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LOCAL GOVT. ELECTION
Khaleda says it's attempt to install chosen people
Abdur Rahman Khan
The detained BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia has said the incumbents, though they do not have any constitutional mandate to conduct local polls, are out to do so, and that too under emergency, only to install people of their choice in public offices. A former prime minister, Khaleda Zia made the statements Tuesday while talking to her lawyers in a special court in the Jatiya Sangsad premises. But the caretaker government (CG) appears to be adamant with its plan to hold the local government elections ignoring demand of the political parties for complete withdrawal of emergency power rules and a national elections first.
Sensing conspiracy behind the move for local body elections, the BNP chief said, "They are out to hold mock polls with an ill intention of installing their selected people in particular offices."
The BNP's secretary-general, Khandakar Delwar Hossain, also said on the same day that his party would not participate in the local government polls which were meant to create some 'collaborators', and warned the aspiring contestants to be ready to face 'consequences'.
"The BNP will not participate in the polls which the CG is going to hold by force to create some collaborators. BNP also boycotted such farcical polls in 1986, which did it much good rather than harm," Delwar told a delegation of the Sripur unit of Gazipur.
BNP took a hard line since the CG failed to reach any understanding by negotiating the demand for release of party chairperson Khaleda and her two sons -- Tarik Rahman and Arafat Rahman, both of whom are in critical condition and require treatment outside the prison.
By Wednesday, the court accepted a petition from Arafat Rahman granting him exemption from personal appearance in the case. A similar petition was also filed on behalf of Tarek Rahman seeking exemption from personal appearance during the proceedings of case filed against him.
Earlier on June 11, the CG temporarily released Awami League president and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina through an executive order allowing her to seek medical treatment in the USA. Senior advisers had a meeting with her at her residence within hours of her release, joined by the chief adviser over telephone.
However, amidst a growing speculation about a secret deal with Awami League, chief adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday made it clear that his government has no 'secret understanding' with any of the political parties.
In this context, education adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman, who is the CG's spokesperson in the ongoing dialogue, told the press that they want to create a level playing field for healthy competition of political parties in the elections.
To a question about specific Government principles, Dr Zillur said, "The reform of electoral rules, polls roadmap, giving attention to people's demands for attaining the key objective of holding meaningful election, qualitative change in politics, and ensuring post-election stability."
It is clear that the CG aims at not only conducting a meaningful general elections but also eager to ensure a post-election stability as desired by the donor community.
Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed in a recent interview with the Time magazine underlined the urgent need to clean up Bangladesh's politics. The magazine however, mentioned that General Moeen's desire to tame the country's unruly politics "may wind up snuffing out democracy".
The Time magazine also referred to political suspicion that Moeen and advisers are happy to press ahead with both local and national elections crafting a government of "national unity" with handpicked candidates and without the backing of any of the major parties.
Awami League has agreed to join the dialogue with the CG but opposed the initiative to hold local government elections before the national elections.
Under such a situation, the future course of national progress would manifest the strength of the nerves in both the ruling caretakers and the political leadership.
The chief adviser, Fakhruddin Ahmed, on Tuesday told the World Bank Vice President Praful for South Asia region C Patel that all the pre-poll reforms were being done by the CG for a better future of the people of Bangladesh. He reaffirmed that the general election would be held in December.
Patel said the next parliamentary election is important for maintaining the economic growth and development in Bangladesh.
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MISMATCH BETWEEN CREDIT DEMAND, SUPPLY
Banks' liquidity shortage panic businessmen
Faruque Ahmed
Soon after the announcement of the new budget of Taka 30,000 crore with major focus on bank borrowing, the country's business community has expressed concerns over liquidity shortage in commercial banks to finance new investments.
The president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Annisul Huq last week took the issue in an open forum discussion saying he did not find a bank ready to give him Taka one crore fresh loan.
He said he was planning an investment of Taka 50 crore in an energy sector project and placed a request to his bank which regretted the proposal citing liquidity crisis. Later he tried to take the loan forming a syndicate of 10 banks and each of them declined to commit to the loan proposal on the same ground.
Finance adviser Dr AB Mirza Azizul Islam said it was 'not too big a problem' but the FBCCI president said the private sector is facing severe setback as commercial banks are failing to entertain loan requests citing liquidity crisis. It may slow down the development of the country's private sector, he said adding the whole economy may become its victim in the process.
The liquidity crisis in banks started began last year following the CG's interference in bank accounts of business groups and individuals to verify the source of the fund as part of the anti-corruption drive. Consequently most people refrained from making fresh deposits in banks to avoid hassles and this slowed down the deposit flow in banks.
Afterwards illegal or irregular money holders started hoarding money, while others switched the fund to stock market. Another group just lived on their past saving eroding the bank deposits. This is how the liquidity crisis deepened in the banks, the knowledgeable sources said.
"There has been a mismatch between the disbursement of credit and deposit receipts. As a results, some private commercial banks have already increased their interest rates on deposits to collect funds from general depositors," chairman of Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB) Nazrul Islam Majumder said last week after a meeting with finance adviser Mirza Azizul Islam. Many banks are also borrowing from the call money market to meet depositors' urgent requirement, he said.
In that meeting the BAB requested the finance adviser to double the deposits of the public funds to increase the private banks' liquidity position. Only 25 per cent of the public funds are deposited now with the private commercial banks. He said the BAB leaders have also told the finance adviser that the private commercial banks are failing to meet some loan requests because of fund shortage and the situation warrants government support to beef up their liquidity shortage.
The finance adviser has a different interpretation of the problem. According to him the demand for loans to fresh investment has recently increased. It happens as stability and business confidence return to the business community encouraging them to take up new projects and seek fresh loans for investment. It is not that the credit supply has diminished but the fact is its demand has increased, he said.
Referring to various steps to boost business and investment climate, he said it has been able by now to restore business confidence. The new budget is investment friendly, he said adding these factors together have been able to create new demand for investment and credits. He said the banks now have Taka 12,000 crore idle money waiting for productive use and the current mismatch between the demand for credit and its supply may have other reasons as well. The issue of lending rates may be one such factor.
He appreciated the moves by some banks which have already increased the depositors' interest rates to increase reserves. He said the government is not asking banks to reduce depositors' interest but to narrow the gap between the lending and depositors' interest to a minimum of 5 per cent. For that the CG may reduce the banks' corporate interest rates and added that the BAB is now demanding to bring it down to 40 per cent from the current level of 45 per cent.
The business leaders said in the past banks were chasing investors to put their money in productive projects. Now the scenario has reversed, investors are chasing banks and they are regretting proposals for short of fund.
Another FBCCI leader said he was trying over the past three months to line up a Taka 1.5 crore bank credit. Referring to a nationalised commercial bank, he said he is a regular client of this bank over the years. He borrowed from this bank and repaid the old loans.
Owner of a yarn mills said, he is failing to import cotton in want of bank loan. He is afraid, his mill may face closure if this situation continues. Most banks are not committing more than Taka one crore loan to their clients, said another business community leader.
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Controlled democracy the ultimate goal?
Amanullah Kabir
The government strategists have chosen the local body elections time stretching over three months from August to October when the political situation remains a jig-saw puzzle for the people. If the depoliticised local body elections could be conducted successfully, it is likely to give the caretaker government the leverage to hold the national polls in December without the participation of the two former prime ministers. By then, the two leaders would perhaps have been convicted for the crime they being tried now.
The Time magazine in its recent issue has said, "Military chief Moeen Uddin Ahmed wants to tame country's unruly politics. But he may wind up snuffing out democracy itself."
If that is not possible, political observers say, a controlled democracy may be prescribed instead for the nation as Pakistani military ruler Ayub Khan did in the 1960s. They have formed this idea when they see the caretaker government is more enthusiastic about performing an unassigned task - holding the local bodies elections - than what it is entrusted with constitutionally - holding parliamentary polls.
The military-backed caretaker government's repeated commitment to reach consensus on issues confronting the nation through the on-going dialogue thus appears empty when it is determined to hold local elections disregarding the mainstream political parties' opposition. According to the Election Commission, elections to all local bodies including upazillas would be completed by October leaving only over a moth and a half for the national election.
Critics say if the government arrogantly sticks to its unilateral decision to go ahead with its efforts to build confidence through dialogue, it would be nothing more than an eyewash. The caretaker government will thereby distance itself further from the mainstream political parties and eventually a credible parliamentary election will remain a myth, they say.
The Time magazine says, "General Moeen and the advisers are happy to press ahead with both local and national elections, crafting a government of 'national unity', with hand-picked candidates and without the backing of any major parties. If Hasina and (Begum) Zia are convicted of crimes before December, they'll be disqualified from competing in the polls. This, reckons one western diplomat, may finally break the parties and lead to significant defections."
It is possible to happen so even in the local body polls as the election commission has banned political parties from participation in the local elections and allowed only individuals without party brand name to contest the polls. In such a situation intending candidates may have no other choice but to break away with their party, probably will change their party loyalty and take part in polls, 'making politics difficult for the politicians'.
The government strategists are learnt have prepared a long list of potential candidates for all levels of local bodies and are promoting them with all necessary assistance and cooperation they need. They are learnt to have appointed coordinators at district and upazilla levels to run the election show and ensure victory for the handpicked candidates. If elected, they are expected to join the power coterie and strengthen their hands and the strategists will decide on how to design their next move.
Analysts tend to think that by depoliticising local polls and keeping emergency rule in force with some relaxations, the Election Commission has made them virtually countryside club elections. According to imprisoned former Prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, the government through local body polls is out to enlist a new set of loyalists or collaborators who will ultimately form a new beneficiary group under the direct patronisation of this government. She has, therefore, demanded cancellation of the local bodies' polls and holding the national elections on priority basis.
Awami league, however, seems to be pursuing a different policy though Sheikh Hasina, now staying abroad for medical treatment, has more than once given her opinion against local elections and demanding national polls in October instead. In the absence of clear and unified decisions from the central leadership of particularly 14-party and four-party alliances, party workers and activists across the country are getting confused.
Observers believed that if the government can successfully manipulate local body elections in its favour, it is likely to become more hostile towards BNP and Awami League and the two parties may be excluded from the process of constituting what is being described as a national unity government. The constitution is likely to undergo a change amending the relevant provisions to bring about a balance in state power and may also authorise the president to intervene in the country's affairs whenever he feels necessary.
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POLITICS: BACK TO SQUARE ONE?
CEC wants conformist beliefs to go
Mohammad Ali Sattar
This is not for the first time that a man of wisdom (this time it is the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr.A. T. M. Shamsul Huda) felt the necessity of change in the country's political culture. Dr.Huda, who is respected by many, shows genuine concern when he emphasizes on these matters. That he is not all very comfortable with certain government decisions is evident from his media appearances. An independent Election Commission is still in the cold. His recent remarks that about the need of changing political culture to establish democracy speaks only of the grave situation prevailing in politics. To this end he stressed on the importance of shunning the conformist ideas and beliefs to improve the lot of the people.
He thinks a lawmaker should not participate in local development programmes for which the local chairmen are responsible. He knows that it's very easy said than done. The political players have already expressed their views about the measures and proposals of the present government. They are not willing to budge an inch from the traditions of their mentors. That's the challenge the whole nation is faced with.
In a recent meeting with the people of several constituencies of Chittagong and Noakhali he expressed his recent views. The EC is also under fire for its demarcating plan of electoral constituencies. The EC plan of demarcating the electoral constituencies has been facing stiff opposition from all political quarters. The people, as usual did not show much interest in it. The stakeholders are entirely the political players. Hence the opposition. Without studying the merits of demarcation it would be unwise to bin the plan altogether. This very opposing stand speaks of our age old culture of saying no to everything that comes from the other side.
The peaceful people who met the CEC and his team, were of the opinion that if the demarcation is effected it will cause more problems than solve. It will be difficult for them to reach the law makers of the area to discuss matters of interest. As a result, all development efforts will be hampered. They appealed to the EC to keep things as they were. However soft, the approach was a clear message of not accepting the change. They are not even prepared to give it a shot.
The traditional practice of the MP's getting involved in local affairs will be hard to get rid of. This has been an acceptable norm in our rural areas for a long time now. Although the local chairman plays a key role as guardian of his people, the cream is enjoyed by the MP. Development aids flows through the MP - as such he wields greater influence over the people than his poor chairman. The most powerful of the chairman is helpless when his MP is unhappy with him. Outcome: Peoples' sufferings increase. Therefore, Dr.Huda's wishes will be hard to fulfil.
Dr.Huda was right when he said that while the MP's are busy elsewhere the parliament cannot function due to quorum crises. He could not be more right. We have seen the leaders crying 'for elections to sustain democracy'. They have shown total disregard to the national parliament. Continuous boycott of sessions, walkouts, quorum crises etc., has been the regular feature of our parliament. How they have toyed with democracy is evident from our constitutional history of last 35 years.
Once again he was right about his observation of one eleven. In fact, 1/11 was inevitable. The gross irregularity of the past decades invited the 1/11- although the heat is almost gone. According to reports, the criminals are staging a convenient comeback in the ensuing City Corporation polls. The political scenario isn't looking bright. Outcome: Back to square one.
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SHARIF BROTHERS IN TROUBLE
Political manipulation in Pakistan
Jonaid Iqbal
If economics drives politics, as they are saying these days, then you can get a fairly good picture of Pakistan from the rise and fall of the Karachi Stock Exchange, the largest bourse of the country. Some people say the Karachi Stock Exchange is often manipulated in favour of the moneyed guys.
If it is true can we ask whether the politics of the country is manipulated? Many might reply that it could be true and they blame it on the man on the hill, Pervez Musharraf. (By the way he does not live on the hill; his residence is in Rawalpindi cantonment area which is far away from the capital city).
Actually, well known columnist M. B. Naqvi may have said that already if we have read him correctly. He wrote it was a victory for Musharraf with regard to the order of the Lahore High Court which on Monday disqualified PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif from contesting a bye-election at Lahore constituency 123.
In its order the Court stated that Nawaz Sharif's conviction in the infamous hijack case of Oct 12, 1999 still held the field, though he might have been exiled to Jeddah as an act of clemency.
Thus, Sharif's difficulties are continuing still. At the same time, his other partner, Asif Zardari, another successful winner of the February 18 general election is safe behind the National Reconciliation Ordinance, reportedly brokered by the US and the UK. The NRO allowed Ms Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan on the promise that charges of cases instituted against her would be withdrawn. It is another matter that she was assassinated within 80 days of her return, and the promised protection proved false.
Even Nawaz Sharif's brother, Shahbaz Sharif, the present Chief Minister of the Punjab province is also in trouble. In a case of the similar nature he was allowed by the same court to contest the election and to assume the portfolio but other legal questions were put on hold. Now they have come up again.
The Opposition (read President Musharraf's party, Pakistan Muslim League-Q led by Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain) is raising various questions about his eligibility to hold the seat he won in a bye-election in the provincial constituency. Earlier on, both Shahbaz and his brother were debarred from contesting the general election.
The legal question is that Shahbaz Sharif won from two constituencies, and he had to leave one of them during 30 days of the notification, which he failed to do, thus incurring the ire of Election commission Rule.
In fact some commentators say that Nawaz Sharif and his party is particularly targeted by the PML-Q, which, as National Assembly and provincial Assembly proceedings show, are warming up to Asif Zardari's Pakistan People's Party. If proof is needed we only have to consider published report that Altaf Hussain's PMQ Members would be inducted in the Federal cabinet.
The PML-N Members left this Cabinet when 42 days expired with no action taken by the government to restore the disrobed judges, as was agreed to in the Bhurban accord which both Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari had signed.
Huge protests have been seen in all Punjab towns against Nawaz Sharif's disqualification, and there have demands that the federal Government must come clear on the PCO judges. The government has tried a damage control action by moving an application in the Supreme Court which has been admitted and has postponed the bye election in the constituency against which Nawaz Sharif was to run for bye election.
Restoration of the old judges is a central issue in the Nawaz camp. In fact, publicly they say that they don't recognize the PCO judges. Contrary to this view, PML-N members voted for the clause which made financial provision for an extended Supreme Court with 29 judges, while the real count of the court is 16 Judges including the Chief Justice.
That is, this matter has failed to receive any seriousness from Mr Asif Zardari or his party.
Whenever the media raises the question he parries, and ridicules the question, "don't ask me to begin the count from the wrong end.'
However, in this baffling political scenario the country is facing a serious militancy in the Frontier Province. (It is fashionable now to call it Pakhtunkhwa province). Things have come to such a pass that Peshawar town, the provincial capital is now in its grip.
The new government has given power to the army to get on with the job and restore the government's writ.
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Israel training to attack Iran
Peter Hirschberg in Jerusalem
Israeli defence experts were not surprised by a New York Times report over the weekend that the Israeli air force had recently conducted what appeared to be a rehearsal for an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities.
Israel, the experts say, has never taken the military option off the table and they therefore expect the air force to be training for a strike in Iran. "It is logical that the army is training for an Iranian mission," says Efraim Inbar, head of the Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies near Tel Aviv. "We are preparing for it. The air force is in charge of this file."
Over 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighter jets, as well as helicopters and refuelling tankers, took part in the exercise over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in early June, according to the New York Times. Quoting unnamed U.S. officials, the report said that the helicopters and tankers covered 1,400 kilometres, approximately the distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz.
The report quotes an unnamed Pentagon official saying that the exercise was also meant to send a message. The Israelis, the official told The Times, "wanted us to know, they wanted the Europeans to know, and they wanted the Iranians to know. There's a lot of signalling going on at different levels."
The Israeli army did not deny the report, saying only in a statement that the air force "regularly trains for various missions in order to confront and meet the challenges posed by the threats facing Israel."
The use of F-16s and F-15s is also consistent with an exercise of this nature as both are long-range warplanes that would be used if Israel was to launch a strike against Iran. Inbar told IPS that he was "sure" the army is preparing for a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities and that it was "just a question of whether there is a political decision to go ahead with it or not."
When asked whether Israel would launch a strike against Iran, Israeli leaders have generally tended to be vague, saying only that "all options" are on the table. Former air force chief Eitan Ben-Eliyahu says he is sure the military is rehearsing for a possible operation. "There is no military option without training for a military option," he said earlier this week on Israel TV's Channel One.
Ben-Eliyahu said he saw the leaking of the story as part of the diplomatic efforts aimed at deterring Iran from pursuing its nuclear aspirations. "These exercises have to be conducted because they are also part of the diplomatic process," he said. "Exposing your cards strengthens the diplomatic option. And there is no diplomacy without there being military backing for it."
In the most strident comments yet by an Israeli leader on the Iran issue, Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, who is a former chief of staff and a former defence minister, said earlier this month that Israel "will attack" if Iran did not suspend its nuclear programme. "Attacking Iran, in order to stop its nuclear plans, will be unavoidable," he said in an interview. Both Israel and the U.S. believe Iran is bent on developing nuclear weapons, but Tehran insists its nuclear programme is civilian in nature.
Political leaders in Israel were highly critical of Mofaz, who views himself as a potential successor to embattled Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. They accused him of exploiting a highly sensitive strategic problem facing Israel in a bid to paint himself as a tough leader ahead of a possible leadership primary in the ruling Kadima party should Olmert be forced out.
Israeli officials tried to play down the comments, reportedly telling their U.S. colleagues that they did not reflect government policy.
Ever since last December, when U.S. intelligence agencies issued a National Intelligence Estimate asserting that in 2003 Iran halted work on nuclear weapons design, the prevailing view in Israel has been that U.S. President George W. Bush will not resort to force in trying to stop Tehran from going nuclear. (The report did also say it could not be determined whether the work had been resumed.)
Many experts believe that Israel will not - or cannot - go it alone in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities. Iran has spread its nuclear installations across the country and has also built them deep underground and behind reinforced concrete walls, making it difficult to accurately target them.
Israel, these experts contend, does not have the ability to carry out the type of sustained attack against multiple, well-protected targets that would be required to neutralise - or even badly damage - Iran's nuclear programme.
But Israel has gone it alone in the past when it suspected an Arab state was developing nuclear weapons. Israeli planes flew all the way to Iraq in 1981 and destroyed a nuclear plant built by Saddam Hussein at Osirak. Last September, Israeli planes destroyed an installation in Syria that U.S. intelligence officials later said was a nuclear reactor that had been built with the aid of North Korea.
Listening to a somewhat cryptic Ben-Eliyahu, it doesn't sound like the difficulties Israel would face in striking Iran's nuclear installations have stopped the army from training to do just that. "There is only a military option if you are training for it," he said.
-Inter Press Service
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POLITICS OF MINUS ONE
CG wins over Hasina, AL to prepare for election
M. Mahtabuddin
For quite some time the military-backed Caretaker Government (CG) had been trying hard to reach an understanding with the Awami League (AL) for the success of the dialogue and general election. Now it appears that the CG has succeeded in doing so. As a result, Sheikh Hasina was released from prison on 11 June and was allowed to proceed to the US. Now the ball is now in CG's court.
The CG has seemingly changed its strategy and rearranged the 'minus two' formula. It is, however, not very clear if the CG is now inclined to enact 'minus BNP' in the changed situation. But if Awami League, Jatya Party, LDP, Bikalpadhara, LDP and other Islamic and leftist parties participate in the dialogue as well as the general elections, then the BNP and Jamat will have no option but to join the bandwagon. In that event, the peaceful exit of the CG will be smooth.
Informed sources claim that the CG has won over the Awami League. The CG has taken the initiative and quietly making efforts to develop good relationship with a section of the Awami League leadership for a long time. The CG wanted to bring Awami league to the negotiation table by convincing Sheikh Hasina. This has worked, the sources say.
Sources also claim that the CG was trying to convey the impression that as a natural corollary the Awami League would come to power when the CG hands over power. There also some confusing, somewhat contradictory stories are also being circulated in the political circles. One such rumour is that if Sheikh Hasina if wished to take the advantage of the Truth Commission she could avail of it. Again it was suggested that Sheikh Hasina did not agree to go to the Truth Commission where she would have to confess her guilt. Besides, there is a condition in the Truth Commission that those who confess guilt will not be able to join election at least for a year. This was not acceptable to her.
It was reportedly advised to Sheikh Hasina that once the caretaker government hands over power to the AL, she could arrange to hold mid-term polls at an opportune moment and stage her own return to power. Besides, it was also suggested that after assuming power, she could review all the cases which were filed against the political leaders. However, the experience of 1986 election appeared to have prompted her not to fall for the temptation. By accepting former president Ershad's offer to participate in the 1986 election which the BNP had rejected, she became widely known as an opportunist. This had apparently influenced the 1991 elections which quite surprisingly catapulted BNP into power.
Hasina does not trust the caretaker government. Last year prior to her departure for the US she had assured the government that she would endorse all its actions. But the government had imposed ban on her return to home and filed a number of corruption cases against her. She is always in two minds about reaching
any understanding with the CG.
Now the same sources also suggest that any time now, Sheikh Hasina may give a declaration that the Awami League will participate in all the elections.
Now, the CG does not seen to have much interest in talking to the BNP as succeeded to win over AL. The CG felt that the BNP together with the Zia family was directly affected by the changeover on 1/11 and therefore, no positive result would be achieved by talking to the BNP leaders and Khaleda Zia. A large number of cases were filed against Begum Khaleda Zia, her two sons, Tariq's wife and his mother-in-law. Moreover, her two sons were oppressed in the prisons as doctors assume.
Characteristically, Begum Khaleda Zia is iron-willed person and is difficult to win over. In view of this this, if the BNP and the Jamaat do not join the national election, they are likely to will be isolated. On the otherhand if they join the fray, they are likely to be defeated as it believed to be an election of understanding.
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GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
Vallabhbhai Patel
K. Z. Islam
Thirteen years older than Nehru and only seven years younger than Gandhiji, Vallabhbhai Patel (1875-1950) came from peasant stock. He possessed considerable organizing ability and an ample measure of ruthlessness. To be the boss of the party machine came naturally to him. That was the type of work Nehru shunned. He also left the field open for Patel to be the Chairman of the Congress Central Parliamentary Board until independence. This gave Patel a hold on the party machine.
Power was Nehru's mistress and he did not like Patel to flirt with her; but he put up with it in the interest of a semblance of unity and harmony. Those were not normal times.
Before the formation of the dominion government on 15 August 1947, some interested people set a rumour afloat that Patel would not be included in the Cabinet. Nehru was annoyed. He not only included him in the Cabinet but also designated him as Deputy Prime Minister. The designation Deputy PM was only an honorific without any responsibility attached to it. But in the hands of Patel it was different.
Patel did not want John Matthai as Finance Minister in the dominion government because he had agreed with Liaqat Ali Khan, and had later persuaded Nehru to agree to set up an Income Tax Investigation Commission. Patel was of the view that Liaqat Ali Khan's real motive was to ruin Hindu businessmen and industrialists. So he managed to persuade Nehru to bring R.K. Shanmukhan Chetty as the first Finance Minister of Independent India. Patel knew that Chetty would be pliable and do his bidding. Chetty's appointment, with the Ottawa Pact background, came as a complete surprise to most people. At the appropriate time Patel persuaded Shanmukhan Chetty to delete a few names of Gujarati businessmen and industrialists from the list of those who were to be proceeded against on the basis of the findings of the commission. When this became known, there was a furore in parliament and Patel found himself in a tight corner. He kept quiet and let down the man who did his bidding, and did not lose a wink of sleep in the process. Nehru asked for and received Chetty's resignation. He was succeeded by John Matthai as Finance Minister. Patel was then in no position to prevent John Matthai's appointment. Some time later John Matthai was to say about Chetty that he was more sinned against than sinning.
One of John Matthai's sons got into trouble in Allahbad where he was a student at the university. The boy ran his car over a pedestrian and killed him. He was arrested by the police. John Matthai, in his distress, hopefully rushed to the PM with an appeal to save the boy. Nehru would never interfere with the course of justice. The PM expressed his sympathy. John Matthai was deeply disappointed and hurt. This coloured his subsequent attitude to the PM. Having failed with the PM, John Matthai rushed to Patel who was to put him under his personal obligation. Patel rang up Govind Ballabh Pant, UP Chief Minister and asked him to release the boy at once and send him under police escort to Delhi. The next day the boy was delivered at Patel's house. He rang up John Matthai and asked him to come over. On his arrival, Patel told him, "I have a surprise for you." And had the boy brought to them. He told John Matthai to get the boy out of the country without any loss of time. So the boy was quietly sent abroad for further studies. No more was heard of the case against him. This is one example of Patel's style of administration.
Patel was not wholly free from communalism. He never trusted Maulana Azad whose opponent he remained. To Patel, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai was a detestable enemy. During partition and the mass migrations of people, Patel took delight in making fun of Nehru. He once told a group of Congress MPs that there was only one nationalist Muslim in India. They asked who he was and felt sure that Patel would name Rafi Ahmed Kidwai. To their surprise Patel answered, "Maulana Nehru."
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Assam minister Bora held with bribery charge by CBI
Nava Thakuria in Guwahati
It was appalling news for the people of Assam, where one of its active state ministers was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials few weeks back in New Delhi with the charges of offering bribe to an officer to get rid of a murder case. But more shocking news for the media persons was the involvement of a Guwahati-based reporter in the episode, who was also picked up the investigation agency.
The Congress-led Assam Government received a serious jolt as the Education Minister Ripun Bora was arrested in New Delhi on June 3 while trying to offer bribe to an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Ripun Bora was an Assam Civil Service officer before quitting service to join politics.
One journalist of a Assamese vernacular daily and a businessman who tried to act as middlemen were also arrested in connection with the case. CBI sources said that the Education Minister tried to bribe DSP A D Gupta of the Special Crime Cell of the Bureau, who is the investigation officer of the case relating to murder of a political leader Daniel Topno in Dhekiajuli in September 2000.
Sources said that the CBI questioned the prime accused Pulin Phukan at least eight times in the months of April and May including twice in Delhi in connection with the case and he was known to be close to Bhola Bora, the brother of Ripun Bora. Education Minister, accompanied by a journalist Mukul Pathak, went to meet the investigation officer of the Topno murder case in a guesthouse of the CBI in the Sundar Nagar area of Delhi. CBI sources claimed that the Minister tried to offer a bribe of Rs 10 lakh to the investigating officer and he was detained on the spot and later arrested on charges of trying to bribe a Government servant.
The journalist accompanying the Minister managed to escape during the commotion and caught an Indian Airlines Flight to Guwahati. But the CBI headquarters intimated its Guwahati office immediately and Pathak was arrested in the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi airport immediately after his arrival by the officers of the Bureau. He was produced in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate here for obtaining transit remand. Pathak was sent to Delhi.
But a journalists' meeting at Guwahati Press Club on June 22 has changed the face of the episode significantly. Organised by Journalists' Action Committee, Assam and the representative of National Federation of Newspaper Employees, the meeting insisted on providing space for Mukul to clarify his stand as well. Presided over by journalist Keshab Kalita, the meeting also decided to send a delegation of journalists to New Delhi to meet Mukul and gather his point of view. The delegation is supposed to meet the concerned CBI officials too.
Various speakers in the meeting were unanimous in asserting that Mukul could never be 'the only and the last tainted reporter', working in Assam for various media (as a section of senior journalists tried to establish it with their comments during last few days), and hence they urged the editors to keep a vigil on the working journalists of the respective media houses.
"If Mukul is proved to be involved in the episode, for which he was arrested by the CBI, the journalists' body would support appropriate actions against the reporter. He will also be expelled from the journalists' body," said in a resolution of the meeting.
Speakers including Prakash Mahanta, Mukul Kalita, Naresh Kalita, Sabita Lahkar and Pankaj Dutta expressed anger at the disappointing condition of the working journalists of Assam.
"This is very unfortunate that media persons in Assam have to work with a salary starting with even Rs. 2000 with absolutely no job security. Many times, the journalists (including the editors) are used by the proprietors of media groups for their business (other than media) interest. So in such a chaotic situation, we can hardly expect a fair journalism in the state," commented a Guwahati based senior citizen. He however added that it is not only the part of local journalists, who are engaged with some corrupt means, but a section of established journalists (of metro dailies and news agencies) with adequate financial security also indulge with such kind of activities.
His comment was supported by a city-based scribe arguing that there are many journalists, who take advantage in a different way (though not in cash). "Why are you keeping busy making so much noise against Mukul Pathak? Do not you know that many so-called senior and responsible journalists are equally involved in corrupt means to earn money? I know that they do it in a more polished manner. So nobody bothers," he commented.
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FAT GENERATION OF CHINA
Childhood obesity causes alarm
Tang Yuankai
Ding Wei, an elementary school girl student in Beijing, is growing faster in weight than in height. One month ago, Ding celebrated her 11th birthday. Standing 1.3 meters tall, she now weighs 55 kg, heavier than her mother Xing Hong.
The standard weight for a child of Ding's age and height should be 30 kg, so she has a serious weight problem.
"I am not yet a fat kid," Ding explained. Indeed, Ding is only the seventh heaviest child in her class. Nationwide, an alarmingly large number of children are fatter than Ding. Data from the Ministry of Education indicate that of urban children aged 11 to 12 years old, 8.1 percent are obese, and I 5 per cent are over-weight. It is reported that the number of fat children in China has surged 28-fold in the past 15 years, doubling every five years.
In the past, the term "fat kid" was used in China to describe cute, chubby children carrying a few extra pounds of baby fat. Now, many kids and their parents no longer like to be addressed with this term, and Ding is one of them. Ding is not proud of the fact that she weighs more than her mother. Recently, she declared a resolution to lose weight.
Ding went to hospital to seek a solution to her weight problem and was only told that she has type II diabetes. "How is this possible?" asked Ding's mother. "She is too young to get diabetes." The doctors told Xing her daughter was not a rare case. Children now account for 5 percent of all the people suffering from diabetes in China, they said, and this percentage is growing by an annual average rate of 10 per cent. The worse news is that, childhood obesity is associated with the earlier onset of diabetes-related complications, and a lower quality of life in adulthood.
Economic prosperity has allowed a rising number of Chinese to live an affluent lifestyle. Along with the change in lifestyle have come "rich people's diseases" such as obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. And these diseases are affecting people at an increasingly younger age.
"Now families have a higher income, parents would like their children to eat better," explained Ji Chengye, a professor at the Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, Peking University. In his opinion, the occurrence of "rich people's diseases" at a younger age is associated with an unhealthy diet. There is an old saying in China that "disease goes in by the mouth." It used to be said that tainted food could cause illness, and now the sentence has a new meaning. According to Cai Wei, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau, a surplus calorie intake as small as 2 percentage points every day can lead to "rich people's diseases."
Ding proves the point. Endless home-work has confined her to a sedate lifestyle. "The imbalance between calorie intake and consumption is exacerbated by television, the Internet and all sorts of snacks," Xing said. "Ding loves oily and sweet snacks, which can be heavy in calories. Among the top I 0 worst junk foods listed by the World Health Organization, many are Ding' 5 favorites."
Growing levels of child obesity are in fact an international problem. The classical therapy is a change of lifestyle. Children are growing and fighting obesity without retarding their develop-ment can be a complicated issue. For children, the most important prescription is to be more physically active rather than to eat less, according to Ji. "We cannot deprive children of the pleasure they get from food. That would be counterproductive," he explained. "Physical activity is as important as a balanced diet. Even if a child has a family history of hypertension, exercise will reduce the risk."
"Childhood obesity is a social problem that needs to be addressed through concerted efforts by different government departments," added ii. In recent years, he has been one of the key authors of Guidelines for the Prevention and Control of China's School Age Children Overweight and Obesity Problem, at the invitation of the Obesity Working Group of the International Life Science Association of China. The book was published recently and more guidelines on children's health are to follow it.
"Prevention of childhood obesity should proceed from collective prevention," said Professor Chen Chunming, Honorary President of the Chinese Nutrition Society and member of the panel of experts on nutrition for the World Health Organisation. While schools are key to the battle, families and communities should con-tribute their part to changing children's diets and behavior.
Some experts have suggested offering a course on food and nutrition in schools to inject health consciousness into children. Li Duo, a food and nutrition professor at Zhejiang University holds that the government should enact laws to tackle the problem. Drawing upon experience of other countries, this February five health experts at Hangzhou submitted to the local government a proposal restricting the sale of carbohydrate drinks and calorie-rich fatty foods on the campus of primary or middle schools. It was a small step, but an important one in the battle against obesity across China.
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UNDUE HASTE, LIMITED DISCUSSION CAN'T BRING CHANGE
Redefining our tourism administration
Shahabuddin Ahmad
The Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) was established in November 1972 by a Presidential Order. From 1973 it started functioning under the Ministry of Commerce. Subsequently it was brought under the control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism from 1975. Initially the BPC showed progress in organising the abandoned units relating to tourists accommodation, arrange rent-a-cars and coaches, print and distribute tourists literature and films, organise international meetings and conferences in Dhaka in a limited way and invited foreign travel writers for promoting the image of Bangladesh abroad for attracting tourists.
Junior officers as Chairmen
But the initiatives of the BPC to perform and achieve started dwindling as junior officers were being posted as its Chairmen. During the last 36 years 29 chairmen were posted, and only the first three chairmen were of the rank of Secretaries although nearly 100 secretaries are now serving the government. The apathy of the government towards promoting tourism became more pronounced from the 1992s when the Tourism Policy of the country was formulated but tourism allocation in ADP started declining. During the last 16 years only two meetings of the National Tourism Council were held and this council, with the Prime Minster as its chairman, is the apex body to provide guidance, inter-ministerial coordination and policies. This manifests lack of political commitment.
During the last 35 years the private sector has inched towards tourism activities, as many private firms surfaced to deal with package tours, travels both within the country and abroad and new private sectors hotels, motels, guest houses and restaurants have been established in Dhaka city and in other parts of the country including Cox's Bazar which has seen massive growth of hotel accommodation. The exponential growth in Cox's Bazar alone needs close attention of the govt. to ensure that the investments made by the private sector do not suffer for want of legal cover and promotional activities. Therefore, the commercial activities in tourism sector, which were the main responsibilities of the BPC, have been largely taken over by the private sector entrepreneurs. In this changed context, the charter and the duties of tourism administration calls for fresh thinking and for re-writing the shape of the present day BPC. The caretaker govt. is, therefore, ardently considering suggestions for the reorganisation of the tourism sector of the country and charter a new organisational course.
In order to elicit opinions from some high officials (Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs; Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism a senior officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Chairman, BPC; MD, Biman; representatives from domestic private sector airlines), in addition to representative of Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh, Travel Agents Association of Bangladesh and some private operators, a roundtable conference was held earlier this month at Dhaka Sheraton Hotel. Mahbub Jamil, Special Assistant to Chief Advisor, for Civil Aviation and Tourism was also present.
Under-represented meetings
On June 19, the chairman of BPC in a briefing meeting for the media indicated of reformulation of the character of the tourism corporation, fleetingly. Another meeting was held in the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism in the last week of June under the chairmanship of the Special Assistant for exchanging opinions regarding the future shape of tourism administration of the country. It is learnt that another meeting is going to be held early next month to finalise the draft recommendations of the proposed tourism outfit of the country. This shows that some speed is being attached to the work of redefining the tourism administration of the country. It is good but these meetings have, it is learnt, been underrepresented.
The proposed change should not attract undue haste and limited discussion as the subject needs more time and decision at higher levels by those who were earlier involved in the decision making of tourism administration, tourism planning, and tourism financing and legal framework for the sector. One has to remember that the tourism activities are mostly coordination-related as 15 Ministries, in addition to other government departments and agencies, are involved in the operation of the sector. Inter-ministerial co-ordination is, therefore, of great importance.
Tourism is no longer a subject of the privileged few. It is a movement. The members of the public in general are the biggest stake holders in tourism as they buy the product from the tourism undertakers. Global tourism is expected to generate up to US$ 8 billion in 2008 and by 2018 tourism spending in the world is expected to grow at an average rate of 4 per cent annually according to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). Only an efficient and forward looking tourism administration of Bangladesh, free from any political and dogmatic bias, can have an appropriate share from the big cake of global tourism revenue for our country. The total number of tourist arrival in Bangladesh in 2007 was a meager 289,110 and the tourism earnings in the same year have been calculated at US$ 76.40 million.
Open forums on future tourism
What should be the form of the future tourism administration of the country? This question is being raised by many operators and agents who are directly related with the sector but it must be said that the form alone is not sufficient. The form should be backed by political commitment to develop the sector and promote and protect it by investing necessary fund. We have the BOI in Bangladesh to promote foreign direct investment and this organization has all the powers, at least on paper, to provide 'one stop service'. But in practice it is far away from that. For the tourism administration of the country, if a heavy weight organisation is planned, the sector may sink due to its sheer weight. So, it is better to think about the form to administer this multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral industry in consultation with concerned parties.
It is, therefore, necessary to elicit general opinion for the development of the tourism sector of the country and the government should put draft recommendations for public information in website and also hold open forums in Dhaka and, at least, in divisional headquarters for collecting public opinions and suggestions on the subject. This will be a more positive approach and will be free from cockeyed view. The BPC order was promulgated by the President in 1972 when there was no City Corporation in the country. Now there are City Corporations in Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi and Barisal. These corporations will play a major role as many tourist attractions are located within their city limits. Their active participation should be ensured to promote tourism in their areas and this will add to the recreational facilities of urban population.
The author is a tourism planner and travel writer.
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