Bangladesh News

Delay in dredger purchase

Oct 20, 2004, 12:48

It is reported in a section of the Press that the formalities alone have taken more than six years to purchase twelve dredgers. Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) have submitted a proposal for purchase of twelve dredgers to the relevant authorities in 1998. The project was approved by appropriate government authorities and funding for the project was to be obtained from the Spanish government. The project remained in the process of approval for the last few years. The delay was so unusual that the donor itself had to urge the Government of Bangladesh to expedite the matter.
As required under the prevailing system and procedures, the project has yet to be approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Ministries of Planning and Finance have reviewed the project proposals of the BIWTA and reportedly approved it. The ecnec has left the process of approval quite dilatory. The Prime Minister remains the ultimate authority for approving the project and the Minister for Finance may play a role for approval and also for implementation of development projects.
With the approval of the project by the Planning Commission the donor agencies insisted upon timely implementation of the project. They have fixed October 30 as a deadline for the signing of the contract for supply of dredgers from Spain. The deadline is imminent but the procedures followed by official agencies may not enable the BIWTA to ask the suppliers to despatch three dredgers in the first phase. The ultimate purchase of twelve dredgers may take some more time. Meanwhile flood has visited Bangladesh several times and the extent of damage on account of that is several thousand crore taka. Dredgers have direct connection with flood because absence of river dredging aggravates flood.
One may only recapitulate that dredging of river beds was assigned to the Water and Power Development Authority. It had a unit of operation stationed in Narayanganj and the dredgers, obtained from foreign sources including Norwegian and Danish supports, were used for dredging of river beds for ensuring irrigation from surface water. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority managed and monitored river ports in the country. It also used dredgers for keeping river ports effectively useable by ships, launches and other river transports. In such a context, necessary measures for purchase of dredgers by relevant official agencies have to be kept under constant vigilance, to meet the priorities. The prevailing uncertainties in purchase and use of dredgers have to be contained. The need and demand of the people and also of the economic realities vis-a-vis purchase and use of dredgers are all too much pronounced. We urge all concerned to avoid dilatory practices and work effectively for keeping our river beds navigable.

BDWN

Three fugitives receive death sentences in Bangladesh

Dhaka, Oct 20, SPA -- A Bangladesh court on Wednesday

sentenced three former army officers to death for murderingm four government ministers following a 1975 coup that also led to the assassination of the country's independence eader.Twenty-one people _ including four former politicians and 17 army officers _ were charged in the Nov. 3, 1975,murders of Cabinet ministers Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed, M. Mansur Ali, and A.H.M. Qamaruzzman.On Wednesday, Dhaka's Metropolitan Sessions Court convicted three low-ranking army officers _ Moslehuddin Ahmed, Marfat Ali and Abdul Hashem Mridha _ of the killings, Judge Mohammad Motiur Rahman said.The three were tried in abstentia and are believed to be living abroad.The court also sentenced 12 other former army officers to life in prison for their involvement in the murders. Five others were acquitted, including a lawmaker from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party.One other defendant died abroad.

BDWN

Workers Tell of Poor Conditions
Employees of Wal-Mart supplier in Bangladesh cite low pay, physical abuse

Published on Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Women workers from Bangladesh spoke of the poor conditions and rights violations they experienced while employed by suppliers of Wal-Mart at a talk sponsored by the Labor and Worklife Program at the Harvard Law School yesterday.
The talk was a part of a national tour of universities and high schools with the National Labor Committee (NLC) in anticipation of a textile-quota lift planned for 2005 by the World Trade Organization (WTO).
With the aid of a translator, Robina Akther and Maksuda, two women workers dressed in traditional garments, spoke about their 14-hour shifts, physical abuse and pay of 14 to 17 cents an hour to an audience of 35 to 40 in Yenching Auditorium.
“The line chief slapped my face very hard. My nose was bleeding,” 18-year-old Akther said, recounting her first week of work when she failed to meet the target of sewing 120 to 150 pieces an hour.
Maksuda, who was only identified by her first name, broke out in tears, wiping her eyes with her dress, while telling the audience how she was kicked in the stomach by her manager during her pregnancy.
“When my baby was born, she had a bruise on her and she cried at the slightest touch,” she said.
Both Akther and Maksuda work for suppliers of Wal-Mart. Sk Nazma, president of the Bangladesh Center for Worker Solidarity and a former factory worker, spoke after Akther and Maksuda. Nazma repeatedly called for “solidarity and support” for the 1.8 million workers that the organization represents.
According to NLC Director Charles Kernaghan, Wal-Mart is “the worst company in the world without a doubt” in regulating the working conditions in the factories of its suppliers.
Holding up a Wal-Mart shirt, he explained the company pays 26 cents for the total labor put into the manufacturing of the shirt and still complains that their workers get paid too much.
“The other day, we went into a Wal-Mart and I found the clothes that I sewed,” Akther said, holding up a pair of pants.
She pointed out the back pockets, on which she said she stitched 120 flaps every hour.
While the audience listened and asked questions, the auditorium was still relatively empty. John Trumpbour of the Labor and Worklife Program said it was a much smaller turnout than the 200 to 300 people he expected at their presentation at Boston College later last night.
“It’s hard to get people energized over workers’ issues here at Harvard,” Trumpbour said.
According to the NLC, when WTO lifts its quota developing nations will lose all their work to China and further devastate workers like Akther and Maksuda.
The NLC is preparing a legislation to be released in January, mandating core labor standards for products imported into the United States.
“These companies spend an average of $800 per consumer on advertisement. They get their say, and these workers don’t,” Kernaghan said, emphasizing the importance of this tour.
“Global economy is a human creation; if we choose to change it, we can,” he said.

BDWN

Bangladesh toil in first Test
First Test, Dhaka, day one (close): Bangladesh 165-6 v New Zealand

Bangladesh toiled on the opening day of the first Test against New Zealand, reaching 165-6 at the close.
It was slow-going in Dhaka as they scored at less than two runs per over, with Mohammad Ashraful top-scoring with 67 from 189 balls.
Bangladesh got off to a woeful start after winning the toss and electing to bat when they were reduced to 5-3.
But Ashraful and Rajin Saleh put on 115 runs for the fourth wicket to stage something of a recovery.
Jacob Oram, James Franklin and Daniel Vettori took two wickets each.
Opener Hannan Sarkar was the first to go when he drove loosely at Oram to fall for a duck in the first over.
Fellow opener Javed Omar was yorked by Franklin for one and in the seventh over debutant Nafis Iqbal nicked Oram to Brendon McCullum.
Saleh and Ashraful hauled Bangladesh back into the game before Saleh was out for 41.
Ashraful fell just after tea to spinner Vettori and Alok Kapali went the same way, having scored 14 runs.
Ashraful, who had got out trying to hit Vettori for six, said: "It was a wrong decision to try and hit that ball over the top, but I was impatient to get runs.
"As for the team, I think a score of 250 will be good on this slow pitch."
Bangladesh were without captain Habibul Bashar, who missed the Test with a long-standing thumb injury.
Stand-in captain Khaled Mashud was unbeaten on 12 at the close and Manjural Islam Rana was 16 not out.
Bangladesh: Hannan Sarkar, Javed Omar, Nafis Iqbal, Rajin Saleh, Alok Kapali, Mohammad Ashraful, Khaled Mashud (capt, wk), Manjural Islam Rana, Mohammad Rafique, Tapash Baisya, Tareq Aziz
New Zealand: MH Richardson, NJ Astle, SP Fleming (capt), MS Sinclair, SB Styris, BB McCullum (wk), JDP Oram, DL Vettori, JEC Franklin, IG Butler, PJ Wiseman.

BDWN

BDR pushes back nine Indians

Panchagarh
20/10/2004

Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) pushed back nine Indian Muslims through Panchagarh border early yesterday.
Border Security Forces (BSF) of India pushed them into Bangladesh territory Monday morning through Amarkhana border, BDR sources and villagers said.
Villagers held the Indians and handed them over to the patrolling BDR men. They are Idris Ali, 32, his wife Nazma Begum, 25, their daughter Tania, 3, and son Kazal, 2, housewife Reshma Begum, 22, and her daughter Asma, 6, and Jobeda Begum, 50, Johurul Islam, 20 and Ali Ahmed, 28, of Madanpur-Khandor area of New Delhi, India.
Delhi police forcibly picked them up eight to nine days ago, brought them to the borders and handed over to the BSF to push them into Bangladesh, they said.

BDWN

BNP men foil Rangpur meet of B Chy, Kamal 30 including top leaders hurt

20/10/2004

At least 30 people were injured when aktivists of ruling BNP's front organisations allegedly swooped on the audience at a mass dialogue of Jatiya Oikya Mancha and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) at Rangpur Town Hall yesterday.
Oikya Mancha Convenor and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, BDB President Badruddoza Chowdhury, Secretazy Abdul Mannan and BDB Spokesman Mahi B Chowdhury, MP, however, escaped unhurt.
Police deployed in and outside the town hall were mere bystanders during the onslaught, witnesses alleged.
Jatiya Oikya Mancha and BDB leaders described the incident as attempts on their lives and blamed it on the prime minister and home minister. They demanded a proper explanation from the government.
The seriously injured include member of the National Executive Committee and Central Co-Ordinator of Gono Ishtehar Firoz M Hassan, former whip Abdur Rouf, Executive Convenor of Jubo Dhara ATM Kamal, B Chowdhury's bodyguard Mojibor Rahman and Gono Forum leaders Abdul Mannan Niazi and Wajed Ali Khan Parvez.
Barely five minutes into the programme, the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Jubo Dal cadres attacked the gathering at about 2:30pm, witnesses told The Daily Star.
Some JCD activists, who had already taken seats at the hall, began shouting 'catch', 'catch' and threw rotten eggs, sandals and shoes at the leaders on the dais. People began running for cover, as the intruders swooped on them with sticks and iron rods, said witnesses.
Dr Kamal, B Chowdhury, Mannan and some other leaders, however, refused to leave the dais. A stick and a rotten egg were hurled on B Chowdhury. BDB and Oikya Mancha adherents shielded their leaders and moved them to safety.
Panic that followed the attack gripped the Durga Puja shoppers in the town as well. They also ran to safety as the participants were flushed out of the town hall.
Witnesses said some 50 JCD and Jubo Dal activists with firearms, sticks and iron rods went to the town hall in groups at least half an hour before the start of the programme. Rangpur district JCD President Tajul Islam Lemon, General Secretary Naju and JCD leaders Masud Kabir Bakshi and Mahmud Parvez allegedly led the attack.
After foiling the dialogue programme, the attackers converged on a nearby field and cheered at their 'success', witnesses added.
At an impromptu press briefing at local circuit house at 3:00pm, Dr Kamal and B Chowdhury deplored the inaction of the law-enforcers and said no policemen came to their rescue.
"No-one is safe under the rule of the alliance government, which is why we organised the dialogue with people from all walks of life here to draft a guideline for the government," said Dr Kamal.
"They (alliance government) will make a big mistake if they think they would be in office for ever. Time will come when people will punish them," he noted.
B Chowdhury, also a former president, said the JCD and Jubo Dal activists have, in fact, attacked democracy by foiling the mass dialogue programme.
"Democracy is never secure in the hands of the alliance government. We must save it taking people on our side. And that is why, we will keep on holding mass dialogue in the 64 districts," he said.
Earlier on Monday, the first in the proposed series of mass dialogues was held in Dinajpur.
Prime Minister's Political Secretary M Haris Chowdhury, talking to the BBC Bangla Service last night, denied involvement of the BNP or any of its front organisations with the attack.
"Whenever any untoward incident takes place, all blame it on the government and it is not right," he said, adding the BNP had nothing to gain by attacking the meeting.
B Chowdhury and Dr Kamal flew back to Dhaka by a helicopter yesterday evening.
Party activists shield Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh President Badruddoza Chowdhury, left, and Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain from the attack by ruling BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal men on a mass dialogue at Rangpur Town Hall yesterday.

BDWN

Rab nabs BNP leader in Barisal

20/10/2004

The Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested a leader of Babuganj upazila unit of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) under arms act in the early hours of yesterday.
He was identified as Nazrul Islam Miron, 45, joint secretary of Babuganj upazila BNP and ex-leader of Sarbahara Party .
Rab members raided the house of Nazrul at Dehergati village at 4:00am and seized two rounds of LG ammunitions from his possession. Arms dealer Omar sick
Meanwhile,hearing on the remand prayer of Omar Ali, the alleged godfather and arms dealer who was arrested by Rab on Monday, could not be held at the Barisal Sadar Upazila Magistrate's Court yesterday due to his illness.
Court sources said, Rab prayed for a five-day remand to quiz about the stocks of his arms and ammunitions.
The magistrate postponed the hearing of remand prayer until the recovery of the arrestee.

BDWN

CMAB releases study report: Flood damages estimated at $8b

Oct 19, 2004, 13:32

Losses and damages caused by recent devastating floods in the country have been estimated at US$ 8 billion or Tk 498,640 million by Institute of Cost and Management Accounts of Bangladesh (ICMAB).
Releasing the findings of a study report on damages caused by recent floods yesterday, the ICMAB said that combined with heavy rains in short intervals the floods this year proved to be the worst in living memory and caused immense damages in financial terms, which is 15 per cent of the GDP at the minimum.
"While the 1998 flood loss in terms of property and structures alone was estimated at around US$2 billion, this year the severity of floods in at least one-thirds of the country was far greater and the capital itself suffered most," the study says.
Since around 60 per cent of the landmass went under floodwater, the study observes that it will take more than a year to recover from the massive damages to lands, people and property of the country. While the agriculture sector suffered a staggering loss, the industrial sector has not been spared. But damages to infrastructure and communication systems are affecting people at large. It may be recalled that a joint mission of the ADB and World Bank have estimated the recent flood damage at US$2.2 billion or Tk 13,500 crore.
Since thousands of kilometers of road, bridges, culverts, schools and other public buildings were damaged or destroyed apart from the crops in thousands of hectres of agricultural lands, the Bangladesh government estimates that the nationwide losses from the flood would reach 7 billion US dollars or Tk 42,000 crore. On the other hand, Centre for Policy Dialogue said the losses from the floods would not cross US$2 billion, while the United Nations sought US$210 million or Tk 1,260 crores from international donors to help Bangladesh's very poor flood-affected people for six months.
However, the ICMAB study recommends that final plans of post-flood rehabilitation and rejuvenation of economy should be drawn after thorough discussions with major donors and loan giving agencies.
According to the report, standing crops worth Tk 1,895 crore in 12,90,000 hectares of land in 30 districts were destroyed and losses in 17,000 dairy farms have been estimated at Tk 3,950 crore.
Loss of fish that perished due to flood has been estimated at Tk 1,550 crore, while estimated damages caused to plants and machineries and other industrial structures stood at Tk 3,895 crore. Damages to schools and other educational institutions amounted to Tk 1,685 crore.
The study estimated that the funds needed for agriculture rehabilitation and rejuvenation would be Tk 1,295 crore, repair and reconstruction of 18,000 km of flood embankments would cost Tk 345 crore, emergency succours in the forms of food and clothes would cost Tk 2,400 crore, while loss of wages of 550,000 workers has been estimated at Tk 3,050 crore.
The findings of the study were presented by Past President and Council Member of ICMAB Md Nurul Hassan at the ICMA Bhaban auditorium in the city yesterday.
Following the presentation of the study findings, a discussion was held which was addressed by
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed as the chief guest and State Minister for Agriculture Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as special guest.
ICMAB President AKM Delwer Hussain presided over the discussion. Vice-Chairman of the Seminar and Conference Committee of the ICMAB Md Abdur Rashid also spoke on the occasion.

BDWN