Many Bangladeshis face a hard time

At least 18 Bangladeshi workers who migrated to Malaysia last month for plantation jobs under state arrangements want to return home, as they have been facing heavy odds in their workplace.
Some of the workers told The Daily Star they were being forced to work no less than 12 hours a day instead of eight hours as stipulated in their contract. Besides, they are bound to work at least two more hours on overtime.
“We are unable to stay here any longer because our employer has no consideration for our rights. They are forcing us to work in an unsafe environment of palm gardens,” said one of the workers, who cannot be named for security reasons.
According to the contract, a worker is supposed to get a minimum of 900 Malaysian ringgits a month. But the employer has informed them that they would be paid according to the hours they work, he said by phone yesterday.
“It is a clear violation of our contract. Why will we work and stay here if we do not get our due salaries?”
Another worker said it is very difficult to work in the palm gardens because the whole area is shady and infested with bugs and snakes.
These workers went to Malaysia with 152 other Bangladeshis, having spent Tk 33,500 under government arrangements. They are currently working in Malaysia’s Penang province.
Contacted, Mantu Kumar Biswas, labour counsellor of Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, told The Daily Star that his office had not received any complaints from the workers.
He added, “If any of the workers faces any difficulty, he should contact the high commission. We will definitely consider their problems and try to resolve them.”
He stressed that if the employer compels the workers to work longer than the contract hours, they must be paid extra for that.
Zafar Ahmed Khan, secretary of the expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment ministry, said the high commission had informed the ministry about the workers’ complaints.
“Because the workers knew about their job before migrating to Malaysia, they should keep at it at least for six months. We will deal with the situation if they face further difficulties.”

Felani’s father seeks justice

Failed by an Indian court, Felani’s father yesterday posted a letter to the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh seeking justice for his daughter’s murder by the BSF.
In the letter, Mohammad Nurul Islam said no BSF member accused of killing her daughter has received any sort of punishment ever since the murder was committed on January 7, 2011.
“As a Bangladeshi citizen, I believe that since the members of Indian Border Security Force are directly involved in the murder of my daughter, the Indian government and its people are liable for it. I demand the Indian government and its people must ensure proper punishment to those involved in the murder of my unarmed daughter, Mosammat Felani Khatun, as well as provide the right compensations for her untimely death,” read the letter.
The Daily Star has obtained a copy of the letter.
A special court in the Indian state of West Bengal on September 6 ruled that BSF constable Amiya Ghosh was not guilty of shooting Felani. He was the lone accused in the murder case.
The 15-year-old girl was shot dead by BSF soldiers while she along with her father was scaling over the barbed wire fences at Anantapur border point in Phulbari upazila of Kurigram to return home from India, where she studied in a madrasa.
Copies of the letter were sent to rights organisations Ain o Salish Kendra (ASK) in Bangladesh and Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM) in India.
Md Nur Khan, director of investigation and documentation unit of Ask, confirmed that they have received an electronic copy of the letter over email.
“We’ll provide all sorts of legal assistance to the victim’s family in this regard and cooperate with Masum in its efforts to provide legal aid to Felani’s family for seeking justice,” he added.
The legal help may include, among other things, finding eye witnesses to the murder or providing documents, if any, of receiving the body of Felani.
“If needed, we’ll also contact other rights bodies in India to ensure that justice is served,” mentioned Khan.

Palli Sanchay Bank takes inspiration

The government has decided to establish Palli Sanchay Bank along the lines of Grameen Bank in its latest bid to emulate the success of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
A draft of Palli Sanchay Bank Act, 2013 has already been prepared by the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division and forwarded to the finance ministry’s banking division to secure approval from the cabinet.
The new bank will emerge from the government’s “One House, One Farm” project, just like Grameen Bank was born in 1983 following the conversion of Chittagong University’s Yunus-led Grameen Bank project.
As per the draft law, the specialised bank will enjoy exemption from value-added and income taxes, like Grameen Bank.
The bank will not be governed under the Banking Companies Act, meaning it would remain mostly out of bounds of the central bank. However, Palli Sanchay Bank’s managing director would be appointed, by the board of directors, with prior permission of Bangladesh Bank.
The bank’s paid-up capital will be Tk 600 crore, 80 percent of which will be provided by the government through its “One House, One Farm” project.
The government will hold 50 percent of the bank’s ownership and the remaining 50 percent would go to the member cooperative societies of the “One House One Farm” project. However, the government will not take any dividends against its shares.
The activities of the specialised bank, in many aspects, would also resemble those of Grameen Bank. Like Grameen Bank, it will collect deposits and lend to its members.
But Palli Sanchay Bank will differ from Grameen Bank in that it would also conduct general banking activities, including various types of foreign exchange related transactions including opening of letters of credit (LC), online banking, introducing debit and credit cards.
The bank’s board of directors will consist of 17 members and the secretary of the Rural Development and Cooperatives Division will be its ex-officio chairman.
Seven directors will be selected from the share holders, with the government appointing one from the civil society. The other positions of the board will be filled up by government officials.
The “One House, One Farm” is a project under the Annual Development Programme, the first phase of which started in 1997. The second phase of the project started after the present government assumed power.

Flash flood leaves 10,000 marooned in Gaibandha

Onrush of water from the upstream has flooded hundreds of houses in low-lying areas of Jamuna and Ghagot river basins in the district in the last two days, leaving over 10,000 people marooned.
Floodwater also inundated vast tracts of cropland in 16 unions of three upazilas.
According to the local water development board office water levels of Jamuna and Ghagot rivers swelled alarmingly and were flowing 44 and 43cm of above danger marks.
The worst affected areas are Hatbari, Gobindi, Sathalia, Hasilkani, Patilbari, Nalsia, Gobindapur, Haldia in Saghata upazila, Galna, Nilkuthi, Bhajondanga, Baje Phulchhari, Pipulia, Gabgachhi, Kholabari, Ziadanga, Khatiyamari, Kalasoner Char, Kaiteer Haat, Harichandi, Kabilpur, Rasoolpur in Phulchhari upazila and Kamarjani, Batikamari, Pardiyera and Kharjani in Gaibandha Sadar upazila.
In Phulchhari upazila, crops including Aman paddy, pulse and seedbeds on vast areas went under water. Most dwelling houses in charland were submerged by knee-deep water.
Due to sudden increase of water levels, the flood control dykes are under serious threat in Phulchhari and Saghata upazilas. Besides, Gaibandha town protection dyke along River Ghagot also face similar threat at three vulnerable points.
Meanwhile, flood situation in Chapainawabganj district has marked a slight improvement while the low-lying areas of the district still remain under flood water, reports our correspondent.
Sources at the local Water Development Board (WDB) on Monday said the water levels of Padma and Mahananda rivers marked fall although they were still flowing above danger levels.
Heavy rain followed by onrush of water from the upstream for the last two weeks flooded 15 unions of Sadar and Shibganj upazilas and some low-lying areas of Chapainawabganj municipality, learning over one lakh villagers marooned.
The affected unions are Alatuli, Narayanpur, Anupnagar, Shahjahanpur, Debinagar, Charbagdanga, Islampur and Sundarpur and partially of Moharajpur and Baroghoria of sadar upazila and Panka, Ujirpur, Durlovpur, Monakasha, Ghorapakhia, Chhatrajitpur and partially of Shabajpur union in Shibganj upazila.
A large number of flood hit people have already taken shelter on embankment and high lands. They face acute crisis of food, fuel and drinking water.
Many educational institutions suspended their academic activities as flood water entered the classrooms.
The floodwaters damaged Aus paddy on about 6.83 thousand hectares and vegetables on 530 hectares in the upazilas, said officials of the District Agriculture Extension office.

Defying all impediments,Asha remains a hope

Alpana Aktar Asha, 16, an intermediate first year student of Kahaloo Women’s Degree College, continues her study defying hearing and speech impairment.
Eldest of three children of Shah Alam, a small trader of Nalgharia village in Kahaloo upazila under Bogra district, Asha passed the SSC examinations in 2013 with GPA-3.44 (B grade) from Panchpir Girls’ High School in the same upazila.
She can learn fast by reading the lessons in her books and write the answers well although she cannot hear instructions in the class, said her classmates, teachers and parents.
Shahnaj Sharmin, English teacher of the college, said, “I have found Asha good at learning. She can write after reading a lesson although she can neither speak nor hear the instructions in the class.”
“My daughter is regular in study and homework and she can be taught to do different works through instructions with signals,” said her mother Salma Begum.
“A few days after she was born, she showed some problematic symptoms, often crying long hours. Three months later, she received treatment from a doctor of a private clinic in Bogra town and got cured.
“A local health worker detected Asha’s hearing and speech impairment when she was one and a half years old. She was treated in Bogra and Naogaon towns where doctors suggested us to arrange her treatment in the capital. But we could not do it due to financial problem,” she said.
Salma urged the affluent and benevolent people of the society to help for early treatment of her daughter.
Dr Rafiqul Islam, assistant professor of child department of Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Hospital, suggested consulting with an ENT (ear, nose and throat) specialist soon for diagnosis and treatment of Asha.

BSF picks up man, takes away 34 cattle

Members of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) picked up a Bangladeshi cattle trader from Benipur border in Jibonnagar upazila early yesterday.
The man was identified as Billal Hossain, 40, son of Rabi Kamar of Dhanekula village in Moheshpur upazila.
Lt Col Gazi Asaduzzaman, commanding officer of 6 BGB Battalion, said a special BSF patrol team took away Billal from the border in early hours when he along with 7-8 other traders went there to bring cattle.
However, the rest of the traders managed to flee the scene.
Later a flag meeting between BGB and BSF was held at the zero point of the border around 11:00am where the BSF official said that they handed over Billal Kestoganj police in India.
Meanwhile, BSF men yesterday agreed to return the 34 cattle they took away from Bangladesh territory in Tentulia upazila of Panchagarh on Sunday, reports our Thakurgaon correspondent.
Locals said, the BSF members from Cemetery camp entered the Bangladesh territory through Sarialjoth border by opening barbed wire fence and took away the cattle in the evening.
The cattle had been grassing in the area near the border, they said.
When locals tried to resist the BSF men, they threatened to open fire on them.
However, at a flag meeting with BGB, the BSF men yesterday agreed to return the cattle.
Company commander of the BSF camp alleged that the cattle had entered Indian territory and damaged crops.
After two days we will return the same number of cattle through the same border point, he said.
Company Commander of Tentulia BGB Mozzammel Haque however protested the statement saying that the BSF men took away the 34 cow igrnoring international border rules.

Off-season tomato turns into moneyspinner

Newly introduced hybrid summer tomato has already aroused interest among farmers in different villages of Sadullapur upazila under the district as the off-season popular vegetable brings more profit than usual agricultural items.
This season 26 farmers of Sadullapur upazila cultivated hybrid-4 species of summer tomato developed by Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute on three acres of land and the harvesting has already begun.
The Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) trained up 26 farmers on farming hybrid summer tomato and prepared several demonstration plots at Taraf Bajit, Hamindpur, Jamudanga, Damodorpur, Baro Daudpur, Molong Bazar, Dhaperhat, Naldanga and Protap villages in Sadullapur upazila.
They also provided quality seeds and other inputs to make the programme a success.
“Summer tomato cultivation requires a bit high land for protection from water stagnation. The seeds are sown by May-June and the saplings are transplanted after 25 days,” said Obaidur Rahman, agriculture officer of Sadullapur.
“Farmers can harvest tomato after 45 days. Within a week, it turns reddish and becomes ready for marketing. A farmer can easily harvest from the same plants again in the winter season,” he said.
Dilip Kumar of Hamindpur village said he planted 900 saplings of summer tomato on a nine-decimal plot spending Tk 22,000 as input cost and expecting profit of Tk one lakh this season.
Wholesalers buy summer tomato for Tk 65 per kg, but in open market it sells for Tk 100 to 120 a kg, said Nazrul Islam, a farmer of Molong Bazar village.
Hearing the success of summer tomato cultivation, farmers from different areas are visiting the demonstration plots and showing much interest to cultivate it at their villages, said Mir Abdur Razzaque, deputy director of DAE, Gaibandha.
Farmers can harvest tomato twice from same plants in summer and winter and so, they can earn more for investment, he added

“Pancha Narir Akhyan” at Mymensingh Shilpakala Academy

Dhaka Theatre staged “Pancha Narir Akhyan” at Mymensingh Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Friday evening.
The over one- hour play was based on the sufferings of women caught in oppressive relationships with men. Rosy Siddique, a popular TV and theatre artiste, drew a loud round of applause with her spontaneous solo performance.
This was the 37th staging of the play written by Harun Rashid and directed by prominent actor Shahiduzzaman Selim. Sareng Theatre, a renowned theatre troupe of the town organised the programme.
Afzal Hossain, Shimul Yousuff, Chandan Chowdhury, Nasreen Nahar, Sayeed Rinku, Rubayet Ahmed, Samiun Jahan Dula, Atik Shams, Saidul Hoque, Shanta Chowdhury and Mustafa Ratan assisted the play.
Earlier, a discussion was held with theatre activists and cultural personalities taking part. Mamunul Haque Biplob, president of Sareng Theatre, delivered the welcome speech. Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh Mustakim Billah Faruqui, secretary of Bahurupi Natya Sangstha Shahadat Hossain Khan Hilu, Ali Azhar Hablu of Bidrohi Natya Ghosthi, Chhayanat Sahitya and Sangskritik Dal president Sharif Mahfuzul Haque, district cultural officer Md. Shamsul Haque and Nizam Mollick Nizu were present, among others at the discussion.
The speakers said that from ancient times there prevails a serious chasm in many man-woman relationships. However, in many cases women continue their relationships for the sake of their children.
In such a scenario, many women have to go leave their home and are then at the mercy of the society, said the speakers.

Candle factory brings light to a man

Abul Kalam Azad is poor and physically disabled but he dreams to stand on his own feet. He thought about his dream from childhood but he didn’t receive support from his family; as they live from hand to mouth. The physically impaired boy builds candles at a factory named ‘Azad Mombati’ (Azad Candle) in his home. His produced candles create a high demandable market in Lalmonirhat. Abul wants to expand his factory but he lacks proper capital. He is still adamant about reaching his destination.
Abul’s father died 15 years ago, he is the youngest of three brothers. His other brothers are Chand Miah a rickshaw puller and Salam Miah works as day laborer.
Abul Kalam Azad read till class ten in a local school for disabled at Khatapara Majhar village of Aditmari upazila in Lalmonirhat. Abul took training on how to produce candle. He started his new life through producing candles on a machine in his home. At first he took help of his aged mother Amena Bewa to produce candles; he use to supply these in the market riding on a wheelchair. He produced 200 to 250 pieces of candle on the single machine everyday and he earned Tk 120 to 150 everyday three years.
Now he is the owner of three machines. His produced candle have high demand in the market but he cannot meet the demand.
“Now I have a market of one thousand dozen (12 thousand pieces). If I had ten machines, I would be able to fulfill the market demand.
Before starting the factory, they faced untold suffering. Mobarok Hossain, a shop owner at BDR railway gate in the town said, Azad Mombati is better than the competitors, resulting Azad Mombati has created high demand in the market.
“I ordered for 50 dozens but only 15 dozens were supplied to my shop. Customers always want to purchase Azad Mombati,” he said adding he suggested Azad to expand his factory immediately.

Troubles of a national awarded poet

Poet Omar Ali, is one of the most noted poets in this region. 74 years old he is lying on bed from fatal paralysis since a year. Poet Omar Ali hailed from village ‘Komorpur’ village in Pabna Sadar upazila struggled his entire life due to poverty.
Born on October 20 in 1939 Poet Omar Ali was impressive in literature from his early years. The writings of Poet Rabindranath Tagore, and T.S Eliot inspired him.
“Though he followed the classicism of both his writings are somehow different from the rest. Poet Omar Ali, boy of a remote village drew inspiration from village ground, surrounding atmosphere and the entire nature. He painted the natural beauty in his writings on his own way.” Sayed Hassan Dara, renowned novelist of Pabna said.
In the same way he presented the harsh reality of life in his writings. Woman and nature are the main subject matters of his works. 42 books of poetry and 2 novels of the poet are published.
His first book ‘A Desher Shamol Rong Romonir Shunam Shunasi’ was published in 1960. 50 poems were published in this book and most of the poems are based on romanticism. There is a fine picture of nature and
beauty. Poet Omar Ali got the Bangla Academy Award in 1981 for this book. He also received Abul Monsur Ahmed award and many local awards for his brilliant contribution in literature.
“When I was in class four, I had written a poem named ‘Akti Edurer Mrittu’ it was never published. Formally I started writing in 1954 when I was in class ten. During this time I had recited my own poems in Dhaka Radio.” Poet Omar Ali said. My first poem was published in Daily Sangbad in 1954 he added.
Of his famous books ‘Aronna Akti Lok’, ‘Temathar Shesh Nodi’, ‘Ful Pakhider Desh’, ‘Khan Manshoner Meya’ is well known to the readers. In Daily Sangbad, ‘Mahinaha’, Daily Azad, “Natun Shahitta of Calcutta, Desh in Calcutta published poet Omar Ali’s writings at a very early stage of his literary life.
Poet Omar Ali, after completing his studies stayed at the resident of Poet Ahasan Habib as a login master. After completing the Matriculation Omar Ali joined in Daily Sangbad.
Later he returned in Pabna and admitted for BA (Bachelor of Arts) in Pabna Edward College. In the mean time he had a clerical job in Pabna municipality and Kamarkhand upazila of Siraqjganje. After completing his BA he joined Rajshahi Radio as a scrip writer.
Later he joined ‘Jublee High School’ in Pabna as a teacher. But he was a man of indomitable will. Through his service life Poet Omar Ali passed the MA in English from Dhaka University in 1970.
After completing MA he joined as an English teacher at ‘Nandigram College’ in Bogra in 1970. Later he joined ‘Veramara College’ of Kushthia district. At last he joined as an English teacher in Pabna Govt. Bulbul College in 1978. He went on to retire from this college.
Though the poet Omar Ali was an English teacher he also possessed vast knowledge in Bangla literature. He also completed MA in Bangla from Rajshahi University in 1975. Poet Omar Ali said he had tried to learn English and Bangla literature simultaneously.

“Pancha Narir Akhyan” staged in Mymensingh

Dhaka Theatre staged “Pancha Narir Akhyan” at Mymensingh Shilpakala Academy auditorium on Friday evening.
The over one- hour play was based on the sufferings of women caught in oppressive relationships with men. Rosy Siddique, a popular TV and theatre artiste, drew a loud round of applause with her spontaneous solo performance.
This was the 37th staging of the play written by Harun Rashid and directed by prominent actor Shahiduzzaman Selim. Sareng Theatre, a renowned theatre troupe of the town organised the programme.
Afzal Hossain, Shimul Yousuff, Chandan Chowdhury, Nasreen Nahar, Sayeed Rinku, Rubayet Ahmed, Samiun Jahan Dula, Atik Shams, Saidul Hoque, Shanta Chowdhury and Mustafa Ratan assisted the play.
Earlier, a discussion was held with theatre activists and cultural personalities taking part. Mamunul Haque Biplob, president of Sareng Theatre, delivered the welcome speech. Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh Mustakim Billah Faruqui, secretary of Bahurupi Natya Sangstha Shahadat Hossain Khan Hilu, Ali Azhar Hablu of Bidrohi Natya Ghosthi, Chhayanat Sahitya and Sangskritik Dal president Sharif Mahfuzul Haque, district cultural officer Md. Shamsul Haque and Nizam Mollick Nizu were present, among others at the discussion.
The speakers said that from ancient times there prevails a serious chasm in many man-woman relationships. However, in many cases women continue their relationships for the sake of their children.
In such a scenario, many women have to go leave their home and are then at the mercy of the society, said the speakers.

Rowing against the tide

Masuda Islam’s journey as an entrepreneur began in the mid 1980s, upon completion of her undergraduate degree. For a brief period she taught at a school, but the job did not gratify her enough. She wanted to do something that would leverage her creativity and the skills she had picked up during her time at university.
And one day that opportunity came, when she was in Mauchak market with her daughter. Her daughter was clad in a frock made by Masuda, which caught the attention of one kidswear vendor. So much, that he went up to her to enquire where the dress was from.
Upon learning that the piece was all Masuda’s doing, he straightway ordered several iterations of the frock for his store.
“I accepted the offer on the spot, although I had no extra money on me then to buy the fabrics and accessories needed for the multiple frocks. The pay day, too, was a good few days away. Still, I decided to take the risk,” 56-year-old Masuda fondly recalls.
She borrowed Tk 500 from a relative as soon as she got home and headed straight to Gulistan to get the materials. She managed to make 18 dresses in total, which fetched her Tk 1,800 in one go.
Not only that, it opened the floodgates for her: she returned home with more orders, and there was no looking back since. “It was an exciting and proud day for me.”
Before long, the venture needed all her time, so she decided to leave her job at the school. Still, it was not enough; she had to call upon extra help to stitch the dresses, which were selling like hot cakes.
Empowered by the runaway success of her clothing business, she decided to try out other things. She spotted that the country was lacking in frozen snacks market, and in 1996, she started her ready meals business, from her kitchen.
She started off with supplying three frozen snack items to a large departmental store at Gulshan. Just like her dresses, her food items, too, received an overwhelming response.
In 2000, she shut down her other venture to concentrate on her fledgling food business full-time.
“The dress-making business was serendipity for me, and I looked at it solely as a source for making money — there was no overriding passion for it. But my entry to the food business, is a different story altogether. I always had this desire to devote myself for social causes, and providing safe food was the perfect way.”
Today, her firm, Protina BD Foods, makes 100 items, including frozen snacks, sweets, bakery and vermicelli, under the brand Protina. She employs 26 people, and her asset value stands at more than Tk 1 crore.
She, however, continues to supply frozen snacks to Agora and other supermarkets, with all the items made under her supervision at home for quality control.
Masuda, a mother of two, says juggling a family and a growing business did not come easy to her. “All of it would not have been possible without the unconditional support from my husband and family.”
Now that her children have grown-up, Masuda has chalked up grand plans for her company.
Next in her scheme of things: supply safe vegetables and processed carrot noodles.
However, she is not aggressive in her expansion bids; rather she wants to go slow.
“I believe in quality. If I go for a huge expansion hastily, it may be difficult to maintain quality,” she says.
“I don’t want to compete with others through massive expansion and sales promotion. I want to compete through higher quality.”
Everyone who is engaged in food business should focus on making safe food, she says, adding that she has been working to find ways to offer pesticide-free
vegetables.

A night for change makers

It was an event to recognise the best in business that set inspiring examples for others to emulate.
DHL Express, the world’s leading logistics company, and The Daily Star, the nation’s most-read English-language newspaper, honoured two individuals and two enterprises at the 13th annual premier business event at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka on May 31.
The Bangladesh Business Awards have been given to those who have witnessed success and created much-needed jobs to contribute to the economy.
The title for the Business Person of the Year was handed over to Nasir Uddin Biswas, chairman of Nasir Group of Industries. Starting out as a small tobacco trader four decades ago, he now steers a conglomerate that boasts an annual turnover of Tk 2,000 crore and employs over 23,000 people.
Next came the Best Financial Institution category. IDLC Finance, a popular brand for its aggressive business, compliance and ethical practices, bagged the award.
The non-bank financial institution’s deposit almost doubled to Tk 2,200 crore in 2012 from two years ago, and credit disbursement reached Tk 2,799 crore from Tk 1,561 crore. In the last couple of years, it cut its non-performing loans to 2.09 percent while doubling the number of branches to 26.
DBL Group, a leading composite garment factory, has landed the Enterprise of the Year award. It now boasts 19 subsidiaries — mostly in garments, textiles, telecoms and ceramics, with turnover close to $243 million in 2012. The number of employees stands at 15,700.

School teacher-turned entrepreneur Masuda Islam was recognised as the Outstanding Woman in Business for her hard work and success. Starting from scratch, she now employs 26.
She now leads Protina BD Foods, which makes frozen snacks, sweets, bakery items and vermicelli, and supplies to superstores in the capital. Her venture now has an asset value of Tk 1 crore.
The ceremony began with a minute of silence in memory of the garment workers killed in the Rana Plaza collapse in Savar on April 24.

Musicians pay tributes to sitarist Ravi Shankar, who campaigned for Bangladesh through his 1971 concert in New York.

A local musical group later performed a score to pay tribute to Pandit Ravi Shankar who organised a concert in New York in 1971 for Bangladesh.
Separately, other performers sang the famous song, ‘Bangladesh’ by legendary musician George Harrison, whose joint effort with Shankar brought global attention to the 1971 massacre in the erstwhile East Pakistan.

Singers perform at the event to commemorate legendary musician George Harrison whose song on Bangladesh still evokes fond memories.

Over 300 businesspeople, diplomats, bureaucrats, politicians, entrepreneurs, celebrities, civil society members, academics and former award recipients gathered at the event to salute the best businesses and the people behind.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed the crests to the winners as chief guest. Malcolm Monteiro, senior vice president and area director for South Asia of DHL, was also present.

Global brands to discuss compensation

Some of the world’s major garment makers are to meet to discuss compensation for workers injured and killed in accidents in Bangladesh.
They are to work out details of damages for those affected by accidents including the collapse in April of the Rana Plaza building.
More than 1,100 people died and 2,500 were injured in the disaster.
Trades unions say many families of those killed in the Rana Plaza collapse are now struggling to survive.
The meeting will also discuss compensation for victims of other accidents, including the fire at Tazreen Fashions in the capital Dhaka last November, in which over 100 people died.
The two-day meeting in Geneva has been called by the global trade union IndustriALL.
The union says it is pleased that some major Western companies, among them C&A and Primark, will attend, but is shocked that some of the clothing industry’s biggest names, such as Walmart and Mango, are staying away, the BBC’s Imogen Foulkes reports from Geneva.
Walmart and Mango both had orders at the Rana Plaza factory.
Campaigners say the families of those killed have already waited too long for compensation.
Although some big companies are coming to the Geneva meeting, none has yet put a figure on what, if anything, they are prepared to pay, our correspondent reports.
In July, a group of 70 retailers agreed a plan to conduct inspections of garment factories in Bangladesh in an attempt to improve safety standards.
Bangladesh’s garments export industry is the second biggest in the world after China’s.

Garment exports go from strength to strength

Garment exports from Bangladesh continued to increase despite bad publicity garnered over the recent tragedies of Tazreen fire and Rana Plaza collapse.
Between July and August, knitwear exports raked in $2.1 billion, up 17.19 percent from a year ago, according to data from Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). At the same time, woven garments fetched $2.05 billion, a 16.98 percent year-on-year rise.
The reason for the rise is the emergence of solid export destinations like Japan, Russia and South Africa, all the while cushioned by steady exports to the European Union, said Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of EPB.
EU, where 52 percent of the country’s garment products go, continued to be the main market during the period.
Exports to the Saarc and Asean regions are also on the rise due to the country’s competitive pricing, he added.
“The trend for garment export is positive—if things continue like this, we will be able to achieve this fiscal year’s export target of $30.5 billion.”
Atiqul Islam, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, echoed Bose’s views. “The impact of Rana Plaza collapse has not yet been felt as the orders were received before the incident,” he added.
Meanwhile, a recent study of Standard Chartered Bank also showed a positive trend of the country’s garment exports due to diversion of orders from China.
The study said the country’s capacity to tap a fraction of the apparel orders from China will help in offsetting any “cannibalisation impact” rising out of the weak Indian currency.
China’s “iron grip” on the apparel industry ($154 billion exports in 2012) has “firmly been loosened” owing to the significant rise in production and transportation costs, which compelled many leading apparel brands to look for new supply sources, the study said.
While garment exports shone, exports of other products went the opposite way.
Total exports dropped 33.42 percent to $2.01 billion last month from July. Export earnings in August were 20.85 percent below the target of $2.54 billion. In comparison to a year ago, the figure is 3.18 percent higher, though.

Duty-dodging in Bangladesh

THE Economist, in its September 3 electronic issue, had an interesting article on duty-dodging in Bangladesh, saying that counterfeit counterfoils were the vehicles for that. The article seems to say that duty dodging is a new discovery and it happens only in Bangladesh. It said: “Yet it is surprising how little attention donors pay to the biggest form of graft in Bangladesh, which, if fixed, would leave the government with enough cash to double health spending and to pay for an infrastructure project as large as the Padma Bridge every two years.” The intention of this article was exposed in the concluding paragraph, which said: “And on June 30, Bangladesh’s mandatory Preshipment Inspection Programme (PSI), under which the quality, quantity and price of exports were verified by an independent firm before entering Bangladesh, was dropped. Customs won the battle to scrap the scheme after the intervention of politicians, some of whom may benefit from the fraud. Losses to the exchequer are likely to keep rising.”
The article has identified fraudulent trade invoicing as a major cause of corruption, and the trade pundit quoted might be right in reckoning that if the practice of under-invoicing were stamped out, the country could comfortably increase its tax-to-GDP ratio. But it is very difficult to accept the preposition because if the economy ends up paying a lot for imports, how is the fraudulent practice squandering an estimated $3 billion a year in foreign exchange when aggregated annual import of Bangladesh is around $36 billion
PSI system is still needed to help contain the worst excesses of fraudulent trade invoicing. In Asia, the mandatory PSI system existed only in Bangladesh and Cambodia, with Pakistan discarding the arrangement in late nineties after a brief stint. Voluntary PSI system was introduced in Bangladesh in 1992, and it was made mandatory 8 years later, in a bid to help generate revenue by minimising widespread corruption in customs and ending hassle for importers in clearing goods quickly. NBR tried to take over the charge, depending on three factors (sufficient manpower, end to litigation and completion of automation) to complete capacity building. There were controversies surrounding appointment of PSI agencies, and even in ensuring transparency in the license awarding and block allocation process.
At times different business chambers spoke against going back to non-PSI era as the customs department could not offer the kind of service businesses require to stay in the race in a highly competitive market; customs officials became too dependent on the PSI system, lamenting that no valuation database could be built as yet and the skill and training that are required to stop corruption at this level were missing. There were sharp reactions at the reports of mind-blowing instances of corruption through abuse of the PSI system by increasing financial penalties for irregularities. In an attempt to discourage PSI companies from frequent litigation against customs penalties, the authorities also decided to withhold the service charges of related companies till disposal of cases.
It is a fact indeed that under- and over-invoicing is not really a type of invoicing fraud, more a type of tax fraud. In Bangladesh, there have been allegations of under-invoicing and over-invoicing against the importers since long. Due to higher tax regime in the past, the general tendency among the importers was to under-invoice, mainly in order to avoid taxes or high taxes. With tariff liberalisation or reforms, there is less under-invoicing than over-invoicing now.
Traders resort to duty dodging because they want to have some hard currency abroad to take care of children’s education, to buy assets outside, to obtain coverage against continuous depreciation of Bangladesh taka against hard currencies, and to take care of payments against imports, where they might have under-invoiced.
Traders in tax-free as well as highly taxed items under-invoice the highly taxed item import price. They settle that item exporter’s obligation through the money they remit in excess of the required money for the import of tax free item , simply through over-invoicing. There have been allegations against the traders or importers of over-invoicing the commodity prices, thereby not only contributing to price spiral in the local market and thereby inflation, but also more importantly laundering money outside in excess of the actual value of the commodities imported. Regulators often find it difficult to enforce the law to catch the importers. Under an import policy stipulation, the opening banks should verify the price before opening letters of credit.
Stringent monitoring by banks, customs, and relevant agencies should always be there. ‘End to end transaction’ analysis should be carried out while handling international prices for same commodities, and more importantly similar amounts and similar clients. In the era of technological solutions and information superhighway, the job could be easier. During 2007-2008, coordinated efforts were enforced to make valuation system in order. Customs Intelligence and Inspection Directorate of NBR in recent times have scaled up their roles, and the Customs Valuation Department is going to be more competent and compatible, which might be not enough at the moment but it remains tied to exogenous factors like international trade. Constant changes can result in under- or over-invoicing. There is none to deny the fact that under- and over-invoicing are an effective means of money laundering, and it is proving to be a complex nut to crack for the agencies charged with tracking down frauds and its proceeds.

Bangladesh election office ready to hold polls: EU

The visiting delegation of the European Union Wednesday said it believes that the Election Commission is prepared for holding the upcoming general elections.
“I believe the Election Commission is ready (for holding elections). There is a lot of work, but they’ll be ready when required,” William Hanna, head of EU delegation to Bangladesh, told reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad at his secretariat.
“The EC is technically ready to carry out the elections in much better condition than years ago,” he added.
EC Secretary Muhammed Sadique was also present during the one-and-a-half-hours meeting that began from 9:30am.
“We have the aim to ensure that the elections are free and fair, that there’s transparency and that they are credible,” Hanna said.
He however said that the EU is yet to take decision on sending election observers, saying: “The decision on whether we will deploy observers depends very much on how preparations are.”
Talking to the reporters, the chief election commissioner said the meeting focused on preparations and technical aspects of the elections, rather than political issues.
Asked whether the EC can play a role in resolving the country’s ongoing political impasse, the CEC said: “We are the referees. We better not involve ourselves in it.”
The five-member EU Election Exploratory Mission, led by Balthasar Benz of the European External Action Service, arrived in Dhaka Saturday on a 17-day visit to discuss with authorities and stakeholders concerned and assess the pre-poll situation.
The EU is ready to provide technical support to the EC for conducting the upcoming national election, Hanna told reporters on September 9 after holding a two-hour meeting with Awami League at the party’s president’s Dhanmondi office in the capital.
The delegation had also met with the BNP and Jatiya Party, where it stressed the need for a dialogue to end the ongoing political impasses centring the poll-time government.
Earlier, United Nations Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernandez-Taranco had visited Bangladesh in December last year and also May this year to foster dialogue and conductive conditions for the parliamentary election to be held any day between October 25 this year and January 24 next year.

64pc victims of child marriage: Study

Around 64 percent of all women aged between 20 and 24 in Bangladesh were the victims of child marriage, shows a nationwide survey.
The occurrence of child marriage is higher in rural areas than in urban areas, and education significantly contributes to the elimination of this curse, says the report, which was launched at a hotel in the capital yesterday.
Plan International Bangladesh and International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) jointly carried out the survey between July and August last year, when 5,367 married women were interviewed across the country.
Around 86 percent women of this age group who did not go to school were married off at early age and the wish of the parents or family was the reason for their marriage, said Dr Quamrun Nahar, associate scientist of ICDDR,B, while presenting the findings.Based on the report, she placed a series of recommendations to end child marriage. These include strict enforcement of existing laws, implementation of online birth registration, and improvement of girls’ safety.
The other recommendations are increasing awareness of families and communities, fostering children’s agency in preventing child marriage, involving men and boys as key agents to stop child marriage, investing in girls’ education and adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health.
Addressing the function as chief guest, Meher Afroze Chumki, state minister for women and children affairs, said lack of awareness and poverty were the key reasons for child marriage. She emphasised awareness building and training of community leaders to eliminate child marriage and dowry system.
Canadian High Commi-ssioner in Bangladesh Heather Cruden, Plan International’s Regional Director for Asia Mark Pierce, Plan’s Interim Country Director Elena Ahmed, UNFPA Representative in Bangladesh Argentina Pinto Matavel Piccin and representatives of different organisations and academicians, among others, also spoke on the occasion.
At the function, the UN’s Youth Courage Award for Education was handed over to Keshob Roy, the only Bangladeshi among seven youths, who got the award announced on Malala Day, July 12.
Besides, several other children and youths were awarded crests for their role in preventing child marriage.

Govt to seek WB funds to fix crunch in state banks

The government will seek financial assistance from the World Bank to help the state banks meet a huge capital shortfall that stemmed from years of bad governance.
The WB finds four state banks have a capital deficit of Tk 17,600 crore ($2.2 billion), while Bangladesh Bank sees the figure at Tk 10,340 crore as of June 30.
With the huge capital deficits, the banks will face problems in international transactions and a dearth of confidence in the local market as well, the WB said.
A finance ministry official said the lender has assured the government of giving the support to meet a portion of the shortfall, but the loans will have tough strings.
A WB team held a series of meetings with the officials of the finance ministry and the central bank from August 3 to 8 and has recently sent a draft “aide-memoire” to the government.
The team also discussed the overall situation in the banking sector in recent times, especially how the banks’ financial health deteriorated.
The government will soon send a letter to the WB seeking the support, the ministry official said.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith will go to Washington next month to attend the WB’s annual meeting and will hold detailed talks on the matter with the high officials of the lender.
The Banking Division told the WB team that the government has allocated Tk 5,000 crore ($633 million) to recapitalise the banks but the amount is not enough to help them maintain capital at 10 percent of their risk weighted assets.
“The mission was informed that the government appreciated the past involvement of the WB in the restructuring of the state banks through the Enterprise Growth and Bank Modernisation project, and would like the WB to remain engaged,” according to the draft aide-memoire.
The banks’ financial health improved due to the WB project taken during the last BNP regime, it said.
However, the lender said, to get the financial support reintroduced, the BB will have to prepare a list of 150-200 professionals and appoint directors of the state banks from them.
The government will have to divest part of its shares in the state banks to bring down its control of the banks, according to another condition of the WB.
The government will form an expert panel in consultation with the central bank to decide on the amount of capital the banks need. The government will also provide the capital in phases, not in a chunk, the WB said.
Before giving the capital, the panel will evaluate the banks’ performance indicators every three months.
The WB also recommended picking independent directors for private banks from the list to improve the governance of the overall banking sector.
After the present government assumed office, large-scale politicisation in selecting the state banks’ directors, and corruption took a huge toll on the financial health of the banks. The BB also alerted the finance minister to the wrongdoings on various occasions.
However, the Banking Division informed the WB team that some steps have already been taken to bring changes to the top management and boards of the banks.

US urges fair treatment to Yunus

The United States has expressed concern over the recent news reports that the Bangladesh may pursue a tax evasion case against Prof Muhammad Yunus and also urged the government for fair treatment to the Nobel laureate.
The United States has long admired and supported Yunus’s significant achievements in improving the lives of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable citizens, particularly women, said the office of a spokesperson of the US State Department on September 10.
“We urge the government of Bangladesh to treat Dr Yunus in a fair and transparent manner, in keeping with Bangladeshi law and the principles of due process,” he said.
The United States supports the continued independence, effectiveness, and integrity of Grameen Bank as an institution that promotes the welfare and development of Bangladesh’s most vulnerable people, particularly women, he replied.
“We also support the continuation of the bank’s unique governance structure. We look forward to the selection of a highly qualified and acceptable managing director and a new chairman who are committed to sustaining the bank’s success,” said the spokesperson.
The statement further said Grameen Bank is an engine of social entrepreneurship and prosperity for millions of Bangladeshis, and has an impressive track record improving the lives of the poor, especially women and girls.
An astonishing 96 percent of its 8.3 million borrowers are women. Grameen Bank has played a pioneering role not only in developing micro-finance as an economic model but in empowering ordinary people to lift themselves out of poverty and into a better life, it said.
The reaction came two days after the government decided to take legal action against Yunus and eight of his associated organisations for alleged irregularities in tax exemption.
The decision was made after the National Board of Revenue submitted a report to the cabinet following its year-long probe on the tax-free benefits enjoyed by Yunus and the eight organisations.
Yunus Centre protested the government decision saying Yunus didn’t breach any laws during his stint as Grameen Bank’s managing director, and all of his activities were approved by the bank’s board.