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WAR CRIMINALS TRIAL
A War Crime Commission
may be a solution
M I Ali
The issue of bringing the war criminals to justice has always been very dicey. The first post-Liberation government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not initiate any tangible move to bring them to justice, instead he gave them sufficient leeway to establish themselves in the society. This was the time when the leftists had launched a 'not unpopular' movement against the then increasingly unpopular government and all resources of the government were directed towards eliminating these leftists.
Although this was the best time to have identified the war criminals and bring them to justice, the government of Sheikh Mujib identified the leftists as a threat to his government and came down hard on Sharbohara Party, JSD, et al, instead of bringing the real criminals, the war criminals, to justice. The war criminals and the anti-liberation forces thereby understood that as long as Awami League was in power, no serious action would be taken against them.
While reversing the one-party state that was established by Sheikh Mujib and reintroducing the multi-party system in the country, the BNP government of Ziaur Rahman that followed, went one step further and allowed everybody to participate in the country's politics. This allowed most of the war criminals to become politically active.
After grabbing state power, H M Ershad tried to create his own sphere of political influence among the Bangladeshi nationalists, but after meeting with only limited success, turned to religious forces for support and even brought changes in the Constitution for their appeasement, making Islam as state religion. In fact, Ershad's government had a quasi-religious ring about it. The war criminals, who had arrogated religion to themselves, established themselves in the society in the garb of politico-religious activists.
The fall of Ershad heralded a new era for Bangladesh, an era where the country found itself divided, more or less evenly, between left of centre Awami League and right of centre BNP. The hung parliament that the 1991 general elections produced gave the anti-liberation forces another shot in the arm when BNP formed the government with the unqualified support of Jamaat-e-Islami.
The real legitimacy of the anti-liberation forces came when Awami League, the party that spearheaded the liberation of Bangladesh, launched a joint, coordinated movement with Jamaat-e-Islami to bring down the BNP government. This anti-BNP movement in 1995-96 brought together the victor and the vanquished of the 1971 War of Liberation on the same platform and gave the anti-liberation forces the required legitimacy as a political force.
The period from 1996 until July 2001 under Awami League rule was ideally suited to deal with the war criminals and the anti-liberation forces. Although the 1996 general elections also produced a hung parliament, the Awami League, unlike BNP, formed the government with the help of Ershad's Jatiya Party and thus was not indebted to the anti-liberation forces for forming the government. However, Awami League after coming to power used all its energies to bring the culprits of the Sheikh Mujib murder case to justice, but much to everybody's surprise did nothing about the War Criminals and the anti-liberation forces.
Awami League did have to pay the price for this neglect and in the next general elections. In this election, held in 2001, Jamaat formed an electoral alliance with BNP and formed a coalition government. The two parties got more than two-thirds majority and Awami League was routed. The question of bringing the war criminals to justice did not arise during this administration.
Now the political permutations and combinations are such that as long as BNP and Jamaat are together on the same platform, it will be impossible for Awami League and the left parties to defeat them.
The only way for Awami League to return to power would be to isolate BNP from Jamaat as it did in the 1996 general elections. Therefore, ideally if all major Jamaat leaders can be branded as war criminals, then and then only the Awami League objective of returning to power can be achieved.
No true Bangladeshi can ever condone the crimes of the war criminals, those whose hands are seeped in the blood of the freedom loving Bangladeshis. Justice delayed is justice denied and as such we have already wasted too much time which has gone only to the advantage of the war criminals. It is not a political issue, it is a legal and human rights issue. Past records show that our political governments are incapable of initiating any move to bringing these criminals to justice and anything they do in this regard will be suspected of bias one way or the other.
The best solution would therefore be for this government to form an Independent War Crimes Commission/Tribunal (WCC/T) to sift through all records and identify all war criminals, dead or alive, so that justice is done and records are set right for posterity. Targeting the next elections is the objective of a section of political parties therefore any list prepared by them may be suspect. All those who are identified as war criminals by the Commission/Tribunal will automatically be barred from holding any public office and they should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. The national conscience needs this to be done to remain clean. Nobody should be allowed to gain political mileage out of this.
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DIALOGUE TURNS SOUR
Parties searching for a bail out?
Abdur Rahman Khan
The fate of the government sponsored dialogue appears totally uncertain with the mainstream political parties refusing to sit in a dialogue with the government keeping their top leaders in prison.
It is feared that the politics in the coming months are going to take a confrontational course if the government failed to reach an understanding with the major political parties. As a consequence, the country may face another round of unstable situation
Bangladesh Awami League at the end of its two day working committee meeting has made it categorically clear that they would not sit with the government keeping the party president Sheikh Hasina in prison. Awami League and its front organisations have been observing various programmes to press the government for her release while Sheikh Hasina herself said that there had been a conspiracy to keep her away from politics.
Likewise, Bangladesh nationalist party (BNP) also said that a dialogue or an election is destined to be a futile exercise without the presence of both the former Prime Ministers, Begum Khaleda Zia of BNP and Sheikh Hasina of Awami League.
Begum Zia-nominated Secretary General of BNP, Khandaker Delwar Hossain, on Thursday sarcastically questioned the authority of the present regime wondering as to who were they to sit with in the first place.
Following the arrest of party chief Motiur Rahman Nizami, Jamaat - e -Islami also came up with a series of non agitational programme demanding the release of all the three top leaders - Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Hasina and Nizami.
Meanwhile, the government has announced its plan to hold the local government elections before the parliamentary polls that the major political parties opposed strongly. However, the government appears to be determined in going ahead with its plan.
Beyond the rhetoric and testing the strength of nerve in political manoeuvrings, the highest court delivered a rule in favour of granting bail under emergency powers rules now in force. Only few days back, the Supreme Court pronounced a rule against such bail.
Political observers may wonder whether the rule was changed to allow bail to a former army chief now charged with graft case. There was no necessity of even filing a case before arresting Sheikh Hasina or Begum Khaleda Zia but some other political leaders were arrested after the issuance of court's warrants of arrest order.
The dialogue formally began on May 22 with smaller parties who had almost no representation in the previous parliaments. The dialogue has taken place so far with, Jatiya samajtantrik Dal led by Hasanul Huq Inu, Communist party of Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party, Islami Constitution Movement and Bikalpadhara Bangladesh of Professor Badruddoza Chowdhury.
The dialogue will be held June 2 through the next few days. The government will also talks with the Business community on June 5.
The government already held the pre-dialogue talks with the chief of the business apex body FBCCI that was the first to advice the government for imposing emergency rules. Now the FBCCI president Annisul Huq realises that the dialogue was going to be difficult as the major political parties were not responding to government's call rather putting pre-conditions for the release of their top leaders.
Meanwhile, attending the dialogue with government, JSD leader Hasanul Huq Inu made a proposal to form a "national government" of political consensus to avoid the political supremacy of any party and the domination of a family dynasty from any side.
Information from the field level indicates that government agencies are looking for suitable candidates for District and Upazila councils who would be competent enough to handle the violent movement if organised by Awami League or BNP in future.
The authorities still want the parties to reorganise and choose new leaders - which it argues is essential if credible elections are to be held.
Parties are also being asked to change the way they are run, to open up their accounts to independent auditors and to agree to a code of conduct to be set by the government.
However, the government may feel it necessary to thoroughly review its plan and reach an understanding for a face saving devise.
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BJP to form first Hindutwabadi govt.
in South India
Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal in New Delhi
India's Hindutvabadi political party BJP has won a simple majority of 115 MLAs in 224-member Karnataka assembly in the recently held poll and is all set to form government. During its campaign it spoke at great lengths about wiping out corruption, clean governance and strict implementation of the law. However, it would be interesting to see how the party will put them into practice as 18 of its elected legislators with criminal records are likely to become ministers once the BJP government in South India is sworn in.
BJP is identified as overtly pro-Hindu party with an ideology of vilifying Islam and attacking Muslims from different platforms in a malicious manner on behalf of the saffron bandwagon. The result of Karnataka Assembly poll is a reflection of the loss of credibility of the Congress party in the state as well as the United Progressive Alliance government's performance at the Centre. New Delhi's policies, particularly with regard to price rise and the crisis in agriculture sector has created resentment among the people who have rejected the Congress and chosen a communal party like BJP in Karnataka.
BJP met the state Governor on 26 May to submit letters of support and also conveyed to him that they had the required numbers in the 224-member legislature. The BJP leaders fixed May 30 as the tentative date for B S Yeddyurappa's swearing-in as chief minister.
In the north and central India where BJP has ruled and collapsed and people who voted for the BJP were soon disillusioned and rudely awakened that only money, muscle, crime and liquor play key roles in BJP. Only anti-Islamism and hatred against Muslims have kept the party growing from state to state. Indian media usually offer no support to the Muslims.
Regarding wholesale killings of Muslims in Gujarat state five years ago, Mike Marqusee wrote in The Guardian on March 1, 2007, "Indian and global human rights organisations singled out Gujarat's chief minister, Narendra Modi, of BJP as the principal culprit. As a
result of his alleged complicity in mass murder, he was denied a visa to the US and cannot visit Britain for fear of arrest. Yet Modi remains chief minister and has become the BJP's most popular figurehead.
The pogrom was distinguished not only by its ferocity and sadism (foetuses were ripped from the bellies of pregnant women, old men bludgeoned to death) but also by its meticulous advance planning. Much of the violence unfolded with the full collaboration of the police. In some cases, police fired at victim Muslims ...and knew in advance of the pogrom and had been instructed not to interfere with it."
Indian journalist Ashish Khetan who secretly filmed right-wing Hindus boasting about the mass murder of Muslims during riots in 2002 in Gujarat says he now fears for his life, reported abc.net.au. The exposé was published by the weekly news magazine Tehelka.
The core leader of BJP who first originated in Delhi state came from Pakistan after partition and worked on anti-Islamism and even influenced the ruling Congress party to pursue anti-Muslim policies and pull down Babri Mosque, started spreading the poisonous Hindutva ideology. In southern India BJP has not much influence but in Karnataka it has of late made its strong presence after its power base took shape in nearby Goa.
Concentrated in the western states, BJP party has effectively used the Congress weakness for Hinduism as well as anti-Muslim mood of Hindus to advance its expansion the result of which is the latest power capture in Karnataka. Ironically, at the time of Nehru, it was the Congress which allowed the Jana Sangh, BJP's predecessor, to take root in New Delhi.
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VOLTE-FACE, PLOT OF WEAK PARTIES
Why national govt., in whose interests?
Amanullah Kabir
Politicians of this country have so many faces and facades. Since the birth of Bangladesh, its democratic process has gone through intervention in different ways. Sometimes politicians did it while the extra-constitutional forces did not sit idle either.
Immediately after liberation, democracy, for which the people fought the bloody war, disappeared overnight and was replaced by a totalitarian system instead. That is how the misfortune started and spectre of instability began to haunt the nation. The country has seen some politicians fond of totalitarianism, autocracy and authoritarianism, but seldom democratic.
We have seen military despot. The struggling democracy of Bangladesh has been thus assailed in different ways over the decades either by power-greedy politicians or by extra-constitutional forces.
The Caretaker Government (CG) concept, unprecedented in the history of democracy, is the brainchild of our intriguing and sceptic politicians, who by implementing it have dug a hole in the country's Constitution, providing opportunity to internal and external undemocratic and hegemonic forces to manoeuvre in our national affairs to serve their own interests. The gamble does not end here. A new combine of isolated but shrewd politicians and leaders of so-called civil society has carefully floated the idea of a 'national government' after the general elections. Head of a splinter group of JSD, Hasanul Huq Inu in his recent dialogue with the government team led by Chief Adviser Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed, for the first time formally proposed formation of a national government after the polls. Earlier, Gano Forum chief Dr. Kamal Hossain, a veteran constitutional expert, who has close connection with the present government and its strategists, backed the concept of national government but differed with the proponents who argued that it should be formed before the parliamentary elections.
What did prompt them to conceive of such a tricky political idea? Is there any war-like situation in the country that demands such a national government? Has the idea been linked to the new US ambassador's hints that terrorist activities might flare up ahead of the elections? Knowledgeable circles say, the idea is being spread through these power-broker politicians as part of the design to facilitate safe exit of the Caretaker Government and its military backers, fearing that if a strong government led by either of the two big parties - BNP and Awami League - seizes state power that may act out of vengeance.
How long can we afford to conduct experiments one after another in this poor land? Is it the latest experiment the CG has offered the nation, where under state of emergency, democracy is languishing within the four walls, unprecedented price spiral and acute poverty are staring millions in the face and uncertainty is hanging over the future. Overstay in power of the Dr. Fakhruddin's CG and constitutional overdoing have extremely disheartened even Awami League leaders who so long claimed the CG concept as their brainchild and are perhaps cursing themselves as the Caretaker Government has whisked some of their prominent leaders to jail.
The reason why a non-party Caretaker Government was felt necessary was severe mutual distrust among the political parties and politicians, who forced an amendment to the Constitution, introducing CG to help the Election Commission conduct a free and fair election to the parliament.
The warring political parties, then blindly involved in a power struggle, failed to realise that not CG, but an independent Election Commission (EC) alone could ensure free and fair polls. If the EC is given total freedom to play its role in holding elections, the CG virtually becomes useless and redundant.
An elected government in saddle could function as interim or caretaker government with limited power given through a constitutional amendment effective for the particular period, while the President could be entrusted with authority to oversee the activities of the EC.
Now, after the disastrous concept of caretaker government can the nation afford to go for another devastating idea? God save us! If such a design is translated into reality it will be harbinger of another catastrophe in future. Who will form a national government? Conflicting politicians? Or a conglomerate of frail and fragile politicians and civil society leaders who are supposed to play in the hands of the present power coterie? That will lead the society to a total chaos and disorder.
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FISCAL ISSUES REMAIN UNRESOLVED
Economic snags are paradoxical, insurmountable
Faruque Ahmed
Business leaders at a pre-budget meeting with the finance adviser A B Mirza Azizul Islam last week sharply reacted to some of his comments on certain business aspects. They shouted 'shame' at the finance adviser when he said that as businessmen earn 35 to 40 per cent profits so they should not stay back from paying import duty or bank rates at the existing rates.
Businessmen earlier demanded reduction of import duty on raw materials and capital machinery to 3 per cent from 5 per cent in the forthcoming budget now keeping the duty at 15 per cent and 25 per cent intact respectively on the intermediate and finished products.
Commenting on the issue, the finance adviser said the import duty structure now in existence is totally supportive of local industries. And as they are making huge profit, they should not oppose it.
The business leaders on the other hand termed the finance adviser's comment as irresponsible and contrary to the fact. Most industrial plants are dying from uneven competition as the duty structure now favours the liberal imports as per the donors' pleasure at the cost of the domestic industrial sector and those especially at the vulnerable stage. The budget should therefore reduce the duty on import of raw materials and capital goods to support domestic efforts to revive the sluggish economy.
Telecast live from the venue, the conference saw a sudden outburst. The meet at Sonargaon Hotel was most crucial with many sensitive issues relating to fiscal and monetary policies high on the agenda. It was concurrently participated from Chittagong Agrabad Hotel and the gathering included bankers, business leaders, importers, exporters, academics, researchers and the elite. The business leaders wanted to press home their points with the finance adviser prior to budget and he appeared receptive on many issues but also critical at some others.
At some point Mirza Azizul Islam tried to contradict some points of the business leaders who were led on the floor by the FBCCI president Annisul Haque. Business leaders were serious in demanding a drastic reduction of lending rates of the commercial banks to reduce cost of capital to make business sustainable and competitive.
Bankers on the other hand, remained stubborn saying any significant slide in the lending rates would force them to reduce the borrowing rates to depositors. They said it was not possible any more in the current situation because depositors had already started reacting to recent slowdown in the borrowing rates consequent upon the recent gradual reduction in the lending rates.
The FBCCI president made a strong case for an alternative borrowing opportunity in such situation to domestic business from banks and financial institutions outside the country. He said the finance adviser should give the businessmen permission to borrow from abroad and also make the local banks competitive to improve their operational quality in one hand and standard of financial package at per with global standard on the other.
The Bankers Association leaders argued on the other hand that local banks cannot be exposed to such challenges at this stage. Referring to the recent slide in bank deposits triggering liquidity crisis in many banks forcing them to borrow regularly from call money market at high interest, they said they were now sitting on a dagger's edge.
On one hand, they said, the finance adviser and the governor of Bangladesh Bank are regularly hitting them on the issue and calling them to bring down the lending rates within certain timeframe. Even they are threatened with punitive measures.
But depositors on the other hand are largely moving out money from banks to capital market. Most money is flying to stock market now though the prices of most of the chips traded in the capital market are overpriced. The reason is simple. If saving with banks does not generate sufficient interest as incentives to depositors and even fail to compensate for the inflationary loss of the value of deposit, they will not stick to deposit with banks.
Experts say the problem has assumed a paradoxical nature. Although both sides are correct on their stand, the faults lie with the overall structure of the economy and the level of business efficiency of both the lender and the borrower. An efficient economy can provide answers to both the bankers, borrowers and depositors. But in Bangladesh, since all three segments are compartmentalised, and are failing to work in harmony with one another, the problems remain insurmountable.
They say here the private banks may open shares to their depositors to make them part of the business to create more deposits and expansion of reserves. Banks again may go beyond their role as lender and private bank owners may become investors themselves in productive businesses. It may be able to induce them to balance the lending at a level which will protect both the bankers' interest and the borrowers' business interest. The economy requires that sort of mix basket, they said taking serious exception with the bankers' present business strategy as money lender alone without taking the role of blender of the economy.
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SUU KYI'S DETENTION EXTENDED
Woes of cyclone-affected Irrawaddy delta
Nava Thakuria at Bloomington
The international media highlighted the plight of the Burmese people hit by cyclone Nargis. After visiting the country and meeting cyclone victims, the UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon, who also met Than Shwe at the capital Nay Pi Taw on May 23, disclosed that more than one hundred thousand people were killed or made homeless by the disaster. The UN chief left for New York on Monday after attending a fund raising meeting at Rangoon, where donors representing various nations pledged for nearly $100 million to support the victims.
Soon after the declaration of the extension of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest by the Burmese government, the world communities have condemned the military rulers. The United Nations, European Union, the US and other democratic regimes on the globe criticised the State Peace and Developing Council which is ruling the South East Asian country since early nineties. The Senior General Than Shwe-led Burmese regime was criticised for extending the period of house arrest of Suu Kyi by for another year after the Nobel laureate had spent five years under detention since May, 2003.
But Ban ki-Moon had bad news once he arrived in New York, as the Burmese government decided to extend the term of house arrest of the pro-democracy icon by another year. He had no other option than expressing regrets over the action. Though he believed that "the sooner the restrictions on Suu Kyi and other political figures are lifted, the sooner Burma will be able to move towards inclusive national reconciliation, restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights".
"The secretary-general made clear both before and after his trip, that his mission was a purely humanitarian one intended to save lives, not to press a pro-democracy agenda," a news agency reported quoting a UN source. It also reported as Ban ki-Moon saying, "I went there with a message of solidarity and hope, telling the survivors (of cyclone Nargis) that the world is with you and that the world is ready to help you."
The extension of Suu Kyi's house arrest has been termed as 'very sad and frustrating' by the European Union. The EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, while talking to media persons, said that they would continue 'to be deeply concerned by the political situation' as the EU believes that 'transition to democracy remains important for the future of Burma'.
The US President George W. Bush expressed his anguish at the development saying he was "deeply troubled by the extension of Suu Kyi's house arrest". President Bush, in a statement, said that the US continues calling 'upon the regime to release all political prisoners in Burma and begin a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, the National League for Democracy, and other democratic and ethnic minority groups on a transition to democracy'.
Earlier an American advocacy group, Freedom Now demanded immediate release of Suu Kyi as she passed five years of house arrest in May, 2008. The group, which initiates to set free the prisoners of conscience through legal, political, and public relations advocacy efforts, raised voice for the release of the detained Burmese icon, arguing that her 'ongoing detention under house arrest was a clear violation of international law'.
Even not to speak of international laws, stated in a press statement of Freedom Now on May 23 from Washington DC added, the Burmese law itself doesn't allow lengthening the detention of a person for more than five years.
Following the personal initiatives of the UN Secretary General, the military rulers of Burma lately agreed to allow the foreign aid workers, irrespective of their nationalities, to go to the Irawardy Delta areas, where the devastating cyclone killed thousands of people.
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'EU COLLUDING IN A HUMAN RIGHTS CRIME'
Carter urges 'supine' Europe to break with US over Gaza blockade
Jonathan Steele and
Jonathan Freedland
Britain and other European governments should break from the US over the international embargo on Gaza, former US president Jimmy Carter told the Guardian. Carter, visiting the Welsh border town of Hay for the Guardian literary festival, described the EU's position on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute as "supine" and its failure to criticise the Israeli blockade of Gaza as "embarrassing".
Referring to the possibility of Europe breaking with the US in an interview with the Guardian, he said: "Why not? They're not our vassals. They occupy an equal position with the US."
The blockade on Hamas-ruled Gaza, imposed by the US, EU, UN and Russia - the so-called Quartet - after the organisation's election victory in 2006, was "one of the greatest human rights crimes on Earth," since it meant the "imprisonment of 1.6 million people, 1 million of whom are refugees". "Most families in Gaza are eating only one meal per day. To see Europeans going along with this is embarrassing," Carter said.
He called on the EU to reassess its stance if Hamas agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. "Let the Europeans lift the embargo and say we will protect the rights of Palestinians in Gaza, and even send observers to Rafah gate [Gaza's crossing into Egypt] to ensure the Palestinians don't violate it."
Although it is 27 years since he left the White House, Carter recently met Hamas leaders in Damascus. He declared a breakthrough in persuading the organisation to offer a Gaza ceasefire and a halt to Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel if Israel stopped its air and ground strikes on the territory.
Carter described western governments' self-imposed ban on talking to Hamas as unrealistic and said everyone knew Israel was negotiating with the organisation through an Egyptian mediator, Omar Suleiman. Suleiman took the Hamas ceasefire offer to Jerusalem last week.
Israel was still hesitating over the ceasefire, Carter confirmed last Sunday. "I talked to Mr Suleiman last Friday. I hope the Israelis will accept," he said.
While being scrupulously polite to the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, and prime minister, Salam Fayyad, who represent the Fatah movement, he was scathing about their exclusion of Hamas. He described the Fatah-only government as a "subterfuge" aimed at getting round Hamas's election victory two years ago. "The top opinion pollster in Ramallah told me the other day that opinion on the West Bank is shifting to Hamas, because people believe Fatah has sold out to Israel and the US," he said.
Carter said the Quartet's policy of not talking to Hamas unless it recognised Israel and fulfilled two other conditions had been drafted by Elliot Abrams, an official in the national security council at the White House. He called Abrams "a very militant supporter of Israel". The ex-president, whose election-monitoring Carter Centre had just certified Hamas's election victory as free and fair, addressed the Quartet for 12 minutes at its session in London in 2006. He urged it to talk to Hamas, which had offered to form a unity government with Fatah, the losers.
"The Quartet's final document had been drafted in Washington in advance, and not a line was changed," he said.
Last Sunday night, before a packed crowd at Hay, Carter spoke of his "horror" at America's involvement in torturing prisoners, saying he wanted the next US president to promise never to do so again.
He left an intriguing hint that George Bush might even face prosecution on war crimes charges once he left office.
When pressed by Philippe Sands QC on Bush's recent admission that he had authorised interrogation procedures widely seen as amounting to torture, Carter replied that he was sure Bush would be able to live a peaceful, "productive life - in our country".
Sands, an international legal expert, said afterwards that he understood that to be "clear confirmation" that while Bush would face no challenge in his own country, "what happened outside the country was another matter entirely".
Courtesy: The Guardian
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NEPAL'S MONARCHY ABOLISHED
King given 15 days to vacate
Kathmandu Palace
Holiday Desk
The newly elected constitutional assembly in Nepal overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to abolish the 240-year old monarchy, and declaring itself a republic.
A senior member of the 601-member assembly Kul Bahadur Gurung told media: "The proposal for the implementation of a republic has been passed by a majority. A total of 560 member of the Constituent Assembly voted in favour with four opposing", he added.
Nepal's fiercely-republican Maoists, who fought for 10 years to oust the unpopular King Gyanendra's Hindu dynasty and create a secular republic, won the largest single bloc of seats in the assembly in April elections.
The meeting the culmination of a 2006 peace deal between the country's mainstream political parties and the rebels that brought to an end a civil war that killed at least 13,000 people.
Reports from Kathmandu sat quoting officials that the parties will give King Gyanendra, who ascended to the throne after most of the royal family were massacred by a drunken prince in 2001, 15 days to vacate Kathmandu Palace.
The approved proposal states that Nepal will become "an independent, indivisible, sovereign, secular and an inclusive republic nation... Nepal has turned into a democratic republic, all the existing laws and administrative functions that contradicts this idea will be invalidated from today," the declaration's text says.
A New Delhi-based researcher add: The Maoists, elected to head a new government in the Himalayan country plan to scrap the 58-year-old Indo-Nepal Peace and Friendship Treaty and have a fresh pact reflecting new realities. Maoist chairman Prachanda said in Kathmandu on 24 April that they also want to review all other treaties signed between the two neighbouring countries.
During the poll campaign, the Maoists headed by the 54-year-old former school teacher, Prachanda, had said the treaty was "unequal" which needed to be abrogated, a demand which was also made in the Himalayan nation eight years back. Under the treaty, people living in both countries could freely travel across the border for employment and reside in either place. There is a termination clause in the treaty and Nepal can do away with the pact, which is basically meant to address India's security needs, if it is uncomfortable.
The top priorities of the Maoists include: To abolish the monarchy and proclaim Nepal as a Republic with a Presidential style of Government; Prachanda himself to assume office as the President of Nepal; To abrogate all existing unequal agreements (and treaties) with India and re-negotiate those of them, which are considered to be in Nepal's interest; To merge the armed cadres of the Maoists (20,000-strong People's Liberation Army) into the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) which will convert the royalist (Gurkha-dominated) army into a people's army. And to stop the export of Gurkha mercenaries (currently numbering about 45, 000) to the Indian Army's Gurkha Regiments.
The Maoist leader Prachanda, whose labour wing has been solely blamed for leading to the closure of a number of industries, also pledged that there will be complete industrial security after Maoists come to power. He appealed to the business community to invest more in commerce and industry.
The Maoist leader left no stone unturned to woo the business community's support for Maoists and complained that the latter have not yet fully won them over despite sincere efforts. He claimed that the Maoist government to come would further consolidate ties with India for the sake of Nepal's economic development. There has been resentment in India over Maoists "take over" in its neighbour Hindu nation. "India's economy is an ocean and ours is a well," he said adding "India's minor assistance in this context would be a great boost for us."
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GLIMPSES OF THE GREAT
J. R. D. Tata
K. Z. Islam
The extraordinary life of Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata (1904-93) spanned almost the whole of the 20th century. He was born in Paris and died in Geneva. In between, he spent over 70 years of his working life in India. For fifty-two years he was Chairman of the largest industrial group in India -Tata - which produces everything from steel and electric power to chemicals and automobiles. Apart from Air-India (which was nationalized), Tata Chemicals and TELCO, both started under his chairmanship, became two of India's top ten companies in both sales and assets.
When JRD was thirty-four, the then chairman of Tata died suddenly. Three of the senior directors met and elected young JRD to be Chairman of the parent company, Tata Sons. When asked why they elected him at such a young age, he replied modestly: 'It was a case of mental aberration.'
When asked: 'What has been the most satisfying experience of your life?' JRD replied: 'The flying experience has dominated and no other can equal the excitement of the first solo flight. Next is Air India, where I had the freedom to do what I wanted. In a way it was the really big thing that I started.' He was being modest. It was he who started TELCO which reached staggering heights and now commands seventy per cent of the heavy vehicle market in India. Other Tata companies that he was especially close to were Tata Sons and Tata Steel where he began his career.
Rewards, decorations and other forms of recognition were not something he craved for, yet his work in every field he involved himself in was so exemplary that the honours poured in. He was the recipient of the Daniel Guggenheim Award and some of the highest awards in aviation like the Tony Janus Award. And, in 1992, the Bharat Ratna, his country's highest civilian decoration, was bestowed upon him. But I feel that the ultimate accolade was when India issued postage stamp with the portrait of JRD. The writer is not aware of any businessman in the whole world being given such an honour. The Tata group distinguished itself as a responsible corporate body by participating in various social, educational and scientific activities in India. The Tata group is without any blemish whatsoever.
It was typical of JRD that whenever he talked on aviation and someone was loading him with compliments, he would give credit to 'a very fine Englishman', Nevill Vintcent, who had first proposed the airline to him, worked with him for ten years as a partner and died in an aircrash in the Bay of Biscay during the World War. Though friends like J.D. Choksi of Tata were very close to him in Tatas and he had much affection for them, in later years whenever he made references to his old colleagues, it was his friends in the airlines about whom he spoke with the most affection. JRD had flown several generations of planes from the wood and fabric single engine Puss Moth and Leopard Moth to the steel-bodied Boeing. In 1949, JRD flew the Vampire jet, then the fastest plane in the world at 540 m.p.h. Bobby Viccaji relates how one day an aircraft suddenly swept very low over an airfield they were visiting in England. A director belonging to the aircraft manufacturers, Havilland, exclaimed, 'Good God! Geoffrey Havilland must be in that plane.'
It was not. It was JRD having the time of his life.
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IPO EXPECTED IN JUNE 2010
Agrani Bank offers special facilities
to good clients
Abdur Rahman Khan
Agrani Bank in its process of privatization under a new management, has targeted small and medium enterprises (SMEs), agriculture and power sector as the thrust sector for capital mobilisation.
In its efforts to improve the lending performance, the bank is giving special offers for the clients who are performing well in export oriented sectors like textile, frozen food and leather industries.
"We have also taken initiative to mobilise capital at low cost or no cost basis from our branches, especially from rural branches", said Syed Abu Naser Bukhtiar Ahmed, Managing Director and CEO of the Agrani Bank.
Explaining the progress made so far towards improving the bank's services, Mr Naser told the Holiday that they have already introduced IT-based accounts and management system in their 716 branches out of total 866 branches. The bank has also recruited additional computer operators, imparted training to all branch managers, chief cashiers and accounts officials as a preparation for providing faster and total electronic service to the clients.
Syed Abu Naser Bukhtear Ahmed took over as the CEO of the state-run Agrani Bank in October 2004 inheriting a balance sheet full of negative figures. By the end of 2007, some indicators, including capital adequacy ratio, non-performing loans and profits, showed substantial improvement.
Ahmed was reappointed the CEO of the bank in April this year after the bank was turned into a public limited company to be run by a board of directors instead of being managed by the finance ministry.
The bank plans to go tough with the top defaulters who avoid repayment by filing writ petitions with the courts. Some 20 defaulters account for the bank's 40 percent of Tk 2,500 crore default loans. Non-payment of big loans has been widening the bank's capital shortfall.
The CEO however, appreciated the activities of the small borrowers saying "Small loan recipients hardly become defaulters, but the rich, who ride in posh cars and send their children abroad for education, love to become defaulters."
It is better to prevent first than cure later, said Mr Naser. His bank is taking precautions so that the possibility of loans becoming bad ones are minimised. "We are processing the loan with due diligence to select a good customer" he added.
Under the government's financial sector reform programme, in November 2007, Agrani Bank, along with two other nationalised commercial banks (Sonali and Janata), were turned into public limited companies to improve their performance. The government has already signed a vendor agreement under which the business of Agrani Bank was taken over by Agrani bank Limited which has been incorporated as a Public Limited Company.
As on December 31, 2007 the bank's deposit stood at Tk 13,560.92 crore and the advances Tk 11,088 crore. In 2007, the bank's operating profit was Tk 527 crore from Tk 359 crore in 2006. The bank has set Tk 600 crore as its profit target in the current year.
Referring to bank's profitability record, Mr Naser pointed out that the total profit never accumulated to 250 crore during the long period of 22 years from 1971 to December 2003. In the first three months of 2004, the bank's accounts book were made clean with provisions for bad and classified loans. Efforts were also taken for recovery of outstanding loans.
"There was no provision against classified loans when I took over in 2004. I have already allocated Tk 1,200 crore as provision against classified loans," said Naser, adding that he has a plan to allocate the sum of Tk 2,000 crore as provisions against classified loans by 2009.
Replying to a question, Mr. Naser said as of now, the bank is expected to go for initial public offering (IPO) at the Dhaka Stock Exchange in June 2010. By that time, the bank's financial conditions would become much improved and capital shortfall minimised.
Meanwhile, bank's profitability record reveals that it went up to taka 214 crore in 2005, taka 258 crore in 2006 and taka 327 crore in 2007. The accumulated profit is expected to be about 500 crore at the end of the current year, hopes the CEO.
However, capital shortfall has remained a big problem for the bank for years. Currently, Agrani's capital shortfall stands at about Tk 1,000 crore. "This shortfall will be filled by next year, even if the government doesn't give us the money," Ahmed asserted.
The CEO believes his main challenge would be to recover bad loans. Some of the bank's big defaulters are on the run, which the CEO termed as another major reason for the bank's poor performance in achieving the loan recovery target.
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