Celebrating Life Gala Event 2013

Standard Chartered-The Daily Star is organising Celebrating Life Gala Event 2013 on 4th October 2013 at Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium, Mirpur, Dhaka at 6:00 pm. This year ‘Celebrating Life’ will step into its sixth year. The event will feature hundreds of renowned performers. A grand performance of classical singers will be followed by a medley of local instruments. In previous years, we have had Indian maestros Rashid Khan, Ajay Chakrabarty and Kaushiki Desikan, Deba Jyoti Mishra and their troop grace our gala events. Local music legends including Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin, Subir Nandi, Syed Hadi, Kumar Bishwajit, along with Krishnokoli and many others have also performed in preceding years.

Natural splendor of Bengal

Shohag Parvez, considered one of the most dedicated contemporary Bangladeshi painters, has a zeal for portraying the splendour of nature, serene environment, riverine life, cloudy skies and hilly areas. He believes that we are all part of nature, but some of us closely observe nature with intense passion.The painter’s solo art exhibition titled “Banglar Rup” is now on at Dhaka Art Centre, Dhanmondi in the city. At the exhibition, the painter concentrates on the consistency of colours, smooth textures and mind-boggling features. In their unique application on the canvas, the colours come across as lively and the objects as well as compositions seem delightfully decorated.About his ongoing exhibition, Shohag says, “We are going through an unpredictable time. People have become more urbanised and they forget their roots and origins. I don’t like to focus on sorrow or ongoing social and political turmoil; I want to purely focus on untainted nature and its varied alluring aspects. I believe that we live in a state of mayhem and disorder because we are far away from nature. Soon this will be changed. As an artist I’m optimistic and confident.”
Shohag began his career as a naturist painter. He has a preference for portraying seasonal changes, Kalboishakhi, greenery hills, deep forest, the people of the hilly areas, boats, rivers, wild flowers and peasants’ life. He has also painted different types of boats in different localities in our country. At the exhibition, a large number of his watercolours focus on mountain life, miles apart from our lives in the plains. The artist meticulously portrays mountain sights and their surrounding ambiance. He frequently visited the areas and painted them. He does not believe in copying from photographs.
Shohag embarked on his primary education at Kushtia Zilla School. On completion of his primary education, he gained admission at Kushtia Khongsara College. During this time, he started copying the works of old masters like Helen Parsley, Spencer Frederick Gore, John Constable, William Turner and Van Gogh. He was engrossed with their works, particularly their tones, textures and use of light and shade. Afterwards, Shohag brought romanticism and pure scenic beauty in his works. His colours are often subdued and quiet, which can translate the significance of the themes.
Solitude and tranquility are two vital mechanisms in Shohag’s works. The themes of his works are in a somber mood and their characteristics are highlighted. Lighting is a prominent feature in the works and the artist generally prefers luminous light. At times, his figures (villagers and farmers) look immobile and help us reflect on their experiences, ecstasy and despair. At the exhibition, his acrylic and water colours and drawings have varied tonal effects, detailing the focus on the subject. White, blue, emerald green, yellow and black are predominant aspects in his paintings. Scrupulous harmonising of light and shade is another noticeable feature in his works.
The exhibition will continue till September 26.

SM Sultan’s solo exhibition at Bengal Gallery

Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts in Dhanmondi is to organise a three-week solo exhibition titled “Unseen Splendour”, of drawings by Bangladeshi master artist SM Sultan (1924 – 94). A bohemian and mystic, the iconic painter delved deep into rural life, especially fishermen, peasants, labourers and their simple lives. His figures are muscular and dominant.The exhibition will inaugurate on September 21 and will continue till October 11.The works are from the personal collection of Professor Abul Kashem Joardar, former teacher of Michael Madhusudan Dutt College, Jessore. The collection is the outcome of a long lasting friendship between Kashem Joardar and SM Sultan from the 1950s till Sultan’s death in 1994.Eminent artist Qayyum Chowdhury will inaugurate the exhibition as chief guest. Cultural activist Asaduzzaman Noor, MP, Matiur Rahman, editor of Daily Prothom Alo, art collector Rokeya Quader, Muhammad Aziz Khan, Chairman of Summit Group and art critic Mainuddin Khaled will be present as special guests at the inauguration.At the exhibition, a number of sketches and watercolours will be displayed. The drawings done in pencil are mostly from a study of faces, but those done in charcoal have strong and profound lines. Human figures, animals, birds, flowers, nude, semi-nude figures and women in varied moods — animated as well as inanimated, are the recurring features at the exhibition. The exhibition shows Sultan with a mastery of drawing, and an appreciation of the charms of Golden Bengal.

Banks asked to open accounts for garment workers

The central bank asked all scheduled banks to open bank accounts for apparel workers with an initial balance of Tk 100.The Green Banking and CSR Department of Bangladesh Bank issued a circular in this regard yesterday.There will be no obligation of maintaining minimum balance, and banks cannot charge any fees for the services, according to the circular. Garment workers must show the copy of their national and employment identity cards to open their accounts.Banks can transact against these accounts on vouchers if they (banks) run short of cheque books, BB said.Respective banks have to submit reports on the update of these accounts to the banking regulator on a quarterly basis.Earlier, the BB helped farmers open bank accounts with Tk 10 only, and nearly 1 crore farmers have come under the banking services though many of the accounts remain unused.

Gold slides to two-month low

Gold prices in the local market hit a two-month low at Tk 49,555 a bhori as the prices of the precious metal fell in the international market due to a week demand.Bangladesh Jewellers Samity, a platform of jewellery shop owners, brought down the prices on Saturday.In the local market, the price of 22-karat gold dropped 2.29 percent or Tk 1,116 a bhori (11.66 grams) in the last two months, according to the Samity.“The price dropped by more than $50 an ounce (31.1 grams) over the last week in the international market, so we have decided to adjust the prices,” Anwar Hossain, a shop owner and the president of Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said on Monday.Over the last two weeks, the price of per ounce of gold fell by $100 to $1,319.11 in the international market, according to Bangladesh Bank data.Gold prices mainly depend on international politics and economic conditions, Hossain said.The wealthy people are purchasing foreign currencies instead of gold to save their money due to political tension across the world, he said. The Syria crisis dominated the international politics, he added.“Besides the easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which are causing the demand for gold as a safe haven to decline, the market appears to be anticipating a reduction in Fed bond purchases next week,” Commerzbank analysts told Financial Times. The low demand for gold jewellery in the local market is another reason for the price adjustment, Hossain said.“Now, people are occasionally buying gold as women prefer diamond jewels better. The demand for gold jewellery has dropped 40-50 percent of late,” he said, adding that some jewellers have folded due to the lacklustre demand.At present, there are nearly 30,000 jewellery shops across the country, including 1,500 in Dhaka, according to the Jewellers Samity. Presently, the annual demand for gold in Bangladesh is around 16 tonnes and the annual market is worth around Tk 7,000 crore.In the international market, the precious metal has fallen 15 percent this year, bringing to an end a decade-long bull run. Reduced demand for ‘safe’ investments and expectations of US monetary shifts, which have triggered a rush out of exchange-traded gold funds, have been the main factors driving the price lower.

Fresh pain for state banks

State banks are now facing a new crisis: an increasing mismatch between their credit and deposit growth.The banks’ deposit growth increased 18.14 percent year-on-year on August 1 but their credit growth dropped 0.39 percent in that time, according to central bank statistics.
Declining credit growth is bad news for banks, as it means their main method of revenue, which is interest earnings on the capital they lend out, is shrinking.Zaid Bakht, a director of Sonali Bank, said loan disbursement is on a declining trend due to the ongoing political situation. “The bank officials are also more cautious in disbursing loans following the recent financial scams.”If the increasing deposit cannot be invested, it may hamper the bank’s profitability, he said.The reason for the deposit growth is the high public confidence, despite the state-owned banks’ deteriorating financial health, the World Bank said. The WB team estimated the banks’ total capital shortfall to be in the order of Tk 17,200 crore.“It seems that these banks continue to enjoy the confidence of the general public and of most of the financial institutions within and outside the country,” it said in the draft aide memoire submitted to the government last month.Bakht, also the research director of Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, said although irregularities took place in the state banks in recent times, the general people still believe that depositing money in them is safe and their savings will remain protected.“The general people prefer to deposit in the state-owned banks even if the rate of interest is lower than the private banks’.”Another reason for the state-owned banks’ mounting deposits, says Zahid Hossain, lead economist of the WB’s Dhaka office, is their wide reach, particularly in rural areas.“The savings of rural people are on the rise due to the increase in remittance inflow—and they deposit them in the state-owned banks.”With the looming possibility of profitability losses, the four banks’ top management are asking their branches to increase their loan disbursement, with credit disbursement targets on way as well, officials said.“Otherwise, we will have to face losses,” said a high official of Sonali Bank, adding that the board did not receive any “term lending” proposal in the last 10 months.But Hossain says pressuring the branch level management would not be wise as they may not scrutinise the loan proposals appropriately. “The state-owned banks will have to operate on a commercial approach basis.”Meanwhile, the WB noted that in the backdrop of fall in investments and decrease in demand for loans, the state-owned banks have once again become net lenders of liquidity in the interbank call money market. And, according to central bank statistics, the state-owned banks are, in fact, the major lenders in the call money market.Three state-owned banks lent around Tk 3,000 crore on September 12 in the call money market, of which Sonali Bank alone lent Tk 1,500 crore.

FBCCI seeks duty-free benefits from Russia

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) yesterday urged the Russian government to grant duty-free market benefits to Bangladeshi products to narrow the bilateral trade gap.The present trade volume between the two countries is around $543.59 million, with the balance of trade being in favour of Russia, Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of FBCCI, said.In fiscal 2012-13, the country’s import from Russia stood at $335.30 million against the export of $208.29 million.The call for the trade benefits came at a meeting with Yuri Slyusar, Russia’s deputy minister of industry and trade, at the FBCCI office in Dhaka.
Ahmed also invited foreign direct investment from Russian entrepreneurs.“Investment may be made in the eight export processing zones, where necessary infrastructure facilities are readily available. Another seven special economic zones are being set up,” the FBCCI chief said.He urged the Russian entrepreneurs to invest in power generation, gas, mining, agro-processing, leather and lea-ther goods, electrical and electronics, engineering industries, pharmaceuticals and agricultural machineries.“I hope after this meeting a fruitful discussion will be held between the Russian delegation and the business leaders of Bangladesh about their business interests,” Ahmed said.He urged the Russian minister to expedite the bilateral deals — in nuclear energy and gas extraction and military-hardware purchasing — signed during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Russia in January.Bangladesh has signed agreements with Russia to set up a 1,000MW nuclear power plant and purchase military hardware and weapons, including aircraft, he said.Russia has accorded tariff preferences on 48 items for least-developed countries, which cover jute and jute goods, shrimps, tea, silk, rice but exclude major export items such as readymade garments, leather and leather goods, and ceramics.
Meanwhile, in a separate meeting with Industries Minister Dilip Barua yesterday, Slyusar assured Bangladesh of Russia’s assistance in modernising the country’s pharmaceutical sector.
Besides research and development, Russia will also help the country produce vaccines, Barua said.

BSF picks up cattle trader

Members of Indian Border Security Force [BSF] picked up a Bangladeshi cattle trader from Benipur Border point in Jibonnagar upazila on charge of intrusion into India yesterday.The cattle trader was identified as Azan Bari, 40, son of Motor Mondal of Habibpur village in the upazila.BGB Denipur Camp commander Nayek Shubedar Tofazzal Hossain said BSF of Putikhali frontier picked up Azan Bari near a border pillar in the morning when he along with a group of cattle traders went there to bring the cattle. Others, however, managed to flee the scene.Later at a flag meeting at 10:00am, the BSF side informed the BGB men that the Indian border force handed over Azan Bari to Kestoganj police in Nadia district of Paschimbanga.
Earlier, a Bangladeshi cattle trader was shot by BSF members on Medenipur border in Jibonnagar upazila of the district on Monday, reports UNB.He was identified as Habibur Rahman, 35, son of Bisharat of the village.

Once a day labourer, Sarfaraj now employes over 40 men

Once working as a day labourer for survival, Sarfaraj Ali of Kalikadoba village in Gobindaganj upazila under the district is now proud owner of a highly profitable nursery that employs over 40 workers.“In 1996 I took training on nursery under RD-9 project of BRDB and received Tk 10 thousand as loan to set up a tiny nursery on a 10-decimal plot on contract basis. I started growing saplings of wood and fruit bearing trees and sold those at different markets,” said Sarfaraj.“As my nursery named ‘Nayon Sathi’ gradually earned good reputation, people from far-flung areas started coming to collect saplings from here. Many nursery owners of Dhaka, Sylhet, Manikganj and Sirajganj districts collect saplings from the nursery that now covers 25 bighas of land,” he said.Anisur Rahman, a nursery owner of Belkuchi upazila in Sirajganj district, said this season he bought saplings worth Tk 2 lakh from Sarfaraj’s nursery.“I collect saplings four times a year from Nayon Sathi nursery,” said Alamgir Hossain, a nursery owner of Harirampur upazila in Manikganj district.“Saplings of at least 35 varieties of trees and plants, including wood, fruit bearing, spices and herbal, are produced in my nursery. Demand of saplings, especially those of fruit bearing trees is increasing fast,” said Sarfaraj.“Yearly turnover of my nursery stands at Tk 40 to 50 lakh. Forty to 45 labourers remain engaged in my nursery round the year. I am grateful to upazila agriculture department for extending all possible help to develop the nursery,” he said.Sarfaraj also raised a mother garden of different fruits including mango, lichi for producing quality graft plants that has wide demand in different areas.“Sarfaraj has set a model of successful nursery in this area. Witnessing the success of Nayon Sathi, many other farmers also set up nursery,” said Khorshed Alam, upazila agriculture officer, Gobindaganj.

Purity of soil and crop

In 2007, a woman farmer-cum-entrepreneur Selina Jahan started inspiring many rural women towards agriculture and vermicompost with the help of local administration and agriculture department. She involved many women with diverse agricultural activities. Women in this region have gotten involved with agriculture, producing vermicompost and everyday they’re trying to upgrade their livelihood.Farmers have deep bonding with crops and soil. Crops on the soil give hints that humans need food. In contrast, devastated soil narrates its tremendous pain of losing the power to produce. Soil has given everything to the crops. We look towards the produce, however, we never think about the mother, the soil. Farmers who thought about this, they’re now pretty terrified. In such a situation, soil begs nutrients from us. It seems like only a mother can understand what’s been going on with the soil, another mother.Selina Jahan of Narsingdi district has brought out women from home to lands. She has sown seeds of becoming ‘self-reliant’ amongst many women. Among many others in Rangpur, Jhenaidah, young farming entrepreneurs in Kushtia and across the whole country, there has been a revolution in organic farming through the hands of organic fertilizer in this imbalanced nature and soil where it’s been tough to grow.Hridoye Mati O Manush has been keen since its inception in 2004 and has been following the key role players of agriculture who have been contributing to the development of the sector in real meaning. And, organic farming plays a vital part in nurturing the soil and increasing production. There are now many innovative organic farmers in Bangladesh by today who simply changed the whole scenario.Women, who are faced with familiar crisis and pushed back at the wall, now they live on dreams to go ahead, inspired by organic farming. Women have become ‘self-governed’ doing vegetable garden, poultry farming and fruit orchards. Many women have already produced environment-friendly and pesticide-free crops and vegetables.This is a war against toxins – a social movement against harmful chemicals. The revolution is to save soil, environment and the public health. Rural women are now involved with making vermicompost on their own. In a short time women have well-understood the significance of the natural plougher, vermicompost. Which one is hybrid, which can produce better fertilizer and which one can really bring good fortune for them?Making the house, mixing worms with cow-dung, banana-tree and water hyacinth; producing fertilizer within 45 days and implementing it on fields – farmers have found great amusement in doing all these because, they’re earning good money. The inspiration has gone across many regions. In many parts of Bangladesh farmers are building vermicompost plant on their own. Each house in the plant is the work-field for an individual farmer.Mobarak Hossain, Seuli, Abdul Majid, Reshma Akhter, Helal Uddin, Phul Jahan are the organic farmers who have spread across Bangladesh and many are now following their footsteps.Bangladesh uses 50,000 Mt.tons of pesticides every year that costs around 50,000 crore BDT. 28,00,000 Mt.tons of urea is used as chemical fertilizer. These are devastating the environment and soil. To get rid of these harmful deeds, we really need organic fertilizer and an environment-friendly cultivation system.To reduce the production cost, farmers need to produce environment-friendly crops and earn more. Farmers now move ahead with their indigenous knowledge as well as training. Apart from public and private initiatives, farmer’s own effort is valued as the most commanding strength for Bangladesh’s agricultural development.“If you use organic fertilizer, then you don’t need pesticides or chemical fertilizers”, said Selina.“When we’ll use vermicompost at the beginning, the ratio will be: 5kgs for each decimal of land, 2.5kgs in the second and 1.15kgs for third year”, she added.“Is this the way the soil will get back its fertility”, I asked.“That’s how the land will get back its fertility. For humans, milk is an ideal food. Organic fertilizers are best for lands. Keep this in mind”, boldly replied Selina.The inspiring organic farmers of Bangladesh are now growing organic paddy – enriched with organic compost they are now making themselves – they look greener than other neighbouring lands where chemical fertilizers were used conventionally. Organic fertilizer saves the cost by three times than the chemicals.Success in the organic farming goes to the diligent farmers of Bangladesh. They have sacrificed their life to establish a healthy agriculture. And the pathfinder woman entrepreneur Selina could very well work with the agricultural extension system all over the country. We have to remember, if we do not treat the soil well, the soil will not treat us well with abundant healthy produce. Bangladesh would love to see these kinds of dedicated individuals in every region who will make us proud every day and enrich the precious soil of our country.

School kids ‘forced to attend’ rally

Thousands of students of government schools in almost all upazilas of Sylhet were forced to join the Awami League rally held yesterday in the constituency of the education minister.Teachers were also compelled to attend the rally held at the MC Academy Model School and College ground in the district’s Golapganj upazila.Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the programme as the chief guest.Most of the government schools in the district had been kept shut so that the students and teachers could attend the rally.The authorities concerned issued verbal directives to the headmasters, asking them to join the rally along with their students, sources at the district education office said.Besides, several schools at Golapganj upazila had been kept shut for the last six days to arrange accommodation of different law enforcement agencies ahead of the rally, sources told The Daily Star.School students guided by their teachers were seen standing at the rally venue defying scorching midday heat.Many were forced to take shelter in the shade of trees. But those who sat at the front of the gathering at the venue, had felt the heat most, witnesses said.The students, however, seemed pleased when Sheikh Hasina reached the venue. They waved their hands to greet the premier.“We have been forced to attend the rally,” said a student of Vekapul Muslimabad Ideal High School in Balaganj upazila, which is 20 km off the venue.Students of Jointapur Govt High School, which is more than 70 km away from the venue, were taken to the rally by bus.Contacted, District Primary Education Officer Hazrat Ali said: “I don’t know anything. The primary school students were not supposed to go to the rally.”Asked if he had gone to Golapganj to join the rally, the officer said he had gone to Golapganj but had not taken part in the rally.

Power import from India next month

Opening a new horizon of regional cooperation, Bangladesh is all set to start importing 250 megawatts of power from India next month, officials say.Another slot of 250 MW of electricity is expected to be imported from the Indian open market almost within the same period.The total amount of electricity, which is to be imported under a 35-year contract, will greatly improve the country’s power crisis situation, which is now being tackled through costly but short-term rental power plants.A test power transmission is likely to begin from late this month, said sources at Power Development Board (PDB).To give the process a kick start and review the preparedness of both the countries, a technical team from India would tomorrow hold a meeting with the Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) and the PDB.The tariff along with the transmission wheeling charge of the power imported will be between a little less than Tk 6 and Tk 6.35 per kilowatt-hour or unit.The rate is cheaper than that of the rental power plants which ranges between Tk 7.5 and Tk 22 per unit, but higher than that of the large local gas-fired power plants that is between Tk 2.5 and Tk 4.8 per unit.A 125-kilometre transmission line has been constructed between Baharampur of India and Bheramara in Bangladesh. Of this line, 40km fell inside Bangladesh.The transmission systems, which are based on 400 kV alternate current (AC) and 230 kV AC, have been proposed to be synchronised by installing a back-to-back high voltage direct current (HVDC) link.The line will have an initial transfer capacity of 500 MW, which will later be upgraded to 1,000 MW. The Asian Development Bank assisted Bangladesh in building this infrastructure.Half of this power will be coming from Indian central government electricity quota and the rest from its open market.
The deal is the culmination of a memorandum of understanding signed in January 2010 with India during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi.

Bill to be tabled in next session of Lok Sabha

Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has hinted that the constitutional amendment bill on the land boundary agreement with Bangladesh might be placed in the winter session of the Lok Sabha.While meeting with a media delegation from Bangladesh in the Indian capital yesterday, he said he was very optimistic of the collective voice of the Indian political parties being reflected on the adoption of the agreement.Salman also hinted that the gap with BJP on issue has been bridged and that he sounded confident of taking the Trinamool on board as well.Explaining the change in the atmospherics, he pointed out that the confidence building measures were about to pay dividends.During the meeting the Indian minister discussed the current state of Bangladesh-India relations and said these are growing quietly and steadily.Responding to a question on border casualties, he said greater sensitisation of the border personnel, joint control, community level interactions with schools, bazaars, hospitals were getting under way.He dreamt of a free border adding that the fear of influx is misplaced, because people are beholden to their hearths and homes.On Teesta water sharing, he said although the treaty has not been signed waters are being shared anyway. He added that nothing at the upstream would be done to harm Bangladesh’s interest.India and Bangladesh need to work together to address silting, flooding and erosion problems, Salman said suggesting that Bangladesh should have equity in the projects.Earlier, an interactive session moderated by Syed Akbaruddin, joint secretary, external publicity, was attended by four former Indian high commissioners to Bangladesh — Deb Mukherjee, Pinak Chakravarty, Rajit Mitter and Animesh Tripadhi.Media representatives from some major newspapers also participated. All of them laid emphasis on closer ties with Bangladesh by meeting the latter’s expectations.

Yunus for peaceful, participatory polls

Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus yesterday said people want to see a peaceful parliamentary election with the participation of all political parties to help the country attain its full potential.“We want polls. We want a peaceful election. And we want an election with the participation of all political parties. Nobody will be able to deprive us of it since people are demanding the election,” he told a reception accorded to him at the auditorium of Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in the capital.The founder of the Grameen Bank wondered why people doubted whether the general election, due to be held later this year or early next year, would take place or not.“Why should there be such confusion [about the election] when the process to holding the polls is due to start within a month or two?” he asked.Muktijoddha Gonoparishad, a platform of freedom fighters, hosted the programme to honour Yunus on his being awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal. The US government had conferred the award on Yunus in April in recognition of his efforts toward combating global poverty.An organiser of the Liberation War in 1971, Yunus, then 31, went from door to door of the then US Congressmen to garner support for the Liberation War and help change American attitude towards the massacre in Bangladesh.The economist said the country has been divided politically at the moment. “Why should we be divided? We want unity to maintain consistency of development.”Bangladesh, said Yunus, was facing a huge crisis due to the political tension. “But we don’t want any political divide, tension or outburst. We want peace,” he mentioned.The future of the country could not be left to anybody’s wishes, and the fate of its 16 crore people could not be squandered due to a split in opinions, he noted.Gono Forum President Kamal Hossain said Prof Yunus had never been a controversial person. He has been made controversial by a spreading of lies about him without any reasons.

From right, Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, Dr Kamal Hossain, Sadek Ahmed Khan, Dr Muhammad Yunus, Maj Gen (retd) Ainunuddin and Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury at a reception accorded to the Nobel laureate by Muktijoddha Gonoparishad, a platform of freedom fighters, at Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) in the capital yesterday.

He urged people and freedom fighters to identify and resist those who have tried to humiliate individuals like Prof Yunus.Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, founder of Gonoshasthaya Kendra, said it was unfortunate that the country could not honour Prof Yunus, who has been honoured by almost all nations.Asif Nazrul, a law professor at Dhaka University, said the microcredit pioneer was the biggest torchbearer of the Liberation War as he had been empowering women and helping people out of poverty and working day and night to ensure equal distribution of wealth.Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury, vice-chairman of the BNP, said he did not understand the essence of the debate about the achievements of Prof Yunus.Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, chairman of the Muktijoddha Gonoparishad, wondered how the ruling party could say that Prof Yunus had done nothing for the country when his idea of microcredit had lifted millions of poor people out of poverty.

Defence sector at high risk of graft

Bangladesh is among 21 countries where the defence ministry and security agencies are at a “very high risk of corruption” due to poor monitoring and performance of parliament, said a report of Transparency International UK.The TI UK’s Defence and Security Programme (TI-DSP) analysed the government defence anti-corruption index of 82 countries, including Bangladesh, and made recommendations on reducing corruption risks.Among the 82 countries, 70 percent of the largest arms importers last year left the door open to corruption, found the study.Bangladesh scored 32 out of 100. The countries that scored between 16.7 and 33.2 have been categorised as “very high-risk countries for corruption in the defence sector”.
Dr Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB), said bringing accountability to the defence and security sectors is the call of the hour.“It’s especially important for Bangladesh where information about the defence sector is not available. It’s an area out of everybody’s reach, where big budget purchases have been on the rise without any discussion and debate, which is not good for democracy,” he added.“If parliament, especially the standing committee on the ministry of defence, was unable to hold the armed forces accountable for their income and expenditure, then who else would be able to do that?” questioned the TIB executive.In the study, Australia, Germany, Norway and the UK were the top performers with scores between 83.3 and 100, which is indicative of a very low-level corruption risk. Twelve countries scored in the range of 67.7 to 83.2 indicating a low risk of corruption due to better performance by their parliaments.The countries that scored 50 to 66.6 have been categorised as medium risk countries, while scores between 33.3 and 49.9 of 16 countries showed a high risk of corruption.Fourteen countries were placed at the bottom of the banding, exhibiting critical risk of corruption due to lack of legislative defence oversight. The countries are Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Libya, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Yemen.The report said parliaments and legislatures can potentially play a powerful role in reducing the risk of corruption in defence and security establishments by exercising their legislative, deliberative and oversight functions.It also showed, through detailed case studies, how parliaments and legislatures could improve the oversight of defence.It pointed out that many countries were not currently fulfilling their potentials. All countries, even those with high scores, have progress to make.Transparency International called on parliamentarians to establish cross-party committees and groups of external experts to empower their scrutiny and inform their debate of defence matters.The TI estimated the global cost of corruption in the defence sector to be a minimum of $20 billion per year, based on data from the World Bank and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). This is more than the combined international development aid provided by Canada and the UK last year.The report made some recommendations to reduce corruption risks in the defence sector.The suggestions include providing parliament with a full set of documents of a detailed and comprehensive defence budget and making proposals of the budget subject to parliamentary debate, approval and scrutiny.The study proposed establishing an external audit office and ensuring audits of the defence budget and submitting reports to parliament with auditors’ inputs about them. Senior audit officials should appear before the parliamentary standing committee on the ministry of defence to answer queries by legislators.It also recommended making the defence budget easily available for civil society and other citizens with technical and non-technical details.

Man killed in pickets’ attack

A driver of CNG-run three-wheeler was killed when pickets threw stones at him in Companyganj upazila of Noakhali during the Jamaat-enforced 48-hour countrywide hartal on Wednesday.Police identified the deceased as Abu Naser, 45, son of Abu Taher of Tetua village in Dagonbhuiyan upazila of the district, reports our Noakhali correspondent.The pickets attacked Naser around 9:30am when he reached Talerchhara on Bosurhat-Dagonbhuiyan road with his auto-rickshaw, said Sajidur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Companyganj Police Station.The pro-hartal activists then chased Naser and hurled stones at him that hit on his head, leaving him dead on the spot, the OC added.The incidents of clash and vandalism were also reported from Comilla, Bogra, Natore, Rajshahi and Satkhira during the first day of hartal.Eight police personnel were injured in attacks by pro-hartal activists in Comilla and Satkhira.The Jamaat-Shibir men also torched a truck in Rajshahi and vandalised at least 21 vehicles in Comilla and Satkhira.

COMILLA

Pickets brought out a procession in Kandirpar area of the town around 7:00am and hurled a cocktail targeting a police van.Two police personnel who were inside the van sustained minor injuries, said Mohiuddin Mahmud, OC of Comilla Kotwali Police Station.In another incident, two police constables of Laksham Police Station were injured when Jamaat-Shibir men hurled brick chips targeting a police vehicle on Comilla-Chandpur Highway at Puran Elaka in Laksham around 8:30am, Mohammad Abul Khair, OC of Laksham Police Station.Law enforcers fired 18 rubber bullets to bring the situation under control, the OC said.Besides, at least 11 trucks and covered vans and a microbus were vandalised in Chouddagram and Sadar Dakshin upazilas.Three platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed in Chouddagram upazila since 6:00am to maintain law and order, BGB sources said.

NATORE

Jamaat activists brought out a procession from Borohorishpur in the town in the morning in favour of the hartal.After parading Natore-Dhaka highway and Chakrampur, the procession returned to Borohorishpur where they set fire pouring kerosene on the highway.Besides, police picked up five activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir, student wing of Jamaat, from Chakbaidyanath of the town and Chanchkoir of Gurudaspur upazila suspecting that they might have carry out subversive activities.

RAJSHAHI

Pro-hartal activists clashed with the law enforcers on Rajshahi-Naogaon highway in the city.Around 40 Jamaat-Shibir men blocked the highway by setting fire to tyres and felling logs around 5:30am.The clash ensued when the law enforcers tried to free the highway.The law enforcers fired at least 30 teargas canisters and rubber bullets to disperse the marauding activists while pickets hurled five crude bombs and brick chips targeting the policemen.No injury was reported during the 15-minute clash.Police nabbed one from the spot in connection with the clash, said Ziaur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Boalia Police Station.Meanwhile, pro-hartal activists set fire to a truck on Rajshahi-Natore highway at Kharkhari bypass in the city around 7:00am.Informed by locals, fire fighters rushed the spot and managed to extinguish the fire. Police nabbed one from the spot.

SATKHIRA

Four policemen were injured as Jamaat-Shibir men hurled brick chips at them during a clash on Satkhira-Jessore highway at Kadamtola in the town.The party men exploded 12 to 15 crude bombs and vandalised nine vehicles during the clash.Police lobbed around five teargas shells and fired 30 rubber bullets to disperse the unruly activists.The clash ensued when around 500 Jamaat-Shibir men resorted to vandalism blocking the highway around 6:30am and were resisted by police, said Md Shahjahan Ali Khan, officer-in-charge of Satkhira Sadar Police Station.Police detained five pickets from the spot after the clash.Jamaat claimed that one of their activists was also injured when police fired rubber bullets.

BOGRA

Pro-hartal activists threw three cocktails targeting police in front of City School on Sherpur road in the town around 7:30am.Police dispersed the activists firing two rubber bullets, said Gaziur Rahman, assistant superintendent of police (Sadar circle).Around 7:40am, pickets exploded two crude bombs at Shatmatha and burnt two tyres on Dhaka-Rangpur highway at Gokul in Sadar upazila.

JUSTICE, AT LAST

On February 5, eminent citizens and those who lost their loved ones, friends and neighbours during the Liberation War at the hands of Quader Mollah expressed their shocks, after a war crimes tribunal gave Mollah a life term. But talking to Tamanna Khan and Mahbubur Rahman Khan yesterday, they said justice had finally been done.

SHAHIDUL HAQUE MAMA
“Justice delayed but justice done,” said Syed Shahidul Haque Mama, the second witness in the case against Quader Mollah.He said he had been waiting for the verdict and did not even fly back to Sweden, where he lives.
“I think that this verdict will unite the nation,” he told this newspaper at the Supreme Court.

QUAZI ROSY
Poet Quazi Rosy, friend of martyr poet Meherunnessa who was killed on 27 March 1971 along with her family, said her friend’s soul could now rest in peace.“I was extremely sad on February 5 after hearing the verdict; today it is the opposite,” she said. “It feels like a thousand balloons and pigeons are flying in the sky with news of peace, and a stream of tranquillity is flowing through my heart.”“As witnesses”, she said, “we have waited for 42 years to be able to speak for justice, then the wait began for a trial, then it was for a verdict and now we look forward to see its implementation.”

MOFIDUL HAQ
Describing the verdict as the victory of truth and justice, Mofidul Haq, Trustee of the Liberation War Museum, said the SC judgment settled a number of legal issues concerning the war crimes trial.He thanked the young generation for setting the ground to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act 1973 to provide equal opportunity for the accused and the victim to appeal.“This is a historic role played by the youth of Bangladesh,” he said, referring to the Shahbagh movement that began on February 5 after the International Crimes Tribunal-2 sentenced Quader Mollah to life.

NASIRUDDIN YOUSUFF
Freedom fighter and cultural activist Nasiruddin Yousuff Bachchu said, “I am satisfied that a rapist, killer, perpetrator of genocide and crimes against humanity received the highest punishment.“This will be an example to others in future Bangladesh that no criminal who violates human rights can get away with such heinous crimes.”Terming it a historic verdict, he said justice had been done through the cancellation of the war crimes tribunal’s judgment.

ANWAR HOSSAIN
Jahangirnagar University Vice-chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain said, “This is the victory of the new generation. It is because of their demand that the appeal by the prosecution to enhance the punishment became possible.”Describing the verdict also as the victory for Bangladesh, he said: “The spirit of the Liberation War has triumphed through this verdict.”

SHAFIUDDIN MOLLAH
Shafiuddin Mollah from the Alubdi village in Mirpur’s Pallabi, where Quader Mollah facilitated and participated in the killing of 360-370 Bangalees on April 24, 1971, thanked the SC judges for the verdict on behalf of the people of Alubdi.“Now we want the quick implementation of the verdict as a different government might overturn the judgment,” said Shafiuddin, a witness in the case.“The government must also ensure security of all the witnesses who testified in the International Crimes Tribunal. This is our demand to the prime minister.”

MA HASAN
MA Hasan, a freedom fighter and war crimes researcher, said, “This [death penalty] should have been the punishment in the first verdict.”Giving accounts of Mollah’s roles as a collaborator during the 1971 war and his link with the Pakistan Army, he expressed his astonishment as to why these did not properly come up during the investigation.“This verdict is not to punish any single individual. This will rather put an end to a wrong philosophy, a philosophy that supports killing of innocent people in the name of religion.”

AMIRUL HOSSAIN MOLLAH
“I am overjoyed,” said Amirul Hossain Mollah, another villager of Alubdi. “It is a victory for the liberation forces.”He added: “It is true that the Appellate Division took time, but the verdict must be executed as soon as possible.”A group of youth in Alubdi brought out a celebratory procession and distributed sweetmeats among people after hearing the verdict, said the prosecution witness.