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DONORS PRESCRIBE TRADE-DRIVEN DEV.
Experience negates acceptability: Aziz
Faruque Ahmed
Major development partners are pressing the government this time to sign an agreement thereby to join a 'mechanism' to relate the 'trade related technical assistance' to Bangladesh with its PRSP programme, now mainstreaming the nation's development process. They have come up with the proposal of 'creating a national strategy for trade' under an 'enhanced integrated framework (EIF)' to place trade issues at the centre of the country's development planning. And it is a move addressed to all LDCs to join, not only to Bangladesh.
The offer in fact speaks of integrating or otherwise surrendering the national development planning to donors' trade related technical assistance scheme in the name of capacity building for and mainstreaming of national development efforts with the broader global economy and trading system.
As the proposal is gaining circulation, critics here wonder about the real motive behind the scheme. They say under the new move the development partners are seeking to establish control on the formulation and the course of direction of the renewed PRSP - also a donor pushed national development agenda; which has effectively replaced the home grown planning such as the previous five-year plans. The PRSP has replaced it under a three-year planning. The country's present development efforts are, moreover guided by achieving the targets of the millennium development goals (MDGs) set by the United Nations in cohesion with the PRSP, and the EIF scheme aims at exercising control on them, specially on formulating the renewed or the 'second generation' PRSP as its three-year cycle has already expired last year and continuing on an ad hoc basis.
Speaking on the issue at a workshop last week the ambassador of European Union Stefan Frowein said, it is up to Bangladesh to decide whether to join the mechanism. He said 'the beauty of the scheme is that it offers clear avenues of support for LDCs on trade related issues without seeking to impose a one-size-fits-all solution.' Finance adviser Dr A B Mirza Azizul Islam was the chief guest on the occasion. Stefan said 44 LDCs have already decided to join it and the EU has announced a contribution of 10 million euros to a fund established for the funding of the scheme.
The workshop sought to create awareness about the scheme and bringing pressure on the government to make a quick choice on the offer. The UNDP, EU, World Bank, DFID, Canada and the IFC hosted the workshop.
Outlining the scheme, UNDP expert Kamal Malhotra said mainstreaming trade into LDCs national development plans such as the formulation of the renewed PRSP is a major goal of the subject. Under this, the development partners want to put coordinated delivery of trade related technical assistance in response to needs identified by LDCs and develop their capacity to trade, addressing the supply side constraints.
He said the mainstreaming requires strong leadership at relevant ministries and trade should be on the agenda of high-level ministerial coordination meetings. All stakeholders including private sector and civil society organisations such as NGOs and government would be involved in the national consultation process to mainstream trade into the country's development process through PRSP mechanism.
Malhotra said the EIF will have the provision of an in-country governance structure with a high inter-ministerial committee, national steering committee besides, establishing a national focal point and national implementation unit (NIU). Under the scheme, donors will participate in the in-country governance from the start. Moreover, it will ensure trade on the agenda of donors' consultative meetings and mainstream it in donors' assistance programmes.
These are some of the highlights of the comprehensive schemes and finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam was blunt in his reaction. He said Bangladesh may take the offer if it brings benefits to the nation and hastily added, "Our experiences are bitter with a similar scheme in the past.” Six donors had launched that scheme in 1997 under the WTO to provide trade related technical assistance to the LDCs as part of a capacity building programme.
The finance adviser said 34 projects were identified for Bangladesh and only one project was funded with small money after long administrative manoeuvring. Another participant to the workshop said the money was only US$50 million out of a 104 million dollar budgets for all those projects and disbursed over a period of five years.
On the other hand, the scheme envisages diagnostic study of trade needs to be carried out by consultants, preparation of a comprehensive list of trade priorities in the form of an action matrix, holding of national workshop, endorsement of the scheme by the government, prioritisation of trade policy to be integrated into the PRSP, national development strategies, project formulation for funding and implementation at the end.
Azizul Islam said he is apprehensive if the opportunity cost to fulfil the procedural requirements would be worth taking the exercise. He also raised the question of donors imposed conditions wondering whether they would be easy and supportive to mitigate the problems of the LDCs like Bangladesh in promoting trade.
He said high priority capacity buildings related to trade refers to both hard and soft infrastructure development in Bangladesh. It includes power generation, physical infrastructure, roads, highways and increasing the port facilities. It also means improvement in customs procedures, documentations etc. The country also requires diversification of the export basket, access to new markets and improving the skill of workers and management. He wondered what sort of assistance might be available while the past experiences speak of only diminished expectations. Some other participants said the EIF mechanism directly aims at establishing comprehensive control on the country's course of development in the name of mainstreaming trade to the heart of the development process.
Some critic wonder why, the scheme envisages participation of donors in the in-country governance system of the scheme, why it wants to ensure participation of civil society organisations (CSOs) in national development planning and why the trade issues should come on the agenda of donors consultative meetings where the focus so far was the discussion on the official development assistance.
Critics wonder it would open the way of intervention in and diversion of domestic priorities to development to serve donors interest to sell merchandise and services and block the way to achieving sustainable growth of the national economy as a whole. It does not speak of encouraging foreign direct investment, relocation of industries to LDCs or their capital market development. Neither does it encourage an industrial policy and transition to high-tech production from labour intensive one, pointed out one critic.
Another critic said this policy aims at hastening the opening up of the entire economy to become a supplementary market of the big economies, instead of promoting market access for LDCs. Quoting former US President Grant who once said America would switch to free trade but may be after 200 years only after taking all advantage of protectionism. America is here today, he said adding why Bangladesh should not be able to pursue a course suitable to its own interest.
Critics remained sceptical about the whole project. They said it is a new game plan to kill time and opportunity for the world's poorer nations when the developed industrialised nations are under pressure to open up duty free and quota free market access. They want to destabilise the process at the source instead of allowing a steady roadmap to continue and their aims remained focus to keep these countries incapable in the name of capacity building, he said adding they make good promises but never deliver. Another critic said the EIF fund is voluntary and unpredictable while each LDC can not expect more than 8 million dollar if the present structure of the fund is taken into consideration.
Pointing to transition from ODA (official development assistance) to 'trade for aid' and then 'aid for trade' over time another critic said, the EIF is a new discovery as to how to destabilise the entire roadmap to LDCs development. He said the WTO summit at Hong Kong failed to deliver the LDCs desired duty free and quota free market access to the markets of the developed nations, except the earlier voluntary offers including the ones made by the EU and some others outside the WTO gamut. The summit leaders in Hong Kong said the LDCs must learn how to make successful trade and so they are required to take trade making lessons, besides capacity building. So the 'aid for trade' comes to the fore and now they are saying it must be preceded by an 'enhanced integrated framework' for overall national development. This is how they are working to mislead the poorer nations and take way whatever the LDCs were offered at various time, said a critic.
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MUKHERJEE'S DHAKA VISIT
Can he change Delhi's perception?
M. Shahidul Islam
With the right intent, collaborations during natural disasters can act as a harbinger of increased fraternity between nations. The Indian response to the latest cyclone devastations in Bangladesh has increased such a relation and may further improve the existing ties between the two next-door neighbours. Or, will it?
Seemingly touched by the severity of the devastations wrecked by cyclone Sidr, India lifted its ban on rice exports to the tune of five lakh tonnes to help Bangladesh deal with its predicted food shortage. During his snap visit to Dhaka on December 1, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee also expressed his country's desire to pay for the full rebuilding of 10 cyclone-ravaged villages.
The decision to allow Bangladesh to import rice from India will enable Dhaka to fulfil its recently expressed desire to purchase five lakh tonnes of food relief to stave off what seems like an impending shortfall. It will not, however, deliver the desired benefit as Dhaka must pay the market price for the rice which it wanted the donors to buy and donate.
Earlier, immediately after the cyclone had struck, India waived the rice export ban for 50,000 tonnes and had provided 20,000 tonnes as direct relief. Mukherjee also carried with him more than 36 tonnes of relief goods, including ready-to-eat meals, powdered milk, medicines, water filters, and blankets. All these were truly encouraging and inspirational, although, despite a mixed basket of donations pledged so far by India, its overall contribution to the suffering multitudes of Bangladesh still rank as one of the lowest among the commitments made by other countries.
That is okay. How much one gives in charity depends on the giver's generosity. But the goodwill gestures made by India in terms of commitments for relief and rehabilitation were not sans politics. The concern lies therein.
Coinciding with Mukherjee's Dhaka visit, the director general of Tripura police, K.T.D. Singh, said on December 1, "Despite the changing scenario in Bangladesh, nothing much has changed in terms of Indian militants getting logistic support in that country. Indian separatists continue to operate out of Bangladesh despite the change of government there.”
Singh said, "The outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) maintain more than 30 camps in Bangladesh. The National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) are supporting the ATTF and NLFT. All the Indian militants are helping each other in purchase of arms and training of new cadres in Bangladesh.” More alarmingly, he claimed, "At least 10 Tripura militant leaders have been staying in safe and luxurious houses in Dhaka.”
That is not all. Singh's blaming of Bangladesh was preceded by a different message from J.A. Khan, inspector general of the Indian Border Security Force (BSF), who said in Agartala only a day before, November 30, that India was stepping up vigil along its border with Bangladesh by increasing troops strength and setting up more border outposts (BOPs). "As per the recommendations of the Subramaniam Committee report on the Kargil conflict, New Delhi has been working on strengthening the security along the 4,095km border that India shares with Bangladesh,” Khan disclosed. Formed after the 1999 Kargil conflict, the Subramaniam Committee was headed by security expert K. Subramaniam to assess security risks at Indian borders.
Viewed objectively, how ridiculous it seems to equate the threats to Indian security at the Indo-Pak border with those at the Indo-Bangla border? And, excepting in not accusing Dhaka this time of harbouring Islamist terrorists, the statements of the BSF and the Tripura police chiefs sounded like the same good old innuendos aimed at creating pressure on the government of Bangladesh. One would have felt happier if such pressure tactic were left for deliverance once Bangladesh recuperated from the trauma of this unprecedented natural disaster.
The BSF chief also disclosed, "The distance between two BOPs has now been reduced from 15km to about 4-5km and the strength of BSF battalions along the Bangladesh border has almost doubled compared to the past. Within the next couple of months, the entire 856km border between Tripura and Bangladesh will be fenced with superior surveillance equipment like thermal imagers and night vision devices installed.”
The paraphernalia of security arrangements being made by India at the border indicates that the BSF chief is expecting a huge exodus of Bangladeshi refugees towards India soon; especially given the promptness with which the entire Bangladesh-Tripura border is being barb-wired.
Besides, the Indo-Bangla border-fencing having evoked much controversy in the past and India never rationalising fully its action in the context of either the existential threat perceptions or other reasons that usually prompted nations to go for such defensive infrastructure building, the moves are bound to arouse suspicion in the mind of any discerning observer. Some of the constructions are also within 150 yards of the no man's land, something the 1975 border agreement explicitly prohibits.
Yet, according to an estimate, more than 1,300 miles of the planned 3,034-mile fencing has already been completed since the project's launching in 1986. By the time the project is completed in 2008, construction cost itself will overshoot the $1 billion mark due to the fence being 10- to 12-foot high, floodlit, and razor-wire-filled.
Compare the rationality of this grand project in terms of bilateral relations, geo-political compulsions, and the precedents available elsewhere. The USA has begun to construct a $2.2 billion double fence project along 700 miles of its border with Mexico to prevent illegal immigration. The flow of illegal migration from Mexico to the USA stems from an axiomatic economic fact of poor Mexicans getting better economic opportunities in the affluent USA. That is not the case between Bangladesh and India.
According to 2007 data of the International Monetary Fund, per capita GDP in the USA is $44,765 against Mexico's $11,880, while both India and Bangladesh are at the bottom of the list: India ranking at 117th with a per capita GDP of $4,183 against Bangladesh's $2,270 (ranking at 144th). India also has a very restrictive immigration policy that does not entice illegal aliens to live and work there.
Other such constructions in the ancient and modern history were for defensive purpose or ideological enmity. The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest construction projects in world history - about 4,500 miles long. The wall was built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese empire during successive dynasties.
The barrier that separated West Berlin from East Berlin from 1961 to 1989 was a series of concrete walls up to 15-foot high, topped with barbed wire, watchtowers, stationary guns, mines, and electrified fencing. Dubbed once as the Iron Curtain by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the wall aimed at segregating communism from capitalism. Both India and Bangladesh are parliamentary democracies, not ideologically different nation-states.
The Morocco-Western Sahara Wall is a 1,600-mile system of sand beams and rock walls built by Morocco in the 1980s to fend off attacks from Western Sahara, where tensions continued between Morocco and Polisario Front separatists despite a UN-brokered cease-fire. The wall is built of earthen mound, about 7-foot high, with a 23-foot-wide ditch studded with bunkers, barbed wire, and anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. Indo-Bangla situation is not akin to the Morocco-Polisario situation either.
In the Mid-East, Israel has built about 170 miles of barrier to separate the Jewish state from the Palestinian-dominated West Bank. Another 140 miles of barrier are planned or under construction and 155 miles more under review. The barrier is composed of a wire fence in some places and concrete wall in others and has been designed to foil terrorists, says Israel. In reality, it aims at unfairly grabbing Palestinian land. Former US president Jimmy Carter termed the Israeli segregation strategy as apartheid.
Hence, in all likelihood, Indian fence construction along the Bangladesh border has more to do with strangulating its small neighbour than any other expressed desire.
That notwithstanding, and not to belittle the messages emitted from Agartala by the heads of the BSF and Agartala police in the wake of Mukherjee's 'humanitarian trip' to Dhaka, Mukherjee was reassured by his Bangladesh counterpart that Bangladesh would not allow its territory to be used for anti-India activities as the two sides are determined to further develop their friendly ties.
Like in the past, that assurance is unlikely to change Delhi's perception on such matters, if the pattern of relationship of the past is taken as an indicator of what may follow. India has been tightening its nooses in all fronts to strangulate Bangladesh while gesturing as a good and compassionate neighbour. The prevailing misunderstandings are severely hindering the bilateral relationship and having detrimental impacts on bilateral trades.
Observers feel now is the time to change that hostile paradigm and work diligently to achieve parallel economic developments in all South Asian nations as economic prosperity of all is the sine qua non for regional peace and stability. As a regional leader, India must lead the way in South Asia instead of standing on its way.
For that to happen, the expected paradigm shift must occur in the realm of bilateral trade first. India's exports to Bangladesh during April 2006-February 2007 amounted to $1.5 billion against imports from Bangladesh being worth only a paltry sum of $205 million. This occurred at a time when the Indian economy registered a more than 9.4 per cent growth, the fastest in 18 years, and India could have facilitated and absorbed more Bangladeshi products, if it wanted.
Experts also say the fencing of borders will jeopardise Bangladesh's desire to enhance its trading with about 40 million inhabitants of the Northeast India comprising the Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura. Export to India is also bottlenecked by the existing tariff and non-tariff barriers, lopsided currency valuation, and Delhi's protectionist policy that does not allow Bangladeshi quality certificates and sets preconditions of fresh tests inside India before allowing goods from Bangladesh to enter its market.
The arbitrary fencing of the border also contravenes many bilateral agreements, especially the Trade Agreement of March 21, 2006 that makes it incumbent on both the governments to "Make mutually beneficial arrangements for use of waterways, roadways and railways for commerce between the two countries and for passage of goods between the places through the territory of other.” The fencing will deprive Bangladesh from choosing the most economically viable route for on-land export at the lowest possible transportation cost to ensure competitiveness.
Mukherjee did take into cognisance the issue of the grossly lopsided trade imbalance and expressed a desire to address the issue during his recent Dhaka visit. The fact is: Such an assurance came from every visiting official from Delhi over the decades and nothing much has happened in reality to allow Bangladesh to improve its fortune through trade.
We only hope, Mukherjee being a Bengali speaking Indian minister for external affairs is the right person to help change Delhi's entrenched negative perception about Bangladesh to turn the region into a major hub of reckonable regional trading.
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Pranab's gesture welcome,
but India could do more
Sadeq Khan
Pranab Mukherjee, India's minister for External Affairs has left a good impression by his whirlwind visit to Dhaka and to Sidr-struck places in Barisal and Bagerhat (Sharankhola and Reyenda). He had a sky view from helicopter over devastated coastal villages and the Sundarbans as well.
He promised that India will bear the full costs of rebuilding life in 10 villages as may be selected by the government of Bangladesh from the cyclone-hit coastal belt. The reconstruction project, he said, "will be an integrated area development work which includes restoration of infrastructures, power and rehabilitation of agriculture.”
What impressed our people most was the declaration by the Indian External Affairs Minister that his government had decided to lift the ban on rice exports only for Bangladesh in view of the disaster situation after cyclone Sidr. The waiver will be for 500,000 metric tons of rice. "From our side the government agencies would export the rice and for Bangladesh both public and private agencies can import it,” he said. It is a most welcome gesture, since it is projected food shortage problem that haunts, Bangladesh.
A week or so after the devastating cyclone, the first Indian relief assistance like medicines, ready-to-eat meals, blankets, tents and portable water purifiers worth about Tk 11 crore, arrived in Dhaka by airlifts on 22, 23 and 24 November.
A day earlier Pakistani relief team came with a 30-bed flying hospital, medical supplies and a medical team that went straight to the cyclone-hit belt to start relief and healthcare operations. The US Marines started operating in the Sidr-hit belt with helicopter loads of purified seawater and other relief materials sixty times a day from USS Kearsarge anchored in the Bay of Bengal from November 25.
Pranab Mukherjee's visit on December 1 took place 15 days after Cyclone Sidr had blown over Bangladesh. Earlier on November 19, Indian government had announced US$1 million for cyclone-ravaged Bangladesh. An External Affairs Ministry statement from New Delhi explained that the assistance would consist of relief material including medicines, food items, milk powder, tents, blankets and first aid kits for the affected people.
The statement also said that New Delhi was in the process of supplying essential food items to the neighbouring country and will continue to "extend whatever assistance it can at this hour of need. "India has always responded readily to such requests from Bangladesh earlier, the most recent being a few months ago when considerable devastation was caused by mudslides during monsoons,” it said.
The manner of Indian response to the catastrophe that hit Bangladesh provoked some criticism from the media in New Delhi. The Times of India wrote on 20 November: "India, the biggest and most powerful nation in south Asia, has pledged a paltry $1 million dollars or Rs 4 crore, to help its poor neighbour, with which the government hopes to improve ties. Think about it: Rs. 4 crore can at best buy you a couple of decent apartments in Delhi.”
Strangely, nobody here thinks anything is amiss. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced grandly on Monday that India would send a "comprehensive relief package” of $1 million to Bangladesh, which was hit last week by the super cyclone. The MEA spokesperson said foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee spoke to his counterpart, Iftikhar Ahmed Chowdhury, foreign adviser in Bangladesh's caretaker government. "He indicated India's readiness to send relief supplies to supplement the efforts of the (Bangladesh) government.”
Mukherjee also made a sympathetic statement in Parliament and promised help. But there is no big mobilisation of rescue and relief operations from India which Bangladesh can reasonably expect. There is plenty that India could do. The Bangladesh Government cannot even get in touch with the affected people in far-flung areas because there's no communication.
In 2004, India rushed navy ships, men and materials to help out Indonesia during the tsunami, even when India herself had been hit hard. Nothing remotely approaching that scale has been pledged to Bangladesh.
Pranab Mukherjee's visit and the waiver of ban on Indian rice-exports to Bangladesh has certainly compensated for the delay in full Indian response to the Bangladesh catastrophe. Pranab Mukherjee did not forget to tell newsmen in Dhaka that combined with flood relief sent earlier, India's total relief assistance to Bangladesh this year so far amounts to more than Taka 270 crore.
"I have an old association with this historic city and its resilient people. I bring the fraternity of my country in your hours of need, and an assurance that as a friendly neighbour, India would always be interested in a stable, prosperous and democratic Bangladesh,” he added.
While no one doubts the words of goodwill Pranab Mukherjee spelt out, there is some growing concern in Bangladesh about the anti-Bangladesh tirade that is being conducted by a New Delhi-based press corps. Somini Sengupta wrote in the New York Times after a visit to cyclone-hit Bangladesh: "The political storm that preceded nature's latest assault on this country still swirls overhead.....Fakhruddin Ahmed, the civilian leader of the country's caretaker administration, has promised national elections by the end of 2008. But exactly how soon elections will take place and under what circumstances remain mysteries, considering that several major politicians are in jail or in exile.”
The Delhi-based correspondent of The Economist of London was more prophetic in his dark predictions: "Bangladesh will worsen in 2008. Its technocratic administration, installed by the army in January 2007, promises to hold elections in December 2008. It will break its promise. At the army's behest, it has arrested the country's main political leaders, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina Wazed. The charges against the two women of corruption and extortion, respectively may or may not be deserved. But, in the absence of other leaders, their parties demand their release. This gives the army a choice: democracy and the two Begums (as the feuding Mrs. Zia and Sheikh Hasina are known) or no Begums and no democracy. It will choose the latter in 2008. Public dissatisfaction with the government will increase during the year. Violent protests are all but guaranteed.”
One wonders what is cooking in the anterooms of the seat of power in Delhi.
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ELDERS CALLS TO END DARFUR CRISIS
Sudan to accept peacekeepers
from Bangladesh, China
Moinuddin Naser in New York
Sudan has agreed to accept peacekeeping forces from Bangladesh and China to tackle the Darfur crisis, former US president Jimmy Carter told a press conference in China on Wednesday following a statement of a group which calls itself the Elders.
A report in the Washington Post says: Thirteen former world leaders and present-day activists led by Nelson Mandela called for the swift supplying and dispatch of a 26,000-member UN-African Union peacekeeping force to bring security to the western Sudanese region of Darfur and end the killing, raping and pillaging there.
The Elders, which includes Carter, former UN secretary general Kofi Annan, Bangladesh's microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Mandela's wife Graca Machel, tries to use its members' collective prestige and moral authority to help solve global conflicts.
Speaking to reporters in a conference call from Beijing, Carter said Sudan must drop its resistance to the inclusion of non-African soldiers in the joint force proposed for Darfur and take aid from whatever country offers it.
"Sudan said it would accept assistance from China and Bangladesh, however not from Norway and Nepal,” Carter said. "Absent has been united pressure from the powers to make sure the government of Sudan is flexible in accepting any kind of offer for a service it cannot provide by itself.”
In a report released Tuesday based on the findings from a trip to Sudan this year, the group said Darfur residents as well as the Sudanese of other regions were desperate for the force to arrive.
[But] "Obstacles persist,” Carter said. "Even forces that are African are not being permitted to land.”
There is a serious risk, he cautioned, that the 2005 peace agreement that ended the conflict between northern and southern Sudan may collapse. The terms of the deal that ended 20 years of fighting have yet to be fully applied, he added.
Machel, speaking by telephone from Mozambique, said she was particularly struck by the "stories of physical violence against girls, mothers” in Darfur. "Rape has become a norm,” she said. "The government of Sudan does not seem to understand the gravity of the reality of these women.”
Machel added: "The very basic rights and dignity of these women are being violated... We are also worried about the safety of humanitarian organisations tending to them.”
Tutu hoped that the group's members, who include several Nobel peace laureates, can bring new momentum to the reconciliation process. He noted that the Elders has behind-the-scenes access to powerful world figures.
"Maybe we can persuade some to use their leverage,” he said. "This thing has gone on for too long.”
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The promised polls turning elusive
Shamsuddin Ahmed
The situation is getting cloudy. The elections promised by the end of next year or even earlier now seem a remote prospect. The indications are loud and clear.
Information Adviser Mainul Hosein was frank enough to admit that the present interim government might fail in its objective of holding the elections and hand over power to an elected government. "If the caretaker government fails, it will never be known as a government of thieves like them,” he told a selective gathering at the Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Affairs on Tuesday, squarely blaming the previous governments and politicians for the situation.
He obviously referred to the politicians who are now behind bars facing corruption charges and whose failures culminated in imposition of the present state of emergency. Sheikh Hasina had brought together 19 political parties at Paltan Maidan, from where she launched the logi-baitha movement that triggered anarchy and brutal killings on the streets of Dhaka leading to the proclamation of emergency on January 11. She was the first among the politicians to welcome the emergency and attended the oath-taking ceremony of Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed and his colleagues in Bangabhaban. Hasina is also on record of boastfully claiming to have brought the present interim government in power.
It is an irony of fate that the same government Hasina had paved the way for and welcomed threw her behind bars in next to no time. A simple analysis of the events shows that Hasina now lies in the bed she herself prepared unwittingly. What a show of political wisdom, farsightedness and sagacity by our Jano Netri (leader of the masses)!
The leaders of the BNP are no different. Khaleda Zia was vested with the leadership of the party based on the goodwill of her assassinated husband Ziaur Rahman. Ignoring repeated warnings from different quarters, she patronised Hawa Bhaban, raising a group of Young Turks in the party walking along the line dotted by an external secret agency. Her political wisdom and sagacity totally failed her in reading the writings on the wall.
There is no denying the fact that the Western friends and international agencies have discarded both the ladies leading the two major parties for their confrontational politics. Although they preached democracy, none of them allowed democratic practices within their parties. Now both Awami League and BNP question the authority of the Election Commission to propose political and electoral reforms that warrant democratisation of political parties.
The government is determined to punish the politicians charged with corruption. Granting bails by the High Court to one after another of them and the issuance of rules upon the government have undoubtedly annoyed the administration.
No genuine politicians have so far emerged in politics to muster support of the masses and take the leadership to rule the country. Political unrest is not being witnessed. Western countries and international agencies are supporting the administration. All this seems to have emboldened the present rulers to continue until the situation arises that would require them to quit.
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BANGLADESH KALYAN PARTY
Here comes another second fiddler
Special Correspondent
Syed Mohammad Ibrahim, a retired major general of the army, has stepped in active politics. He floated a political party styled Bangladesh Kalyan Party (BKP) Tuesday. The multi-colour front-page advertisement in national dailies about the launching of the party has amused and bemused many in the political circles. Some observed that the BKP was likely to go the way same as the Progressive Democratic Party floated by Ferdous Ahmed Quareshi several months ago with much fanfare. They have added only to the dozens of existing obscure political parties having no roots among the masses.
It is interesting to note that the chiefs of political section of the US and Chinese embassies in Dhaka were present at the press conference where Ibrahim announced the formation of his party. But political circles are not inclined to attach much significance to their presence.
Ibrahim, who joined the Pakistan Army in 1970, is not cut out for being a politician. He was forced to retire from the army in 1996 for his controversial role in the failed coup attempt made by the then army chief Lt Gen Mohammad Nasim, allegedly acting at the instigation of the Awami League (AL). But President Abdur Rahman Biswas thwarted the coup by promptly sacking Gen Nasim and withdrawing some senior army officers from commanding posts. It remains a mystery why the BNP-minded Ibrahim jumped on the bandwagon loyal to the AL.
Contrary to democratic practices, Ibrahim is the self-appointed chairman of the BKB. Announcing the party he said its working committee would be formed within the next four to six weeks. He does not expect any known political heavyweights to join his party. He frankly admitted that the BKB would be 'complimentary' to the major political parties. This means the BKB will play a second fiddle to the BNP, AL or Jatiya Party according to its convenience.
As usual of pseudo-politicians undertaking new ventures, Ibrahim spoke of idealism and selfless dedication to the cause of the people. He profusely quoted from poems and the Hadith. His objective is to ensure kalyan (welfare) of the masses through changing the country's political trend. 'Conciliation and collaboration' will be the mode of his party's operations. But he missed the point that nothing could be changed or achieved without a bold, revolutionary leadership.
Unlike Ziaur Rahman, the founding president of the BNP, Ibrahim joined the chorus of the AL and its allies against the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, accusing its leaders of war crimes for opposing the liberation war. Zia, the hero of the independence war, was pragmatic. He had not only accommodated in the BNP men like Shah Azizur Rahman but even made him a prime minister. Political adversaries of Shah Saheb branded him as a Rajakar and accused him of representing Pakistan in the United Nations during the liberation war.
Ibrahim hoped that the businessmen would finance his party. To our knowledge, no businessman invests money in any political party or behind a politician unless he is certain of receiving favours that will yield more than his investment. Even lobbying for favour on behalf of others may earn him scrutiny by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
Of late, Ibrahim has been seen in TV talk shows. His prediction during the December-January political turmoil came true. I remember that, in one talk show, he dismissed the prospect of a direct military takeover, but said some arrangement short of martial law was obvious and in the offing to end the political anarchy. As a retired general, it is obvious he maintained close ties with his former colleagues in such a situation and got the hints of the January 11 changeover.
One thing is certain. The people were fed up with atrophied politics that bedevilled this nation. They are seeking, rather praying for, emergence of a leadership having integrity, farsightedness, and patriotism and is bold enough to undertake radical changes for the welfare of the people and the country.
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US MARINES IN BANGLADESH
Much ado about nothing
Mohammad Ali Sattar
Of late, a debate has been raging over the presence of US Marine Corps in Bangladesh. The devastating cyclone that hit the coastal belt has left the people of Bangladesh awestruck. The extent of damage is colossal. To date we have all been absorbed in post-cyclone relief and rehabilitation efforts. The question of participation by the political parties in relief distribution has also come up and died without any answer. Some quarters have even demanded the release of the detained chiefs of Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party so that they can take part in relief operations. The government gave a cold shoulder to the meek demand. It, however, did not bar the party activists from getting involved in such efforts.
Relief goods have started pouring in from many countries. We should be grateful to these countries and individuals who have come forward to assist us in this time of emergency.
But the arrival of US Marines in Bangladesh waters has been looked upon by a few with suspicion. They allege that the presence and participation of US troops in relief and rehabilitation operations have something more to do with than just helping a friendly country in distress. They say it is not right to allow foreign forces to come in as it hurts the country's sovereignty.
Let us try and take a closer look at the grounds of the suspicion. The US forces are here by permission of our government. They apparently intend to assist us in recovering from the disaster and have been just helping the local administrations give succour to the Sidr-affected people; and so far have not given us any ground to suspect any ulterior motive.
Some people are concerned from the belief that the US administration makes every move, overt or covert, with an intention of economic exploitation. The US has certainly put its finger in many pies to date. It has been actively involved in politics and economics of most of the countries ever since the First World War. The disintegration of the Soviet Union ended the Cold War and confirmed the US leadership of the world. From then on, there has been no opposition to match the growing strength and confidence of the subsequent US administration, which has become the strongest government in the world to dictate terms.
Historically the US foreign policy has been marked by failures in most cases. This was only due to faulty approaches and attitude. The eventual defeats in the Vietnam War and other smaller events had little impact on the American governments. The US presidents went on to talk about peace but actually not contributing much. They have, many times, sided with the party with illegitimate demands and conditions. They could have done great favour to the cause of peace and stability if they considered things on a different plane.
By now the world knows that 'minus US' formula will not work. They have by now taken for granted that partnership with the US will bring about any tangible outcome in any area. Like it or not, this has become the stark reality.
In our context, we can only gain by allowing the America to work for us. According to Geeta Pasi, the US chargé d'affaires in Dhaka, Washinton has provided Bangladesh around $5 billion in aid since 1972.
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GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Marilyn Monroe
K. Z. Islam
Just before dawn on 5 August 1962 the dead body of Marilyn Monroe was discovered in her house. The conclusion was obvious . . . 36 years old Marilyn had committed suicide. The inquest verdict went unquestioned for some months. But when at last doubts were raised, the resultant scandal threatened to be bigger than anything the actress had created in her lifetime.
For the question more and more people began to ask was: Who killed Marilyn Monroe? Did she die by her own hand - by accident or suicide - or was she murdered?
When her body was found she had been clutching a telephone. Who had she been trying to ring?
Soon rumours of her supposed affairs with both Jack Kennedy and his brother Robert, the attorney-general, were common currency. According to one of her closest friends, Robert Slatzer, Marilyn had two important meetings planned for the day following her death. One was with her lawyer, the other was a press conference.
At this conference, said Slatzer, Marilyn planned to reveal the truth about her relationship with Jack Kennedy or Robert Kennedy, or possibly both. She felt that the Kennedys had used her, then abandoned her - her calls to the White House were no longer being accepted - and she was out for revenge. The only thing that would stop her revelations, she had said, would have been a phone call from or a meeting with Robert Kennedy on the night of 4 August.
That night Marilyn was due to have attended a dinner at the home of Peter Lawford and his wife Pat, sister of the Kennedy brothers. The actress had met Robert Kennedy at their house on several occasions. Robert Kennedy may have been planning to turn up. He never did.
Nor did Marilyn, who at about 8 p.m. received a phone call from Peter Lawford asking if she was on her way. According to Lawford's testimony, she said she felt too tired. She told him: 'Say goodbye to Pat and say goodbye to the president - and say goodbye to yourself, because you're such a nice guy!'
Another sensational theory was that the FBI had been involved in the star's death. FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover's agents collected for him every scrap of information about the private lives of leading politicians. It was one of the reasons Hoover's eccentric handling of the FBI had previously gone unchallenged. And in the Kennedys' case, the FBI's personal files bulged with scandal.
Marilyn's telephone was believed to have been bugged - possible by the FBI - and it has been suggested by more than one investigation that it was the federal law enforcement agency that was given the task of silencing her.
A bizarre twist to this theory was made in 1981 by a reformed criminal, Ronald 'Sonny' Gibson. In a book Mafia Kingpin, Gibson said that while working for the Mob he had been told that Marilyn had been murdered by Mafia hitmen. J. Edgar Hoover, he said, had been furious about the actress's affairs with top politicians, so the Mafia had taken upon themselves the task of silencing her as a means of repaying favours done them by the FBI.
Officially the overdose that killed the star was more than 50 sleeping tablets. Marilyn, according to her aides, had great difficulty swallowing tablets without large quantities of water. Police who were called to the house in Fifth Helena Drive found no glass in the bedroom. A post mortem showed virtually no fluid in her stomach. And, strangely, there was little trace of the drug in the victim's digestive tract - all evidence that points to an intruder injecting the deadly barbiturate dose directly into her body.
As retired Los Angeles police sergeant Jack Clemmons, the first office to arrive on the scene, said: 'I was shocked to high heaven by official verdict of suicide.
'It was obviously a case of murder.'
But by whom? The answer, if the theory were ever proved, would create the scandal of the century.
During her career Marilyn made 30 films and left one, Something's Got to Give unfinished. She was more than just a movie star or glamour queen. A global sensation in her lifetime. Marilyn's popularity has extended beyond star status to icon. Today, the name 'Marilyn Monroe' is synonymous with beauty, sensuality and effervescence.
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THE BOTTOM LINE
Taher Quddus
It is a story about dousing a wild fire only with a mug of water.
Many years ago, but only a few years after the liberation of Bangladesh I was appointed Chairman, Bangladesh Parjoton Corporation.
During one of routine visits to Cox's Bazar I found an American lady highly agitated, her face was red and she was profusely sweating. Some people gathered around her told to complain to me about her problem. When she looked at me I quickly approached her and very politely wanted to know about her problem.
"Excuse me madam, can I help you? What is the problem?" she was blunt, "Who are you? How can you help me?"
"I am the Chairman of Bangladesh Tourist Corporation. With our meager resources we try our best to ensure a pleasant stay for the visiting tourists in Bangladesh including Cox's Bazar" I said.
"Are you aware that you have no security around this place. I do not see a single coast guard or an ordinary police to ensure the safety of foreign tourists."
I was counting stars. Because I was actually aware of many more deficiencies that she could not have imagined. I was happy that she stopped at that.
"Actually we are lagging behind. We have planned in detail about everything to be in their right places. I am extremely sorry if something has gone wrong somewhere. If you tell me exactly what has happened I assure you I shall take remedial action right now", I said with all seriousness.
"I don't think you can do anything. I want to talk to your president. Could you please arrange an appointment with him?" she asked.
I apologised again and told her "Madam, it shall be very difficult for me to fix an appointment with the president of the country. Besides, if you complain to him about me, I am sure I shall get a sack. Let me know what has happened to you at the beach?"
"Something very terrible has happened to me. It shall be better if I keep it to myself", she said. I did not know what to say. So I made another attempt to calm her down, "Madam, I am sorry for whatever has happened to you. Please let me know exactly what was the matter?"
That time she sobered down slightly, "About an hour ago when I was watching sunset somebody pinched my bottom."
That was a bolt from the blue. I was not prepared for that. To assuage her I had to do little bit of acting. "My God, how such a thing could happen to a foreign lady. Just now I am going to ask the Police Station to arrest every body from the beach. Please excuse me I am going" I was about to proceed. The lady became nervous. She Stopped me.
"Don't distress yourself so much, as a matter of fact it is after twenty years some body has pinched my bottom. Please Let it go", she smiled.
A Little later she asked me for dinner with her at 'Shagorika Restaurant.'
"You can't invite me in my own place. I shall be very happy if you kindly allow me to invite you for dinner" I requested. She readily accepted.
"At the dinner table she narrated a story. Once there was a launch party in honor of George Moore a distinguished English writer. At the during he saw a beautiful lady. He went close to her and pinched her bottom. The lady was furious. When she turned back, to her astonishment she found it was the guest of honour himself. The Lady quickly changed her expression "I am honoured that my bottom has attracted your attention", she said smiling.
We laughed. After finishing dinner we parted saying 'Good Night'.
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Adivasi demonstrators face
violence in Guwahati
Nava Thakuria in Guwahati
It was a sunny Saturday morning that suddenly turned and remained violent till noon. The residents of Beltola in Guwahati witnessed a calm procession of around thousand Adivasis (aboriginals), both male and female, marching from Beltola towards Dispur. The demonstrators, equipped with traditional bow-arrows marched to the Assam Secretariat at Dispur to add voices to their demand for inclusion of the communities in the scheduled tribe list. But soon it turned violent to create an unruly situation in the locality, which Guwahatians will perhaps never forget.
In fact, November 24 will remain as a black Saturday for the Assamese people as they witnessed at least one person die, hundreds of people being injured, and stripping off of a young girl in broad daylight within a few hours of chaos. The incidents of the day have shaken the conscience of the Assamese society, which was later reflected in public meetings and columns and editorials in the Guwahati-based newspapers.
The demonstrators assembled in Guwahati from different parts of the state following the initiative of All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam (AAASA). Initially the AAASA leaders decided to hold a meeting at Dakshin Beltola High School in support of their longstanding demands. But a section of the participants brought out a procession and marched towards the State Assembly at Dispur. And all the unwanted incidents followed thereafter, where one Adivasi had to sacrifice his life and nearly 250 got wounded, many of them seriously, during a mob violence. Even a curfew had to be imposed on the locality for a few hours.
The police on the street initially tried to prevent the demonstrators from proceeding towards the State Assembly, which angered the Adivasis and many of them continued to march breaking through the police cordon. Some of them turned violent and started damaging the vehicles parked at roadside, shops and private houses. Pedestrians were also not spared by the mob, many of whom carried their traditional bow-arrows but some were wielding sticks and hammers too.
Soon the protesters faced another police contingent near the secretariat complex. This time the police with the help of paramilitary forces dispersed them. In face of the harsh action of the police who used teargas, they started to flee. But more cruel experiences were awaiting the demonstrators as some local people retaliated by attacking them. For around an hour there were clashes between the two sides, when the Adivasi demonstrators were mercilessly beaten up by some local youths.
Samson Naguri, 46, died from the beating. Samson of Joporajan in Bokajan locality incidentally came to Guwahati for the first time in his life to have a glimpse of the city. The agitating AAASA leaders however claimed the death toll was as high as 20 to 30. They also declared that abut 25 other Adivasi protesters remained missing after the crackdown by the police and the local people.
During the riot, an Adivasi girl was stripped off of her clothes by some unruly youths. She is a high school student of Biswanath Chariali in upper Assam.
Many local residents, on the other hand, braved to give shelter to the humiliated Adivasi protesters. One Bhagiram Barman, a local shopkeeper, took the risk of his life and saved the girl from any further physical and psychological assaults. She was later handed over to the police.
The state government led by Tarun Gogoi has drawn condemnations for the sadistic incidents from different sections of the society. Condemning the violence, leaders of the main opposition Asom Gana Parishad, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) demanded resignation of the Congress-led coalition government at Dispur. Various other organisations, including All Assam Students' Union and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad, joined in the chorus of censures of the state government.
The AASAA called for a 36-hour Asom bandh beginning on November 26 to protest against the assaults on Adivasi protesters in Guwahati. The All Assam Tea Tribe Students' Association also supported the bandh. The strike concluded with a few unpleasant incidents in some parts of the state. The bandh hampered normal life in Dibrugarh, Sibsagar, Jorhat, Tinsukia, North Lakhimpur and Kokrajhar districts, though it had no impact on Guwahati where the rioting took place. Incidents of violence were reported from Tezpur, Kokrajhar, Golaghat, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh districts.
The echo of the protest was heard in the State of Jharkhand as well. Leaders of different political parties of Jharkhand condemned the attacks on the Adivasi demonstrators. The state witnessed a bandh on November 26 called by the Jharkhand Disom Party, All Jharkhand Students Union and Jharkhand Peoples Party. Meanwhile, prominent political leaders, like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha chief Sibu Soren and former Jharkhand chief ministers Babulal Marandi and Arjun Munda, took side with the Adivasi protesters, who faced retaliatory actions in Guwahati. The state chief minister Madhu Koda has already urged his Assam counterpart to ensure the safety of Adivasis, who had migrated from central India to Assam centuries ago.
The Adivasis of Assam including Santal, Oraon, Munda, Gor, Kul, Bhil, Ho, and Kharia communities are demanding scheduled tribe status for better access to education and government jobs. These communities are recognised as scheduled tribes in West Bengal, Orissa, and Jharkhand. The central government however has rejected the demand to offer the scheduled tribe status to the Adivasis in Assam. The registrar general of India (RGI) is not in favour of granting the scheduled tribe status to them, Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patil told the Lok Sabha on November 27. "There has been a demand for giving the scheduled tribe status to tea and ex-tea garden communities like Munda, Orang, Gonds, Santals fr#om Bihar, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh,” mentioned Patil, adding that the RGI had rejected a proposal of the Assam government in this regard.
Facing the heat of public outrage, the Gogoi government has ordered two probes-one by the additional chief secretary of Assam and the other by R.K. Manisana Singh, a retired judge of Gauhati High Court. The probe bodies will look into the circumstances leading to the clash between the Adivasis and the local residents and submit their reports within three months, Gogoi told newsmen. The Guwahati City police meanwhile have arrested eight persons in connection with the riot. Three of them, Prasenjit Chakravarty, Ratul Barman, and Sudip Chakdar, have been accused of being involved in the stripping off of the Adivasi girl. The remaining five arrested are AASAA office bearers.
More recently, a citizens' meet organised by the Journalists' Forum, Assam on November 29 at Guwahati Press Club demanded "a roundtable of the various ethnic groups in Assam to discuss their demands, which, in some cases, appear to be conflicting”. The meeting adopted another resolution calling "the government to identify the persons or quarters responsible for the collapse of law and order on that day and mete out exemplary punishment to those found guilty”.
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