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Thursday, August 30, 2012

[chottala.com] DigitAL corruption: PM’s circle holy no more

PM's circle holy no more

Ataus Samad

The malodorous slick of corruption has now flowed in right up to the
doorstep of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). And the sickening flow
is threatening to become a huge dark wave as the amount of money
stolen from just one state-owned bank, where Awami League predators
prowl, has set a record even in this corruption-ridden country. One of
alleged ring-leaders in this unbelievable bank-fraud had been seen in
close proximity of one of the cabinet-ranking advisers of Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With this latest scandal breaking out from the deep dark shadows into
the glare of public knowledge the number of official advisers of the
Prime Minister who have been named in relation to cases of alleged
corruption and swindling stands at three out of six. These advisers
sit at the PMO. Also, one minister and another former minister are
subject of investigation either for alleged corruption or for
wrongdoing. However, these five are only a few among many. Upon
completing her first year in office Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had
claimed that none has been able to point a finger for corruption at
any member of her cabinet in that time and that's what made the
difference between her government and that of BNP-led four-party
alliance (2001 ­ 2006).

At that time she had brushed aside the newspaper reports appearing
very frequently of grabbing government contracts by force by members
of the Awami League and its front organisations. Those reports were
often accompanied by photographs of armed violence by the
contract-grabbers. Even now the Prime Minister and persons seeking her
favour react angrily to any suggestion that people near to her as well
as other influential Awami Leaguers are indulging in corruption. But
howsoever loudly Sheikh Hasina and her friends may protest it is now
clear to all that she and her government have been unable or unwilling
to control corruption. And there is little that she can do now to
scrub clean this sullied image of her party, government and even that
of some of her kith and kin as investigations into charges of
corruption related to the Bangladesh government have spread to other
countries (e.g, Canada and USA). If the government wished then a fresh
case could be investigated in Netherlands.

The latest episode is, however, stunning. An inspection team of the
Bangladesh Bank has discovered that an amount of Tk.3547 crores has
been spirited away from the Sonali Bank, the largest of the
state-owned banks, by way of loans and false letters of credit. Out of
this astronomical figure just one company, by the name of Hall Mark,
took Tk. 2686.14 crores. This money was siphoned out through just one
branch of the bank in Dhaka. By some strange coincident Prime
Minister's adviser reputed ophthalmologist Syed Modasser used to visit
that branch of the bank as well as had been a guest of honour with the
Hall Mark group on several occasions. Dr. Modasser however claims his
activities to be political socialisation. Interestingly, on one
occasion when he was at that particular branch of the bank present too
was an inquiry team of the Bangladesh Bank.

The cabinet-ranking adviser had a friendly chat with that team. The
not-so-famous independent Anti-corruption Commission of Bangladesh is
investigating into the Sonali Bank case upon being requested by the
Bangladesh Bank. So far none has been detained for being involved with
the alleged swindle. But Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and
the Sonali Bank's Board of Directors on the one side and the
Bangladesh Bank on the other have become gloriously involved in a row
on the matter. The finance minister has said that the Bangladesh Bank
had no authority to suggest that the present board of the Sonali Bank
be sacked. And the Awami League-laden board of directors, some of whom
are also alleged to have made tons of money, has claimed that they had
nothing to do with the irregularities, in fact they say they did not
even know anything about it.

They forget the simple question: if they did not know about so much
money being skimmed off from their bank then what were they doing in
the board room? Precisely this riddle also begs an answer to the
simple question: why is the finance minister angry with the Bangladesh
Bank for finally acting up just a little. And is not it strange that
even after a prima facie case has been established by the Bangladesh
Bank not one person has been detained by the government up to
yesterday?

The ravaging of the Bangladesh Railway, the destruction of highways
and byways, the murderous situation at many a government hospital, the
skimming off of the government treasury for paying subsidy to private
small power suppliers, runaway inflation (which continues even after
the Eid-ul Fitr festival), the hopeless situation at the wrecked share
market, frequent non-political disturbances at reputed educational
institutions, nagging labour trouble in the garment industry, police's
inability to prevent murders, disappearances and deaths in road
accidents and now the rampant plunder of depositors' money from even
state-owned banks and the interference in the Grameen Bank clearly
indicate that the government of the day itself has fallen into a state
of chaos and indiscipline.

It is not only a weak, intolerant and repressive government too
willing to break the heads of protesters, but it is a government
incapable of governance. It is sad.

http://www.weeklyholiday.net/Homepage/Pages/UserHome.aspx


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[chottala.com] Transit: Opportunity or threat?

Transit: Opportunity or threat?

By Dr. Afzalur Rahman

While the government of Bangladesh is dedicated to providing transit
services to India, the people are anxious as of numerous whys and
wherefores. Internal politics of Bangladesh has been divided on the
issue related to the developments, regarding the unhindered
transportation of goods between Indian cities especially from the
Kolkata to Tripura by using the roads and river transportation system
of Bangladesh.
India has been asking Bangladesh for transit since the earlier 90's.

Today the possibility of having transit facility for India is actually
on the verge of reality. However, there are innumerable questions
hovering around the issue of transit that will not make it an easy
decision for Bangladesh government to grant the transit to India. The
process of transit will not be possibly occurring until all the
irritants between India and Bangladesh are resolved. Also there is
little possibility for Bangladesh to achieve optimum benefits from the
transit. The proposal made by India to use the port of Ashuganj and
Chittagong has triggered controversies and uncertainties.

The previous Prime Minister and current opposition leader Khaleda Zia
articulated her trepidation very lately on October 27 last year that
by providing transit to India, the existing government is trying to
turn Bangladesh into another 'Sikkim'. The governing party as well as
the pro-Indian Lobby in Bangladesh would illustrate this accusation as
one more groundless 'anti-Indian upsurge' via Khaleda Zia;
nevertheless in authenticity she has merely specified opinion to the
apprehensions of some Bangladeshi citizens. Meanwhile the transit
subjects have countless wrinkle allegations, counting national
welfares and sovereign status as per a state, it is authoritative to
acquire a strong or vibrant image of the matters tangled and similarly
by what means we can reply to the encounters forced from external but
with the involvement and associations of a segment of the presiding
government.

Why India requires transit amenities?Cost effective entry to the
Northeast states

It is a terrestrial realism that Bangladesh is 'India locked' as it is
enclosed on three edges by Indian terrains. On similar logic, the
northeast states such as Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur,
Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Tripura of India are 'Bangladesh
locked'. The purported 'Chicken's Neck' unraveling Bangladesh and
Nepal is the lone thin strip of terrestrial about 24 km in breadth
that attaches West Bengal and mainland India through the northeast
states. Carriage of goods and people over the 'Chicken's Neck' is
actually very exclusive and time overwhelming. This delays India's
entry to the resource-rich northeast. Transit amenities over
Bangladesh would be tranquil, less time consuming while there will be
less expenditure by saving two-thirds of the present cost of India
which is US$100 billion.

Eradicating NE Rebellion extortions
India has been struggling rebellion activities in the north east
province for quite some time. Populates living in these zones are
historically, ethnically, religiously, culturally dissimilar from
persons living in mainland India. These people have continuously
valued their liberation and conducted numerous fights as well as armed
fights to recognise their rights. These skirmishes are ongoing even
nowadays. India contemplates these actions dangerous to its
territorial integrity and safety, desiring to overpower them at any
price. Movement of armed people and transport of weaponries over
Bangladesh would be much at ease for India to defeat these revolution
intimidations.

Forearmed against military conflict with China
India has venerable provincial disparities with China, in the
northwest and northeast regions of the Himalayan mountain array. In
the northeast, the argument over Arunachal Pradesh (which the Chinese
call Zhangnan or South Tibet) is still unsolved. Whether the subject
matter would be stable cordially and peacefully cannot be predicted,
but India is not taking any probabilities. It has been firming up its
defense and offense readiness in these provinces for ages,
particularly after the dreadful 1962 border war with China. In recent
years, India has been assigning vast resources for the transformation
and development of its armed forces. In the northeast, strategies are
being applied to enlarge the current competences by increasing an
additional 100,000 armed forces with two divisions for mountain
conflict and special operations.

Entry to Myanmar market
Myanmar, located to the east and south east of both Bangladesh and
India, is full of natural resources including oil and gas both on the
land and in the ocean. It has also incredible prospects for harnessing
hydroelectric power. For these resources and also for tactical
motives, straight contacts and entry to Myanmar is very vital to both
China and India, the two financial or economic and military giants of
Asia. China at present has straight terrestrial routes to Myanmar, but
India has nothing of this calibre. India desires to counterbalance
this drawback by having straight terrestrial routes from its northeast
to Myanmar.None of these necessities as well as India's geo-strategic
desires in the East can be achieved without a widespread transit
arrangement through Bangladesh.

Transit with India: benefits and risks:Potential benefits:

In the form of transports like trucks and freight trains and usage of
the Chittagong and Mongla port of Bangladesh, Indian carriers are
needed to pay sums of transit fee every time they use the passage
through Bangladesh. It is reported by BBC news that the transit route
through Akhaura border post only could be worth a billion dollars once
Indian trucks use Bangladesh as passage to their north eastern wing of
India.

It is believed that once the transit is agreed many backward areas of
Bangladesh will be benefitted due to the route of the transit.
Investment in road and railway communication may develop along remote
parts of the country through which the trucks or freight trains will
pass. Apart from the development of road and rail communication,
businesses like residential hotels, restaurants, shops may open up
alongside these newly built roads for the transit of Indian goods
through Bangladesh.
It is believed that transit will open up new business which will
create employment beside the transit route which will eventually
benefit the neglected regions and help in the development of those
regions by improving their lifestyle. Transit can create scope for
Bangladesh traders as well as businesses to get access to Indian
market through the same route to do business which they could not
perform or get access easily earlier. It can be the doorway to reach
markets of Nepal and Bhutan of the South Asian region where
Bangladeshi goods have huge demand.

Transit fee can be used to construct new roads and highways and
improve the current infrastructure to support the transit of Indian
goods trucks and freights to pass through and which can also be used
by Bangladeshi freight vehicles. Besides roads and highways in the
development list, the seaports and rail lines may be developed to
provide transit access which will eventually benefit Bangladesh and
its people.

Mongla and Chittagong port which is mostly unused at the moment can be
made to run in maximum capacity with the allowance of transit to
Indian products through Bangladesh and through this process Bangladesh
may earn more money and further use this extra money to develop the
ports infrastructure into an international standard port. Moreover,
many argue that transit can be used as a tool to resolve many disputed
treaties between the two neighbors, especially Bangladesh may use this
tool to resolve the border and maritime disputes it has with neighbour
India.

Potential risks:
Some quarters argue that the transit may bring in some low points for
Bangladesh also. To begin with, the transit may cost Bangladesh
government a huge sum of money to invest in its infrastructure. About
US$10 billion in investment is needed to get the highways and roads in
proper order for the Indian trucks to ply on these.
Many are skeptical of how much transit fee the government will charge
for the passage of Indian trucks through Bangladesh. There is a risk
of under charging the transit fee and Bangladesh may end up being the
loser.

A lot of Bangladeshi businesses are worried that formal and informal
businesses that they do with the north eastern part of India will
diminish as Indian goods will get easy access to the region. Moreover,
the transit of Bangladeshi goods to Nepal and Bhutan will not do much
benefit to Bangladeshi businesses as they have a very small market in
these countries.

The petroleum prices between both the nations are not same. So, Indian
trucks may enter Bangladesh to refuel them and use up a huge quantity
of petroleum leading to its shortage, forcing Bangladesh to import
further petroleum. This will exert pressure on the foreign exchange
reserve.

There is a great risk of smuggling of goods into Bangladesh without
payment of proper tax and the market will be overwhelmed with goods
from India which will cause Bangladeshi businesses to suffer
financially.

A potential security risk of Bangladesh exists due to the possibility
of drugs and arms to be smuggled into in huge quantity. Moreover, the
flooding of drugs may damage the youth of our country severely.

The increase of HIV/Aids patients may triple or quadruple due to the
Indian truck drivers as they are notoriously famous of HIV/Aids
carriers.Security threats from separatist rebels like United
Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) attacks can't be ruled out as they
may see Bangladesh helping India to carry weapons and arms to
strengthen the north eastern region of India.

Way forward…
The people of Bangladesh must hold upon the government and all the
opposition political parties for harmony on dynamic national issues,
particularly while it arises to defend the national welfares and
sovereignty from overseas force and control. Simply this union will
reinforce country's negotiating situation with India and other
countries and safeguard the fact that Bangladesh does not convert into
a 'satellite state' of India or undergo the fate of 'Sikkim'. The
economic and social welfares of Bangladesh over permitting transit to
India need to be very transparent to the people of Bangladesh. Till
this is completed, unfriendly inspired people will endure to misguide
public through publicity and make it tremendously tough for the
politicians. Still, as a motion of generosity, through the common
endorsement of terms and conditions on situation to situation basis,
Bangladesh may approve to offer opening through its terrain
non-commercial cargoes, merchandises and equipment concerning any
public sector mission for trade and economic growth.

- The writer is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at East West University

http://newagebd.com/supliment.php?sid=115&id=842


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[chottala.com] Re: London seminar on Govt tyranny and Indian aggression

On 8/31/12, Zoglul Husain <zoglul@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

Forwarding to you the following Amar Desh report, 30 August 2012, of an
important seminar held in London against the tyranny of the present BAL govt
and the hegemonic aggression of India:

(Please click to read)
http://www.amardeshonline.com/pages/details/2012/08/30/161225

> Which is as follows:

> লন্ডনে সেমিনার : সংঘাত এড়াতে নির্দলীয় তত্ত্বাবধায়ক সরকার ব্যবস্থা


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[chottala.com] Re: Four Legal Suits filed to release of Hindu Vested Debottor (Deity's Properties) by BDMW at Sylhet District :



Good day.
 
Pls keep on filing !
As far latest update within Chittagong court alone, there are 1300 cases pending.
This is yr RIGHT and fight back for yr same.
It has been a prolong Discrimnation since Pakistan has been born and people can't remain as ENEMY (Act of notorious BLACK law) during the trend of socio-economy structure combined with era of Globalisation.
Ms Zia is going to India and i am sure similar important/sensitive matter to be in the agenda as this case was in DEADLOCK status during 2001-2006 regime.
Trust she will be smarter this time...
Good luck.

From: Rabindra Ghosh <info@bdmw.org>
To: Rabindra Ghosh <ghosh.minoritywatch.rabindra@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 29, 2012 11:05:19 AM
Subject: Four Legal Suits filed to release of Hindu Vested Debottor (Deity's Properties) by BDMW at Sylhet District :

Hi all,

Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW) started filing legal proceedings in the Courts of Bangladesh to release Vested (enemy) properties belonging to Hindu Deities in different parts of the country.

Initially BDMW took initiative to file four cases in the Court of Tribunal at Sylhet District as public interest litigation (PIL) on 26th July to 2nd of August,12

The Temple properties belonging to :

1) Sree Sree Mohaprabhu Debota of Sylhet of Bagbari Mouza : Dag No.534.Khatian Number : 1196,1172,1197,1231,1130,1137,1138,1140, 1143,1147,959,955,948,947
2) Sree Sree Norosingh Jew Debota
3) Sree Sree Radha Krishna Debota
4) Sree Sree Biswassar Jew Debota


The applications were filed one after another in the Tribunal through Mr. Arun Sarkar -Power of attorney Holder praying for release of at least 14 acres of lands which were illegally occupied by some land grabbers manufacturing some fake documents since partition of India. Those properties were recorded as Deity's properties in the Khatian and as per law those properties can not be alienated or transferred to any individual owners. Various organizations in different names started to claim those properties as their purchased properties, but as there is no Manager or Shebait since long those properties have been transformed into Tea Estate of many individuals practicing fraud upon the courts.

The value of those properties would be around Taka four hundred billion.

I, Adv. Rabindra Ghosh, Adv. Dlip Kumar Roy Chowdhury, Adv. Shamsul Hoqe Chowdhury moved those applications on 12th August,12 in the court of Tribunal and the Tribunal admitted those cases for final hearing.

Bangladesh Minority Watch started legal fight in the courts of law against Black law (Vested Property Act) now amended by the present government in the year,2011.

The filing of those cases by the competent authority or owner has been extended by the Government for further three months.

The news published soon after its admission as Public interest litigation in different media and dailies of Bangladesh.

A copy of such publication in the daily Uttar Purba dated 13th August,12.

BDMW needs full co-operation from and assistance from every quarters who want to protection of  religious Institutions in Bangladesh.

With best regards,

Adv.Rabindra Ghosh
Founder President-Bangladesh Minority Watch (BDMW)
12- K.M. Das Lane, Tikatully, Bholagiri Trust, Sutrapur P.S.,Dhaka, Bangladesh.
http://www.bdmw.org/




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