EC misses out on chances, still has a lot to do

  

ELECTIONS to three city authorities the city corporations of Barisal, Rajshahi and Sylhet begin, with the Election Commission’s order of July 17 for the law enforcement agencies not to arrest political party leaders and activists without warrants or harass them largely being ignored. The High Court’s order of July 24 for the government and the police not to arrest and harass leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the people campaigning for its mayoral candidate in the Barisal City Corporation elections and of July 26 for the government and the police not to arrest and harass political party leaders and activists campaigning for elections to the Sylhet city authorities have also been largely flouted. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party in Barisal alleged that the police were arresting and harassing party activists in breach of the court order. 

The BNP’s mayoral candidate in Sylhet viewed the incident of his office being set on fire reportedly by Awami League activists and the arrest of his people in a case filed in this connection as a conspiracy to keep the BNP off electioneering. The BNP’s mayoral candidate in Rajshahi alleged that 90 per cent of the presiding and polling officers were chosen from among Awami League activists, which could lead the polling not to be free and fair.

With all such allegations coming up by candidates of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the political rival of the ruling Awami League, law enforcers have, meanwhile, listed most of the polling stations in all the three city corporation areas as risky. The Election Commission has been informed that 113 out of 123 polling stations in the Barisal city areas are risky and 50 of them are ‘very risky.’ Eighty out of 134 polling stations in Sylhet and 114 out of 138 polling stations in Rajshahi have also been classified as risky. 

The commission’s secretary said that they had worked out a plan to deploy additional law enforcers, in addition to the deployment of the Border Guard Bangladesh personnel as striking force from early morning on the polling day, to keep law and order at, in its phrase, ‘very important, which the law enforcers call ‘risky’, polling stations. Yet this does not dispel the popular perception that polling could be marred, in view of generally the way the elections to city authorities in Khulna, on May 15, and Gazipur, on June 26, were held and especially the commission’s reluctance at taking action against the breach of the electoral code of conduct, levelled mostly against the ruling Awami League candidates and their people, during campaigns in the run-up to the elections to the three city corporations at hand.

The Election Commission, which has largely lost its credibility as an institution in what happened during the city corporation elections in Khulna and Gazipur should have attended to the allegations of repeated breaches of the electoral code of conduct and levelled the playing field by not arresting and harassing opponent leaders and activists. It is now expected that the commission would ensure that voters could exercise their right to franchise in a free and fair atmosphere in elections to the three city corporation today.

• Courtesy: New Age/ Editorial/ Jul 29, 2018

Electioneering ends amid allegations of code violations

BGB deployed, Ariful’s election coordination committee convener arrested

Ahammad Foyez 

Electioneering ended Saturday midnight in the elections to Barisal, Sylhet and Rajshahi city corporations, scheduled for Monday, amid allegations of violations of electoral code of conduct and arrest and harassment of opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders and activists.

Border Guard Bangladesh members were deployed in the three cities on Saturday while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party demanded deployment of army for free and fair polls.

At the last stage of electioneering, police in Sylhet arrested BNP mayoral candidate Ariful Haque Chowdhury’ election coordination committee convener Abdur Razzak in the city Saturday evening.

Kotwali police station sub-inspector Kamal Hosain said that Abdur Razzak was named in a case filed Friday night for the explosion of two crude bombs at an election office of AL mayoral candidate Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran at Chowkidekhi early Friday.

Mayoral candidates from the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP raised allegations of violations of electoral code of conduct during the electioneering that began on July 10.

Major allegations of violations of the code included campaigning by ruling Awami League members of parliament, AL mayors of other cities and public servants.

The commission, however, apparently took no action against violations of the code.

Commission secretary Helaluddin Ahmed denied the allegation, claiming that the commission requested the speaker to take step to stop electioneering by lawmakers and asked mayors not to take part in such campaigning.

Border guard officials said that the authorities deployed 19 platoons of border guards in Rajshahi, 15 platoons in Barishal and 14 platoons in Sylhet to assist the administration and they would remain deployed until July 31.

Election Commission secretary Helaluddin Ahmed said that offices of respective returning officer already took all preparations for holding the elections in a free and fair manner.

He said that the commission made arrangements to monitor some polling stations in the three cities from Dhaka through CC cameras.

The commission formed a monitoring team led by its National Identity Registration Wing director general Mohammad Saidul Islam with representatives of public security division and law enforcement agencies, he added.

The returning officers announced embargo on the movement of unauthorised motor vehicles, including taxicabs, microbuses, jeeps, pickups, cars, buses, trucks, and three-wheelers, from Sunday midnight to Monday midnight.

The commission engaged 35 officials as own observers to monitor the city polls – 12 each in Rajshahi and Barisal and 11 in Sylhet.

Poll observers

Commission officials said that 609 local and international observers – 592 from 15 local agencies and 17 from three foreign agencies including the US embassy – would observe the three city polls. 

They said that 192 local and 7 foreign observers in Rajshahi, 203 local and 3 foreign observers in Barisal and 197 local and 7 foreign observers in Sylhet would observe the polls.

A public holiday was declared for the cities on the polling day, they said.

According to the commission plan, 24 police, Ansar and VDP members would be deployed at each risky polling station while 22 members would be deployed at other polling stations.

New Age Rajshahi University correspondent reported that BNP mayoral candidate Mossaddique Hossain Bulbul alleged that the commission and law enforcers were ‘acting like front organisation of the ruling party.’

‘Some people are threatening BNP activists at different wards of the city,’ he alleged.

175 BNP men arrested

Law enforcers have so far arrested 175 BNP activists, he alleged, adding that 23 polling agents were arrested and sent to jails in Pabna, Natore and Chepainawabganj.

‘We will besiege police stations if any more BNP activists were arrested.’

At a press conference, AL mayoral candidate AHM Khairuzzaman Liton said that BNP candidate’s false allegations irked Rajshahi city people.

‘BNP does not have enough people to appoint polling agents, so they are trying to make it an issue,’ he said.

New Age correspondent in Sylhet reported Some 80 leaders of BNP and its front organisations were named in another case filed Friday night for the explosion of two crude bombs at an election office of AL mayoral candidate Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran at Chowkidekhi.

Biman Bandar police station officer-in-charge Gausul Hossain said that Faruk Ahmad, a leader of the AL youth front Juba League, filed the case with the police station. 

BNP mayoral candidate in Sylhet Ariful Haque Chowdhury at a press conference warned to take to the street protesting at any irregularity in the polls. 

Mentioning that BNP activists would not go back home, if the result was stolen, Arif said, ‘Our back has already been stuck on the wall. We will embrace death if necessary, but will not quit the election race.’

Dhaka Govt. officials in Sylhet

He alleged that the high-up government officials reached Sylhet from Dhaka for ‘election engineering’.

He alleged that supporters of ruling Awami League mayoral candidate Badar Uddin Ahmad Kamran with the help of a few police officers exploded crude bombs and burnt an office of Kamran as part of their trap to prosecute BNP leaders and activists.

He said that more than 400 of his campaigners were already named in false cases filed recently.

Sylhet unit Jatiya Party on Saturday extended its formal support to the AL mayoral candidate.

Local Jatiya Party member of parliament Yahiya Chowdhury said that they made the formal announcement in this regard according to a directive issued by party chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad. 

Returning officer Md Alimuzzaman said that they completed all necessary preparation for holding the polls in a free and fair manner.

40 BNP men arrested defying HC rule

New Age correspondent in Barisal reported that BNP mayoral candidate Mujibur Rahman Sarwar said that at least 40 leaders and activists were arrested by law forcers violating a High Court order.

He said that ruling AL activists were threatening BNP activists and supporters to avoid polls-related activities.

At a press conference, Socialist Party of Bangladesh mayoral candidate Manisha Chakraborty alleged that the commission failed to create environment conducive to holding fair polls.

The first-ever female mayoral candidate in Barisal alleged that although her party assigned agents at each polling stations, it was uncertain if they would be able to discharge their duties due to threats being issued on them.   

Courtesy: New Age/Jul 29, 2018

"তিন সিটি নির্বাচনে লেভেল প্লেয়িং ফিল্ড নেই"

তিন সিটি নির্বাচনে লেভেল প্লেয়িং ফিল্ড দেখা যাচ্ছে না। আচরণবিধি ভঙ্গের প্রবণতা আশঙ্কাজনকভাবে বেড়ে যাওয়ায় নির্বাচন কমিশনের (ইসি) প্রতি ভোটারদের আস্থা নষ্ট হচ্ছে। নির্বাচনের আগে নির্বাচন কমিশনকে সরকারের সাথে বোঝাপড়া করা উচিত। যদি সরকারের পক্ষ থেকে ইতিবাচক সাড়া না পাওয়া যায়, তবে প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ নির্বাচনের দায় কে নেবে ? সেজন্য আগেই নির্বাচন কমিশনারকে নির্বাচন আয়োজনে অপারগতা প্রকাশ করা উচিত।

বুধবার, জুলাই ২৫, দুপুরে জাতীয় প্রেসক্লাবে ‘অবাধ নিরপেক্ষ ও শান্তিপূর্ণ নির্বাচন চাই’ শীর্ষক রাজশাহী, সিলেট ও বরিশাল সিটি কর্পোরেশন নির্বাচনে প্রতিদ্বন্দ্বীতাকারী প্রার্থীদের তথ্য উপস্থাপন বিষয়ে সংবাদ সম্মেলনে সুশাসনের জন্য নাগরিক (সুজন) এর পক্ষ থেকে একথা জানান।

সংগঠনটির পক্ষ থেকে বলা হয়েছে, একজন মেয়র ও কয়েকজন সংসদ সদস্য আচরণবিধি লঙ্ঘন করে সরকার দলীয় প্রার্থীর পক্ষে প্রচারণায় অংশ নিয়েছেন। শুধু তাই নয় আচরণবিধি লঙ্ঘন করে প্রচারণায় চালিয়েছেন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ভিসি, মেডিকেল কলেজের অধ্যক্ষ, সিভিল সার্জন ও বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের রেজিষ্ট্রারসহ অসংখ্যা সরকারি কর্মকর্তা-কর্মচারী ও নার্সেস অ্যাসোসিয়েশন। আচরণবিধি ভঙ্গের বিষয়ে ইসি থেকে কোনো কার্যকর পদক্ষেপ নেওয়া হচ্ছে না। এতে করে ইসির প্রতি সাধারণ ভোটারদের আস্থা নষ্ট হচ্ছে।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে লিখিত বক্তব্য পাঠ করেন সুজনের সমন্বয়কারী দিলীপ কুমার সরকার। এ সময় আরও বক্তব্য রাখেন সুজন সভাপতি এম হাফিজ উদ্দিন খান এবং সুজনের নির্বাহী সদস্য ও স্থানীয় সরকার বিষেশজ্ঞ ড. তোফায়েল আহমেদ।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে লিখিত বক্তব্যে বলা হয়, নারায়ণগঞ্জ, কুমিল্লা ও রংপুর সিটি করপোরেশন নির্বাচনের মাধ্যমে ইসির প্রতি জনগণের যে আস্থা গড়ে উঠেছিল, তা কমিশন ধরে রাখতে পারেনি। আগামী কয়েকমাস পর জাতীয় সংসদ নির্বাচন। এই নির্বাচনের আগে সিলেট, বরিশাল ও রাজশাহী সিটি নির্বাচনের দিকে সারাদেশের মানুষের নজর থাকবে। এই তিনি সিটি নির্বাচন জাতীয় নির্বাচনের বার্তা দেবে। ফলে তিন সিটি নির্বাচন যদি গাজীপুর ও খুলনা সিটির মতো প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ হয়, তাহলে তা নেতিবাচক বার্তা দেবে।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে আরও বলা হয়, তিনি সিটি নির্বাচন সুষ্ঠু ও শান্তিপূর্ণভাবে করতে নির্বাচন সংক্রান্ত সব কিছু ইসির নিয়ন্ত্রণে আনতে হবে। এ ব্যাপারে সরকারের সহযোগিতা না পাওয়া গেলে ইসির পক্ষে সুষ্ঠু নির্বাচন করা সম্ভব না। তাই বিষয়টি নিয়ে সরকারের সঙ্গে ইসির বোঝাপড়া করা উচিত। সরকারের কাছ থেকে ইসি ইতিবাচক সাড়া না পেলে প্রশ্নবিদ্ধ নির্বাচনের দায় না নিয়ে আগেই নির্বাচন আয়োজনে অপারগতা জানানো উচিত।

লিখিত বক্তব্যে বলা হয়, নির্বাচন কমিশনের নির্দেশনা সত্ত্বেও গ্রেফতার ও হয়রানির অভিযোগ উঠেছে। প্রথম দিন থেকেই মামলা শুরু হয়েছে রাজশাহীতে; এখন সিলেটেও মামলা, গ্রেফতার ও হয়রানি শুরু হয়েছে। বরিশালে নাশকতার আশঙ্কা প্রকাশ করেছে গোয়েন্দা বাহিনী। এইসব ঘটনাগুলো একদিকে যেমন ভোটারদের উদ্বেগ বাড়িয়ে দিচ্ছে, পাশাপাশি ভোটাররা নানা ধরনের সন্দেহের দোলাচলেও রয়েছেন।

সুজন সভাপতি এম হাফিজ উদ্দিন খান বলেন, তিন সিটি নির্বাচনে ইসির আচরণে হতাশার অনেক কারণ রয়েছে। কারও বিরুদ্ধে এক বছর আগে হয়তো মামলা ছিল, কিন্তু এতদিন সে প্রকাশ্য থাকলেও ধরেনি। কিন্তু নির্বাচন সামনে রেখে তাদের ধরপাকড় করা হচ্ছে। এগুলো উদ্দেশ্যমূলক। এক প্রশ্নের জবাবে তিনি বলেন, তিন সিটিতে লেভেল প্লেয়িং ফিল্ড নেই। সরকারীর কর্মকর্তারা নিয়ম বর্হিভূতভাবে প্রচরাণায় অংশ নিলেও ইসির পক্ষ থেকে কোনো ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হচ্ছে না।

ড. তোফায়েল আহমেদ বলেন, স্থানীয় সরকার নির্বাচনগুলো কিভাবে হচ্ছে সবাই দেখতে ও বুঝতে পারছেন। নতুন নতুন মডেলে নির্বাচন হচ্ছে। একসময় বলা হত মাগুরা মডেল; এখন কোন মডেলে নির্বাচন হচ্ছে তা গবেষণার বিষয়। কিভাবে নির্বাচনের মডেল হচ্ছে তাও বলা যাচ্ছে না। তবে এতটুকু বলা যায়, নির্বাচন নিয়ে যথেষ্ট সন্দেহ রয়েছে। নির্বাচন বড় ধরনের সহিংসতা না হলেও নির্বাচন সুষ্ঠু হচ্ছে না কেন- তা ব্যাখা করাও কঠিন। কখনও রাতে ভোট কারচুপি হচ্ছে, কখনও দিনে হচ্ছে, আবার ভোটার আসার আগেই ব্যালট শেষ হয়ে যাচ্ছে। এগুলো ইঙ্গিত করে নির্বাচন কিভাবে হচ্ছে।

তোফায়েল আহমেদ বলেন, আবার দেখা যাচ্ছে নির্বাচনে কোনো প্রার্থী ২ লাখ ভোট পেয়েছেন; অথচ তিনি কোনো এজেন্ট দিতে পারেননি। যে প্রার্থী ২ লাখ ভোট পেয়েছেন, তিনি ৪শ এজেন্ট দিতে পারেননি, এটা বিশ্বাসযোগ্য নয়। আবার কোনো প্রার্থী ১ লাখ ৭ হাজার ভোট পেয়েছেন, কিন্তু তিনিও একশ জন এজেন্ট দিতে পারেননি। এটা কোন মডেল নির্বাচন? এটা কি ভয়ের মডেল, না নতুন মডেল- তার কোনো ব্যাখা নেই। এটা কোনো ভয়-ভীতির কারণে হচ্ছে, নাকি মানুষ ভোটের প্রতি উদাসীন হয়ে পড়ছে, নাকি একটি বিশেষ দল আগ্রাসী হয়ে পড়ছে যেখানে অন্য কোনো দল যেতে পারছে না?

• কার্টসিঃ নয়াদিগন্ত/ জুলাই ২৫,২০১৮ 

Barapukuria coal scam

To say strange things happen in this country would be a gross understatement. How can coal amounting to as large a quantity as 142,000 tonnes vanish from a coal yard? Unbelievable it is but now that it really has happened, one still has to struggle to admit the fact. Under a managing director there are other high officials along with other staff members to run the operation of the mine and supervision of the extracted coal. Unless the entire bunch colludes in the act of illegal disposal of the coal, it is impossible to perform this vile act. These people were given the responsibility of maintaining the reserve to be used for power plants in the area. How dare they commit this crime knowing full well that it cannot be hushed up no matter how much they may try to do so? This is no normal theft. Involved here is not only coal worth Tk 2.27 billion, which is a national resource, but also a severe breach of trust with the nation and defiance of the higher authority.

A few top officials of the mining company have been withdrawn or suspended following the revelation that no coal is left to run the Barapukuria coal-fired power plant. Is that all? The persons suspected to be involved in the criminal act should immediately be interned. It is good that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has slapped ban on the travel by the officials suspected to be involved in the disappearance of Barapukuria coal. When a crime of this order takes place, there has to be some people with the knowledge of the crime outside of the gang actively involved in it. But surprisingly none reported to the police or higher authorities. In that sense, such people also passively become a party to the crime -only more so because at issue here is a national resource.

Now the impact of the crime is felt by people of the area. Since Sunday night last, the thermal power plant with a capacity of 525 megawatts has stopped producing electricity for want of coal severely affecting the supply of power there. The mine is scheduled to go into coal production from next month. Before that time normal supply in the area cannot be expected. Unless people go out of their heads, it is impossible for managing directors, managers and others to form a pact for embarking on such an outrageous but silent heist. What prompted them to go nuts is indeed a matter of conjecture unless it is unbridled avarice.

In this country, the greatest malaise is this uncontrolled greed. But regrettably, the authorities appear to be reluctant to impose a decisive deterrent to it. A case in point is the big borrowers of bank money who default on repayment of their loans with impunity, with the authorities concerned looking the other way. Law has to be applied without discrimination or the basic principle gets undermined which encourages crimes like the coal scam.

• Courtesy: The Financial Express/ Editorial /Jul 26, 2018

Excelerate, Petrobangla at loggerheads over LNG supply

M Azizur Rahman

Excelerate Energy Bangladesh Ltd (EEBL) has claimed 'force majeure' as it justifies its 'failure' to initiate supplying re-gasified LNG (liquefied natural gas) to consumers in time, said officials.

Force majeure is a common clause in contracts that essentially frees both parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties prevents one or both parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract.

The US-based company's floating, storage, and re-gasification unit (FSRU) has remained stranded for over the past three months in the Bay of Bengal, carrying Qatari LNG.

But the vessel has not started supplying re-gasified LNG yet as it could not be tied up with sub-sea pipeline.

The vessel arrived at the Moheshkhali LNG terminal on April 24 carrying 136,009 cubic metres of Qatari RasGas's fuel marking Bangladesh as the country joining the rank of an LNG importer.

The FSRU has been moored on the Moheshkhali Island, near the port of Chattogram having the capacity of re-gasifying 3.75 million tonnes per year.

It was supposed to start supplying re-gasified LNG to gas transmission pipeline for consumption by clients of the port city Chattogram on May 07, said the official.

But the 'complexities' in tying up the FSRU with subsea pipeline and its 'synchronisation' have held up the supply of re-gasified LNG to consumers since then.

But state-owned Petrobangla has rejected the Excelerate's force majeure claim, he added.

Top officials of state-run Petrobangla and the Energy and Mineral Resources Division announced at least four separate dates for initiating the supply of re-gasified LNG as the Excelerate was trying to resolve it time to time.

But the FSRU could not to be tied up, or plugged-up, with the sub-sea pipeline yet due to rough weather in the sea, insiders said.

If the wave-height in the Bay of Bengal could be within 1.0 meter, the FSRU could easily be tied up and synchronised with the sub-sea pipeline, an engineer involved with the job told this correspondent requesting anonymity.

But currently, the sea wave-height is 2.0 metre and above, he added.

Both Excelerate and Bangladesh are on the losing side as the US firm has been counting cargo rent and other relevant operational costs, while Bangladesh's industrial output is being hampered due to non-supply of re-gasified LNG to its gas-hungry consumers in time, he added.

"Excelerate will try again to fix it up on August 01," said the official.

But industry insiders said even if the tying up and synchronisation is completed, the FSRU's full capacity re-gasified LNG could not be supplied as the construction of necessary pipeline was not completed as yet.

The FSRU might be able to evacuate only around 250 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd), or half the FSRU's re-gasifying capacity from the day one.

The construction of a 30-kilometre and 42-inch diameter Anwara-Fouzdarhat gas transmission pipeline seems to be the major hurdle in transmitting the re-gasified LNG, he added.

A 91 km (56 mile) 30-inch natural gas pipeline from Moheshkhali to Anowara has, however, been completed much earlier and undergone the necessary testing to carry initially re-gasified LNG to Chattogram consumers.

Petrobangla signed 'terminal use agreement' and 'implementation agreement' with the US firm on the LNG terminal project, 'Moheshkhali Floating LNG Terminal,' in July, 2017.

Excelerate built the re-gasification unit on the build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis, he said.

It would charge US$ 0.49 per Mcf (1,000 cubic feet) against its service from the day one.

Petrobangla would buy re-gasified LNG from the terminal on the take-or-pay basis as per the contract.

• Courtesy: The Financial Express /Jul 26, 2018

Gang posing as EC officials collect fingerprints in Naogaon

Muktadir Rashid 

A group of people impersonating Election Commission officials have collected fingerprints from people at places in Naogan, causing security threat to the biometric security features.

They have convinced the local people easily as the commission is currently collecting fingerprints for smart national identification cards.

Talking to New Age, commission secretary Helal Uddin Ahmed claimed that he was not aware of the incident and none had the authority to collect fingerprint other than the commission.

The police and local administration said that two unidentified men have collected fingerprints from villagers at Hazipur of Badalgachhi upazila in Naogaon in June 26-28 and assured them of distribution of smart national identification cards.

They also collected fingerprints and personal information from the villagers and took photos of them, the villagers told local officials.

The two strangers left the village after one of the victims, Hafizur Rahman, informed upazila election officer Shafiuddin Shiekh.

‘The two had left the place before I could reach them,’ said Shafiuddin.

He said that the local administration recently made announcements through public address system at the upazila urging people not to provide any information to unidentified people.

‘On June 30, we received similar allegation from another place and we failed to nab them too,’ said Shafiuddin.

On July 11, one of the victims filed a general diary with Badalgachhi police station in this regard.

Police are, however, yet to identify the two involved in the incident.

About 1,000 people have been cheated, Bilashbari union parishad membr Yaad Ali said.

Badalgachhi police station officer-in-charge Jalal Uddin said they were yet to arrest any of the suspects.

• Courtesy: New Age/ Jul 26, 2018

Strict implementation of law can stop stalking

Another college girl attacked

Not a day goes by without a news report of rape, stalking and violence against women and children in the media. In the latest incident that was reported in this daily yesterday, a girl in Nilphamari's Dimla upazila was brutally attacked by her stalker and his accomplices on her way to college.

In 2011, the High Court declared stalking of girls and women illegal, and directed the government to consider the offence as sexual harassment. The court also added that incidents of stalking of girls and women at any place in the country have to be brought under trial in accordance with the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act. In addition, it ordered the government to set up separate cells at every police station across the country to deal with such cases. One wonders if the directives given by the High Court have been followed by the authorities concerned.

According to Ain O Salish Kendra, from January till March this year, at least 16 children were sexually harassed by stalkers but only in six of the incidents, cases were filed against them. And most of such cases get settled outside the courts as the victims are mainly from poor economic backgrounds and the perpetrators are usually from local influential families. To make sure that the stalkers cannot get away with impunity, the local administrations should take effective actions against stalkers as soon as they get information of such incidents, as the High Court has directed.

Moreover, awareness must be raised against stalking from the school level. Topics of awareness against stalking should be incorporated in the school curriculum. We must also create a massive social movement against stalking as well ensure strict implementation of law to stop this crime.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star/ Editorial /Jul 26, 2018

Medical establishments must adhere to rules

Enforce HC directives

We welcome the High Court (HC) directive that all private clinics, hospitals and diagnostic centres must put on public display the list of charges for various services they provide. The HC has also directed that all general hospitals must have ICU/CCU units at the district level. The most important measure that the HC has ordered is of course, the setting up of a panel of experts to formulate rules and regulations that will effectively monitor clinics, diagnostic centres and hospitals.

For too long the privately owned hospitals and other medical centres have been taking patients for a ride. There have been long standing allegations by patients of overcharging for tests and medical care. Equally disturbing is the fact that medical centres, particularly hospitals and clinics are so rigid in their paperwork that patients have to fill up forms before they can avail medical services, even if they need emergency treatment. These instances speak volumes of a regime that is by and large unregulated and hence cause much of the aggravation faced by patients.

The HC has given directives which the Directorate General of Health Services/Ministry of Health should have on their own enforced long ago. Concrete steps should now be taken to make the burgeoning and hugely profitable private medicare conform to the Medical Practice and Private Clinics and Laboratories (Regulation) Ordinance, 1982. This would certainly pave the way to address many of the problems patients regularly face.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Editorial/ Jul 26, 2018

তরিকুলের অবস্থার অবনতি, পাঁচ হাসপাতাল বদল নূরের!

চিকিৎসা পেতে এ যেন রীতিমতো যুদ্ধ। ছাত্রলীগের হামলার শিকার কোটা আন্দোলনের নেতা নূরুল হক নূরকে মোকাবিলা করতে হচ্ছে এই অভূতপূর্ব পরিস্থিতি। শুরুতে চিকিৎসা দিতে অস্বীকৃতি জানিয়েছিল ঢাকা মেডিকেল কলেজ   হাসপাতাল কর্তৃপক্ষ। এরপর একে একে তাকে বদলাতে হয়েছে পাঁচটি হাসপাতাল। ভুগছেন গ্রেপ্তার আতঙ্কেও। চিকিৎসার খরচ বহনেও হিমশিম খাচ্ছে তার পরিবার।

মানবজমিনের সঙ্গে আলাপকালে নূর জানান, শুরু থেকে এ পর্যন্ত তাকে একে একে পাঁচটি হাসপাতাল পরিবর্তন করতে হয়েছে। এক হাসপাতালে বেশিদিন অবস্থান করা যাচ্ছে না। ফলে সুচিকিৎসা থেকে বঞ্চিত হচ্ছেন তিনি। ধানমন্ডির আনোয়ার খান মডার্ন হাসপাতাল, উত্তরা ক্রিসেন্ট, হোপ, হাই কেয়ারসহ মোট পাঁচটি হাসপাতালে ভর্তি হয়েছেন তিনি। 

নূর জানান, বর্তমানে যে হাসপাতালে গোপনে চিকিৎসা নিচ্ছেন সেটাও তার জন্য নিরাপদ নয়। হাসপাতাল কর্তৃপক্ষ ভয় পায়। চিকিৎসার স্বার্থে নিজের নামটা পর্যন্ত পরিবর্তন করতে হচ্ছে তাকে। হাসপাতাল কর্তৃপক্ষ বলেন, আমাকে রাখলে তাদের হাসপাতালের সমস্যা হবে। যে কারণে রিলিজ দিয়ে দেয়। ভর্তি তারা ঠিকই করে কিন্তু বিভিন্ন জায়গা থেকে ফোন এলে তারা আর রাখতে চায় না। হাসপাতাল কর্তৃপক্ষ ইতিমধ্যে জানিয়ে দিয়েছে, যে উপর মহলের চাপ আছে যেকোনো সময় আপনাকে হাসপাতাল ছাড়তে হতে পারে। 

নুরুল হক বলেন, এটা খুবই দুঃখজনক। নিজেকে এখন বাংলাদেশের অন্যতম অপরাধী মনে হচ্ছে। আত্মীয়স্বজনরাও তাদের বাসায় রাখতে ভয় পায়। আমাকে থাকতে দিয়ে তারা কোনো পুলিশি ঝামেলায় পড়তে পারে এই ভয়। এখন টার্গেট হচ্ছি আমরা যারা ৩-৪ জন বাইরে আছি তারা। আমাদের যেকোনো সময় গ্রেপ্তার করা হতে পারে। এই টেনশন নিয়ে আসলে কতটা ভালো থাকা যায় জানি না। এদিকে শরীরের তেমন কোনো উন্নতি হচ্ছে না। 

ডাক্তার বলেছেন, পুরোপুরি সেরে উঠতে আরো সময় লাগবে। হাত, কোমর, ঘাড় সারাক্ষণ ব্যথা করে। ডানে বায়ে কাত হয়ে শুতে পারি না। চিকিৎসার খরচও দিনকে দিন বেড়েই চলছে। এ পর্যন্ত ৩ লাখ টাকার বেশি খরচ হয়েছে। পুরো খরচই পরিবারকে বহন করতে হয়েছে। এ ছাড়া শিক্ষক ও ডিপার্টমেন্ট থেকে সামান্য কিছু আর্থিক সহায়তা করা হয়েছে বলে জানান তিনি। ৩০শে জুন ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে ছাত্রলীগের নেতাকর্মীদের হামলার শিকার হন নূর।

এদিকে হাসপাতালের বিছানায় কাতরাচ্ছেন কোটা সংস্কার আন্দোলনের সময় ছাত্রলীগের হাতুড়ির পিটুনিতে আহত রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের (রাবি) ইসলামিক স্টাডিজ বিভাগের শিক্ষার্থী তরিকুল ইসলাম। তার শারীরিক অবস্থার অবনতি হয়েছে। 

গত ৯ই জুলাই তরিকুলের পায়ে প্রথম অস্ত্রোপচার করার পর অবস্থার কিছুটা উন্নতি হলেও কয়েকদিন পরেই অবস্থার অবনতি ঘটতে শুরু করেছে। ইনফেকশন হয় তার ডান পায়ে। যেখানে হাতুড়ি দিয়ে আঘাত করা হয়েছিল। তখন থেকেই বাড়তে থাকে পায়ের ব্যথা। 

গত রোববার তার পায়ের দ্বিতীয় সফল অস্ত্রোপচার সম্পন্ন হয়েছে বলে জানিয়েছেন তরিকুলের এক সহপাঠী। তিনি বলেন, তরিকুল বর্তমানে ঢাকার একটি বেসরকারি হাসপাতালে চিকিৎসাধীন আছেন। সঙ্গে রয়েছেন তার বড় ভাই তৌহিদুল। তবে কোন হাসপাতালে চিকিৎসা চলছে নিরাপত্তার স্বার্থে তা তরিকুলের পরিবার ও সহপাঠীরা জানাতে অপারগ প্রকাশ করছেন। 

তরিকুলের বন্ধুরা জানান, প্রথম অপারেশনের পর তরিকুলের শারীরিক অবস্থার কিছুটা উন্নতি হয়েছিল। কিন্তু তার পায়ে তীব্র ব্যথা কমছিল না। মেরুদণ্ড, কোমর ও পায়ের জন্য থেরাপি দেয়া হচ্ছিল। কিছু দিন পরেই ব্যথার তীব্রতা বেড়ে যায়। পরে ডাক্তার জানায় যে, তরিকুলের ডান পায়ে ইনফেকশন হয়েছে। যতই দিন যাচ্ছে তরিকুলের শারীরিক অবস্থা ততই অবনতি হচ্ছে। এখনো সোজা হয়ে বসতে পারছে না সে। কারোর সাহায্য ছাড়া সে ঘুরে বসতে পারে না। হাত-পা সহ পুরো শরীর ব্যথায় কাতরাচ্ছে তরিকুল। চিকিৎসার জন্য যে পরিমাণ টাকার দরকার সেই টাকা তরিকুলের কৃষক পিতার পক্ষে একা বহন করা সম্ভব নয়। বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের শিক্ষার্থীদের দানের টাকায় চিকিৎসা চলছে। তবে হাসপাতালে অনেক টাকা বকেয়া রয়েছে। বকেয়ার পরিমাণ দিন দিন বেড়েই চলছে। 

গত ২রা জুলাই রাজশাহী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে কোটা সংস্কার আন্দোলনকারীদের পতাকা মিছিলে ছাত্রলীগের কয়েক নেতাকর্মী তরিকুলকে নির্মম ভাবে হাতুড়ি দিয়ে পিটিয়ে আহত করে। হাতুড়ির আঘাতে তার মাথা ফেটে যায় এবং ভেঙে যায় ডান পায়ের হাঁটুর নিচের দুটি হাড়। ৫ই জুলাই অসুস্থ অবস্থায় তাকে রাজশাহী মেডিকেল কলেজ হাসপাতাল থেকে চিকিৎসা অসম্পন্ন রেখেই ছাড়পত্র দেয়ার পর শহরের বেসরকারি হাসপাতাল রয়্যালে ভর্তি করা হয়। পরে উন্নত চিকিৎসায় সেখান থেকে ঢাকার একটি বেসরকারি হাসপাতালে ভর্তি করা হয়। 

• কার্টসিঃ মানবজমিন/ জুলাই ২৫,২০১৮ 

Colleges of 0

Appalling conditions of institutions that saw zero pass rate in HSC exams

Goats wander in the corridor of Satla Ideal College in Barisal's Uzirpur upazila as the institution looks deserted. All 17 examinees from the college failed this year's HSC exams. The photo was taken around noon on Monday. Photo: Star

The two-storey college building on a 166-decimal plot with a lush green field at the front promises a congenial environment.

Established in 2011, Progati Model College in Jhenidah's Kotchandpur upazila has 12 regular teachers. Yet, none of its 19 students passed the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations this year.

The examinees flunked English, and the reason cited by the college principal seems very unusual -- the lone English teacher at the institution had gone on maternity leave in 2016 for two years, and the college couldn't afford to fill up the post.

"Other teachers and I myself took classes, but regrettably none could pass. The questions [of English papers] were really hard," said Shafiqul Islam, principal of the college.

The English teacher, Munni Khatun, went on maternity leave on June 12, 2016 and never rejoined because of non-payment of salaries. The college authorities appointed a teacher only this month.

A view of Purbo Manda Ideal College in Naogaon's Manda upazila. Two examinees of this college took this year's HSC exams, but they both became unsuccessful. The photo was taken on Saturday. Photo: Star

Shafiqul said the college doesn't enjoy the government's MPO (monthly pay order) benefit, and it didn't have required funds to go for recruitment.

Ashraful Alam, chairman of the college governing body, said they should have appointed an English teacher immediately for the sake of the examinees as they were not regular students, meaning they had failed in one or more subjects in previous years.

But the college could not recruit anyone for lack of funds, he added.

Progati Model College is one of the 55 institutions that saw zero pass rate in this year's HSC exams.

The Daily Star visited seven such colleges in the last three days and found some common features: all these institutions have big campuses and a good number of teachers, and none of them gets government funds. The teachers don't get salaries regularly and they seldom take classes.

Take Satla Ideal College as another example.

Founded by BNP leader Sorfuddin Santu in 2001, the tin-roof college building on a 2.87-acre plot in Barisal's Ujirpur upazila has seven teachers. But all its 17 students failed the HSC exams.

Students and guardians alleged that the teachers didn't take classes regularly.  Classes were held only twice a week after the students filled out forms for the HSC exams.

The principal, Humayun Kabir, started coming to the college less frequently after he became Sholok Union Parishad chairman two years ago.

Contacted, he admitted this, and said all the seven teachers at the college are demoralised as they didn't get the MPO or any government funds since its inception.

"How could I run the college properly if the teachers remain unpaid -- some of them for the last 18 years," Humayun said over the phone.

Several guardians alleged that the teachers at the college didn't take classes regularly. "It's an educational institution, but we seldom see them take classes," said a guardian.

Visiting the college on Monday noon, this newspaper found it almost deserted. There was no student in any of the classrooms. Clothes were hanging from ropes in the corridor and goats were wandering there.

One of the teachers said most of the students live in faraway areas and are irregular. Many of them had failed in several subjects in previous years.

This correspondent managed to talk to one of the students, Shamim, who painted a dismal picture of academic activities at the college.

He passed Dakhil (equivalent to SSC) exams with GPA 4.52 from Rajapur Madrasa.

"I had got admitted to another college, but the Salta union chairman persuaded my family to have me shifted here," he said.

The situation is even gloomier at Naogaon's Purba Manda Ideal College, which recorded zero pass rate in HSC exams for the second time.

Only two students sat for the HSC exams this year and both failed -- one in physics and the other in mathematics. Last year, only one student appeared in the exams, and he too failed.

Set up in Manda upazila in 2004, the college has 18 teachers but no specialised one to teach English. It is not on the government's payroll and is solely dependent on the locals' donations.

During a recent visit to the institution, a correspondent from The Daily Star saw only 15 students attending classes at a tin-shed building. The college authorities, however, said a total of 71 students study in science, humanities and commerce groups there.

Principal Joynul Abedin said HSC examinees from the college flunked mainly because they couldn't attend classes regularly for helping their parents in their work.

“Only poor and weak students come here for admission. It might be another reason for the poor result,” he said.

Besides, some of the teachers at the college have become irregular as they are not getting salaries regularly. They have to do alternative work to run their families.

"We lead a miserable life as we don't get any salary from the government. That's why many of us have to either offer private tuitions or work as shopkeepers just for survival,” said Kanak Kumar Gain, who teaches psychology at the college.

Chongacha Women's College is another college with zero success rate.

Only a female student had appeared in this year's HSC exams from the institution in Chongacha union of Sirajganj Sadar upazila.

Built on a piece of donated land, the college had begun its journey with 14 teachers and a good number of students in 1991. However, the number of teachers has now come down to only six, thanks to irregular payment of salaries.

The existing teachers are also not taking classes regularly. Because of this, the number of students is declining.

Three students had appeared in last year's HSC exams and only one of them passed. In 2016, five students took the test and two of them came out successful, said Latifur Rahman, principal of the college.

He said many of the teachers changed job as the school had not been brought under the MPO coverage in all these years. “How can anyone work without salaries?” he asked.

Similar is the situation at Durgapur School and College in Gurudaspur upazila of Natore.

Four students appeared in this year's HSC exam and all of them failed, mostly in English. The college has 20 teachers but most of them don't even come to the institution, which doesn't get government funds. 

"We started [this college] in 2002 but still our teachers are working without any pay. They have to do various jobs to earn a living,” said Yasin Ali, acting principal of the college.

Contacted, Gurudaspur Upazila Secondary Education Officer Hafizur Rahman said it was true that the teachers were not getting salaries, but “they cannot let their students down”.

"We will inform the higher authorities about the matter so that they can take necessary steps,” he added.

Krishnanagar Abdul Jabbar School and College has a different case.

Thirteen students from the college sat for the HSC exams. However, none of them passed.

The college is situated in a remote village in Krishnanagar union of Brahmanbaria. The union is known for frequent clashes among people of different villages.

In the last one year, several incidents of murder, arson and looting took place at eight villages in the union. Therefore, the students from the villages could not attend classes for many days, said Ferdousur Rahman, acting principal of the college.

However, sources at the institution said shortage of teachers was also a key reason behind its dismal performance.

Contacted, Comilla Education Board Chairman Prof Md Ruhul Amin said, "We will issue show cause notices to the institutions [in Comilla] with zero pass rate.”

The institutions would be given another chance to do well only for the sake of their students. If they fail again, the affiliation of the institutions with the board will be cancelled,” he added.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Jul 25, 2018