|
EDITORIAL
RMG sector: Grave allegations
A great mystery shrouded the widespread vandalism, arson, destruction and violence when hell was let loose for three consecutive days in the apparel units at Ashulia in the outskirts of Dhaka city resulting in the complete devastation of Ha'mim Group's factories which has the good reputation of compliance of the prescribed criteria in addition to regular payment of wages. Some other factories were damaged rendering a large number of workers jobless.
The complaint that this time workers and their representatives were involved in massive destruction, that could be to the tune of several hundred crore Takas, should bewilder all and sundry. What is more, allegedly some Awami League activists were found in the agitation and violent activities.
Reportedly, a team comprising several labour leaders and representatives from the owners' association paid a visit to the troubled areas in the early morning on June 28, 2009 for restoring order. But a group of protesting workers headed by some labour leaders got violent and started vandalism in presence of the visiting leaders. The garment sector is by far the country's most important manufacturer and exporter, earning about three-fourths of all exports. So there is genuine reason to be concerned as the garment factories remain at the mercy of rowdy elements from time to time.
Garment factory owners blamed labour union leaders for their failure to restrain the rowdy workers who unleashed a reign of anarchy and terror for three long days. The employers' have stated that the union leaders have power over the workers and can control their activities. However, what is alarming is that an entrepreneur complained that the latest unrest has been "created deliberately by them - some union leaders. Despite repeated promises to control the unrest, the leaders have failed to do so. Even some of the leaders were seen provoking the workers during the violence". The employer said that for three long days they witnessed their factory and property set ablaze; and all their "efforts to calm the situation through negotiation with the labour leaders have gone in vain".
This is a very grave allegation which merits serious attention from all stakeholders, and necessitates thorough probe to get into the core of the rot that has been bedevilling the sector not too infrequently. The BGMEA and allied bodies must dig into the matter for future preparedness. The task brooks no delay as the RMG sector forms part of the nation's economic backbone.
Labour unions are meant for helping workers attain reasonable wages, ensure job security, working conditions and related matters. We know that the collective bargaining is the process of negotiation between management and union representatives for the purpose of arriving at mutually acceptable wages and working conditions for employees. Towards arriving at an acceptable conclusion or the desired outcome of a dispute different modes are applied. When negotiations with employer do not work mediation is the first step to reach settlement. It is not always that the collective bargaining process will succeed in settling the differences between workers and management; and in that case workers have the option to go on strike.
Last year the BGMEA asked the government to introduce "industrial police" to protect the garment industry from vandalism. This is a justified demand as the sector cannot survive in a situation like this. It is true that the law enforcers did go to the trouble spot and dispersed the unruly workers but if it could be contained promptly damages could have been significantly minimised. However, the formation of an industrial police force, as the authorities are contemplating, is likely to serve the purpose to some extent.
Now about a section of employers' faults: True, profit motive is central to any businesses proposition and enterprise, but ruthless exploitation of employees is sheer injustice, running counter to the norms and practices of human rights. Since long we have been hearing about garment workers' miserable state of existence and some entrepreneurs' cavalier attitude to their woes and despair. We suggest that workers' requirements are addressed soon in right earnest.
 ^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE
'EMPEROR OF POPULAR MUSIC'
Mike Jackson: The great altruist who fought hunger in Africa
Habib Siddiqui
This past week has been anything but sad for America with the death of two stars - music icon Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett. Farrah's death was not so sudden; she was suffering from cancer and it was a question of days when she would lose her battle. And she died on Wednesday.
But Michael's was unbelievable! Simply earth-shattering, shocking! No one predicted that he was going to die this soon. He was only fifty years old with parents and siblings living. Well, he had his health problems and has been under physician's care. But still he was healthy enough to rehearse for his upcoming July European concert "This Is It" tour just the night before. So, when I heard about his death in the evening news, June 25, I could not believe it. I listened for hours to understand how he had died and what people's feelings were for him. If the reaction of the mourners is one way to measure how one has touched others emotionally, Michael definitely was immensely popular, in spite of the controversies that haunted him for the past two decades. He was not just a star that entertained and made money of his stardom. He was a megastar that touched so many through his superb entertainment since the tender age of five.
I remember when I had come for my studies to the United States, one of the first things I did was to buy his album - the Jackson Five. Later I bought few other albums with his more popular songs. He had by then established himself as a highly gifted singer and a successful stage performer. Listening Michael was not enough to understand his impact on the audience. You had to see him perform; see how he glided backward with effortless grace in a move that would forever after be known as the moonwalk and his movement on the stage like a robot.
As a student at the University of Southern California, I lived a few blocks north of the campus and just within 20 yards of the Shriner Auditorium where he occasionally performed. I could not buy those expensive tickets. The closest I came to watching any of the Jackson 5 was when I bought a ticket for a charitable show for the LAPD where his sister performed a dance routine. Janet was not a star then.
Fortunately, for many of us, we had the videos to see his electrifying performances. By 1982 his singles - ''Billie Jean,'' ''Beat It,'' ''Thriller,'' and so many more had become very popular. The Thriller became the world's best-selling album of all time. There were hardly enough hours in the day for the fledgling MTV network to show the iconic music videos he shot to promote what was quickly recognized as a masterpiece. The 24-year old kid had definitely by then become the King of the Pop. Those videos were simply sensational and wonderful to watch! No star, not even Madonna, could generate so much excitement as Michael was capable of. He was simply the best among all those entertainment stars.
Michael was a very soft spoken person. He had a soft and caring heart and used his extraordinary music talent to fight poverty and raise awareness for caring of children around the globe. He raised millions of dollars in 1985 to fight hunger in Africa through an album "We are the World."
Although Michael was past his youthful years, he remained a child in his heart and exhibited child like qualities who loved children much. He raised millions of dollars in charity for them. He developed the Never Land Ranch in 1988 and, with its museum and amusement park, tried to entertain children. And yet, his love for them became his greatest nemesis. In 1993 and 2005, he would be falsely charged by some greedy parents of improper mixing or activities with children. He was acquitted of all such charges. However, those false charges ruined him financially and mentally, and adversely affected his music career. He failed to repeat his successes of the 1980s.
In spite of all the popularity he enjoyed, Michael remained a very shy and insecure person. His marriage with Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of another music sensation Elvis Presley, fell apart in 1996 after just two years. He kept a very low profile in the 1990s. But his was an indomitable character that would not be subdued by such mishaps in life. He joined with Pavarotti for a charity concert to raise millions of dollars for global refugees in 1999.
With all the troubles in love, life and failed marriages, he would still seek out talented young musicians and help them launch their career. Many of today's young American musicians owe their success to him.
Michael was the greatest and most successful music entertainer of all time. He sold 750 million albums, something that is unbelievable for any singer, and would probably never be matched in our lifetime by any musician. He was also a smart investor. It is, therefore, quite puzzling to learn that in his death he owed some $400 million in debt.
Michael was a mega-star by any measure in the entertainment industry. Our world has not seen a singer, composer, producer, dancer and choreographer of his calibre combined in a single individual. He earned millions and gave away also in millions in charity. Although he hasn't sung lately, he was immensely popular everywhere. He is more known globally than any individual in our planet. Through his music, he will live for ages. To label him as the "King of Pops" is lowering his greatness. He was simply the unrivalled Emperor of popular music.
And yet, Michael was a very lonely person. The bad publicity had hurt his tender soul and forced him to seek solace and find the meaning of life outside America in the Middle East where he lived for months before returning to the USA recently. The only person that he confided in and felt comfortable about sharing his inner pains and thoughts was his brother Jermaine. It was all too natural that when he died, it was Jermaine who told the world that his loving younger brother, the most talented of the Jackson siblings, Michael had died at 2:26 p.m. on Thursday, June 25 at the UCLA Medical Center. With Michael's death, we lost not only a music Icon, we lost a caring, charitable brother. Like Jermaine, let's pray - May Allah be with you always, Michael.
^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE
VIEW POINT
Sri Lankan economy poised for growth
Imtiaz Ahmed
Sri Lanka has the potential to come out as the economic power in South Asia after the end of the 26-year long war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The 26-year-old war is finally over in Sri Lanka since victory over the LTTE was dependent on the defeat of one person, Velupillai Prabhakaran.
However, the country's economic woes are still there. Even a planned 1.9 billion dollar bailout package from the IMF may not alleviate economic stresses. National growth is projected to fall to 2-3 per cent from 6 per cent in 2008 due to the world economic crisis, and many major development projects may be suspended temporarily due also to high military expenditures.
The Central Bank (CB) in its 2008 annual report warned that a string of hydro and coal power projects, new port development, and a modern oil refinery may have to be postponed or slowed down this year due to the financial crisis. The CB said revenues are seen falling and suggested that it would be "prudent" to postpone the implementation of new projects till the recovery of global financial markets.
The Lankan economy suffered greatly during the 26-year long war, which claimed the lives of about 80,000 people and displaced thousands. The Sri Lankan President claimed that the end of war in the country will usher an era of unprecedented opportunity for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs who are ready to be engaged in a meaningful role in the country's economy. He said that specific sectors such as tourism, consumer products and services, trade, logistics and property development, which suffered during the long conflict.
The FTA between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be advantageous to both countries in terms of the enhancement of trade and investment, and would open up more opportunities in banking, insurance and shipping. When Sri Lanka signed FTA with India in 2000, bilateral trade between the two countries increased in manifold during the past eight years.
Since 2005 - 2006 the trade gap between the two countries has reduced substantially and is now leaning in favour of Bangladesh. It has been reported that Bangladesh exported to Sri Lanka goods amounting to approximately 13 million dollars, and that Sri Lanka exported to Bangladesh goods amounting to approximately USD 10.8 million. While pharmaceuticals exports to Sri Lanka are on the rise, the export of jute, yarn, twine, jute products, cast iron articles, furnace oil etc. are also exported to Sri Lanka from Bangladesh. Sri Lanka's exports to Bangladesh consist of textiles and textile articles, products of the chemical and allied industries, animal oil, vegetable oil, machinery and other mechanical appliances and equipment.
Sri Lankan investors have invested nearly 50 million dollars in Bangladesh. People-to-people contact, especially between business communities of the both countries can broaden economic engagement.
Bilateral trade between the two countries still however remains at a very low level, and that the efforts of the chamber will help explore the possibility of increasing trade by introducing new products to each other's markets. Potential products that could be exported to Bangladesh are agricultural products, and confectioners, and manufacturing products such as free fabricated buildings, aluminum wire and yarn.
The Sri Lankan government ensures that every one at the primary level is enrolled in the schools with a view to ensuring literacy rate, and that about 500 Sri Lankan students are studying at the University of Science and Technology of Chittagong.
^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE
LETTERS
Thoughts on development of education
Dear Editor:
Every developed country is cautious to allocate maximum budget in the education sector.
allocation in our education sector is insignificant. Again a larger share in this sector is misused.
There are lots of intermediate colleges where there are more teachers than students and same for the vocational institutions.
More than five thousand educational institutions are necessary and again this government is going to enlist in the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) around four thousand educational institutions across the country.
There are some projects in the education sector which is not suitable at the moment for our country like English in Action (EIA). Teachers will teach students in the classes using Laptop/computer though EIA. English Language Teaching Improvement Project (ELTIP) is also working for English. There are some other projects like Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP), Teaching Quality Implement Project (TQI). Some NGOs are also operational for English. There are so many overlapping in the education sector. Why so many projects are running for English?
There are some fictitious and excess teachers/ employees in the education sector still now.
Bangladesh has taken huge foreign loan and the country has to pay Tk. 14,000 crore annually and it is increasing day by day.
Some projects should be stopped which are not suitable for our country.
T Hossain
Berkaloa
Kumerkhali, Kushtia.
Do not misuse public money, TQI-SEP
Dear Editor:
Teaching Quality Improvement Project in Secondary Education Project (TQI-SEP) is proving training under nineteen subjects including Islamiat for all the teachers of secondary schools across the country. This is a gigantic project in the education sector.
All the courses are designed for forty-five participants but around twenty participants are found to have attended.
The quality of courses is not satisfactory. Only three to four master trainers run the fourteen/ twenty days' course. To run the course is difficult if some master trainers are transferred from one place to another.
Earlier, SEDP project had been provided two vehicles to each Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs) to run the follow-up programme but these are not used.
Some teachers from general colleges are now teaching in the. Without any professional degree like B Ed or M Ed, how can a person teach in the TTCs? And after completing this course most of them will join in the general colleges. This course is for the teachers of TTCs and not suitable for general colleges. Every year our debt is increasing. Public money should no be misused.
Samsunnahar
Khulna
snaharbd@gmail.com
Thoughts on Ramadan
Dear Editor:
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is considered as one of the holiest months of the year. It was in 610 A.D. when the prophet Muhammad was said to have received revelations from Allah that later became the holy Quran.
Ramadan is approaching. Almost all the Muslims will perform their daily Namaj and devotees will go to mosques. We all try to do the best for ourselves as well as for society during the Ramadan.
We know that every good work is more rewarded in the Ramadan so people do perform all the good work including Tarabih in the early night. We should study the Holy Quran and Hadis and perform all the Islamic things in the way that Muhammad (SM) did.
Maulana Mahmudul Hossain Khan
Puran Kuthi Para, Pabna.
Digital Bangladesh and Aladin's lamp
Dear Editor:
The ruling party is chanting Digital Bangladesh, as per the Gaibi Awaaz from above! Whom are we trying to impress?
Where are the pragmatic steps in planning, project approvals, and the different phases of applications (3-D model) every two years?
Don't forget the heavy budget, and tsunamis. Bangladesh is sandwiched between a big neighbour in the east and west; Himalayas in the North, and the Bay of Bengal in the south; plus: SAARC is not working!
The bases and infrastructures have to be created. Before that comes some pilot projects in different technical areas for evaluation, and avoiding systems losses in operation and maintenance [our greatest weakness].
First the regular availability of power supply in the rural areas-renewable and biogas. Where is the broad spectrum? Don't beat the drum with some micro-projects. Then the availability of cheap hardware and software (local-based processing, assembly). Third comes the training of trainers; followed by the training of the trainees. Can we assemble the so-called US $100 laptops-the first one million machines? Optical fibre network is far behind schedule. Whom are we trying to impress?
Take another example: recharging of 25 million batteries of mobile telephones used in the outlying areas where electricity is not available. It is a huge market for cheap, small, portable, charger units (folding, solar panel, with telescopic 6ft pole. No local product or imported one available locally (even dry cell chargers using three AAA dry batteries).
We are daydreamers, living in the past, messing up the present, and facing bleak future.
Dynasty rules are worse. What's left? Chaos, terrorism, and civil disobedience movements. Can we think digitally? All outputs are analogue for day-to-day applications for impressing the man in the street.
Alif Zabr,
Dhaka.
Job for Awami League activists
Dear Editor:
We observe the work of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the opposition leader of the parliament Begum Khaleda Zia.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina illegally cancelled the Cantonment House of Khaled Zia and Khaleda Zia will not attend the parliament.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will provide job for the activists of Awami League and giving most important ministries among the women like Foreign and Home.
Both the women hold very important positions in Bangladesh but they do not talk to each other.
Safkat Munjur.
Dudumari, Panchgarh.
Is Ramesh minister of Bangladesh or India?
Dear Editor:
The Awami League always tries to make India happy not considering Bangladesh's interest. It does not go beyond the Indian will still now.
Everybody in Bangladesh except Ramesh Chandra, a veteran Awami Leaguer and Minister of water resources, is dead against the construction of Tipaimukh dam in India as it will cause severe bad effects in the eastern part of Bangladesh.
The ruling party Awami League says India took this project during the regime of BNP.
The ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP should work together to make Bangladesh a developed country in the world within a short time. Then India and other neighbouring countries will give importance to Bangladesh.
The construction of the Farakka Barrage was completed during the Mujib rule in 1974-75. After Bangladesh's independence the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission met over 90 times to discuss the Farakka Barrage issue, but without any results. Bangladesh was assured of getting 40,000 cusecs during the dry season. In January 2008 Bangladesh got 1,500 cusecs.
Regarding Tipaimukh, it will have devastating effects on Bangladesh drying up the Surma, the Meghna and other rivers. Experts there have rightly termed it a geo-tectonic blunder of great dimensions. There is mounting evidence that links Big Dams to earthquakes.
Biplob,
Comilla
arik.biplob@gmail.com
Creative use of the mind
Dear Editor:
An intellectual is a person who uses the mind creatively. An intellectual has the duty of seeing the truth and teaching it to others. Moreover, an intellectual contemplates on the eternal laws of the universe to explore the truth. The perception of the truth is almost the same as the perception of beauty, and the duty of an intellectual is to see this truth or beauty, and to disseminate it to others.
Habibur Rashid Ismail,
Jamea Fadil Madrasa
Chittagong.
^ TOP OF THIS PAGE ^ MAIN PAGE
|
