The New Nation - Internet Edition

Photo exhibition on natural disaster in Bangladesh

Artist Mustafa Monwar inaugurates the photo
exhibition at Drik Gallery yesterday. NN photo

Sheikh Arif Bulbon

Bangladesh is a disaster-prone country. Every year a large number of people in the country have to face natural calamities. In this situation a huge number of people die and many of them become homeless. Women and children are very vulnerable to these calamities due to lack of preparedness.

To highlight the miseries of the victims, Dhaka Ahsania Mission and Concern Universal jointly organised a photography exhibition titled 'Natural Disaster in Bangladesh' at Drik Gallery in Dhanmondi in the city yesterday.

Eminent artist, playwright and former director general of Bangladesh Television (BTV) Mustafa Monwar inaugurated the two-day exhibition as chief guest.

The inaugural ceremony was also featured by a prize distribution ceremony. The event was funded by the Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission and Cordaid.

President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) Kazi Rafiqul Alam chaired the function. It was addressed among others by Stephane Bonduelle, Country Director of Concern Universal.

In his speech artist Mustafa Monwar said, determiners the flood affected people to surmount all problems inspires us. I believe, this photography competition and exhibition will contribute greatly in creating social awareness" he noted.

The President of Dhaka Ahsania Mission lauded the role of photojournalists in said that focussing the sufferings of the victims of natural calamities.

Mustafa Monwar handed over cheques for Tk 12,000, Tk 10,000 and Tk 8,000 and certificates to KM Asad, Sahadat Pervez and Shaiful Islam respectively who won the top three positions in the competition. Six more contestants were given cheques for Tk 2,000 each as prize of honour.

Photographers Abir Abdullah, Rashid-un-Nabi and Head of Disaster Risk Reduction of Concern Universal Md Jahangir Alam were in board of judges in the photography competitions.

The exhibition ends today.

Obama picks mostly Clinton-era men Is promise of change dumped?

AFP, Washington

Barack Obama's personnel picks for his White House and cabinet are prompting political foes to claim he has dumped his promise of change for tired Washington insiders and Clinton-era retreads.

After spending months feuding with former foe Hillary Clinton and casting veiled criticisms of her husband's administration, Obama is poised to hand her the plum job of secretary of state, aides said.

Former senator Tom Daschle, a veteran of the partisan political wars Obama has vowed to end is set to become secretary of health and human services.

Eric Holder, a former Clinton-era Justice Department official is being lined up as Attorney General in the Obama administration.

Obama's chief of staff is feared Rahm Emanuel, a sharp-elbowed former Clinton White House aide, who has warred with Republicans for years.

Clinton energy secretary Bill Richardson is being touted as commerce secretary.

Republicans, demoralized from their drubbing in the presidential and congressional election on November 4 claim this line-up shows Obama's promise for "Change we Can Believe In" is hollow.

"Apparently, Washington outsiders need not apply in the Obama Administration," said Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant.

"Barack Obama's cabinet is starting to resemble a Clinton reunion. His appointments so far have been a disappointment for Americans hoping to see some fresh faces in Washington."

The New York Post sarcastically dubbed names being floated as Obama appointees as Clinton era has-beens.

"Congratulations to Hillary (and Bill) Clinton-who seem to have won the presidential election, despite the official results on Nov. 4," the paper's conservative editorial page wrote.

But are these anything more than predictable political attacks, and is it fair to brand Obama's picks as retreads?

No, say many analysts, who argue that there is a limited pool of Democratic operatives with government experience qualified for top cabinet jobs.

Obama's personal brand is so strong, after two years campaigning on change that his cabinet picks may be less important than his own actions and rhetoric.

Such are the myriad crises facing the nascent Obama team, the president-elect may have concluded that while some officials may hark back to a previous era, he cannot afford to snub the best Democratic brains.

And had he sent a group of neophytes to Washington, he would surely have been pilloried for picking people short on experience.

Former president Bill Clinton, who came to power in 1993, decided not to stack his administration with veterans of the Jimmy Carter administration, which was seen as a failure.

But he soon hit trouble and had to call in Washington hands like veteran White House operative David Gergen.

"With the economy in such critical shape, to not choose people with experience would be foolhardy," said Martha Kumar, a political scientist with Towson University.

In Washington, the president is easily the most powerful driver of policy, and it is usually the White House which dictates strategy.

"The change agent in the United States government first and foremost in the US government is the president of the United States," said David Rothkopf, author of a pioneering book on the US national security council.

"Barack Obama is the change agent," he said.

"The entire US policymaking apparatus is orientated towards the US president," Rothkopf said.

"He is the one that ultimately decides who has power, he is the one who decides which agency has the lead on which issues."

While Obama is tapping veterans, he is bringing Chicago confidants like David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett to Washington-and his reported Treasury pick Tim Geithner is well known to the markets in New York.

Change seems assured, as Obama is already striking a sharp course away from the Bush administration, when he takes office in January.

He has vowed to end the "denial" of US policy on global warming and to close the Guantanamo Bay 'war on terror' camp in Cuba.

Obama's gestures to vanquished opponent John McCain and renegade Democrat Joseph Lieberman also suggest at least a hope for a change of tone in the US capital.

MDGs 4,5 achievable in child, mother survival

BSS, Dhaka

The health related millenium development goals (MDGs) four and five on child and mother survival are achievable, health professionals across south Asia said yesterday suggesting for reaching communities and strengthening public health systems to meet the target by 2015.

They also pleaded for a greater partnership among all health professional societies and associations as well as journalists in the region, hub of the highest number of child and maternal mortality after Africa, to cut child deaths by 50 per cent and mother by three-quarters within next seven years.

"We need greater partnership among pediatricians, midwives, gynecologists, pharmacists, nurses, media and others to reduce child and maternal deaths drastically," Zulfikar Ali Bhutta of Aga Khan University, Pakistan said at a regional workshop here Saturday night.

The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), a new coalition of 250 partners since 2005, organised the three-day workshop at Hotel Sheraton, where delegates from South Asian countries and beyond are taking part.

Deputy Executive Director of BRAC and Dean of James P Grant School of Public Health (JPGSPH) Dr Mustaque R Chowdhury, Coordinator of Ganoshashthya Kendra Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Prof. Abdul Faiz and Special Adviser to the Director of PMNCH Andres de Fransisco spoke on the occasion.

According to statistics, south Asia, which accounts for the biggest number child and mother deaths from a total of 11 million annually, has reduced 20 of such deaths between 1990 and 2007. The achievement is not enough as more than 60 percent deliveries in south Asia, nearly 80 percent in Bangladesh, still occur without trained birth attendants and causing many deaths.

Unsafe abortion and malnutrition are the two other major causes for highest number of maternal deaths, while infection claims majority of child lives in the region, the workshop was told yesterday. The World Health organisation (WHO) finds a strong correlation between inadequate health workers at local levels and child-mother moralities.

Abul Faiz, who opened the workshop originally scheduled in Karachi, Pakistan, but later shifted to Dhaka for security reasons, said the health related MDGs are possible to attain within the stipulated time provided local solutions are given more importance than foreign prescriptions.

He said the donors' priority on high-tech solutions at secondary and tertiary levels have caused damage to the ongoing programmes. He, however, appreciated the change of the mindsets of donor communities, now focusing on communities for the quick attainment of development goals set by the United Nations for 2015.

"Bangladesh is very much on track for achieving MDG 4 on child survival," he said adding that MDG 5 on mothers lives needs further steps to be materialised. The child mortality has come down to 65 per 1,000 live births in 2007 from 116 in 1997, but it has to be brought down further to 50 by next seven years in Bangladesh.

The government and donors have been focusing on increasing child delivery at health facilities including clinics and hospitals, a programme Dr Zafrullah appreciated but cautioned that this may lead to privatization, commoditisation and Commercialisation of primary health care for the poor.

Instead, he said, the traditional birth attendants (TBAs), nurses and other health professionals should be trained up, so that the people at local levels can have easy access to safe delivery at low costs. People of a country, where nearly fifty percent, still live below poverty level, could not afford delivery at public or private hospitals for high costs.

"Even if few families rush clinics and hospitals, they would lose their ability to buy nutritious food for mothers," said Dr. Zafrullah, a globally acclaimed figure for his National Drug Policy in Bangladesh in 1990. Such initiatives, he said, would eventually divert family funds to medical costs from nutritional supports.

Moudud granted bail in FDR forgery case

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday granted bail for three months to detained BNP stalwart and ex-minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed in a graft case.

Passing the interim order following a writ petition, a division bench comprising Justice Tariq ul Hakim and Justice Farah Mahbub stayed the proceedings of the case and issued a rule upon the government to explain in four weeks why the "initiation and continuation" of the case against Moudud should not declared illegal.

On August 27, Moudud Ahmed was shown arrested in a new case filed the same day on charges of withdrawing Tk 2.2 crore in FDR from a bank through forged documents.

Inspector Lutfar Rahman of Taskforce-21 filed the latest case against Moudud with Motijheel police station under sections 424, 463, 464, 468 and 471 of the Bangladesh Penal Code (BPC) and section 16(2) of the Emergency Power Rules (EPR).

According to the case statement, Moudud encashed five fixed deposit receipts (FDRs) totaling Tk 2.2 crore in February and March last year from the Motijheel branch of IFIC Bank and then deposited the money against 36 phony names in the same bank in a bid to conceal it.

Moudud was arrested from his Gulshan residence on April 13 last year with 16 bottles of foreign liquor and 32 cans of beer as well as 220 pieces of saree belonging to the government relief fund.

Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokan appeared for Moudud.

Two garment factories catch fire in Ctg

Angelic Apparels at Asadganj in Chittagong was
gutted in a devastating fire on Sunday. FocusBangla

UNB, Chittagong

Two garment factories caught fire in Asadganj area of the port city Sunday in which huge fabrics, yarns and readymade garments burnt to ashes.

Firefighters said the fire first broke out in Angelic Apparels Ltd from an electronic short circuit at about 1pm and then raged through adjacent Apollo Garments housed in the same building.

The authorities claimed that the extent of loss could go up to Tk 25 lakh.

Eleven workers were trapped inside the factories while others managed to come out soon after the fire broke out.

On information, firefighters rushed in and put out the blaze after four hours of frantic efforts and also rescued the trapped workers.

Five workers were injured in a stampede amid scrambles for emergency exit from the factories on fire and two firemen suffered burn injuries while dousing the flames.

Niko graft case: HC extends order not to arrest Hasina till Jan 7

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday further extended its order until January 7, 2009 restraining the law from arresting or harassing ex-Prime Minister and Awami League president Sheikh Hasina in the Niko and Barge-mounted power plant graft cases.

A division bench comprising Justice Sheik Rezowan Ali and Justice M Rais Uddin passed the order.

The hearings on the rules over pending quashing petitions were also held back until January 7 next year.

The government attorney did not oppose the time prayer moved by Sheikh Hasina's counsel Barrister Shafique Ahmed, court sources said.

On July 7, the High Court, upon separate writ petitions filed by Sheikh Hasina, stayed the proceedings of both the cases. It had also issued separate rules asking the government and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to explain why the two cases "should not be quashed."

Following the HC orders, trial proceedings of both the cases are now stalled at the special courts set up at the parliament complex that deals with high-profile corruption cases following the 1/11 change of guards in state power.

On September 2 last year, the ACC filed the Barge-mounted power-plant case with Tejgaon police station against Hasina and several others, amid the crackdown on former ruling politicians.

It complained that the ex-Prime Minister and other accused through mutual understanding and use of influence had helped a foreign company and its local partners win a deal for setting up a 100MW barge-mounted power plant in Khulna, depriving the lowest bidder.

The ACC filed the Niko scam case on December 9 last year with Tejgaon police station. According to the charge sheet, the accused in collusion with one another awarded gas-extraction work in 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 exchequer."

JS elections BNP pledges to accommodate new faces

Staff Reporter

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain said yesterday the party is ready to field candidates in all 300 constituencies.

"There would be new faces of the party contesting the forthcoming parliamentary polls on December 29," he told the journalists before the announcement of fresh election schedule by the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

He said BNP will share the seats with three other parties of the four party alliance.

"Mass people have confidence on BNP and they will vote whoever is selected to contest the polls" he added.

Earlier more than 50 immediate past MPs and ministers have been convicted for corruption under the emergency power rules and some other leaders of BNP being labelled as 'reformist' could not contest the fray.

Dacoit leader held, eight stolen motorbikes seized

Staff Reporter

Police arrested the gang leader of dacoits and recovered eight stolen motorbikes from Patuari Lane East Basabo and Shariatpur district Saturday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team of Sabujbagh thana, led by OC Syed Abdur Rauf, raided the area at about 3:00pm and arrested Abul Howlader, 40, of Bakerganj upazila in Barisal district.

Police said Abul Howlader is a listed criminal of Bakerganj police station.

Detective Branch (DB) of Police recovered eight stolen motorbikes from Shariatpur district on Saturday.

As part of the ongoing drive against vehicle lifters, a team of plainclothes policemen, led by ADC Masudur Rahman, conducted the drive in different parts of the district and seized the bikes.

Khoka challenges EC bar on mayors

Staff Reporter

Dhaka City Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka yesterday filed a petition before the High Court challenging the Election Commission's bar on mayors to contest parliamentary polls for three years after quitting office.

On behalf of Khoka, Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal filed the petition before the High Cour bench comprising Justice Tarique Ul Islam and Justice Farah Mahbub.

In his petition, Sadeque Hossain Khoka prayed for cancellation of the EC's embargo on mayors to contest the parliamentary polls.

The petitioner referred to media reports that mayors would not be eligible to contest the polls for three years after stepping down from office.

The petition said the EC's decision affected not only Khoka, who had been elected MP thrice, but other incumbent mayors too who were aspiring to contest the polls.

Khoka served the nation as a minister, and he has been discharging his responsibilities as the Dhaka mayor since 2002, it added.

The petition termed the EC's embargo a violation of the existing law and it was made only to prevent incumbent mayors from participating in the forthcoming elections.

On Thursday, Khoka also sent a legal notice to the Election Commission protesting the bar.

According to the Section 12 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) anyone holding any 'office of profit' in the service of the republic or of a statutory public authority will be disqualified for running any other election until three years from the date of their resignation.

Mayors and councillors of city corporations and municipalities will be considered 'offices of profit', EC sources said.

Move on to bring Bhuiyan to BNP

Rafiqul Islam Azad

A move is on from the BNP leadership to bring former secretary general Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and other dissidents back to the party fold and nominate them for the ensuing elections.

Mannan Bhuiyan, who was expelled from the party earlier, was preparing to participate in the elections along with his supporters as independent candidates.

He did not float any new party nor sought registration from the Election Commission to operate as separate entity. A BNP leader close to Mannan Bhuiyan said that he and his supporters should be invited to return to the party with due honour.

Emissaries were sent to him by the Party Chairperson in the last few days in this connection. The deal is now at the final stage, sources said.

EU seeks lifting of emergency

UNB, Dhaka

The European Union said here Sunday it is not happy with parliament election under the state of emergency although it decided to deploy the full election observation mission to monitor the December 29 polls.

"It is not easy to accept the emergency. Although we are sending election observation mission following relaxation of emergency but it does not mean we are happy. We still keep saying that it should go ideally," EC Head of the Delegation Ambassador Stefan Frowein told reporters after the EU Troika's meeting with Foreign Advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.

He said the Chief of the Election Observation Mission (EOM) will arrive here tonight to lead the long-term election observation. The core team of the EOM is already in Dhaka

French Ambassador Charley Causeret who currently chairs the EU presidency said they want free, fair and fully participatory elections on time.

Ambassador of Sweden Mrs. Britt Hagstrom was present as a Troika member.

Plastic goods manufacturers demand duty reduction

Staff Reporter

Leaders of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA) yesterday demanded Customs duty reduction on plastic raw materials following the fall in the world market price.

In a statement BPGMEA president Md Jasim Uddin said price of plastic raw materials in the international market had fallen from $ 1700 to $ 700 due to the reduction of oil price in the world market recently. But the Customs authority was still charging the duty based on previous import price, he alleged.

Imposing duty on raw materials at high price has created various problems that stranded 200 to 250 consignments at the Chittagong port. Such a situation has threat end on production due due to the lack of raw materials, he said.

Jasim demanded immediate release of the raw materials through realising duty on present market price.

Tannery Palli to be shifted to Savar

Staff Reporter

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman yesterday held out the assurance that an inter-ministerial meeting would be convened immediately to expedite the transfer of Tannery Palli from Hazaribag to Savar.

He was addressing a seminar on "The necessity of peeling off cattle hide and preservation of cattle skin properly" held at a hotel in the capital.

Leather Sector Business Promotion Council (SLBPC), Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leathergoods and Footwear Exporters Association (BFLLFEA) and Bangladesh Tanners Association (BTA) jointly organised the seminar.Md Golam Hossain, joint secretary , Commerce Ministry, was in the chair.

The Commerce Adviser laid emphasis on the competence of the workers and technicians in the leather industry for the survival of the country's leather industry in the international market. He urged all concerned to make the leather industry environment friendly through proper management of wastages.

At least 18% of cattle hide is wasted during peeling off time due to absence of proper attention causing a loss of Tk 300 crore annually, said BFLLFEA chairman Rezaul Karim Ansary.

Referring to the lack of efficient workers and technicians, Md Golam Hossain said though we have a college of leather technology, but unfortunately it could not supply us efficient technicians.

BTA chairman Md Harun Chowdhury urged the people to peel off skin from cattle carefully especially during the Eid-Ul-Azha for earning more foreign currency.