Proposed national budget(16 june 2009FE)

THE proposed national budget for fiscal year (FY) 2009-10 has been announced. Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith presented, the proposed budget, through a 98-page text, to the Jatiya Sangshad (JS) or parliament. The Taka 1138.19 billion budget has been termed ambitious by some economists, but our finance minister is very much optimistic about it.

In the budget, a spending surge is noted in case with interest payments -- about 13.9 per cent of total expenditure. For public admin, the share of aggregate resources is at 13.6 per cent, education and information technology 11.9 per cent, local government and rural development 7.6 per cent, social security and welfare 7.3 per cent, subsidies 6.1 per cent, agriculture 4.5 per cent, energy and power 3.8 per cent.

In the proposed budget, the amount of allocation for education and IT sector is not satisfactory. Some student leaders were reported to have commented, following the announcement of the budget, that their expectations were high, but the government could not meet that. This writer also agrees with them, keeping the electoral pledge of the new government to achieve Digital Bangladesh and educated Bangladesh, into consideration.

Another aspect of the proposed budget is not acceptable -- that is whitening of black or undisclosed money. The new rate of duty for newsprint can also not be endorsed.

This budget emphasises on accelerating the pace of economic activities in rural areas and here the promises about framing district wise budgets in the coming years and also about public private partnership (PPP) in the forthcoming fiscal are welcome. As a whole, it is a good budget.

The Finance Minister said it is a big challenge for the government. As it has taken this challenge, it should be serious right from the beginning of the forthcoming fiscal to implement it properly.

People want an effective parliament

THE opposition is staying out of the second session of 9th parliament, which began on June 4. The important budget session is without the opposition. Can parliament be effective without the opposition. Due to a strange political culture in Bangladesh, unknown to other parliamentary democracies, our parliaments remain ineffective. The ruling party wants to control parliament and the opposition stays out. Due to global recession, the budget session assumes extra importance. But by keeping the opposition out how parliament can be effective. The landslide victory of Al-led grand alliance made it indifferent to the opposition. We want an effective parliament. The people also voted the opposition to raise their problems in parliament. Both ruling party and the opposition have the obligation to make our parliament effective.

Obama's historic speech in Cairo(8june 2009FE)

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/06/08/69036.html

Barack Obama is a name, an oath, a change and a star. Pledging change, he came to power. Now he is a world leader. From the outset of his presidentship of the USA, the world has been looking forward to him as the light of hope. He is proving himself as the most distinguished leader of his time. His popularity also proves that.

As a world leader, he delivered a speech to the Muslim world at Cairo University in Egypt on June 4. The whole world heard his speech. In his 47 minutes' speech, his style was attractive. He started his speech by SALAM. When he began his speech as such, the whole audience welcomed him by clapping.

To open a new era of America's relationship with the Muslim world, he noted human civilization is indebted to Islam very much. Islam is a part and parcel of America. We have to do work unitedly forgetting all wrong and enmity, the US President said.

Referring to a verse in the Holy Quran, he said, Islam speaks of peace and America, he stressed, also wants to establish this peace.

He referred to Bangladesh for its empowerment of women.

He stated that the real followers of Islam are friends of America but those who are blind, are not. Obama asserted the US goal of establishing peace in the Middle East, specially between Israel and Palestine.

In his long speech, Obama didn't mention the word, terrorist. He mentioned peace many times, on the other hand.

This speech of Obama would be considered a positive change of American attitude towards the Muslim world. Muslims all over the world have, thus, been assured about their rights. We think Obama would make a positive contribution to improving and strengthening the US relationship of the US with the Muslim world.

SSC results(5 june,2009FE)

A record number of 62.307 students got GPA-5 this year in the SSC exams. The media took part in the celebrations by schools.

In all 70.89 per cent of the examinees came out successful. All the students of 2,726 schools were successful. The administration felt satisfied with the results.

A negative side was the rate of success that declined by 1.29 per cent. Out of 1.3 million students who had appeared in the exams, not a single student of 72 schools could pass.

But many students, with good results, would not be able to get admission to the institutions of their choice. At least 100,000 students will not got admission for higher education at all.

The system of admission is not at all fair. The preference given to students who got GPA, said the education minister, would create a new problem. At least 10,000 students got golden-5. The system of admission would leave many brilliant students out of higher education.

It was bad news that 300,000 students failed. What is the reason for this at a time when the boards are so generous in examining the scripts? It seems there is a competition to produce more and more GPA-5s each year.

How could so many students fail in English, the second language, taught for 11 years? No wonder the newspapers commented that the students of the Dhaka board are weak in English.

It is time for the authorities to pay attention to improving the standard of school education, not only in the cities but also in the rural areas.

The schools need qualified teachers.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/06/05/68763.html

Rivers of Dhaka (Daily star,31 may 2009)

Bangladesh is a country full of rivers. But at present these river are being despatched to the pages of history. We read "Dhaka stands on the river Buriganga". This Buriganga is passing through a critical moment. Not only Buriganga, but also the other rivers around Dhaka city are going to die.

Everybody should come forward to save the rivers

Standard of higher education(29,may2009,Financial Express))

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/05/29/67977.html

THE prime minister has expressed her deep concern over the standard of higher education. On 19 May last, the representatives of the University Grants Commission (UGC) met the prime minister when she expressed this concern. It is reasonable. Our higher education is really in problem now. The main scope for receiving higher education is in public universities, private universities and the national university.

We see the conditions of these higher seats of learning. The standard of education in public universities is not satisfactory. The position of Dhaka university, the largest public university in Bangladesh is now known. In world ranking it is placed at 4,787 position, among 6,000 universities of the world. So we can guess what is the condition of other public universities in our country. Session jams, politics, low level of research activities, shortage of book etc., are some of the major problems of all public universities.

Then comes the case of private universities. About 0.2 million students study in 51 private universities in the country. Such a large number of students are provided therein the scope for higher studies. But the condition of most of them is also not well. Under the law of 1992, these private universities were established. Then in 1998, this law was amended. But the reality is that these universities do not follow this law. They established outer campuses and 'Dur shikkhon karjokrom' or (remote learning programmes). These are in violation of the law. Moreover, teachers of such universities are not adequately qualified. The authorities issue directives at their sweet will.

In the national university, we see a huge problem. The government is reportedly considering a move to close this university. Here corruption, partisan interests and session jams reign supreme. There is no need to discuss its multi-dimension problems. We think the reported decision of government to close the national university does not provide the real solution to its problems, because their decision to distribute the colleges among the six divisions on a district-wise basis is unlikely to bring good results.

We share the prime Minister's deep concern and appreciate her call upon all concerned to solve the problems of these higher seats of learning to help raise the standard of higher education.

Public universities are mostly funded by tax-payers' money and people have an expectation from them. We feel shy when we compare our situation to that of other countries. Politics should be controlled here; research activities should be promoted there; teachers should concentrate on research and national issues. Residential problems, library facilities and infrastructural inadequacies are issues that should also be solved immediately.

All possible measures should be taken to enforce properly the law concerning the functioning of private universities. The business mentality of the sponsors of most such universities should be changed, more qualified and permanent teachers need to be recruited there.

There is no need to close the national university. Its problems should be solved first and then a specific time-frame should be given to its authorities to raise its standard.

There is also a scope for higher education in madrashas. To develop properly madrasha education, the standard of their courses, equivalent to BA and MA degrees, and related curriculum should be changed. Scientific and realistic curriculum is needed for the purpose.

This government pledged changes in all spheres of national life to help accelerate the pace of development. We want this to come in areas of higher education sooner than later.

Law on non-government institutions (27 may,Financial express)

The law on non-government institutions of 2009 is going to be implemented. In the meantime, teachers opposed some of its rules. They demanded exclusion of parliament members from the governing body to keep it free from politics.

Given the past experience of pervasive corruption, disorder and partisan bias, they wanted this law to be reformed.

The last caretaker government proclaimed a law in this regard, where a parliament member was excluded from being a member of the governing body of a school. This government revoked that. On April 30, a committee of the education ministry took a decision for the new law of institutions. In this law, it is said that the duration of this committee would be two years, the total membership would be 12 and the chairman/president will be the local parliament member (MP).

But to keep the institution free from politics, there is no alternative to excluding the MP from this committee.

We know from previous experience that whenever a school recruits a teacher, the MP decides that. The teacher may either be a relation of the MP, or that he/she might have given the MP a lot of money or that he/she is a party supporter. One cannot expect that a qualified teacher can be recruited in this process.

Moreover, in this law it is said that an MP can be chairman of four institutions.

The MP is not a free man. He has a lot of tasks to do beyond his own call of duty. It is not possible on his/her part to govern the institutions. We think authority should think more on the issue.

Sexual harassment ( Daily star,20 may 2009)

The High Court has laid down guidelines against sexual harassment of women.

This is good news, no doubt. In educational institutions women are harassed by their own teachers. So they have no security.

But the question is, will the HC ruling be enough to stop harassment of women?

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=88932

জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র ভিবষઘਅ (Daily prothom alo,20 may 2009)

১৯৯২ সােলর অােগর িতਡઙ অিভਛতার কথা সবারই জানা৷ কেলজਊেলা িছল িতনিট িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র অধীেন৷ ঢাকা িবশੴিবদઘালয়, রাজশাহী িবশੴিবদઘালয় ও চਜগઝাম িবশੴিবদઘালয়−এ িতন িবশੴিবদઘালয় চালাত কেলজਊেলা৷ িবশੴিবদઘালয়ਊেলা িনজসં কােজর বাইের কেলজ চালােত িহমিশম খাি੧ছল৷ োদখা িদল নানা সমসઘা৷ িশਉক সমসઘা, পিরেবশ সমসઘা অার োবিশ িছল োসশনজট৷
তখন এসব সমসઘার রাਗ਼গઝাস োথেক মઓিਡઙর জনઘ করা হয় জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালয় অাইন৷ ১৯৯২-এর জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র এ অাইেনর মাধઘেম োগাটা োদেশর কেলজਊেলােক এর অੰ੪ভઓગਡઙ করা হয়৷ ੂরઔটা ভােলাই হেয়িছল৷ সারা োদেশর সব কেলজ একেযােগ চলিছল জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র মাধઘেম৷ ভােলাই চলিছল বলা যায়৷ িকੰ੫ পের োসশনজট, দઓনગীিতসহ নানা সমসઘা োদখা োদয়৷
এ োথেক মઓিਡઙর উপায় িহেসেব সઃপઝিত িবশੴিবদઘালয় মਙઓির কিমশেনর োচয়ারমઘােনর োনতৄেতં একিট কিমিট গিঠত হেয়েছ৷ োদেশর সব কেলজেক জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালয় োথেক মઓਡઙ কের ছয়িট িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র মেধઘ ভাগ কের োদওয়ার ভােলা-ম੯দ িবচার কের োদখা হে੧ছ৷
িকੰ੫ সরকােরর এ িসਤােੰ੪ অামরা অবাক হেয়িছ৷ জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র সমসઘা সমাধােনর উেদઘাগ না িনেয় সরকার োকন কেলজਊেলােক ব੩টেনর িচੰ੪া করেছ?
সরকারেক অােগই োভেব োদখেত হেব, অাসেলই ছয়িট িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র মেধઘ যিদ কেলজਊেলােক ভাগ কের োদওয়া হয় তা কতটা সমসઘামઓਡઙ হেব৷ অামরা োদখিছ, এ ছয়িট িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র িনেজেদরই সমসઘার অੰ੪ োনই৷ োসশনজট োতা এখােন োলেগই অােছ৷ োস োਉেਠ এর পাশাপািশ তারা অিতিরਡઙ দািয়তં িহেসেব কীভােব কেলজਊেলা সઓੋઓভােব পিরচালনা করেব তাই ভাবার িবষয়৷ অনઘিদেক কেলজਊেলা যিদ িবিভনੱ িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র অੰ੪ভઓગਡઙ হয়, োস োਉেਠ তােদর মােন োহরেফর হেব না োতা?
অামােদর কথা হেলা, জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালয় সমসઘাগઝએ੪৷ অােগ এর সব সমসઘা িচিহઙত করেত হেব৷ সব সমসઘা সমাধােনর পর তােদর সময় িদেত হেব৷ োস সমেয়র মেধઘ তারা পিরੂিਤ অজગন করেব৷ তা যিদ করেত পাের তাহেল কেলজਊেলা তােদর অধীেনই থাকেব৷ তারাই পিরচালনা করেব কেলজਊেলা৷ তারা যিদ বઘথગ হয়, োস োਉেਠ অনઘ িবেবচনা খઓঁেজ োদখা োযেত পাের৷ তেব সবেচেয় ভােলা হয়, যিদ পઝিতিট িবভাগীয় শহের জাতীয় িবশੴিবদઘালেয়র উপেক੯দઝ খઓেল এ সমসઘার সমাধান করা হয়৷ অামরা মেন কির, এিট একিট বড় িসਤাੰ੪৷ এ জনઘ োভেবিচেੰ੪ই িসਤাੰ੪ িনেত হেব, যােত যথাযথ সমাধান স਼ব হয়৵ অামােদর উ੧চিশਉার ਦার অারও উেੰੱািচত হয়৷

JMB den busted (published at the daily Financial express,19-03-2009)

IT is not a scene from a drama where husband tells wife: "I am sick and the wife explodes a bomb" It was a real thing. When members of RAB were at the door of Boma Mizan, he uttered this sentence and his wife blew up a bomb, though luck was not with her. She injured herself. Her two children were also injured.

RAB arrested Mizan and blasted his mini munitions factory. He is a member of JMB. With his arrest, it has become clear that JMB is still active in Bangladesh.

After the series bomb explosions on August 7 2005, JMB declared its presence in Bangladesh. Even the hanging of their leaders could not stop their operations. Before this latest incident, the police also unearthed another bombing plot by them on February 21.

JMB militants are a threat to our country. We think they have many other dens. Many other militants are also active in the country. Threats has been issued even against the life of our prime minister.

Though the government declared a "Zero tolerance" towards militants, we think it needs to take further steps. Bangladesh is our homeland. We love it. It has to be kept secure. We want to save our country and its people. All should be united to ensure that.

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2009/05/19/66892.html