The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh concede defeat to Sri Lanka

Mushfiqur Rahim is overjoyed as Mahela Jayawardene
is bowled by Abdur Razzak in the Bangladesh v Sri Lana match
in Lahore on Wednesday. Internet

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh conceded a huge 131-run defeat as they scored 226 runs for the loss of seven wickets off 50 overs in reply to Sri Lanka’s massive 357 for the loss of nine wickets in the stipulated 50 overs in their Group-A encounter of Asia Cup at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore of Pakistan on Wednesday.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim made 44 playing 53 balls.

Besides, Raqibul Hasan, Alok Kapali and Tamim Iqbal added 35, 30 and 28 runs to the Bangladesh total.

M Muralitharan bagged a couple of wickets for 26 runs while Chaminda Vaas, K Kulasekara, C Fernando, Jayasuriya took one wicket apiece.

Earlier, Sri Lanka made a solid start as Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara, the two openers of Sri Lanka, contributed 116 runs in the opening stand before Sanath Jayasuriya was bowled by Abdur Razzak.

Sangakkara smashed a marvellous 101 facing 91 deliveries. He struck 16 strokes across the ropes.

Sanath Jayasuriya hammered a strong 72 using 47 balls, the innings was studded with 10 fours and three sixes.

K Capugedara was the other batsman of Sri Lanka who shone with the willow making 74 off 67 balls amid five boundaries and two over boundaries.

Spinner Abdur Razzak of Bangladesh harpooned three wickets at the cost of 55 runs while Mashrafe Bin Mortaza and Shahadat Hossain, the two medium pacers, bagged a pair of wickets each conceding 53 and 62 runs respectively.

Loan demand up as investment scope widens: Aziz: Banks for govt fund to solve liquidity crisis

Staff Reporter

A delegation of the Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) led by its chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder met the Finance Adviser to apprise him of the increased investment demand in the country and help solve liquidity crisis faced by the banks.

The BAB leaders sought the Adviser's intervention to help channel more government funds to the private banks to meet the investment demand that would bode well for the overall economy.

They also requested the Finance Adviser to take necessary initiatives to increase the ratio of government funds in the private banks from existing 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

An investment-friendly budget and investment-friendly climate are increasing investors keenness demand in the country, Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam told newsmen yesterday.

"This may have raised the demand for bank loans," he said following a meeting with the leaders of Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) at the Planning Ministry.

Dr Aziz assured the private bank owners that he would consider the issue as well as few other demands for tax exemption, including reduction of corporate income tax.

Replying to a question, the Finance Adviser said the demands have not been reflected in the budget that indicated that the government was not convinced about their demands. Now they raised the demands in a changed perspective.

Replying to another question, Dr Aziz said the bankers have apprised him that the investment demand increased recently due to different initiatives by the government to create more congenial investment climate.

The initiatives include measures to build business confidence, including better business forum, investment-friendly budget, political stability and improvement in the port management.

The Finance Adviser, however, does not agree over liquidity crisis in the banking system saying that at present call money rates are not too high.

On the other hand, BAB Chairman Majumder said they were not getting adequate deposits, even at higher rate, to meet the increased investment demand. Even for six-month term deposits the banks are offering 13.5 percent interest, he said.

Nasim’s foreign treatment under consideration

Mohammad Nasim

UNB, Dhaka

Detained former Home Minister and Awami League leader Mohammad Nasim's son yesterday appealed to the Chief Adviser for his father's treatment at Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore as he has suffered a stroke.

In his application, Tanvir Shohel Joy said, "My father has suffered a brain stroke in jail and he needs immediate treatment abroad."

Official sources told UNB that the government could consider the application and Nasim might be temporarily released on medical grounds.

His release may be provided under Section 401 sub-section(1) of the CrPC and under sub-section of 4(A) of Section 401 of the CrPC.

Under section 401 sub-section(1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) conviction of a person could be suspended on medical grounds.

And an accused could be exempted from personnel attendance to trial court in a case under sub-section of 4(A) of Section 401 of the CrPc.

Nasim, serving a 13-year jail term in a graft case, was admitted to LabAid hospital Tuesday as doctors after primary diagnosis said he suffered a cerebral haemorrhage.

He was first brought to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) from Kashimpur jail as he complained of feeling weak on his left side. After primary diagnosis, doctors sent him to the LabAid specialized hospital.

A six-member medical board was constituted for his treatment. Board members are Prof Sirajul Huq, Prof Faizul Islam, Cardiologist Barun Chakroborty and Dr Shahriar Saber of BSMMU and Asst Prof Kanak Kanti Barua and Asst Prof Abu Naser Rijvi of LabAid.

On October 8 last year, Nasim was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment in a graft case while his wife Laila Arzumand Banu, tried in absentia, also jailed for three years for aiding and abetting her husband in acquiring wealth by dishonest means.

On March 21 in 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case against Nasim, a frontline leader of the Awami League, and his wife with Dhanmondi police station for furnishing "false information" in their wealth statements submitted to the ACC.

He was arrested from his Dhanmondi residence by joint forces on February 3 on charges of corruption, amid a clampdown on former ruling politicians under a countrywide purge in the interim period against serious crime and corruption.

In the meantime, his party general secretary Abdul Jalil also has been under treatment at the same Singaporean hospital following his release from jail on parole.

Also, Awami League chief and ex-PM Sheikh Hasina, also arrested under the anti-graft drive, recently went to the United States for treatment on her interim release from prison.

Sending another detained former premier, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, along with her two detained sons abroad for treatment has also been talk of the town for quite some time now.

Her reported refusal to go abroad is said to be the reason for delays in their case.

Meanwhile, her ailing younger son Arafat Rahman Koko was yesterday exempted from personal appearance in a special court for trial in the GATCO graft case. Similar exemption petition of his elder, Tarique Rahman, was also moved today.

The exemption is seen as part of the process of their overseas treatment.

Court to hear Tarique’s petition June 29: Koko exempted from personal appearance

Tarique Rahman

Arafat Rahman Koko

Staff Reporter

The move to send detained Arafat Rahman Koko, the younger son of imprisoned former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda, abroad for medical treatment gained momentum yesterday, when a Special Court exempted him from personal appearance during the trial of the GATCO scam case.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Special Court, trying highflying corruption cases, granted Koko's petition for exempting him from personal attendance on health ground after hearing defence and prosecution lawyers. The prosecution did not oppose the move.

The same Court, however, fixed June 29 for hearing of the petition, which his elder brother Tarique Rahman moved seeking exemption from personal appearance in Sabbir murder case. Tarique, the senior Joint Secretary General of the BNP, is facing trial in a number corruption cases.

Arafat Rahman Koko, who faces the GATCO graft case along with his mother detained BNP Chairperson Begum Zia, filed the petition on Tuesday under section 540A of the CrPC, his lawyer Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon told The New Nation yesterday.

The section 540A empowers a judge to exempt a detained accused, who is incapable of appearing before the Court during the trial, from personal appearance in the case proceedings.

Earlier, an official medical board recommended to the Government to send Koko abroad for better medical treatment. He underwent medical treatment at a Bangkok hospital before his arrest along with his mother on September 3 last year.

Meanwhile, sources close to their family yesterday said the official process to grant Koko a temporary release on parole to enable him to go abroad for medical treatment gained momentum after the Special Court's decision.

His wife Sharmily Rahman earlier applied to the Chief Adviser and Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs to release him on parole for medical treatment in a hospital in Thai capital Bangkok.

"Arafat Rahman Koko is expected to be released under a Government order and flown to Bangkok in a day or two," a source close to the negotiator on behalf of his family said, adding, "The same method and law applied for the temporary release of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will be applied in Koko's case."

From now on, Koko, suffering from multiple ailments, including acute lung and neurological problems, would be represented in the Court by his lawyers during the trial of the case.

Judge Shahed Noor Uddin of the Special Court fixed June 29 for hearing the application filed yesterday by detained Tarique Rahman for exempting him from appearing in Court during the trial proceedings on health grounds, as the prosecution lawyers, representing the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) opposed the move.

Opposing the plea, the prosecution prayed for time, as they could not examine in detail the modified petition, Public Prosecutor (PP) Syed Shamim Ahsan told journalists after the hearing.

Earlier, when the defence moved the application in this regard, the prosecution termed it "vague."

Tarique was not produced before the Court yesterday due to indisposition. He is suffering from chronic spondelo-arthritis and undergoing treatment at the prison-cabin of Bangbandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital.

The Court also deferred until July 2 the charge hearing on the Tk 21 crore bribery case in which former State Minister for Home Lutfozzaman Babar is a co-accused along with Tarique Rahman.

The detained accused Babar and Abu Sufian of Basundhara Group were produced before the Court in connection with the bribery case over the murder of another Bashundhara Group Director Sabbir.

SSC results today

BSS, Dhaka

Results of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent Dakhil and Vocational examinations of 2008 under the nine education boards in the country will be published today.

The chairmen of the boards will formally hand over the results to Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, officials sources said here on Wednesday.

Head of the educational institutions have been asked to collect their results from the concerned centers, they said.

All SSC examinees have been advised to collect their results from their respective institutions.

The examinees can also collect their results from the Website: ww.educationboard.gov.bd

The results will not be available from education boards, ministry of education or newspapers offices.

The examinations were held between March and April this year, sources said.

BB takes steps to attract FDI

Talha Bin Habib

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) has taken initiatives to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) by appointing international agents for assessing the country's credit ratings and ability in repaying the international loans.

The initiative also aims at excluding the country's name from the lists of risky nations, which are considered to be unable in repaying the international loans.

BB has initially selected three foreign companies to submit their proposals for Sovereign Credit Ratings (SCR) of the country with a view to attaining international standard ability of the country to repay the international loans.

Sources in the BB said if SCR is done Bangladesh will be able to attract more Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and reduce greater default risk in international bond markets.

Besides, it will also help the country in getting international loan with low interest rate and remove confusions among foreign entrepreneurs for investment.

The term SCR means to certify the country's ability to repayment of the loans borrowed from the international lending agencies or countries. SCR is usually determined by assessing the indicators of the country's socio-economic and other aspects.

Foreign investors usually give preference to invest in those countries, which have good ratings. Among the SAARC countries, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have already done that rating.

Bangladesh has so far no credit ratings and it is still compared with the other countries,

which are usually considered to be unable to repay the internationals loans. But Bangladesh has good track records of repaying the international loans.

The BB has initially selected three international agencies for submitting their financial and technical proposals. Japan International Credit Agency, Standard and Pore and Maris Singapore have been asked to submit their financial and technical proposals by June 30 of this year.

After scrutinising of their proposals, BB would finally appoint one of the international agents to prepare SCR's for Bangladesh.

AL reiterates demand Withdraw emergency, hold JS polls first

Awami League acting President Zillur Rahman
presiding over a discussion meeting in observance of the
59th founding anniversary of the party at the Institute of
Engineers in the city on Wednesday. NN photo

Staff Reporter

The leaders of the Awami League reiterated their demand for lifting of emergency completely and withdrawal of the announced schedule for the local government election without any delay and sending AL Leader Mohammad Nasim abroad for treatment.

The central leaders demanded this while addressing the leaders and activists at the discussion meeting at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh to mark the party's 59th founding anniversary keeping AL Acting President Zillur Rahman in the chair.

"At first we demand full withdrawal of emergency, as no poll is possible under the state of emergency and then to hold the parliamentary election before all other election," Zillur said.

He also urged the Government to withdraw all false and fabricated cases filled against the AL leaders and to release them immediately and called upon the leaders and activists to take oath to participate in the national election under the leadership of party chief Sheikh Hasina.

Terming the AL the most dynamic and matured political party of the country Acting General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said, "The AL played the pioneer role in the War of Liberation to snatch independence. Similarly we will continue vigorous movement to restore democracy in the country through forming a democratic government elected by the people."

Demanding exemplary punishment of the war criminals AL Presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said, "The Government should take proper initiative to bring the war criminals to trial. We also should be concerned so that the culprits cannot escape through the loopholes of the law."

"We will try our best to work for the overall development of the country and countrymen as we did during the last 60 years since the establishment of the party," he added.

AL Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury expressed solidarity with Amu saying, "Not only the war criminals but also the individuals who gave them the license to get involved in national politics must be punished."

She suggested the Government to accept their demand for holding a free, fair and credible election to restore democracy in the country and to safeguard the nation from uncertainty.

Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed said, "The nation is passing through a crucial period. The main purpose of the Caretaker Government is to de-politicise the country through detaining the national leaders."

"Neither the national election nor the local government elections is possible under the state of emergency. So the Government must withdraw the emergency completely to create a positive atmosphere for holding a free and fair election," he noted.

Tofail also blamed that the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) cannot function independently because the Government was always trying to influence it.

Condemning the activities of the Election Commission for organising the local government elections first, AL Presidium Member Matia Choudhury said, "The Commission has the power to hold only the parliamentary elections under the supervision of the Caretaker Government."

She pushed for the Government to announce schedule for holding the National election in October cancelling the schedules for local elections and said, "We will not accept anything else other than the parliamentary polls."

Describing the history of the party, AL Presidium member Abdur Razzak called on the partymen to remain united and prepare for participating in the national election under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina.

AL central Organising Secretaries, Abdul Mannan, Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Sultan Md Mansur Ahmed, Acting President MA Aziz and Acting General Secretary of Dhaka City Awami League Advocate Kamrul Islam also spoke.

Move to reduce loss of crop, livestock: 10 disaster prone UZs to get govt support

Shamim Jahangir

The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) has taken up a project to reduce loss of crops and livestock at ten disaster prone upazilas through disaster management adaptation process.

The project styled " Livelihood Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC-2) will be implemented at a cost of seven lakh US dollars. It will be jointly financed by Bangladesh government, UNDP, European Commission and UK Department for International Development.

The main objective of the project is to ensure sustainable food production, reduce livestock losses through capacity building and acquainting farmers with new technologies to deal with the problems of climate change.

Farmers will be trained on the process of reservation of water for irrigation in drought prone areas during Aman season and mechanism to be used at coastal areas for the production of foodgrains.The Food and Agriculture Organisation ( FAO ) will provide support to the project, according to project sources. The upazilas where the project is now being implemented are Nachole,

Gomostapur in Chapai Nowabganj , Sapahar and Porsha in Naogaon, Lalpur and Bagatipara in Natore, Dacope and Terokhada in Khulna and Bhandaria and Nazirpur in Pirojpur.

The DAE and FAO experts will impart training to the farmers on how to adapt to climate change process. Besides, they will also help the farmers on different methods for increasing food, fish and livestock production to ensure the food security.

The experts will also help the poor farmer to build up their capacity at the village level to combat the menace of climate change through adaptation process.

The government has implemented LACC-1 project recently in Chapainawabganj and Noagaon districts at a cost of $2 lakh dollars. Under the project, a total of 250 farmers of these two districts received training on adaptation process to Climate Change.

An expert of LACC said that the government would extend this project now being implemented on an experimental basis would be extended to other areas across the country.

Tk 164 crore DU budget announced

DU Correspondent

The University of Dhaka announced on Tuesday its highest-ever budget of Tk 164 crore for the financial year 20008-2009.

Presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof SMA Faiz, the treasurer, Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad, placed the Tk. 12 crore deficit budget in the senate budget session.

A major portion of the budget, 82.51 per cent, has been earmarked for the salary, allowances and pension of the teachers, officers and employees.

Around Tk 22.33 crore, which is 14.70 per cent of the total budget, has been allocated for the academic sector, which was around Tk 14.25 crore for the fiscal year 2007-08.

The Government grant will make up Tk 135.90 crore of the total outlay and Tk 16.10 crore will be mobilised from internal resources. A revised budget of Tk 155.22 crore for the financial year 2007-2008 was also presented in the session.

The allocation for amenities such as stipend, sports, transport, student welfare, excursion and part-time jobs in the proposed budget is around Tk 2.54 crore. The figure was Tk 1.53 crore in the budget for the financial year 2007-2008.

Only Tk 2,12,90,000 has been earmarked for research, which was earlier Tk 1,50,65,000.

It was the fifth budget involving more than Tk 100 crore in the history of the university. The budget in 2004-2005 was Tk 108.59 crore, in 2005-2006 Tk 112.78 crore, in 2006-2007 Tk 126 crore and the budget for 2007-08 Tk 142.45 crore.

The budget has proposed an allocation of Tk 4.88 lakh for Dhaka University Central Students' Union although its activities has remained inactive for 17 years.

President improves further, shifted to cabin

Staff Reporter

President Dr Iajuddin Ahmed has been shifted to a cabin from the ICU of the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) as his health conditions improved, informed sources said.

Brig Gen M Abdul Alim, the personal physician of the President and member of the medical board formed to review the president's latest health condition, apprised that body temperatures of Dr Iajuddin Ahmed came down below fever heat on Tuesday night.

"The fever did not relapse thereafter," he said yesterday.

The President was admitted with high temperature to the CMH at around

11pm Monday. He was suffering from viral fever. His wife Prof Anwara Ahmed, who is also suffering from viral fever, is under treatment at the same hospital.

Professor Iajuddin Ahmed, 77, had an open-heart surgery at St Mount

Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore in 2006.

Release of Khaleda by June 30 urged

Staff Reporter

Leaders of Zia Parishad yesterday demanded unconditional release of former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia by June 30.

They also demanded judicial probe into torture on Tarique Rahman and punishment of those who responsible for it.

Zia Parished placed four-point demand at a press conference in the city.

Chairman of the organisation Kabir Murad addressed the press conference.

Former MP Maj Aktaruzzaman, leaders of the Parishad Prof Kamrul Ahsan Chowdury, Prof M Salimullah, Prof Abdul Hamid, Prof Shafiqul Islam,

Prof Abul Kalam Azad, Prof Enamul Haque, M Ibrahim, Prof Saida Aktar, Dr Abdul Hasnat Ali, Dr Mazharul Alam and Prof Shamsul Alam, among others, were present at the press conference.

Pointing at the caretaker government, the leaders said they hatched a plot against Zia's family so that next generation of the family cannot come to power.

Demanding release of Tarique and Koko for proper medical treatment abroad, they said the government will have to bear the treatment cost of Tarique and Koko, as they were not ills at the time of the arrest.

They echoed Begum Zia's demanded for holding national election by October 30 and lifting the state of emergency.

Niko case against Hasina turns uncertain: Records sent to HC

UNB, Dhaka

The arraignment hearing on the Niko graft case against former Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has apparently becomes uncertain as the High Court called for the trial court records for judicial scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the designated special court at the parliament building complex that deals with the case has sent its records to the High Court.

As the trial court resumed on Wednesday at 10:10 am, Judge AK Roy informed both the defence and prosecution lawyers that he had complied with the June 19 High Court order after receiving it officially.

The High Court during hearing on a petition filed by Sheikh Hasina seeking quashment of the Niko case had called for trial court records by June 30 to examine whether the case had been filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with due process of law.

The court, however, fixed July 7 as the next date for arraignment hearing subject to the High Court decision on the pending quashment petition.

Earlier, two accused in custody-Prof Rafiqul Islam, former state minister for energy and power, and its ex-secretary Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury-appeared in the court amid tight security, while principal accused Hasina, dispensed with personal attendance during trial proceedings, was represented by Adv Sahara Khatun.

On December 9 last year, the ACC filed the case with Tejgaon police station. The ACC on May 7 submitted the charge sheet to the court against Hasina and eight others.

According to the charge sheet, the accused in collusion with each other awarded gas extraction work at Chhatak, Kamta and Feni gas fields to Niko Resources Ltd., a Canadian company, to gain personal financial benefit that caused a loss of Tk 13,630.50 crore to the state coffer.

46 lakh drug addicts: Tk 46 cr being spent a day: 100,000 people involved in illegal business in Dhaka

Staff Reporter

Drug addicts spend at least Tk 46 crore on narcotics every day in Bangladesh, where as much as one lakh people are involved in the illicit trade, a top government official said yesterday.

"Dhaka is the largest market of illegal drugs in the country," Director General of the Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) Humayun Kabir told journalists. "Some 30 per cent of the illegal drug traders are women and children," he added.

"It is unfortunate for us that we have failed to control the use of narcotics," the chief of DNC mourned, as the nation is set to observe the International Day Against Drug Abuse today (June 26).

The director general, however, clarified what he said was on the basis of private sector reports, as the Government lacks specific data on the number of drug addicts or drug use in the country.

A private organisation Family Hall International carried out a survey in 2004 that found that there were some 4.6 million (46 lakh) drug addicts in the country.

No such survey has been done since, Humayun Kabir said. "But a drug addict spends at least Tk 100 every day."

Heroin is the most widely abused hard drug, while Yaba has become popular as a 'fashionable' drug, the DNC chief said. Around 75 per cent addicts are aged between 15 and 30 years.

"We have to increase public awareness about the harmful effects of illegal drugs and build up social resistance against its use," he said.

The DNC has taken up various programmes marking International Day Against Drug Abuse, including rallies, discussion sessions and exhibitions.

DNC deputy director Abu Taleb said the department suffered a shortage of manpower, with only one person for 2.5 lakh people, while many posts have remained vacant for long.

"There are vehicles for our officials in only 7 out of 64 districts in countrywide. We don't have necessary equipment," he said.

Replying to a question from the media, he said: "The department does not have any comprehensive data on numbers of individuals involved in drugs trade."

"Some 8,000 cases are filed on an average every year, and some 8,500 people involved in the drug trade are arrested every year."

"Extrapolating from these figures, we can estimate that about one lakh people are involved in drug trade."

"Abuse and trade of narcotics is mainly urban-oriented. Dhaka is by far the largest market," he added.

The deputy director said drug traders preferred to use women and children for carrying and selling drugs, as they enjoyed relative safety from law enforcers.

The traders saw children as the 'safest', Taleb said, as the law is least strict on them, and they can be employed for running drugs at low cost.

Because of its geographic location in the midst of major drug-producing and exporting countries, Bangladesh is reportedly used by trafficking organisations as a transit point.

The United Nations in 1987 decided to observe June 26 as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

Graft in water sector overlooked threat: TI: Climate change response thwarted

Staff Reporter

Corruption in the water sector is a root cause and catalyst for the global water crisis that threatens billions of lives and exacerbates environmental degradation, according to the Global Corruption Report 2008: Corruption in the Water Sector, globally released yesterday from Berlin and New York by Transparency International (TI).

"Water is a resource without substitute. It is paramount to our health, our food security, our energy future and our ecosystem. But corruption plagues water management and use in all these areas," said Huguette Labelle, Chair of Transparency International.

The report, the first of its kind to explore the impact and scope of corruption in different segments of the water sector, identifies a range of problems, from petty bribery in water delivery to procurement-related looting of irrigation and hydropower funds; from covering up industrial pollution to manipulation of water management and allocation policies.

"Corruption's impact on water is a fundamental governance problem, yet it is not sufficiently addressed in the many global policy initiatives for environmental sustainability, development, and food and energy security. This must change," added Labelle.

The water crisis is undeniable and the corruption challenge it faces is urgent. More than 1 billion people worldwide have no guaranteed access to water and more than 2 billion are without adequate sanitation, which has devastating consequences for development and poverty reduction.

"Climate change requires the world to come up with what is likely to be the most far-reaching and complex global governance framework ever devised. Without addressing the corruption risks, especially as they relate to water, such plans stand on shaky ground", said Labelle. The report demonstrates corruption's potential to obstruct effective enforcement of water-sharing pacts and resettlement arrangements, both key to confronting the fallout from climate change.

Irrigated land helps produce 40 per cent of the world's food, but corruption in irrigation is rampant. Addressing this risk is fundamental to increasing food production and tackling the global food crisis. "Massive new investments in irrigation have been announced worldwide to help counter the food crisis, yet water shortage means food shortage and if corruption in irrigation is not also addressed, these efforts will fall short," stated Labelle.