Saturday, May 3, 2008
An ex-Adviser's corruption - A justice face the justice
It would be interesting to know whether the Ex-Adviser had a past track record of corruption while in the judiciary or whether he couldn't resist the temptation once he became an Adviser of the Caretaker government in late 2006.
Recently ACC has started investigation and sued Justice Fazlul Haque. See the following news item attached below.
One thing that is not clear from these news reports - whether all these alleged corruption charges are something that happened during in the government office only? Or does he have a past track record of corruption? If so, those will probably be much problematic, but lower amount of money might be involved.
As citizens of the country, we would hope that the ACC will go beyond the Caretaker government tenure of this adviser and probe into the past while the he was an active member of the higher Judiciary. In between active duty in judiciary and becoming an Adviser to the Caretaker government, he has also participated in many probe commissions of national importance.
We believe that when the ACC has gone so far as suing a person of the stature as high as Justice Fazlul Haque, it should not be left unfinished. Justice should be served - either way. We only wish and hope two things for the good of the nation:
1. ACC is not wrong in this case.
2. Justice Fazlul Haque was and still is a isolated case who is not a good representative of our higher judiciary.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columinsts in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
Recently ACC has started investigation and sued Justice Fazlul Haque. See the following news item attached below.
One thing that is not clear from these news reports - whether all these alleged corruption charges are something that happened during in the government office only? Or does he have a past track record of corruption? If so, those will probably be much problematic, but lower amount of money might be involved.
As citizens of the country, we would hope that the ACC will go beyond the Caretaker government tenure of this adviser and probe into the past while the he was an active member of the higher Judiciary. In between active duty in judiciary and becoming an Adviser to the Caretaker government, he has also participated in many probe commissions of national importance.
We believe that when the ACC has gone so far as suing a person of the stature as high as Justice Fazlul Haque, it should not be left unfinished. Justice should be served - either way. We only wish and hope two things for the good of the nation:
1. ACC is not wrong in this case.
2. Justice Fazlul Haque was and still is a isolated case who is not a good representative of our higher judiciary.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columinsts in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
A man joined a big Multi National Company as a trainee.....
On his first day, he dialled the kitchen and shouted into the phone:
"Get me a cup of coffee, quickly!"
The voice from the other side responded:
"You fool; you've dialled the wrong extension! Do you know who you're talking to?"
"No" replied the trainee.
"It's the Managing Director of the company, you idiot!"
The trainee shouted back: "And do you know who YOU are talking to, you IDIOT?"
"No!" replied the Managing Director angrily.
"Thank God!" replied the trainee and put the phone down.....
"Get me a cup of coffee, quickly!"
The voice from the other side responded:
"You fool; you've dialled the wrong extension! Do you know who you're talking to?"
"No" replied the trainee.
"It's the Managing Director of the company, you idiot!"
The trainee shouted back: "And do you know who YOU are talking to, you IDIOT?"
"No!" replied the Managing Director angrily.
"Thank God!" replied the trainee and put the phone down.....
BTRC yet to get a passing grade - Do 'your job' that is mandated for you
Many of you might be surprised at the title, because you are feeling happy at the things BTRC is doing lately. But you are happy because you compare its current performance with its predecessors. The job of BTRC is to define and ensure the expectations of the general consumers.
The current BTRC is doing a superb job - most of you might have been thinking. If you are one of them, its probably a good time to do a reality check.
What qualitative change has BTRC ensured for the consumers of Bangladesh?
First of all, what is the citizen's charter of BTRC? In other words, what is the mandate of BTRC?
Stopping stealing and giving licenses (both of which should have been done decades ago) to entrepreneurs for various activities are certainly a good thing. This is something that get the organization ready on their feet so that can start fulfilling the declared mandate for which it was created.
So, what we are trying to say - you might ask. There are tons of things to say. Let me start with one very basic one. But count on us to come back with more things - with more basic ones (if in the meantime, they can't find those for themselves) and few forward looking ones.
We would keep giving BTRC a failing grade of 23 (if passing grade is 33) until and unless BTRC declares a time-bound roadmap for the license holder companies (BTTB, Grameen, RanksTel, etc) to offer the consumers a emergency help line service and other information services that requires different other government agencies (Police, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, Social Service Ministry, Traffic Police, etc) to setup call center type facilities to respond to consumers in need and to supply information that consumers need. If you are not sure what we are talking about, for examples, see below the attached list of countries and their corresponding numbers for different services to consumers that is enforced by the regulatory bodies of respective countries.
Among us, there will be many who would say how come BTRC do those unless police, fire brigade or social service ministries do not ask for it? Some others will say, those services will not work in Bangladesh, the examples you give are from developed countries. Our answer to those will be - BTRC should arrange few public hearing on these services and call the respective agency chiefs and concerned ministry officials (as well as concerned advisers, if necessary!) to be present in those public hearings. Also, make arrangements so that the interested TV channels, Radio channels and Web sites want to carry those hearings live, if they want to. You will see how your thinking changes overnight or within few days. You have to set the public expectation - you have to give the people a platform to express their need and what they are ready for. Once you do that, you will find out the results for yourselves. We are sure that you will be surprised to discover what we, as a populace, are capable of.
Since the BTRC is yet get to the pass mark level, we would refrain from listing more of its mandated things which should follow naturally. Hope that they will hear us now.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columnists in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
The current BTRC is doing a superb job - most of you might have been thinking. If you are one of them, its probably a good time to do a reality check.
What qualitative change has BTRC ensured for the consumers of Bangladesh?
First of all, what is the citizen's charter of BTRC? In other words, what is the mandate of BTRC?
Stopping stealing and giving licenses (both of which should have been done decades ago) to entrepreneurs for various activities are certainly a good thing. This is something that get the organization ready on their feet so that can start fulfilling the declared mandate for which it was created.
So, what we are trying to say - you might ask. There are tons of things to say. Let me start with one very basic one. But count on us to come back with more things - with more basic ones (if in the meantime, they can't find those for themselves) and few forward looking ones.
We would keep giving BTRC a failing grade of 23 (if passing grade is 33) until and unless BTRC declares a time-bound roadmap for the license holder companies (BTTB, Grameen, RanksTel, etc) to offer the consumers a emergency help line service and other information services that requires different other government agencies (Police, Fire Service and Civil Defense Department, Social Service Ministry, Traffic Police, etc) to setup call center type facilities to respond to consumers in need and to supply information that consumers need. If you are not sure what we are talking about, for examples, see below the attached list of countries and their corresponding numbers for different services to consumers that is enforced by the regulatory bodies of respective countries.
Among us, there will be many who would say how come BTRC do those unless police, fire brigade or social service ministries do not ask for it? Some others will say, those services will not work in Bangladesh, the examples you give are from developed countries. Our answer to those will be - BTRC should arrange few public hearing on these services and call the respective agency chiefs and concerned ministry officials (as well as concerned advisers, if necessary!) to be present in those public hearings. Also, make arrangements so that the interested TV channels, Radio channels and Web sites want to carry those hearings live, if they want to. You will see how your thinking changes overnight or within few days. You have to set the public expectation - you have to give the people a platform to express their need and what they are ready for. Once you do that, you will find out the results for yourselves. We are sure that you will be surprised to discover what we, as a populace, are capable of.
Since the BTRC is yet get to the pass mark level, we would refrain from listing more of its mandated things which should follow naturally. Hope that they will hear us now.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columnists in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
People come, people go
“Take my hand”, she said.
With a flummoxed expression he said, “What?”
“I want to be with you, I love you.”
Keeping the nature a witness, Anila gave him the happiest moment of his life, yet she was forlorn. She knew she did not love him…the way he did.
THE sun graced the earth with its fresh beam of light. The beams danced gaily over the lush green trees as laughter flew upon the gentle breeze fluttering like a joyful spirit. She knew she was happy, yet his presence was not enough. She was jealous of him. She could make him happy just with a smile, but he could not make her happy with anything he did. She knew he tried; he tried hard and knew nobody could love her more than he did. Yet she could not love him the way he did.
As days passed, she became more and more fond of him. She loved they way he talked, the way he did little silly things, and the way he told her that he loved her. At the same time she hated his insecurity and the fact how much he needed her. Anila knew one day she would love him as much as he did. She wanted to feel how good it felt when she was with someone she wanted badly to be with. She wanted her heartbeat to rise when he saw him; she wanted to get Goosebumps whenever she thought of him.
Yet it never happened.
She could not believe she was doing this to him. She felt as if he was committing the biggest sin of her life. She knew this would break him into pieces, yet she did this. She wanted her the way they were before. It was not possible anymore. With one last look at his damp eyes emanating the eternal agony, she said, 'I am sorry'…
Anila started spending her days with guilt and the feeling of a loss. She knew it would end, and she knew he would be okay. Her trust in him was the only thing that helped her live. Every morning she would wake up with no greeting from him. She missed him, but it was for their own good.
If life was a poem, it would go in its peaceful rhythm. If life was a movie, there would always be happy endings...but if life was reality it would have been something like this...
The day was rainy and cold and the smell of the soil brought back memories that were no longer a part of her life. The drizzling rain was clinging to her specs. Suddenly a familiar face came into her view. She could see the dark eyes had lost its glow, the smile had become lifeless and the heart was broken. She was sorry for everything, she truly was. She cared for him, and so she had to vanish from his life. As he crossed the lane and went away, she felt a trickle of tear going down her cheeks and hoped that one day, he would understand…
With a flummoxed expression he said, “What?”
“I want to be with you, I love you.”
Keeping the nature a witness, Anila gave him the happiest moment of his life, yet she was forlorn. She knew she did not love him…the way he did.
THE sun graced the earth with its fresh beam of light. The beams danced gaily over the lush green trees as laughter flew upon the gentle breeze fluttering like a joyful spirit. She knew she was happy, yet his presence was not enough. She was jealous of him. She could make him happy just with a smile, but he could not make her happy with anything he did. She knew he tried; he tried hard and knew nobody could love her more than he did. Yet she could not love him the way he did.
As days passed, she became more and more fond of him. She loved they way he talked, the way he did little silly things, and the way he told her that he loved her. At the same time she hated his insecurity and the fact how much he needed her. Anila knew one day she would love him as much as he did. She wanted to feel how good it felt when she was with someone she wanted badly to be with. She wanted her heartbeat to rise when he saw him; she wanted to get Goosebumps whenever she thought of him.
Yet it never happened.
She could not believe she was doing this to him. She felt as if he was committing the biggest sin of her life. She knew this would break him into pieces, yet she did this. She wanted her the way they were before. It was not possible anymore. With one last look at his damp eyes emanating the eternal agony, she said, 'I am sorry'…
Anila started spending her days with guilt and the feeling of a loss. She knew it would end, and she knew he would be okay. Her trust in him was the only thing that helped her live. Every morning she would wake up with no greeting from him. She missed him, but it was for their own good.
If life was a poem, it would go in its peaceful rhythm. If life was a movie, there would always be happy endings...but if life was reality it would have been something like this...
The day was rainy and cold and the smell of the soil brought back memories that were no longer a part of her life. The drizzling rain was clinging to her specs. Suddenly a familiar face came into her view. She could see the dark eyes had lost its glow, the smile had become lifeless and the heart was broken. She was sorry for everything, she truly was. She cared for him, and so she had to vanish from his life. As he crossed the lane and went away, she felt a trickle of tear going down her cheeks and hoped that one day, he would understand…
For better or for worse
YOU know I really never got around to liking you. I'm sorry, but there are just some things that, no matter how much you try, you never end up liking. However, I do know that I need you. That's the sad part. I swear it has nothing to do with your dark colouring, or your stout, and almost thuggish appearance. No. I actually appreciate the fact that you are like that, and that out of all the others, you are probably the most reliable. I've dropped you, forgotten to take you with me sometimes, and even doused you with water! And yet, you are still intact. Okay, so maybe not completely intact, thanks to me. I'm sorry that I deliberately pulled out the soft cushioning flesh from your sides, just to see what lies inside And let's not forget about all those times I disembowelled you. Does it hurt? It must. You look nothing like how you used to, when I first got you.
I remember the first time I got a glimpse of you when I downloaded your picture from Google. I thought you looked wonderful. You looked solid, reliable, not showy or flashy, and basically just nice. My Dad chose you for me, did you know that? My parents said I needed you so that they could contact me when I was away. I was told you were mine even before I could hold you in my hands in the shop and chose you out of the others. I don't even know what the others around you looked like. You see, I wasn't taken when you were purchased. I was excited nevertheless. But when you were finally given to me, I realised you were nothing like how I thought you would be. I had hoped for all those hi-tech features that my friends had for theirs. You had almost none of those features. You just looked passably nice, and that's it. All I could do with you was call people and occasionally play those boring games you had.
I was so cross with my parents! They made me feel like that little girl who never got to choose anything for herself. Like the princess who had no freedom and whose life was scheduled by others. But then I had no choice, never did.
It's been three years since you were first given to me. Despite myself, I have to tell you that in some weird way I am proud of you. Of our long journey, of you never getting sick even once even though I've treated you almost like a nonentity. You stuck with me despite everything and it makes me realise how attached I am to you. I'm even almost a few millimeters away from liking you. Almost. Even though you never had those features I wanted, you worked hard with the ones that you had just to please me. I appreciate that. You are the only cell phone I ever had, and even though you might not be the best, you'll definitely always by my first. I'll treasure our memories forever.
I was so cross with my parents! They made me feel like that little girl who never got to choose anything for herself. Like the princess who had no freedom and whose life was scheduled by others. But then I had no choice, never did.
It's been three years since you were first given to me. Despite myself, I have to tell you that in some weird way I am proud of you. Of our long journey, of you never getting sick even once even though I've treated you almost like a nonentity. You stuck with me despite everything and it makes me realise how attached I am to you. I'm even almost a few millimeters away from liking you. Almost. Even though you never had those features I wanted, you worked hard with the ones that you had just to please me. I appreciate that. You are the only cell phone I ever had, and even though you might not be the best, you'll definitely always by my first. I'll treasure our memories forever.
The Dog's Daily Diary"
8:00 am - Oh Boy! Dog food! My favourite!
9:30 am - Oh Boy! A car ride!
My favourite!
9:40 am - Oh Boy! A walk!
My favourite!
10:30 am - Oh Boy! A car ride!
My favourite!
11:30 am - Oh Boy! Dog food!
My favourite!
Noon - Oh Boy! The kids!
My favourite!
1:00 pm - Oh Boy! The yard!
My favourite!
4:00 pm - Oh Boy! The kids!
My favourite!
5:00 pm - Oh Boy! Dog food!
My favourite!
5:30 pm - Oh Boy! Mom!
My favorite!
6:00 pm - Oh Boy! Playing ball!
My favourite!
6:30 pm - Oh Boy! Sleeping in master's bed!
My favorite!
Labour Day and the Memories We Forgot
Labour Day has come and gone, and since it is a national holiday, it has given us all the chance to rest and relax. For most of us, that is what Labour Day is all about, getting some leisure time and reading insightful articles in the morning paper about child labour and women's rights. And that is exactly what I was doing, when I came across the history of this day in one paper.Labour Day is said to have been first celebrated in Canada because of a labour uprising to demand 8 hours of work instead of the long 12 hours that used to exist at that time. This movement reached the United States soon, where most people now consider Labour Day to be commemorated in memory of those who died in Chicago in 1886. Those were days of unrest, when a continuing conflict between the business class and the labour class over long working hours, low pay, unsafe workplaces etc. led to strikes and protests being organised in May, since the workers were promised better conditions at the beginning of that month, but did not receive any. On 3 May, Chicago police killed four striking workers and the day after, a bomb exploded in a peaceful rally, causing the police to open fire and kill at least four workers and injure many others. Instead of giving justice to the workers, seven of them were actually executed by order of the court, but were ironically given free pardons in 1893. But it was only in the 90s that these rebellious workers were nationally recognised, and since then they have been honoured on May Day in USA. They are remembered in our country as well, and members of some labour right parties held candlelight vigils in remembrance.
I don't know about you, but this incident reminds me of the protests that were organised by garment workers in 2006, who also demanded better wages, safer working conditions and less working hours; and where the police as usual resorted to violence, killing at least 3 workers and injuring many others. And though the workers were not hanged for protesting, the injustice done to them was ignored. The factory owners and most of the members of the 'upper class' of society instead focused on the damage done to their property by the rioting workers, forgetting about the damage their self-indulgence had done to human lives. Why shouldn't the workers resort to vandalism? They had nothing to lose; their lives were bad enough, what with the collapsing garment factories, fires breaking out now and then, general rise in prices of so many commodities which made even rice unaffordable and their demands falling on deaf ears for months, it was natural that they should reach breaking point.
And because of their fierce protests, the government ordered that wages be raised, but since many businessmen did not comply, the protests are breaking out again.
And that has been the repetitive case till now. But the deaths of workers in these protests were not the only ones that went ignored. On June 2005, the collapse of the Spectrum Sweaters factory in Savar killed at least 61 workers. The collapse of a building in Tejgaon also left more than 18 workers dead and many others disabled for life. Since 1990, 350 garment workers have died in factory fires, and around 1500 have been seriously injured. In April and in May last year, police fired on people agitating for electricity in Kansat and Shonir Akhra, killing five people including a 10 year old boy. These people may or may not have been workers, but they were fighting for their basic rights, like those people in Chicago in 1886 were, and that is why they had to die. And last but not least, we have had people dying because of a demolition procedure of the Rangs Bhaban in Dhaka this year being faulty.
But what happened to the families of these people? What happened to the cases against those who were responsible for their deaths? I guess we'll never know, because they have passed out of our memories in only one or two years, yet we still honour the memories of people who died in America 121 years ago. I'm not saying that we should not observe Labour Day.
True, we are too obsessed with Western culture and even though I think Valentines, Mothers Day etc are just overrated and pathetic excuses for selling mushy cards; I do consider the protests by the workers in Chicago to be a defining moment in the history of enforcing labour rights.
It is just high time we acknowledge the struggle of workers in our own country and give them the respect (and wages) they deserve. It took America over a century to pay tribute to those who died while fighting for their rights, why should we make the same mistake?
SME: Thrust sector deserves appropriate support
SME has been considered as the thrust sector in the economic development of the country with growing importance from all walks of life. It is evident that, substantial increase in SME and Retail Credit portfolios along with commercial, corporate and institutional lending, would lead the banks to its higher trajectory of growth, minimizing the risk of lending through portfolio diversification. As such, most of the banks have taken up aggressive marketing policy to augment their exposure in SME and Retail Credit. Though SME concept is nothing new, as evident from the establishment of Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC), but a fresh look into and endeavour to boosting the sector are still imperative. Bangladesh Bank re-finance scheme for SME is laudable. The role of IFC-SEDF for creating awareness among the entrepreneurs and banks/NBFIs to be more focused in SME deserve appreciation.
Prospects
Un-employment problem is a growing concern all over the world more particularly in developing countries, and the panacea to the setback mostly lies in massive development of labour incentive SME sector. SME in many cases can be set up at domestic and household level contributing to cost cutting. Family members may also participate in the process.
Bangladesh is highly resourceful with so many seasonal fruits and also lots of agricultural products. Pineapple and mango are best used to produce jam/jelly/juice etc under SME. Tomato sauce and potato chips are popularly used all over the world. SME is most suited for processing the items. If we can add more quality to the products and ensure proper marketing, tremendous demand will be created in domestic and export market.
Within the purview of WTO the world is growing to turn into a single entity/state where movement of goods and capital has been made free. Hence, the country having advantages of producing any particular item over others should have monopoly market for the product. Availing the opportunity of WTO our entrepreneurs and government should come up to produce quality goods at a competitive cost where we have comparative advantages.
In RMG industries (knit) circular machines are used for knitting of the items. The circular machines can also be set at household level to perform job works to feed RMG industries for ultimate export of T/Polo Shirts etc. This is a subcontracting system where RMG industries supply yarns to the entrepreneurs having circular machines. The system has already been introduced in Dhaka and Narayangonj areas with growing demand.
Shoe making by small industries as job works of big shoe companies like BATA is a glaring example of SME product. BATA supplies raw materials to lots of small factories at household level in Dhaka city and gets the product (shoes) completed through subcontract system. This is a real kind of integration of small and medium industries with big ones and once such integration takes place, the pace of industrial growth of the country will automatically set in.
Lending in SME sector helps the banks to derive higher spread over corporate ones. Profit margin in corporate business houses is relatively getting lower due to stiff competition in the market. They remain in the profit track increasing the sales volume only, having the advantage of big investment.
Bangladesh Bank has fixed SME loan limit at Tk 2.00 lac to 50.00 lac and thereby risk is distributed among millions of customers which entails lower rate of classification than big loans where all eggs are put in a few baskets. As such, most of the banks have undertaken aggressive marketing policy to increase exposure in SME and Retail Credit to minimize lending risk through portfolio diversification.
Problems
However, the growth of SME is not exempted from the setback as appended below:
SME loan is basically term financing and repaid on installment basis, but historically the business people in our country are accustomed to and prefer continuous loan (cash credit-hypo, overdraft etc) causing slow pace of disbursement of SME loans.
A lion's share of SME loans (80%) is availed of for trading purpose, instead of manufacturing/service industries. Eventually, the purpose of SME loans to support the economic development of the country may not be served properly.
As per Bangladesh Bank policy, provision on unclassified SME loans is maintained at a higher rate (2%) than the corporate and commercial lending (1%) which appears to be contradictory to the spirits of the programme.
SME loan is predominantly supervisory credit and requires more manpower to conduct supervision, monitoring and recovery works and as such, big chunk of profit is not possible over night. Besides, the private sector banks are more profit oriented and prefer financing to big and corporate customers towards achieving year on year increased profit target.
As per Bangladesh Bank guidelines, SME is broadly categorized in 3 sectors: a) manufacturing, b) trading and c) service. While manufacturing and service sectors are prioritized allowing almost 100% re-finance but trading sector hardly gets 20% refinance, though it constitutes more than 80% of total SME portfolio. Besides, refinance has to be claimed on quarterly basis and replenishment is made after one month and above. As such, refinance package may not be so attractive to the banks.
Boosting of manufacturing and service sector no doubt is imperative for economic development of the country. If we look at the performance of manufacturing and service sectors the following weaknesses may be observed:
a) Marketing is a big problem for SME products caused for lack of competitiveness with large industries endowed with the advantage of strong marketing network and price competitiveness due to the big volume of production capacity.
b) Our workers lack technical knowledge to produce quality items. For example, jam/jelly/juice produced in our country has no qualitative match with the imported ones, even with the mango juice and jam/jelly of Bhutan though mango is not abundantly grown in Bhutan. Fortunately, various kinds of fruits are grown abundantly in different parts of our country but unfortunately, we cannot avail the opportunity to produce quality jam/jelly/juice from those produce.
c) Protection of infant industries should be the important criteria for industrialization in any country including Bangladesh. But unfortunately our infant industries lack such protection entailing slowed down pace of industrial development.
Recommendations
Extension of credit facility, no doubt, is a necessary condition to boost SME and Bangladesh Bank refinance scheme is also the timely approach. But these are not the sufficient conditions; rather promotion, facilitation, marketing supports and protection of infant industry are imperative in a state of merger and acquisition all over the world. Marketing of SME products should be facilitated and given highest priority where both private sector and the government should take the lead.
The traditional attitude of the bankers to earn more profit shall have to be changed to contribute to economic development of the country promoting SME. Bangladesh Bank may implement a 'one third' policy of lending i.e. one third of total credit exposures of a bank should be in corporate, one third in retail and one third in consumer. Refinance may also be allowed on monthly basis extending up to 50% for trading. The government may also help motivate the bankers to change their attitude from corporate to SME customers allowing tax rebate for financing in SME sectors.
Though, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) has been established long back to promote small and cottage industries of the country, but could not be made so effective, rather the organization is now on the verge of closure. Since BSCIC has wide network all over the country with established set up, it may be well integrated with today's SME concept to start the journey of industrialization afresh and so to save both time and money in the process.
The government should also come up with pragmatic policies and take appropriate measures to support and patronize SME as a thrust sector with more incentive package like subsidy in water, gas, electricity, export benefits etc. Above all, the basic concept for industrialization which lies in the integration of SME with big industries shall have to be implemented with highest national priority.
Prospects
Un-employment problem is a growing concern all over the world more particularly in developing countries, and the panacea to the setback mostly lies in massive development of labour incentive SME sector. SME in many cases can be set up at domestic and household level contributing to cost cutting. Family members may also participate in the process.
Bangladesh is highly resourceful with so many seasonal fruits and also lots of agricultural products. Pineapple and mango are best used to produce jam/jelly/juice etc under SME. Tomato sauce and potato chips are popularly used all over the world. SME is most suited for processing the items. If we can add more quality to the products and ensure proper marketing, tremendous demand will be created in domestic and export market.
Within the purview of WTO the world is growing to turn into a single entity/state where movement of goods and capital has been made free. Hence, the country having advantages of producing any particular item over others should have monopoly market for the product. Availing the opportunity of WTO our entrepreneurs and government should come up to produce quality goods at a competitive cost where we have comparative advantages.
In RMG industries (knit) circular machines are used for knitting of the items. The circular machines can also be set at household level to perform job works to feed RMG industries for ultimate export of T/Polo Shirts etc. This is a subcontracting system where RMG industries supply yarns to the entrepreneurs having circular machines. The system has already been introduced in Dhaka and Narayangonj areas with growing demand.
Shoe making by small industries as job works of big shoe companies like BATA is a glaring example of SME product. BATA supplies raw materials to lots of small factories at household level in Dhaka city and gets the product (shoes) completed through subcontract system. This is a real kind of integration of small and medium industries with big ones and once such integration takes place, the pace of industrial growth of the country will automatically set in.
Lending in SME sector helps the banks to derive higher spread over corporate ones. Profit margin in corporate business houses is relatively getting lower due to stiff competition in the market. They remain in the profit track increasing the sales volume only, having the advantage of big investment.
Bangladesh Bank has fixed SME loan limit at Tk 2.00 lac to 50.00 lac and thereby risk is distributed among millions of customers which entails lower rate of classification than big loans where all eggs are put in a few baskets. As such, most of the banks have undertaken aggressive marketing policy to increase exposure in SME and Retail Credit to minimize lending risk through portfolio diversification.
Problems
However, the growth of SME is not exempted from the setback as appended below:
SME loan is basically term financing and repaid on installment basis, but historically the business people in our country are accustomed to and prefer continuous loan (cash credit-hypo, overdraft etc) causing slow pace of disbursement of SME loans.
A lion's share of SME loans (80%) is availed of for trading purpose, instead of manufacturing/service industries. Eventually, the purpose of SME loans to support the economic development of the country may not be served properly.
As per Bangladesh Bank policy, provision on unclassified SME loans is maintained at a higher rate (2%) than the corporate and commercial lending (1%) which appears to be contradictory to the spirits of the programme.
SME loan is predominantly supervisory credit and requires more manpower to conduct supervision, monitoring and recovery works and as such, big chunk of profit is not possible over night. Besides, the private sector banks are more profit oriented and prefer financing to big and corporate customers towards achieving year on year increased profit target.
As per Bangladesh Bank guidelines, SME is broadly categorized in 3 sectors: a) manufacturing, b) trading and c) service. While manufacturing and service sectors are prioritized allowing almost 100% re-finance but trading sector hardly gets 20% refinance, though it constitutes more than 80% of total SME portfolio. Besides, refinance has to be claimed on quarterly basis and replenishment is made after one month and above. As such, refinance package may not be so attractive to the banks.
Boosting of manufacturing and service sector no doubt is imperative for economic development of the country. If we look at the performance of manufacturing and service sectors the following weaknesses may be observed:
a) Marketing is a big problem for SME products caused for lack of competitiveness with large industries endowed with the advantage of strong marketing network and price competitiveness due to the big volume of production capacity.
b) Our workers lack technical knowledge to produce quality items. For example, jam/jelly/juice produced in our country has no qualitative match with the imported ones, even with the mango juice and jam/jelly of Bhutan though mango is not abundantly grown in Bhutan. Fortunately, various kinds of fruits are grown abundantly in different parts of our country but unfortunately, we cannot avail the opportunity to produce quality jam/jelly/juice from those produce.
c) Protection of infant industries should be the important criteria for industrialization in any country including Bangladesh. But unfortunately our infant industries lack such protection entailing slowed down pace of industrial development.
Recommendations
Extension of credit facility, no doubt, is a necessary condition to boost SME and Bangladesh Bank refinance scheme is also the timely approach. But these are not the sufficient conditions; rather promotion, facilitation, marketing supports and protection of infant industry are imperative in a state of merger and acquisition all over the world. Marketing of SME products should be facilitated and given highest priority where both private sector and the government should take the lead.
The traditional attitude of the bankers to earn more profit shall have to be changed to contribute to economic development of the country promoting SME. Bangladesh Bank may implement a 'one third' policy of lending i.e. one third of total credit exposures of a bank should be in corporate, one third in retail and one third in consumer. Refinance may also be allowed on monthly basis extending up to 50% for trading. The government may also help motivate the bankers to change their attitude from corporate to SME customers allowing tax rebate for financing in SME sectors.
Though, Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) has been established long back to promote small and cottage industries of the country, but could not be made so effective, rather the organization is now on the verge of closure. Since BSCIC has wide network all over the country with established set up, it may be well integrated with today's SME concept to start the journey of industrialization afresh and so to save both time and money in the process.
The government should also come up with pragmatic policies and take appropriate measures to support and patronize SME as a thrust sector with more incentive package like subsidy in water, gas, electricity, export benefits etc. Above all, the basic concept for industrialization which lies in the integration of SME with big industries shall have to be implemented with highest national priority.
Cheated workers forced to buy fake passports
High commission in KL allegedly unwilling to help them
The Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia allegedly has been exhibiting unwillingness to stand by its compatriot migrant workers there, while a well organised racket of Bangladeshi passport forgers comprising nationals of both countries is raking in a large sum of money by selling fake passports to workers desperate to return home.
Migrant Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, who were cheated and abused, are being forced to buy the fake passports because the high commission allegedly is not helping them in obtaining the travel documents required to return home, according to sources observing manpower trade between the two countries.
Involvement of some official of a few airlines and of Malaysian immigration at Kuala Lumpur Airport in the racket is also suspected, as they recently allowed a group of workers to travel with fake passports, the sources added.
The hapless workers are being put in the predicament by their Malaysian employers or employment agents who confiscate their passports on arrival there, but finally either leave them unemployed or employed in jobs with remunerations less than what they had been promised, or abuse them in many ways at work, forcing them to leave the jobs, the sources said.
The nightmarish details of the ill fate of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, the gruesome greed of the passport forgers, and the stone cold alleged indifference of the Bangladesh High Commission towards its compatriots came to light after 45 Bangladeshis, who had returned home from that country on April 25 using fake passports, told the immigration police here that they had to pay 3,000 to 4,000 Malaysian Ringit equivalent to Tk 60,000 to Tk 80,000 to get each of the light blue forged passports, while the colour of a real Bangladeshi passport is deep green.
Zia International Airport police on Saturday filed a case against the fake passport holding returnee Bangladeshis, their recruiting agencies, manpower exporters, and cabin crew and management of GMG Airlines that flew the workers back to Dhaka.
"The names were also fakes on the forged passports, which compelled us to mention two names of each person in the case -- one mentioned on the passport and the original name," an immigration police official told on Sunday.
He said police previously found cases when travellers forged passports by replacing pictures, but this is the first case of full passport forgery, when entirely fake passports have been printed. "We are not yet sure whether the passports were printed in Bangladesh or Malaysia."
There is no proof of any previous journey by the passport holders on the fake passports, which suggests the passports were probably printed in Malaysia, as the returnee workers came directly from there, the immigration police official said.
Quoting the returnees, he said once the workers arrived in Malaysia, their employers confiscated their passports. And as they were later either not provided with jobs with pays and perks promised earlier or cheated otherwise, the workers were forced to escape from the workplaces.
Finding no other suitable job, the cheated and ill treated workers were forced to buy fake passports to return home, he added.
Asked why the names of the victims were included in the case, the immigration police said they do have sympathies for the abused workers, but had no alternative because according to the immigration and passport acts the workers had broken the law by carrying fake passports.
On whether the police will try to stretch its probe to Kuala Lumpur, he said they already took the matter to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment. A high level inquiry should be carried out on the matter, the immigration police official said.
A Bangladeshi expert working in Malaysia, for an NGO working with migrant workers there, told The Daily Star that there are thousands of cases when workers are hired by Malaysian companies often through employment agents, but finally the workers do not get the jobs promised or are horrendously exploited at workplaces.
Many instances are there where workers are inhumanely forced to work very long hours in exchange for measly wages and inadequate food, often prompting the workers to protest and leave the jobs. A several hundred workers recently returned from Malaysia due to such circumstances there.
Although, Bangladesh High Commission there opened 'safe shelters' so the abused and cheated workers may stay there until their job related troubles are settled, according to media reports the 'shelters' are so crammed that many ill fated workers had to stay on riverbanks under the open sky in Kuala Lumpur.
"There is a nexus of recruiting agencies, their agents in Malaysia, and some officials of Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, who not only discourage the troubled workers from returning home, but also sometimes compel them to join whatever job is available or just to continue to remain in the foreign land without any sign of hope.," said a cheated worker who had returned home from Malaysia in January.
The syndicate's new enthusiasm in continuing to keep the ill fated workers in Malaysia by any means necessary, was prompted by a movement in Bangladesh against the ill practices there, which had been launched by a number of recently returned workers who are now realising compensations from their recruiting agencies, the returned worker said.
He also said cases against the returnee workers holding fake passports should be dropped, instead the manpower exporters, recruiting agencies, and the employers who cheated them should be tried first.
When contacted, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur M Khairuzzaman said it is not true that the high commission discourages workers from returning home.
"We are rather trying to rehabilitate workers with employment troubles. We blacklisted a few recruiting agencies for failure to maintain promises they made to workers," he said.
If the passports were fake, the immigration at Kuala Lumpur should have held the passport holders, Khairuzzaman said.
The Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia allegedly has been exhibiting unwillingness to stand by its compatriot migrant workers there, while a well organised racket of Bangladeshi passport forgers comprising nationals of both countries is raking in a large sum of money by selling fake passports to workers desperate to return home.
Migrant Bangladeshi workers in Malaysia, who were cheated and abused, are being forced to buy the fake passports because the high commission allegedly is not helping them in obtaining the travel documents required to return home, according to sources observing manpower trade between the two countries.
Involvement of some official of a few airlines and of Malaysian immigration at Kuala Lumpur Airport in the racket is also suspected, as they recently allowed a group of workers to travel with fake passports, the sources added.
The hapless workers are being put in the predicament by their Malaysian employers or employment agents who confiscate their passports on arrival there, but finally either leave them unemployed or employed in jobs with remunerations less than what they had been promised, or abuse them in many ways at work, forcing them to leave the jobs, the sources said.
The nightmarish details of the ill fate of Bangladeshi migrant workers in Malaysia, the gruesome greed of the passport forgers, and the stone cold alleged indifference of the Bangladesh High Commission towards its compatriots came to light after 45 Bangladeshis, who had returned home from that country on April 25 using fake passports, told the immigration police here that they had to pay 3,000 to 4,000 Malaysian Ringit equivalent to Tk 60,000 to Tk 80,000 to get each of the light blue forged passports, while the colour of a real Bangladeshi passport is deep green.
Zia International Airport police on Saturday filed a case against the fake passport holding returnee Bangladeshis, their recruiting agencies, manpower exporters, and cabin crew and management of GMG Airlines that flew the workers back to Dhaka.
"The names were also fakes on the forged passports, which compelled us to mention two names of each person in the case -- one mentioned on the passport and the original name," an immigration police official told on Sunday.
He said police previously found cases when travellers forged passports by replacing pictures, but this is the first case of full passport forgery, when entirely fake passports have been printed. "We are not yet sure whether the passports were printed in Bangladesh or Malaysia."
There is no proof of any previous journey by the passport holders on the fake passports, which suggests the passports were probably printed in Malaysia, as the returnee workers came directly from there, the immigration police official said.
Quoting the returnees, he said once the workers arrived in Malaysia, their employers confiscated their passports. And as they were later either not provided with jobs with pays and perks promised earlier or cheated otherwise, the workers were forced to escape from the workplaces.
Finding no other suitable job, the cheated and ill treated workers were forced to buy fake passports to return home, he added.
Asked why the names of the victims were included in the case, the immigration police said they do have sympathies for the abused workers, but had no alternative because according to the immigration and passport acts the workers had broken the law by carrying fake passports.
On whether the police will try to stretch its probe to Kuala Lumpur, he said they already took the matter to the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment. A high level inquiry should be carried out on the matter, the immigration police official said.
A Bangladeshi expert working in Malaysia, for an NGO working with migrant workers there, told The Daily Star that there are thousands of cases when workers are hired by Malaysian companies often through employment agents, but finally the workers do not get the jobs promised or are horrendously exploited at workplaces.
Many instances are there where workers are inhumanely forced to work very long hours in exchange for measly wages and inadequate food, often prompting the workers to protest and leave the jobs. A several hundred workers recently returned from Malaysia due to such circumstances there.
Although, Bangladesh High Commission there opened 'safe shelters' so the abused and cheated workers may stay there until their job related troubles are settled, according to media reports the 'shelters' are so crammed that many ill fated workers had to stay on riverbanks under the open sky in Kuala Lumpur.
"There is a nexus of recruiting agencies, their agents in Malaysia, and some officials of Bangladesh High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, who not only discourage the troubled workers from returning home, but also sometimes compel them to join whatever job is available or just to continue to remain in the foreign land without any sign of hope.," said a cheated worker who had returned home from Malaysia in January.
The syndicate's new enthusiasm in continuing to keep the ill fated workers in Malaysia by any means necessary, was prompted by a movement in Bangladesh against the ill practices there, which had been launched by a number of recently returned workers who are now realising compensations from their recruiting agencies, the returned worker said.
He also said cases against the returnee workers holding fake passports should be dropped, instead the manpower exporters, recruiting agencies, and the employers who cheated them should be tried first.
When contacted, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur M Khairuzzaman said it is not true that the high commission discourages workers from returning home.
"We are rather trying to rehabilitate workers with employment troubles. We blacklisted a few recruiting agencies for failure to maintain promises they made to workers," he said.
If the passports were fake, the immigration at Kuala Lumpur should have held the passport holders, Khairuzzaman said.
1/11 and lessons thereof
It is not uncommon these days to see many concerned citizens and experts of different disciplines speaking intensely on the virtues of unfettered democracy and how its absence has been adversely affecting the orderly and civilized growth of our society. Curiously enough, a good number of such impassioned advocates of freedom and liberty were conspicuously quiet when the very durability of our democratic polity became doubtful in the not-too-distant past.
Under circumstances as above, would it be unfair to question the genuineness of our cravings for a truly democratic dispensation? Doubts arise because we have seen a political temper that has pressed a partisan advantage to a bitter end, which could not understand and respect the adversaries and hardly ever felt the unity between all citizens.
It was also our unfortunate experience to witness that our democracy did not depend upon habits of consent and compromise that are essential attributes of mature political societies. We did not see a lawful government by the majority under the rule of abiding law and with freedom of opposition and dissent. The spirit of moderation did not prevail and our society degenerated into divisions and hatred replaced goodwill.
In a scenario as above, it was only natural to expect changes as of 11th January 2007. The important question, however, is, what lessons have we learnt from 1/11 and how we can benefit from the reform and restoration efforts of the extended caretaker government. This is crucial because we can longer foolishly expect to be free while remaining ignorant.
It is perhaps time to realize that following the birth of our republic our leaders did not concentrate on creating and maintaining quality institutions. As a result, we have not seen the arrival of new generation of committed leaders who could possibly be the bright products of excellent institutions. One needs to know if we have downgraded and devalued the few institutions which existed when we became a republic.
Readers may perhaps agree that one significant lesson learnt from 1/11 and events thereafter is the admirable effort to punish the high and mighty who gave a damn to the law and propriety and considered themselves above the reach of state machinery. While it is for the courts to pronounce on their culpability, the fact remains that the regulatory outfit at last found its teeth to bite and may be setting a precedent whereby potential and actual predators of our public life may be restrained before venturing into large scale malfeasance and misfeasance.
In post 1/11 Bangladesh, the primacy of building and strengthening corrective and regulatory institutions has attracted our attention. The requirement now is to carry on the good work and consolidate them in a structured fashion with necessary support by means of legislation and regulation as deemed fit. The political executives have to learn to do things within the book and hold aloft the majesty and supremacy of the judiciary.
The pre-eminence of Election Commission and the urgency of setting that house in order had received highest attention. We need to be cognizant of the reality that if national level election is not conducted properly then all other elections lose its meaning and if elections are held in a faulty and surreptitious manner then no trust will be reposed in the victors, no matter how well-intentioned they may actually be.
The urgent necessity of ensuring the democratic functioning of the political parties has been impressed upon with a view to firmly establishing the roots of democracy. It is for the politicians to create the right environment by effectively de-feudalizing their mindset.
A lesson to be learnt from 1/11 is that we need to appreciate the varying degree of the staying power of democracy and that a near political breakdown did occur due to the weaknesses of our political institutions. We also need to take note of the reality that our institutions have become fragile and our constitution has been made so pliant that it could be bent to any whim or caprice of the ruling group. Our political institutions could not acquire the desired durability through time and tradition.
We have to agree that our economic malaise would have been less unbearable if our basic freedoms were not eroded, the strength of our political institutions not sapped and our public life not degraded. We must note that the dictatorial tone of the establishment have practically subordinated the individual to the government so completely that, with some exceptions, the nation is now made up of one-dimensional persons. This dwarfing process initiated by the political parties has created bunches of time servers only, to the detriment of a vibrant political culture.
Another lesson to be learnt is that to our peril we vigorously started the process of emasculating the judiciary. The sad spectacle was one of failure to defend judges against political pressures and threats and the compounding misfeasance of failing to insist upon integrity and impartiality in judicial appointments. The political class has connived in superseding of judges of caliber and courage while appointing persons who allegedly subscribed to the philosophy of ruling party.
We have to admit that the quality of our public life has reached an all-time low. The Anti-corruption measures since 1/11, 2007 shows that politics has become tattered and tainted with crime. Equally depressing has been the reality that ignorance, incompetence and dishonesty have not been disqualifications for high public office, either in ministerial ranks or elsewhere.
Curiously enough, as of now, an important feature of our national life is the powerlessness of the powerful. We have perhaps reached a stage where the authority can order things but can not get desired results. There is not much structure of real substance and credible delivery on ground. Institutions have been weakened and corrupted to a fearful and debilitating extent.
We must not be struck by the mood of despair and pessimism of the privileged who think we are a failed state. The deprived and the under-privileged have to fight for civil liberties and equal rights and in this the intelligentsia has to side with them. While our poor suffer, our middle class, intelligentsia and the professional groups must empathize with them.
We have to experiment with new concepts in social sector, devise new delivery systems, test them and approach authority to accept them. We have to lobby for change and persist in our efforts by organizing people at various levels. Surely all these are calls for a new breed of politicians.
We must be pragmatic to focus our attention on the level of people's participation in western democracies. In there, from local politics to voluntary groups, from being a watchdog to monitor government activities to providing help to the hapless and the needy, most citizens are ready to spare time, money and effort. Those who look in awe at the American technological advance should study the history of universities like Harvard and MIT, and the role played by land-grant colleges. They have to know how affluent American professionals and industrialists donate money and establish institutions.
Perhaps the most remarkable fact of our political life is the absence of public response to the ominous slide of order in the society. One has to bear in mind that the state and its institutions are indispensable to any genuine societal progress, howsoever mangled and manipulated they may have been due to machinations of successive ruling classes. The other reality is that the state as an apparatus has an extensive reach that can fix matters. We have to control the drift of yesteryears to prevent chaos and anarchy. Steering the state from rough waters is certainly the onerous job of politicians.
Under circumstances as above, would it be unfair to question the genuineness of our cravings for a truly democratic dispensation? Doubts arise because we have seen a political temper that has pressed a partisan advantage to a bitter end, which could not understand and respect the adversaries and hardly ever felt the unity between all citizens.
It was also our unfortunate experience to witness that our democracy did not depend upon habits of consent and compromise that are essential attributes of mature political societies. We did not see a lawful government by the majority under the rule of abiding law and with freedom of opposition and dissent. The spirit of moderation did not prevail and our society degenerated into divisions and hatred replaced goodwill.
In a scenario as above, it was only natural to expect changes as of 11th January 2007. The important question, however, is, what lessons have we learnt from 1/11 and how we can benefit from the reform and restoration efforts of the extended caretaker government. This is crucial because we can longer foolishly expect to be free while remaining ignorant.
It is perhaps time to realize that following the birth of our republic our leaders did not concentrate on creating and maintaining quality institutions. As a result, we have not seen the arrival of new generation of committed leaders who could possibly be the bright products of excellent institutions. One needs to know if we have downgraded and devalued the few institutions which existed when we became a republic.
Readers may perhaps agree that one significant lesson learnt from 1/11 and events thereafter is the admirable effort to punish the high and mighty who gave a damn to the law and propriety and considered themselves above the reach of state machinery. While it is for the courts to pronounce on their culpability, the fact remains that the regulatory outfit at last found its teeth to bite and may be setting a precedent whereby potential and actual predators of our public life may be restrained before venturing into large scale malfeasance and misfeasance.
In post 1/11 Bangladesh, the primacy of building and strengthening corrective and regulatory institutions has attracted our attention. The requirement now is to carry on the good work and consolidate them in a structured fashion with necessary support by means of legislation and regulation as deemed fit. The political executives have to learn to do things within the book and hold aloft the majesty and supremacy of the judiciary.
The pre-eminence of Election Commission and the urgency of setting that house in order had received highest attention. We need to be cognizant of the reality that if national level election is not conducted properly then all other elections lose its meaning and if elections are held in a faulty and surreptitious manner then no trust will be reposed in the victors, no matter how well-intentioned they may actually be.
The urgent necessity of ensuring the democratic functioning of the political parties has been impressed upon with a view to firmly establishing the roots of democracy. It is for the politicians to create the right environment by effectively de-feudalizing their mindset.
A lesson to be learnt from 1/11 is that we need to appreciate the varying degree of the staying power of democracy and that a near political breakdown did occur due to the weaknesses of our political institutions. We also need to take note of the reality that our institutions have become fragile and our constitution has been made so pliant that it could be bent to any whim or caprice of the ruling group. Our political institutions could not acquire the desired durability through time and tradition.
We have to agree that our economic malaise would have been less unbearable if our basic freedoms were not eroded, the strength of our political institutions not sapped and our public life not degraded. We must note that the dictatorial tone of the establishment have practically subordinated the individual to the government so completely that, with some exceptions, the nation is now made up of one-dimensional persons. This dwarfing process initiated by the political parties has created bunches of time servers only, to the detriment of a vibrant political culture.
Another lesson to be learnt is that to our peril we vigorously started the process of emasculating the judiciary. The sad spectacle was one of failure to defend judges against political pressures and threats and the compounding misfeasance of failing to insist upon integrity and impartiality in judicial appointments. The political class has connived in superseding of judges of caliber and courage while appointing persons who allegedly subscribed to the philosophy of ruling party.
We have to admit that the quality of our public life has reached an all-time low. The Anti-corruption measures since 1/11, 2007 shows that politics has become tattered and tainted with crime. Equally depressing has been the reality that ignorance, incompetence and dishonesty have not been disqualifications for high public office, either in ministerial ranks or elsewhere.
Curiously enough, as of now, an important feature of our national life is the powerlessness of the powerful. We have perhaps reached a stage where the authority can order things but can not get desired results. There is not much structure of real substance and credible delivery on ground. Institutions have been weakened and corrupted to a fearful and debilitating extent.
We must not be struck by the mood of despair and pessimism of the privileged who think we are a failed state. The deprived and the under-privileged have to fight for civil liberties and equal rights and in this the intelligentsia has to side with them. While our poor suffer, our middle class, intelligentsia and the professional groups must empathize with them.
We have to experiment with new concepts in social sector, devise new delivery systems, test them and approach authority to accept them. We have to lobby for change and persist in our efforts by organizing people at various levels. Surely all these are calls for a new breed of politicians.
We must be pragmatic to focus our attention on the level of people's participation in western democracies. In there, from local politics to voluntary groups, from being a watchdog to monitor government activities to providing help to the hapless and the needy, most citizens are ready to spare time, money and effort. Those who look in awe at the American technological advance should study the history of universities like Harvard and MIT, and the role played by land-grant colleges. They have to know how affluent American professionals and industrialists donate money and establish institutions.
Perhaps the most remarkable fact of our political life is the absence of public response to the ominous slide of order in the society. One has to bear in mind that the state and its institutions are indispensable to any genuine societal progress, howsoever mangled and manipulated they may have been due to machinations of successive ruling classes. The other reality is that the state as an apparatus has an extensive reach that can fix matters. We have to control the drift of yesteryears to prevent chaos and anarchy. Steering the state from rough waters is certainly the onerous job of politicians.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Nargis gathers strength, moves slowly
Almost stationary in the Bay, cyclone Nargis has gathered more strength, intensifying into a "severe cyclonic storm", and is moving north very slowly. It may hit the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast.A Met Office special bulletin said yesterday evening that Nargis was lying over west central Bay and adjoining southwest Bay 1,155km from Chittagong coast, 1090km away from Cox's Bazar and 1,030km from Mongla coast with minimum sustained wind speed between 90kmph and 120kmph within the 54km radius of its centre.
The first cyclonic storm since the deadly Sidr, Nargis is likely to intensify further.
This satellite image shows Nargis hovering near
southwest Bay of Bengal yesterday.
"It is too early to comment about when and where the storm will hit. At this stage, a cyclonic storm frequently changes its course," said Arzumand Habib, director of Dhaka Meteorological Office. "But probably it is going to hit the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast," she said.
The Met Office said they will confirm today the possible time and place of the hit.
It already declared Nargis as a severe cyclonic storm since its wind speed crossed 89kmph. If the wind speed crosses 120kmph, the storm will be categorised as "very severe" and if the wind speed crosses 150kmph, it will be labelled as "hurricane wind", the Met Office sources said.
Maritime ports in Chittagong, Cox's Bazar and Mongla have been asked to keep hoisting distant signal No. 2.
The Met Office warned that the sea will be rough over the North Bay and advised all fishing boats and trawlers to stay close to the coast until further notice.
Over 3,000 people were killed in cyclone Sidr last November while over thousand have still remained missing. The cyclone with a wind speed of 210kmph also caused damage to huge assets and crops and millions of people lost their livelihood while many have not yet been able to rebuild their homes.
Meanwhile, panic gripped people as soon as they heard about forming of cyclone Nargis.
Chittagong reports: Local administration at all coastal areas of the district was put on alert yesterday.
"Although cyclone Nargis is still over 1,100km away from Bangladesh coast, we have started making preparations to face its dangers and save lives and properties," Abdul Halim, district relief and rehabilitation officer, said yesterday afternoon.
He said administration in the upazilas is alerting people at Mirersari, Sitakunda, Sandwip, Anwara, Banshkhali, Chandanaish and Satkania.
Sources meanwhile alleged that most of around 403 cyclone shelters in Chittagong have long been lying uncared for.
The number of cyclone shelters is also inadequate to provide shelter to over 7 lakh people living in the coastal belt of Chittagong, the sources said, adding that the district administration has, however, sent a proposal to the higher authorities for setting up around 70 more cyclone shelters.
Patuakhali reports: Hundreds of fishing trawlers started taking shelters at different points along the coast including Mohipur, Kuakata, Galachipa, Rangabali and Sonar Char as the sea has already become very rough.
The district administration said they are ready to face the impact of cyclone Nargis, if any.
The district administrators in Khulna and Bagerhat have also taken precautionary measures, reports our correspondent in Khulna. Field workers of all NGOs in the district have also been kept on alert to face any circumstance and carry out rescue operation.
Panic has gripped people of Sharankhola and Morelganj upazilas where the inhabitants are yet to recover from the devastation of cyclone Sidr.
International Dance Day celebration '08
Highlighting dancers from all corners of the countryAs part of this year's three-day long International Dance Day celebration, on the second day (April 28) the organisers -- Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) and Bangladesh Nrityashilpi Sangstha (BNS) -- arranged several programmes at different venues in Dhaka.
(Clockwise from top) A creative composition by dancers from Sylhet, Lathi Khela by Kishoregonj Dance Troupe, artistes of Chittagong Nrityashilpi Sangstha perform at the programme.
In the evening, a dance performance -- featuring thirteen troupes from different parts of Bangladesh -- was held at the National Theatre Stage, BSA. It was a great opportunity for dance artistes from different parts of Bangladesh to showcase their traditional dance forms and celebrate International Dance Day in harmony.
A discussion was held prior to the dance performances. Noted dancer Golam Mustafa Khan gave the welcome speech. Speaking at the programme, Manipuri dance exponent Anil Kishan Singha said, “As a gesture of joy, not only human beings but other creatures too, dance.” Singha was a special guest at the programme. Theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuff and Rafiqul Islam, chairman, Jibon Bima Corporation were other special guests.
Dr. Enamul Haque, former secretary, Ministry for Culture Affairs was the chief guest.
Veteran dancer Rahiza Khanam Jhunu presided over the discussion. She said, “Preserving and developing our dance forms will be a lot easier if we (dancers) get a chance to work together with other sectors of culture.”
The evening started with a Manipuri dance by artistes of Manipuri Academy of Fine Arts. The dance form is widely practiced in the Sylhet region in Bangladesh and Manipur in India. The artistes performed the Mridanga dance at the programme.
Performances by the members of Shilpakala Academy, Rajbari and Nrityashilpi Sangstha, Bogra followed.
The highlight of the programme was the indigenous dance forms. Several indigenous troupes showcased their traditional art forms at the programme. The Marma and Tripura artistes of Khagrachhari Cultural Institute performed "bottle dance" and "pori dance" respectively.
Artistes of Upajatiyo Cultural Institute, Rajshahi and Cox's Bazar Sangskritik Kendra performed a Santal dance on the theme of "welcoming the bride" and the "Rakhaing Rain Dance” respectively.
Members of Chittagong Nrityashilpi Sangstha and Rajshahi Nrityashilpi Sangstha performed classical dance at the programme.
Dancers from Sylhet, Manikganj, Khulna and Rangpur also performed at the programme.
"Lathi Khela" by Kishorgonj Dance Troupe was quite enjoyable and unique.
The evening ended with a Rakhaing dance.
Rationalizing Fuel Price: So far a half done act
If you have hundred taka to give subsidy, whom do you give it to? A labourer to buy food or a private car owner worried about rising fuel price? Also, don't treat fuel and fertiliser similarly. Why, would you ask?
The way we are going to open this article may seem like dramatizing, but it is not. We will come to the point - in the later part.
All fuels should be brought into market price. All means all - petrol, diesel, cng, everytihng.
Also, do not tie this policy with the price of fertiliser, even though they are related. We hope to deal that issue separately at a later date.
So, if all the prices of fuel is left to catch up the market price and more importantly, to fluctuate, then how it is going to affect the lives of people and how will that influence the macro-economic stability? Just to highlight the issue, let us give an illustraion here:
FBCCI President Anisul Huq spends probably less than one percent of his income on the fuel cost for his private car. However, the fuel that he buys for his car is also subsidized by the Bangladeshi taxpayers! And if the fuel price increases to reflect the international market price and the price fluctuates, it will not be a problem for Mr. Huq or people like him.
Now consider the situation of the worker who work in one of the garment factory that Mr. Huq owns or any other workers for that matter. What percent of their income they spend on transportation? Also, if you consider the situation of a government official who does not take bribe, how does the price increase of fuel affect (if the person has one or two school/college going children, the situation also worsens).
Also, consider the another two illustrations - from the perspective of input into production system. What happens if the price of electricity or fuel goes up? Do that create an existential problem for Mr. Huq's businesses? Probably not. It will cut into his margin probably, but he will be afloat doing business and at the same time will be self-respectful since he as a rich man do not take subsidy from the poor people of the country. I am sure, people like Mr. Huq has good intensions for the general people in the heart. However, we do not know for sure yet.
How about the other input - price of diesel and electricity affects the farmers, too. If these prices doubles, what happens to this farmer?
We have tried to illustrate constrasts in two different scenarios of fuel price increase - one as transportation cost and another as input to production system. These contrasts has to be taken into affect and address the concerns.
Listening to the IMF as they say it would not solve your problem. I do not know what they have in their mind (it can't be something good!). However, we can say this safely - they always suggest something that is easy for them.
Solving a problem is not an easy thing - specifically when you do policy making. The problem of our older generation is that when it comes to the choice between "doing it easy way" and "doing it right way", they have so far chosen the first option. But they need to learn doing it right way - even if that is imperfect, comlex and hard to implement. When something is hard to implement, that is good - because that will create more employement. Don't know what I am talking about? Think - you will know. Or send us a message, we can elaborate the details for you peoples.
Just to illustrate a problem, please allow us to describe one thing. Dr. Tamim is now the Energy Adviser, isn't it? But before that, what he used to do? He was a senior teacher in his faculty/department, or least he is not a junior teacher who doesn't have any say in policy making. Lets see what do they do in BUET as far as policy making. In other universities, there is always problem with elections when it comes to the choice of dean and chairman of different faculty and department. However, in BUET, there is usually no election. Thats should be a good thing you would think - since BUET could follow an international standard method of choosing a department chair or a faculty dean. But that is very complex method and it needs to practice judgement on the part of senior teachers. So, BUET teachers do not go that way - why? Because it is complex, to say the least. Off course, there are other issues beyond the scope of this discussion. So, how do they choose chairman or dean in BUET, you must be thinking. Its funny - they have a rule of rotation - every tenured professor in the department will become both chairman and/or dean - even though we know that many people do know a thing about managing a department or a faculty. But still, they have this rule. Why? Because, it is easy for them to implement. By doing that they have compromised a very basic thing about the development of a university - that is competence and use of merit. So, what do you expect from a guy like Dr. Tamim? Its much easier for him to go for the easiest choie - which is treat all of those above-mentioned scenario equally. That will make his job easier, isn't it? Who cares about competence, merit, good of the people, good of the institution? After all, most of our experts in our country becomes expert by memorizing text-books! May be its our problem that we expect too much from these professors, secretaries and other professionals.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columinsts in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
The way we are going to open this article may seem like dramatizing, but it is not. We will come to the point - in the later part.
All fuels should be brought into market price. All means all - petrol, diesel, cng, everytihng.
Also, do not tie this policy with the price of fertiliser, even though they are related. We hope to deal that issue separately at a later date.
So, if all the prices of fuel is left to catch up the market price and more importantly, to fluctuate, then how it is going to affect the lives of people and how will that influence the macro-economic stability? Just to highlight the issue, let us give an illustraion here:
FBCCI President Anisul Huq spends probably less than one percent of his income on the fuel cost for his private car. However, the fuel that he buys for his car is also subsidized by the Bangladeshi taxpayers! And if the fuel price increases to reflect the international market price and the price fluctuates, it will not be a problem for Mr. Huq or people like him.
Now consider the situation of the worker who work in one of the garment factory that Mr. Huq owns or any other workers for that matter. What percent of their income they spend on transportation? Also, if you consider the situation of a government official who does not take bribe, how does the price increase of fuel affect (if the person has one or two school/college going children, the situation also worsens).
Also, consider the another two illustrations - from the perspective of input into production system. What happens if the price of electricity or fuel goes up? Do that create an existential problem for Mr. Huq's businesses? Probably not. It will cut into his margin probably, but he will be afloat doing business and at the same time will be self-respectful since he as a rich man do not take subsidy from the poor people of the country. I am sure, people like Mr. Huq has good intensions for the general people in the heart. However, we do not know for sure yet.
How about the other input - price of diesel and electricity affects the farmers, too. If these prices doubles, what happens to this farmer?
We have tried to illustrate constrasts in two different scenarios of fuel price increase - one as transportation cost and another as input to production system. These contrasts has to be taken into affect and address the concerns.
Listening to the IMF as they say it would not solve your problem. I do not know what they have in their mind (it can't be something good!). However, we can say this safely - they always suggest something that is easy for them.
Solving a problem is not an easy thing - specifically when you do policy making. The problem of our older generation is that when it comes to the choice between "doing it easy way" and "doing it right way", they have so far chosen the first option. But they need to learn doing it right way - even if that is imperfect, comlex and hard to implement. When something is hard to implement, that is good - because that will create more employement. Don't know what I am talking about? Think - you will know. Or send us a message, we can elaborate the details for you peoples.
Just to illustrate a problem, please allow us to describe one thing. Dr. Tamim is now the Energy Adviser, isn't it? But before that, what he used to do? He was a senior teacher in his faculty/department, or least he is not a junior teacher who doesn't have any say in policy making. Lets see what do they do in BUET as far as policy making. In other universities, there is always problem with elections when it comes to the choice of dean and chairman of different faculty and department. However, in BUET, there is usually no election. Thats should be a good thing you would think - since BUET could follow an international standard method of choosing a department chair or a faculty dean. But that is very complex method and it needs to practice judgement on the part of senior teachers. So, BUET teachers do not go that way - why? Because it is complex, to say the least. Off course, there are other issues beyond the scope of this discussion. So, how do they choose chairman or dean in BUET, you must be thinking. Its funny - they have a rule of rotation - every tenured professor in the department will become both chairman and/or dean - even though we know that many people do know a thing about managing a department or a faculty. But still, they have this rule. Why? Because, it is easy for them to implement. By doing that they have compromised a very basic thing about the development of a university - that is competence and use of merit. So, what do you expect from a guy like Dr. Tamim? Its much easier for him to go for the easiest choie - which is treat all of those above-mentioned scenario equally. That will make his job easier, isn't it? Who cares about competence, merit, good of the people, good of the institution? After all, most of our experts in our country becomes expert by memorizing text-books! May be its our problem that we expect too much from these professors, secretaries and other professionals.
If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columinsts in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence.
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