The New Nation - Internet Edition

Editorial: Welcome new Cabinet

The 32-member Council of Ministers headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that took charge on Wednesday has by and large been well received by the people for two reasons. The size of the council has been deliberately kept small and the ministers and state ministers inducted in it are people with clean faces. The emphasis given on honesty of those who would run the affairs of the state has been clearly demonstrated. And this was important against the backdrop of the nearly two years of emergency rule whose main focus was on containing corruption and establishment of good governance.

Sheikh Hasina who has become Prime Minister for the second term in 12 years has clearly shown her maturity gained from her close association with the turn of political events in the country since 1981, in choosing her Cabinet colleagues and ministers of state. What has not escaped the attention of all is the non-inclusion of the senior leaders, the Awami League stalwarts. Many of them were ministers before. Some of them however, face charges of corruption. The option to take in new faces is thus also literally in line with Sheikh Hasina's call for change. At least the people want to believe this.

Some political observers however believe that the Prime Minister could have given more thought on the distribution of some important portfolios. Of course, under the present cabinet system, the government is supposed to function as a team sharing responsibilities collectively. Viewed from this angle the 26 new ministers and state ministers would definitely benefit from the experience of five ministers who had been at the job before and also from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself. The experience of the last 17 years of trial and error with parliamentary democracy suggests that the government may try to encourage the ministers and state ministers to take individual responsibility too of their ministries to give prompt decisions for efficient governance.

The most important role of the present government will be to create an atmosphere of tolerance and decency which is essential for enjoying the benefits of good governance.

Armed Forces’ chiefs call on Hasina

Chief of three Services General Moeen U Ahmed,
Vice-Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam and Air Marshal SM Ziaur
Rahman called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office
yesterday. PID photo

UNB, Dhaka

The chiefs of the three services of the Armed Forces Wednesday paid courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her office on Wednesday afternoon, as she started off as head of a new-look government.

Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed, Navy Chief Vice- Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam and Air Force Chief Air Martial SM Ziaur Rahman jointly met with the new Prime Minister, who took oath along with her 31 cabinet colleagues Tuesday at the end of a two-year military-backed interim regime.

The chiefs of the armed forces congratulated her on her assuming office as Prime Minister.

News analysis: Competence of ministers

Hasanuzzaman Khan

What are the ministerial materials one is required to have for being considered for appointment in the Cabinet. The 32-member council of ministers of the Awami League formed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina comprises mostly new faces if you don't call them novices.

Only 3 out of 31 ministers-Matia Chowdhury, Syed Ashraful and Syed Abul Hossain-had previous experience as they were members of the 1996 Cabinet of the Awami League Government. At that time Matia being a new-comer was attached with an astute bureaucrat Anisuzzaman to enrich her ministerial abilities. The performance of the agriculture ministry was reported to have been superb at that time.

The great surprises which were kept in store for the people by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was her selection of two women as foreign and home ministers of the country. They are Dr. Dipu Moni and Advocate Shahara Begum. It was acclaimed in some circle that the move was a well-thought-out one and it was in consonance with her policy to project Bangladesh as a peace-loving country.

It was a departure from a hawkish line of action and setting doves free beyond the horizon.

It was a message towards the disturbed people of the volatile sub-continent, western part (Indo-Pak) of it being already an un-declared war zone.

Dr. Dipu Moni has a unique experience of attending the Wilton Park Conference in England where a number of intellectual couples along with celebrities from home and abroad took part. The Wilton Park is a UK-based think tank since its inception during World War II.

Bangladesh has undemarcated maritime zone with Myanmar and India. Bangladesh had come to a war-like situation with Myanmar and India following the latters' bid for oil exploration in the Bay of Bengal.

Critics say, there are a number of seasoned diplomats in and outside the party to guide the foreign policy. There are some former ministers in the ruling alliance who held the foreign ministry earlier.

In the sub-continental context, the foreign minister's post is considered a prized one. The persons who held the positions in the sub-continent are extraordinary. Vajpayee, Krishna Menon, Zulfiquar Ali Bhutto, Zafarullah Khan and Feroz Khan Noon and Dr. Kamal Hossain are the men who adorned the post.

Advocate Shahara Khatun who was a street agitator during the anti-autocracy movement in the '80s in the Ershad-era will see the situation from the other side. Shahara Khatun has been given the Home Ministry.

Shafique Ahmed has been given the charge of the Law Ministry. When some of the pro-AL lawyers refused to fight the corruption cases against Hasina, Shafique Ahmed was on her side. Moreover, they opted for working with the ACC and other Govt Agencies to join what they said crusade against corruption. Barrister Shafique Ahmed was obviously rewarded as he led the legal battle for the imprisoned AL leaders.

A.K. Khandokar and AMA Muhit who were inducted to the new Government of Hasina owe their experiences to Ershad as they were ministers of his regime in the 80s. Khandoker who led the Sector Commanders' Forum in the anti-Jamaat campaign in December 29 polls was the Deputy Chief of the Liberation Forces of Bangladesh securing the surrender of the Pakistan Army in the Ramna Race Course Maidan. But the valiant freedom fighter Kader Siddiky who was a companion of Khandoker in the Ramna surrender ceremony had his deposit forfeited from a Tangail constituency in the December 29 polls.

Muhit was given the finance ministry as he was the finance minister of Ershad in the '80s.

Abul Kalam Azad was made Information Minister as he was the Chairman of the JS Standing Committee on Information Ministry during the Awami League Government formed in 1996. He is a known figure in the journalist circle being a member of the National Press Club. The JS Standing Committee Chairman post was equivalent to that of a Cabinet Minister.

The newly inducted ministers who are new and visibly not well equipped to cope with the new situation have to undergo rigorous orientation courses.

The advisers-H.T. Imam, Moshiur Rahman, Dr. Alauddin and Syed Modasser Ali, who were veterans in their fields, can help a lot in this respect.

Tofael-Razzak era over

Tofael Ahmed and Abdur Razzak who were earlier ministers in every Awami League Government since 1971 were dropped this time for their reported pro-reform role when Hasina was in jail.

Sajeda, Abdul Jalil, Party General Secretary and Joint-Secretary Obaidul Kader met the same fate as there were corruption cases against them.

Tofael and Razzak were excluded from the Cabinet as they were considered to be the protagonists of the confrontational politics. The Awami League wants to have a clean image having forward-looking outlook keeping at par with the 21st century.

Price commission soon: Syndicate to be broken to curb price spiral

Staff Reporter

Both the newly appointed Finance Minister and Commerce Minister have declared crusade against 'business syndicate' to bring down the prices of essential commodities within the range of common people.

Bringing down of commodity price is principal pledge of Awami League led grand alliance, which mainly helped the coalition to come into power.

In his first day of work as in charge of Finance Ministry Abul Maal Abdul Muhit yesterday told newsmen that his government will intervene directly into the market and break the 'business syndicates'.

Muhit said the main task of the government is to control prices and, in this regard, a price commission will be formed. "All necessary steps will be taken to protect the rights of consumers," he said. "The government intervention will become inevitable if these syndicates fail to keep prices of essentials at rational levels," he added. "Syndication" in business in Bangladesh has become a key problem, he said. "We must break these syndicates and no patronisation of this system will be tolerated."

"If they try to escalate prices then the government will import essentials to sell in the market," Muhit said.

The Minister referred to his recent comment in a talk show concerning the high price of edible oil in the local market compared to low prices in the international market. "The next day the price per litre of edible oil went down by Tk 20," he said.

Muhit also assured a separate food budget, saying, "To determine what commodities have to be imported and when, a separate budget must be formulated." "We must also have a reserve policy," Muhit said.

Expressing his unhappiness over the pace of Annual Development Plan implementation he said, "Six months of the current financial year has already passed under the caretaker government and the implementation of the ADP is not satisfactory." Some restructuring will become necessary, said the Finance Minister.

The minister promised that reduction of interest on bank loans, fixing an exchange rate mechanism for the taka, increase of export and remittance and other economic issues will be given top priority. Steps will also be taken to create as many jobs as possible, find solutions to power and energy crises, Muhit said.

On the other hand, Commerce Minister Let Col (retd) Faruq Khan said it would be possible to bring down high prices of essentials.

"We hope that the businesses will perform their respective duties--from now on no one will have to pay ransom to do their business," he said.

Talking newsmen after taking the charge of Commerce Ministry yesterday afternoon, he assured that no businesses would have to pay toll to do their business in the country anymore.

Responding to questions, he said pulling down the prices of essentials would be the first priority for his government as the newly elected Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, said so just after taking oath on Tuesday evening.

Unprecedented price spirals in recent times put people, particularly the commoners, into plight. Besides international market heating up before the recent financial meltdown, business syndication has been blamed for jacking up the prices.

"The prices of essentials have started coming down already, and the indications that have come for last 4/5 days are very much positive," the new Commerce Minister told the journalists.

He also mentioned that this happened as the businesses now regained a link of confidence with the people of the country.

Colonel Faruk warned the dishonest businesses that the government would take its own course if they found any misappropriation in the name of doing business.

"This measurer will be stern punitive," he said.

Replying a question, the Minister said that his government never divided the businessmen branding them as pro-Awami League or pro-BNP.

Khan informed that he already had discussion with some business leaders over telephone about the market price in the country. "All of them assured me that they will cooperate with the government to maintain a reasonable price situation," he said.

Graft cases: HC directive not to arrest Hasina

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday directed the law not to arrest or harass newly elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina until disposal of its rules on the quashing petitions against the Niko and Barge-mounted power plant graft cases.

These two are among as many as 16 criminal cases, filed during the just-out interim regime and the previous BNP-led coalition government, which were hanging overhead when she went to the polls and led her party and the Awami League-led Grand Alliance to a landslide victory.

One of the cases was recently discharged while another awaits disposal by the trial court amid a turnaround in the political arena with the start of election process in the country.

A division bench comprising Justice Sheik Rezowan Ali and Justice M Rais Uddin passed the orders, the day Sheikh Hasina started off function as Prime Minister for a second term in seven years.

Besides, the HC, following a time petition moved by the government attorney, adjourned for six weeks the hearings on the pending quashing petitions.

Barrister Rafique-ul Huq, assisted by Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Tapash MP, appeared for PM Hasina while assistant attorney-general M Diliruzzaman stood for the government.

On July 7 last year, 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".

On September 2, 2007, the ACC filed the Barge-mounted power-plant case with Tejgaon police station against Hasina and several others, amid a crackdown on former ruling politicians by the immediate-past caretaker government.

The ACC filed the Niko scam case on December 9, 2007 with the same police station.

Ashura today

UNB, Dhaka

The holy Ashura will be observed across the country today (Thursday) as also in other Muslim countries to commemorate the Karbala tragedy in which Hazrat Imam Hossain ® embraced martyrdom along with his family and friends.

On the tenth of Muharram, the fateful day, Muslims vent remorse over the martyrdom of Imam Hossain, grandson of Great Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), at the hands of renegades over 1300 years ago.

While on a journey through the desert with a caravan towards Kufa, Hazrat Imam Hossain, his family members and a number of his followers were ambushed by the forces of Yazid, son of Muslim ruler Muabia of that province.

They were deprived of food and water, and many of them were put to death. Eventually, Imam Hossain was brutally slaughtered. The bizarre incident happened at a place called Karbala in Iraq in the 61st year after Hijra.

According to Islamic history, this dispute was a result of a disagreement among Muslims on the question of succession after the demise of Hazrat Ali, the fourth caliph.

The day is a public holiday. Various organizations will arrange programmes in observance of Ashura. Tazia procession by mourners is a main feature of the occasion.

President Professor Dr Iajudin Ahmed in his message said the main spirit of the day is to sacrifice life for 'truth' and 'justice'.

"The holy Ashura commemorating the incident of Karbala inspires us to raise our voice against injustice and repression," he said.

The President hoped that the day would strengthen the bond of love and affection and tolerance in all spheres of society.

He also prayed for salvation of the departed souls of the martyrs who laid down lives this day.

HC lifts ban on sale of powdered milk

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court, after browsing the fresh laboratory test reports, including from the World Health Organisation (WHO), yesterday lifted its embargo on the sale, display and marketing of five brands of powdered milk earlier suspected to have been contaminated with the harmful textile chemical melamine.

Diploma and Red Cow of Australia, Dano of Denmark, and Nido and Anlene of New Zealand go the court clearance for marketing-after so much of brouhaha, starting from China.

A division bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui passed the order.

According to the laboratory test reports, the ingredient of toxic melamine contained in the five brands was found below 0.1 parts per million (ppm) which is not harmful for human health.

The bench, however, retained the embargo imposed by the government on proven toxic melamine-contaminated Yashili-1, Yashili-2 and Sweet Baby of China.

Besides, the HC asked the Health Ministry to conduct similar laboratory tests at Dhaka University,

BSTI and the Atomic Energy Commission, after collecting samples of all available 28 brands of powdered milk and submit all the test reports through the Supreme Court registrar within six weeks.

"The collection of samples would have to be done in a transparent manner with due representation, including from the producers," says the court order.

Earlier, the HC had asked the Health Ministry to procure a certificate from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as to whether or not the melamine-tainted powdered milk is harmful to human health.

Emerging from the court, Advocate Manzill Murshid, president of Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB), who appears for the writ petitioners, told the reporters that the rule hearing on the public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition would be held after complying with today's court order by the government.

On October 23 last year, the High Court upon a PIL writ petition filed by quartet HRPB lawyers issued a twin-rule upon the government to explain why its "failure to stop selling melamine-mixed toxic powered milk should not be declared illegal".

The HC had also asked the government to show cause as to why a direction should not be given for taking necessary steps for protecting health security of the citizens.

Govt move to reduce food prices soon

Staff Reporter

Food Minister Dr Abdur Razzak yesterday said that the government will take initiative to reduce food prices by increasing production and importing if necessary.

He said that the main task of his government would be to bring the prices of essential commodities at a reasonable level. It is not possible to increase production right now, Abdur Razzak told reporters at the Food Ministry on the first day of his office.

"But we do not need to worry about the stock we have. We can import food on an emergency basis if necessary," he said.

We promised to reduce the prices of essentials, which our party pledged in the election manifesto, he said, adding, our prime minister also said the food prices should be minimised at any rate. "We will work to come down the prices of essential commodities," he again said.

The prices of essential commodities were still high, Razzak said.

"We will take steps so that the farmers can get fertiliser in the upcoming Boro season.

The price of TSP fertiliser is abnormally high in the global market. We will try to bring the prices at a tolerable level considering all the issues."

Razzak said they had heard from many places that the new government would bring the price of rice down to Tk 10.

"But our leader did not give any pledge like that. It is not possible to feed people rice at Tk 10. What our leader said was that our main aim would be to bring the price of rice to a tolerable level.

"Our main target should be to ensure food for all. Whether the price of rice is Tk 10 or Tk 15 is not a matter."

"We have about 12,55,000 tonnes of food in stock. We will try to increase the capacity of the store houses," the food minister said.

He said the rice price should be fixed on the basis of production costs. The fertiliser price is abnormally high. The cost of irrigation will come down if the power production increases, which, in turn, will cut production costs.

Stop repression on four-party activists: Delwar

BNP Secretary General Khandker Delwar Hossain
addressing a rally at the city's Muktangan yesterday
protesting the murder of Seschasebak Dal leader Nazrul
Islam. NN photo

Staff Reporter

BNP secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain yesterday demanded of the government to stop repression and torture on the four-party alliance activists across the country.

"Stop attacks and torture on our followers. If you continued attacks on our leaders and activists then we would face it politically," he said while speaking as chief guest at a rally in protest against the killings of Nazrul Islam, president, 56-Ward of Shechchhachebok Dal, a front organisation of the party by terrorists of its political adversaries in the city.

"Their hands are tainted with blood since they have unleashed a rein of terror across the country soon after their victory in controversial election," he added.

He said no government in the past could not survive by people's protest by means of force.

" You should remember that government could not sustain in the power by displaying torture and intimidation to the people," he mentioned.

He urged the government to shun the path of torture, repression and violence and establish democratic culture and tolerance.

He called upon the government to maintain law and order in the country through implementation of their election promises and bringing the culprits to the book.

Delwar, however, expressed his sorrow to hold protest just on the first day of assuming power by the government

"We did not want to put programme just on the maiden day of the government. We were compelled to hold protest rally due to appalling torture on our activists by the ruling cadres," he said.

After the meeting a procession was brought out which paraded different roads in the city.

Rizvi Ahmed, office secretary and other city leaders of BNP, among others, were present in the meeting.

Westmont co Chairman Farooq removed

UNB, Dhaka

Kazi Tajul Islam Farooq, who sued Sheikh Hasina during the interim period on charge of extortion, has been removed from the post of Chairman of the Westmont Power (Bangladesh) Limited company.

Company officials in a statement issued yesterday said he was "removed" on January 5 following a meeting of the company's board of directors.

The statement mentioned that Farooq had filed a case against Sheikh Hasina, now back in the seat of Prime Minister after a gap of seven years, in defiance of company directive.

"The case was later proved to be a false case," it said, adding that Tajul had filed the case with his personal intention and Westmont Power (Bangladesh) Limited was not involved with it.

Tajul Islam Farooq, the then chairman of the Westmont Power Company, filed the case on April 9, 2007 under non-bailable sections of the penal code accusing Hasina and her personal staff Manu Majumder of extorting Tk 3 crore in 1998 while she was prime minister in her previous term.

With the reversal of the anti-graft purge launched during the rule of the caretaker regime, he withdrew on December 24, 2008 the barge-mounted power plant case against the Awami League president.

He filed the extortion case with Tejgaon Police Station on April 9 last year under the non-bailable sections of the penal code.

In the case, Tajul had alleged that the then prime minister had forced him to pay her Tk 3 crore when she was in power in 1998.

Tajul also brought allegations against Hasina of extortion and abuse of power in 1998 when she was the prime minister.Tajul retracted saying that due to some misunderstanding at the beginning of 2007 he had to file the case against Sheikh Hasina, also daughter of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "It was undesirable and unexpected on my part."

Tajul submitted an application to the officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Police Station requesting him to take necessary measures to withdraw the case. The case is now under investigation.

Cooperation with neighbours to curb terrorism stressed

Staff Reporter

Foreign Minister Dr Dipur Moni yesterday firmly said her government would closely work with other countries in South Asia for uprooting terrorism in the region.

The first ever women foreign minister in the country said that the existing foreign policy of the country might be continued unless any decision of it found ineffective.

Replying to a question on terrorism she said terrorism has no boundary.

"Regional co-operation is necessary for curbing terrorism in South Asia. We will discuss with our neighbours to form a regional task force for eliminating terrorism," she told the journalist at her office yesterday.

She, however, said the present government will decide on how the 'taskforce' would be formed.

She pointed out that forming taskforce in the region was one of her party's election pledges.

Regarding the dispute of maritime boundary she said the ministry of foreign affairs will take initiatives for resolving the sea boundaries with India and Myanmar.

"We hope the sea boundaries debate would be settled down through discussions with our neighbour countries," she asserted.

On the issue of holding trail of war criminals she said the government would decide whether it would seek assistance from the United Nations for tried perpetrators during the liberation war.

She demanded immediate halt of Israeli ground invasion and atrocities in Gaza by saying, "Killing in Gaza cannot be supported under any circumstances. We want immediate stop of the war and amicable solution".

Diesel price will be reduced

Staff Reporter

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury yesterday said that her government would take decision to reduce the diesel prices immediately to ensure uninterrupted food production during the Boro season.

"The Awami League government was aware about the diesel price rise and it will take initiative to cut the price immediately," she talked to the reporters in her maiden appearance after holding ministerial post at her office yesterday.

The Awami League government would take necessary steps to ensure adequate fertilizer supply to the farmers, Matia said, adding, her ministry will supply fertiliser the farmers on a priority basis.

She said the Agriculture Ministry will take all decisions based on reality and would be people-friendly.

The Agriculture Minister sought cooperation from all so that people's expectations reflected through their electoral verdict could be fulfilled.

BNP MPs to join first JS session

UNB, Dhaka

MPs-elect of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) decided last night to take oath and join the first session of the new parliament, BNP leader Salahuddin Quader Chowdhury MP-elect said.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the party's newly elected MPs at its Gulshan office with its chairperson Khaleda Zia presiding.

Briefing reporters after the hour-long meeting, Salahuddin Quader said they have decided to take oath and join parliament in the interest of the country and democracy to maintain the constitutional process.

He said the government must create an atmosphere in parliament so they can play the effective role of the opposition.

Salahuddin Quader mentioned Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's "liberal mindset" expressed at her first press conference and said, "We hope we'll receive that gesture in parliament."

He said BNP will make all efforts within the legal framework to realize the accountability of the majority party in parliament. "We' ll also realize the ruling party's election commitment to get rice at Tk 10 per kg, free distribution of fertilizer and employment from each family."

Asked about oath taking, Salahuddin Quader said since there is no scope for taking oath from the Speaker, they will either take oath from the Chief Election Commissioner or the new Speaker.

Asked whether they will accept the post of the Deputy Speaker, the BNP leader said they will consider if the proposal comes.

About the new cabinet, he said they wish the new cabinet headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a success.