Blog > Archive for April 2010

SAARC summit starts

The 16th SAARC summit began in Thimphu on Wednesday with heads of eight South Asian countries seeking a joint initiative to tackle climate change threats and also boost trade and regional cooperation. The Thimphu summit which marks the 25th year of the regional grouping’s existence, kicked off at around 2:30pm (BdST) in this serene and pollution-free capital city of Bhutan, with outgoing SAARC chairperson Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksha opening the session. Rajapaksha is chairing the inaugural function. Seeking a fresh approach to global climate talks the SAARC leaders would pitch for observer status to the bloc at the Mexico conference on global warming later this year. The next global climate talks after Copenhagen in September last are likely to be held in Cancun in Mexico in December. The Thimphu summit marks the silver jubilee celebration of SAARC that was formed in Bangladesh in December 1985 with the aim of eradicating poverty and improving the living standard of 1.5 billion people of the region through mutual cooperation. Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to deliver her speech at 4:00pm. Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh will be the first to deliver his speech while Hasina the last speaker. Each of the top leaders will deliver speech for seven to 10 minutes.

Posted by news editor onApril 28, 2010

Water Issue & SAARC Summit

the major regional issu16th SAARC summit is started at Thimpu, (the Capital of Bhutan) from April 28 -29, 2010. People of the participant countries are looking towards their leaders for establishment of regional peace in this highly adverse security environment. They feel that future of their new generation became highly insecure due to poverty, continuous deteriorating health, terrorism and major regional conflicts like border and water took the region at the brink of nuclear war. Let’s hope that this time our leaders find some solutions to resolve Kashmir issue, water issue, and Bangladesh border clash with India and Nepal Energy crises, Afghanistan problem and others bilateral matters for lessening our worries for the betterment of our future.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nation mentioned in his report that rural poverty and food insecurity has been intensified and is showing downward trend all over the world. Developing countries within the Asia-Pacific region represent more than half of the world population today (a total of 3.7 billion out of 6.3 billion people in 2000), which continued to grow at 1.4% per year (1990-2000) and slowing down to 0.7% per year in 2020-2025. The population in urban areas will increase from 37% to 51% during the same period. The report further reveals that majority of the worlds poor live in this region, about 829 million out of a world total of 1.2 billion, living on an average of just one dollar a day.

An alarming aspect of under discussion issue is that despite having maximum manpower, natural resources and all weather pieces of land, why Asian countries failed to bring Green Revolution. The answer is unequal distribution of manpower and ambitious desire of grabbing natural resources by the power greedy country India. New Delhi never realized that her wishful thinking of attaining supremacy and capturing natural resources is pushing the region into war. She has forgotten that hunger is the only factor which changes the human characteristics. It gave birth to the world terrorism too. Here, in Asia the ratio of poor people remained high as high Himalayan Mountain. Most of the governments in south Asian region cannot maintain even daily necessities of their nations. The countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal botched to promote their agricultural sector because of presence of a water grabber country in their neighbourhood.

India has given a new turn to the philosophy of war while using water as an instrument of war. It is also worth mentioning here that India is the only country which is having conflicts with its neighbouring border countries. She is constructing more than 300 dams to interlink her rivers. Out of these 71 dams are being constructed in IOK,, which defiantly going to effect Pakistan. She has the intentions of converting her neighbours land into ruins and deserts through inundation and trickling of water. In this regard her actions speak that she is emerging as “World Water Terrorist Country”. New Delhi has planned number of barrages and dames by violating international water pacts. Now, it’s the talk of the region that future war would be on water issue because none of the country will like to become barren as result of Water terrorism. Therefore, it is evident from the prevailing environment that if world community failed to control water grabber then insecurity of food would be the core issue of future Asia and would prove fatal for the world peace.

It is further emphasized that Agriculture sector is expected to continue to play the central role in achieving sustainable food security and poverty alleviation through increasing the food production, improving productivity and quality, expanding non-farm employment and enhancing trade and overall capital formation. But, the increase in capital is only possible if water resources shall be available to the countries. But unfortunately the major supporting element of future development revolves around Water. Unavailability or shortage of water might lead into environmental degradation, erosion of top soils, and depletion of soil fertility, pollution, starvation and low production of food.

The third word countries which are already suffering with depleted economies have to do something for their survival. The numbers of water issues of South Asian countries though have been taken up on various international fora but are still unresolved or pending due to disinclination attitude of India towards in execution of already concluded International Pacts. Indus Basin Water Treaty between India and Pakistan 1960, Indo-Bangladesh water dispute over the Farakka Barrage (The Ganges Water Treaty) and the Indo-Nepal dispute over the Mahakali River are the glaring ones and endangering to the regional peace. It is notable here that India always used water as tool against Pakistan Nepal and Bangladesh. The Indian rulers exploit this natural resource through blocking the flow of rivers which originate from the Indian controlled territories and claiming their rights of using Nepalese Origin Rivers too.

It is also notable here that major water issue between two nuclear powers (India and Pakistan) is directly linked with the territorial dispute too. Pakistan and India have fought four wars over Kashmir. The sources three major rivers are located in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK). India has started construction of dams and barrages over these rivers with the aim of destroying agriculture sector of Pakistan. According to the sources, India has also suggested Afghan government to construct dam over Kabul River which is the major water contributor to Indus. She has also offered her technical assistance to Afghanistan. Therefore it’s a proven fact now that India will never be our trust worthy friend because of her mean nature. Her only aim is to create instability, destruction of Pakistan. Her ingress in Afghanistan is again questionable. She is using Afghan soil for fomenting terrorism in Pakistan.

Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal have tried to resolve their water issue with India. These countries also used SAARC platform to settle these long outstanding issues but some how on one pretext or other New Delhi showed her unwillingness in resolving the issue. India straightaway refused to come on

SAARC forum while saying that water dispute will be solved with Bangladesh and Nepal through tri-partite dialogues. In fact India is not interested to resolve the issues at all and will keep on avoiding the situation. Same situation is prevailing between Pakistan and India over water problem.

The reluctance of India in resolving basic issues is further depleting the regional security. In his regard probably, the political and military leadership of India have either failed to comprehend the real threat or deliberately causing insecurity for the completion of their hegemonic design. The ruling party of India is trying to corner the lonely Islamic nuclear power without realizing that Pakistan can not afford anymore conventional war with India. She must know that Pakistani nuclear programme is though very safe but off course in strong hands too. According to A Q khan Pakistan Nuclear Programme is of latest version and has edge over Indian nuclear programme too.

Pakistan has sufficient nuclear arsenals too. Careful analysis of current political and security environment dictates that future nuclear war would be on water issue. India must know that Pakistan can go for nuclear strike first, since it’s the matter of her survival on the world map. To avoid this nuclear war, we have to establish, deliberate and redress the major water issues of Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nepal. Present SAARC Summit is again providing the chance and forum our leaders to resolve the major regional issues .es .

Posted by news editor onApril 28, 2010

Channel 1 goes off the air

Private television Channel 1 went off the air Tuesday due to non-compliance of regulations.

The regulator body has shut down broadcasting activities of Channel 1 Tuesday evening, said the chief of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

BTRC chairman Zia Ahmed said that the private television channel has violated the telecoms act as it had handed over its broadcasting equipment to another entity.

The channel had procured its equipments through bank financing and failing to pay, the equipment were auctioned.

“According to the telecoms act one cannot handover broadcasting equipments,” Ahmed told bdnews24.com on Tuesday.

He said that despite several notifications and show cause notices by the BTRC the private television channel did not respond.

Posted by jahid onApril 27, 2010

Bangladesh anger over India films

Bangladeshi film-makers and actors say they have forced the government to reverse last weekend’s decision to allow cinemas to show Indian films.

Representatives of the film industry complained that the move could wipe out thousands of jobs.

There has been no official word yet from the government.

But a leading Bangladeshi film star told the BBC that the prime minister’s office had indicated the ban on Indian films would not be lifted after all.

The star, Razzak, said that a demonstration would not now go ahead as planned.

Film industry leaders had warned that 25,000 jobs could be in danger if Bangladeshi cinemas were allowed to show Indian movies.

They were banned in 1972 to protect local film makers and the local culture.

But cinema owners complain that Bangladeshi-made films are simply not popular enough, and that the middle-classes in particular prefer now to watch pirated DVDs of Bollywood films in the comfort of their own homes.

The previous government clamped down on the cinemas showing pornographic movies and many have since been forced to close.

On Saturday, the commerce minister announced that the ban on Indian films would be lifted to help the cinemas, but the actors seem to have won the argument – at least for now.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

Bangladesh in deal with UK navy

Bangladesh has bought two former British naval offshore patrol vessels.

The ships were in use for years as patrol ships for the Falkland Islands.

The HMS Dumbarton Castle and HMS Leeds Castle entered service in 1982 and entered long-term duty guarding the Falkland Islands after the war.

The two ships will be repaired by British ship repair yard A&P Tyne before Bangladesh takes possession.

The ships, which were retired by the British Navy in 2005, will be towed up to Tyneside next month to undergo a massive overhaul, which will include the vessels’ main engines, gearboxes, shafts and motors.

New diesel generators and an upgrade of the crew’s accommodation will also be attended to.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

Hasina leaves for Bhutan today

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves here for Bhutan this morning to attend the 16th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit in Thimpu.

The two-day summit, with “Climate Change” as its theme, will begin on Wednesday. This is for the first time that the landlocked Bhutan is hosting the SAARC Summit.

With the holding of the summit, Bhutan will assume the chair of the eight-nation regional forum comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Maldives and Pakistan.

Hasina will make a statement at the opening session of the summit to be held at the Grand Assembly Hall. Leaders of seven other SAARC countries will also make statements at the opening session.

After the opening session, the permanent secretariat of the SAARC Development Fund (SDF) will be inaugurated at the Grand Assembly Hall.

On the second day, the SAARC leaders will go for the Summit Retreat at Bhutan House, SAARC Village.

Later, the leaders will make joint royal audience with His Majesty the King of Bhutan.

On the sidelines of the summit, Hasina will hold bilateral meetings with South Asian leaders including Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

U-turn on Indian film screening

The decision to allow screening of Indian films in cinema halls in Bangladesh is to be repealed.

The decision came only hours after a protest at the Film Development Corporation by producers and actors involved in the Bangladesh film industry.

After attending a programme at Sonargaon Hotel on Monday, Commerce minister Faruk Khan said, “We had recently decided to import Indian films. But will now revert to our previous position.”

“The government would not do anything that might harm the local film industry,” he told reporters.

He said steps will be taken to stop films from the South Asian countries entering the country.

The ban on import and display of Indian films in the country’s cinema halls was imposed in 1972.

Following a review of its import policy, the government had recently proposed that films from India and other South Asian countries should be allowed to be screened.

Bangladesh Chalachchitra Oikya Parishad, a platform of the local film industry, organised a protest on Monday at the premises of the Film Development Corporation (FDC).

They claimed that such a decision would be devastating to the industry.

Popular actors including Razzak, Anwara and Mizu Ahmed took part.

They said the government had taken this decision without any consultation with those involved in the industry.

bdnews24.com/corr/rb/jr/pks/ta/db/1935h.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

60 RMG day-care centres to be built

Bangladesh’s top association of knitwear manufacturers and exporters and German based garment retailer ‘Metro’ will jointly set up a 60 child day-care centre for garment workers.

A contract was signed on Monday between BKMEA and Metro to set up the centres in Naryanganj by July this year.

BKMEA president Fazlul Hoque said that there are day-care centres in many big garment factories and they are planning to provide the services to the factories which do not have it.

The Metro will bear 70 percent of the cost and BKMEA will provide the remaining 30 percent.

Commerce minister Faruk Khan and the German ambassador to Bangladesh Holger Michael were present in the signing ceremony.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

‘Hasina to get reply at the next election’

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will get her fitting reply for vote rigging in Bhola in the next general election said senior BNP leader Moudud Ahmed

He was speaking at a briefing on Bhola-3 by-elections at BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office on Monday.

Moudud made the comment apparently in response to Hasina’s comment on Sunday, saying that voters of Bhola had given a ‘fitting reply’ to BNP.

Also a BNP standing committee member, Moudud, referred to the alleged rigging in the by-elections.

The BNP has already demanded cancellation of the results alleging widespread violence, intimidation and manipulation.

Moudud suggested that Awami League’s time was running out.

“People have started hating Awami League after the farcical polls.”

AL contender Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shaon won the by-elections of Saturday.

The BNP leader said they would launch a series of programmes demanding the resignation of the chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda and the two other commissioners.

The anti-government demonstrations will also continue, he said.

BNP has already declared nationwide demonstrations on Apr 28.

The former law minister also condemned the role of the Election Commission.

“The commission worked as the government’s agent and lost their credibility.”

He said regarding the election commissioners that they did not have the moral right to remain in the constitutional position anymore.

“If they have any self respect they should resign,” Moudud said.

He claimed that the by-elections have been subject to ‘unprecedented rigging’.

“No one except the government and the Election Commission claim that the election was fair. People have rejected the elections.”

Moudud said BNP contender Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was popular in his constituency.

He secured victory in six previous elections.

Moudud said that even during the national elections of Dec 29, 2008 — which he suggested were engineered — he lost to Jashimuddin by just 8,000 votes.

Moudud said that election rigging was evident from the striking contrast between the results of previous elections and the last one.

He put forward some evidence pointing out that 60 percent of the votes were cast between 8-11am which required 11 votes to be cast every minute which is virtually impossible.

“It is impossible even in the digital method.”

The BNP leader alleged that their party agents were driven out from 57 centres.

They also claimed that many of their activists have been injured.

Approximately 450 persons have been injured from the beginning of the campaign.

The press briefing also screened a documentary on the criminal activities and intimidation by ruling party.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010

War crimes may top Hasina-Gillani talks

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will meet her Pakistan counterpart Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani on Tuesday on the sidelines of the 16th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, officials say.

Diplomatic sources confirmed that the two prime ministers would discuss the trial of war criminals – in addition to trade and other bilateral issues.

Foreign secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes told bdnews24.com on Monday night that the two leaders would meet at 5.15 pm local time..

The prime minister’s meeting with Gilani is seen as particularly significant against the backdrop of the government’s initiative to try those who are alleged to have collaborated with the occupation Pakistan forces during Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971.

Hasina is also scheduled to see her Indian counterpart though the time and venue for the meeting is yet be fixed.

Sheikh Hasina landed at Bhutan’s Paro airport at around 7.40 am Tuesday, Bangladesh mission officials told bdnews24.com .

She was given a guard of honour at the airport and escorted to the SAARC village in the Bhutanese capital Thimphu.

She will deliver speeches in the opening and concluding sessions of the SAARC summit on April 28 and 29.

Posted by news editor onApril 27, 2010