‘Change and be changed’ but our politics is not changing November 11, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH.Tags: Prolhom Alo
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Prothom Alo virtually initiated a movement to change ourselves and to change others in order to change our society and our country. It started the campaign from its last anniversary. Throughout the year the organisers extensively traversed the country and enthuthists got together to pronounce their oath and to document their aspirations on the white sheet in inks. Prothom Alo marks one year of this campaign by displaying the long line of flags of oath and aspirations holding hands in hands by thousands of young and old flocked together from all over the country on the seashore of Cox’sbazar. Many distinguised people like Dr. Jafar Iqbal was present inthe congregation and led the oath.
The emotion and displays at the beach, in the capital and in different parts of the country creats hope in our mind. But in the next moment, when we look at the politics of our nation, we feel frustrated.
We see little change in our politics and politicians. We hear the same rhetorics of old days, no national consensuson on major issues, same old blame game and no effective parliament.
Without the change in politics and politicians, I doubt, there will be any real change possible in the country.
An ordinary citizen
Mobile phone is changing the lifestyle of our new generation November 6, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, TECHNOLOGY.Tags: Mobile phone, telecom
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In Bangladesh, you would hardly see any young people, male or female without a mobile phone. They are using it for communicating with their friends and families, to pass thier time enjoying the music or listening to FM radio, play games, browse the internet, chat or explore the facebook.
Nothing is wrong with all these if the prime job of an individual gets the proper priority. But Mobile phone, the technoligal device of this new era, has created a diversion from the prime objective of the new generatin, specially of the students.
The students are more interested to be unnecessary indulged in useless gossip/chat for hours together, keep themselves aloof from the family and immediate sorrounding and more interested to be in connection with distant people.
Their liking for day and night has changed. They prefer to remain awake to the end of the night and to be busy in their futile exercise, prefer to rise up late in the morning and often miss the classes and their liking for traditional classes deminised than their predicessors.
You are to blame to some extent the telecom companies also for the change of the teens and twenties in their prefence to night.The companies certainly deserve praise for their contribution in bringing the new device to the doors of the people but they, for their own commercial interest, keep the call rate during night unimaginably low to attract the young to pass their night awake.
Only the Government with strong regularity bodies could protect the students from this exploitation by the telecoms in the name of liberalisation of technology but the governments in the past didn’t do so and we are not sure about the future.
An ordinary citizen
Centralised admission test for private medical colleges in Bangladesh- a positive step October 30, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION, GOVERNANCE.Tags: MBBS, Medical admission, Medical education
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The Government has taken decision to organise the admission tests for MBBS in private medical colleges directly under the control of itself through Directorate of Heath Service. There are 40 private medical colleges working in Bangladesh against 17 Govt. Medical Colleges. Till last year, the admission in private medical colleges was controlled by individual colleges though the admission in govt. medical colleges were conducted through a single admission test on the same day throughout the country over the years.
There are allegations of massive irregularities and corruptions regarding the admission in private medical colleges.
Govt. also restrict the admission fees in the private medical colleges from 5 lac to 8 lac. This will also prevent the private medical college authorities to take exuberent fees and to give admission to the irregular students in exchange of excess money.
The writer rather advocates the introduction of payment of fees in installments on semester basis in private medical colleges so that more students get the opportunity for studying medicine in private medical colleges.
The system of paying on semester/term basis will also help the students to quit the study if one does not find medical studies suitable for his/her career. In the present system, there is little scope for the students to make his own choice- the financial investment on the part of the parents or guardians make it obligatory to continue the burden despite his limitations and emotiona detachment. The present system also creates an obligation on the teachers and administrtion to somehow passover their students despite their deficiency in academic attainment. In the long run, it only compromises the quality of doctors in Bangladesh.
The writer also advocates the introduction of same centralised system for admission in post graduate courses of MD and MS in different medical colleges in Bangladesh. We are observing with sorrow that over the last few years the admission in post graduate courses in Bangladesh become so much politicised that in future the life of the people and patrons alike will be in danger in the hands of these so-called medical specialists.
The writer has also reservation about the number of private medical colleges. The goverment should restrict the number of these private institutions and mantain the necessary stardard of education and service there.
By now, we appreciate the present step of the Government for centralised admission test in private medical colleges and hope that it would be a good positive step in reorganising the chaotic academic condition in the private medical colleges in Bangladesh.
An ordinary citizen
ACC is frustrated over its own state and state of judiciary in Bangladesh October 25, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, CORRUPTION, GOVERNANCE, JUDICIARY.Tags: ACC. Anti-Corruption Commission
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The Chief of Anti-Corruption Commission(ACC) recently expressed his frustration over ts own state and state of judiaciary in relation to the corruption cases in Bangladesh.
BDnews24.com reports, the chief of watchdog said. ‘ the government is clipping the wings of the Anticorruption Commission, reducing some of its powers, in phases’.
After making the Anticorruption Commission a ‘tiger without teeth’, the process is underway to cut the nails from its claws,” ACC chairman Golam Rahman told reporters.
Rahman also said it is not possible to wipe out corruption due to the existing judicial system.
“It won’t be possible to remove corruption if the judicial system is not reformed in line with the reality,” he said.
“If the judges are not tough against the corrupt people they would continue to commit more corruption under the umbrella of law”.
ACC chairman also commented that, “It is not possible to prevent high-level corruption without a strong political will.
The present government has formed a committee for recommendation on the Anti-Corruption Commission. ACC boss probably reacted to the notice served by the committee.
An ordinary citizen
US dilemma on Afghan Strategy October 20, 2009
Posted by bdoza in International Affairs.Tags: Afganistan, Obama, USA, war against terrorism
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In the inau
guaral speech President Obama outlined the strategy to combat terrorism. He promised to withdrew troops from Iraq and concentrate more on Afghanistan and if necessary to strike Pakistan. Troops withdrawal from Iraq has started as promised though a bit slowly, but US strikes the terror den along the Pak -Afghan border. But suicidal attacks now more spread up in larger areas of Pakistan.
The war in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly difficult and US and other international allies are counting more casualties. When Obama was resetting his priorities and thinking not to increase forces in Afghanistan and concentrating more in Pakistan, his Chief Commander in Afghanistan declared publicly that 40000 more US troops are necessary to succeed there that made the Obama Administration embarrassed. The Secretary for Defence Gates had to tell the media that senior officials, civil or military. should convey their advice only privately to the administration in important state policies.
While Obama was pondering on the Afghan strategy the Nobel Committee in Oslo declared Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 to Obama which create more stress for Obamathat will linger rhe dilemma. Should he now stick not to send more troops to Afghanistan or prefer the notion of his Commander and send more troops to Afghanistan?
The people of the world hope that Obama will come out with clear decision which will create a more peaceful and terror free state in the world.The decision of Obama will dictate the peace in the region in future.
An ordinary citizen
Link:
USA is losing in two fronts in Afghan War
Bangladesh and climate migration October 15, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, CLIMATE, Climate Change, ENVIRONMENT.Tags: Aleya, Climate Change, climate migrant, Sidr
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The impact of climate change has started affecting Banglades. Bangladesh had already experienced devastating cyclone ‘Sidr’ and ‘Aleya’ in the last years. While Sidr has caused more deaths of human lives and damage to the corps, houses and cattles, Cyclone Aleya surged the sea water into the coastal belt and submesed huge area under saline water making the life difficult for the people living there.
Bangladesh is one of the prime victim of the climate change as it is located at the apex of the Bay of Bengal and is a low lying country. It is said that 1/3 of Bangladesh will submerge under sea water by next 50 years and 20 million people will find no soil to stand on.
What is the way out to keep the people of Bangladesh and other low lying countries survive the onslaught?
The Bangladesh Govt is pressing for compensation from the developed countries who are mainly responsible for the carbon emmission and the climate change. The billion dollars that Bangladesh is claming may not be enough to protect it’s shore from the incusion of saline water.
The only way left would be to migrate the affected people to other parts of the country or other parts of the world. Bangladesh already so densely populated that it would be impossible for itself to accomodate the displaced people in its would be shrinked territory.
World bodies should think seriously about the necessity of climate migration and formulate the policies to protect the right to live of the victims of climate change.
An ordinary citizen
Link:
Towards Recognition-Creating Awareness for Climate Migrants
Obama own Nobel Peace Prize 2009 – Is it premature? October 9, 2009
Posted by bdoza in International Affairs.Tags: Nobel Peace Prize 2009, Obama, world peace
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Barack Obama got the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 that cought everybody surprized including Obama himself. When the prize was declared in Oslo,Norway, Obama was in sleep. After he heard the news, White House took time to express its first reaction to the announcement.
After becoming president, Obama started to spread hope of peace in the world even in his first inuguaral speech. He adopted a policy of reconciliation with the conflicting parties of the world. He visited the Muslim World and extended his hand for mutual respect, offers Iran direct talk, is trying to mediate peace-talk between Israel and Palestain, decided to close the American presence in Iraq, and is trying to fucus US war of terrorism on Al-Quaeda. He prefers multilateral approach for negotiating world conflicts and wants to make UN the main focus for decision making in international affairs. He offers Russia for reducing nuclear stocks and wants to prevent the neuclear proliferation in the world. He feels concern for the climate change and wants US to play its due role in this regard.
But all these are hopes. Most the aspirations are not materialised yet, some even not take any step. He is only 8 months in his office, his nomination was submitted only 2 weeks before the closing date. Under his command, US is at war with two countries and extending the war into another with many civilians dying every day because of the war.
We appreciate his effort for peace which he just initiates and we have to wait for the result.
Isn’t it a bit premature for him to get the prize? We are not sure how it will affect his mindset.
An ordinary citizen
Post-script:
Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Laureate for peace in 2006 in an interview to BBC congratulated Obama on his getting Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
Bangladesh in Human Development Report 2009 October 5, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, GOVERNANCE.Tags: HUman Development Report 2009
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UNDP has just published Human Development Report 2009.
The state of Bangladesh is presented in the country factsheet
An ordinary citizen
UN summit: Changing the system of representation September 25, 2009
Posted by bdoza in International Affairs, UN.Tags: Gadhafi, Obama, Security Council, UN
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Summit of 192 nations held in the General Assebly of the UN. Leaders of many countries projected their ideas in the summit from Barak Obama of USA to Nitalyaho of Israel. I could manage to listen to part of the session that telecasted live from the spot.
Barak Obama deviating from his immediate predecessor expressed a reconciliatory tone in his speech which was well constructed and fluent as always with him. He stressed for a shared resporsibility of all the countries in the present world and emphasied for a greater role of UN in the future world.
After Obama left the hall, Gadhafi of Libya delivered his maiden speech in his 40 years in the throne. He was in an arrogant mood, giving reference to the preamble of the UN charter which was adoted at it’s birth, argued that the rules,regulations and procedure that drafted and followed later on virtually dictated by the big powers who ascertained veto power on themselves to dominate others. He argued for restructuring the Security Council on the basis of geopolitical representation of the member countries and designating the Security Council as the executive body of the General Assembly which will paly the decisive role in all UN matters.
The speech of Gadhafi was unnecessary lengthy and at times boring. Throughout the whole session, his speech was the most controversial and will be disliked by the superpowers. Though his speech may have not a changing impact on the structure of the UN, but it points to the previlegdes enjoyed by the superpowers over other countries for long years which he thinks shouldn’t be continued.
The ordinary citizen predicts that for good or bad there is little chance of changing the present structure of UN heirachy.
An ordinary citizen
A Daily’s crusade to save our rivers September 20, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, CORRUPTION, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS.Tags: Daily Star, Dhaka rivers
5 comments
The rivers and canals of Dhaka over the years are being grabbed by the influentials and the greedies. So far no political power took any real initiative to free the rivers and canals from the gravers. As a consequence, drainage of water of Dhaka city is grossly affected, many of the areas inundated by a small rain water, pure water become scarcy and diarrhoea spread like havoc within short time. The rivers are not only becoming thinner, the water is also polluted by the waste of the facotories and industries so much so that WASA becomes unable to supply fresh water to the inhibitants of the capital, the fishes are dying under the pollution and the water become so thick that even swimming at places is impossible and navigation through rivers become difficult.
When the political power fails, il’s a Daily in Bangladesh that virtually started a crusade against the grabbers. It has started to publish investigative reports on the state of the rivers relentlessly. It’s pictorial presentations have caught the eyes of many. Even Prime Minister Sk Hasina feels concern and orders the related authorities to take immediate measures and declares that her government will take stern actions against the wrongdoers.
We are not sure how far Government would succeed in fulfilling its pronouncement but we appreciate the effort made by a Daily, the Daily Star of Bangladesh to make the life of the citizens healthy and comfortable. A pioneer TV channel, Channel Eye forms a partnership with the Daily in the endevour.
An ordinary citizen
Links:
A new education policy proposed September 11, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION.Tags: education policy
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The newly formed education commission headed by Prof Kabir Chowdhury submitted their proposal for education policy in Bangladesh and Ministry of Education floated the policy in their website for critical review by the experts and the public.
The proposed policy is aimed at unifying the diverse education lines in Bangladesh and upgrading the education equipped with digital technology to prepare Bangladesh to develop it into a Digital Bangladesh by the year 2021.
An ordinary citizen
Could PSC like examination be introduced for promotion in the Bangladesh Secretariat? September 11, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, GOVERNANCE, POLITICS.Tags: PSC
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Protest and frustration gripped the Bangladesh secretariat after Government promoted some hundred officers to the higher posts.
Can’t Public Service Commission (PSC) conduct promotion exams for the secreataries? Similar exams are in practice for other caders such as for teachers in medical colleges.
Recommedation by a neutral body like PSC could help remove the frustation and deprivation because of the present trend of promotion in the admin cade on the political consideration.
An ordinary citizen
World Economic Forum publishes World Competitive Report -2009-10 September 10, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, ECONOMY, International Affairs.Tags: World Competitive Report 2009-2010, World Economic Forum
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World Economic Forum publishes world competitive report 2009-10
An ordinary citizen
A George Mia and independence of Judiciary in Bangladesh September 6, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, JUDICIARY, POLITICS.add a comment
In relation to 21st August, 2004 bomb blast event, a George Mia was accused and arrested which later on found to be falsely implicated to save the actual culprits of the murder attempt on the opposition leader and present PM Sk Hasina. Dozens of leaders and workers died on the spot and many injured, the spot turned into a hell, though the PM survived luckily.
George Mia later released but in a recent news he said that he is feeling unsafe and afraid of his own life.
The Government has decided to reinvestigate the whole episode of 21st August to bring the culprits and their patrons to book. Demand also raised to find out the wrongdoers who knowingly involve George Mia in the case.
I was recently listening to a discussion, where to a question to an expert whether a new George Mia will not be created, he couldn’t give any guaranty, the answer points to the frustration over the independence of our judiaciary, though it is said to be separated from the executive.
An ordinary citizen
Bangladesh: Practice of Democracy within the Parties August 20, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, POLITICS.Tags: AL, BNP, party democracy
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After massive defeat in the General Election of 29th December, 2008 under the supervisionof the caretaker Government, BNP after initial mental shock, started to reorganise their party at different level. Accordingly leaders of BNP toured the country and try to reorganise the party but the ultimate result is not encouraging. The committee that are ultimately formed were not based on the recommendations of the grassroot workers but it was dictated by the top level leader of the party, even it was said that the ultimate decision was sometime what dictated by the Tareq Zia from abroad. Ultimately at different places resentment was expressed by the workers against the committees formed by the central leaders.
On the other hand it is good that AL had convened their National Council on 25th of July 2009, within the time set by the Election Commission. Hundreds of councillors from the different parts of the country represented the party in the central meeting. But one couldn’t be sure whether the councillors were elected by grassroot workers or mere selected by the party top leaders. The meeting unanimouly voted Sk Hasina for the Preident of the party for the next 6 years and Syed Ashraful Islam for the General Secretary of the party for the next 3 years. When it was expected that the central working committee of the party would be formed by the meeting, but the responsibilty was thrusted by the meeting to the President and General Secretary of the Party in the same tradition of the earlier years to pick up the members. The participants of the meeting otherwise enjoyed the meeting.
People waited for days before the Central Committee were formed and people informed of the composition of the central commitee of the party as the newly elected General Secretary reported the committee on behalf of Sk. Hasina, the President of the Party. The Committee comprises of 71 members with 13 members of the presidium, 1 treasurer, 3 joint secretaries, 7 organising secretaries and 20 departmental secreatiries. The most remarkable development is that the socalled pro-reform leaders were left out of the Central Committee.
BNP predicted their inabilty to organise the party council by July and appeal to the Election Commission to extend the time for more six month. The Election Commission later extended the time amid the uncertainity of the state. But the failure on the part of BNP to organise the Council in the scheduled time is obvious.
We hope that the major parties will practice democracy more in their own parties to produce the leadership to fulfil the dreams of themselves and of the people.
An ordinary citizen
Obama confers Presidential Medal of Freedom on Dr. Muhammad Yunus August 14, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Yunus.Tags: Muhammad Yunus, Obama, Presidential Medal of Freedom, USA
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Dr. Muhammad Yunus has been conferred highest civilian honour of USA by President Obama in a marked ceremony held at White House on 12th August 2009. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was also bestowed upon 16 others citizens of the world who includes Archbishob of South Africa Desmond Tutu, leading British Scientist Stephen Hawkins and former Iris President Mary Robinson.The medal is given for “especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.”
President Obama lauded the contribution of Muhammad Yunus in alliviating the poverty from the world saying, ” Muhammad Yunus was just trying to help a village, but some how manage to change the world”.
In reaction in an interview Muhammad Yunus said that it is not a personal achievemnt of him, rather it’s an honour and an achievment of Bangladesh. He said that it proves Bangladesh can also do something good to the world. Microcredit which he started from a village in Bangladesh while he was a Professor of Economics in the university has now spread all over the world and virtually all the countries of the world are practicing microcredit now including the developed countries like USA, Canada and French.
It is also sad to say that when the world is recognising his contribution, some people in Bangladesh is trying to deny the impact of microcredit on the economy in Bangladesh.They say that microcredit is not enough to eradicate the poverty from the society.[DS] It’s true, microcredit alone is not enough to change the society, but in their deliberation there is a hint of denial of the impact of microcredit on the poverty in our country. This tendency of denial was also present in the past.[DS]
Dr. Yunus explained in the interview that the present banking system support the people from the upper layer of the society and it is arrested in the middle and can’t reach the people at the bottom. On the contrary, it is the microcredit which support people from the bottom of the society who have no money, no collaterals and no recommendation.
Regarding high interest rates of microcredit, he said that Grameen has 4 types of loan- one has 20% interest, the house loan has 8.5% interest, student loan has 5% which also count after the completion of the study and loan for beggers has no interest. Nearly 150000 beggers are enjoying this loan. Dr Yunus said that Grameen ensures the 100% education of the children of its clients, many of them could complete the intermediate level and enter into the universities and medical colleges becoming doctors, engineers and Ph D holders. Grameen provides scholarship to persue higher education in the foreigh countries like USA, Canada. he added that very recently 6 students had gone to Malayasia on higher studies.
On forced extraction of loan repayment system, he told that Grameen is established to ease the suffering of poor people, not to extract money in their distress. During ‘Aila’, the latest cyclone which inundated huge area along the sea belt, Grameen not only suspended the loan collection and also support the suffering people by supplying pure water and food and supporting in their rehabilatation.
On the question of increasing gap between the poor and the rich in Bangladesh as predicted by World Bank and few experts he said that statistics say that from 1990 onwards poverty decreases by 1% per year till 2000, then it decreses by 2% till 2005. The stats beyond that is yet not available. But if it continues in the same rate, we can decrease the poverty to 50% by 2015. He hoped that if it is possible to decrease the poverty by half in 2015, it is not impossible to eradicate poverty from Bangladesh by 2030.[Courtesy:NTV]
In the post ceremial reception of the award winners, Dr. Yunus requested Obama and Mitchel to visit Bangladesh which they agreed to accomplish as the time permits.
Bangladesh feel proud as a nation when Yunus got the Nobel Prive for peace in 2006. Bangladesh is again feeling proud for what Yunus has achievd fof him and for Bangladesh.
An ordinary citizen
UK Ministers, abuse of funds and resignations August 7, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, JUDICIARY, POLITICS.Tags: UK, UK Minister Shahid Malik
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When UK Justice Minister Shadin Malik resigned in June 2009, on the allegation of expending excess public funds, people become aware of the trouble going on in Browns cabinet. Few more ministers resigned on the same ground making the Prime Minister Gordon Brown own post vulnerable to challange.
PM Brown denies to resign saying that the situation is unexpected but not serious enough to resign.
The Labour Party survived the onslaught but it performs poorly in the following local government elections. Most of all, the people lost the faith on the politicans and their respect to the public money.
In a country like Bangladesh, one cannot imagine such a situation. Here Minister resigns if he/she is asked to by the Prime Minister, Otherwise he has no failure and he make no corruption or embezzlement of fund during the tenure of his government. There is no court and no commission which could dare to investigate any allegation against a sitting Minister.
For Bangladesh, probably it will always remain a dream to see a minister resign on the charge of corruption or embezzlement of fund during the tenure of his Government.
An ordinary citizen
The case of Sotomayor: Judging a Judge July 31, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, JUDICIARY.Tags: appointment of a Judge, Sotomayor, Supreme Court
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When a seat was vacant in the Supreme Court of USA, after a period of speculation for many, President OBama proposed Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his candidate to fill up the vacant post of retiring Justice David Souter. Soymoto is an Hispanic American working as federal appellate judge Few speculated her name but Obama thought to nominate one who ‘would bring more experience on the bench than anyone currently serving on the Supreme Court’.
Immedaiately MEDIA started to scrutinise her past as a Judge and as a person. Her background has been revealed. Her judgements have been reviwed. Even her speeches at public functions were critically analysed.
Many speak out against her for her judgements, against her attitude.blame her for racism, doubt on her integrity and intellect. She tried to defend her, explained her position and clarified the ambiguity.
Along the process, she had to face the Sente JUdiciary Committee where she had to face quesstions from every angle one can imagine. The Committee appproved the nomination on majority votes.
The final passage would be in the Senate where she gets the approval, she will be the first Hispanic American Justice in the history of America.
In Bangladesh, the appointment is more a secret process. The President has the constitutional power to appoint the judges of the Supreme Court with the consent of the Prime Minister from the sitting judges of the High Court or the advocates of the Judiciary. No public srutiny, no interoggation by the parliamentary committee or voting in the parliament are necessary.
Does the selection process in Bangladesh for judges in the Supreme Court need more screening by the people and parliament?
An ordinary citizen
Postscript:
Sotomayor OK’d for Supreme Court
HSC Result 2009 is out today July 25, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, EDUCATION.Tags: HSC, HSC Exam result 2009
4 comments
HSC result 2009 of 8 education boards along with result of Business Studies under technical Education Board and Alim under Madrasha Board will be out today. Result will be available from 1 pm at the institutions, at websites and from mobile services.
For HSC result, search the following website:
http://result.educationboard.gov.bd/
Wish all good success!
An ordinary citizen
News Link:
Daily Star
Prothom Alo
BDnews24.com
Post Script:
Professor Lutfur Rahman, a Founder VC of Science & Technology University discussed the need of science based technical education in Bangladesh
A Pinak Ranjan and his few comments July 24, 2009
Posted by bdoza in BANGLADESH, Diplomacy., ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT, Flood.Tags: India, Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, Tipaimukh Dam
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Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, the Indian High Commissioner has made some comments in the last few months which has stirred the people and politics in Bangladesh to an unexpected level.
His comment on transit
>”transit is an economic issue, not a political issue”
first got immediate reaction from different sectors.
State Minister for Foriegn Affairs of the new Government Mahmud Hasan later tried to defend his comment saying that ’some people unnecessarily link transit with politics’.
On June 21, 2009 Pinak Ranjan lamblasted the water experts of Bangladesh by saying
‘’some ‘so-called water experts’ are making comments without considering issues relating to the flow of the Ganges water’… ‘Clearly, the question of Bangladesh not getting its due share of water under this treaty is an empty slogan’. He also added, “Unfortunately, criticism of India and India-phobia has become an instrument for deriving political mileage for a particular section whose antecedents are well-known’. On Timaimukh he said,’There has been a lot of agitation on the issue of Tipaimukh Dam. It is a hydroelectric multipupose project to produce eecricity only. It will also, to some extent, help in flood control. The project has no component of irrigation and involves no diversion of water for irrigation purposes. The feasibility and design of Tipaimukh has been studied and examined threadbare by various experts over the last 40 years and India provided all details on the proposed project to Bangladesh’
He was speaking at a seminar on ‘South Asian Connectivity: Bangladesh Perspective’ at Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka.
The comment drew immediate reaction from experts, politicians and people alike. It is assumed that Bangladesh has got little documents on Timaimukh dam from India. That’s why the present government asked India to supply all the documents when the controversy started to get heat.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said afterwards that Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty might have violated diplomatic norms through his comments on controversial Tipaimukh dam and Bangladeshi water experts.
But LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam a day after contradicted with the comment of Foreign Minister saying that he personally thinks that Indian High Commissioner Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty had not flouted diplomatic norms through his comment on Tipaimukh dam.
His latest comment at a conference on ‘Bangladesh-India Economic Relations’ in the city lately also drew criticism
”around 25000 of the Bangladeshis who entered India with legal visa each year never did return to Bangladesh”.
At last the Government of Bangladesh had to come up with the statement to refute the allegation raised by Pinak Ranjan as ‘ his observation does not match with the information avaialble with the government’.
People of Bangladesh always want a peaceful and friendly relation with India. Abdul Kalam, eminent Scientist and former President of India in his recent visit to Bangladesh assured that India will not do anything that will harm Bangladesh.
A comment of an speaker in a talk show may have some truth when he says that India will never prosper by keeping Bangladesh poor, her prosperity will always be at stake if Bangladesh remain poor because of her policy and planning.
Whether Pinak is doing diplomatically good thing by provoking anti-Indian and anti-Tipaimukh sentiment-is beyond the scope of an ordinary citizen, but otherwise he is a man of good composure and of fine linguistic ability.
An ordinary citizen
Bangladesh
