The New Nation - Internet Edition

Give them exemplary punishment

THREE officers of the accounts section of the University of Dhaka have blackened the face of the apex university of the country by managing to get one Abdul Alim admitted to the Department of Management Studies in exchange of Tk. 3 lakh. But the head of the said department found discrepancy in the admission which was later cancelled.

Abdul Alim went to said officers and asked for refunding his money. One of the officers caught the student and tried to drag him to a room. At that point reporters of different daily newspapers based in Dhaka University rescued the student and took him to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. M.A. Faiz who after a meeting with senior officials assured appropriate action against the persons who were responsible for the abominable act. As per decision of the meeting fact finding committee would start working from Sunday.

Admission to different departments of the university through fraudulent means was detected also before the present incident and the authority cancelled 216 admissions. The fact finding committee hopefully will go deep into it. Other people are sure to be involved in it because three accounts officers alone could not do such a job where a long process is involved. After identifying the culprits no lenience should be shown, they must be brought to book and punished as per the university rules.

This is a very heinous act that they have done. They have shattered people's trust in the university and have deprived some really meritorious students chances of admission to the university whose degree is still rated highest in the country. To protect falling standard of our education, to maintain the past glory and prestige of Dhaka University and give meritorious students opportunity to get admitted, fake admissions must be stopped and the culprits given exemplary punishment.

Managing submarine cable line

THE government is likely to form a company by June to maintain and operate the submarine cable owned by the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board. The Ministry of Post and Telecommunications is learnt to have been preparing documents for the said company to increase the use of the undersea cable bandwidth capacity. After completing the process, two documents would be placed before the council of advisers for approval. A draft ordinance on turning the T&T Board into a public limited company with full financial autonomy has already been agreed upon.

Bangladesh has been rather late to be connected with the marine cable and there has been little dynamic move to make it widely connected by expanding network across the country. The country was connected to the international superhighway in May 2006 with an international consortium of 16 telecommunication operators connecting 14 countries of three continents from Singapore to France. The Telephone Board spends around US$1.5 million a year on the maintenance and operation of the cable. But the undersea cable has remained underused because of weak management and marketing. Hardly 14 per cent of the 24-gigabit per second cable is now in use.

Though the BTTB is expected to earn Taka 200 crore from the marine cable in the current fiscal year, the amount is too meagre compared to the investment that has so far been made. The cable can generate a huge amount of revenue provided it is properly managed and run. The board, earlier, projected that the demand for telecom and internet services would shoot up rapidly in three years. It was also suggested that the government should install a second submarine cable as a backup of the existing submarine cable and to meet the growing demand for internet and overseas network services.

Promoting diversified jute products

Md Lutfur Rahman

This article is being written in such a time when the Jute industries and the Jute sector, once which was the biggest sector, is thought as a very sick sector as made somehow in the country. As a whole we may say regretfully that this is due to manmade local and international politics and policy, absence of proper guidance, financial assistance and the policy from the government to root out the corruption from the jute industries. All these important points have come out from the seminars and round-table conferences held on jute in different times in the country, but government did not care and dear the measures and steps requested in time by the experts, industrialists, businessmen and leaders of the mass people. As a result, we see the current abnormal situation prevailing in the sector once which was the golden and vital economic sector for the country. Still, the earning of foreign currency of this sector though decreased is 100% value added.

At the current situation, the government has formed a high powered "Task Force" for the development and re-formation of the Jute Sector which is a very positive step and good news for the sector, though no remarkable action is taken so far. But we are not sure if it will be like all committees in past, or just an eye-wash. Let us see the rolls to be played by the task force policy making. We the people of Bangladesh still believe that the roll of jute and jute products in the world is endless and the jute sector may regain its good mane once it is patronised by the government like the neighbouring countries. Fast of all, all the corrupted officers and employees of the past and current time must be punished for the sake of glorious future of the Jute Sector. It is regretting that the Combined Force I Task Force still did not put any step in BJMC though they have, in the meantime, finished successful operations in TITAS, PDB, WASA, DCC, CPA and some other organisation.

As an exporter of jute products, the main objective in my article is to bring forward an issue of sub-sector of Jute and this is called the "Jute Diversified Products" like Jute Tape in roll, Jute Nursery pot/bag, Jute Triangle/Square Nursery Sheet, Jute Shopping & promotional bags etc. (there are many more diversified items of jute), other than traditional Hessian and sacking items of jute. Time passes and technology develops. There is an organisation - 'Jute Diversified Promotion Centre' formed by the Government in March 2002 and working under Ministry of Textile and Jute. Meantime, they have developed a good number of technology. projects and jute diversified products which are mainly technology based and in most cases needs fund financing. But diversified products like Jute Tape in roll, Jute Nursery pot/ bag, Jute Triangle/Square Nursery Sheet, Jute Shopping & promotional bags of different types are mainly home or cottage industry and self-finance capital based.

As an exporter I know that, the diversified and non-traditional hand made Jute products like Jute Tape in roll, Jute Nursery pot, Jute Triangle/Square Nursery Sheet, Jute Shopping & promotional bags etc are being exported by some of exporters for the last 8/10 years and earning valuable foreign currency which is 100% value added. Mention-worthy that, these items are made of Jute Hessian and CBC procured from BJMC and private jute mills by Mfrs & exporters by payment in cash.

Our export volume for these items are inadequate in terms of international demand volume. Currently, Bangladesh has a very small share in the int'l market, say about 50 x 40ft TEUS per year, whereas the demand is about 1.000 TEUS per year worth more than 15 million US Dollars. But, we are unable to compete in the international market, because of our incompetent price for these items as mentioned above.

It may be mentioned here that, we the Mfrs and exporters buy Jute Cloth & CBC from BJMC and private jute mills in local currency in cash which includes 7.5% as export incentive (suppose to be received by the mills after export if not sold locally) plus VAT. We then prepare the Jute diversified products in homes and cottages manually in step by step by cutting, sewing and packing in carton and effect shipment directly against EXP Form duly issued and signed by us as an exporter. But we are not patronised by way of export incentive and/or any rebate for VAT from the government against the export, though these items meet the category of "Jute Products". Hence, the price costing for jute diversified and non-traditional items produce's and exporter's are high than our competitors in the other countries. As a result, we are loosing a good volume of orders for these diversified and non-traditional items from the buyers in abroad. In this case, the jute mills except a very few producing the traditional items only (Hessian, Sacking and CBC) are allowed for 7.5% export incentive. Even after receiving the incentive benefit from government, what is the result we observe in BJMC and private jute mills?

It may be add here that, most of the jute mills in Bangladesh are the manufacturers of traditional items (like Hessian, Sacking & CBC) and have no set up, nor can prepare Jute Tape in roll, Jute Nursery pots/Bags/sheets, Shopping and promotional bags etc of some different type, because of nature of process and manpower involved in it is not yet developed with them and so, the export of these items as well the export incentive is not a headache for the traditional jute mills. So, why should not the exporters of these items get 7.5% incentive back to them that they paid/pay in local currency as incentive to BJMC and private jute mills when the exporters buy the jute cloth ?

Currently, our competitors/exporters in India, Vietnam and China are patronised & subsidised well by their government. to boost up export of these items irrespective of mills/factories for all diversified jute items exported.

Hence, they may meet the products more competitive in the int'l market than us. A remarkable point here to mention that the above mentioned countries import raw jute from Bangladesh to meet the internal requirements of jute products and export surplus items including variety of jute goods in competition with us.

We have seen in our country that most of the large scale and heavy industries in government and public sector like Paper-pulp Industries. Ship - Dock yards, Machine Tools Factory, Sericulture Board and some more are closed; some like BJMC, BTMC, BISIC, BIMAN etc are shrink and some like PDB, BPC, BCIC, WASA, Health etc are very week due to reasons best known to the people of the country.

As a result, the country's GDP and economical growth is not up to the expected label towards a under developed country. It is also seen for the last several years that, Bangladesh is a very import based than export showing a trade deficit even with neighbouring Nepal and Bhutan, while a very alarming gap with India. Of course, it should be come down and this may be only by way of increasing export than import.

Out of the above sectors, Jute is only one using 100% local raw jute and materials and earns foreign currency of 100% value added by export. About four billion people are involved in this sector directly or indirectly. Hence, this sector should not be neglected further, rather to do the needful right now. At the same time, government may turn to a new look at the "Jute Diversified Products" sector which may be one of the turning point of country's economic activities by way of export of the products made in homes and cottages as 'Small and Medium Scale Enterprises' in Bangladesh.

To grow up and develop the said sector. government should patronise and subsidize the exporters by way of min 20% cash incentive for export of the said items under easy terms and policy applicable. Banks in Bangladesh should also come forward for small scale financing to SME. Meantime, SME as a whole have been proved as good clients of banks and other financing companies than large scale industries in the country.

As per current circular of Bangladesh Bank, it is seen that the conditions as fixed in the circular are the hard barriers for cash incentives favouring the exporters for export of the items, except jute mills only under the category "Jute products", but no other manufacturers and exporters are eligible and thus, maximum genuine exporters of the items are deprived of the due export incentive.

It should be kept in mind that the concern items are mostly exported against the payment terms - by T/T in advance and firm CAD contract mainly for a hazel free transaction for a small lot/amount as preferred by the foreign buyers/importers now-a-days. Hence, export made against UC only, other than T/T payment in advance and firm CAD Contract, may not be only the criteria for export incentive as indicated in the current circular of Bangladesh Bank. It is needless to say that the export-shipment proceeds realisation procedures and documentations are same for all export payment terms like LC, T/T in advance and firm CAD contract.

We, the manufacturers and exporter of Jute Diversified and non-traditional items think it seriously that proceeds realised duly from the foreign bank after export against T/T payment in advance and firm CAD Contract also should be considered as logical for the due export incentive to legal exporters who issue, sign and seal the EXP Form as an exporter of the items. It may be mentioned here that an exporter is licensed as an exporter of Jute Goods from the Ministry of Jute, but Bangladesh Bank as well concern Ministry does not allow the export incentive to them as exporter. It is very contradictory and regretting too.

We may also emphasis here that, once the export incentive is allowed to the exporters who issue sign & seal in the EXP Form as an exporter of Jute Nursery pots/ Bags/ Sheets, Jute Tape in roll, Jute Shopping bags etc irrespective of jute mills, it will gain a new momentum to make the export volume as 20 - 25 times higher than the current export of the products from Bangladesh. At the same time, Jute Diversified products Sector will be enlarged creating more employment opportunities through out the country.

At last, we may strongly propose and request the concern government authorities to took into the issue and allow due cash incentive also for export of the items made against T/T payment in advance and firm CAD contract for the greater interest of the exporters as well the country.

Jail reforms: A good example set in Pakistan

Dr.Abdul Ruff

Global terror wars have complicated the life of ordinary people very badly every where. And any one who is brought to jail could be tortured the way the authorities and their henchmen in jails want, more so the so-called "suspected" or "potential" "terrorists". There has been outcry over the inhuman conditions prevailing, like in any other country, in Pakistani jails.

Pakistan's Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has, as announced by him upon assuming premiership in March, set out on his mission of strengthening and stabilizing Pakistan step by step and by considering issue by issue. Issues of economics, politics, regional stability, "terrorism", security and structural changes are being taken up for administering reforms. One of major issues, the Jail Reforms that evaded the rulers in Pakistan too long endangering the lives of less important people thrown into jails, has received due attention in Gilani's dispensation.

Considering the plight of ordinary people on the streets, the conditions prevailing in jails need no elaboration as it is of anybody's guess about the prevailing most inhuman conditions in every jail every where in the world, including known so-called democracies like India. Jails are not seen as contributing to the remaining life of the inmates since they don't play any reformation role. With a view charting a precise program to streamline jail administration, Prime Minister Gilani on 11 may spent a busy day here as he held meetings with legislators, political leaders and IGs Prisons province, social workers and officials of National Reconstruction Bureau.

The premier spent a of time with Pakistani leaders across the political spectrum, including Ghulam Ahmed Manika, Jehangir Badr, Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo, leader of the PML-Q forward block in Punjab Assembly Syed Najaf Abbas, and also with legislators and social workers and discussed in details with them this crucial issue. Justice Ahmed Khan Secretary Law division, Imtiaz Qazi Additional secretary ministry of interior, Naeem ul Haq member NRB, Mian Farooq, IG prisons Punjab, Yamin Khan IG prisons Sindh, Khalid Abbass additional IG prisons NWFP and Major Lashari, DIG prisons Baluchistan were also present to interact with the premier. Idea behind convening a massive body of personnel involved in jail activities is to enhance a speedy action on jail reform.

Earlier, chairing a committee meeting held to prepare recommendations on jail reforms, the premier said that the focus of jail reforms should be on improving the condition of jail inmates and jails should act a reformation centre instead of producing criminals. The premier said the government attaches high priority to the jail reforms and provision of facilities to the inmates and directed all the concerned authorities to come up with proposals in this regard at the earliest.

As a victim who spent four years in Jails on corruption charges, premier Gilani has sufficient knowledge about jail conditions in the country and also has firm views on the need for reform and final target. Describing his own experiences in castellation, he said that a lot of things need to be kept in view while preparing reforms, over-crowding is one of the main issues which need to be addressed as it create problems like drug addiction, miserable food conditions, availability of space and spreading of various diseases like skin diseases, hepatitis and TB.

Expressing his serious reservations on the role of Mushaqati system he directed the jail staff to provide telephone facility to the prisoners to check corruption. He said that under trial prisoners are 80 percent and stressed the need to speed up their trial to control the overcrowding in jails. He also stresses the need to provide best food and health facilities at the prisons especially for the women, including availability of gynecologists.

Gilani has already gone ahead with his reform plan with a few steps being taken in recent days and directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to change the jail manual according to the needs of 2008 to get rid of century's old system and ensure provision of basic facilities to the prisoners. He stressed upon the need to impart vocational training to the prisoners to make them responsible citizens. The premier directed the committee to check the powers of superintendents of jail through judiciary and study the reports of 'Law Commission and Justice Zahid Nasir' while making the reforms.

Jail is a national shame in democracies, like India, for the nasty conditions. In India several politicians have spent time in jails and presumably they were meted out the same ill-treatment as of others who were convicted for offences- committed or suspected. But none of the Indian politicians talks about conditions in jails, let along reforms in jail and its administration. Politicians who have experienced inhumanized life in jails also just don't bother bout jail reforms even when they come to power. Rather, once they are out of jails the politicians devise strategies to get as many as people as possible including politicians as they can to the jails.

Torture in jails is a continuation of lock-up beatings. Torture in police lock-ups and jails is no more a secret issue in India. But the politicians use police and jail authorities to deal with and hand out worst possible torture to their opponents and others. There is not one single state or union territory in the country where prisons are not ill-treated extra. Since government does not bother about cruelty in jails, the jail authorities do even more.

Take the example of capital Delhi state. Indira Gandhi who was put in the notorious Tihar Jail, New Delhi for her excesses during emergency, by the then Morarji Desai -led Janata government when it come to power following the end of emergency clamped by Indira Gandhi's Congress party. Tihar jail, where the most inhuman conditions are till prevailing and the Muslims who are brought there by police, mostly on false charges, are given worst possible ill-treatment, is no heaven for non-Muslims as well. Not only Indira Gandhi completed her jail term in that notorious Tihar jail, but when she came back to power she never even spoke abut the conditions in the jails. She did not think it right to initiate jail reforms. (This writer has written in details about the way the Kashmiris are isolated for the world's cruelest punishment methods)

In the state Tamil Nadu in the South the two main political parties, DMK and AIDMK have misused the police and jail authorities to the maximum extent possible. In fact the political leaders consider police and military in India as their personal organization to be used against any one they consider their enemy. Once Karunanidhi the CM sent his arch rival Jayalalitha to Chennai jail on deadly corruption charges, she did the same when she came back to power after three years. She got the police to pick Karunanidhi up in the midnight from his inner bedroom and was whisked away to police station without even letting him put on his cloths.

But when Karunanidhi came back again to power she did not continue with his jail strategy, because he knows Jayalalitha would retaliate even in much worse fashion through police and jail authorities when she comes back to power. But the point is Jayalalitha and wooed with special privileges to police and promoted them selectively to keep them in good humors. Now Karnunaidhi's police pick up political and others common people, Muslims in particular, in similar fashion as Jayalalithaa did to him in the midnight. Neither the writer Karunanidhi nor the convent educated Jayalalitha could think well of the inmates of jails even after spending month together there. (It is quite possible that these VIPs are given 'homely" treatment and accorded royal considerations).

In torture and inhuman treatments, Dravidian lock-ups and jails are not better than their Ariyan ones in the north or similar ones elsewhere. US-led terrorism and Indian anti-Muslimism have aggravated the situation in the country's jails and lock-ups where Muslims are going perils of new civilization.

In India, police is not always people's police, but tags are invariably attacked to each group. There are Congress police, Communist police, BSP police, RJD police, Telugu Desam police, DMK police and ADMK police, in addition to caste-based ones, like the notorious but powerful Reddy police in Andhra Pradesh. But Muslims suffer the worst because all these denominations have one basic feature: anti-Muslimism and anti-Islamism brutally encouraged by the system and government. In every state police and jail establishments are dominated by the dominant caste and police and jail authorities look at the public entering their premises from composite ankles of political affiliations, caste and strength of their pockets. Business is really roaring in these sectors. Any one who is weak in all respects is looked down upon and insulted and literally thrown out. Yet, no one cares. The position of Muslims in such a vicious atmosphere is really pathetic!

As revealed, Indian jails have as many innocent people, particularly Muslims, as there are anti-Muslim people in the country. India simply cannot reform jails because it comes into conflict with its anti-Muslim policy of tracking and torturing Muslims in jails. Tihar Jail has been mute witness to this as much as Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore Jail where people like Abdul Nasser Madani, who then fought for rights of Muslims and against Hindutva in Kerala, were tortured for over a decade without trial before they were proved innocent in the cases where they were rearrested as" suspected" terrorists.

The Indian vicious circles in every sector survive at the strength of police support. Criminalization of politics has led to division of police force into similar party affiliated wings supporting their own leaders and "customers" and police don't think they are paid by people but the party in power. Similar attitude is prevalent in jail system too.

The situation is ugly, alarming, but that is the reality. The vulgarization of politics in Tamil Nadu is not one-state case history; it is the national story and national shame at that. So much so, it quite logical that general public is unable to know if the hooliganism, vandalism and other crimes in the society are being encouraged by the prevailing police system. This attitude led to forced parade of women in Lucknow by the ruling leaders, unreported by the Indian media precisely because the affected people are Muslims. Also, Indian terrorism strategy requires the jails to be as nasty as they are today, because India cannot shed its terror attacks to arrest Muslims.

Once a free nation but now known as a state within Indian Union, Kashmir, fully militarized by the occupying Indian forces, is a site of regular murders, torture and harassment not only in jails and police custody, but even on the streets, because no one cares for the freedom seeking Kashmiris, called in New Delhi as so-called "terrorists".

When the police custody and jail situation are alarmingly explosive world wide especially in democracies like India, it is indeed remarkable that Gilani has volunteered to effect much need reforms to clean up jail atmosphere. This way impression should created to show that jails need not be so bad just because the inmates are undergoing punishment. A believer, the premier hopefully will get all necessary courage and strength not only fully reform Pakistan, but also to take Pakistan forward.