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Curfew imposed sine die
A minor campus incident sparked violence
Abdur Rahman Khan
It appears to have been a campus issue originating at the Dhaka University playground. But the way and the speed at which it spread out at different campuses of the country; the participation of some teachers and the extent of violence on the city streets was simply baffling and outrageous at the same time... [ FULL STORY ]
Post-flood scenario
Agricultural rehabilitation must
go on at full blast
Special Correspondent
Waters have receded from most of the flood-affected areas of the country. But it has left a trail of destruction to standing crops, infrastructures, dwelling houses, cottage industry, poultry farms and fisheries... [ FULL STORY ]
Post-flood economy: BB must fend off impending 'dollar drought'
M. Shahidul Islam
One of the most intractable challenges of the interim government seems related to the economy. The exorbitant prices of the essentials aside, damages of the flood will multiply the nation's economic woes and the massive layoffs in various industrial sectors and the fear of reduced import earnings amid a much feared recession in the global economy could spell disaster for the economy in coming days... [ FULL STORY ]
NSC: How will it shape up and function?
Mishu Chowdhury
Under President Truman's administration, the National Security Council (NSC) was created by Public Law 80-253, approved on July 26, 1947, as part of a general reorganisation of the US national security apparatus. The function of the NSC, as outlined in the 1947 Act, was to advise the President on integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to national security and to facilitate inter-agency cooperation. At the President's direction, the NSC could also assess and appraise risks to US national security, consider policies, and then report or make recommendations to the President... [ FULL STORY ]
GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Sir Stafford Cripps
K.Z. Islam
Sir Stafford Cripps (1889-1952), a demagogue possessing extraordinary intellect and capability, played a critical role in the British Cabinet both in the Churchill and Attlee governments spanning 1942 to 1950. Within a month of his returning from Russia in 1942 as Ambassador, Churchill brought him into the War Cabinet as Lord Privy Seal and Leader of House of Commons. In fact, as Britain was facing serious setbacks both in the Western and the Eastern fronts, Cripps was being considered as a replacement for Churchill. Churchill shrewdly eliminated this possibility by sending him to India to find an interim solution (known as Cripps's Mission) and from the background ensured the Mission's failure... [ FULL STORY ]
A formula to revive jute industry
Kamran T. Rahman
Lest we forget, the jute industry was the life blood of our economy for several decades and continues to be one of the mainstays of our rural economy even today. About 15 million farmers are involved in growing this cash crop and several million more, perhaps an equal number, are involved with its processing, transportation, conversion, etc. Be that as it may, the industry has gone off track due to undue interference and discriminatory policies made by the policy makers from time to time and also for reasons beyond the control of the industrial operators. In order to understand the current state of affairs in the industry one must look into the background of the jute industry and the events that took place over the last several decades...[ FULL STORY ]
NEWS NOTES FROM NEW YORK
Fazle Rashid
Stop witch hunting
Even conceding the unpalatable truth that Bangladesh is a vulnerable democracy but the overwhelming tide of opinion among the Bangladeshi Diasporas here is that the government in Dhaka should stop putting its fingers in all government policies. The doctors, lawyers, engineers, bankers and teachers, this scribe had occasions to talk over the past several days, expressed the view that the government should stop its anti-graft drive which has destabilised the economy and should concentrate on the twin objectives of meeting the post-flood complexities and holding a free and fair elections... [ FULL STORY ]
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