ANNUAL CONFERENCE

DCs were mum over Leagues'
anarchy, crimes

Special Correspondent

The civil servants are supposed serve the people with neutrality honesty, sincerity and as per the guidance of law. However, they require occasional whipping to perform their duties also in accordance with the political decision of the ruling party.
   In the just concluded annual conference of the deputy commissioners (DCs), Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged them to work with a mentality of serving the people, pointing out that they are responsible for conveying the situation on the ground to the government so that it can address the issues.
   The three-day deputy commissioners' conference was held in the city last week with the key ministers addressing them on major issues like law and order and commodity price situation that pinches the government most .
   In her inaugural address, the prime minister urged the DCs to keep a keen eye on any possible terrorist activities and attempts to destabilise the country. It was apparently directed against the opposition which was trying to highlight public frustration at the government's inability to solve various problems.
   She also urged the DCs to keep a close watch on the demand, supply and stock situations in the market in a bid to prevent corrupt syndicates from hiking prices during Ramadan.
   In her speech, Hasina also said, "The speed of work will have to be increased through proper coordination between district and upazila-level public representatives. Work will have to be done by alleviating, above all, fear, anguish, hatred and partisanship."
   Meanwhile, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said that the government would involve the deputy commissioners to increase the country's revenue earnings.
   "They (DCs) proposed to be involved with the government's bid to increase revenue earnings as well as strengthen the tax base. We've decided to do this," he said while exchanging views with the DCs at the Cabinet Division on Sunday marking the three-day Deputy Commissioner's Conference 2010.
   The Finance Minister had especially directed the DCs to emphasize three issues -- eradicating illiteracy, controlling market and digitisation. "I've told them to hold programmes in association with the NGOs, local government bodies and local people to eradicate illiteracy."
   On digitalisation, he asked the DCs not to limit their activities only to computer works and power point presentation.
   "Digitization will be there when a person would be able to know with a single touch what is happening in the thanas, what is the present state of cases or proceedings or the number of schools or teachers in a certain area," Muhith added.
   
   Shahara Khatun
   Addressing the conference , Home minister Shahara Khatun has asked the deputy commissioners and the police to work concertedly to improve law and order situation by combating militancy and terrorism.
   Regarding the DCs' proposal to include Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) into the districts' law and disciplinary committees she said, "We are thinking of involving RAB into the districts' committees where they have operations. The government will decide on the other areas after discussions."
   
   DCs were silent
   The Deputy Commissioners present in the meeting were careful enough not to mention about the involvement of ruling party people in various offences and irregularities that led to law and order situation at the ground level.
   They also did not say anything about the incidence of violating human rights in case of extrajudicial killings, torture in the name of police remand and various obstruction on way to the right to justice.
   The DCs rather asked to be given authority to get confidential reports on the police activities, which was not accepted.
   Participating in the open discussion, DCs from Dhaka urged amendment to the contempt of court act that made them stand before the court.
   However, DCs pointed out before the prime minister about various travel and accommodation problems.
   The prime minister assured to resolve the problems, saying "I know court contempt is a problem. But the judiciary is independent. We have thought of allocating funds so that the costs of fighting the cases can be provided from the fund".
   She, however, said that if the person concerned is found guilty by the court, he or she will have to pay back the expenses.
   
   Reluctance to RIA
   In the conference, DCs expressed their reluctance to provide to the public all the information they are required to do so by the Right to Information Act (RIA), instead expressing their preference for a limited flow of information.
   However, information minister Abul Kalam Azad, whilst speaking on the second day of the DCs conference, ordered the DCs to ensure free flow of information for the public as required by the law.
   
   Police officers' sharp reaction
   Meanwhile, senior police officers have questioned the motive behind the negative comments made on Sunday by deputy commissioners about the police.
   On the first day of their three-day conference with the government, the DCs urged the prime minister to control the police, form an administrative police force, ensure RAB's representation on the districts' law and order committees and to tackle police's alleged involvement with the illicit drugs trade.
   Following widespread media coverage, members of the Police Service Association organised a press conference to respond to the allegations and the points made by the DCs.
   Present were the inspector general of police (IGP) Nur Mohammad, additional IGP Nababikram Tripura, RAB director general and association president Hassan Mahmood Khandaker.
   Describing the press conference as "not a counter, but a reaction," the RAB DG said, "Such comments from the deputy commissioners might create misunderstanding."
   The IGP termed such comments 'unexpected'.
   The speakers also termed the DCs' call to control the police as contrary to the democratic system.
   "There is a higher authority to supervise the field-level officials. But the supervision by officials from a separate cadre is unrealistic and irrational," one officer said.
   In reply to the demand for police protection of the divisional commissioners, the officials said that there are specific rules regarding this, which cannot be violated.
   
   'Internal matters'
   The police officials also termed the inclusion of RAB officials in the district law committees as "similar to intervening in the police's internal matters."
   "RAB is a section of the police, like the SB and CID, governed by the IGP. In the district-levels SPs lead them," an officer said.
   Association general secretary Mahfuzul Huq Nuruzzaman said in the current situation, with the war crimes trial, BDR mutiny trial, August 21 grenade attack case, 10-truck arms haul cases all ongoing, "it is necessary to investigate whether someone is trying to destabilise the situation."
   He said, "There is no one who can say that everyone in their force is honest."
   However citing the case statistics filed with the police, he said, "Around 60 per cent of cases are usually filed on land related disputes, where there are people within the administration involved."

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Holiday Desk

BNP has cautioned the Awami League government that oppression, police, RAB and army would not be able to keep it in power for long.
   Addressing a rally at Muktangon on Monday afternoon, BNP Secretary general Khandker Delwar Hossain asked the government to come to the path of democracy shunning the wrong path of repression and oppression on political opponents which will speed up its exit for forever.
   Realizing its declining popularity because of misdeeds the government resorted to repression on the people and the political opponents. He reminded that no government in the past could stay in power with the help of police, RAB and army. ''Time is not far away when the government will face the wrath of the people'', he said.
   Referring to the government move to change the Constitution, Delwar guesses that they want to abolish the Caretaker Government system to hold general elections remaining in power and thus facilitate returning to power. "Such an evil design would not succeed," he warned.
   The BNP organised the rally at Muktangan to protest denial by the government to use Paltan Maidan for observing mass hunger strike scheduled for the day.
   The mass hunger strike was designed on a number of issues including protesting the government's repressive measures against the opposition, arrest of the party leaders and workers and demanding their release, demanding immediate return of DCC ward councillor Chowdhury Alam who has been missing since June 25, containing price hike of essential commodities and ensure supply of utility services like electricity, gas and water.
   Thousands of leaders and workers of BNP and its front and associate organizations as well as some likeminded political parties and partners of BNP-led four-party alliance thronged Muktangon to raise their voice against the government's 'undemocratic' actions.
   Presided by BNP vice-chairman Shah Moazzem Hossain the rally was addressed by secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed MP, Barrister Raifqul Islam Mia, Abdullah Al Noman, Selima Rahman, Shamsuzzman Dudu, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amanullah Aman, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Fazlul Huq Milon, Zainul Abedin Farroque MP, Abdus Salam, Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel.
   JAGPA president Shafiul Alam Prodhan and BJP secretary general Shamim-Al Mamun of BNP-led 4-party alliance also addressed the rally.
   
   BCL, JL, RAB
   Shah Moazzem Hossain observed that it is not the Prime Minister but Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Jubo League (JL), Gopalgonj police and RAB are running the government.
   The senior leader said parliamentary special committee has no right to bring about change in the Constitution. He advised the government to hold referendum if it intends to return to the 1972 Constitution.

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Holiday Report

With the state leaders and politicians keeping themselves busy in various socio-economic and political programmes the country is heading towards a severe population crisis that has already prompted manifold social problems and adverse impact on the limited national resources.
   As of today the population of the country has been doubled to 150 million against the size of 75 million in 1971 when Bangladesh won independence defeating Pakistan.
   Meanwhile, the city slums are swelling, street intersections are getting occupied by street children, pavements, terminals and open spaces are being occupied by the poor and destitute families. As a result various crimes and anti-social activities are on the increase. More over, more people are living in unhealthy environment poising health and security threats to well-to people in the society.
   Population experts have identified manpower shortage, insufficient supply of contraceptives and lack of proper training for the service providers for worsening of the satiation.
   "We have to work vigorously for more 10 years to reduce the total fertility rate of 15 to 49 age group female from 2.7 to 2.2 to ensure replacement level of fertility. Then, more 50 years will be needed to make the country's population stable," Dr Jahir Uddin Ahmed, Director General of Family Planning Association of Bangladesh (FPAB), told a Dhaka daily last week.
   Terming the country's population as geographically terrible, Dr Ahmed, a former director of the Family Planning Department, posed the questions as to where the people would live and what they would eat when crop lands would shrink, forests and woodlands would be destroyed, rivers and canals choked and urban areas would be overcrowded and the rural poor would migrate in large number.
   
   Farsight of 1976
   Having a farsighted look into the problems linked to the population growth, the then government identified it as the number one problem for the country and launched a population policy back in 1976. With strong government commitment and donors’ support, the family planning activities got a momentum. Newly recruited officials and employees, doctors, nurses and field workers started their work with enthusiasm and there had been sufficient supply of contraceptives.
   In the 80s, the programme generated much awareness among the young people. Inspired by the campaign and easy availability of contraceptives, the fertile couples had adopted the practice of birth control measures like oral pills, condoms and IUDs (intrauterine device). A large number of them had voluntarily accepted permanent methods like vasectomy, ligation and norplants.
   However, family planning programme had been weakening from 1990s as manpower of the department was not enhanced at the rate of population growth and supply of contraceptives was not sufficient against their demands, he said.
   The situation also aggravated as the health and population programmes witnessed some unhealthy discords over their supremacy and area of activities of the health department and the family planning department in relation to providing services, the experts said.

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Holiday Report

Veteran politician Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan passed away leaving his vision of national unity unfulfilled. In his last days of illness, he was concerned about the future of democracy in unstable political situation of the country.
   Prior to his departure to Singapore for treatment on May 31, Mannan Bhuiyan expressed his anxiousness in an interview with bdnews24.com.
   He was worried over the widening gap between the ruling and the opposition parties and also the "one-sided" parliament.
   Under a declining foreign investment as a consequence of political instability, the scope for employment continued to shrink. Such an adverse situation was not at all good for the country, Bhuiyan told the news agency. The interview
   Q: What are your opinions about the present political situation of the country?
   Bhuiyan: Not good. The prevailing gap between the ruling party and the opposition is on a gradual increase. Neither law and order, nor, market prices have improved. The role that the ruling party's student organisation has taken is not at all acceptable. Political affability has become a scarce thing among the parties. The parliament has become ineffective, which is not a good sign for the democratic ruling system of our country."
   Q: What are your suggestions to mitigate the gap between the ruling party and the opposition?
   Bhuiyan: For that, the two highest leaders of both the parties will have to come closer politically. Other high-profile leaders of both the parties should be supportive to each other. They should say white is white and black is black. The opposition should be given chances to speak in the parliament. I think the only way to bring the two parties nearer is to make the parliament effective.
   Q: What are your suggestions to the opposition?
   Bhuiyan: The opposition should join the parliament. The opposition might have to walk out of the parliament if the government party does not give them the floor, but should return immediately.
   Q: You now not involved with any political party. What are your thoughts about politics now?
   Bhuiyan: My entire life is built up based on politics. I became involved in politics in my student life. I was involved with a political party. But now I have no party. My party now consists of the people of Narsinghdi. I was brought up among these people. I had fought against the Pakistani Army taking these people with me. I have lots of memories surrounding them. This is why I want to live the rest of my life with them.
   Q: Do you have any plan to do something in the national-level as a political leader?
   Bhuiyan: I am not thinking of forming any new political parties at this moment. What you hear from the mass media, is their own speculation
   Question: What are you thinking about the war criminals' trial?
   Bhuiyan: I support the process of the war crime trial. But it should be transparent and retain international standards. The government should remain careful to avoid suspicion from being aroused. Otherwise, if the trial is only used to fulfill political revenge, the countrymen will not accept the result."

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