Chaitra 25, 1420 Jamadius Sani 7, 1435 Regd. No. DA 6238 Vol 2, No 10
TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2014 | www.dhakatribune.com | SECOND EDITION
TMAG | RAISE YOUR VOICES
7 | IF THE HOUSE COULD SPEAK
Requests sway transfer orders
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9 | NEW ‘PINGS’ BEST LEAD YET
14 | CHELSEA SEEK NAPOLI REPEAT
BULLYING LAWS AND NATURE
Meddling by influentials disrupts grassroots healthcare services n Moniruzzaman Uzzal With the country’s health sector already struggling with a shortage of doctors in the rural areas, rampant interference by influential figures in meddling with transfer orders are further plaguing efforts at ensuring healthcare for all. Different quarters – including cabinet members, lawmakers, bureaucrats,
Field officials fail to follow repeated instructions to not tolerate meddling by influentials political and doctor leaders – were allegedly imposing their interference on authorities concerned to sway decisions on the transfers, posting and education leaves for junior doctors. Officials at root-level health facilities told the Dhaka Tribune that despite holding junior posts, some doctors often called in favours from influential figures to exempt themselves from being transferred. Recently, a senior health official of Rangpur division had transferred
a junior doctor from Lalmonirhat to a Nilphamari hospital, after local lawmaker and Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor submitted a semi-official letter to the authority concerned seeking recruitment of doctors at Nilphamari to meet the shortage of health officials. However, no sooner than the posting order was given, several influential officials from the Prime Minister’s Office allegedly began to try and cancel the posting order. When the senior Rangpur official mentioned Noor’s letter and the health minister’s directive on not cancelling any posting without his direction, the PMO officials reportedly threatened him with dire consequences if he failed to cancel the posting order. Following the threat, the health official notified the issue to a director of the DGHS and sought his suggestion. Such scenarios of exercising influence were common throughout the country, said several senior officials of the health ministry and the Directorate General of Health Services. Seeking anonymity, they added that field-level officials have failed to follow repeated instructions from the prime minister and the health minister to
Businessmen continue to dump tar and other hazardous chemicals in a roadside ditch in Narayanganj. The impact of such practice on the land, water and trees is clear. The photo was taken recently near Kanchpur Bridge MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU
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What went wrong with Gonojagoron Moncho? n Ahmed Zayeef Although it dates back nearly to the birth of the platform in February last year, the conflicts of interests among various groups centring the Gonojagoron Moncho have become obvious recently. According to people close to the Moncho, there have always been two broad streams of interest surrounding its activities.
Imran about forming party: Time and people will say n Tribune Report Gonojagoron Moncho, a youth-led platform which was formed last year protesting the life-term sentence of war criminal Abdul Quader Molla, is likely to form a political party in future. Imran H Sarker, spokesperson of the platform, made the disclosure while talking to private television Channel i on Sunday. Imran said: “The movement of Gonojagoron Moncho is going ahead in three ways simultaneously – it is a political movement, a social movement and a cultural movement.
BJP manifesto pledges fencing along Bangladesh border n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) yesterday announced its election manifesto for 2014, where the party said it would complete all pending fencing work along the India-Bangladesh border. On foreign policy, the BJP manifesto read: “In our neighbourhood we will pursue friendly relations. However, where required we will not hesitate from taking strong stand and steps.”
P16 THE BATTLE BEGINS About regional forum, the BJP said: “We will work towards strengthening regional forums like Saarc and Asean.” The manifesto also attached high priority to a controversial project of inter-linking of rivers based on feasibility. The Indian water resources ministry, in a press release issued in 2012, said the National Water Development Agency had already identified 14 links under Himalayan component. Out of the 14 links, survey and investigation in Indian portion had taken up for Manas-Sankosh-Tista-Ganga link and Jogighopa (at Brahmaputra)-Tista-Ganga at Farakka link. Survey and investigation had already been completed for Ganga PAGE 2 COLUMN 6
“Time will say in which way the movement will move forward and where to end in the future. We cannot rule out the possibility that Gonojagoron Moncho may form a political party. If the people want, the Moncho will certainly go in such a way,” he said. When the Dhaka Tribune contacted him over phone yesterday, Imran said: “We are yet to make a decision on whether to form a party or not. We also do not discuss it within any forum. “But there is a demand among the leaders and activists of the platform to form a political party,” he said.
“Last year we arranged a national convention when leaders and activists from 480 platforms [formed expressing solidarity with the Shahbagh-based movement against war criminals] across the country gathered at the Senate Bhaban of Dhaka University. The demand to form a political party was raised at the programme.” A similar demand came later during an open discussion at Shahbagh, he said. “We will continue our movement, and time and the people will decide what we should do,” Imran added. l
Saran: India’s Bangladesh policy not subject to change in government n Sheikh Shahariar Zaman Indian policy towards Bangladesh would remain the same, irrespective of whether there was a change in government at New Delhi or in Dhaka, said Indian High Commissioner to Dhaka Pankaj Saran yesterday. “If our government changes after May 17 or the life of your current government expires, we are not going cut down power lines or shut down Moitree Express, say for example,” Saran said at a lecture titled “India and India-Bangladesh Relationship,” organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies in the capital. “In my view, the relationship between two countries depends a great deal on what our mutual interests are and, I mean, interests really do not change with governments,” he said. Claiming that substantial progress had been made through New Delhi’s interactions with several Bangladeshi governments over the past four decades, Saran said: “Our national interest would be to try and give it our best shot to deal with any government that is in Bangladesh at a given point in time.” Asked about the popular perception that India gave preferential treatment to a specific group of people in Bangladesh, Saran said: “With regard to popu-
lar perception about India-Bangladesh relations and our assessment to that we are doing our job. Now it is a judgement call.” The Indian high commissioner candidly admitted that Dhaka and New Delhi knew each other, but did not understand each other.
Dhaka and New Delhi knew each other, but did not understand each other He also suggested that the relationship should expand beyond governments and politics and reach out to all spheres of life. Pankaj said big power rivalries in the region would not contribute to regional peace and stability. “It is up to you to choose a strategic partner. India has nothing to say in the matter,” he said. The diplomat said India wanted to see a regional structure where all countries in the region contributed to an environment of peace, stability and prosperity. In that vein, India has taken an initiative PAGE 2 COLUMN 4
On one side, there was the ruling Awami League’s student front Chhatra League, who had from the very first day been trying to establish its absolute command over the platform. On different ocassions, it got support from the JSD Chhatra League, Chhatra Moitree and Chhatra Andolan, whose mother organisations are all allied to the ruling party. On the other hand, the student
INSIDE Business
B1 The budget deficit for the current fiscal year would go beyond the target, forcing the government to borrow more from the banks and crowding out the private sector.
News
3 The first prosecution witness in the war crimes case against Jamaat-e-Islami Nayeb-e-Ameer Maulana Abdus Subhan yesterday described the killing of three members of his family during the 1971 Liberation War. 5 Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha had taken a plan two years ago to improve the lake in posh Uttara Residential Model Town of the capital.
Nation
6 Lalmonirhat: The tobacco processing facilities in the district pose health hazards, with at least 200 such installations built in three upazilas under the funding of tobacco companies.
Op-Ed
11 Like a lot of people, I was somewhat taken aback by Begum Khaleda Zia’s recent brazen attempt to re-write the history of Bangladesh.
Entertainment
12 At present, the feeling of patriotism is quiet prominent among the people of Bangladesh and many filmmakers are addressing the glorious history and coming up with films consisting patriotic messages and stories.
fronts of the leftist organisations outside the Awami League-led alliance – Chhatra Union, Chhatra Front, Chhatra Federation, Biplobi Chhatra Moitree, Chhatra Oikya Forum – tried to hold onto their influence over the Moncho. As a result, there has always been disagreements surrounding the programmes, duration of the movement and leadership since the time the Moncho was formed.
The Chhatra League-led groups have repeatedly accused the other groups of undermining their activists, nontrasparently managing funds and blamed spokesperson Imran H Sarkar for his autocratic attitude. Unconfirmed sources said trade bodies, individuals and organisations closely linked with the ruling party have on different ocassions donated