The New Nation - Internet Edition

President seeks enhanced ADB assistance to power, gas sectors

Outgoing ADB Country Director Hua Du called on
President Prof Dr Iajuddin Ahmed at Bangabhaban on
Wednesday. PID Photo

UNB, Dhaka

President Professor Iajuddin Ahmed sought enhanced assistance from the Asian Development Bank in developing power, gas and transportation sectors of Bangladesh.

He stressed the need for funding these priority sectors while talking to ADB Country Director Hua Du when she paid a farewell call on the President at Bangabhaban yesterday.

During the meeting, the outgoing ADB country chief apprised the president of the donor agency's different activities and support to Bangladesh in achieving its aspired goals in various fields, including expanding quality primary education, creating business environment, developing private sector, ensuring high economic growth and food security, and protecting environment.

She mentioned that the funding agency made the highest allocation in 2007-08 fiscal with US$ 965 million for Bangladesh during the present government, and the disbursement also recorded the highest amount during the same period.

"ADB is the lead development partner for the ongoing Second Primary Education Sector Development Programme aimed at reducing poverty through contributing sustainable socioeconomic development as envisaged in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)," said the Country Director.

She also highly appreciated the different reform programmes undertaken by the present government in various fields and its performance in enhancing efficiency and productivity through strengthening private sectors.

She also praised for developing rural infrastructures and irrigation, ensuring available agriculture credits for farmers and supplying hybrid seeds that contributed significantly to increasing agriculture productivity and domestic food products.

The ADB Country Director apprised the President that ADB attaches high priority to the effects of climate change and has set up climate-change fund for assisting its developing member-countries threatened by climate change.

She told the President that Bangladesh that contributes only less than 0.1 percent to global climate change is one of the countries worst affected by global warming.

Hua Du, who has stayed for the last six years in Bangladesh, highly appreciated the people of the country for their warm hospitality, courage and hard work.

The President thanked the outgoing ADB country Director for her performance during the six-year-long tenure.

He also sought the outgoing ADB country director's cooperation in the development efforts of Bangladesh in the days to come.

Secretary of President's Office Md Sirajul Islam, Military Secretary to the President Major General Mohammad Ruhul Amin and Press Secretary Abdul Awal Howlader were present.

NUB convocation held: Students urged to grow up as worthy citizens

Adviser for Ministries of Primary and Mass Education
and Cultural Affairs Rasheda K Chowdhury (2nd from left)
inaugurated the 2nd convocation of Northern University
Bangladesh at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre
in the city yesterday. Former

DU Correspondent

Primary and Mass Education, Children and Women Affairs Adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury yesterday asked the graduating students to build themselves as worthy citizens of the country.

The graduating students should have the capability to face the present danger and future challenges of the country. They should take care of the values and ideas of the nation, she said while addressing the 2nd convocation ceremony of Northern University of Bangladesh (NUB) as chief guest at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

Former Chief Adviser Justice Latifur Rahman was the convocation speaker while Vice-Chancellor of the university Prof Dr M Shamsul Haque presided over the ceremony.

M Abu Bakar Siddique, Treasurer of the university, delivered the welcome speech on the occasion.

A total of 1283 graduates from different disciplines received certificates from chief guest.

Besides, three graduates of the university got Vice-Chancellor's award for their outstanding results.

The Adviser hoped that the graduates will be honest in all their activities that will earn respect for the country and contribute to its development.

Justice Latifur Rahman stressed on higher education for both men and women for the advancement of society.

He congratulated the graduates who received degrees at the convocation and wished them success in life

He reminded the graduates that the present century is an era of competition and only talented students can survive in competition.

He also underscored the need for imparting job-oriented education to create skilled manpower.

Liquidity position of banks slightly improves

UNB, Dhaka

The liquidity position in the banking system has improved to some extent recently, rising from a state of concern only a month before.

Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), a platform of bank directors, chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder spoke of the liquidity position Wednesday, a month after the bankers created a hullabaloo due to liquidity crisis and sought intervention from Bangladesh Bank, the country's central bank.

"The liquidity crisis has reduced to a great extent with increased deposits. It is also reflected in the lower call money rate," he told reporters after a meeting with Governor Dr Salehuddin Ahmed at Bangladesh Bank. A BAB delegation, led by its chairman, met the Governor and senior executives of the central bank to discuss the overall banking sector issues including liquidity position, deposits, retirement of directors as per the Banking Companies Act and opening exchange houses abroad.

The bankers also demanded depositing of government funds with the private banks to help strengthen their liquidity position. "I've heard their proposals… we'll examine them," the Governor said. BAB chairman Majumder said the state-owned commercial banks share 75 percent of the government funds and the private banks only 25 percent, despite the private banks contribute 55 percent of the total banking sector contribution to the economy.

"The Governor has agreed, in principle, on the need for increasing deposit of the government funds to the private banks," he said, adding that the private banks were performing better than the state-owned banks. The loan recovery rate of the private banks are far better than that of nationalised banks.

Replying to a question, he said they sought the government funds even after the improvement of the liquidity position so they could offer lower lending rates to the borrowers.

Majumder said they requested the central bank to allow the private banks to open exchange houses abroad, particularly in the European countries. The Governor would consider the issue, he added.

About the move to raise paid up capital to Tk 400 crore, he said the central bank would allow the private banks to raise the capital in phases, possibly in 2-3 years.

About retirement of bank directors as per the Banking Companies Act, Majumder said there is a law in this regard. Even, they requested the central bank to relax the law through discussions with the banks for greater interest of the industry.

He requested the Governor to extend the tenure of the retiring directors after completion of six years in two terms by one more term.

Deadlock on gas emission targets: Rich nations pledge action on food, oil

AFP, Toyako

Leaders of the world's eight top industrial powers wrapped up a summit Wednesday with pledges to act on soaring oil and food prices, but failed to bridge deep differences with poor nations on how to fight climate change.

US President George W. Bush hailed his last G8 summit, at which rich nations agreed to at least halve global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as "very productive" before he left the resort venue in the mountains of northern Japan.

"I'm pleased to report that we've had significant success," Bush said.

Emerging nations invited to attend a special summit on climate change however declined to back the G8's much-touted carbon emissions goals, saying they amounted to empty rhetoric.

Leaders grappling with climate change and spiralling prices also made time to address the crisis in Zimbabwe, where President Robert Mugabe won a violence-marred election from which his chief rival dropped out.

The summit "made it clear we would impose new sanctions against an illegitimate regime that has blood on its hands," British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, rallying world support for UN sanctions on Harare.

The G8 powers-Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States-account for two-thirds of the world's gross domestic product.

Their leaders said in a joint statement that while global growth had "moderated," they remained positive on the future.

They called for efforts to bring down oil prices, which have jumped five-fold since 2003, as well as the soaring cost of food which has set off riots in parts of the developing world.

"There's a need to improve transparency on the oil market," Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told a news conference.

G8 leaders also called on all countries to end export restrictions on food, Fukuda said.

The summit was dominated by discussions on global warming amid growing concern that rising temperatures caused by carbon emissions are threatening entire species of plants and animals.

The rich nations' club on Tuesday agreed on the need for a global emissions cut of at least 50 percent by 2050, a step praised by G8 leaders as a step forward after years of hesitation by Bush.

But developing countries slammed the statement as too weak, tussling with rich nations at a special expanded summit on Wednesday bringing together the G8 with eight other leaders including Chinese President Hu Jintao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The deadlock between rich and developing nations has held up talks on reaching a new climate treaty by the end of 2009 in Copenhagen-a goal set in December at a UN-backed conference in Bali.

"Climate change is one of the great global challenges of our time," the 16 leaders said in a statement. "Our nations will continue to work constructively together to promote the success of the Copenhagen climate change conference."

But their statement said only that rich countries would implement their own goals for cutting greenhouse emissions while developing major economies would also take action, without proposing any numbers.

European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso defended the summit outcome.

"It is quite wrong to see this in terms of a confrontation between developed and developing countries," he said. "Of course we accept the lion's share of responsibility but this is a global challenge which requires a global response."

But the so-called Group of Five-Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa-has demanded that rich nations take the lead, saying they were historically responsible for climate change.

Steps to recover occupied halls of JN Varsity

BSS, Dhaka

The Jagannath University Authorities have started work on recovering its 12 occupied dormitories. Of them, six hostels will be recovered soon, Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Sirajul Islam said on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference, he said the process for collecting statistics on all movable and immovable property, cash and bank-deposited money and grabbed property has already been completed.

There were 12 dormitories of the now-defunct Jagannath College. Of them, Abdur Rahman Hostel and Shaheed Anwar Shafique Hostel at Armanitola, Shaheed Azmal Hossain Hostel at Patuatuli, Bani Building Hostel at Banglabazar, Shaheed Sahabuddin Hostel and Tibbet Hostel at Waizghat will be recovered very soon, he said. The VC said the work on recovering six other dormitories---Saidur Rahman Hostel, Abdur Rauf Majumder Hostel, Bazlur Rahman Hostel, Shaheed Nazrul Islam Hostel and Dr Habibur Rahman Hostel at Patuatuli and a building for employees is going on.

Dr Islam said semester system was introduced from 2005-2006 academic year to make the academic activities of the university standard and time-befitting. English has been made compulsory in the first and second semester, he added.

The VC said marketing and finance departments were opened from 2006-2007 academic year.

Besides, the university syndicate has taken a decision to open six new departments and two centres, waiting for approval of the University Grants Commission, he said.

The six new departments are pharmacy, computer science and engineering, micro-biology and biotechnology, law, anthropology and mass communication and journalism, he said.

Dr Islam said the appointment of teachers against most of 126 posts including 66 posts for 22 departments and 60 posts created for Jagannath University Establishment Project was completed.

Pak PM likely to visit Bangladesh in August

UNB, Dhaka

Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani is likely to visit Bangladesh sometime in August.

This was primarily agreed as Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed invited the Pak premier during a bilateral meeting at Hotel Hilton on the sidelines of D-8 summit in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.

As the matter of terrorism came up during the discussion in the meeting, the Pakistan Prime Minister said terrorism is bad news for Muslim countries.

He said Pakistan always fights against terrorism, but their leader Benazir Bhutto was killed by the terrorists.

The Chief Adviser said Bangladesh is firm and strong in its stand against terrorism and mentioned that not a single bomb was exploded or a single bullet fired in Bangladesh in last one and half years, according to CA's press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim who was present at the meeting. Gillani said around three million refugees in Pakistan have become security concern for the country.

Two successive floods and cyclone 'Sidr', climate change and local government election in Bangladesh were also discussed in the meeting.

About the local bodies' election, Dr Fakhruddin said it is a non-political election and mentioned the upcoming polls to four city corporations on August 4.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi were also present at the meeting.

Hearing on Gatco case against Khaleda stalled

UNB, Dhaka

The arraignment hearing on Gatco scam against ex-premier Khaleda Zia, her youngest son and 22 others could not take place as a petition for staying the case proceedings lies pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

As informed by the defence counsel about the matter, a special court that deals with high- profile corruption cases deferred the charge hearing to July 20.

On June 30, the public prosecutor for the Anti-Corruption Commission moved the proposal for framing charges against the accused but that remained inconclusive.

The court of judge Shahed Noor Uddin resumed at 10:23am, after the detained BNP chairperson and other co-accused were produced amid tight security.

Her detained younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, who has been dispensed with personal appearance during trial on health grounds, was represented by his lawyer Tahirul Islam. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 2 last year against Khaleda and the other accused on charge of graft in awarding Gatco the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.

The following day, the army-led joint forces arrested the mother and son at their Dhaka Cantonment residence, as the interim regime launched a crackdown on former ruling politicians following a political crisis over polls.

On May 13, the ACC submitted the charge sheet to the CMM court against 24 persons.

The charge-sheeted accused include top BNP leaders former finance minister M Saifur Rahman, former LGRD minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, former land minister M Shamsul Islam, former agriculture minister MK Anwar, former commerce minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, and former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and former industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami.

Arrest warrant on ex-minister Redwan’s wife, Mirza Azam

Court Correspondent

The Metropolitan Session Judge of Dhaka yesterday ordered warrant of arrest against former State Minister Redwan Ahmed's wife and Juba League leader Mirza Azam in two separate graft cases.

Judge Md Azizul Haque also ordered attachment of their properties.

Earlier on Tuesday the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) pressed charges against detained former BNP State Minister Redwan Ahmed and his wife Momtaj Ahmed in a case filed in connection with Taka 2.95 crore and concealing wealth information in the statement he submitted to the commission.

ACC Deputy Director and Investigation (IO) of the case Tuesday submitted the charge-sheet to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court. IO Shahin Ara Momtaj sought issuance of arrest warrant against Momtaj Ahmed and order to attach her properties as she has been absconding and Redwan was earlier taken into custody. In the charge sheet, the IO said, Redwan now a leader of Liberal Democratic Party amassed wealth worth Taka 2,95,45,500 through illegal means and concealed information about his property worth Taka 4,05,24,511. He submitted the wealth statement through Jail Authorities. His wife Momtaj was included in the case for abetting her husband in amassing and concealing wealth.

ACC also submitted charge-sheet against Mirza Azam, however, prayed for discharging his wife from the instant graft case. Azam was accused of having wealth worth Taka 56,20,214 beyond his known sources of income and concealing facts about his wealth worth Taka 34,84,975. Both the cases have been filed under Emergency Power Rules (EPR) 2007.

Solar power must for new high-rises

UNB, Dhaka

Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed will kick off a special campaign today to motivate people to use renewable energy across the country-a latest move of the caretaker government for offsetting a crunch amid a worldwide fuel problem.

Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is organising the drive to popularize the Renewable Energy as new source of energy in the wake of worldwide crisis of fossil fuels and brouhaha over converting food-grains to bio-fuels. The renewable energy includes solar power, biogas, and other non-traditional sources.

Chief advisor's Special Assistant for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Dr. M Tamim yesterday announced the programme at a press conference at his ministry.

He said steps have been taken to make mandatory the use of solar power in the new high-rise buildings in the city and also provide incentives for using renewable energy in the old structures.

To get to the goal, necessary changes are being made to the building-code rules.

The head of the caretaker government will inaugurate the two-day campaign July 10-11 that includes a national workshop and an exhibition of the renewable energy products at Winter Garden of the Sheraton Hotel in the city.

Delwar asks 'foreign friends’ to stay away from conspiracies

Staff reporter

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar Hossain yesterday urged the country's 'foreign friends' not to back any conspiracy that might put the country's military into a confrontational course with the people.

He said there was a conspiracy by some foreign quarters to label Bangladesh as a safe haven of Islamic fundamentalists. "Don't try to make Bangladesh another Iraq or Afghanistan," he said.

Delwar was addressing a four-party alliance rally organised to observe a day demanding the lifting of the State of Emergency at the city's Engineers Institute.

Referring to upcoming Delhi meeting between Bangladeshi and India on July 18 on deal of transit facilities, BNP general secretary said any deal to give transit facilities would be violation of the Constitution, as an international pact needs parliamentary approval.

The present "illegitimate, unconstitutional" Government has no right to ink any such deal, Delwar said.

He said the countrymen want to know why the State of Emergency period was being extended ignoring the Constitution.

He said, "the State of the Emergency was declared as a part of a conspiracy and blue print hatched by the local and international quarters."

"It is clear to the people that the Government is keeping Begum Khaleda Zia and Motiur Rahman Nizami detained with a view to keeping them out of the election. The Government will keep them detained by farcical punishment in the name of justice," Khondoker Delwar said.

He alleged that the Government was like heavy stone on the nation's shoulder to establish its agendas and added that the conspiracy to exploit the country would never see the light of the day.

Pointing at Awami League's participation in the local government elections, BNP Secretary general said, "One party wants a walk over to power. So that they don't have any accountability to the people."

Delwar asked the party-men whether they wanted the caretaker government would hold on to power hampering the people and country's interest.

Jamaat Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed said the Government had been trying to establish the "Minus two theory" after coming to power and added they could minus none, if the people did not.

He asked the Government why they were holding the local government elections ahead of the general elections ignoring the constitution, as they had no wish to form a party like former autocratic ruler Hussain Mohammad Ershad.

Mojaheed also asked why the Government was holding the general elections first, if it was sincere to the Constitution.

Pointing at Awami League, Mojaheed said the Government came to power due to your (Awami League's) pole and oar-politics. You (AL) had intimacy with the government, he alleged.

BNP secretary general announced the programme schedules to observe July 16 as the Basic Human Rights Day and July 17 as protest against 'aggression' day.

BNP Standing Committee members Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqi and Dr RA Gani, BNP leader Selima Rahman, Jamaat leaders Abdul Kader Molla, Moulana Abdus Sobhan and Azharul Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Naziur) Barrister Andalib Rahman, its Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, chief of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish Moulana Ishaq and Secretary General of Bangladesh Islami Okyajote Abdul Latif Nizami, among other alliance leaders, addressed the rally.

BNP Secretary General Khondoker Delwar presided over the rally and BNP Office Secretary Ruhul Kabir Rizvi conducted it.

Carel de Rooy new UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh

UNB, Dhaka

Carel de Rooy assumed responsibility as new UNICEF country representative in Bangladesh, after having served the cause of the UN agency in aid of children and women in different countries.

Carel de Rooy, who is replacing Louis-Georges Arsenault, presented his credentials to Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury at the latter's office Wednesday.

Welcoming the Representative, the Foreign Adviser said, "There exists an excellent partnership between the government and UN agencies, including UNICEF, which I hope would continue to grow."

The Adviser also praised UNICEF's role during last year's floods and cyclone sidr and said Bangladesh in return has been championing the case of UNICEF within the UN system.

RAB seize 600 maunds carbide-ripened mangoes in city

UNB, Dhaka

A mobile court of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), in a drive, recovered 600 maunds of carbide-ripened mangoes from city's Mirpur area yesterday and arrested two mango traders for selling the seasonal fruit mixing with the poisonous chemical.

As part of the ongoing drive against adulterate food items, a mobile court of RAB-4 conducted the drive at Baghbari Baranipara in Gabtoli till 3pm and arrested Mohammad Yasin Hossain, 25, and Abdul Halim Bepari, 37, while they were selling mangoes by mixing poisonous chemical Calcium Carbide at noon.

The court also fined them Tk 50,000 each, in default, to suffer three months simple imprisonment. The traders were sent to jail as they failed to give the fine money.

Multi-stakeholders discussion held: Effective use of foreign aid helps reduce poverty

Staff Reporter

Speakers at a discussion yesterday urged donors and recipient countries to reform and properly manage foreign aid in order to improve its effectiveness.

They however, said that widening of tax net and proper investment of foreign remittances could significantly help reduce the country's aid dependency.

If the necessary reforms were carried out in the utilization of foreign aid then it would reduce poverty, inequality, accelerate economic growth, build capacity and enhance the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's), they added.

Their observation came at a multi-stakeholder discussion on " Paris Declaration and Aid Effectiveness" jointly organised by Voice and Aid Accountability at Jatiya Press Club.

Dr Kazi Koliquzzaman Ahmad presided over the function. Dr Atiur Rahman, Dr Pias Karim, Bo Sundstrom of DFID, Jan Moller Hansen, Charge d' Affaires of the Danish Embassy, Monwar Hossain Akhand and Mohsin Ali, among others, took part in the discussion. Ahmed Swapan Mahmud gave vote of thanks.

Dr Atiur Rahman said the international donor agencies should be accountable and have a culture of self-criticism.

"There is a need for debt cancellation for the developing countries at least for the sake of climate change," he said adding that the developed countries are mainly responsible for the adverse affect of climate change in the globe.

"Many non-government organisations (NGO's) are not democratic and they look like another government," he observed.

He said the relationship between the Government and NGO's need to be harmonised in the case of receiving and utilising foreign aid.

Dr Kazi Koliquzzaman Ahmad said regular exchanges of views are necessary between the Government, donors and stakeholders for effective use of foreign aid.

"If we strengthen our local governments and mobilise resources then we could scale down much of our foreign aid dependency," he said.

They placed some recommendations that include creating an effective and relevant independent monitoring and evaluation system for the Paris Declaration, commitment to give aid for poverty eradication and human rights development and ensure meaningful participation by Civil Society Organisations (CSO's) in Accra for discussing the effectiveness of foreign aid in September next.