News Bangla

Bangladesh 1971: Seminar at Kean University

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:19:00 +0000

Please read the following invitation letter from Kean University and join the event tomorrow. Please click here for more information.

As you may know, justice with regards to the atrocities of the events surrounding the independence of Bangladesh in 1971 has been delayed for thirty eight years. Kean University is therefore continuing its efforts to enlighten the public about those responsible for the war crimes and crime against humanity that occurred. Its second annual conference on Bangladesh titled “Bangladesh 1971: Addressing claims of War crimes, Genocide and Crimes against Humanity” will be held on Sunday, October 18, 2009. The conference draws attention to efforts underway in Bangladesh to hold perpetrators responsible for crimes committed in 1971.

The Human Rights Institute at Kean University facilitates and supports endeavors that address human rights violations. It organizes and hosts its Annual Human Rights Conference. The Human Rights Institute publicly recognizes the necessity of addressing the regional conflict resulting in egregious violations of human rights in Bangladesh in 1971 and of the need to do so at an international level. This seminar is the second since 2007 to address the murder of “probably 300,000 and possibly 1 million fellow Muslims and minority Hindus in Bangladesh in 1971” (Ben Kiernan, Blood and Soil, page 572).

The goal of the conference is to provide evidence of the atrocities of 1971 by presenting eyewitness accounts of victims, family members and freedom fighters. The conference will include panel discussions, question and answer sessions. Key discussants will include international lawyers as well as genocide scholars who will address the crimes committed in a comparative and comprehensive.

Kean University’s conference draws is particularly timely because of the current initiative of the government of Bangladesh to bring perpetrators of the atrocities of 1971 to justice. The ongoing debate in the country as to whether it should be an international or domestic trial deserves our attention.

In order to successfully conduct this event, the assistance of the community is absolutely vital. The Human Rights Institute requests your participation in this event with a donation that will be used solely for the expenses of the event. Kean University considers the conference to be important enough that the President is providing his financial and moral support to this event as well.

The Kean University conference has a fourfold agenda: to record testimony of the persons aggrieved by the incredible events of 1971 in Bangladesh; to bring to trial the perpetrators of the atrocities of 1971 and consider alternative and additional forms of justice including the truth and conciliation of the aggrieved; to develop and institutionalize university courses at Kean and elsewhere on atrocities that analyze the horrendous events of 1971 and compare them with those in other countries such as Indonesia and Biafra; and engage participants from the public and academic communities around these issues in interdisciplinary annual conferences.

You are invited to join the committee of gracious donors and supporters currently in formation. Please find attached to this letter details on how to make a donation to the conference. Your donations towards the expenses of the conference will be most appreciated. It will go directly to the Kean University Foundation that will provide you with a tax-deductible receipt. Thank you for your consideration.

Yours very truly,

Henry Kaplowitz, Ph.D
Director
Human Rights Institute

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নিউ জার্সীর কীন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের হিউম্যান রাইটস ইনস্টিটিউটের উদ্যোগে "বাংলাদেশ ১৯৭১: যুদ্ধাপরাধ, গণহত্যা ও মানবতার বিরুদ্ধে অপরাধ" শীর্ষক দিনব্যাপী সেমিনার শুরু হচ্ছে আগামীকাল রোববার ১৮ অক্টোবর সকাল ১১টায়। কীন বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের উইলকিনস থিয়েটারে এই বিশাল আয়োজনে স্বাগত বক্তব্য রাখবেন বাংলাদেশের মাননীয় রাস্ট্রদূত জনাব আকরামুল কাদের। অনুষ্ঠানে যোগ দিচ্ছে বাংলাদেশ মুক্তিযুদ্ধ যাদুঘর।

Foley Hoag Retained by Bangladesh

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:12:00 +0000

Foley Hoag LLP has been retained by the government of Bangladesh in two just-filed arbitration actions against the neighboring states of Myanmar (Burma) and India over maritime borders in the resource-rich Bay of Bengal.

The actions by Bangladesh were brought under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to which all three countries are signatories. The Convention provides for compulsory arbitration to resolve maritime boundary disputes among parties to the treaty, which are obliged to accept the arbitral body's final ruling.

Bangladesh negotiated with Myanmar and India off and on for several decades in an attempt to resolve overlapping claims in the Bay of Bengal, which is reportedly rich in undersea deposits of oil and natural gas. Paul Reichler,who leads the Foley Hoag team representing Bangladesh, says foreign oil companies holding exploration licenses from Bangladesh, including ConocoPhillips and UK-based Tullow Oil plc, have been intimidated by warships from Myanmar within waters Bangladesh claims as its own.

"The exaggerated claims of Myanmar and India, and aggressive actions by Myanmar in particular, have effectively prevented Bangladesh from exploiting potentially huge deposits of oil and natural gas located off its coast," said Mr. Reichler. "Unfortunately, negotiations have been deadlocked for years,leaving international arbitration as the only way for Bangladesh to achieve peaceful and lawful resolutions of these maritime boundary issues, and definitive borders that will ultimately allow it to access natural resources that will benefit the Bangladeshi people."

In separate proceedings against each of its two neighbors, Bangladesh has referred to binding arbitration its maritime boundaries in the territorial sea(out to 12 nautical miles from the shoreline), the Exclusive Economic Zone (or EEZ, to 200 nautical miles from shore), and the continental shelf (beyond 200 miles from shore).

Bangladesh's complaint against Myanmar states that Myanmar has granted concessions to oil companies that, "have engaged in drilling and other exploratory activities in disputed areas without prior notice to or consent by Bangladesh." The complaint against India states that it "denies Bangladesh any portion of its continental shelf whatsoever beyond 200 nautical miles, [and]is inconsistent with the principles and rules established by UNCLOS."

Neither Myanmar nor India has yet responded to the arbitration notifications,which were filed by Bangladesh on October 8. They each have 30 days under the applicable rules to appoint an arbitrator, or one will be appointed for them. Mr. Reichler said that arbitrations of this type can take up to 3 to 4 years from the initial notification to the final decision.

Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes said, "This will allow us to once and for all settle this dispute with our neighbors, to ensure that our sovereign rights to the natural resources in the sea are fully respected, and to move forward to an era of prosperity as we exploit our national wealth for the good of all the people of Bangladesh. It is in keeping with our obligations under the Charter of the United Nations to seek a solution to disputes by peaceful means. We wish to conclude by reassuring our neighbors India and Myanmar of our commitment to friendship and the pursuit of mutual prosperity."

In addition to Mr. Reichler, Bangladesh is represented by Foley Hoag partners Lawrence Martin and Andrew Loewenstein, as well as Professor James Crawford of Cambridge University in the United Kingdom and Professor Payam Akhavan of McGill University in Canada.

Foley Hoag has represented numerous governments before international arbitral tribunals worldwide and at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, including Guyana in its successful maritime boundary arbitration against neighboring Suriname, also brought under UNCLOS. Foley Hoag is currently counsel to Nicaragua in a maritime boundary dispute with Colombia before the ICJ, and earlier this year successfully represented Nicaragua at the ICJ in a case against Costa Rica that reaffirmed Nicaragua's exclusive sovereignty over the river that forms part of the border between the two Central American states. Source: Reuters, October 13, 2009

LWM will Observe The Testimony of Sixty on October 21st

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:52:00 +0000

Liberation War Museum in Bangladesh has asked all Bangladeshis to join them on October 21st to share the historical document of the "Testimony of Sixty" with the communities and nations across the globe. This year a spcial program will be organized on October 21 at United Nations' headquarter with the help of Bangladesh Missions in the USA. All Bangladeshi expatriates in the USA are requested to share this document with their representatives and community members to make them aware of the atrocities in 1971 make the trial of those who committed crimes against humanity and Genocide in 1971 a reality.

On 21 October 1971 a document was released (published) by Oxfam London called 'The Testimony of Sixty' with an appeal to the world leaders, documenting the facts of what was happening in the then East Pakistan. Edward Kennedy, Mother Teresa and international journalists such as Michael Brunson (ITN), Claire Hollingworth (Daily Telegraph), John Pilger (Daily Mirror), along with relief workers from USA, Canada, Europe, Britain and India all contributed their testimony; it was their attempt to describe the genocide that was taking place in East Pakistan camouflaged by West Pakistan diplomacy. It was their record, their voice and their testimony of a tragedy, appealing to the world leaders to act immediately and stop the senseless brutality by the Pakistan Military Junta.

The Liberation War Museum commemorates that day and is distributing the facsimile edition of the document to the Head of the Governments across the world to help them understand what had happened in 1971 and continues even today in some parts of the world. This is going out to the world leaders with a plea to put a stop to such heinous acts of crime and help make 'Never Again' a reality, rather than just a slogan.

We also want to add that the perpetrators of the 1971 crimes committed in Bangladesh have remained unpunished and as the Government of Bangladesh prepares to bring them to justice we want the world to know about it and support the trial, that is the process to make 'Never Again' a reality in our country at least.

We as a nation have been the victims of crimes against humanity, genocide,atrocity and mass destruction in 1971. Therefore we understand what it is to be deprived of human rights. We are hence not willing to have a trial that will not meet the international standard or is going to be politically motivated. The law of the land protects all individuals and the law (International Crimes Tribunal) Act 1973) under which the Trial will be held meets the international legal requirements.

We appeal to you all to support our cause and the Trial so that we can put an end to the blemish that has been dividing our nation for too long and not allowing us to move forward. On this auspicious day we once again express our gratitude to the people of the world and various governments and political leaders for extending their solidarity to our people in 1971 and hope to get their renewed support in the trial to upheld truth and justice. Please click here to read and print this forty page long historical: The Testimony of Sixty.

Bangladesh to become carmaker

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:16:00 +0000

Star Business ReportBangladesh is set to become an automaker by the next two years, as a South Korean investment company yesterday announced a plan to invest $2 billion for setting up a Korean brand car manufacturing plant in the country.

The proposed car unit is expected to go into production in 2012, targeting to make 50,000 Korean Tagaz brand cars a year, and sell those in both local and international markets. The plant will also manufacture cars to be branded locally.

If the plant is set up in time, it will be the first-ever car making venture in Bangladesh. Industries Minister Dilip Barua formally unveiled the $2 billion investment plan, and termed it as a good sign for Bangladesh amid a sluggish foreign investment flow.

Cimillae Development Co Ltd, the local agent of Korean investment company CCGI, will coordinate the investment implementation.

Abdul Mannan, managing director of Cimillae Development, said local customers will get a Tagaz brand new car at only Tk 7 lakh. The company has already acquired land at Bhairab in Narsingdi for the plant.

Mannan said the plant will require two years to be set up. As many as 15,000 jobs will be created to run the car manufacturing plant.

CCGI Chairman Lee Young Choung said his company has already decided to invest more in Bangladesh besides the car manufacturing plant. He said CCGI has plans to invest in 30 sectors in future.

Presently Japanese reconditioned cars dominate the Bangladesh market. Around 20,000 used cars are imported each year, while the number is 2,000 for brand new cars.

Some brand new carmakers like Ford have already initiated move to enhance their presence in Bangladesh. Japanese Toyota still leads the market in both used and brand new car segments. Source: Daily Star, October 13, 2009

US Chamber of Commerce for more US investments in Bangladesh

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:07:00 +0000

The US Chamber of Commerce wants to see more US investments in Bangladesh taking advantage of ongoing investment friendly environment there. This was stated when the US Chamber hosted a luncheon discussion for visiting Adviser to Prime Minister of Bangladesh for Energy, Power and Mineral Resources Dr. Tawfiq Elahi Chowdhury BB. Leading US companies expressed their keen interests in Bangladesh and wanted to know aspects of investment opportunities in Bangladesh. The Chamber also appreciated the allocations of funds under the provision of Public Private Partnership in this year’s budget in Bangladesh.

Dr. Chowdhury highlighted the government’s initiatives to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh. He also elaborated on the government’s resolve to undertake both short and long term measures for production, distribution and transmission of electricity to bridge the gap between demand and supply in the country. He also informed the members of US Chamber about government’s decision to undertake exploration, both onshore and offshore, for energy resources for welfare of the people of Bangladesh.

In addition to Bangladesh’s growing market size, pool of easily trainable human resources, Energy Adviser urged US investors to consider Bangladesh’s strategic location between two large economies, namely China and India, and elaborated how US companies could reach out to a billion plus markets in the region.

Energy Adviser also answered to their specific queries and assured US investors of best possible services as outlined by Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in recent investment seminars in the USA.

Speaking on the occasion, Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Akramul Qader also urged the US companies to invest in Bangladesh and assured them of all possible support from the Embassy in Washington, DC and the Consulates General in New York and Los Angeles in the shortest possible time.

Representatives from Chevron, ConocoPhillips, General Electric, Global Edison Corporation, World Bank officials, the US Chamber officials and the officials from Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC attended the discussion meeting.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Tawfiq Elahi Chowdhury had meetings at the US Department of Energy. During the meetings, the Bangladesh Energy Adviser discussed issues of mutual interests with the US officials.
Source:Press Release issued by the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC on October 7, 2009

Bangladesh: The Blowback of Corruption

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:22:00 +0000

This exclusive video is an investigative report by PBS on the heavy price of corruption in Bangladesh. This time the focus is on Niko. Correspondent David Montero reports on a Canadian company that has left a scarred environmental legacy in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina urges to make Bangla a UN language

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:38:00 +0000

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday (9/26/09) urged the international community to recognise Bangla as one of the official languages of the UN citing its growing status. Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York, she said UNESCO recognised February 21 as the International Mother Language Day honouring Bangladesh's language movement in 1952.

"The language Bangla is spoken by over 250 million people worldwide, primarily in Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal," she said, arguing the case.

"The Bangladesh Parliament, therefore, recently adopted a resolution requesting the United Nations to declare Bangla as one of its official languages.

"Given the rich heritage of Bangla language, and its singular place as a symbol of people's faith in the power of languages to sustain cultures, and indeed the identity of nations, I seek support of the membership of UNGA for its acceptance as an official language of the United Nations," said the prime minister, a graduate in Bangla.

She delivered the address in her mother tongue, just as her father 'Bangabandhu' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did on Sep 23, 1974.

The UN has English, French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic as official languages. Bangla is the sixth most spoken language in the world.

Sierra Leone has accorded Bangla the status of second state language out of gratitude to Bangladeshis. Many roads and avenues in that African nation have been named after Bangladesh which bears testimony to the success of Bangladesh, Hasina said. Most of them understand Bangla.

Source: bdnews24

Observe Be the Change National Day

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:20:00 +0000

Be the Change National Day of Service on October 3, 2009 in Over 60 Locations Nationwide: Day of Service inspired by values of Mahatma Gandhi
_______________________

For general information about Be the Change 2009, please contact:
Aaditi Dubale, National Coordinator btc2009@saalt.org 630-915-5839 (c) 301-270-1855 (o)Mou Khan, Policy and Communications Associate mou@saalt.org 301-270-1855 (O)

WHAT: Hundreds of volunteers performing community service in over 60 locations nationwide through Be the Change, the annual national day of service coordinated by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), a national non-profit organization fostering civic engagement by South Asians. Service projects address issues including health, hunger, the environment, developmental disabilities, and more.

WHEN: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2009
SAALT encourages media to attend Be the Change events in their cities. Please see below for further information. If you would like to receive a post-event press release, please contact mou@saalt.org.

WHERE: Be the Change events will occur in cities nationwide including New York, Boston, San Francisco, and Washington, DC, as well as campuses including Indiana University, North Carolina State University, the University of Houston, the University of Oklahoma, and many others. For a complete list, click here or contact SAALT at 301-270-1855 or btc2009@saalt.org.

CITY-SPECIFIC INFORMATION

WASHINGTON, DC
Kick-off Event:
George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, Room B07
805 21st NW Washington, DC
Start Time: 9:00am
Keynote Speaker:
Kalpen Modi, Associate Director of the Office of Public Engagement, White House

SAN FRANCISCO
Kick-off Event:
The Grotto/ A Sports Basement
1590 Bryant San Francisco, CA 94103
Start Time: 8:00am
Keynote Speaker:
Premal Shah, President, Kiva

BOSTON
Kick-off Event:
Sullivan & Worcester LLP
One Post Office Square Boston, MA
Start Time: 8:30am
Keynote Speaker:
Manisha Bhatt, Family Law Unit of Greater Boston

NEW YORK CITY
Kick-off Event:
Pace University Student Union
1 Pace Plaza New York, NY
Start Time: 8:00am
Keynote Speaker:
Deepa Iyer, Executive Director, South Asian Americans Leading Together

Source: South Asian Americans Leading Together

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the UN

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:31:00 +0000

To watch her speech in English, please click here.

SHEIKH HASINA, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, recounted the country’s history of assassination and dictatorship and hailed the internationally recognized elections that brought her home from exile and brought democracy back to Bangladesh. The resounding victory of her party, the Awami League, reflected the people’s preference for democratic ideals and secularism and a denial of all forms of extremism, she said, noting that the elections had witnessed record participation of young voters and women.

She said her country, despite all odds, was making strides in socio-economic development. As a Government priority, education, particularly for girls, was receiving the single largest share of the annual budget. The Government had pledged to ensure 100 per cent student enrolment at the primary level by 2010. Bangladesh had successfully removed gender disparity in net enrolment of boys and girls in primary education, in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals, and was now planning to provide free tuition for girls up to degree level. The Government was also providing food rations to poor primary school children in rural areas and aimed to achieve full literacy by 2014.

The Government also strove to make progress in the health sector, she said. During the party’s last tenure (1996-2001), a national health policy that would ensure basic health care without discrimination, had been formulated. A national strategy for maternal health had also been adopted, and there were also plans to reduce the infant mortality rate, to extend child immunizations and to reinstate an earlier programme to establish one community health-care centre for every 6,000 people. She enumerated the many social safety nets already in place in Bangladesh, added to which was a current initiative to provide employment to at least one member of every family. Over half of the budgetary resources were being allocated to reduce the poverty level from 45 per cent to 15 per cent by 2021.

Food security was of prime concern, she said. During her Government’s earlier tenure, agricultural programmes had made Bangladesh self-sufficient in food, although that achievement had subsequently been lost. Current Government food policy aimed to ensure sustained food security for all. Bangladesh would also be seeking a global agreement for agricultural development and the attainment of food self-sufficiency in developing countries at the upcoming World Summit on Food Security in Rome. Substantial contributions from developed countries, agreement on sustainable agricultural policies, technology transfer, equitable and fair trade rules for food and agricultural products with preferential treatment for least developed countries, and the removal of agricultural subsidies in the developed world would also be sought.

Bangladesh was one of the worst victims of climate change, although its contribution to the problem was negligible, she said. Myriad natural disasters were interrupting agriculture and challenging water resources, health, energy, and urban planning, among other areas. Countless lives had been lost and families uprooted by the thousands year-round, creating millions of climate change refugees. According to scientific estimates, one in every seven people in Bangladesh would be a victim of climate change by 2050. The dredging of all major rivers had been placed at the top of the adaptation agenda. Some 14,000 cyclone shelters had already been built and more were on the way. Although a Climate Change Trust Fund had been established domestically, international resources were needed to implement those projects.

Worldwide, the communities affected by climate change “would not only lose their homes, they would also stand to lose their identity, nationality, and their very existence and, in some cases, their countries”, she said. For that reason it was critical that the outcome of the Copenhagen Conference in December provide assured, adequate and easily accessible funding for adaptation, as well as affordable, eco-friendly technology transfer to developing countries and commitments to deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. She welcomed Gordon Brown’s proposed fund to support adaptation and mitigation programmes in affected countries, as a potential start to the systematic flow of funds towards ameliorating adversely changing conditions around the globe.

She said that the economic recession came from years of negligence to economic equity and justice, including an unfair international financial structure that had not kept up with changing needs. It was imperative to immediately restructure the global financial system. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) must accommodate a stronger presence of developing countries, especially least developed countries. Liberal trade concessions by developed countries could rescue those countries. Early conclusion of the Doha Development Round also would be an important collective stimulus package for developing economies. She called on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries to fulfil their official development assistance (ODA) commitment to developing countries. Recovery measures should not adversely affect employment opportunities of immigrant workers from developing countries.

Noting that Bangladesh ranked second in providing personnel to peacekeeping operations and that the country had lost 84 peacekeepers, she said that it was not proportionately represented in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and did not have a say in planning and strategies for peacekeeping missions. That situation could be rectified by proportional representation. She further noted that Bangladesh had been a founding member of the Peacebuilding Commission and had been contributing to peacebuilding activities ever since. She declared her opposition to terrorism, and “categorically rejected claims to those who cloak themselves in the rhetoric of Islam, or any faith to justify violence”. Source: UNGA

President Obama addresses the UN

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Bangladesh’s role in fighting terrorism

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:41:00 +0000

The United States applauds Bangladesh’s role in fighting terrorism

Bangladesh and the United States have been cooperating in the area of counter-terrorism and will continue their work, with added impetus, in the days to come. The present government is committed to fight the menace. The Prime Minister herself had been the target of terrorist attacks many times in the past. This was stated by Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni, M.P., when Mr. David S. Cohen, Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing at US Department of Treasury called on the Bangladesh Minister this morning at Bangladesh House in Washington, DC.

Referring to last parliamentary election and the historic outcome in Bangladesh, Foreign Minister elaborated on how the people of Bangladesh completely rejected extremism. She said that the Government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has made it abundantly clear that her government is not going to tolerate this menace in any form. Highlighting regional dimension of this menace, Dr. Moni requested assistance and cooperation of US government. She particularly sought US assistance for capacity building of relevant forces and personnel in Bangladesh.

The Assistant Secretary of State Mr. Cohen said that Bangladesh had been doing commendable work in fighting terrorism. He said that to effectively fight the menace cutting off of the financing of the terrorist groups’ funds is imperative. Mr. Cohen stated that fighting terrorism requires sharing of information. The Assistant Secretary of State showed keen interest in the steps being taken by the Government of Bangladesh and assured Bangladesh Minister of remaining engaged in the days to come. Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Mr. Akramul Qader and Minister-Political Mr. Jashim Uddin of Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC were present at the meeting.

The Foreign Minister of Bangladesh attended an Eid open house program at Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC yesterday. On the occasion, the Foreign Minister warmly greeted the expatriate Bangladeshi citizens who joined the event along with their family members. She also conveyed the greetings of the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The Foreign Minister said that the expatriate community has been playing an important role in socio-economic development of Bangladesh and urged everyone to continue their work for a digital Bangladesh by 2021. Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Mr. Akramul Qader also spoke on the occasion.
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Press Release issued by the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC on September 21, 2009

Bangladesh, my motherland!

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 02:06:00 +0000

By: Yasmeen Sultana

I have been living in the USA for quite some time, I enjoy the benefits of the western civilization. However, I consider myself a Bangladeshi, a true Bangladeshi. I was born and raised in Bangladesh. I had to leave my dear Bangladesh for a better living. But I miss Bangladesh a lot. I am in constant touch with my relatives and friends in Bangladesh. I cannot forget my childhood, my youth. Sometimes I ask myself should I go back to Bangladesh. From time to time I ask my Bangladeshi friends (living in the USA) about their opinion about Bangladesh, the country of our birth. The responses I get are mostly negative. Most of the time I hear people say ‘Bangladesh is a country of thieves, corrupt people, a place run without civil laws, etc. etc.’ Definitely I get hurt by those comments. I find it very difficult to agree with those comments. For me Bangladesh is a beautiful land, inhabited by nice, loving, and caring people. Some people say I am naïve, a person living far away from reality. But it that right?

I try to justify my belief by gathering information about other civilizations. After reading newspapers, watching TV, etc. I find it very difficult to comprehend why our own people can brand our nation as the most corrupt one, why they think that average Bangladeshis are uncivilized, etc. Newspaper (and TV) reports tell me that in Bangladesh the number of crimes including murder, robbery, extortion, etc. are far less than in many countries. Authentic reports say that every year more than 25,000 people die due to violence in the USA alone. Everyday the daily newspapers carry reports of shooting, robbery, etc. Politicians are caught doing different types of misdeeds. The situation is not better in countries like Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Germany, etc. It is much worse in African and Latin American countries. Violation of human rights is more rampant in many so-called civilized nations. Recent reports speak of gross human rights violation in India, China, etc.

I know we have problems, some very serious problems. But it does not mean that we have to hate Bangladesh. We know that our educators are not very serious about performing their duties in classrooms. But it is also true that standard of education in our schools is not bad compared to that in the civilized world. I am not making these arguments out of my love for Bangladesh. Reports published in the western media support my claims. G.W. Bush (Jr.), the former president of the USA, once said that one of the main agenda of his administration was to educate American children. Mr. Barak H. Obama is putting emphasis on child education. Educators of this country know that they are facing a stiff battle.

Most of the time we say that our politicians are corrupt. I agree with that. But I cannot agree with the statement that only Bangladesh can produce an immoral president like H.M.Ershad. I hate Ershad from my heart, but the truth is that most politicians around the globe are like him. Personal characters of many western presidents,law makers, etc. are tainted. The current president of South Africa confessed of sexually assaulting young women in the past. Was he forced out of power or did he resign? The answer is a big ‘No.’

We call our politicians and businessmen thieves. But do we know what happens in other countries? Do we know which country people like Madoff, Sanford, etc. are
from? Do we know why the governor of Illinois (a state in the USA) had to resign? Do we know how many prime ministers in Japan or Italy had to resign because of financial scandals? Do we know where do Mafias originate from? Which cities or countries do Mafias control?

Am I trying to justify the unlawful (and criminal) activities of our politicians, businessmen, etc. No, I am not. My only goal is to tell my fellow country people to look at the affairs of our beloved motherland from a different perspective, to make plans to contribute in building a prosperous and happy Bangladesh. We all know that average Bangladeshis are nice, gentle, and peace loving. I do not think that one can show me a country where there is more communal, religious, or racial harmony than in Bangladesh.

UN program to save children didn't work

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:49:00 +0000

The U.N. unveiled a multimillion dollar strategy a dozen years ago to save children worldwide, but a new study has found the program had surprisingly little effect in Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries.

Since 1997, more than 100 countries have adopted the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Program, designed by the World Health Organization and UNICEF. It was supposed to reduce deaths in children under age 5 due to diarrhea, pneumonia, measles and malnutrition, which make up about 70 percent of all child deaths.

Bangladesh is the only country where researchers compared results between areas that implemented the U.N. strategy with those that did not. In research published in the medical journal Lancet on Friday, experts found the program had no major impact on saving children.

U.N. officials could not say how much the program in Bangladesh cost, but said millions have been spent on its implementation around the world.

"It's remarkable the program has achieved so little," said Philip Stevens, a director at the International Policy Network, a London think-tank. "And it's baffling that it has been rolled out globally without any evidence that it works."

The U.N. strategy has three main components: training health workers; improving health systems, which includes ensuring drugs are available; and encouraging communities and parents to do things like maintain good hygiene and have their children immunized.

In Bangladesh, international researchers found the strategy improved the skills of health workers and convinced more people to seek treatment when they got sick. In the areas where the U.N. strategy was used, more children were breast-fed and the prevalence of stunted growth dropped by 20 percent.

But in areas where the program wasn't implemented, slightly more children were vaccinated against measles, and there was no big difference in death rates.

Researchers weren't sure why the program had failed, but said the community part of the U.N. strategy was "less effective than expected."

The study was paid for by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WHO, and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Some officials insisted the U.N. needed even more money for the program.

In an accompanying commentary in the Lancet, Trevor Duke of the University of Papua New Guinea called for an extra US$5-8 billion for the program to be expanded in 40 of the world's poorest countries.

Stevens said the U.N. should first prove its strategies work.

"If a private company produced results like this, it would rapidly go out of business," he said. "Yet in U.N. land, failure is used as a justification to ask for more money to do more of the same."
Source: By MARIA CHENG (AP)

Is Bangladesh drowning? Part-1

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 03:26:00 +0000

Part one of a shocking documentary following the aftermath of cyclones in Bangladesh produced by CNN on August 25, 2008.

The Story of Subhas Chandra Bose

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 01:09:00 +0000

A Great Indian Patriot:The Story of Subhas Chandra Bose
M. Azizul Jalil

“My assets to my countrymen, my debts to my brother Sarat” - thus wrote Subhas Chandra Bose, a great patriot, when asked to give his last wish just before an abdominal surgery in Europe in 1935. Subhas (popularly known as Netaji) was a nationalist hero of our generation. In 1943, he formed the Indian National Army (INA), known in Hindi as the Azad Hind Fauz, in the Japanese occupied areas in the far-east and was its supreme commander until his death in 1945. It was a controversial decision on his part.

The German and Japanese powers (known as the axis powers) were regarded by many as fascist, expansionist and authoritarian. The atrocities committed, particularly by the Japanese army defied the rules of war and the Geneva Convention. I believe Subhas Bose, was frustrated by the weak-kneed policies of the Congress with regard to India’s independence. Perhaps, in an act of desperation, he might have concluded that “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. He possibly believed that the Japanese would be helpful in gaining India’s freedom!

In September 1945, Japan lost the war and formally surrendered. The INA members were then arrested by the victorious British. The vast majority of them were released. However, to demonstrate that defection and mutiny would not go unpunished a few senior officers were tried by the British at the Red Fort in Delhi. In Calcutta when I was a school student in class eight, we joined the strikes and protests against first of these trials. Captain Rashid Ali was tried first after whom the day was called “Rashid Ali Dibash”. After many years, wearing a barrister’s gown, Jinnah and Nehru defended Captain Rashid Ali, Major Shahnawaj and Captain Dhillon.

I remember going on strike and then in procession from our school to the Wellington Square in Calcutta to join a large meeting –presided over by Dr. A.M. Malik, then vice-president of the All India Trade Union Congress. It was addressed amongst others by Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, then a famous physician, and later the Chief Minister of West Bengal. There I also saw another famous and often controversial personality V. K. Krishna Menon, then president of the India League in UK who spoke with a rolled umbrella in hand. He later became the High Commissioner of India in the UK. From the meeting area, we heard sounds of gun shots and soon learnt that police had fired on a group trying to come to the meeting through the Dharamtola Street killing two people including a woman. The names of Calcutta Police Commissioner Hardwick and his deputy Doha (later the Inspector-General of Police in East Pakistan) come to my mind in this connection. Protests against the trials spread all over India. The trials finally resulted in the dismissal of the INA officers from the British Indian Army. Since they had voluntarily left that army years ago to join the liberation forces (INA), it was not a big loss for them.

Subhas Bose was born in 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa where his father Janakinath Bose had a thriving legal practice. He was a brilliant student in school. He stood second in the University in the matriculation examination. He studied at the Presidency and Scottish Church Colleges in Calcutta and took his B.A. degree with first class honours in philosophy. Subhas then went to Cambridge, where he did his undergraduate degree. At his father’s insistence he also took the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination from the UK in 1920, standing fourth in order of merit. He, however, withdrew his name from the list of ICS probationers in April 1921 by writing to the Secretary of State for India, E.S. Montague. He returned to India and joined the Congress Party. He took the appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the Calcutta City Corporation at the request of Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, then the mayor of Calcutta. Later, he was himself elected as the mayor of Calcutta. Though a very eligible young man, he chose to remain a bachelor for a long time and devote himself wholeheartedly to politics and India’s independence. In 1936 while recuperating in Europe, he married an Austrian lady, Emilie, a fact not publicly known until many years later. Subhas had a daughter, Anita Bose. She visits Calcutta from time to time, latest was in January 2005 just before we visited her father’s house.

Subhas was twice elected as the President of the Indian National Congress in 1937 and 1939. As narrated by Nirad C. Chaudhury (then secretary to Sarat Bose, a senior Congress leader and elder brother of Subhas) in his book ”Thy Hand, Great Anarch!”, Gandhi was unhappy about the defeat of his nominee, Pattavi Sitaramaiya in 1939 for the post of congress president in a close contest with Bose who was elected for the second time. He also disliked Bose’s appearance on that occasion in full khaki uniform on a horseback to inspect the uniformed congress volunteer guards. Subhas Bose had to resign before completing the second term due to serious differences of opinion with and the machinations of the right wing of the Congress, including Gandhi. He formed a new progressive party called the Forward Block. In view of his persistent and fiery opposition to British rule, he was then arrested in late 1940 (for the eleventh time in his political life) by the British. When Bose went on a hunger-strike, the British had to free him and place him under house arrest in his house on the Elgin Road in Bhowanipur in 1941. He vanished from there one night on January 17, and surfaced after some time in Berlin.

While a student in the MA class in the Dhaka University in 1954 in East Pakistan, a few friends and I had visited Calcutta during the brief euphoric days of the Jukto-front government in East Pakistan. We made it a point to visit Subhas Bose’s house. We had seen in a first floor bed room his clothes and personal articles kept in the exact way he left on the day of his departure. After half a century, in January 2005 I went again, this time with my wife to revisit the Netaji Bhawan.

Compared to the last time, the house, now a museum, was in a better state of maintenance. There is a small bookshop near the entrance. A few things relating to his illustrious elder brother, Sarat Chandra Bose, like a memorable speech on the diversity and unity of India on a plaque in the wall, were also on display. As we entered through a large gate, to the left of the driveway within a huge glass enclosure was the Wanderer, a German vehicle with the registration number BLA 7169. This is the car in which in the dark of the night on January 17, 1941 Subhas Chandra’s nephew Sisir Kumar Bose drove him away. We also found on the wall the original letter in Netaji’s own hand to Sarat Bose giving the reasons for what he called an “eccentric” decision not to accept the I.C.S. In the letter, he stated that it was time for him to come forward with a little offering of sacrifice and that “on the eve of this hazardous undertaking, my only prayer is- may it be for the good of our dear country.” From then on, Subhas Chandra opted for the path of idealism and moral action.

There were pictures with the commander of the German craft, Captain Musenberg and of Subhas having a shave on its deck. The most dramatic pictures related to his transfer in the turbulent Indian Ocean from the German to the Japanese submarine in 1943. VDOs constantly played scenes of the INA parades and gatherings in Singapore and Rangoon and Subhas Chandra’s patriotic and emotional speeches in his own voice. Documents and correspondence of Bose, and his clothes, including INA uniforms and boots, are on display. At one end of the exhibits’ hall, were Netaji’s, and his father Janakinath Bose’s bedrooms with the furniture used by them. It was from these rooms that Subhas escaped.

Here are some of the interesting details of Netaji’s great escape, as narrated by Sisir Bose in his book published in 1986 titled “Netaji Subhas Chandar Bose.” Subhas was released from imprisonment by the British on grounds of health in November 1940. Soon after, he had his last correspondence with Gandhi. He had written to Gandhi pledging full cooperation even by non-violent means to expedite freedom of India. However, Gandhi rebuffed Subhas by saying that there were fundamental differences between them and that he and Subhas would have to sail in different boats. That is what Netaji did. He had to do it his way and as a first step started to plan an escape from India.

Subhas Bose traveled under the name of Mohammad Ziauddin, in the guise of an upcountry Muslim. He posed as a traveling insurance inspector. A few days before departure, Bose declared that he would go into seclusion and would not see or talk to anyone even on the telephone. He had his room curtained off into compartments and his food was passed under the curtain. This was because there were suspicions that the police had recruited an agent amongst the servants in the house. On the fateful day, he had dinner with his mother (Prabhabati Devi) and when everyone retired, he left in the car driven by Sisir at 1 30 a.m. on January 17, 1941. He was wearing a sherwani, loose pajamas, laced European shoes, and a black fur cap.

They first went to Barari, where Asoke, Sarat Bose’s eldest son lived with his family. Next morning, he left on foot and a little later Asoke picked him up in a car and took him to Gomoh for the train to Delhi, from where he took the Frontier Mail to Pashawar. When he reached Peshawar on January 19, Akbar Shah, a Forward Block leader met him at the station and put him up at the house of Abad Khan. The latter had long experience of secret journeys through the tribal territories. Abad briefed Subhas Chandra for a few days about Pathan manners, customs and habits.

On January 26, 1941 Subhas, accompanied by three guides, left for the border of Afridi tribal territory in a car. Near the actual tribal border, they started their trek, scaling mountains, parts of which were covered with snow. On January 30, they set out for Kabul in a tonga and then changed to a truck on the way, reaching Kabul on January 31. He stayed in a Serai near the Lahori Gate, in most inhospitable surroundings. His destination was Central Europe but efforts to go via Moscow took nearly two months to arrange between the Soviet, German and the Italian governments through their officials in Kabul. It was a very frustrating time for Subhas Chandra. At the initial stage of these contacts, he had to confide to the Italians and Germans his plan to set up a Free India Government in Europe and form an Indian Liberation Army with the Indian prisoners-of- war captured by the Germans and the Italians.

On March 17, Subhas left in a car for the Soviet frontier accompanied by three Germans. They crossed the Afghan frontier and drove along until they reached Samarkand. From there they traveled by rail to Moscow, and then went by plane to Berlin reaching there on April 2, 1941.

Subhas Bose first sought German assistance to secure India’s Independence. After waiting uncertainly for a number of days, he secured an interview with Hitler through the German Foreign Minister Ribbentrop. I have read in one of Bose’s biographies that Hitler was not sympathetic- in fact he told Bose that the British rule of India had a beneficial and modernizing influence on the country and its inward looking society. Hitler had particularly mentioned that the caste system was India’s handicap. Hitler praised the construction by the British of the infrastructure in India, particularly the railways which unified the country and increased trade and commerce.

Frustrated, Subhas went to Japan in 1943 with German assistance. He was transferred from a German to a Japanese submarine in high (and rough) seas near Madagascar (now Zanzibar) in the Indian Ocean under the most dangerous conditions. He reached Tokyo and received Japanese support to form the INA. In 1943, we were temporarily in Jalpaiguri at my Grandfather’s house due to Japanese air attacks on Calcutta and the resultant panic. We used to secretly listen to Subhas Bose’s patriotic and emotional speeches in Hindi starting with “Bhaiyon aor Baheno-Jai Hind”. His was a call to arms to drive out the British from India. The program, beamed over the Azad Hind Radio from Japan and later Burma, would always end with the INA’s marching song “aghey kadam barahe ja, khushi ka geet gaye ja- chalo chalo, Delhi chalo.” This was very inspiring to me as a ten year old student and to most Indians.

Many years later, I was fortunate to meet two senior members of the INA- Brigadier Raja Habibur Rehman who was the chief of staff of Subhas Bose and Colonel M.Z.Kayani, whom Bose had reportedly selected as INA chief in case of his death. They were colleagues of mine while I was serving as a Deputy Secretary in the President’s Secretariat (1967-69) in Rawalpindi. Their past association with the INA and reverence for Bose had not gone very well with the vast majority of the Pakistani elite and army officers. My interest in the INA and their role in it allowed them to open up with their personal stories and frustrations. We became friends. Rehman was then the Political Agent in Gilgit. He had several times invited me to visit him in the remote Gilgit region and see the spectacular sights there. He was a good person but according to General Ayub Khan who was his minister for a little while, Rehman “was his own boss and unable to work under anybody.” Kayani was a joint secretary in the Cabinet Division sitting in the same building as I. SubhasBose had recruited these officers along with many other officers and soldiers from the British Indian personnel captured by the Japanese during the battle with the British in Singapore, Malaysia and Burma.

Colonel M.Z. Kayani used to be called ‘Tiger Kayani’ in the INA (he had given me a book by the same title narrating his bravery and military successes.) It was the first INA Division commanded by Kayani that took part in the assault on Imphal in March1944. On the 18 th March 1944, the Azad Hind Fouz, fighting along the Japanese forces crossed into India. But the march on Delhi was halted by a pre-mature monsoon and Anglo-American bombardment. In July 1944, Subhas made a radio appeal to Gandhi saying “India’s last war of independence has begun. Troops of the Azad Hind Fauz are now fighting bravely on the soil of India---Father of our nation, in this holy war for India’s independence we ask for your blessings and good wishes.” Gandhi chose to ignore it. It was Bose’s belief till the very end that if somehow the INA with Japanese assistance could penetrate into India, common people and the students in India with whom he was immensely popular would rise up all over India in massive rebellion against the British. However, I personally believe that Subhas Bose’s expectation that the Japanese at that late stage would or could provide increased assistance to him was not realistic. Also, there were a lot of people, particularly the British educated congress leaders, the Indian elite and intellectuals who favoured democracy and open society of the allied powers (led by the British and Americans) and not the authoritarian and fascist model of the Japanese and Germans.

Kayani had high praise for Bose. According to Kayani’s personal experience during the difficult period of war, shortages and privations, Subhas Bose treated Hindus and Muslims the same way. The INA members, officers and troops, of all castes and religions ate from the same kitchen. It was Kayani’s belief that if Bose returned to India after the war, he would have peacefully and fairly settled the Hindu-Muslim issue and there would not have been any need for the partition of India.

On August 18, 1945, Habibur Rehman was accompanying Netaji Subhas Bose on his last journey in a Japanese military aircraft from Taipeh in Formosa (now Taiwan) to Tokyo.
I was thus able to obtain a first hand account of the tragic end of Subhas Bose from Habibur Rehman who was by his side during Netaji’s last few days. The small plane in which Bose was seated in the front and Rehman in the back seat crashed and caught fire on the runway while taking off. Rehman did not allege that the Japanese had sabotaged the plane though I have a suspicion that it was possible. Habibur Rehman and Subhas Bose were injured and severely burnt. They were treated in the Japanese Army Field Hospital in Taipeh. Even though Bose had third degree burns on seventy percent of his body and in terrible pain, he fondly enquired from Habibur Rehman (who had lesser injuries) lying by his side about the latter’s condition by saying ‘Raja Sahab, apko ziada chot to nahi lagi’? (Hope, you were not hurt too badly?). Brig. Rehman had many nice things to say about Bose’s charming manners, leadership qualities, deep patriotism and non-communal approach in which he was uncompromising. Bose died of his injuries in the hospital, and cremated in Taipeh. It was Brig. Rehman who, after his recovery, carried Bose’s ashes to Tokyo where it was kept for many years in a Buddhist temple. The ashes were brought back after many years to India under intense Indian public pressure.

Let me add a footnote to this story on Subhas Bose. Soon after the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947, Rehman and Kayani were mobilised by the Pakistani authorities to lead tribal militias and other irregular forces from Pakistan to go into Kashmir at the time of the Maharaja Hari Singh’s unilateral accession to India. The Pakistani forces suffered military setbacks and India occupied most of Kashmir. Rehman and Kayani were then given senior civilian positions in the Government under contract. Interestingly, their INA colleague Major Shahnawaj Khan had joined the Indian Army and fought on the Indian side in Kashmir, later rising to the rank of a Brigadier. That was the beginning of the Kashmir conflict, which unfortunately continues till today and threatens war between India and Pakistan from time to time.

Writer and Columinst Mr. Azizul Jalil writes from Maryland.

A Human Chain for Nurul Islam

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 10:50:00 +0000

Stand Up Against Political Violence! A Human Chain for Nurul Islam
Ganotantry Party President and labor rights leader, Nurul Islam, and his son Islam Tamohar died in a “suspicious” fire days before the election in December 2008. Shortly afterwards, political leaders and activists rallied to demand a thorough investigation and call for justice. However, eight months on, the circumstances behind the suspicious deaths remain unresolved, political support is waning and there are indications that the case will be closed.

This is by no means new in Bangladesh. There are numerous instances of attacks against political leaders (like Shah AMS Kibria, Ahsanullah Master, Monzurul Ahsan and Ivy Rahman), cultural activists (Romna Botomul bomb blast in 2001), intellectuals (Principal Gopal Krishna Muhuri, Dr Muntasir Mamun, Dr Humayun Azad) and journalists (Saleem Samad, Manik Chandra Saha, Dipanker Chakrabarty). Subsequent administrations have failed to carry out a proper investigation, make investigation reports public and bring the perpetrators to justice.

We condemn political violence and mourn all the lives lost. On the eve of Nurul Islam’s birthday (July 30) we urge concerned citizens to participate in a “manob bondhon” (Human Chain) and join forces to demand an independent and transparent investigation.

What: A human chain is being formed against the closure of the case of Nurul Islam, President TUC and Ganotantry Party and his only son Islam Tamohar.
When: July 30, 2009 at 11 am.

Where: Muktangan (between GPO and Press Club), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Source: Press Release

Bangladesh Urges More Help For Poor

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 22:56:00 +0000

Bangladesh asked developed economies on Monday to ensure the world's poorest countries get enough help in countering the global financial crisis.Of the additional $1.1 trillion (666 billion pound) programme committed by the Group of 20 major advanced and emerging economies, only $50 billion was targeted specifically at low income countries, the government said.

"The resources must be distributed adequately for the benefit of the poor nations and that needs strong commitment from the developed world," said Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith.

The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Bangladesh Bank, the central bank, organised a four-day meeting on strengthening the response to the global financial crisis in the region.

Noeleen Heyzer, the Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of UN-ESCAP, also called for a larger share of additional resources for both short term liquidity and long term development financing.

"With over four trillion dollars in foreign exchange reserves, the Asian region now has the resources to foster a major programme of generating additional demand through investments in regional infrastructure development," Noeleen said.

He said the global crisis, billed as the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s, could cost as many as 24.8 million people in the Asia Pacific region their jobs.

"Millions more will experience rising income insecurity," Noeleen said in the meeting attended by senior central bank and government financial officials from most of the countries in the region including China, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Thailand and Vietnam.

"The region's dynamism that helped in lifting millions of people out of poverty over the past decade is now under threat with the average growth rate for developing Asia-Pacific coming down from 8.8 percent in 2007 to 5.8 percent in 2008 and to just 2.8 percent this year," he said.

He said that experience from Asia's 1997 economic crisis indicates that while economic growth may resume relatively quickly, it could take up to 10 years to recover the ground lost to poverty and social breakdown.

"Demand weakness in North America and Europe caused by chains of insolvencies and wide-scale job losses sharply weakened exports from manufacturing hubs in our region," said Bangladesh's central bank governor Atiur Rahman.Source:New York Times

Report on Growing South Asian Population in Washington

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:57:00 +0000

The Washington DC metropolitan region is home to the nation's fifth largest South Asian population yet little information is known about the demographics, concerns, and trends of the community. In response, the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) launched the South Asian Community Empowerment (SACE) project in early 2009 with support from the DC Mayor's Office of Asian American and Pacific Islander Affairs.

A key component of the project has been the implementation of a needs assessment, focus groups, and interviews that have culminated in a report entitled Washington DeSi: South Asians in the Nation's Capital, which was released at a briefing in Washington, DC, on July 20th. Listen to WAMU/NPR clip about the report's findings here.

Washington DeSi provides findings from surveys of nearly 200 South Asians living or working in DC, as well as observations gathered from focus groups and interviews.

"South Asians are the second largest Asian ethnic group in the District of Columbia. Our community includes young professionals, domestic workers, and small business owners, with various income levels, immigration statuses, and a range of concerns," explained Deepa Iyer, Executive Director of SAALT.

"Through our project, we know that South Asians need access to information and resources related to health care, legal services, financial education and vocational training. In addition, South Asians identified public safety, discrimination, and access to government resources as areas of concern," noted Nadia Firozvi, Staff Attorney at the APALRC.

The findings in Washington DeSi serve as an important starting point for further dialogue and movement among government and community stakeholders around three main priorities areas: removing barriers to service provision; addressing and reducing claims of bias and discrimination; and increasing civic engagement.

Of the many note-worthy findings in the report are that nearly 3 out of 10 South Asians surveyed reported unfair treatment when dealing with law enforcement officials or government authorities, and that over three-quarters of those surveyed have not met with elected officials or government agencies. In addition, the report provides narratives and trends relating to segments of working class South Asians, including taxi drivers, restaurant workers, and domestic workers.

The report also provides recommendations for government agencies, community stakeholders, philanthropic institutions and service providers. Key recommendations include providing culturally and linguistically accessible information to South Asians in the District, broadening the outreach of government agencies, and developing South Asian community-based infrastructure in the Washington DC metropolitan region.

Washington DeSi can be accessed online at http://www.saalt.org/ and http://www.apalrc.org/. Source: Press Release issued by SAALT

Is Myanmar moving towards nuclear status?

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 04:40:00 +0000

The recent aborted voyage of a North Korean ship, photographs of massive tunnels and a top secret meeting have raised alarm bells that one of the world’s poorest nations may be aspiring to join the nuclear club — with help from its friends in Pyongyang. No one expects military-run Myanmar, also known as Burma, to obtain an atomic bomb anytime soon, but experts have the Southeast Asian nation on their radar screen.

‘There’s suspicion that something is going on, and increasingly that cooperation with North Korea may have a nuclear undercurrent. We are very much looking into it,’ says David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, a Washington, DC think tank.

The issue is expected to be discussed, at least on the sidelines, at this week’s ASEAN Regional Forum, a major security conference hosted by Thailand. The US secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, along with representatives from North Korea and Myanmar, will attend.

Alert signals sounded recently when a North Korean freighter, the Kang Nam I, headed toward Myanmar with undisclosed cargo. Shadowed by the US Navy, it reversed course and returned home earlier this month.

It is still not clear what was aboard. US and South Korean officials suspected artillery and other non-nuclear arms, but one South Korean intelligence expert, citing satellite imagery, says the ship’s mission appeared to be related to a Myanmar nuclear programme and also carried Scud-type missiles.

The expert said North Korea is helping Myanmar set up uranium-and nuclear-related facilities, echoing similar reports that have long circulated in Myanmar’s exile community and media. Meanwhile, the Japanese police arrested a North Korean and two Japanese nationals last month for allegedly trying to export a magnetic measuring device to Myanmar that could be used to develop missiles.

And a recent report from Washington-based Radio Free Asia and Myanmar exile media said senior Myanmar military officers made a top secret visit late last year to North Korea, where an agreement was concluded for greatly expanding cooperation to modernise Myanmar’s military muscle, including the construction of underground installations. The military pact report has yet to be confirmed. Source: New Age

Sadi Mohammad Peforms at DC

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 04:22:00 +0000

Watch sadisolo.wmv in Music | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Bangladesh Embassy moved to new web address

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:40:00 +0000

Bangladesh Embassy in Washingtion DC has moved to a new web address http://www.bdembassyusa.org/. A press release issued by the First Secretary of the Embassy Mr. Monwar Hossain urged the community members to share the new web address with all the members for ensuring smooth transfer to the new web address.

All our valued clients, expatriate Bangladeshi nationals and friends of Bangladesh are requested to type this new web address in the address bar of the browser page while searching for Bangladesh Embassy in Washington, DC. Also please pass this information on to your friends, relatives and others who may be interested. You may kindly note that google, yahoo and other search engines would take some time to update our new address.

We regret any inconvenience this may cause our clients and web site users during this transition. While we are trying to update all our information in the new domain, we appreciate your understanding.

Please feel free to call us at 202-244-0183 if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions.

Report on South Asians in Washington DC

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 02:28:00 +0000

Asian Pacific American Legal Resources Center (APALRC) and South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) will release a groundbreaking report on South Asians in the Washington DC region entitled Washington DeSi: South Asians in the Nation's Capital. Findings from the report will be presented along with recommendations for government agencies and stakeholders to more effectively reach and partner with South Asian communities. The event will take place in the District's Mayor's Office on Asian & Pacific Islander Affairs.

July 20, 2009
3:30pm in Room 1117
441 4th Street NW, Suite 721 North
Washington, DC 20001
Metro: Red Line (Judiciary Square stop)

Light Refreshments will be served. For more information or to RSVP, email saalt@saalt.org. As a South Asian Community member, please join this event.

Rabindra Joyonti in DC

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 01:36:00 +0000

Bangladesh wants to address the war crime issue

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:16:00 +0000

The Washington Times published an article "Bangladesh 'genocide' probe targets '71 foes". Bangladesh's Ambassador Humayun Kabir reiterates that the country wants to address the injustice and genocide of 1971 that claimed three million lives.

Ambassador M. Humayun Kabir told editors and reporters at The Washington Times that the country has been yearning to resolve the war-crimes issue for decades. But critics claim the investigation is a thinly disguised attempt to silence opponents in a nation notorious for its political instability.

The country's younger generations - many of whom were too young to participate in or even remember the war - spurred the crusade for justice, as they are "more sensitive after experiencing the Rwandan and Bosnian genocides," Mr. Kabir said.

"Other genocides pricked our consciences, and we now want to catch up with our past," he said.

Click here for the report published at the Washington Times.

Discover Bangladesh Part-2

news4bangla@gmail.com (newsbangla) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 01:35:00 +0000