Let a free press thrive

EDITORIAL

Without it, a healthy democracy is not possible

Media freedom is under attack the world over. Governments in countries worldwide, with a few exceptions, are doing everything in their power to throttle the media and silence journalists. And those who care about independent journalism are increasingly realising that we can no longer take a free press for granted. This dire state of affairs was recently echoed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who called on the international community and governments to protect journalists and create the necessary conditions for them to work in.

A journalist is murdered every four days, oftentimes for exposing corruption, human rights violations, or political wrongdoing, while those responsible remain untouched. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in the past decade, at least 324 journalists have been murdered and in 85 percent of these cases, there has been no conviction. This year alone, at least 45 journalists have been killed around the world.

The impunity being enjoyed by those responsible for committing crimes against journalists is something that we see all too often in Bangladesh as well. With at least seven unsolved cases of murder of journalists, Bangladesh occupied the 12th spot in CPJ's Global Impunity Index 2018 which “spotlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free.” The enactment of the Digital Security Act—which has several provisions that could hurt independent journalism and hamper freedom of speech—means that media institutions and journalists are under more pressure than ever. A free press simply cannot thrive in this climate of fear that seems to have taken hold.

The government must prioritise the unsolved cases of journalists who have been killed and bring to justice those responsible. Without an environment in which journalists feel that they can do their job without being targeted for harassment or murder, the media will not be able to speak truth to power. But such an environment cannot possibly come about unless the government, media institutions and civil society work together.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star/ Nov 04, 2018

Qawmi madrasa rally: City commuters suffer for lack of transports

City dwellers have been suffering due to a shortage of public transport and traffic restrictions imposed on different roads as a Qawmi madrasa platform organised a rally in Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan on November 4, 2018.The photo shows that Ripon, who came to the BSSMU for the treatment of his four-month child, has been waiting for bus for hour at Shahbagh to go to Gauchhia in Narayanganj. Photo: Prabir Das

City dwellers have been suffering due to a shortage of public transport and traffic restrictions imposed on different roads as a Qawmi madrasa platform organised a rally in Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan today.

Commuters were seen passing through Shahbagh intersection to Matsya Bhaban, Katabon, Nilkhet and Palashi on foot to reach their destinations as the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has asked all heavy and light vehicles to avoid the Suhrawardy Udyan area and adjacent places today.

Many of them were seen waiting for public transports in Shahbagh, Paltan and Matsya Bhaban area, reports our staff correspondents and photographers from the spot.

Meanwhile, the traffic diversion has created huge traffic congestion in different areas including Mirpur road starting from Kalyanpur to Panthapath intersection, causing sufferings to city dwellers, our staff correspondent from the spot.  

The patients, who came to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), for treatment have also been sufferings due to the lack of the public transport and following the DMP restriction.

Talking our staff photographer in the morning, Ripon, who came to the BSSMU for the treatment of his four-month-old child this morning, said he has been waiting for a bus at Shahbagh for over an hour for going to Gauchhia in Narayanganj.

The photo shows that no public transports, except private car, rickshaw and CNG-run-auto-rickshaw were seen plying in Shahbagh intersection as the DMP has asked all heavy and light vehicles to avoid the Suhrawardy Udyan area and adjacent places on Sunday, 04 November 2018. Photo: Prabir Das/Star

Apart from the public transport, the number of cars in the streets was fewer than that of the usual days.

Why the rally has been organised?

Al-Hiyatul Ulya Lil-Zami'atil Qawmiya Bangladesh, a combine of Qawmi education boards led by Shafi, organised the event to hail the passage of a bill making the Dawra-e-Hadith degree equivalent to master's in Islamic studies and Arabic.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to join the programme titled “Shokrana Mahfil” as the chief guest while Hefajat-e Islam supremo Shah Ahmed Shafi will be in the chair.

Since morning, thousands of Hefajat activists are seen gathering the venue to participate in the rally to express gratitude over recognition of top Qawmi degree.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Nov 04, 2018 

Zafrullah accuses RAB of excesses in mobile court drive at GK

Gonoshahthaya Kendra management in a press conference on Saturday alleged that the decades-old public charity organisation was facing attacks and cases after one of their trustees Zafrullah Chowdhury joined Jatiya Oikya Front.

‘We believe, these [recent] attacks are being launched and cases filed against Gonoshahthaya Kendra with the assistance of political rivals of Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury,’ the Kendra’s trustee board chairman Altafunnessa Maya told reporters at Gonoshahthaya Nagor Hospital in the capital in the afternoon.

In her written statement, Altafunnessa detailed how Gonoshahthaya Kendra faced attacks from local goons with the help of police and local administration. 

She mentioned the name of one land broker Muhammad Ali and how he filed the cases as he lost nine lawsuits against Gonoshahthaya Kendra in order to occupy land property of the charity.

Altafunnessa came up with allegations against Rapid Action Battalion and revealed how a mobile court, led by executive magistrate Sarwar Alam, in the presence of RAB-4 Savar-Nabinagor camp commanding officer Major Abdul Hakim Nasim threatened the Kendra employees on October 23.

In the statement, Gonoshahthaya Kendra management also said how the mobile court ‘illogically’ and ‘unethically’ had seized the medicines in absence of any employees of the hospital. 

The Kendra management had wanted to pay the fine in cheque but the mobile court wanted it in cash, the statement reads, adding that the following the day, the fine worth Tk 10 lakh was paid to the RAB commanding officer but the management was not given any receipt. 

The RAB-4-backed mobile court also fined Gonoshahthaya Pharmaceuticals Tk 15 lakh and the executive magistrate, Sarwar Alam, gave false information about his findings, it adds.

When contacted, Major Abdul Hakim declined to make any comment while executive magistrate Sarwar Alam could not be reached by Saturday evening.

When approached, RAB-4 commanding officer Chowdhury Manjurul Kabir said he was not aware about the drive at Gonoshahthaya Kendra. 

‘Without instruction from high-ups, this kind of incident can never take place. It was a terrorist attack. When the government is involved, there may be fine but they wanted the money immediately and it is called terrorist style,’ Zafrullah told the press conference.

‘What they have done, they picked two weakest employees — both health workers. They did not pick my director. Our vice-chancellor was there. They [RAB] did not pick him up. They forced them to sign and threatened them that they would land in jail if they did not sign,’ he alleged. 

‘Why does such incident take place? I am an independent citizen. I am one of the trustees of Gonoshahthaya Kendra. As they cannot punish me, they are hurting our organisation,’ said the veteran freedom fighter and physician. He said there were culture disks inside discarded boxes too. 

‘Those cannot be destroyed them whimsically. It needed a committee to destroy those…It cannot go that way to make the country a jungle. But, RAB did it. I have always said RAB should be withdrawn,’ said Zafrullah.

Saiful Islam Shishir, an executive director at the GK, said that so far six cases were filed against them since mid-October. 

He said the cases and attacks were interrelated as each of the attacks took place after a case was filed with the local police station.  After being attacked, the GK officials approached the local police station and police showed their indifference to the issues, leading to further attack. 

‘We approached the local police station with the first information report seeking help. The police officials said they had instructions from the high-ups. We finally filed a case with Dhaka court and preparation of two more cases is underway,’

• Courtesy: New Age/ Nov 04, 2018 

Foreign nationals working illegally go unchecked

No data on foreigners working in Bangladesh

Moinul Haque

A large number of foreign professionals are working in Bangladesh without any legal documents, draining a huge amount of foreign currency, researchers and deferent NGOs have found.

Although the government agencies have no statistics on the number of foreign nationals working in Bangladesh, deferent NGOs have estimated that the number might be more than five lakh and more than $5 billion flows out of the country annually for them.

According to private sector sources, a good number of foreign professionals are engaged in Bangladesh’s apparel, textile, buying house, telecommunication, information technology, poultry and poultry feed sectors and most of them are working without permission.

Industry insiders said that a large number of foreign nationals were working in several industrial sectors in Bangladesh because of lack of skilled manpower in the country.

They said that there were two types of illegal foreign employees in the country –– some came on tourist or student visa and continued residing and working without valid documents while some others obtained permits for some organisations but switched to and continued working for some others.

Centre of Excellence for Bangladesh Apparel Industry recently began a research titled ‘Employment of Expatriates and its Alternatives in the RMG Sector of Bangladesh’ in collaboration with the Faculty of Business Studies of Dhaka University to find out reasons for hiring foreigners and their areas of work in apparel sector.

According to the study proposition, some 5 lakh foreigners are working in Bangladesh and about 1 lakh of them are registered with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and NGO Affairs Bureau.

The Centre of Excellence for Bangladesh Apparel Industry is a joint initiative of the International Labour Organisation, the Government of Sweden, Swedish fashion retailer H&M and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

‘The findings of the study would be finalised shortly and it would disseminated at a seminar,’ centre president Md Atiqul Islam said. He said that they did not know detail about the foreign employees in Bangladesh as there was no integrated list of foreigners working in Bangladesh in absence of coordination among the government agencies concerned.

‘We assume that more than $5 billion is annually spent for foreign employees and we are working to find out the real scenario as there is no study on the foreigners working in Bangladesh,’ Atiqul said.

On December 12, 2017, finance minister AMA Muhith said that the government wanted to raise mid-level managerial experts for the growing textile and leather industries to check the outflow of fund sent by foreign employees, especially Indians.

At a contract signing ceremony at the ministry, Muhith told reporters that the amount was whopping $5 billion annually. 

Two wings – industrial and commercial – of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority issue work permit to foreigners but due to lack of expertise, data available with the authority does not show the real figure of current legal foreign employees.

As per the data, the authority issued 7,642 new industrial work permits to foreigners in the past five years while it also renewed work permits for 11,059 foreign nationals during that period.

The authority also issued some 5,500 new commercial work permits and renewed some 6,300 permits in the past five years. 

‘It will take time to identify the exact number of foreign nationals currently working in Bangladesh with work permits as we are running our regular work amid shortage of manpower and expertise,’ said authority’s executive member Navash Chandra Mondol.  He also said that not only the authority, two more government bodies – Bangladesh EPZ Authority and NGO Affairs Bureau also issued work permits to the foreigners. 

Navash said that the home ministry might provide the actual data of foreigners staying and working in Bangladesh with or without valid documents. One of the security and immigration high officials at the home ministry said that the ministry had no accurate data on foreigners working in Bangladesh legally and illegally.

‘Without setting up a database, it is not possible to preserve the update status of foreign nationals working in Bangladesh and the ministry would initiate a move for setting up a digital database for foreigners,’ he said. 

The foreigners mainly come from India, Sri Lanka, China, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan and some European and African countries, said people engaged in the study. Foreign employees are holding key positions in manufacturing industries and information technology sector, they said.

In the apparel and textile sectors and buying houses, foreigners are working as merchandiser, quality controller, designer, marketing officer and technician at washing and dyeing units.

‘There are no foreign workers in the RMG sector but some foreign professionals hold top managerial and technical posts in the sector,’ said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice-president Mahmud Hassan Khan Babu. He said that due to lack of skilled manpower in the country, factory owners were appointing foreigners.

‘We do not know the exact number of foreigners working in the apparel sector but the number would be very small,’ association president Md Siddiqur Rahman said.

A recent survey conducted by the Centre for Policy Dialogue found foreign employees in 16 per cent of apparel factories. 

Centre for Policy Dialogue distinguished fellow Mustafizur Rahman said that data on foreigners working in Bangladesh was not available for making comments on the issue but as per a study published in 2015, Bangladesh was the 5th largest remittance source for India.

‘The government should establish a computerised database on foreigners and it should think how we can substitute locals for foreign employees,’ he said.

The government has to identify the reasons for hiring foreigners in industrial sectors and whether the curriculums of college and universities need to be changed for producing need-based skilled manpower, Mustafiz said.

In 2015, a study based on World Bank Remittance Data conducted by Pew Research Centre showed Bangladesh as the 5th largest remittance source for India and more than $4.08 billion was remitted to India from Bangladesh in 2012.

Labour secretary Afroza Khan said, ‘The issue of foreign employees in Bangladesh has been surfaced as a much-talked-about matter and it is really unfortunate that we have no integrated list of foreigners and ministries concerned should work in a coordinated manner in this regard.’

She said that not only the government, factory owners were also responsible for undocumented foreign employees. Afroza suggested factory owners to scrutinise the visa and other documents of foreign nationals before the appointment.

According to media reports, an intelligence agency informed home ministry in 2007 that about 5 lakh Indian nationals were illegally working in various sectors in Bangladesh and remitting millions of taka to India through illegal channels.

The home ministry had raised the issue at the home secretary-level meeting of the two neighbouring countries in New Delhi in August 2007, media reported.

The National Board of Revenue in October 2017 initiated a move to check income tax evasion by foreign nationals working in Bangladesh with the connivance of their employers.

It decided to inspect at least 30 factories without notice to find out illegal foreign employees in the second phase of such drive after getting a mixed outcome from the inspections at five companies in the first phase.

According to the Income Tax Ordinance 1984, tax officials can impose penalty on companies and their owners as much as 50 per cent of their total payable income tax, or Tk 5 lakh, and scrap all other tax benefits as fine for recruiting unauthorised foreigners.

According to the law, employers need to obtain permit from the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority and other agencies concerned for recruiting each foreigner. Foreign workers also have to pay income tax at the rate of 30 per cent. 

• Courtesy: New Age/ Nov 04, 2018

‘গায়েবি’ মামলা - পক্ষাঘাতগ্রস্ত বারীর অচল হাতেও বোমা ছিল

• বারী ঝিনাইদহ সদরের হলিধানী গ্রামের বাসিন্দা
• বারী ইউনিয়ন বিএনপির সাধারণ সম্পাদক
• শনিবার বারীকে আটক করা হয় বলে নথিতে উল্লেখ
• পরিবারের দাবি, গত শুক্রবার বারীকে তুলে নেয় পুলিশ
• মামলার পর বারীকে কারাগারে পাঠানো হয়
• পরিবার বলেছে, বারী এক বছর ধরে পক্ষাঘাতগ্রস্ত

আবদুল বারীর দুই হাতে ছিল দুটি হাতবোমা। চেষ্টায় ছিলেন নাশকতা সৃষ্টির। এ অবস্থায় আটক করা হয়েছে তাঁকে। আটকের পর এমন অভিযোগে পুলিশের করা মামলায় কারাগারে পাঠানো হয়েছে তাঁকে।

কিন্তু আবদুল বারীর পরিবার বলেছে, তিনি দুবার মস্তিষ্কের রক্তক্ষরণে আক্রান্ত হওয়ার পর থেকে এক বছর ধরে পক্ষাঘাতগ্রস্ত অবস্থায় আছেন। শরীরের বাঁ দিকটা প্রায় অচল হয়ে আছে। বাঁ হাত ও বাঁ পা নড়াচড়া করতে পারেন না। গতকাল বুধবারও দেখা গেছে, হাসপাতাল থেকে কারাগারে নেওয়ার সময় তাঁকে প্রায় কোলে করে গাড়িতে তোলা হচ্ছে।

পল্লিচিকিৎসক আবদুল বারী ঝিনাইদহ সদরের হলিধানী গ্রামের বাসিন্দা। তিনি হলিধানী ইউনিয়ন বিএনপির সাধারণ সম্পাদক। সদর উপজেলার বিষখালী বাজারের পাশের একটি স্কুল মাঠ থেকে গত শনিবার আটক করা হয় বলে মামলার নথিতে বলা হয়েছে। মামলার পর আদালতের মাধ্যমে ওই দিনই তাঁকে কারাগারে পাঠানো হয়েছে।

তবে পরিবারের দাবি, গত শুক্রবার দুপুরে হলিধানী বাজারে আবদুল বারীর ওষুধের দোকান থেকে তাঁকে তুলে নিয়ে যায় পুলিশ।

ঝিনাইদহ জেলা কারাগারে অসুস্থ হয়ে পড়লে গতকাল বুধবার বেলা ১১টার দিকে আবদুল বারীকে সদর হাসপাতালে নেওয়া হয়। হাসপাতালের চিকিৎসক মোকাররম হোসেন বারীকে ফরিদপুর কিংবা খুলনা মেডিকেল কলেজ হাসপাতালে নেওয়ার পরামর্শ দেন।

চিকিৎসক মোকাররম হোসেন প্রথম আলোকে বলেন, আবদুল বারী ব্রেইনস্ট্রোকে আক্রান্ত রোগী। সদর হাসপাতালে তাঁকে চিকিৎসা দেওয়া সম্ভব নয়।

আবদুল বারীর মেজ ছেলে শাহনেওয়াজ সুমন বলেন, শুক্রবার দুপুরে তাঁর বাবা তাঁদের ওষুধের দোকানে বসে ছিলেন। এ সময় সদর থানার এসআই আবুল কালাম আজাদ কয়েকজন পুলিশ সদস্যকে নিয়ে সেখানে যান। তাঁরা কথা আছে বলে তাঁর বাবাকে নিয়ে যান। পরদিন শনিবার নাশকতার মামলা দিয়ে আরও কয়েকজন আসামির সঙ্গে আদালতে পাঠানো হয় তাঁকে।

আবদুল বারীর বড় ছেলে শামিম আহমেদ বলেন, তাঁর বাবা বাড়িতেই শুয়ে-বসে সময় কাটান। কখনো কখনো কোনো রকমে পা টেনে টেনে বাড়ি থেকে আনুমানিক এক শ গজ দূরে হলিধানী বাজারে ওষুধের দোকানে যান। কখনো সন্তানেরাই তাঁকে দোকানে বসিয়ে দিয়ে আসেন। তিনি ন্যাশনাল ইনস্টিটিউট অব নিউরো সায়েন্স অ্যান্ড হসপিটালের নিউরো মেডিসিন বিশেষজ্ঞ রাশেদ ইমাম জাহিদের অধীনে চিকিৎসাধীন।

এসআই আবুল কালাম আজাদের সঙ্গে যোগাযোগ করা হলে তাঁর মুঠোফোন বন্ধ পাওয়া যায়।

আবদুল বারীকে আটকের সময় সদর থানার কাতলামারী পুলিশ ক্যাম্পের এসআই আবুল কালাম আজাদের সঙ্গে ফাঁড়ির আরেক কর্মকর্তা এসআই সাদিকুর রহমান ছিলেন। তিনি গত মঙ্গলবার প্রথম আলোকে বলেন, ‘ঊর্ধ্বতন কর্মকর্তাদের নির্দেশে বারীকে তাঁর ওষুধের দোকানের সামনে থেকে আটক করা হয়।’

সদর থানার ওসি এমদাদুল হক শেখ বলেন, চিকিৎসক যদি বারীকে অসুস্থ বলেন, তাহলে তিনি আইনগত সহযোগিতা পাবেন।

• কার্টসিঃ প্রথম আলো/ ০১ নভেম্বর ২০১৮

আওয়ামী লীগের সন্ত্রাসীরা আমার বদনাটাও চুরি করে নিয়েছিল - কাদের সিদ্দিকী

দেশে বর্তমান রাজনৈতিক পরিস্থিতিতে দেশে একটি সার্বিক ঐক্য চেয়েছেন কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগ সভাপতি বঙ্গবীর কাদের সিদ্দিকী। তবে তার বর্তমান রাজনৈতিক অবস্থান কি হবে তা তিনি জানাতে সকলকে আগামী ৩ নভেম্বর পর্যন্ত অপেক্ষা করতে বলেন।  বুধবার মতিঝিলে কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগের কেন্দ্রীয় কার্যালয়ে আয়োজিত এক সংবাদ সম্মেলনে এসব কথা বলেন বঙ্গবীর কাদের সিদ্দিকী।

বঙ্গবীর জানান, আগামী ৩ নভেম্বর জেল হত্যা দিবস উপলক্ষে দেশে একটি আলোচনা সভার আয়োজন করেছেন। সে আলোচনা সভায় প্রধান অতিথি হিসাবে উপস্থিত থাকবেন সংবিধান প্রণেতা গণফোরাম সভাপতি ড. কামাল হোসেন। ঐদিনের আলোচনা সভায় সাবেক রাষ্ট্রপতি বি চৌধুরীকে আমন্ত্রন জানাবেনও বলে জানান তিনি। এবিসয় উল্লেখ করে তিনি জানান কেন ঐক্যফ্রন্ট বা যুক্তফ্রন্টে যোগ দেননি।

তিনি বলেন, জাতীর সার্বিক ঐক্যে বি চৌধুরী ও ড. কামাল হোসেন না থাকায় তিনি (ঐক্যফ্রন্ট বা যুক্তফ্রন্টে) কোন অংশে যোগ দেননি বা নেই বলে জানান। তবে ৩ নভেম্বরের সে আলোচনা সভায় তার রাজনৈতিক অবস্থা জানাবেন বলে জানান তিনি। এর পাশাপাশি তিনি জানান আজ বুধবার রাতে তিনি তার মোহাম্মদপুরস্থ বাসভবনে ড. কামাল হোসেনকে নৈশভোজে আমন্ত্রণ জানিয়েছেন। 

তিনি আরও জানান গত মঙ্গলবার রাতে বিএনপি মহাসচিব মীর্জা ফখরুল ইসলাম তার সাথে দেখা করেছেন। অপরদিকে গত সোমবার তিনি নিজে বি চৌধুরীর বাসায় তার সাথে দেখা করতে গিয়েছিলেন বলে জানান তিনি। এসব বিষয়গুলি উল্লেখ করে তিনি বলেন, ‘বিষয়গুলিই রাজনৈতিক’। এবং দেশে প্রতিদিনই রাজনৈতিক অবস্থার পরিবর্তন হচ্ছে।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে তিনি প্রধানমন্ত্রী কর্তৃক সংলাপের উদ্যোগকে ঐতিহাসিক পদক্ষেপ হিসাবে অভিহিত করেছেন। এর পাশাপাশি তিনি বলেন, সংলাপের মতো ঐতিহাসিক সিদ্ধান্ত ও সাহসী পদক্ষেপ বঙ্গবন্ধুর কন্যা শেখ হাসিনা বলেই নিতে পেরেছেন। তিনি জানান এ সংলাপের জন্য ফুটপাতে ৬৪ দিন কাটাতে হয়েছে। ৩০৮ দিন আমি ঘরের বাইওে থাকতে হয়েছে। তিনি বলেন, ফুটপাতে যখন ছিলাম তখন এই সরকারেরই সন্ত্রাসীরা টয়লেটে ব্যবহার করার জন্য আমার বদনাটাও চুরি করে নিয়েছে।

রাজনীতিতে শেষ কথা বলতে কিছু নেই মন্তব্য করে কাদের সিদ্দিকী বলেন, রাজনীতি করতে হলে চাড়াল-মুচি তাদের সাথেও আলোচনায় বসতে হয়। যাদের কাছ থেকে আজকে পোড়াগন্ধ আসছে তার সাথেও আলোচনা করতে হয় এবং শেখ হাসিনা সেই কাজটিই করে মহত্বের পরিচয় দিয়েছেন।

বঙ্গবীর বলেন, দেশে একটি সম্মানজনক রাজনৈতিক সমাজ চাই, আজকে শ্রমিকের মুখে কালি মাখা হলো। তবে এই কালি শ্রমিকের মুখে মাখেনি এটা আসলে দেশ ও জাতির মুখে মেখেছে। তিনি বলেন, প্রতি মুহুর্তে রাজনৈতিক প্রেক্ষাপট পরিবর্তন হচ্ছে। সংলাপ ডাকার আগে দেশে অস্থিরতা ছিল। এখন তা অনেকটাই কেটে গেছে। এই উদ্যোগ এবং পদক্ষেপ মাইলফলক হিসেবে বাংলাদেশের ইতিহাসে লেখা থাকবে।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে উপস্থিত ছিলেন কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগের সাধারণ সম্পাদক হাবিবুর রহমান বীর প্রতীক, সাংগঠনিক সম্পাদক শফিকুল ইসলাম দেলোয়ার, সহসভাপতি আমিনুল ইসলাম তারেক।

• কার্টসিঃ নয়াদিগন্ত/৩১ অক্টোবর ২০১৮

Dialogue, election can’t be fruitful with Khaleda in jail - BNP

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir today said no dialogue and election will be fruitful keeping their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail.

A day before Oikyafront's scheduled talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he came up with the remark at a human-chain programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

"The government on one hand has offered dialogue and extended Khaleda Zia's punishment on the other. These are two conflicting moves, which don't demonstrate the government's sincerity for talks," Fakhrul said.

He further said, "Neither any dialogue nor any election will be fruitful keeping Khaleda Zia in jail. So, we would like to call upon you please return to the path of democracy and create a democratic atmosphere."

The BNP leader said the government must fully accept Oikyafront's seven-point demand for holding a credible and neutral election. "First of all, our leader (Khaleda) must be freed as no election can be meaningful without her release."

BNP formed the human chain protesting the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Several hundred BNP leaders and followers formed the human chain around 11:00am in front of the Jatiya Press Club amid tight security.

They chanted various slogans demanding the immediate release of their leader Khaleda Zia.

Police cordoned off the protesters to fend off any trouble.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday announced a three-day countrywide programme, including the human chain, protesting the conviction of its Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

As part of the programme, the party will also observe a token mass-hunger strike on Thursday in all metropolitan cities and district towns.

On Monday, a Dhaka court sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others to seven years' rigorous imprisonment each in the much-talked-about Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

• The Daily Star/Oct 31,2018 

External debts up by 141pc in two years

Higher rate of short-term foreign borrowings blamed

Munima Sultana

The volume of Bangladesh's external debts surged by 141 per cent to US$ 54.73 billion in two years to June last, says the central bank.

The volume of external debts at the end of March 2016 stood at US$ 38.88 billion, the Bangladesh Bank (BB) said in its quarterly financial stability assessment report.

The report attributed the rapid rise in such debts in the last couple of years mainly to the higher rate of short-term foreign borrowings.

It said the short-term foreign borrowings accounted for 22 per cent of the total external debts in June 2018.

The cumulative growth of the same hit 205 per cent during the period of March 2016 to June 2018.

"Generally, rapid growth of short-term foreign debt is considered as an early indicator of potential vulnerability. However, current share of short-term debt to total debt portfolio seems to be considerably low," the report stated.

The central bank's study analysed the current external debt situation of the country from the financial stability standpoint.

It said the prospective inflow of external debts to Bangladesh might decline while the existing debts might also be affected.

However, the report stated that the current external debt-GDP ratio seemed to be low. In the fiscal year 2017-18, the external debt-GDP ratio stood at 20 per cent and the short-term external debt-GDP ratio 4.44 per cent.

Until June 2018, the ratio of short-term external debt to foreign exchange reserve in the country was 37 per cent against 99.69 per cent, 176.59 per cent, 203.23 per cent, and 40.98 per cent in Thailand, Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia respectively prior to the Asian financial crises.

The short-term external debt to remittance ratio stood at 81.63 per cent at the end of June 2018, implying that such debts could be fully off-set by yearly remittance inflow, the central bank said.

"Though it is still far from the point where sentiment of foreign lenders can precipitate a financial stress by sudden call back of their debt, resilience of Bangladesh financial system to withstand external shock needs to be enhanced," the report said.

The current external debt-GDP ratio of Bangladesh is still low. The current level of international reserve is adequate to redeem the short-term external debt obligation, the BB said.

Nevertheless, since short-term external debt is growing rapidly, utilisation of the same needs to be monitored prudently so that it cannot turn out to be a source of distress, the quarterly assessment report says.

• Courtesy: The Financial Express /Oct 31, 2018

Blocking radioactive objects' passage

EDITORIAL

In a country lacking effective deterrents to stop illicit shipment of radioactive substances, proposals for helping it install a bulwark deserve serious appraisal. Even in the early 21st century, Bangladesh remains a free-for-all in terms of being a destination and transit route of all conceivable items. Illicit substances like drugs comprise a large segment of them. The US initiative to extend its logistics support in checking outbound and inbound shipments of radioactive materials through the Chattogram Port could not have been timelier. According to an FE report, a US team is due in the country in November to discuss the issue with the local officials. Already the National Nuclear Security Administration of the US Government has installed 12 Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs) at Chittagong Port. In operation under the Megaports Initiative, the devices are meant to deter, detect, and stem illegal transportation of radioactive substances. For a country, like Bangladesh, vulnerable to being a virtual haven for different international syndicates, foolproof measures to detect and seize radioactive or nuclear materials at the port are a national imperative.

The collaboration with the US, a pioneer in nuclear issues, will surely rev up the country's ability to efficiently deal with the dreaded threat. The government of Bangladesh and the US signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the matter in 2008. The US has already provided the required technology to the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission to help detect the presence of radioactive substances in outbound cargos. The main segment of the technology comprises special monitors. Chittagong Customs House is reportedly operating the equipment. Of the 12 monitors, six have been installed at one gate of the port meant chiefly for outbound containers, with 4 (four) gates equipped with the rest. A troubling aspect of the surveillance network is seven other CPA gates' operating without these devices.

The issue, indisputably, is critical. Like many other countries threatened with newer types of ominous developments, Bangladesh may also be safe no longer. Europe has lately raised its threat and alert levels to preempt strikes of improvised N-devices. Europol has taken upon itself the task of monitoring the crime areas. Apart from direct strike, the threats comprise using the radioactive materials in violence and blackmailing carried out by organised crime groups. Much to the relief of the nation, Bangladesh is apparently far from being hit by nuclear violence -- at least for now. But its suspected use as a transit by global traffickers, and the largely unscreened entry of foreign discarded ships for the ship-breaking industry loom as a potential threat.

Bangladesh has few scopes for adopting a laidback attitude towards the newly-emerging scourge. It has potent reasons. The seizure of radioactive substances in a container at Chittagong Port and their disposal in August last year, and that of another consignment of radium and beryllium in 2014, calls for a mechanism of stringent monitoring to be in full operation.

• Courtesy: The Financial Express/ Oct 31, 2018   

A silence too costly

Outrage over death of 3 kids during 48-hr transport strike; state's inaction denounced

The tragic death of three infants during the 48-hour strike by road transport workers has touched off an angry outcry in the country with rights activists putting the blame partly on the state because of its failure to ensure citizens' safety.

They said the babies could have been saved had the government acted properly. Demanding justice, they also urged the authorities to take sensible precautions in a situation like this so that no precious life meets an untimely end.

On Monday, a two-day-old baby boy, suffering from pneumonia, breathed his last on his father's lap while on their way to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital as the workers did not allow the vehicle to pass.

Two baby girls -- seven-day-old and eleven-month-old -- died on Sunday as their families could not take them to hospitals due to the strike in Barlekha upazila of Moulivbazar.

During the “work stoppage” enforced by Bangladesh Road Transport Workers Federation led by Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan, the workers smeared used engine oil on the faces of some drivers and passengers, including some female students.

The federation in a press release yesterday, however, said certain quarters made its "peaceful and logical movement" controversial by obstructing ambulances and harassing people. It demanded exemplary punishment to them.

Never before has the country seen ambulances or vehicles carrying patients being obstructed during a strike, said rights activist Nur Khan Liton. Similarly, used engine oil has never been smeared on people's faces.

With such activities, the transport workers spread a sense of panic and hatred, he observed.

"What actually happened in the name of strike is nothing but a total anarchy. And one of the consequences of the strike is the death of the children as they could not be taken to hospitals,” he also said.

"Those who enforced the strike in no way can avoid responsibility of the death. At the same time, the state also cannot shrug off its responsibility as such deaths could have been avoided had it acted properly and taken steps.”

Sheepa Hafiza, executive director of rights organisation Ain O Salish Kendra, said the transport workers barred an ambulance and harassed citizens. “But we're surprised to see how the state kept silent.”

She argued, "The state could have taken steps, and it can take steps if it wants, since this is what the state is entrusted with."

A strike could be observed in many ways, she added. The students showed how to handle an emergency situation skillfully during their recent demonstrations for road safety.

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kazi Reazul Hoque said inflicting sufferings upon public, hurting businesses and humiliating people in the name of realising demands are unpardonable crimes and violation of human rights.

"Those who committed the crimes must be brought to book," he said.

What's more regrettable, the NHRC boss said, is that the workers federation issued a threat to go for such strikes further.

He hoped that the government would play a proactive role and hold discussions with them so that people would not have to suffer and no life is lost.

'MY SON DIED ON MY LAP'

The two-day-old son of Moynul Islam, a resident of Dakshin Sunamganj upazila, was found to have been suffering from pneumonia on Monday morning and local doctors at Ganiganj Bazar referred the infant to Sunamganj Sadar Hospital, around 10km from the place.

There were a few CNG-run auto-rickshaws at Ganiganj Bazar but the transport workers were not allowing any vehicle to run.

"My son died on my lap and I couldn't do anything for him," said Moynul, as he burst into tears.

"What was my newborn son's fault? I begged them to let us pass, but they did not," he said, adding the workers turned down the requests of the bazaar committee. 

On Sunday morning, Kuton Miah and Sayera Begum of Ojmir village of Barlekha upazila in Moulvibazar took their seven-day-old baby girl to Barlekha Upazila Health Complex.

The doctors there referred the baby to Sylhet MAG Osmani Medical College Hospital so they rented an ambulance.

"But as we started, we were blocked by transport workers first at the Upazila Bazar. After half an hour, we were allowed to pass only to be barred again in Dasher Bazar area," said Kuton.

"We requested them. But they beat up the ambulance driver instead. When they saw that my baby girl died, they let us move," he said as he described the tragic moment.

Crying inconsolably, Sayera Begum said, “I told them that my daughter is sick and we are going to hospital, but they did not listen to us ... My daughter died on my lap."

On Sunday afternoon, the life of 11-month-old girl Shukria Begum of Shahbajpur area of the same upazila was cut short.

Daughter of Hamida Begum and late Salik Ahmed, Shukria too was suffering from pneumonia, but the family could not take the baby to hospital, according to Selim Ahmed Khan, said panel chairman of Uttar Shahbajpur union.

Meanwhile, a lawyer brought the issue of the death of children to the attention of the High Court bench of Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif and Justice Razik-Al Jalil by placing two newspaper reports and sought a suo moto order.

The court asked the lawyer to submit a petition before it today in this regard, Deputy Attorney General Mokhlesur Rahman told The Daily Star.

Despite the deaths, police took no action against anyone so far as they are waiting for people to file complaint.

Yeasin Ali, officer-in-charge of Barlekha Police Station, said, "We are still waiting to get complaint from the affected family. If they do not file any case, we may then consider filing a police case."

Similar was the version of Ikhtiar Uddin Chowdhury, officer-in-charge of Dakshin Sunamganj Police Station.

"So far we know, the family did not find any vehicles on road, so the baby died. Now, who will stand accused?"

However, Golam Subhan Chowdhury, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, said the transport workers who created obstructions on roads can be made accused of murdering the babies and the police can take legal action on their own.

[Our Sylhet correspondent contributed to this report]

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Oct 31, 2018