The parliamentary sub-committee formed to probe the August 2007 clashes between the students and army personnel in Dhaka and elsewhere, on Sunday decided to ask the chief adviser to the then military-backed interim government and the former army chief to appear in the committee to give information about the incidents.
The sub-committee at a meeting decided to invite former chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed and former army chief Moeen U Ahmed to its next meeting to take their statements on the incidents, meeting sources said.
The sub-committee on Sunday took the statements of the then chief of general staff Sina Ibne Jamali and former DGFI official Shamsul Alam Khan while the former DGFI officials ATM Ameen and Chowdhury Fazlul Bari did not appear in the committee.
The former army officers told the committee that the DGFI had no role in the incidents that had taken place on the Dhaka University campus in August 2007 as the intelligence agency always followed the order of the chief adviser and the army chief at that time.
‘We have decided to invite the former chief adviser and the former army chief to our next meeting,’ the convener of the sub-committee, Rashed Khan Menon told reporters after the meeting, adding that the date for the next meeting had not yet been set.
Parliament formed the four-member sub-committee, headed by Workers Party lawmaker Rashed Khan Menon, on August 9, 2010 to probe the violent incidents involving Dhaka University students and army personnel in August 20-22, 2007.
The other members of the committee are Mirza Azam, Biren Sikdar and Shah Alam.
Earlier, the sub-committee gathered information about the incidents from witnesses, teachers and students of Dhaka University and former advisers to the then interim government.
The then education adviser Ayub Quadri in his statement accused an intelligence agency of instigating the incidents.
On August 20, 2007 the violence erupted after some army personnel beat up three students on the Dhaka University campus and insulted a teacher during a football match on the university playground.
Hundreds of DU students took to the streets in protest at the incident and demanding withdrawal of the army camp from the campus and an apology from the persons responsible.
As violence spread through educational institutions in the capital and elsewhere, the military-backed government imposed a curfew on the divisional headquarters and closed universities and colleges on August 22.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
US asks govt not to harass Prof Muhammad Yunus
David Bergman
US officials have told Sheikh Hasina that there will be no further high-level diplomatic interaction between the United States and Bangladesh until the harassment of Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, ends.
A senior western diplomat, with direct knowledge of these conversations, told New Age that Hasina was warned that her government must not force Yunus out of the Grameen bank and that he should be allowed to leave the bank gracefully and be given reasonable time to find a successor.
Mohammed Yunus, Bangladesh’s first Nobel Peace laureate, has been under sustained attack from the Bangladesh government and sections of the country’s media since the broadcast of a Norwegian documentary in December 2010 alleging that Yunus had ‘quietly tapped’ the Grameen Bank for $48 million of Norwegian aid money.
Although the Norwegian government found that this allegation was false, the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, described Yunus as a ‘blood sucker’ and set up a wide-ranging inquiry into the bank.
Three criminal cases involving defamation, fraud and food adulteration have also been filed against him although the High court in the past week stayed the adulteration case for six months.
Hasina was told directly by US officials that a possible visit to Bangladesh early April by the US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, following her trip to Delhi, was contingent on a resolution of this high-profile crisis.
Hasina, who is planning to visit Washington in April to take part in the World Islamic Forum, has also been informed that she will not be given a meeting with the US president, Barack Obama, unless Yunus is personally agreeable to the terms of any compromise.
The prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that he could not comment since he was unaware that these conversations had taken place. He added that he did not know that there was a possibility that Hilary Clinton might come to Bangladesh.
While many countries share US concerns about the Bangladesh government’s handling of the Grameen bank, no other country is known to have come close to the US in imposing these kinds of sanctions in support of Muhammad Yunus.
The government’s attack on Yunus has already resulted in the loss of some US financial support.
The US Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent US foreign aid agency funded by the US congress, decided in January against putting Bangladesh on its ‘threshold’ programme where countries must ‘demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in the people of a country, and economic freedom.’
Humayun Kabir, who until 2009 was the ambassador to the United States, told New Age, ‘Maintaining high-level contacts is important for both the countries as these are building blocks to the relationship which is a very important one for Bangladesh. United States is one of the country’s most important trading partner and a partner in security.’
Although Hasina has shown no signs of relenting, it is understood that discussions between Muhammad Yunus, the finance minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, and former Grameen Bank chairperson Rehman Sobhan, took place in Delhi over the last few days where they all attended the same conference.
‘Muhith has been told what the Grameen Bank wants. It is now in the minister’s hands,’ said a person privy to the conversations.
Even if Hasina gives Yunus time to leave the organisation, a likely stumbling block to any agreement, however, concerns the position of Muzammel Huq, the new chairperson of the Grameen Bank, appointed in January by the Bangladesh government.
Formerly, the general manager of the bank, Muzammel was fired by Yunus more than 10 years ago. The New York Times recently reported that he said that Yunus had a ‘small heart’ and could not ‘give credit to anyone but himself.’
Another contentious issue is whether Yunus will be allowed to continue at the bank in some advisory or honorary role
On Monday, the Grameen Bank will hold its first board meeting under Muzammel’s new chairmanship. The board comprises three government appointees – including the chairperson - and nine others elected by the borrower-shareholders.
The western diplomat told New Age that the finance ministry was going to use the board meeting as an opportunity to send a dismissal letter to Yunus on the basis that his previous extension to his employment had not been sanctioned by the Bangladesh Bank.
However, it is understood that the government, under pressure, decided not to do this.
The government may have to come to a quick decision on whether to change tack
Yunus is due to go to the United States in early March where he is likely to meet Hilary Clinton. The western diplomat told New Age that what Yunus tells Clintion about any change in the government stance towards him and the bank will influence any plans Clinton may have about coming to Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh government is also likely to be aware that the argument over Yunus is impacting badly on the US Congress which has recently awarded Yunus a Congressional Gold Medal.
The Congress decides, each year, the level of money that the United States Agency for International Development will provide to Bangladesh. It will also ultimately consider whether Bangladesh’s apparel sector should be included in the Generalised System of Preferences that would reduce the tax on imported Bangladesh garments – a long standing demand of the country’s apparel sector.
While in the weeks after the initial press reports, civil society actors in Bangladesh showed little support for Yunus, in recent days this has changed, with increasing number of people signing statements against the government’s ‘harassment’ of Yunus.
His greatest high-level support however comes from outside Bangladesh, with Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, recently setting up a Friends of Grameen, which includes the former president of the World Bank James Wolfensohn.
Robinson alleged that Yunus and the Grameen Bank were the victims of a ‘campaign of misinformation.’
Read the original story on the daily New Age
US officials have told Sheikh Hasina that there will be no further high-level diplomatic interaction between the United States and Bangladesh until the harassment of Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank, ends.
A senior western diplomat, with direct knowledge of these conversations, told New Age that Hasina was warned that her government must not force Yunus out of the Grameen bank and that he should be allowed to leave the bank gracefully and be given reasonable time to find a successor.
Mohammed Yunus, Bangladesh’s first Nobel Peace laureate, has been under sustained attack from the Bangladesh government and sections of the country’s media since the broadcast of a Norwegian documentary in December 2010 alleging that Yunus had ‘quietly tapped’ the Grameen Bank for $48 million of Norwegian aid money.
Although the Norwegian government found that this allegation was false, the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, described Yunus as a ‘blood sucker’ and set up a wide-ranging inquiry into the bank.
Three criminal cases involving defamation, fraud and food adulteration have also been filed against him although the High court in the past week stayed the adulteration case for six months.
Hasina was told directly by US officials that a possible visit to Bangladesh early April by the US secretary of state, Hilary Clinton, following her trip to Delhi, was contingent on a resolution of this high-profile crisis.
Hasina, who is planning to visit Washington in April to take part in the World Islamic Forum, has also been informed that she will not be given a meeting with the US president, Barack Obama, unless Yunus is personally agreeable to the terms of any compromise.
The prime minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad said that he could not comment since he was unaware that these conversations had taken place. He added that he did not know that there was a possibility that Hilary Clinton might come to Bangladesh.
While many countries share US concerns about the Bangladesh government’s handling of the Grameen bank, no other country is known to have come close to the US in imposing these kinds of sanctions in support of Muhammad Yunus.
The government’s attack on Yunus has already resulted in the loss of some US financial support.
The US Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent US foreign aid agency funded by the US congress, decided in January against putting Bangladesh on its ‘threshold’ programme where countries must ‘demonstrate a commitment to just and democratic governance, investments in the people of a country, and economic freedom.’
Humayun Kabir, who until 2009 was the ambassador to the United States, told New Age, ‘Maintaining high-level contacts is important for both the countries as these are building blocks to the relationship which is a very important one for Bangladesh. United States is one of the country’s most important trading partner and a partner in security.’
Although Hasina has shown no signs of relenting, it is understood that discussions between Muhammad Yunus, the finance minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, and former Grameen Bank chairperson Rehman Sobhan, took place in Delhi over the last few days where they all attended the same conference.
‘Muhith has been told what the Grameen Bank wants. It is now in the minister’s hands,’ said a person privy to the conversations.
Even if Hasina gives Yunus time to leave the organisation, a likely stumbling block to any agreement, however, concerns the position of Muzammel Huq, the new chairperson of the Grameen Bank, appointed in January by the Bangladesh government.
Formerly, the general manager of the bank, Muzammel was fired by Yunus more than 10 years ago. The New York Times recently reported that he said that Yunus had a ‘small heart’ and could not ‘give credit to anyone but himself.’
Another contentious issue is whether Yunus will be allowed to continue at the bank in some advisory or honorary role
On Monday, the Grameen Bank will hold its first board meeting under Muzammel’s new chairmanship. The board comprises three government appointees – including the chairperson - and nine others elected by the borrower-shareholders.
The western diplomat told New Age that the finance ministry was going to use the board meeting as an opportunity to send a dismissal letter to Yunus on the basis that his previous extension to his employment had not been sanctioned by the Bangladesh Bank.
However, it is understood that the government, under pressure, decided not to do this.
The government may have to come to a quick decision on whether to change tack
Yunus is due to go to the United States in early March where he is likely to meet Hilary Clinton. The western diplomat told New Age that what Yunus tells Clintion about any change in the government stance towards him and the bank will influence any plans Clinton may have about coming to Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh government is also likely to be aware that the argument over Yunus is impacting badly on the US Congress which has recently awarded Yunus a Congressional Gold Medal.
The Congress decides, each year, the level of money that the United States Agency for International Development will provide to Bangladesh. It will also ultimately consider whether Bangladesh’s apparel sector should be included in the Generalised System of Preferences that would reduce the tax on imported Bangladesh garments – a long standing demand of the country’s apparel sector.
While in the weeks after the initial press reports, civil society actors in Bangladesh showed little support for Yunus, in recent days this has changed, with increasing number of people signing statements against the government’s ‘harassment’ of Yunus.
His greatest high-level support however comes from outside Bangladesh, with Mary Robinson, the former president of Ireland, recently setting up a Friends of Grameen, which includes the former president of the World Bank James Wolfensohn.
Robinson alleged that Yunus and the Grameen Bank were the victims of a ‘campaign of misinformation.’
Read the original story on the daily New Age
Bangladesh’s Petrobangla likely to bring case against Polish oil company Cracow
Manjurul Ahsan
State-run oil, gas and mineral resources corporation Petrobangla is likely to bring a case against the Polish oil company Cracow as it declined to drill five fresh wells in two gas fields after winning the tender.
A Petrobangla official told New Age that Petrobangla would take legal advice from law firms before deciding whether to bring charges against the Polish company.
The Russisan state oil company, Gazprom, is currently negotiating with Petrobangla to take over the project that the Polish company declined to undertake.
‘We are extremely disappointed at the decision of Cracow as it retreated from implementing the projects on the basis of something that had been well known before the bid was floated,’ he said.
The Polish oil company Poszukiwania Naftyi i Gazu Krakow (Oil and Gas Exploration Company Cracow) informed Petrobangla earlier in February that it would not drill five wells in the Titas and Rashidpur gas fields claiming that the fields were leaking gas.
The Titas and Rashidpur gas fields are owned by the Bangladesh Gas Field Company and the Sylhet Gas Field, two subsidiaries of Petrobangla.
Following the success of Cracow in winning the bid, negotiations with the company opened on September 9, 2010 and were completed on September 27, 2010.
Professor Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports, said that foreign companies were unable to complete projects on time even though Petrobangla pays them three to five time the amount it would cost state-run companies.
He said that such kind of withdrawal hampers the implementation of national policies, particularly the development projects.
He said that international oil companies had in the past left gas blocks without conducting any exploration for oil and gas and that this was done to ultimately extract from the government better financial benefits for the company over and above the agreement.
‘This is highly alarming for the energy security of the country,’ he warned.
The Petrobangla official said that the decision by Cracow had created a crisis within the orgnanisation as the project was planned to provide at least 100 million cubic feet of additional gas a day which comprised half the total target of additional gas that the government wanted to be supplied to the national grid from state-run gas fields by 2012.
In addition, Petrobangla had, under the same agreement, hoped to expand the project with Cracow by increasing the number of wells it drilled in the state-owned gas fields.
In September 2009, Petrobangla had sought expressions of interest from foreign firms for drilling in the state-owned gas fields.
Following interest from 25 global oil companies, the Polish company was selected, in an open tender, to develop and produce natural gas by drilling wells with integrated services including the supply of all materials, on a turnkey basis, at the Titas gas field.
Cracow has appointed a local law firm to try and realise the $1 million that it had deposited as the bid bond, the Petrobangla official said.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
State-run oil, gas and mineral resources corporation Petrobangla is likely to bring a case against the Polish oil company Cracow as it declined to drill five fresh wells in two gas fields after winning the tender.
A Petrobangla official told New Age that Petrobangla would take legal advice from law firms before deciding whether to bring charges against the Polish company.
The Russisan state oil company, Gazprom, is currently negotiating with Petrobangla to take over the project that the Polish company declined to undertake.
‘We are extremely disappointed at the decision of Cracow as it retreated from implementing the projects on the basis of something that had been well known before the bid was floated,’ he said.
The Polish oil company Poszukiwania Naftyi i Gazu Krakow (Oil and Gas Exploration Company Cracow) informed Petrobangla earlier in February that it would not drill five wells in the Titas and Rashidpur gas fields claiming that the fields were leaking gas.
The Titas and Rashidpur gas fields are owned by the Bangladesh Gas Field Company and the Sylhet Gas Field, two subsidiaries of Petrobangla.
Following the success of Cracow in winning the bid, negotiations with the company opened on September 9, 2010 and were completed on September 27, 2010.
Professor Anu Mohammad, member secretary of the national committee to protect oil, gas, mineral resources, power and ports, said that foreign companies were unable to complete projects on time even though Petrobangla pays them three to five time the amount it would cost state-run companies.
He said that such kind of withdrawal hampers the implementation of national policies, particularly the development projects.
He said that international oil companies had in the past left gas blocks without conducting any exploration for oil and gas and that this was done to ultimately extract from the government better financial benefits for the company over and above the agreement.
‘This is highly alarming for the energy security of the country,’ he warned.
The Petrobangla official said that the decision by Cracow had created a crisis within the orgnanisation as the project was planned to provide at least 100 million cubic feet of additional gas a day which comprised half the total target of additional gas that the government wanted to be supplied to the national grid from state-run gas fields by 2012.
In addition, Petrobangla had, under the same agreement, hoped to expand the project with Cracow by increasing the number of wells it drilled in the state-owned gas fields.
In September 2009, Petrobangla had sought expressions of interest from foreign firms for drilling in the state-owned gas fields.
Following interest from 25 global oil companies, the Polish company was selected, in an open tender, to develop and produce natural gas by drilling wells with integrated services including the supply of all materials, on a turnkey basis, at the Titas gas field.
Cracow has appointed a local law firm to try and realise the $1 million that it had deposited as the bid bond, the Petrobangla official said.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
Tri-nation concert badly damages Bangabandhu National Stadium
Azad Majumder and Shafiur Rahman
A concert in the past week has left the Bangabandhu National Stadium badly damaged, raising fears that it could jeopardise Bangladesh’s chance to host a series of international football matches scheduled in the ground in March.
ATN Records, an event management firm, hosted the concert, Tri-Nation Big Show, in the stadium on February 24, seven days after the opening of the Cricket World Cup in the ground.
Bangladesh Football Federation officials alleged that the concert had left many holes in the outfield making it barely usable.
The athletic turf installed in the ground was also badly damaged by the concert where stars of Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, which are co-hosts of the Cricket World Cup 2011, performed.
The Olympic Pre-Qualifier football between Bangladesh and Kuwait is scheduled to be held the ground on March 9.
The ground is also supposed to host six Olympic pre-qualifiers matches of the women’s event seven days later.
The BFF grounds committee chair, Fazlur Rahman Babul, said that it would take at least a month for them to make the ground usable for an international match.
‘The entire pitch looks barren apart from few grasses in the western part. We need to fill in the holes and plant grass which is not possible to complete before a month,’ Babul told New Age on Sunday.
‘The FIFA match commissioner will arrive here three days before the match and I am afraid he may not find the ground in an appropriate condition. In that case, he can cancel the match and it will be very embarrassing for us,’ he said.
‘If the match is cancelled, we will also need to count a big amount in fine,’ he said.
Babul said they had informed the National Sports Council of the matter well in advance but they did not pay any heed. NSC officials refused to shoulder any responsibility.
‘When you see a big stadium getting allocated for a concert, you must know it is not me who gave the permission. The instruction comes from people who are high up. We had nothing to do here,’ said Haiul Quium, the director of sports, who is usually responsible for giving such permission.
Abdur Rahman, the director of planning and development of the NSC, admitted that the ground and the turf had been damaged.
‘We have heard that the athletic turf is not in a good condition. We will ask turf specialists to examine the condition and estimate the cost of repairs. The concert organisers will be asked to pay the compensation then,’ he said.
Anthony Philip, the event co-coordinator of the ATN Records, however, brushed aside the charges of causing any damage to the ground.
‘I and my people have examined the ground after the concert. It is in a good condition. If anything may really have happened to the ground, it happened because of the World Cup opening ceremony, not for us,’ he said.
Philip said they did not obtain any permission from the National Sports Council, the custodian of the ground, and they had obtained permission from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
It was learnt that the ATN records had paid the cricket board Tk 5 crore in compensation for the concert.
As the cricket board has no legitimate right to give the ATN Records any permission for such concert in the stadium, it tagged the event to the Cricket World Cup opening to make money, sources said.
The ATN Records initially planned to host two concerts, in Chittagong and Dhaka, on February 16 and 18 and promised to pay the cricket board Tk 10 crore.
The Chittagong event had to be cancelled as it coincided with Eid-e-Miladunnabi and the ATN records also deferred the Dhaka event as they expected a low turnout between the World Cup opening ceremony and the opening match.
‘We had to spend a huge amount of money on the installation of giant screens and other World Cup promotional activities in all the district headquarters. We were told by the government to raise fund from this concert,’ said Jalal Yunus, a BCB director and the chairman of the media committee.
Kamrunnahar Dana, a national award winner sports woman and former national badminton champion, criticised renting the playground out for concert.
‘We need the stadium for sports and not for any cultural shows. I request the government to build a permanent cultural complex where such programmes could be held,’ she said.
‘It will help all of us to hold cultural programmes and will save the playgrounds as well,’ she added.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
A concert in the past week has left the Bangabandhu National Stadium badly damaged, raising fears that it could jeopardise Bangladesh’s chance to host a series of international football matches scheduled in the ground in March.
ATN Records, an event management firm, hosted the concert, Tri-Nation Big Show, in the stadium on February 24, seven days after the opening of the Cricket World Cup in the ground.
Bangladesh Football Federation officials alleged that the concert had left many holes in the outfield making it barely usable.
The athletic turf installed in the ground was also badly damaged by the concert where stars of Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka, which are co-hosts of the Cricket World Cup 2011, performed.
The Olympic Pre-Qualifier football between Bangladesh and Kuwait is scheduled to be held the ground on March 9.
The ground is also supposed to host six Olympic pre-qualifiers matches of the women’s event seven days later.
The BFF grounds committee chair, Fazlur Rahman Babul, said that it would take at least a month for them to make the ground usable for an international match.
‘The entire pitch looks barren apart from few grasses in the western part. We need to fill in the holes and plant grass which is not possible to complete before a month,’ Babul told New Age on Sunday.
‘The FIFA match commissioner will arrive here three days before the match and I am afraid he may not find the ground in an appropriate condition. In that case, he can cancel the match and it will be very embarrassing for us,’ he said.
‘If the match is cancelled, we will also need to count a big amount in fine,’ he said.
Babul said they had informed the National Sports Council of the matter well in advance but they did not pay any heed. NSC officials refused to shoulder any responsibility.
‘When you see a big stadium getting allocated for a concert, you must know it is not me who gave the permission. The instruction comes from people who are high up. We had nothing to do here,’ said Haiul Quium, the director of sports, who is usually responsible for giving such permission.
Abdur Rahman, the director of planning and development of the NSC, admitted that the ground and the turf had been damaged.
‘We have heard that the athletic turf is not in a good condition. We will ask turf specialists to examine the condition and estimate the cost of repairs. The concert organisers will be asked to pay the compensation then,’ he said.
Anthony Philip, the event co-coordinator of the ATN Records, however, brushed aside the charges of causing any damage to the ground.
‘I and my people have examined the ground after the concert. It is in a good condition. If anything may really have happened to the ground, it happened because of the World Cup opening ceremony, not for us,’ he said.
Philip said they did not obtain any permission from the National Sports Council, the custodian of the ground, and they had obtained permission from the Bangladesh Cricket Board.
It was learnt that the ATN records had paid the cricket board Tk 5 crore in compensation for the concert.
As the cricket board has no legitimate right to give the ATN Records any permission for such concert in the stadium, it tagged the event to the Cricket World Cup opening to make money, sources said.
The ATN Records initially planned to host two concerts, in Chittagong and Dhaka, on February 16 and 18 and promised to pay the cricket board Tk 10 crore.
The Chittagong event had to be cancelled as it coincided with Eid-e-Miladunnabi and the ATN records also deferred the Dhaka event as they expected a low turnout between the World Cup opening ceremony and the opening match.
‘We had to spend a huge amount of money on the installation of giant screens and other World Cup promotional activities in all the district headquarters. We were told by the government to raise fund from this concert,’ said Jalal Yunus, a BCB director and the chairman of the media committee.
Kamrunnahar Dana, a national award winner sports woman and former national badminton champion, criticised renting the playground out for concert.
‘We need the stadium for sports and not for any cultural shows. I request the government to build a permanent cultural complex where such programmes could be held,’ she said.
‘It will help all of us to hold cultural programmes and will save the playgrounds as well,’ she added.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
Food inflation a threat to macro economic stability: Unnayan Anneshan
Food price inflation could threaten Bangladesh’s macro economic stability, said think tank group Unnayan Anneshan.
In an economic update for the first two months of the current year, it warned that rising food prices could push more people into the poverty trap.
It also warned that unless anti inflationary measures were taken to contain food inflation rising by 1.31 per cent a month, overall inflation could touch 10.71 per cent by the end of the current fiscal year.
In that event, it warned, food inflation could touch 12.84 per cent by the end of this fiscal.
The report said that a double digit inflation would pose a severe threat to macro-economic stability of the country.
Food inflation, said Unnayan Anneshan would cut down the real income of the poor, seriously erode their purchasing power and leave a profound impact on poverty and inequality.
It means, it said, those above the poverty line before the food price started to rise could go below it.
The economic think tank apprehends that the rise in global food grains price together with supply constrains could threaten Bangladesh’s macro-economic stability.
According to it a one per cent rise in global food price converts to 0.23 per cent rise in food price in Bangladesh on an average raising general inflation by 0.18 per cent.
The rise in food price created a range of macro-vulnerabilities in the country, it said in its economic review of the first two months of the year titled, ‘Bangladesh Economic Update: Food Prices and Inflation Trajectory.’
In the report the group sought to analyze the food prices and inflation trends.
It observed that prices of essential food items particularly, rice sky rocketed defying a bumper harvest of boro crop.
It pointed out that the wholesale prices of wheat and rice rose at higher rates than their retail prices in 2010.
From January to December 2010, the wholesale price of rice increased by 25 per cent on an average while the price of wheat rose by 16.67 per cent, it said.
It said that in 2010 the retail price of rice went up by 20 per cent and of wheat by 13.04 per cent.
The gap between wholesale and retail price of rice was five per cent of wheat it was 3.63 per cent.
It identified hoarding by wholesalers as the main contributing factor of the enormous gap between the wholesale and retail prices.
In other words, it said, the wholesalers dictated the retail price.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
In an economic update for the first two months of the current year, it warned that rising food prices could push more people into the poverty trap.
It also warned that unless anti inflationary measures were taken to contain food inflation rising by 1.31 per cent a month, overall inflation could touch 10.71 per cent by the end of the current fiscal year.
In that event, it warned, food inflation could touch 12.84 per cent by the end of this fiscal.
The report said that a double digit inflation would pose a severe threat to macro-economic stability of the country.
Food inflation, said Unnayan Anneshan would cut down the real income of the poor, seriously erode their purchasing power and leave a profound impact on poverty and inequality.
It means, it said, those above the poverty line before the food price started to rise could go below it.
The economic think tank apprehends that the rise in global food grains price together with supply constrains could threaten Bangladesh’s macro-economic stability.
According to it a one per cent rise in global food price converts to 0.23 per cent rise in food price in Bangladesh on an average raising general inflation by 0.18 per cent.
The rise in food price created a range of macro-vulnerabilities in the country, it said in its economic review of the first two months of the year titled, ‘Bangladesh Economic Update: Food Prices and Inflation Trajectory.’
In the report the group sought to analyze the food prices and inflation trends.
It observed that prices of essential food items particularly, rice sky rocketed defying a bumper harvest of boro crop.
It pointed out that the wholesale prices of wheat and rice rose at higher rates than their retail prices in 2010.
From January to December 2010, the wholesale price of rice increased by 25 per cent on an average while the price of wheat rose by 16.67 per cent, it said.
It said that in 2010 the retail price of rice went up by 20 per cent and of wheat by 13.04 per cent.
The gap between wholesale and retail price of rice was five per cent of wheat it was 3.63 per cent.
It identified hoarding by wholesalers as the main contributing factor of the enormous gap between the wholesale and retail prices.
In other words, it said, the wholesalers dictated the retail price.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
No massive evacuation of Bangladeshis from Libya now: minister
Expatriates’ welfare and overseas employment minister Khandker Mosharraf Hossain said on Sunday that the situation in Libya at the moment did not call for a massive evacuation of Bangladesh nationals trapped in the trouble-torn north African country.
The government has, however, made all preparations for evacuation of Bangladeshis from Libya by air and ships in case an extreme situation arises, he added.
‘We have preparations for evacuation although at the moment we are trying to relocate our citizens from the risky areas in Libya. If needed, we will evacuate them by air and ships,’ Mosharraf Hossain told reporters at the secretariat after an inter-ministerial meeting.
He said that the Bangla-desh navy had a unit in Lebanon and a ship was kept ready there for operation any time.
‘The government is very much alert about the Libyan situation…The shipping and the civil aviation ministries have also been asked to remain prepared for a possible evacuation.’
The minister said a total of 804 Bangladeshis had safely reached Crete Island of Greece.
Senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, home affairs, shipping and civil aviation and also from the armed forces division, including foreign secretary and the chief of navy, were present at the meeting on the situation of Bangladesh nationals in Libya, among others.
The minister called upon Bangladeshis trapped by the unrest in the North African country not to be panicked.
There were no confirmed reports of casualties among the foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis trapped in Libya so far, Mosharraf said.
He said around 60,000 Bangladeshis were at present staying in Libya. ‘Many of our people have already taken shelter in various camps in Tripoli where 15,000 to 20,000 Bangladeshis are living.’
When asked why the government preferred to wait until the situation turns worse in Libya, the minister said that the present situation did not call for a mass evacuation.
The government on Saturday said about 2,000 Bangladeshis had reached Egypt, Tunisia and Greece from Libya by road and ship.
Bangladesh has requested international communities, including Egypt, Tunisia and Libyan authorities, employers of Bangladesh nationals in Libya, the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to ferry them to safer places by immediately available air, ship and road transports.
The Bangladesh mission in Libya has been asked to provide travel documents, including passports, free of cost for their hassle-free travel.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni is expected to meet the chiefs of ICRC and IOM in Geneva today.
Families of the Bangla-deshi nationals trapped in Libya, meanwhile, are becoming increasingly worried about the conditions of their near and dear ones.
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The government has, however, made all preparations for evacuation of Bangladeshis from Libya by air and ships in case an extreme situation arises, he added.
‘We have preparations for evacuation although at the moment we are trying to relocate our citizens from the risky areas in Libya. If needed, we will evacuate them by air and ships,’ Mosharraf Hossain told reporters at the secretariat after an inter-ministerial meeting.
He said that the Bangla-desh navy had a unit in Lebanon and a ship was kept ready there for operation any time.
‘The government is very much alert about the Libyan situation…The shipping and the civil aviation ministries have also been asked to remain prepared for a possible evacuation.’
The minister said a total of 804 Bangladeshis had safely reached Crete Island of Greece.
Senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs, home affairs, shipping and civil aviation and also from the armed forces division, including foreign secretary and the chief of navy, were present at the meeting on the situation of Bangladesh nationals in Libya, among others.
The minister called upon Bangladeshis trapped by the unrest in the North African country not to be panicked.
There were no confirmed reports of casualties among the foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis trapped in Libya so far, Mosharraf said.
He said around 60,000 Bangladeshis were at present staying in Libya. ‘Many of our people have already taken shelter in various camps in Tripoli where 15,000 to 20,000 Bangladeshis are living.’
When asked why the government preferred to wait until the situation turns worse in Libya, the minister said that the present situation did not call for a mass evacuation.
The government on Saturday said about 2,000 Bangladeshis had reached Egypt, Tunisia and Greece from Libya by road and ship.
Bangladesh has requested international communities, including Egypt, Tunisia and Libyan authorities, employers of Bangladesh nationals in Libya, the UN International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to ferry them to safer places by immediately available air, ship and road transports.
The Bangladesh mission in Libya has been asked to provide travel documents, including passports, free of cost for their hassle-free travel.
Foreign minister Dipu Moni is expected to meet the chiefs of ICRC and IOM in Geneva today.
Families of the Bangla-deshi nationals trapped in Libya, meanwhile, are becoming increasingly worried about the conditions of their near and dear ones.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
Bangladesh war crimes trial to take shape by Mar 26
The state minister for law, Quamrul Islam, on Sunday said that war crimes trial would take a shape by March 26 and the government would adhere to international standards at any cost.
‘We are will hold the trial at the earliest. So do expect the people. But we are trying to hold the trial without any flaw by adhering to international standards. The investigation is taking time as we do not want to leave any scope for questions about the trial in the future,’ he said.
‘You should keep in mind that we are holding trial of crimes that took place 40 years ago. So it calls for proper investigation and this is why the process is getting lengthy,’ he said.
Quamrul said whether war crimes trial could begin by March 26 depends on the development of investigation.
He said the investigation team of the International Crimes Tribunal would soon get 30 more policemen to assist in the work.
‘Ten inspectors, 10 subinspectors and 10 constables will soon be appointed to assist the investigation team,’ Qamrul said after the meeting.
The meeting was convened to ensure proper logistic support and coordination of the work of the prosecution panel and the investigation team.
Quamrul said they sat with the precaution and the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal to meet their demands for logistic support.
He said that the investigators’ demand for allocation of a building for interrogating the war crimes suspects would be met immediately.
The meeting began with the law minister, Shafique Ahmed, and the home minister, Sahara Khatun, being present but the both left a few minutes after asking others to continue.
The state minister for home, Shamsul Haque Tuku, the home secretary, Abdus Sobhan Sikder, the law secretary, Sahidul Karim, the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Golam Arif Tipu, and the chief investigator, Abdul Mannan Khan, also attended.
The prosecution and the investigation team at the meeting resented the lack of logistic support for the tribunal.
Shamsul Haque asked them to submit a list of what they need right at the meeting if the government support was not enough for them.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
‘We are will hold the trial at the earliest. So do expect the people. But we are trying to hold the trial without any flaw by adhering to international standards. The investigation is taking time as we do not want to leave any scope for questions about the trial in the future,’ he said.
‘You should keep in mind that we are holding trial of crimes that took place 40 years ago. So it calls for proper investigation and this is why the process is getting lengthy,’ he said.
Quamrul said whether war crimes trial could begin by March 26 depends on the development of investigation.
He said the investigation team of the International Crimes Tribunal would soon get 30 more policemen to assist in the work.
‘Ten inspectors, 10 subinspectors and 10 constables will soon be appointed to assist the investigation team,’ Qamrul said after the meeting.
The meeting was convened to ensure proper logistic support and coordination of the work of the prosecution panel and the investigation team.
Quamrul said they sat with the precaution and the investigation agency of the International Crimes Tribunal to meet their demands for logistic support.
He said that the investigators’ demand for allocation of a building for interrogating the war crimes suspects would be met immediately.
The meeting began with the law minister, Shafique Ahmed, and the home minister, Sahara Khatun, being present but the both left a few minutes after asking others to continue.
The state minister for home, Shamsul Haque Tuku, the home secretary, Abdus Sobhan Sikder, the law secretary, Sahidul Karim, the chief prosecutor of the International Crimes Tribunal, Golam Arif Tipu, and the chief investigator, Abdul Mannan Khan, also attended.
The prosecution and the investigation team at the meeting resented the lack of logistic support for the tribunal.
Shamsul Haque asked them to submit a list of what they need right at the meeting if the government support was not enough for them.
Read the original story on the daily New Age
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