The New Nation - Internet Edition

Photography exhibition on climate change ends

The three-day-long photography exhibition on climate
change ended at Drik Gallery in the city yesterday NN
photo

Staff Reporter

The three-day long photography exhibition featuring works of nine photographs on climate change ended at the Drik Gallery in the city yesterday.

The exhibition organised by the Youth in Action on Climate, a network of young people active in and outside Bangladesh on causes and consequences of climate change, was inaugurated on Saturday.

Noted litterateur Selina Hossain inaugurated the show as chief guest, while cricketer Habibul Bashar Sumon, among others, were present on the occasion.

The aim of the exhibition was to raise awareness on climate issues among the youths.

Selina Hossain in her speech said, "We are seeking financial support from the first world countries as they are emitting more carbon than the developing countries. We should immediately stop cutting hills and forests to save our environment from destruction," she said.

A total of 40 photographs of Shoeb Faruqee, Abir Abdullah, Tanvir Ahmed, Muniruzzaman, MNI Chowdhury, Mohammad Mamun, Azizur Rahim Pew, Shafiq Islam and Naima Parvin were on displayed at the show.

Meanwhile, 'Nobokollol,' a cultural organisation, arranged a function at the Poet Sufia Kamal Auditorium of the National Museum in the city yesterday to mark the death anniversaries of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Narul Islam.

Poet Asad Chowdhury chaired the function, while eminent educationist and litterateur Prof dr Safiuddin Ahmed, litterateur Dr Jasim Uddin Ahmed, litterateur Moinuddin Kajol, Dr Habiba Khatun, Prof Niranjan Adhikari, among others, took part in the discussion.

Recitation artistes Rezinawali Lina, Mosharraf Hossain, Khairul Ahsan Sohag, poet Razia Hossain, poet Syed AhammedAli Aziz, Rifat Nigar Shapla, Rokeya Islam, Nahar Farid Khan, among others, presented in recitations at the function.

Recitation artiste Jobeda Begum Jui moderated the function, while Nazrul Islam Sachi, General Secretary of 'Nobokollol,' directed the event.

After the discussion and recitation, artistes of the organisation rendered songs of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam.

Appointment in BSMMU: ACC investigates graft relating irregularities

UNB, Dhaka

Apart from investigating graft in purchasing equipment, the Anti-Corruption Commission is also looking into corruption and irregularities relating to appointment, promotion and redundancy in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).

Speaking at the regular briefing of the Commission, ACC Director General (Admin) Col Hanif Iqbal said a special investigation team is also looking into corruption in setting up a washing plant in the country's only medical university.

"This is a time-consuming matter. It will take time to complete the investigation," he added.

Hanif informed that the special ACC team has primarily found out irregularities in purchasing a machine for BSMMU's Urology department.

In January 2004, the Chairman of the Urology department applied to the Vice-Chancellor for replacing a Lithotripsy machine before December 2005.

Three firms had submitted tenders to supply the machine. But the work order was given to the bidder that quoted about Tk 5 crore instead of the lowest bidder which quoted Tk 3.2 crore.

The machine was procured in 2006 at the price of Tk about 5 crore. But the Apollo Hospitals purchased the same machine from the same supplier at the same time at a cost of Tk 3.21 crore, a difference of over Tk 1.78 crore.

According to the special team, relevant rules and regulations were not followed in purchasing the machine.

Responding to a question, Col Hanif Iqbal said that in five purchasing irregularities discovered so far by the special team, some names have come out who were allegedly involved in the deals.

He said it is not possible for him to specifically state as to who were involved with corruption unraveled so far.

Hanif said legal measures would be taken against those involved after receiving recommendations from the special team.

He informed that a special team formed to investigate corruption in the Land Ministry has also begun its activities.

The special team would investigate different types of corruption relating to allocation of khas land, land acquisition, buying, selling and use of cars, model villages and posting of assistant settlement officers.

The five-member special team, headed by ACC deputy director Ashraf Ali Faruk, will also investigate corruption and irregularities in the Directorate of Land Survey.

40,000 people die of kidney disease annually

BSS, Dhaka

The number of kidney patients in the country is increasing at an alarming rate as about two crore people are suffering from the disease.

"About two crore people are now some how suffering from the kidney disease which was about one crore 10 years back. The rate of the chronic kidney disease has now reached at 18 per cent by raising 50 per cent during the period," Professor Dr Harun-Ur-Rashid, Chairman of Department of Nephrology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), told BSS on Monday.

"If the present rate of the disease continues, it will reach at 28-30 per cent in the next 10 years," he said.

Prof Harun said one in every six persons has been suffering from this disease and 40,000 people die of longtime kidney failure annually. He said 95 per cent kidney patients of the country are unable to bear the cost of treatment. As a result, they slowly move towards death.

Taka two lakh is needed for a patient a year if he or she does dialysis two times a week which is very expensive for general people, Prof Harun said, adding only 2-3 thousand out of 40,000 kidney failure patients can afford the treatment cost.

According to the statistics, 64 per cent kidney patients undertake treatment by selling their property, 20 per cent take loan, 15 per cent get government and non-government assistance and only five per cent can afford the treatment cost.

Prof Harun said the treatment of end stage renal disease is either dialysis or tranplantation and both forms of treatment are very expensive and out of reach for majority of people.

As a result, he said, 70 per cent of kidney failure patients, who started dialysis, stop treatment in three months because they do not have money.

Prof Harun said lack of nephrologists in the country also hinders the treatment of kidney patients. "There is one nephrologists for 25 lakh people but the ratio should be one for 2/3 lakh people," he said.

Prof Harun, who is the President of Kidney Foundation, a pioneer in kidney disease treatment in the country, said lack of awareness among the people is also responsible for increasing number of kidney patients in the country. Quoting a survey of the foundation, he said, 60 per cent people of the BSMMU (PG Hospital) area are not aware of diabetes and high blood pressure, which are the main reasons for kidney disease.

Prof Harun said the number of diabetic and high blood pressure (HBP) patients is also raising alarmingly in the country. At present 4.5 per cent and 18 percent people have been suffering from diabetes and HBP respectively, which was 2.5 per cent and 10 percent 10 years ago, he said. He said if the awareness campaign on diabetes and HBP is strengthened, the number of kidney patients would be reduced to a great extent.

Prof Harun said about 500 kidney transplantation are done in the country. Of which, the Kidney Foundation does the highest number of kidney transplantation followed by BSMMU and BIRDEM, he added.

In the wake of raising kidney patients in the country, he said, the Kidney Foundation is constructing a world class kidney hospital with modern facilities at Mirpur in the city.

In the first phase, a four-storey building will be constructed on two-bigha land and a 40-bed dialysis unit be set up there. Kidney transplantation of at least four patients will be done in each week, he said.

Besides, Prof Harun said, cadaveric transplantation system, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy system would be introduced at the hospital to be named 'Kidney Hospital Foundation and Research Institute'. It will also have a modern laboratory, an intensive care unit (ICU) and tissue typing system.

In the second phase, the hospital will be turned into a seven-storey building where 200-bed dialysis service will be started, he said.

Prof Harun said the Kidney Foundation has now been providing treatment for poor and middle class people at an affordable cost.

He said kidney transplantation cost in the foundation is Taka two lakh, which is many times higher in other countries. A total of 86 kidney transplantation were done at their hospital in last one and a half years.

Prof Harun said the foundation takes Taka 600 for a dialysis which is Taka 2500-3500 in other hospitals in the country.

NBR urged to take action against PSI failure

UNB, Dhaka

Importers of steel scraps have urged National Board of Revenue (NBR) to take action against Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI) Companies for their failure to ensure proper shipment of imported goods.

After a recent incident of fraudulent shipment of imported goods by two scrap importers, Bangladesh Steel Mills Owners Association (BSMOA) and Bangladesh Re-Rolling Mills Association (BRMA) made the plea to the official revenue agency.

BSMOA president Sheikh Fzlur Rahman Bakul said they have drawn attention of the NBR to the matter after repeated failure in recent months.

He said that two steel mill owners imported scraps from Philippines but when the shipment reached the Chittagong port it was found that the suppliers supplied garbage stones, concretes and rubbish instead of the imported galvanised iron sheet bundles scraps.

BRMA General Secretary Sheikh Masadul Alam Masud said that in last few months a number of scrap importers had to face similar deals of cheating.

"This incident is taking place repeatedly due to the failure of the PSI companies, which were officially appointed by the NBR to check such fraudulent practices," he told UNB.

"But they are not doing their duties properly," he alleged.

Masud said that after the latest incident, the importers, BSMOA and BRMA leaders sat together with the Chiottagong Customs Commissioner to get remedy.

He questioned the justification of the PSI companies' appointment in pre-shipment business as the government in the last budget imposed specific duty on scrap imports.

"After specific duty fixation, we find no need of PSI companies' involvement with the process".

Masud said the FBCCI also demanded the NBR investigate into the incidents and take action against the responsible.

Prosecutors seek Thaksin’s assets

Agency, Bangkok

Prosecutors in Thailand have asked the Supreme Court to seize $2.2bn (£1.2bn) in assets belonging to ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The move is part of an investigation into alleged corruption during the businessman's five years in office.

Prosecutors said the money - frozen since the military seized power in a coup - should be put in state coffers.

Thaksin, who denies any wrong-doing, is now in Britain where he owns the Manchester City football club.

He came to the UK earlier this month to avoid facing the corruption charges - allegations which he says are aimed at preventing his return to front-line politics.

Early on Monday, Thai prosecutors handed over a lengthy submission seeking the confiscation of the frozen assets.

"The prosecutors are presenting evidence to ask the court to take away his unusual wealth and put it in state coffers," Reuters news agency quoted chief prosecutor Seksan Bangsomboon as saying.

In the wake of the September 2006 coup, military-backed investigators instigated a series of charges against Thaksin and his family for corruption and abuse of power.

When Thaksin returned to Thailand in February after 18 months of self-imposed exile, he vowed to fight the charges and clear his name.

But on 31 July his wife was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced to three years in jail.

Analysts say that the couple feared further cases could go against them and decided it was time to leave the country.

The Supreme Court has issued arrest warrants for the couple, but it is not yet clear whether Thai authorities will seek their extradition from the UK.

Thai food festival begins

Staff Reporter

A week long Thai Food Festival styled ' The Colours of Thai Cuisines' begins at The Westin Dhaka hotel yesterday.

At least 20 authentic Thai dishes displayed and offered by Thai tourism Authority with a 20 per cent discount at the festival. Royal Thai Embassy and The Westin Dhaka jointly organised the festival.

Thailand ambassador in Dhaka Chalermpol Thanchitt inaugurated the food festival with a colourful function.

At the inaugural function, he said that the food festival comes in such an auspicious time since Bangladesh and Thailand celebrating the 36th anniversary of diplomatic relations. "The food festival helps to promote the cordial relations between the two countries," Chalermpol Thanchitt hoped. He added the Royal Thai Embassy will also organise a seminar on 'Bangladesh-Thailand: Potentials from Partnership' as a part of 36th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Later, Thai artists performed traditional Thai dance at the function.

Usa Wijarum, Director of Thai Trade Centre in Dhaka, Wandee Na Songkla, chef from Thailand, General Manager of the Westin Dhaka (WD) Monsieur Stephane Masse, ATM Hafizullah, Director of Sales and Marketing of WD and Executive Chef of WD Gerard Wallace were present in the inaugural function.

Tribute to Anwar Zahid

Staff Reporter

Journalist and former Minister Anwar Zahid played a vital role in uniting the Islami nationalist forces in the various national crises and contributed a lot to the nation, said speakers at a discussion meeting yesterday.

Anwar was steadfast to his Islami nationalist ideology till his death, they added.

Sacheton Jubo Forum Bangladesh organised the discussion meeting in memory of Anwar Zahid and former BNP lawmaker Moulana Ataur Rahman Khan at Photo Journalist Association's office in the city.

Brig (Rtd) ASM Hannan Shah, Adviser to the BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini, chairman of Islami Okyajote, its secretary general moulana Abdul Latif Nazami, Adv Abdul Mobin, Secretary General of Islami Party, Moulana Jafar Ullah Khan, secretary general of Khelafat Andolan, Sheikh Anwarul Haque, president of NAP (Bhasani) and Prof ATM Hamayet Ullah, Dhaka city unit president of Islami Shashontantra Andolan, among others, spoke at the function with the forum president Abdul Malek Chowdhury in the chair.

Paying tribute to Zahid and Moulana Ataur Rahman Khan, Hannan Shah said both were honest and steadfast to their ideology. They never bowed down to any evil forces, he added.

Fazlul Haque Amini said a conspiracy was now being hatched to destroy the Islami nationalist forces. But the Islami nationalist forces would foil the conspiracy being imbuing with the spirit of Zahid's ideology, he noted.

Labour unrest feared in textile sector

Staff Reporter

Leaders of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) are foreseeing possible labour unrest in the industry due to unpaid wages, which was caused for disruptions in gas supply in many factories across the country.

"Inadequate gas supply for the last three to four months has left hundreds of factories idle that use gas generators to meet the power shortages," BTMA president Abdul Hai Sarkar said at a press conference yesterday at his office.

He said industries were failing to meet their export deadlines due to the crisis, which is also hampering the country's export earnings.

"The factories may face difficulties in paying their workers wages and bonuses before Eid due to the gas crisis and resulting production losses," the BTMA chief said.

Replying to reporters' queries, Sarkar ruled out any possibility of adopting the government's gas rationing proposals.

BTMA leaders in a statement criticised the government's decision to keep industries shut for 5 hours a day to save power during the month of Ramzan, saying the move would bring disaster in the country's economy.

BTMA vice president Jahangir Alamin called the government's management in this regard "faulty".

"In the wake of this gas crisis, the government must find which sectors need to be prioritised for gas and power supplies," he said.

Replying to queries, former adviser and BTMA director Tapan Chowdhury said they expect clear instructions from the government.

The government is campaigning for more investment against a backdrop of poor infrastructural support, said Tapan Chowdhury of Square Textiles.

"We need to know what we are to do. Should we go for further investment or try and keep a hold of what we already have?" he asked.

Change in pension system for public servants urged

BSS, Dhaka

Speakers at a meeting here on Monday urged the government to change the existing policy of pension fund generation and appoint specific designated persons to settle pension cases of the retired public servants.

The existing system of raising the fund for pension of retired public servants from taxpayers is not 'justified', as under the system posterity has to bear the burden of the pension of their previous generation. The system also does not recognise the pension as a 'right', but 'benevolence', they said.

Addressing a function on the occasion of releasing a report on 'Corruption in Delivery of Public Pension' at Jatiya Press Club, the speakers called for the introduction of automation system to keep in record of the civil servants since their joining in service. The report published by the Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) said public pension is one of those sectors where corruption is high and about 71 per cent pension receivers had to pay bribe on an average Taka 8,000 to get the Pension Payment Order (PPO).

It said generally a civil servant has to submit eight to 11 documents including gas bill and electricity bill payment certificate to get the PPO and in every stage has to procure the certificate they face harassment and give bribe.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the TIB trustee board Professor Muzaffer Ahmed said the government should amend the existing pension policy to acknowledge the benefit as the rights of the retired civil servants, not benevolence.

"The government should keep provision for each official and employee during their whole service period and the amount should be accumulated in a separate fund," he said adding that many countries and international agencies are following the system.

He also urged the civil servants to preserve all documents of their service in a file so that none can exploit or harass them at the time of taking delivery of their pension after leaving the office.

Former adviser of the caretaker government Hafiz Uddin Khan, former ambassador Waliur Rahman and TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman spoke among others.

Research fellow of the TIB KNM Hossainul Haque presented the report prepared on the data collected from different newspapers during 2000-2006 period.

Describing his personal experience in getting pension, former ambassador Waliur Rahman said he didn't get the benefit even after nine years of his retirement as he denied to give bribe.

'After the present caretaker government assuming the office, my file started to move', he said demanding 'one stop service' for pensioners.

Hafiz called for the implementation of the recommendations he made to the government when he was an adviser in 2001. He also laid stress on introducing 'history of service' book for every public servant.

Barisal medical college closed after campus clashes

UNB, Barisal

The authorities closed indefinitely the Sher-e-Bangla Medical College (SBMC) yesterday following death of an outsider sparking overnight clashes with students in the campus.

College authorities also asked the resident students to vacate all the five hostels, including two for female students, within 24 hours.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the Academic Council of the College after mid-day after some local people swooped on students inside the campus to protest the death of the young outsider.

Witnesses said the students of the college beat up Murad Ahmed, 24, son of Ashraf Ali of Dakkhin Alekanda Refugee Colony adjacent to Zamilur Rahman Pappu Hostel, on the campus Sunday morning suspecting him to be a thief. He succumbed to his injury in the evening sparking tension in the campus and adjoining areas.

A group of local people, angry over the death of Murad Ahmed, brought out procession with the victim's body demanding punishment for the culprits.

The protestors also entered the campus and damaged several rooms of a nearby hostel resulting brief clashes which continued till Monday morning. At least eight students were injured in the incidents, college sources said.

The agitated mob shouting slogans also marched to DC office to hand over a memorandum demanding immediate arrest of Murad's killers.

SBMC Principal Dr Zahid Hossain told reporters the decision to close the college was taken to avert any further trouble.

The provisional examinations of the college will however be held as scheduled, the meeting sources said.

Aid dependence govt still requires foreign aid: Aziz

Staff Reporter

Finance and Planning Adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam yesterday said the dependency on foreign aid is increasing due to the mitigation of social safety net programme and minimising the losses of natural calamities by the government.

"We must accept the reality in the current perspective that the country still do require foreign aids for mitigating government imports expenditures", he said.

He was speaking as chief guest at a roundtable on ' Accra Conference on Aid Effectiveness: Perspective from Bangladesh' organised by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) at the BRAC Centre Inn in the city.

Professor Rehman Sobhan, Chairman, CPD presided over and Dr Fahmida Khatun, Additional Director of the organisation presented the keynote paper.

It was also addressed among others by Abul Mal Abdul Muhit, former Finance Minister, Dr Quazi Meshahuddin Ahmed, Managing Director, PKSF, Mustafa K Mujeri, Chief Economist of Bangladesh Bank, M Saiduzzaman, former Finance Adviser, Xian Zhu, Country Director of the World Bank, Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, additional secretary of ERD, Japanese Ambassador Masayuki Inoue, Siddiqur Rahman, former Finance Secretary and Prof Mostafizur Rahman, Executive Director of CPD.

The Finance Adviser said the aid dependency of the country has increased in recent years but most of it has done without donor's conditions.

He also mentioned that in the last year the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has provided financial assistance to the government that was free from condition.

"Our export earnings and flow of remittance are increasing. But these resources are not sufficient to mitigate the public expenditure", he mentioned and added that the government was itself required foreign aid for mitigating its import expenditures.

"In macroeconomic term the dependency of foreign aid is declining while the government dependency on foreign aid is increasing for mitigating the import of essential items," he added.

He said the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP-II) has been prepared with the consultation of the all concerned stakeholders.

Dr Azizul, however, urged the donor's countries not to add the issues of democracy and human rights as one of the prime conditions while disbursing aids to the recipient countries.

Abul Mal Abdul Muhit said Bangladesh should address for her aid debt. He said that sectoral aid is more important than project based aid.

Japanese Ambassador said capacity building and transparency of aid is very important for the development partners and the recipient countries.

Dr Fahmida Khatun in her presentation said though the share of foreign aid in GDP has been halved during 1991-2007 and the role of aid in dealing with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's) cannot be undermined.

"Bangladesh needs its donors to use country systems and procedures to manage and account for aid," she mentioned.