The New Nation - Internet Edition

Fall in buying gift items from mega shop

Eid shoppers choosing panjabi at a city shopping
malls yesterday. NN photo

Shamim Jahangir

In sharp contrast to the previous years, the number of businessmen and politicians buying Eid gift items from the mega shopping malls and boutique houses in the capital in huge quantity has dropped substantially this year.

Their subdued enthusiasm for buying costly brand items on the eve of the Eid festival is attributed by some to increased vigilance of the anti-corruption department.

The owners of several shopping malls in posh areas said that normally Eid shopping picks up from the fifteenth day of the Ramazan. But we are not witnessing the surge of customers at the shops selling sarees, Punjabis, fatwas and shirts this time, they said.

Khandaker Mahbubul Alam, Manager of Maudline, a wear house at Basundhara City, told the New Nation that there was a heavy rush of customers to his shop to buy panjabis, shirts and pants last year." We are still passing through a dull period this season," he noted.

Last year, we noticed a single customer buying over a dozen punabi or shirt.

The enthusiasm of the high profile customers is missing this year, he further said.

On the other hand, the consumers belonging to higher middle class have been forced to cut their Eid budget in the wake of 15 to 20 percent hike in the prices of men and women wears this year.

Mantra, an exclusive fashion store at Gulshan-1, is stuffed with all kinds of men and women branded apparels.

"Mantra is selling Indian 'Orly' brand Pnjabi at prices ranging from Tk 2,000 to Tk 9,000, men's wear 'Fatua' from Tk 2,000 to Tk 3,000, Indian and Thailand brand shirts (Arrow, Venenteno, GQ) between tk 1,600 and Tk 5,500, T-shirt brand like 'crocodile', 'wrangler', 'GQ' 'Hazard', 'colour plus' price between 1,500 and Tk 4,500, jeans pant price (Lee, wrangler) between Tk 2,500 and Tk 5,500, formal pant between Tk 2,000 and Tk 5,500," Saiful Islam, an executive of Mantra told the New Nation.

"Besides, we have also offered the women wear like Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi brand sarees at prices varying from Tk 1,000 to 80,000 according to quality," he said.

Saiful Islam admitted that shopping spree is still short of this expectation and that it is yet to reach the last year's level. Atiqualla, sales manager of Rich Man, a men's wear house at Basundhara City, said that they offer colourful and well-designed dresses for young fashioners.

He informed that the prices of all kinds of their products have increased by 10 to 15 percent this year.

Fashion conscious young men are thronging the men's wear house "Dorjibari" at the same market to buy the latest model shirts, pants, jeans and blazers.

He said they have introduced exclusive shirt like 'blue door' for Eid.

Shariq Mahmood, director of Menz Klub, a fashion house, however, expressed his satisfaction over the good sale from his outlet during the last couple of days.

Simon Khna, a manager of Marsal, another wear house of Basundhara city told the New Nation that their business has started falling since last year and blamed the government's anti corruption drive for the worse condition of business this year.

Aheli, a fashion Panjabi collection house, is selling different verities of Panjabi between Tk 690 and Tk 10,000 each.

Aktheruzzaman, owner of Designer's Menswear at DCC Park Market-Gulshan-1, said that a good number of politicians and businessmen used to come to my fashion houses on the eve of every Eid in the past. "But their visit is few and far between this year," he said.

Prince, proprietor of 'The Cheo,' a fashion house at Navana Tower in Gulshan area, said that the business of his fashion house has decreased by 30 percent compared since last year.

Kumudini Handicrafts, a unit of Kumudini Welfare Trust of Bengal Ltd, is charging Tk 750 to Tk 5,200 for one piece of Punjabi.

Nazir Hossan, manager sales of Khan Brothers, an exclusive design house in Star World at Gulshan, said their sale of Punjabi and sharwani is dull this time.

TAC to have another extension till Oct 30: Mercy petition to be issued from today

Staff Reporter

A frustrated Truth and Accountability Commission (TAC) has once again extended the deadline for clemency submissions, as corrupt politicians and business barons, for whom it was all meant, are yet to appear before it to confess.

Expressing deep frustration over not receiving clemency applications from big wigs, TAC Chairman Justice Habibur Rahman Khan yesterday said, "We hoped to deal with lots of cases. But that did not happen."

"Under the circumstances, the deadline for submitting applications has been extended until October 30," he said. This will be a second extension. The deadline was initially set September 1. Later, it was extended to September 30.

All but few of 252 applications received by TAC so far have been referred by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Coordination Committee (NCC) on serious crime and corruption.

Among the clemency-seekers, 10 applied directly, 73 cases have been referred by the ACC, 166 by the NCC and 3 by the courts.

Of them, 218 are government servants, wives of 19 of them, 8 businessmen and seven other professionals.

"Most of the applications received so far are from meter readers, supervisors or accountants…Where are the big rui-katlas (big officials)," the TAC Chairman told journalists at his weekly briefing.

"Have the top-level officials not committed corruption? Are they all Mr Clean?" he added.

He asked journalists to find out whether the investigating agencies like ACC and NCC have inquiries, investigations and cases pending against corrupt government high officials. "You will have to find out if high officials are involved in corruption and whether they have been taken to task for that."

He said that some of the people who had been sent to the Commission were very sick. "They have a very few properties. But they have been enlisted anyhow," he added.

"Under certain compelling circumstances four applicants have been relieved of any charge by the Commission," Justice Khan said. Documents of two cases have been sent back to NCC as clemency was not sought.

He said, "Rui-Katlas (big fishes) run away by tearing off the net while little ones get stuck in the net."

In 17 working days since September 1, TAC completed hearings of 103 persons of whom 57 have pledged to submit their ill-gotten money to the tune of Tk 16.44 crore to the state coffers. In return for clemency, 25 people have so far submitted Tk 8 crore.

Asked why so little money has been pledged by 103 individuals, TAC Member Maj Gen (retd) Manjur Rashid said, "So little money has been pledged because they are small fry."

"We have not yet found any kotipoti (millionaire) from Titas," he replied to another query.

The Commission would start issuing 'Mercy Certificates' from today among those who have already deposited their ill-gotten money with the exchequer.

"Only 103 cases could not be disposed of in 17 working days. If nobody else comes or the Anticorruption Commission or any other organisation does not send files, the commission will be able to finish its tasks within the timeframe," the TAC chairman said.

JICA JBIC merge as new JICA: Japanese support for Bangladesh to continue

Staff Reporter

Japan government's two largest aid agencies--Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC)-are going to be merged into a single entity from October 1 next.

With some 10 billion US dollars of available financial resources and 1,633 staff, the new organization, named, as 'New JICA' will be the world's largest bilateral development organization working around 150 countries. Only 19 new JICA-JBIC combined offices will be established around the world and one of them will be in Dhaka.

"As all you know, the economy of Bangladesh is now strong and advancing. Bangladesh has enough potential for next stage of development," said Masayuki Inoue, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, while addressing the audience at the merger ceremony of JICA and JBIC at Sonargaon Hotel in the city yesterday.

"I sincerely hope that Bangladesh will be more developed. At the same time, I also hope that Bangladesh's prosperity will bring benefits to all citizens in this country, not only to the rich people," he said.

The Ambassador also said that Japan would continuously support Bangladesh in future.

Speaking on the occasion, LGRD and Cooperatives Adviser Mohammed Anwarul Iqbal said Japan is Bangladesh's largest bilateral development partner and Japanese official development assistance (ODA) has made visible positive impact on the socio-economic development in the country, particularly in the fields of infrastructure, poverty alleviation, human resources development, education, culture, health, and science and technology.

Japan is also a significant source of foreign direct investment and has turned out to become an important trading partner of Bangladesh, he said. However, the Adviser said apart from development assistance, Bangladesh as a developing nation welcomes flow of foreign investment to help introduce new technology, improve job market and accelerate economic growth.

Referring to the merger of JICA and JBIC, Iqbal said, "We hope that joint effort of JICA and JBIC as a new organization will be more synergistic in effect in the utilization of Japanese development assistance."

"Rather than the individual initiatives, concerted effort of newly formed JICA in the comprehensive selection and implementation of programmes and projects is expected to make more positive impact on the economy and people of Bangladesh."

Ms Nobuko Suzuki Kayashiama, Resident Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office, said that New JICA would be committed to work with the Bangladesh government for its sustainable development more closely than ever before. "We will also work along with other development partners to exercise efficient and effective development assistance to Bangladesh through proactive participation in a joint cooperation strategy."

Until now, she said Japanese technical cooperation has been handled by JICA, ODA loan by JBIC and grant aid by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. New JICA will handle them all together to maximize synergy effect of those schemes.

Explaining the New JICA's future initiatives for Bangladesh, Ms Kayashiama said New JICA would continue to assist Bangladesh in both economic and social aspects of development as JICA and JBIC together had done in the past three decades.

Besides, New JICA would offer tailor-made assistance to best address different development issues in a timely manner.

Moreover, New JICA would place greater emphasis on climate change and disaster management in the years to come in Bangladesh.

Chief Representative of JBIC in Dhaka Yasuo Fujita and Chairman of the Centre for Development Research Bangladesh Dr Mizanur Rahman Shelly also addressed the merging ceremony.

Secretaries of different ministries, senior government officials, diplomats and NGO representatives were present.

Allah makes one pure through Fitra

Fitra was introduced as a compulsory charity two days before Eid-ul-Fitr, in the second Hijri.

Hazrat Ibne Sad (Ra) said, "Rasulullah (Sm) directed us to pay Fitra before Zakat was commended to be obligatory. After that, Zakat was ordained as Farz (obligatory)," (Musnade Ahmad, Sunane Nasayee, Sunane Ibne Mazah and Mustadrake Hakim). It is also a kind of Zakat. It is obligatory on every person, who is 'Saheb-e-Nisab.' The low-income people, who are not so solvent, should also pay this minor compulsory charity. According to 'Hidaya', the person who has more than the capacity of managing foods for him and his family for the Eid day, should have to pay Fitra. Rasulullah (Sm) directed about Fitra in these words "Pay. So, it may be taken as Wajib (next to Farz-obligation). According to Imam Abu Hanifa it is 'Wajib.' while Imam Shafi (R) and Imam Ahmad Bin Hambal (R) took it as 'Farz' and Imam Malik (R) as 'Sunnate Muakkadah' (next to Wajib). Rasulullah (Sm) said, "Allah will make him pure through his Fitra, who is wealthy among you and whoever has given something to a poor and destitute. Allah will give him more in return."

The needy, poor people, who are entitled to receive Zakat, are also entitled to Fitra. Fitra should not be paid to the nearest ones.

''Fitra of a person, given before the Eid prayer, will be accepted by Allah, as 'Sadaquatul Wajib' (due), and the person who will give it after the Eid prayer, it will be taken as his general charity. " (Abu Daud and Ibne Maza). This Hadith speaks of the social significance and aim of 'Sadaqatul Fitr.' It is a help through which Allah wants the participation of the insolvent persons in the celebration of Holy Eid festival.

According to injunctions of Shariah, minimum 1.34 kg wheat or price equal to it, should be given to the poor and miskin. But, the persons, who are economically more solvent, can give the Fitra more.

-Abdul Muqit Chowdhury

DCC to celebrate Dhaka’s 400 years

Staff Reporter

Dhaka City Corporation Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka yesterday said the celebration of 400 years of Dhaka will begin this year.

Presiding over a views exchange meeting on Dhaka's 400 years with civil society representatives he said a mega programme will be organised to mark the occasion.

The City Mayor also said that a complete history of Dhaka history will also be published.

At the meeting the civil society representatives emphasised on freeing River Burigonga from pollution and putting a boundary wall around the Dhaka city.

Replying to them Khoka said the DCC has limitation of resources and it is running with its meagre revenue. He said, "Firstly we have to fix how many people will live in this country of 55 thousand square miles. We have to fix the accommodating capacity of the country."

He said people over than the accommodation capacity is living in the city. The sewerages of the city are dumped in the Buriganga and polluting its water.

The Dhaka Mayor said the government has taken a move to protect the rivers from pollution. The Ministry of Water Resources is working on it, he said.

Khoka said all the departments of the government will have to work together to make the city liveable.

Former Vice Chancellor of University of Dhaka Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, Former Director General of National Museum Shamsuzzaman Khan, M Hamid, Syed Rezaur Rahman, Imdadul Haque Milon, Mafidul Huq and sharif Uddin Ahmed Khan also spoke, among others, on the occasion.

Public hearing on gas price hike: All stakeholders oppose

Staff Reporter

Consumers in energy sector yesterday opposed Petrobangla's suggestion for enhancing in gas prices and said that it would experience adverse impacts in other sectors.

Besides all the stakeholders in energy sector raised their voice for an increase of the gas prices.

During a public hearing, the consumers said if the state-owned petroleum corporation will allow raising the gas tariffs, it would have an effect on socio-economic sectors too. Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BERC) arranged the public hearing at its office.

The government should frame a policy first for giving subsidy to the energy and power sector and then come with any proposal for price hike, they suggested.

But Petrobangla Chairman Jalal Ahmed safeguarded his agency's position in raising the gas price by 65 percent on average.

He said that Petrobangla would not be able to continue its operation to provide gas supply by incurring huge losses if it was not allowed.

BERC Chairman Ghulam Rahman announced the commission would pronounce its judgment within October after the daylong hearings.

He directed all the stakeholders to send their post-hearing remarks by October 6.

Power Development Board (PDB), Bangladesh Chemical Industries Corporation (BCIC), FBCCI, MCCI, DCCI, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Consumers Association of Bangladesh and Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) representatives participated in the brainstorming over the price-hike move of the interim regime.

CAB representative and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology Professor Dr. Shamsul Alam said since the Petrobangla is a service-providing statutory body, the government should not have a profit-motive in its operations.

"Government has to first determine a policy on its subsidy to the Petrobangla and then propose a rational price hike," said the chief of the consumers' lobby.

The TIB representative said if the Petrobangla was allowed to raise the gas prices, it would have a serious impacts on other sectors as well.

PDB officials said if the Petrobangla was allowed to raise the gas prices, then they would need to readjust the tariffs again.

Representatives of the business bodies like FBCCI, DCCI and MCCI questioned the wisdom of the Petrobangla in thinking of a raise in the gas prices when country's economy is passing through tough times.

BERC director (power) in a proposal said that gas price could be raised in two phases in a rational manner.

Lineup of Japan’s reshuffled cabinet

AP, Tokyo

Lineup of Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's

Cabinet: Prime Minister: Taro Aso Chief Cabinet Secretary: Takeo Kawamura, Foreign Minister: Hirofumi Nakasone, Defense Minister: Yasukazu Hamada, Finance Minister: Shoichi Nakagawa, Economy and Fiscal Policy Minister: Kaoru Yosano (retained), Economy, Trade and Industry Minster: Toshihiro Nikai (retained), Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister: Shigeru Ishiba, Justice Minister: Eisuke Mori, Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minster: Ryu Shionoya, Health, Labor and Welfare Minister: Yoichi Masuzoe (retained), Land, Infrastructure and Transport Minister: Nariaki Nakayama

Internal Affairs and Communications Minister: Kunio Hatoyama, Environment Minister: Tetsuo Saito (retained), National Public Safety Commission Chairman, also in charge of Okinawa and Northern Territories: Tsutomu Sato, Administrative Reforms Minister: Akira Amari, Population and Gender Equality Minister: Yuko Obuchi, Consumer Affairs, Science and Technology, Food Safety and Space, Development Minister: Seiko Noda (retained).

Glorious past of Muslims recalled

DU Correspondent

Speakers at the 12th round of Ramzan Speech yesterday in the city said Al-Quran is the father of all sciences and that has been proved beyond doubt.

They recalled that once the Muslims were enriched in knowledge and sciences and have several inventions to their credit, but as the Muslims have distanced themselves from acquiring knowledge and research their condition is pitiable.

Islamic Academy in collaboration with Darul Ihsan University (DIU) organised the Ramzan Speech at the DIU seminar room at Dhanmondi.

Syed Ashraf Ali, former director general of Islamic Academy Bangladesh, who presented the glorious history and the contribution of the Muslim nations, was the key speaker in the programme with Prof Monirul Haque, Vice-Chancellor of the university in the chair.

Alamgir Mohiuddin, editor of the daily Naya Diganta, was chief guest, while Mostafa Kamal Mojumder, editor of the New Nation, special guest.

Alamgir Mohiuddin said there is no dispute that the source of all sciences is the Quran is the father of all sciences.

Meena Day celebrated

BSS, Dhaka

Bangladesh yesterday celebrated "Meena Day" under the theme of 'Inclusive Education- Quality Education to end exclusion."

The celebration of Meena day was marked by the launch of four new Meena TV spots and episodes by M. Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME) at BIAM auditorium.

These new Meena cartoons, produced with UNICEF support, promote equal participation in education, teacher's positive role, love of books and child-friendly school environment. The episodes are: 'Let's go to School Together', 'Teacher helps to Learn', 'We love Books' and 'My School is Fun'.

As part of Meena day programme, children disguised as Meena, Razu and Mithu participated in a parade on the streets of Dhaka. Bangladesh Shishu Academy also organized cultural programmes to observe the day.

Gas, electricity shortage: Bangladesh suffers $666m FDI setback

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh suffered a setback in receiving foreign direct investment (FDI) in the year 2007, registering US$ 666 million, which was 16 percent lower than US$ 793 million of the previous year.

The country's FDI inflow went down at a time when the global FDI increased by around 30 percent, according to a new World Investment Report (WIR) 2008 released here yesterday.

The Board of Investment (BoI) launched the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report subtitled "Transnational Corporations and the Infrastructure Challenge" simultaneously from across the world.

"Foreign investors might have found investing profitable elsewhere than Bangladesh due to problem of infrastructure, mainly the gas and electricity," BoI Executive Chairman Kamaluddin Ahmed told the launching ceremony at BoI.

"There was a political stability in the country, but the political uncertainty was a factor deterring investment," said Dr M Ismail Hossain of Jahangirnagar University, who presented the WIR, replying to a question.

According to the report, Bangladesh's ranking in inward FDI performance dropped one point to 121 out of 141 countries that came under review from 120 of 2006 rankings.

Bangladesh shared only 3.4 percent of the global FDI of US$ 1,833 billion during the year, which was 4.5 percent and 5.2 percent in the years 2006 and 2005 respectively.

The United States, United Kingdom and France received highest FDI while China and Hong Kong have been the Asian leaders in FDI inflow and India emerged as the south Asian FDI leader.

Replying to a question, BoI Executive Chairman Kamaluddin Ahmed said the country's FDI would be affected unless the problem of gas and electricity is solved.

CA for accelerating health sector projects

UNB, New York

Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Tuesday underscored accelerating different health projects and programmes with further focus on maternal health and said the projects should be

completed in shortest time.

The head of the caretaker government made the remark when UNFPA executive director Dr Thoraiya Obaid called on him at his Barclay New York Hotel suite on the sidelines of the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly.

Dr Fakhruddin expressed his happiness that the UNFPA in line with the government's priority continues to focus on safe motherhood, social and reproductive health information, family planning and services for adolescents and youth.

He also appreciated the UNFPA campaign "End Fistula" that has helped Bangladesh in the treatment of the disease in government hospitals.

UNFPA executive director Dr Thoraiya Obaid said the UNFPA is thinking of setting up a centre of excellence in Bangladesh to help the country attain MDGs in this area.

The Chief Adviser said emphasis should be given on primary and community health services, birth control and training of midwives.

He said birth attendance services should be brought closer to people.

Recalling the Bangladesh's excellent and cooperative relations with UNFPA for a long time, Dr Fakhruddin said the UN organization has supported the country in its national capacity building to implement the MDGs.

CA's Press Secretary Syed Fahim Munaim, who was present at the meeting, briefed the newsmen.

Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ismat Jahan was also present at the meeting.