers goes on unabated, environmentalists and experts warned.

If the water pollution continues at the present rate, toxicity will go beyond the level of purification making the plants useless within 10 years and ultimately creating an acute crisis of water in the city, they added.

"Due to the pollution of the Buriganga and Sitalakhya, we have to use excessive chemical to treat the water in the plants, which creates bad smell in the supply water. It also increases the cost of the water treatment," an official of Dhaka Water Supply Authority (DWASA) said.

He, however, appreciated the recent initiative of the Department of Environment (DoE) to force the industries to use effluent treatment plants.

Abu Naser Khan, environmentalist, said, "This is a positive sign. It will check the industrial wastes and thus prevent water and environment pollution. If the DoE can ensure the use of effluent treatment plants in all industries, pollution of water in Buriganga and other rivers and canals will reduce significantly."

Industrial wastes contain toxins like chromium, mercury and lead, a certain level of which can be treated in the plants, but the continuation of pollution of water of the Buriganga and Sitalakhya rivers at the present rate will make the water untreatable within a decade, he added.

The Dhaka WASA official denied the news of pollution of water of the Buriganga and Sitalakhya and emphatically said, "The industrial toxicity is still under control, but it will be quite impossible to use the water for the plants within 10 years if the pollution continues at the present rate."

Pollution of the city canals and the River Balu has to be reduced to control Sitalakhya pollution, he also said.

"Pollution of Buriganga is turning serious because of untreated domestic and industrial wastes. Wastes of the tanneries in Hazaribagh and Jigatala areas are mainly responsible for the pollution," he added.

The Sayedabad and Chandnigaht water treatment plants respectively supply about 22.50 crore and 4 crore litres of water against the total WASA supply 176 crore litres per day and the rest of the water comes from 454 deep tube-wells. The daily demand for water in the Dhaka city is 200 crore litres.

Sayedabad Water Treatment Plant uses Sitalakhya water while Chadnighat Water Treatment Plant uses Buriganga water.

A number of canals in the Dhaka city carry a large quantity of sewage, industrial and other wastes into the River Balu that flows into the Sitalakhya.

Prof Nazrul Islam, Chairman of Centre for Urban Studies (CUS), said, "The pollution level of the river Buriganga is very high due to the discharge of sewages and industrial and other wastes, mainly from tanneries."

Wastes from WASA sewages at Moghbazar, Sayedabad, Mugda, Manda, Basabo, Madartek and adjoining areas flow into the Debodholai and Narai canals, which fall into the Sitalakhya through the Balu, he added.

Industries in Tejgaon and Mohakhali also dispose wastes into the river Balu through the canals, as industries on both sides of the Sitalakhya do not have effluent treatment plants, said the experts.

SCBA announces two-hour boycott programme

An emergency general meeting of the Supreme Court
Bar Association (SCBA) was held at its hallroom yesterday.
FocusBangla

UNB, Dhaka

The lawyers of the Supreme Court Sunday decided to boycott the court of the Appellate Division on Thursday for two hours in protest against its recent rulings that they think resulted in 'degradation of dignity of the highest judiciary and the rule of law'.

An emergency general meeting of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) held yesterday in its hall-room took the decision. The two-hour court boycott begins at 9am.

The meeting demanded announcement of the parliament election schedule immediately to hold free, fair and impartial polls. It also demanded immediate withdrawal of the state of emergency for establishing democracy and the rule of law.

Expressing disappointments and surprise over the recent three rulings by the apex court, relating to the Emergency Power Rules (EPR), the meeting resolved that the judges of the Appellate Division, "disparaging" the Constitution, fundamental rights and the rule of law, have "virtually infringed their oath of office". The meeting resolved that the Judges of the Appellate Division lost their moral right to hold office as they "could not preserve, protect and defend the constitution".

The recent rulings by the apex court stripped the High Court of jurisdiction to grant bail to any convicted appellant tried under the EPR.

It also struck down a High Court ruling empowering itself with jurisdiction to dispose of bail petitions in criminal cases being tried under the EPR.

And it finally ruled that any case of an offence committed before the promulgation of the state of emergency can be tried under the EPR, clearing the way for case proceedings against high-profile corruption suspects like politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen booked under the ongoing purge in the interim period.

The meeting also demanded withdrawal of cases against the top leaders of the major political parties, as the meeting termed those 'false' and 'motivated'.

The meeting reaffirmed the bar's earlier decision not to give traditional farewell to incumbent Chief Justice M Ruhul Amin when he retires on June 1 and felicitation to new Chief Justice as a mark of silent protest.

The meeting, presided over by SCBA president Shafique Ahmed, was addressed, among others, by Rafique-ul Huq, M Amir-Ul Islam, Mahbubey Alam, Rafiqul Islam Mian, Zainul Abedin, Yusuf Hossain Humayun, Abdul Mannan Khan, M Enayetur Rahim and Nurul Islam Sujan.

News Analysis : Women’s development: The uncalled for debate

Mostafa Kamal Majumder

The debate on the national women development policy at one stage looked like coming to an end. But instead it rages on with expression of sentiments that would make the Bangladesh society look like being divided on the question of the development of the state of the fair sex. But a close look into the debate would prove the reverse.

When the religious groups sharply reacted to publication in February of the said policy document expressing their concern that it carried the seeds of violation of the law and rules on women's property inheritance rights, the government side promptly responded by asserting that nothing would be done against the ordains of the Quran and the Sunnah.

A committee led by the acting Khattib of the Baitul Mukarram national mosque was constituted to suggest amendments to the policy document if they felt there was anything that contradicted the law and rules prescribed by Islam. The committee submitted its report. Yet seminar and symposia are on to assert full support to the policy and criticise those who ask for its suitable amendment.

A scrutiny would reveal that the debate is based on some wrong assumptions like some people are against the development of women in Bangladesh. If this is the case there would have been violent protests against increase of reserved seats for women in Parliament from 30 to 45, reservation of women's seats in local government bodies, and stipends to encourage the education of girls up to the higher secondary level. In fact, it is due to this promotional policy that girl enrolment in schools is equal to and in some cases greater than that of boys. Women are also increasingly taking a significant share in all categories of jobs.

The real cause of dissent to the policy lies in the assertion of "equal share of women" in "movable and immovable property" which the ulema finds contradicting the principles of property inheritance prescribed by the holy Quran and the Sunnah. Some other criticisms made by the opponents of the policy are rejected by even Islamist women activists. If the government is against violation of Islamic law and rules then what's the harm in doing some amendments to the policy by retaining everything save those paragraphs that appear like contradicting the same? The essence of criticism of the policy is that inheritance rights given to women in Islam is far more progressive than in any other religion and that the fair sex actually gets more than men if the religious laws and rules are followed.

It is argued that in Islam a woman has been granted rights to property as daughter, wife as well as mother which together totals more property inherited by men. Then again, it is the responsibility of the man to ensure the upkeep of his wife. Similarly, a wife has claim on the property of her husband not vice versa. And since this scheme has come from the holy book, it is inviolable.

There are however, some social practices that go against women's interests. Right to property of sisters is often neglected by their brothers, and in a majority of cases those sisters who do not use the threat of taking recourse to the law are refused inheritance of property of parents. Then there has also developed the practice of dowry demanded by bridegrooms at the time of marriage which is a burden on the bride and their parents. Women also complain of not being paid the dower that is promised at the time of marriage.

It is thus urgent that the uncalled for debate is put to an end because there is no resistance to women's development. Promoters of women's rights would give them a better service by pressing the enforcement of the rights granted to women in Islam.

Water, power crises to persist

Talha Bin Habib

Acute shortage of supply water and frequent power outage in the capital are making life of the city dwellers miserable and there is no sign of reducing the ongoing sufferings during the rest of the summer season.

The normal extraction and supply of water by the Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) of Dhaka are being hampered due to irregular supply of power and frequent area-wise loadshedding. People living in many areas of the city are even deprived of supply water for days together. In many areas the supply water is not only pungent but also murky. People have to go to far off places to fetch drinking water.

Experts blamed the frequent loadshedding responsible for hampering the production of sufficient water by Dhaka WASA.

The present power production deficit in the country is 1,000 to 1,500 MW. There is no sign of any improvement in this sector either. Power Development Board (PDB) produces an average of 3,500 MW every day, which is insufficient to meet the present demand of the country.

Experts opined that the average demand of power is 5,300 MW for the country, but at present production of power is about 3,500 MW.

Dhaka Electricity Supply Authority (DESA) presently is able to supply only half of the present demand for electricity.

Dhaka WASA sources said it supplies only 180 crore litre of water against the daily requirement of 200 crore litre. It could not produce the deficit amount of 20 crore litre due to power crisis.

To reduce the water crisis in the city the Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) has decided to purchase one hundred power generators for water production purpose.

DESCO sources said the total demand of power is 190 MW and every day there is 80 to 90 MW loadshedding. The production in many industries within its jurisdiction was being hampered for the past few weeks.

It is estimated that out of the total power production, 5 per cent is used for irrigation, 44 per cent in industrial sector, 41 per cent in residents, 8 per cent in the commercial and 4 per cent in the service sector.

Presently about 81.51 per cent of the total power generated comes from gas and the rest from diesel, furnace oil and coal.

Experts suggested an additional invest of $2,000 crore for improving the present power production in the country. Otherwise, the persisting water crisis could not be resolved in the near future.

Special allocation in upcoming budget Govt to buy 32 lakh tonnes rice this year

Staff Reporter

The government will build a record buffer stock of 32 lakh tonnes of rice which is nearly double the stock of last year, Food and Agriculture Adviser AMM Shawkat Ali told newsmen yesterday.

The Government built a stock of 17 lakh tonnes last for distribution as food aid and food related development work, he added.

The procurement price of rice has been fixed at Tk 28 per kilogram this year, which is 55 per cent higher than that of last year's rate.

"We are confident that this will make us immune from any food crisis caused by global commodity spikes or any natural disaster, the Adviser said.

He further said the Government would set aside a record amount of cash in the budget to be announced in June to buy at least 25 lakh tonnes of rice from farmers. Another 5 lakh tonnes of rice would be imported from India, he added.

"Besides, the United States, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank would also give us food aid," he informed.

Shawkat claimed that the bumper harvest of Boro crop has already eased price pressure and steps are being taken to reap a record crop in the upcoming wet season.

Private firms and the government have also imported around 35 lakh tonnes of food to tackle shortages. Last week, the government has banned export of rice for six months to bring down the price in the local market.

The country has been facing food crisis following floods in July and August and the devastating cyclone SIDR in November last year. Price of rice in Bangladesh has doubled in the recent days leaving the common people at dire straight.

The government launched open market sale of rice at subsidised price for millions of poor people. A former Adviser of the Caretaker Government has described the present situation as 'silent famine'.

The annual food inflation has stayed above 12 per cent since December last year, according to informed sources.

Japanese loan package for 3 projects

Staff Reporter

Japan has assured Bangladesh of a new loan package for Haripur Power Plant project, Central Power Distribution project and Eastern Zone Bridge Improvement Project.

This was stated by Finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam after his meeting with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) vice president Kuroki Masafumi at the Planning Ministry yesterday. Talking to the newsmen the Finance Adviser said that they discussed about the details about three projects.

"JICA and Japan Bank for Cooperation (JBIC) is scheduled to merge into one organisation in October next. After the merger, the organisation would assist Bangladesh," he added.

Kuroki Masafumi said that his discussion with the Finance Adviser centered on the new loan package for their three projects.

He hoped that the implementation of these three projects would contribute to economic growth, poverty reduction, human security and disaster management in Bangladesh.

However, no final decision has been taken about the total size of the loan package of three projects.

Senior officials of both sides were present at the meeting.

Delimitation of constituencies challenged, writ filed

Staff Reporter

A writ petition challenging the validity of delimitation of parliamentary constituencies carried out by the Election Commission (EC) has been filed with High Court Division yesterday.

Former BNP minister and lawmaker Abdul Mannan filed the writ petition before a High Court Division bench comprising Justice Mahmud Hossain and Farid Ahmed.

In his petition, Abdul Mannan of Dhaka-2 constituency appealed for suspending the EC's gazette notification issued on April 29 last redrawing 133 parliamentary constituencies.

Advocate Khandaker Mahbub Uddin Ahmed took part in the preliminary hearing on behalf of the petitioner. The High Court division bench adjourned the hearing till 2:00pm today since Deputy Attorney General Rajik Al Jalil sought one day time for hearing.

Abdul Mannan argued that carrying out delimitation of constituencies after completion of 80 per cent of voter list is contrary to the Article 122 of the Constitution.

In his writ petition he sought a rule asking the Election Commission to explain why the gazette should not be declared to have been made without lawful authority and is of no legal effect.

"The delimitation was done only to frustrate holding the general election immediately," the petitioner argued.

Earlier, the EC unveiled a draft list of parliamentary seats with their boundaries redrawn district-wise. Of the 300 constituencies, 133 have seen changes in boundaries and the rest remained unchanged.

Tata wants uninterrupted gas supply for steel mill

Staff Reporter

Tata would not go for any investments in steel without guarantee from the Bangladesh government on uninterrupted gas supply.

The Indian conglomerate made it clear, as the government reopened formal negotiations with it on its record three-billion-dollar investment plan yesterday.

"It is as simple as that, if gas is not supplied on a secured basis then we would not go for steel in this country," Allan Rosling, executive director of Tata Sons, told journalists adding "There are a lot of other countries who have gas."

Senior Tata officials led by Alan Rosling met Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment (BoI) Kamaluddin Ahmed nearly two years after the conglomerate postponed what would be the biggest single foreign investment in Bangladesh.

Energy secretary Mohammad Mohsin, Power secretary Fouzul Kabir Khan, and senior officials were also present from the host side at the meeting that lasted nearly four hours from 10:30am. The meeting was meant to discuss Bangladesh's changing energy supply situation.

The Government, however, is yet to reply positive or negatively, as Tata said if the Government was unable to provide gas then the Group would not invest in steel in Bangladesh.

BoI executive chairman Md Kamaluddin Ahmed said that they discussed the resource position of Bangladesh.

He said, "We informed them about our demand-supply situation of gas and discussed the upcoming coal policy. We neither agreed nor disagreed to provide them gas."

"The country's current gas situation is not as we wished it to be," Alan Rosling said ruling out the possibility of revising their proposal in the wake of the changing energy supply scenario.

He, however, did not dismiss other investment opportunities. "The new coal policy, once published, would open up new avenues for further discussions." "At this stage, the meeting was useful and effective," he added.

In 2006 Tata offered to build a steel plant, two power plants, a fertiliser plant and a coal mine, after upgrading a 2004 plan.

However, Tata's Bangladesh chief Syed Manzer Hossain said the group was encouraged by "positive indications" from the Bangladesh government.

"Yes, there is an intention to move it forward," said Manzer Hossain after the meeting adding, "It's a positive development that we formally resumed discussion after two years. Lot of developments took place on both sides and we've to look at those developments."

The company was ready to discuss all the issues, the company official said. The government has promised to "take up all necessary projects" to promote long-term economic growth.

Asked when the next round of the staggered negations will be held, Manjar Hossain said there could be further engagement after announcement of the coal policy by the Bangladesh government since coal-mine project has been incorporated in Tata's investment proposal.

A draft coal policy has been submitted to the Energy Ministry for scrutiny. The Ministry is likely to submit it to the Council of Advisors after two months for consideration.

The Caretaker Government resumed the stalled negotiations with the Indian conglomerate last month.

Tata submitted a $2.5 billion investment proposal way back in 2005 and revised it later to around $3 billion to set up a 1000 MW power plant, a steel mill with an annual production capacity of 420,000 tonnes and a one million tonne fertiliser unit in Bangladesh.

Although the negotiations came to a standstill in 2006, significant progress had been made. Tata wanted a guaranteed supply of 1.25 trillion cubic feet of gas for a 15-year period and around three million tonnes of coal supply to Tata per annum and upgrading of gas pipeline from the current 24-inch diametre to 30-inch diametre.

But the Government of Bangladesh found some of the demands made by Tata was impossible to be fulfil and the talks faced a setback.

Tax evasion: Mirza Abbas jailed for 8 years

Mirza Abbas

UNB, Dhaka

A special court that deals with high- profile corruption cases Sunday sentenced detained former housing and works minister Mirza Abbas to 8 years' imprisonment for tax evasion and hiding information about his wealth.

Delivering the judgment, Judge Shahed Noor Uddin also fined him Tk 57 lakh. In default, he will have to suffer one year more in prison. Besides, the court ordered confiscation of his wealth worth Tk 2.20 crore to the state coffers.

On August 5 last year, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Deputy Tax Commissioner Rezaul Karim filed the case alleging that Abbas, also joint secretary general of BNP, had "dodged paying nearly Tk 60 lakh in tax over his income".

On February 25, joint forces arrested Abbas on the Anti-Corruption Commission premises when he had gone to submit his wealth-information report in compliance with notice served by the anti-graft watchdog under the ongoing purge in the interim period against corruption in high places.