Corruption & torture-today's democratic practice

   The democratic process in Bangladesh is being dominated by corruption & terrorism with the dirty tricks of politicians. If we review our decades of democratic process. We can hardly find any ray of hope to get rid of this highly corrupt system. Without exception, ruling parties are always found to be the prime barrier to establishing a true democratic process and the rule of lay Democracy can not be licence to abuse the state's power and resources to ensure privileges for the ruling party. Formation of this government, with vast majority support and hope. took only a little time to turn into a corrupt and police regime. We talk about democracy, but like to run institutions including public universities or District Councils with nominated represedtatives . Current politicisation and corruption are capable enough to destroy our economy. especially the emerging private sectors including the readymade garment industries that we can hardly dream to be under state control. If we compare development of private banks with that of nationalised banks, we will have reasons to belive that state policy would only ensure more and more corruption. State's deliberate hostility against citizens like Limon. Dr Yunus and Grameen Bank is giving the nation a negative message. The government, failing to manage own organisations, should avoid taking responsibitities of well -run and profitable organisation like Grameen Bank, We must make sure to keep Dr. Yonus out of dirty politics. As lone of the late starters in the industrialisation process, we can not engage in activities detrimental to our national image. Unfortunately. the ruling party relies more on lies and blame game than gaining public support by looking at the areas which have far reaching impact in national interest, Current policy is nothing but hypocrisy that only facilitates interest of a few people who care little about the national interest. The ruling party should concentrate on facilitation democratic process rather than destabilising  civilised political environment. Let us prove that our patriotism is not limited to the speeches and television.

News today dt:17-02-2012.

1.JS adopts resolution after uproar:  Staff correspondent Lawmakers on Thursday after a heated debate forced arliament to adopt unanimously usly a private resolution seeking prosecution of persons trying to obstruct.
2.IMF asks govt to up fuel oil price to win $1b credit: Shakhawat Hossain The International Monetary Fund has again asked the government to cut subsidy on fuel oils to win the proposed $1 billion eredit, officials said.
3.Some suspects under close watch (DB):  Staff Correspondent The detectives investigating the journalist couple murder said on Thursday they has collected a number and footprints from the flat in...
4.Only 34pc of ADP implemented in 7months: Only 34 per cent of the annual development programme was implemented in the first seven months of the current finincial year because of...
5.Prove word dropped, I'll quit (Muhith): Bd news 24.com. Dhaka The finance minister, AMA Mulith, has offered to step down if anyone could prove that single word of the report of...
6.Blake for finding qualified successor to Yunus as Grameen Bank MD: Deplamatic Correspondent the United states stressed the need for 'finding an eminently qualified successor ' to Muhammad Yunus as the manaing director of the Grameen Bank...
7.R&H secy, 3 others kept standing on dock: The High Court on Thursday directed the secretary of the Roads and Highways Division and three other high officials to return Supreme Court's land...

To day news : 04-2-2012.

1.Teachers, edn boards trade blame: Staff Correspondent School teachers and education board officials are trading blame over the distribution of wrong question papers in Wednesday's SSC Bangla firstt paper exam in....

2.WB lobbied for disqualified co:ACC probe Staff Correspondent The Anti-Corruption Commission's investigation has revealed that the World Bank had lobbied for a disqualified Chinese company for the Padma multipurpose bridge project.
3.PDF gets little response: Manjurul Ahsan The Power Development Board did not receive much response from private entrepreneurs regarding the installation of commercial power plants despite its assurance of buying...
4.13 districts yet to begin online birth registration: Shahin Akhter Thirteen out of 58 districts whwre officials were trained in online birth and death registration are yet to begin the registration are yet to begin the the registration programme, officials said ...
5.BCL expels 8 over clash near book fair venue: DU correspondent The ruling awami League-backed student organisation Bangladesh Chhatra League on Friday expelled eight activists from the organisation for their involvement in a factional...
6.JFK staff caught stealing from Bangladeshi's pocket: Bdnews 24.com New York a security officer at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport has been arrested after being accused of stealing $5,000 from 7.Associate of AL MP Taposh found dead in city hotel: Staff Correspondent a close political associate of Awami League lawmaker Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was found dead in a Dhaka hotel on Friday.
8.Panetta belives Israel may strike Iran this spring : Reuters Washington US defence secretary Leon Panetta believes there is a growing possibility Israel will attack Iran as early as April to stop.
9.Khmer Rouge Jailer's sentence increased to life: Agence France-Presse Phnom A Khmer Rouge jailer who oversaw the deaths of some 15,000 people had his sentence increased to life..
10.Malaria kills 1.2 m a year: Agence France-Presse Paries Malaria kills more than 1.2 million people a year, nearly 50 percent more than previously thought, and inflicts a high.
11.Children suffer as mothers denied rights at RMG factories: Sajia Afrin Lack of maternity leave and day-care facilities force female garment workers to leave their children at home with their parents or carers that result.
12.Most foreign aid spent in loan payback: Bd news 24.com. Dhaka More than half of the foreign aid received has been spent paying back interest and instalments of previous loans. Economists are attributing the fall..
13.New clashes as anger with Egypt military boils over:Agence France Presse Caairo Egyptian protesters clashed with police for a second straight day on Friday as anger against the ruling military boiled over amid..

Date: 03-2-2012

1.School-goers at grave risk: A jay walking mother crosses the street in front of Willes Little Flower School in Kakrail ahead of a bus , known to cause a large share of road mishaps in the capital . Class-1 student Hamim of this very school died in 2010 under a bus close by. Another mother, inset , attempts to go across to the ot....
2.Khaleda Zia goes to court: BNP Chairperson Khalada Zia appeared before a Dhaka court yesterday and received permanent bail in a case filed for abusing power in setting up Zia Charitable Trust .
3.Magistrate says firing not orders: Chandpur. An executive magistrate on Wednesday denied the allegation to open fire on some protesters during Sunday's violence in the town that left two persons dead.
4.10 hurt in BCL infight over setting up book fair stall: At least 10 leaders and activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League were injured in clashes between its two groups at the capital's Suhrawardi Udyan last night over setting up a stall at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
5.Blake due this month: Robert O Blake , the US assistant secretary of state for South and central Asian affair, will arrive in Dhaka this month to hold meetings with government high-ups and opposition and civil society leder
6.Join Feb 7 human chain: 14 party leaders call upon people leaders of the 14 party alliance have urged all, irrespective of party affiliations, to join the February 7 human chain to foil conspiracies against the ongoing war crimes trial.
7.HC asks govt to find culprits: The High Court yesterday directed the government to find out people responsible for the publication of a school textbook with distorted history on the declaration of the country's independence and Liberation War in 1971.
8.Vote of trust for war trial: European Parliament Member Jean Lambert has welcomed Bangladesh's efforts to try war criminals and said he expected that the trial  would conform to the highest standard possible.
9.3 witnesses go missing : The three prosecution witnesses who were supposed to testify against Jamaat-e-Istami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee yesterday went missing.
10.Taliban ambush kills three police in Pakistan : Taliban militants armed with guns and grenades ambushed a police patrol in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing three officers and wounding another, police said.
11.Second victim in Vietnam: A woman in southern Vietnam has died after contracting the bird flu virus, health authorities said yesterday, in the country's second human death from the virulent disease in less than a month.
12.No graft in Padma Bridge project :The anti corruption commission has found no evidence of the World Bank's allegation of corruption in appointing the contractor of the proposed Padma Bridge project.

Latest News dt:01-02-2012

1.Intense lobbying on for promotions in admin: Process for large-scale promotions at final stage Mustafizur Rahman A large number of officers are busy lobbying high -ups for promotion with the government finalisin...
2.Population likely to grow by 1cr in final census report: Muktasree Chakma Sathi The country's population may increase by one more crore in the final report of the fifth census, according to officials of the....
3.HRW asks India to prosecute BSF men: Staff Correspondent The New York-based international rights watchdog, Human Rights Watch, on Tuesday asked the Indian government to prosecute the personal of its Border Security Force...
4.BNP, allies mourn slain activists: Staff Correspondent The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its ally Jamaat-e-Islami on Tuesday held mourning rallies all over the country on the first day of its three -day..
5.Home secy transferred: Staff Correspondent The government , in an abrupt shake up of the bureaucracy , on Tuesday transferred home secretary Manzur Ahmed to agriculture ministry. It appointed agriculture secretary CQK...
6.Mujib critic on Facebook sent to jail: Our Correspondent Jhenaidah A Jhenaidah court on Tuesday sent a man to jail for his criticism of the country's founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman .
7.Ekushy book fair opens today: Sarder Mahabbat Ali Amar Ekushy Granthamela 2012 will begin on the Bangla Academy premises today with 425 publishing houses and government  and non-government agencies putting their....
8.ICT accepts Kamaruzzaman charges: Staff Correspondent The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday took cognisance of the charges pressed against the detained Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami assistant secretary general Mohammad Kamaruzzaman. The tribunal...
9.SSC exams begin today: Staff Correspondent The Secondary School Certifiicate and equivalent Dakhil and vocational examinations under the 10 education boards will begin today with some 14,20,057 students from 26,855....
10.Hartal observed in Rajshahi: 1800 Jammat-Shibir men sued over Monday's clashes . Our Correspondent Rajshahi The Bangladesh Nationalist Party- led alliance enforced a half-day general strike in Rajshahi city Tuesday.....
11.BSF returns 6 Bangladeshi teenagers Another sent to jail: Staff Correspondent Sylhet The Indian Border Security Force on Tuesday afternoon returned six out of seven Bangladeshi teenagers to Border Guard Bangladesh, more than two...
12.Libya sets rules for Bangladeshi workers: Shahidul Islam Chowdhury The Libyan government has asked Bangladeshi workers, who have been overstaying in Libya, to regularise their passport, visa and work permits within...
13.Govt facing problem attracting foreign investment: Muhith Staff Correspondent The government is facing difficulties in attracting foreign investment and in handing domestic inflation and subsidies, finance minister AMA Muhith told parliament on Tuesday...
14.100 countries back world environment agency:  Agence France-Presse Paris More than a hundred countries now support a French proposal to create a World Environment Organisation at the upcoming 20th anniversary conference...
15.Ten killed in Karachi in 24 hours: Agence France-Presse Karachi at least 10 people have been killed in a renewed wave of sectarian and ethnic killings by criminal gangs in Pakistan's financial....

News Today 31-01-2012

1.1 more killed as BNP, allies hold mass processions: Staff Correspondent One more opposition activist was killed in police firing on a procession of the opposition alliance on Monday raising the number of deaths in.....
2.Cabinet okavs bill to extend time frame by 90 days: Staff Correspondent The cabinet at a meeting on Monday approved a draft bill to further amend the local government law to extend the mandatory timeframe for..
3.Private schools asked not to charge more than Tk 8000: Staff Correspondent Non-government Bengla medium educational institutes in Dhaka metropolitan area which are partly under the monthly pay order scheme, cannot charge more than Tk 8000 for....
4.Guns can't silence popular protests (Khaleda): Nationwide mourning today Staff Correspondent The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Monday said popular protests could never be silenced by opening fire on the.....
5.None to be allowed to unleash terror (AL): Staff Correspondent Awami League joint general secretary Mahabubul Alam Hanif on Monday said the party would not allow the opposition to unleash terror in the name....
6.SAARC nations need concerted actions: PM -United News of Bangladesh Dhaka The prime minister , Sheikh Hasina, has underscored the need for concerted action by SAARC member countries to cope with the....
7.Over 16,000 sued over Sunday's violence : Hartal ovserved in Chandpur, Laxmipur Staff Correspondent Local units of Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies on Monday ovserved a half-day hartal peacefully at Chandpur and....
8.JU expels 13 BCL men: JU Correspondent The Jahangirnagar University authorities on Monday expelled 13 activists of Bangladesh Chattra League, ruling Awami League-backed student wing, as they were found directly involved.....
14.Prosecution's haphazard document presentation halts Savedee's trial: Staff Correspondent The International crimes Tribunal on Monday had to halt for half an hour the trial proceedings against detained Jamaat nayeb-e-amir Delwar Hossain Sayedee due...
15.Dhaka for exchange of financial information : Staff Correspondent Dhaka on the concluding day of a meeting of SAARC finance ministers in the capital on Monday proposed that a process of exchanging information....
16.Stock investor commits suicide in city: Staff Correspondent The shock of a huge loss incurred in the stock market crash allegedly driven an investor to commit suicide at his Gopibagh house...
17.Two counsels to meet Ghulam Azam: Staff Correspondent The International Crimes Tribunal on Monday asked the prison authorities to allow two defence counsels to consult the detained former Bangladesh Jamaat-e -Islami amir....
18.Prachanda under fire for luxury mansion: Agence France-Presse Kathmandu Nepal's top  Maoist politician, who led a 10-year insurgency in the Himalayan country which left 16,000 people dead, was accused Monday of....

News dt:30-01-2012

1.4 killed as police, AL attack BNP, allies: Staff Correspondent Four people were killed and more than 500, including law enforcers and journalists, wounded as the police fired gunshots and teargas shells and....
2.Dhaka stocks hit 26-month low:  Staff Correspondent Dhaka stocks on Sunday took a massive fall with its key index hitting a 26-month-low as the investors thronged for sale driven by a....
3.BNP mass rally today:  Al announces counter programme Mohiuddin Alamgir. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party holds a mass-procession programme today Khulna deferring by a day from.......
4.AL allies critical of politics of confrontation: Staff Correspondent The partners of the Awami League-led alliance strongly criticised politics of confrontation of the ruling Awami League and the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party . They condemmed....
5.Govt. responsible for killing opposition activists on Sunday (BNP): Staff Correspondent BNP acting secreatary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir held the Awami League -led segime squarely responsible for Sunday's killing of three opposition activists at Chandpur....
6.PDB, NTPC sign deal on JVC for $1.5b Rampal power plant:  Staff Correspondent The Power Development Board chairman, ASM Alamgir Kabir, on Sunday said that price of power from the proposed joint-venture plant at Rampal in.....
7.India fails to check right violations (HRW):  New Age Desk Custodial killings, police abuse including torture, and failure to implement policies aimed at protecting vulnerable communities marred India's record in 2011, according to the....
8.HC summons 5 over Zia in textbook:  Staff Correspondent The High Court on Sunday directed the inspector general of the police to remove in 15 days a textbook from the market, libraries,....
9.Bangladesh team being built for joint impact survey : Staff Correspondent Water resources minister Ramesh Chandra Sen on Sunday told the parliament that the government was selecting experts to constitute the Bangladesh side on the....
10.UK wants parties to shun confrontational politice (Gibson): United News of Bangladesh Chittagong , The British high commissioner, Robert Gibson, has said his government always favoured constructive dialogue among the political parties in Bangladesh....
11.Mugger shot dead in city: Staff Correspondent A suspected mugger was shot dead and two employees of a business firm were wounded when a group of muggers opened fire at Moulavibazar...
12.Bangladesh's political instability barrier to FDI inflow , says US ambassador: Staff Correspondent US ambassador Dan W Mozena on Sunday said prevailing political instability in Bangladesh was a barrier for foreign direct investment to come into the....
13.Taj Mahal minaret tilting: Reuters Delhi A minaret of the Taj Mahal has tilted by nearly 4 cm due to drying river, expert says. The magnificent Taj Mohal may not....
14.Minor boy killed in cop firing: Our Correspondent Comilla A minor boy died as a bullet hit him during the training session of jail police at Borura upazila in Comilla on....

News dt:29-01-2012.

1.Govt orders ban on rallies: BNP defers procession, AL postpones rally Staff Correspondent The opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Saturday deferred till Monday the procession it earlier planned to hold in Dhaka.
2.Govt. desperate to hide Padma bridge 'graft', says Khaleda: Staff Correspondent The Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson opposition leader, Khaleda Zia, on Saterday said the government was thinking of 'unusual ' and 'unrealistic' means for mobilising funds...
3.Govt. moves to float sovereingn bonds: Shakhawat Hossain The government has launched process of securing loans from the international capital market to overcome the foreign currency crunch which has already hit....
4.EC to replace national ID cards with smart cards: Taib Ahmed The Election Commission has begun implementation of a 195 million US dollar project, with assistance from the World Bank, to replace existing national....
5.WP says govt's performance frustrates people:  Staff Correspondent The Workers Party o Bangladesh , an ally of the Awami League, on Saturday said the performance of the government in last three years had...
6.Democracy to face debacle if BNP comes to power again (PM) :  Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Dhaka The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday made the Bangladesh Nationalists Party responsibl 
e for disturbing the country's demicratic system time and....
7.Deal on JVA for 1,320 MW plant with India today :  Staff Correspondent The state-run Bangladesh Power Development Board today signs a deal with the National Thermal Power Corporatin of India to set up a joint-venture....
8.Two remanded in Dhaka over question  leak : Food ministry forms probe body Staff Correspondent A Dhaka court on Saturday remanded two youths in police custody for two days each for interrogation over the food....
9.MP among 50 hurt at RMCH clash: United News of Bangladesh Rangpur A triangular clash between activists of the Jatiya Party, employees of Rangpur Medical College Hospital and police left 50 people,.....
10.Probe on to find civilians' link to coup attempt (Hanif) : Bd news 24.com. Dhaka An investigation is in progress to find out civilians who had a hand in the recent attempted military coup that was foiled by....
11.JCD factions clash over stalking in Nilphamari: Our Correspondent. Nilphamari Two local groups of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal clashed on Friday night in Nilphamari town allegedly over stalking a teenage schoolgirl. At lesat 10...
12.Pirates loot 40 trawlers, kidnap 110 fishermen: United News of Bangladesh Begerhat Pirates looted 40 fishing trawlers and kidnapped 110 fishermen from the Bay of Bengal on Thursday and Friday . Twenty fishermen were.....
13.Miscreants Cut fingers of medical student: United News of Bangladesh Saver A gang of miscreants cut two fingers of a student of Enam Medical College and snatched his cash and valuables...
14.Youth shot dead in city : Staff Correspondent Unidentified miscreants killed a young man in the early hours on Saturday and the police recovered the body from Azampur in the capital's....

New's 28-01-2012

1.Question leaked, 10 held: Staff Correspondent Authorities conducted the examination for recruitment in the  food directorate amid reports of question leaks in several districts, including Dhaka, about 11 hour before...
2.Law to appoint EC should be enacted first citizens: Staff Correspondent Politicians , constitution experts and civic forums have said formation of the next election commission by a search committee constituted through...
3.Delhi shelves deal : Shakhawat Hossain New Delhi has shelved a proposal on currency swap among the countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation , sources at Bangladesh Bank........
4.EC goes ahead with EVM project: Taib Ahmed Despite stiff opposition from Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the Election Commission has completed all necessary preparations to manufacture about three lakh electronic voting machines.......
5. Who's who in the search committee:Staff Correspondent Three of the four members of the search committee , formed to recommend people for appointment of the chief election commissioner and other election commissioners,....
6.Nat'l integrity strategy in the making: Mustafizur Rahman The government has drafted a national integrity strategy to strengthen anticorruption drives in both public and private institutions including political parties and to .....
7. ACC urges govt not to curb its freedom: Bd news 24.com. Dhaka The Anti-Corruption Commission has once again asked the government not to introduce laws that will hit it in the teeth as an independent.....
8.NASA's Kepler confirms 26 new planets: Agence France-Presse, Washington The US space agency said Thursday its Kepler space telescope mission has confirmed 26 new planets outside our solar syatem, all of....
9. CPB calls for unity of left democratic forces: Staff Correspondent Leaders of Communist Party of Bangladesh on Friday called upon all left democratic forces to unite to wage a strong movement against the two......
10.Suicide car bomb outside Bangladeah hospital kills 31: Agence France-Presse. Baghdad A suicide bomber set off an explosives -packed car outside a Baghdad hospital of Friday, killing 31 people in the capital's deadliest day ....
11.Hasina is conducting 'coup by stealth': Ishraq tell The Economist David Bergman Ishraq Ahmed, the man whom the army alleges was one of those involved in a foiled coup to overthrow the.....
12.'Coup plotter' travel companion of British comedian: David Bergman The man who the army now claims was involved in an attempted coup to oust the Awami League government, was seven years ago the.....
13.Manna's talk show stopped: Staff Correspondent Private television channel ATN News has stopped its talk show 'Samoyer Bhabna' hosted by Awami League leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna....
14.Cocaine cache gets diplomatic treatment at UN: Agence France-Presse, United Nations A 16 kilo consignment of cocaine lost by Mexican drug traffickers has turned up in an unlikely place- the United...
15.Rockets hit Pakistan military academy: Agence France-Presse. Peshawar Attackers on Friday fired rockets at Pakistan's top military academy, damaging its outer wall in a major security breach near the home...
16.Call for suspension of coal-fired power plant in Bagerhat: Staff Correspondent Twelve eminent citizens on Friday called for suspension of the government 's joint-venture initiative with India to install coal fired
17.BSTI gets Indian accreditation: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, New Delhi The Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution , the national standards body of Bangladesh, has been granted accreditation for its product certification....

Eco-entrepreneurship in Jessore

     As I bound my breasts and put on men's  clothes, I remember thinking how crazy I was. In two years, I went from being an executive in the 'c-suite' of a large real estate finance company in New York to disguising myself as a Bangladeshi man so that I could go look for land in the rural areas of southern Bangladesh. So what made me give up a high-paying job at the top of the corporate ladder, donate everything I owned to charity, and move to a developing country that few people can locate on a map ? In a word: passion.
     I was making money in New York, but I wasn't maling a difference. I had reached the top of my chosen my career field by age thirty and was bored. I wanted to change my life so I could do something I loved, and make more of an impact on the world. But it was a lecture that I attended at the Cornell Club that really sounded the clarion call for me. Stuart Hart, a professor at the Cornell Johnson Business School, gave a lecture about alternative energy in developing countries; he threw out a statistic that I could not belive when I heard it: he said that of the 6 billion people in the world, 4 billion live in poverty. It shocked me to the core of my being. I considered myself a well-educated and well-known how most of the people in the world live made me question everything that I knew.
    That talk set in motion a series of events that led me to apply for a Fulbright Fellowship to Bangladesh where I did a year of service and spent some time examining my priorities. When my Fulbright ended , I realized that I could no longer return to my old life and that the time had finally come to spread my wings and jump. I had the idea to create sustainable boutique resorts before I left New York (it combined my interests in environmentalism, real estate, design, and travel), but I certainly never thought that I would start in Bangladesh! After living in the country for a year, however, I realized that there was a demand , among the foreigners and Bangladeshis already living in Dhaka, for the kind of high-end socially and environmentally responsible product that I wanted to create.
     I strategically chose the location for my resort and then started looking for a site . I flew to Jessorem put on a sari, and hired a rickshaw to take me around the countryside. Village tea stalls were the best source of information about the local area. Normally the exclusive domain of men, I was invited to sit, take tea, and share information about my country, my family, and what I was doing in Bangladesh. After the local leader had determined that my quest was worthwhile, he would take me around and show me several pieces of land that might be available. While the search was fun and the scenery breathtaking, I soon realized that I was getting the bideshir dam (foreigner price quote) for the land.

Automobiles made in Bangladesh

    This is a rebuttal to an article published in a local English-language financial daily on January 21, which in my view, was misleading and not based on proper analysis of the circumstances. It postulated that Bangladesh should also manufacture and export automobiles, like sea-going vessels. Possibly, the writer did not have adequate technical or industrial background of engineering industries in Bangladesh and hence the conclusions drawn by him were not pragmatic. First, for both the shipbuilding and automobile industry, the engine providing the source of motive power, as well as all the auxiliaries, including even simple equipment associated with it like the ventilation and air exhaust fans, etc are all imported. The writer states in the article: 'Bangladesh has made significant progress in exporting ocean liners to many developed countries.' However, the reality is that except for the fabrication of the main structural frame , and the hull and its welding, most of which is labour-intensive , almost everything on the ship is imported and installed for re-export. Even the steel plates and various rolled sections for the hull frame for the ship, and even most of the electrodes for welding, are imported.
     The same also applies to the vehicles 'manufactured' at Progoti Industries in Bangladesh. In this case, however, the labour component is very little; hence,'manufacturing' motor vehicles which is only an assembly of imported components in Bangladesh is not financially viable.In shipbuilding industry, the labour component in fabrication, welding and assembly of the ship is significantly large, and with all equipment brought in on import-cum-re-export basis, our shipbuilding industry is profitable. Basically, the profit comes from the difference in the cost of skilled and unskilled labour overseas, compared to Bangladesh.
     Actually our engineering industries are very basic, like foundry and simple machining mostly. Even for this industry, almost all raw materials have to be imported. Even the fans and all other household utility goods that we have in our homes which are usually locally assembled are imported. This acute lack of all types of raw materials and components, essential for engineering industries, is the basic reason for our backwardness in that sector because most of the cost is material and machinery related.
  

Rural medical doctor cadre

   People in Bangladesh have been deprived of adequate medical services, especially in rural areas, because of a dearth of qualified doctors. Most graduate and post-graduate doctors seem reluctant to work in rural health centers. Sometimes, even after accepting government jobs, under the prevailing salary structure, some doctors make most of the limitations in administrative rules, regulations and orders, and stay away from their posting in rural health centers. Most of these truant doctors are either members of the doctors' association or have links with it . Suffice it to say, the association is invariably led by pro-government faction of doctors, who generally behave like unruly union leaders. They exert pressure on the government so as to remain above and beyond service rules and regulations, office orders.
     Meanwhile, many students at secondary and higher secondary levels seem to be losing interest in science subjects. It is the age of professionalism. After studying science subjects, students get very limited scope to pursue further studies in these disciplines. Setting up of more medical collages can encourage students to study science subjects at secondary and higher secondary levels. The elected government is committed to providing health services in rural as well as urban areas. But it is proving increasingly difficult to keep the doctors in rural areas. To address this problem, it is necessary to set up and run 64 medical collages in 64 districts to impart undergraduate medical courses and create a rural medical doctor cadre. Students who will successfully come out of such collages should be recruited by the government. The government has to create adequate number of posts for doctors at union and upazila government healthcare centres and hospitals.
       Seven medical collages can be set up and run at seven divisional cities for those doctors who desire to study  postgraduate medical courses. The scope for higher studies needs to be created. Bangladesh has enough teachers to impart medical courses at undergraduate and graduate levels . It is a great advantage. We need to utilise this opportunity . We only need to invest a large sum of money to set up and run these collages. Therefore, the elected government needs to take a comprehensive plan to set up undergraduate medical collage in each district to impart undergraduate medical courses and set up and run postgraduate medical colleges in each divisional city to impart higher medical courses.
      

A separate TV channel for children

      I applaud for highlighting the importance of good television programmers for children Developed countries invest heavily in quality programmers for children. We are seeing innovative programmers for children in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The lack of quality programmers for children in Bangladesh tells us a lot about our priorities and our condition.
     We are proud to have many television channels but we don't even notice the disgraceful lack of quality programmers for children. The existing programmers are designed to prop up the status quo, to promote conformity and to stifle courageous individuality. Our channels are busy promoting their owners, getting commercial sponsorship for news broadcasts, selling advertising time to anyone for anything and passing off cheap cookery and discussion programmers as high culture. The passionate analysis of real information on real subjects to better our children and our society simply does not exist. It is high time we adults grow up and take a fresh look at our children and our society.

Healthcare delivery

       That healthcare delivery in Bangladesh is in need of a major overhaul has been underlined by numerous studies beside observations on the ground. The poor continue to die of completely preventable diseases, and infant and maternal mortality rates in Bangladesh remain high. Adding new insights to the assessment is a recent study by the donor agencies which once again emphasises that the funds and schemes meant for the poor in Bangladesh do not always reach them . Evidence shows that health services are primarily accessed by the comparatively better off rather than the poor. The study which looked at 11 programmes worldwide, discovered initiatives that have ensured that 30 to 40 per cent of benefits reached the population's poorest 20 per cent . For instance, three projects run by non-governmental organisations in Bangladesh, especially in remote rural areas, demonstrated greater success in reaching the poorest in the community. Some of the reasons for this were that the services were convenient for the poorest preoccupied with their own livelihood concerns, mobile vans delivered health at the doorsteps, and the delivery was through women who are seen as having a greater reach among poor women. The study also found that specific programmes in countries as diverse as Argentina, Cambodia, Ghana, Zambia, and Nepal were more effective in their reach because of innovative approaches in delivery. For example, some strategies that effectively reduced inequalities in health services delivery in these countries envisaged contracting with NGOs to provide primary care and using immunisation programmes to distribute insecticide-treated bed nets.
   None of the government's well -intentioned plans will be effective unless the grossly inadequate budgetary allocations to the health sector are increased, and more importantly, mechanisms of monitoring and accountability are firmly put in place. Real change can only occur when there is strong political will and recognition, particularly among interventions are not effectively addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged.

India, the neme is cruelty

    The image of the dead body of felani tangled in the barbed-wire fence on the Bangladesh-India border after she had been killed by the Border Security force is still fresh in our memory. and now we see another Bangladeshi being inhumanly tortured by the Indian border guards. The continuous killing and torture of     
Bangladeshis by the BSF Shows how India treats us. India has violated all international norms and human          Right conventions while dealing with Bangladesh India, it seems, does not want us to be a vibrant independent     county. it took from us all it wished for but in return she gave us nothing but humiliation, killing, torture and          exploitation. we are humiliation at the gate of tin bigha corridor and at the boarder fence cordoning us off like a face a 'karbala' scenario for want of water but India does not give them water poets and writers have written  
umpteen elegies on the death of our rivers and water bodies but the heart of India has not melted Rather she is planning construction of another barrage like Farakka. 

Misusing private cars

      One of the great perks about living in Bangladesh is , perhaps, that one will never have a dull moment in his life. So much is happening around us that sometimes we become overwhelmed by all these. A few days beck, early in the morning , I was going to my office when I saw a girl asking a driver of a private car if he would take her to her destination . In reply , the driver nodded his head, and within no time the girl with a few others hopped into the car. I was curious to see a private car being used as public transport. I am sure the owner of that car didn't know about his driver misusing the car and earning some quick bucks for himself. This kind of practice is widely prevalent nowadays. It has a flipside . Sometimes group of muggers, act as passenger and mug unsuspecting passengers . One of my colleagues lost his mobile and wallet to such a group . Sometimes muggers pretending to passengers  steel the car from the greedy driver who was out to make some quick bucks. So I request car owner to keep a close eyes on their drivers so that their hard-earned vehicles are not misused . Noways, technology is so advanced that by the help of car-tracking equipment the owner of a car can keep a track of his or her car's record which prevents the driver from misusing the car.

Patients being fleeced at cardiac clinics

      It is a great relief that treatment of heart diseases is now done pretty well here in Dhaka . As we know , a patient with heart pain or heart related complaints is always advised to consult a cardiologist. If after investigations and angiogram, a patient is found to have blocks, one , two or more, the cardiologist is supposed to advise the patient what treatment she can undergo within his ability. But our cardiologists outright suggest implantation of 'ring' indicating nothing of the other method which is also widely available and he can follow. The cost of each ring is 1.20 or 1.40 lac and it is alleged that a hefty sum of commission is paid to the cardiologist by the ring-maketing coterie. Usually most of the patients need two rings and with other charges (hospital stay, medicines and cardiologists' fees, etc.) the cost of implantation of two rings come to between Tk. 3.50 and 4.00 lacs.
    Implement transer system
According to a report in The Daily Star, BRTA has been gripped with broker activities for decades; due to non-transfer of personal at rigular intervals ( the same problem exists in Rajuk & DCC).

Ivy"s victory in ncc polls ;2012 's most positive event

     The year 2012 is gone we are already in 2012.In my opinion , the most positive event in Bangladesh last year was the victory of Selina Hayat Ivy in Narayanganj City Corporation election and The Daily Star published her picture smiling with a 'V' sign in the front page of 'New Year Special 2012.' This was not an ordinary victory, it reflected the hopes and aspirations of the mass people against all odds and oppressions. She had to fight against a formidable adversary who got the blessing of the ruling party. But people liked Ivy's simple and hard working nature. Above all, she was not involved in corruption . Ivy is an exception . She was elected first when the BNP was in power and now when her own party withdraw their supports from her, she was elected again. Her father was elected in 1974 in a similar way.
BNP lawyers should join war crimes prosecution 
Recently one of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)'s top leaders urged the government to stop the activities of International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) . The BNP has made it clear that it stands against the prosecution of crimes against the prosecution of crimes against humanity. We cannot betray the ideals and values of our Liberation War. The crimes that were committed in 1971 must not be lost. We are grateful to the government for starting the process. There may be some criticism , but the people of Bangladesh should trust it.

Imran khan promises a ray of hope for Pakistan

      It seems that the people of Pakistan have become frustrated with the two main political parties and their selfish, outdated, and corrupt polities. The politicians have failed to fulfil the minimum expectations of the Pakistani people even after more than half a century of the country's independence. News reports seem to suggest that the ordinary citizens are increasingly extending their support to Imran Khan, the former cricket captain who led Pakistan to its first and only World Cup win.
      Imran has thus far proved his mettle in every field that he has worked in.Pakistan is in dire need of a leader who is honest , dedicated, dynamic and farsighted, and the legendary cricketer seems to fit the bill. He is a real fighter and could very well prove to be a real statesman. Imran founded Tehrik-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) in 1996. In his illustrated career, he reached the peak when Pakistan won the World Cup under his captaincy in 1992. He also founded a state -of-the art cancer hospital in his  mother's name for the poor people in Lahore.  Critics may doubt about his political sagacity but when two major political parties fail repeatedly then radical change is the demand of the time.

Press freedom

      Benjamin disraeli once said:'The press is not only free, it is powerful. That power is ours. It is the proudest that man can enjoy. It was not granted for us by aristocracies; but it sprang from the people and with an immortal instinct, it has always worked for the people.' He was prime minister of the nation that was the birthplace of the Westminster model of government.
     When we read news of a ruling party lawmaker assaulting of a ruling reporter,  it is a blow not only against the constitution which has enshrined freedom of speech.'Unto this silence , we must bring speech, and into these parched weary hearts, the ring of hope.' In accomplishing the wish of Rabindranath Tagore, every newspaper and electronic media in Bangladesh, I am confident, will withstand all the persecution it undergoes for the cause of justice.
 Help guardians and studen:
    Coaching business by many teachers of government and non-government secondary schools in Dhaka city have become a familiar phenomenon over the years. The government has recently formed a committee headed by a joint secretary to prepare and submit a report in this regard within a week. Coaching business is not only exclusive to Dhaka; rather , it has spread to all divisional towns and even upazila headquarters.
    We, the guardians, are really helpless in the face of the onslaught of coaching and private tuition business of teachers, which limit children's creativity besides putting a strain on their guardians' finances. Pragmatic steps should be taken to remove coaching business permanently.

Is there any hope for Bangladesh?

   It's hard to believe it's almost been a year since the High Court abolished corporal punishment in all schools. It seems only like week that crusader Sir Frank Peters was beating the drum and waking the nation to the untold sufferings of thousands of children at the hands of some evil tormentors commonly kniwn as schoolteachers.Many thousands of adults (I included) can readily recall their worst days at school when they were beaten mercilessly for something silly and trivial like wearing long hair. They, however, can be considered the 'lucky' ones. There are other children who ended their abject misery by committing suicide.
    It's hard to imagine this evil practice has flourished for so many decades and that foreign and local alleged child protection agencies like, UNICEF, Save the Children, Oxfam , World Vision and the National Human Right Commission among them have stood by in silence, watched from the sidelines, allowed it to happen for years, and are still doing nothing to help offset the inhuman cruelty still inflicted daily.
     I agree entirely with Sir Frank when he says that a notional mind change is urgently needed and that must happen soon. There is no better and more appropriate place for this to begin than in the classroom.

NGOs should be decentralised

     The residents of Dhaka are fed up wasting valuable time on travelling from one place to another . People do not visit their relatives due to traffic congestion . Usually , it is a 15 -minute drive by bus to reach my office at Mohakhali from Mohammadpur in the early morning but coming back usually takes around one hour and a half, and sometimes more.I know one Jahanara who lives in Mirpur, Her younger sister Monoara, who lives in Shantinagar, has not visited her house for more than one year due to severe traffic jam.
     It is good news that Dhaka UNICEF office is going to be decentralised soon. I know two of my friends who have been working in UNICEF Dhaka office for more than three years. One of them has been transferred to Bogra and the other to Mymensingh , with UNICEF establishing regional offices across the country. Many national organisations working in Dhaka should be decentralised soon.

Low wage in private school

      A report in a daily newspaper about the teacher of private getting low wage has caught my attention it is easily understandable that due to poor remuneration the quality of education is being hampered in those schools In this  connection I remember one incident .one of my acquaintences got a teaching job in a reputed school .I congratulated him but his response was lukewarm. When I asked him why he did not look happy, he told me his salary. I was surprised ; I couldn't belive it. Later he told me that once started private tuition side by side his school job he would be earning a respectable amount. What I realised that day is that in the name of employment, the private schools are exploiting teachers. A few days back I want I heard a guardian complaining about frequent changes of teachers. Another guardian quipped that how would a teacher stay long since the authorities were paying very meagre salary.
    I know that school takes exorbitant fees but pays the teachers very poor salary. In the end the students suffer due to frequent changes of teachers. Due to the poor salary structure teachers are not paying full attention to classrooms and more interested in teaching outside the class . It is high time to look into the matter and stop the anomaly in the private education sector.

Corruption and sovereignty

           The rule of law means a society is governed on the basis of laws enforced equally. Corruption in Bangladesh creates an environment whereby some people are given privileges due to their ability to pay bribes. A rule-of -law society is based upon the trust and faith of the people that they are governed on the basis of laws enforced in a fair, just, and reasonable manner. Corruption undermines this basic trust. This especially weakens sovereignty in democratic polities, where legitimacy and popular will are essential requisites for an authority to call itself sovereign. In Bangladesh, corruption is recognised as a law enforcement issue. The laws against bribery are part of the criminal law enforcement mechanisms. Even the institutional mechanisms available are largely based on the law enforcement machinery investigating allegations of corruption and prosecuting wrongdoers. But this approach puts corruption along with other offences criminal law attempts to punish. However, corruption , if understood from the standpoint of its consequences for the rule of law, human right , and development, has a negative impact on state sovereignty. Transparency in governance is crucial to ensure the state exercises its powers in a responsible manner. Corruption of the institutions of the state does not allow the state to  capacity and the law enforcement machinery is weak.
      Corruption in the many cases such as share market scandal, different projects under the communications ministry examined provides a telling example of how the agents of the state either assume that their individual and clique prosperity translates into state prosperity and sovereignty or simply do not care for anything beyond personal enrichment . In both cases , the example of Louis XIV who claimed,'I am the state,' serves as a sensible reminder. Sovereignty in Bangladesh exercised as untrammelled power to exploit and dis-empower the citizens is an anachronistic idea that sadly prevails at many levels of governance in Bangladesh. Sovereignty exercised as a responsibility with human development as the end is the wave of the future that has not yet gained prevalence.May hurt our pride to admit it; however , the fact of the matter is that while there have been significant developments Bangladesh is still one of the most corrupt countries on the world map. The Corruption Perception Index, compiled by Transparency International organisation which conducts annual surveys attempting to aggregate perceptions of corruption within countries, ranks Bangladesh a lowly 139 out of a list of 180 nations. The war against corruption is formidable and not going to be easy to win. Wherever government money is spent or collected , there should be tight scrutiny which is the greatest need of this moment.

Licence to arrest, harass

   In James Bond the main protagonist has the 'License to Kill'. In Bangladesh , it seems, the law enforcers in plainclothes have the licence to arrest. Such wanton freedom to arrest people has already created panic among the public and will have a bad affect on our society . If such incident happens in the capital city , I shudder to think what we can expect in remote place .If law enforcers come in plainclothes how would people know if they are for real or just criminals in disguise? Such incidents could also give criminals a chance to abduct people in the name of arresting them as law enforcers. As a democratic country we cannot let such incident happen. It is againt our constitution which guarantees safety of every citizen.The government should look into the matter very seriously , conduct a judicial investigation and make sure that in future nothing of this sort is repeated.

Marching towards abyss

     Fidel Castro's well -presented full -page article, published in your editorial page , is a sound scientific analysis of what is happening and the dangerous aftermath of the methodology for exploration of methane from geological shale structures by the United States.Releasing the trapped methane gas from shale by forced hydraulic fracturing of the underground shale structure is a procedure in Castro's article. This procefure uses benzene and toluene to be injected mixed with water for the hydraulic fracture of the shale structure, releases water contaminated with carcinogenic benzene and toluene into water bodies.
    According to Castro, his observations are based on research findings of many knowledgeable West European scientists involved in the study of this method of methane gas extraction. They point to this and other hazards that may even upset the underground geological structures causing calamities like earthquake or floods. His observations sum up that the 'hydraulic process' can damage our underground shale structure and in his considered opinion it is 'an adventure that is far too premature and risky.' Finally, I express my admiration for Mr Castro, a few years older than I am , for presenting a lucid and well-researched paper of great international importance, providing knowledge and information on an important but new subject.

Science and humanities

     A serious problem in Bangladesh is the gap between academe and mass media. Professors of humanities, with all their leftist/rightist fantasies, seem to have little firsthand knowledge of Bangladeshi life and no impact whatsoever on public policy. I think most of us feel that it is a responsibility of the humanities to try to help better the conduct of human beings in their lives and manifold professional activities. The humanities need to be defended today against the encroachments of physical science, as they once needed to be against the encroachments of physical science, as they once needed to be against the encroachment of theology. The notion that every well-educated person would have a mastery of at least the basic elements of the humanities, sciences, and social sciences is a far cry from the specialised education that most students today receive, particularly in the public universities.
     However, the important distinction between understanding a subject and scoring well in the examination needs to be inculcated among students . Students cannot , given limited time, both understand a subject and score well. Because science is a scoring subject, and medicine and engineering have become standard career options , many merely want to score high marks.Schools should focus on making students understand subjects until they reach a stage where they have to opt for a stream. The mania behind science-based career options should also be deflated. It is true that advances in technology will continue to reach far into every sector of our economy. Future job and economic growth in industry, defence, transportation, agriculture, health care, and life sciences is directly related to scientific advancement.
      Moreover, our government has to pay more attention with respect to funding of our higher education institutions. While the government 's move of paying more attention to science is welcome, the neglect of social sciences and liberal arts is worrisome. Only students who are not good enough for science or commerce streams take up the non-job-oriented social sciences. This attitude fails to embrace values that come along with a democratic polity-that require a flourishing regime of history, sociology, law, philosophy, political science, why, even a rationalist study of religions. Successive governments have completely ignored these areas, except when they wanted to write their own version of history now and then.

How many freedom fighters will die without treatment

      "Freedom fighter" won't live in pain during my tenure, so said the prime minister a few months ago.However, according to a report published in the Bangla daily Prothom Alo on Monday, Abu Taher, a 56-year-old freedom fighter from Badarganj upazila in Rangpur, passed away without any treatment . The unfortunate freedom fighter, says the report, did seek financial help from the prime minister his appeal went unheard.Before his death, he reportedly said, 'I am going to die without treatment but I wish our prime minister a happy and peaceful life.' It is not sad but also shameful for the nation. Taher's death should be an eye-opener for the political leaders, especially of the ruling party. There are many freedom fighters like Taher in the country, leading their lives amidst extreme hardship. One can only hope that the government would take good care of them; after all. they fought and won independence for the country and its people.

Topping world banl's cblack list

   David Bergman 's front page report printed in your January 11 issue is not something to be proud of as reported since 2009, we have had 22 individuals and 16 organisations  from Bangladesh back-listed by the World Bank. Eleven of them were black -listed in 2011. It is a very sad and sorry reflection of the country and the absence or ineffectiveness of the much -flouted anti-corruption activities . The prime minister should seriously take up this matter in right earnest; otherwise the Awami League should bid goodbye to governance. This increase of over 40 percent in blacklisting in 2011 (from 27 to 38) should shame the government.
    To create public awareness and to let us have more information on the matter, the World Bank should publicly list the alleged 38 persons and organisations that were involved in this shameful matter. For the government, it must be top priority to find out who they are, and to investigate the matter thoroughly . It will  be advisable for the government to issue a white paper on the whole issue in overall public interest.

Politics for young generation

     Bangalis are considered to do politically aware, at least that's the impression one will get from the speakers at various one will get from the speakers at various talk shows. But are we really politically aware or is it just another chapter of glorious history? This is question that we, the young generation, have to ask ourselves and must find the answer to , right now. We can want better governance , more transparent activities or zero tolerance for corruption, but as the famous saying goes 'there are no free lunches'. we need to question ourselves are we actually actively working to achieve what every citizen desires.
     For centuries politics have been considered to be one the best platforms to express one's opinion or to influence others to share the same ideology and the theory of democracy which goes a long way back to Aristotle merely attempts to give everyone a better share of that stage. So we live in democracy which gives greater freedom to be part of politics and we are considered to be a politically aware nation so why is it that a significant section of younger generation considers this unique opportunity a taboo? What has happened to the generation of the 21st century?
       A glimpse at the past may help us find the answers.A brief glimpse at the socioeconomic and political backgrounds of the MPs durings 1972-1974 shows that majority of the MPs were in young, educated and from middle -class backgrounds. But the present parliamentary structures show the complete opposite. The members of the late middle ages and come from upper rich backgrounds.Why is it that no new leadership has emerged in the past 40 years is a question that intrigues all of us. For most of the past four decades the young generation has failed to a great extent to understand their responsibility to the nation . They have failed to make their mark in national politics. Not only that the whole scenorio has been fuelled by the lack of patronage by the government in power and the political leadership. If we look at the history of the more economically and democratically sound countries worldwide we can see their leaders were always keen to create successors within a democratic system. This is a core quality that the leaders of our nation seem to lack. This is the same quality that lacked in Muammar Gaddafi or Hosni Mubarak which eventually led to their fall.
    Politics today seems to have become something of a taboo to the new generation . The educated youth with the boy next door image and a good family background do not want to join politics considering it to be dirty .Where such a powerful platform could have been easily used to empower oneself people are in fact turning their back on this. The current policymakers and the civil society must ensure that the table is turned. Atmosphere should be created where new leaders can be nourished who will in fact take hold of the next generation leadership when the proper time comes.

Cautious optimism

      Depending upon the lens through which one analyses Bangladesh's current economic development , anyone will arrive at different conclusions.This is similar to the parable of four blindfolded humans who touch different parts of an elephant and conclude that it is a rope (tail), snake (trunk), pillar (legs), and wall (body). We miss the big picture if we fail to recognise the different lenses and conclusions. At one extreme are the optimists who embrace free trade, free markets, liberalisation, and privatisation.
      Bangladesh needs leaders and policymakers who can see different parts of the elephant at the same time without deeply entangling with ideologies.They need to be thoughtful about their actions in a complex socio-economic pluralism and alleviate the fears of pessimists. They need to address the concerns of doubters and temper the irrational exuberance of optimists. They have to be cautious optimists.
     Some would say this approach might satisfy no one. But extremism has made things worse.Extreme optimism has led to an intense backlash which can put economic development on hold . Extreme pessimistic view has maintained the status quo of poverty and desperation. Cautious optimists recognise that inclusive economic development, managed liberalisation. and global trade are necessary steps to have sustainable progress. Foreign capital and technology are necessary to create jobs, become efficient , and complete effectively. Cautious optimists recognise that meaningful development cannot be achieved without broad-based investments in infrastructure , education, and healthcare. They understand the knowns and delliberate actions that are equitable and sustainable.
     However, the rich need to be sensitive to the surrounding and to be compassionate. They have a greater opportunity to make a difference to society than any government. Sadly , the actions of pessimists to protect the underprivileged may prolong poverty and desperation, while those of optimists may exacerbate these actions. We must engage different viewpoints and temper extreme views for a meaningful development.We need cautious optimists to move Bangladesh ahead.

Parlamentary misconduct

     In Bangladesh , parliamentary misconduct has become routine ; it might appear a waste of effort even to discuss its whys and wherefores. Forget the daily adjournments and walkout; at times disrupters have spared no occasion, not even the once-sacrosanct presidential address. However, when confrontation reaches a point where the very existence of parliament is questioned, then it is distress time as much for democracy as for the institution itself.
      Parliament -watchers are wont to recalling the dignity and style of legislative conduct in the faraway days when such great parliamentarians gently sparred on the floor of the House. It is futile , and perhaps not even necessary, to expect the same levels of courtesy and grace from a parliament that has long been transformed in character Today's parliament is arguably more representative of society at large than at any time in the past. It is only fair then that rather then stick to the classical format, a lawmaker or lawbreaker be allowed to bring their own distinctive styles to parliamentary debate. The same goes for disruptions.
     The opposition cannot be expected to observe the niceties of parliamentary conduct in the face of grave misdemeanours by a government. The opposition was required to play the role of rigorous investigator in such cases as the Padma Bridge construction and share market scandals. However, that is a far cry. If all debates were to be settled on the street, as one lawmaker has so casually advocated, we would soon have no use for elections.In a democracy, it is the responsibility of the ruling dispensation to act with dignity even in the face of criticism and provocation, not the other way round . The disruption of parliament is more the creation of the ruling coalition. Looking at the recent happenings out of parliament , I am reminded of Shakespeare's words: 'But man, proud man/dressed in a little brief authority, .. Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven/As make the angels weep.' Our lawmakers must be certainly making all the angels in heaven weep.

Death of negligence

      A few days back, I was in Motijheel for an official work. I was waiting for the chief executive of the company where I have been working . As he was late, I was looking for him. I saw two men were clinging on the side of a high-rise building .When I looked closely I realised that they were cleaning the building glass. I was admirably looking at there daredevil work and wondering about their courage. Both of the workers were hanging on a rope which would protect them in case they lost their balance.
   I often read about workers dying after falling from under-construction high-rise building when they were working without taking proper protection . Lately, such accidents have become more frequent, contruction companies have the responsibility to make sure that their workers are taking enough precaution to avoid such unwanted and regretful incident.I have seen in construction sites workers working without safety helmet and other necessary safety gears. According to an NGO report , at least 388 workers died in 2011 in workplace-related accident across Bangladesh. I don't know how many workers become disabled due to not taking proper precaution. It is high time the authorities took the matter into serious consideration and implement the necessary 'safety first' rule . We always remember and remind others that 'Better a thousands times careful than once dead' and 'Know safety , no injury. No safety, know injury.'

Article 70 no more welcome

    If one provision of law had to be singled out for its contribution towards holding back our otherwise promising parliamentary democracy , it would most certainly be Article 70 of the constitution. In line with the culture of our political parties, no party in power or in opposition has ever properly addressed the issue of MPs not being allowed to vote against their own party, as Article 70 stipulates. Consequently, this provision has haunted our parliamentary practice for four decades and promises to continue to do so in the foreseeable future.
    Article 70 bars a member of parliament from voting against the decision of his/her party. Originally designed to prevent MPs from engaging in what is known as 'floor-crossing ', the barrier is not absolute , in the sense that an MP can still vote against his/her party.But she can only do so at the high cost of losing his parliament membership and therefore at the same time, ceasing to be a representative of his people . It is, therefore, hardly surprising that an MP has gone against a party decision in parliament and sacrificed his membership only once in our 40-year-old democracy . In a vibrant democracy, democratic practice or power of the people should not end with the casting of a ballot. But unfortunately for us, as soon as we have elected our representative lawmaker, she is out of our hands and into the power clutches of the party that nominated him or her. No matter how much a particular party decision might affect the interests of his or her constituents or push the boundaries of his or her conscience, a 'lawmaker' has no real power to vote against it.
    With this arrangement in place , sadly since the very inception of our country, our parliament seems to have become a rubberstamp to be used at the whim of the party in power. Not only does the opposition never stands a practical chance of winning a vote against the government , no critic inside the ruling party holds any bargaining power against an unreasonable or harmful decision of the government. He is free to speak his mind on the parliament floor but the freedom ends once the Speaker calls for votes. From that moment onwards , a Member of Parliament , the representative of the people , must only blindly follow his herd.

Academic collaboration

     Academic collaboration with the best of universities could help improve quality , unlike direct intervention by foreign educational providers. While such collaborations have always existed, we need to increase their scope and extent in the future. As a matter of fact, efforts are being made in different parts of the country to promote collaborative learning . A large number of scholar's including some Nobel laureates have visited the universities in Bangladesh during the last two decades. Testimonies of the teachers and the visiting scholars show that the benefits have mutual. The essence of such mutually beneficial academic collaboration is partnership based on equality . It cannot be based on a relationship of superiority and inferiority . It has to recognise the kaleidoscopic character of quality in higher education and the value of mutually enriching collaborative learning processes.
     One has to look at the larger countrywide picture before alleging that the universities and colleges contribute little to the improvement of Bangladesh' s higher education what goal has been set and achieved by any of our public universities what study of basic discipline research and extension in real terms how does our rich per hectare production compare with that of other developing countries are we able to design even a passable engine for our main battle tank after spending huge money ? It is  true that quality can be ensure only through  an internal process. But in the teaching profession there is no standard means to assess this internal process and its success wholly depends on the ability of teachers. Even if we spend exorbitant sums on faculty improvement , there is no objective means of assessment to ensure that the process works. So, what is the harm in inviting foreign universities and relying on competition for quality improvement?