Coffee shop of freedom for trafficking victims

Kafé Mukti, a coffee shop of freedom was opened recently for the victims of human trafficking in the country to help them become self-reliant in life by providing them with jobs.

Four cafes managed by women victims of human trafficking were launched by International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Dhaka as a pilot project.

The first one was opened in North South University in Kemal Ataturk avenue in June last year. After its huge success three more cafes were opened on January 12.

Located in department of social welfare, department of women affairs and the secretariat building, these small coffee shops are already grabbing attention.

Eight women from shelter homes of Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM), the Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA) and Thengamara Mahila Sabuj Sangha (TMSS) were appointed at these coffee shops as managers and salesperson.

One of the managers of Kafe Mukti rescued from Jessore eight months ago said, “The biggest mistake of my life was to trust the wrong person with a bad intention. But I found hope after a long, long time. It feels as if I have been given a second chance in life”

Another lucky girl with a future plan said, “I plan to set things right now by using this opportunity. When I am ready I would like to buy some land and settled down”

Kafé Mukti is a venture of an IOM project “Prevention and Protection of Victims of Human Trafficking in Bangladesh”, which is supported by Bangladesh government, Norwegian and Danish Embassies in Dhaka. Nestle group provided with free coffee vending machines at these shops.

Zakia K Hassan, National Programme Officer of IOM said, “’As the name suggests, Kafé Mukti’ is a symbol of self reliance and economic emancipation of the oppressed women. We plan to develop the café as a model for empowerment of women trafficking victims in Bangladesh”

“The society usually isolates these women. By making them self-reliant we want to give them back their dignity and lost status in the society. Creating acceptance is also a goal”, she added.

More coffee shops will be opened soon, she said. However, in the future the project aims to venture in other areas of trade and business as well to incorporate these women in to the mainstream with ease, she mentioned.

These women are also being trained in management and accountancy to run the cafes. In the future they will be introduced to many other traits including laundry, salesmanship, beauty salon service and more, she said.

Grants will also be provided to help them step forward with the newly obtained knowledge.

Portion of the profit earned from the cafes will be given to the managers. Part of it will be used to further expand the project.

The initiative would inspire others to create similar opportunities for women facing oppression in the society, Hassan hoped.

The daily star 01.02.2009

 

 

Food prices and food security

WE will have to … reduce price hike and improve people’s living standard,” said the prime minister at her first news conference after the landslide election victory. Since then, she and her senior ministers have repeatedly stressed that bringing down the prices of essentials within people’s purchasing power is a priority task for the government. This is not surprising given the importance most voters accorded to high prices in the lead up to the election.

The Awami League capitalised on voters’ concerns by pointing to its better record on this issue. Prices of essentials — the proverbial rice, lentil, cooking oil and salt — either remained virtually unchanged or fell between 1996 and 2001, while all prices rose under its rival (Chart 1). To put the price rises in context, a male farm labourer earned an average daily wage of 48 taka in 1996 (with which he could buy 3.1 kg of rice), 67 taka in 2001 (buying 4.3 kg of rice) and 95 taka in 2006 (buying 3.7 kg of rice).

It is no surprise, then, that the voters have overwhelmingly turned to AL for lower prices. But will AL be able to bring prices down, or at least stem the rate at which prices have been rising? And in the longer term, what does the government need to do to achieve food security — defined by the Nobel laureate Amartya Sen as access to food products, particularly by poor people.

There are grounds for optimism as far as the near term outlook for agflation — food price inflation — is concerned. But drivers of agflation and food security are complex and multifaceted. This piece stresses that for food prices to stabilise, if not fall, and for us to achieve food security over the medium term, a lot more than “cracking down unscrupulous business syndicates” will be needed.

Jyoti Rahman is an applied macroeconomist.

The daily star 01.02.2009

501 killed in Jan

A total of 501 people were killed across the country in different incidents, including 24 in political violence last month, according to a monthly crime-watch report.

Bangladesh Society for Enforcement of Human Rights (BSEHR) revealed the figures yesterday in its survey based on newspaper reports as well as on reports and documentation of the society.

The report said a total of 136 people were killed in various social violence, while 239 were killed in different accidents.

Another 126 people were killed in incidents like crossfire, mysterious death, doctors’ negligence, death in jail custody, dowry and mass beating.

It found that a total of 902 people were arrested by law enforcers, while 88 were kidnapped, three of them by Indian Border Security Force personnel.

“Three children and four women fell victim of rape — three of them were killed after rape,” it added.

BSEHR compiled the report on the basis of stories run in different newspapers as well as on reports and documentation of the human rights group. It didn’t give any comparative findings on the incidence of such crimes.

The daily star 01.02.2009

‘Room to Read’ to provide edn for disadvantaged children

‘Room to Read’, an international organisation dedicated to providing education for disadvantaged children, launched its operation in Bangladesh yesterday.

The organisation will work in partnership with local communities to ensure quality education by setting up schools and libraries, publishing literary works for children in Bangla and establishing computer labs.

It currently operates in nine countries — Nepal, Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Sri Lanka, Laos, South Africa, Zambia and Bangladesh.

With the slogan ‘World change starts with educated children’, the organisation started its activities in 2000. It is an initiative of John Wood, who worked as Microsoft’s director of development for China before establishing the non-profit organisation.

Educationist Prof Muzaffer Ahmad presided over the launching ceremony while Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique was present as the chief guest.

Chairman of Bishaw Sahitya Kendra Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, former primary and mass education adviser Rasheda K Chowdhury and Senior Education Advisor of DFID Barbara Payne also spoke as special guests at the launching ceremony at the Spectra Convention Centre in the city.

Polan Sarker of Bausa village in Rajshahi, who dedicated his life to enlightening people through developing their reading habits, described his experiences at the grassroots level.

Other speakers stressed the need to produce user-friendly and easy-to-understand books to further promote reading habits among children.

Since its establishment, the organisation has built 442 schools and over 5,630 libraries, published 226 new children’s books in local languages in the countries of operation, donated over 2.2 million English language books for children, financed 6,922 long-term scholarships for female students and established 155 computer and language labs, officials of the organisation said.

The organisation designs its programmes based on the needs of the country of work.

Room to Read encourages bilingual reading habit in libraries. Libraries established by the organisation usually display books written in English and local language.

The organisation also promotes creative writers and illustrators in the country it operates as source of new content and publishes their work in local languages to distribute throughout the network of Room to Read.

The daily star 01.02.2009

State recognition to ‘sign language’ likely today

The long-cherished dream of the hearing impaired community for a state recognition of ‘sign language’ is likely to be materialised today.

A source in the social welfare ministry seeking anonymity said, “The government is seriously thinking of materialising the demand which may become public through the inauguration of the month-long Amar Ekushey Book Fair at Bangla Academy through the declaration by the prime minister.”

The deaf community leaders said giving state recognition to sign language through inclusion of sign language in all mainstream activities of the society and to contribute for nation building.

Bangladesh National Federation of the Deaf (BNFD) founder of Harunar Rashid Khan said, “Deaf people face the tough problems in the courts due to lack of interpreters. Cases of any deaf people remain unsettled due to such problems.”

MI Chowdhury, founder member, said, “If the government trains up the government schoolteachers for deaf people, it can save money of establishing specialised schools, adding: “Such initiative will help general students to develop awareness of these special students.”

According to BNFD, the number of deaf people in the country is 26 lakh. In 2005, a NFOWD study conducted on 12,000 people of six divisions found that 5.6 percent people are disabled and 22.5 percent of them hearing and speech impaired.

Without 10 schools for these people, the government has no contribution to the deaf people. Out of the schools, nine are under the ministry of social welfare and one under the local government ministry.

There are only two secondary-level schools for deaf people. The oldest deaf school at secondary level in Rajshahi faced closure due to lack of fund. There are seven non-government primary schools for these people.

The daily star 01.02.2009

Compulsory edn up to SSC by 2012

Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday said the government is resolute to enforce compulsory education up to Secondary School Certificate (SSC) level by 2012.

Steps would be taken soon to implement the programme, he said, adding: “We would take measures to remove illiteracy from people up to 45 years age.”

Nurul was addressing a meeting at Beanibazar Govt College playground with upazila AL President Abdul Hasib in the chair.

To face the huge and multiple challenges of the new world, the minister said the country’s total education system needs a big change immediately.

“We would formulate an education policy within months on the basis of the Kudrat-E-Khuda Commission report of 1974,” Nahid said, adding that it would help greatly in eradicating illiteracy.

While the AL was in power in the past regime, a pro-people draft education policy was prepared but the BNP-led alliance put things in balance and took measures in this regard, he added.

He further said that the government would also try to introduce a unified primary education system throughout the country in place of the existing different types of education to end the huge discrimination in the primary education sector.

Upazila Chairman-elect Abdul Khalique Mayon and Vice Chairman-elect Ruma Chakravarty also spoke at the programme.

The daily star 01.02.2009

Poor father commits suicide to protect daughter

Madhab Chandra Bagani has committed suicide in remote Badarkhali village. Neighbours say he failed to endure the indignation and harassment perpetrated for refusing the hand of his minor schoolgirl to a notorious man.

Anju Rani, his widow, complained in writing that her eldest daughter Shyamoli Rani is student of class VII in Phuljhuri High School. Matchmaker Tapan Kumar Roy of the same village pressed them to give her marriage to Milon Gomasta of Kalomegha village in Patharghata upazila.

In two minds, Madhab went to Kalomegha where residents informed him that Milon is a notorious man who recently divorced his first wife.

On return home he informed his decision to the matchmaker of cancellation of the marriage proposal. But under influence of money the matchmaker brought Milon and others as bridal party on December 15.

He mobilised the village elders and an arbitration meeting fined Madhab Tk 10,000 of which Tk 3,000 was extracted on the spot for breaking the match.

Matchmaker Tapan did not stop at that. He declared of spreading rumuours across the villages and see the girl is never married.

The same night defamed and distressed Madhab swallowed poison. Rushed to Barguna General Hospital but died the following day.

The death of Madhab had unnerved the arbitrators. Apprehensive of murder charge they went to UP chairman Ziaul Ahsan Hiru to settle the matter outside the court.

It was decided that the matchmaker and arbitrators will pay Tk 1 lakh as compensation to the widow of Madhav and an accord was signed on Tk 150 stamp. But the compensation has not been paid.

UP chairman admitted of the compensation accord and UP woman member Parveen also admitted of her presence in the arbitration meeting that fined poor Madhab.

Barguna police said they would proceed with the case after receiving the autopsy report of Madhab from the hospital.

Anju Rani and her four minor children are under threat of matchmaker Tapan Roy and the village arbitrators.

The daily star 01.02.2009

The geostrategic scenario of Bangladesh-Part II

INDIA is Bangladesh’s closest neighbour. India shares its longest border (2,840 km) with Bangladesh. Although the border is demarcated, there are a few unresolved issues such as enclaves and adverse possessed lands – legacy from the colonial past. The issue of water sharing of common rivers, especially of the Ganges and the barrage built across it in Farakka, West Bengal had been the greatest irritant. Some issues remain unresolved mainly due to bureaucratic dillydallying and political backsliding. More recently, the maritime boundary issues have come up. The position of the two countries on this issue is not too divergent and given the political will, the issue could be resolved to the satisfaction of both the parties. Arms and drugs smuggling, human trafficking, movement of criminals and extremist elements across the border are of common concern to both the countries. Thankfully, these issues are receiving due attention of both the governments.

India is one of Bangladesh’s largest trading partners and a fast growing export destination. There is also a bright prospect of Indian investment in Bangladesh economy. She had long been seeking direct road and rail access to the northeastern states through Bangladesh, thus avoiding the circuitous route through the Shiliguri Corridor. Some quarters within Bangladesh felt that allowing transit rights to India would amount to surrendering national sovereignty. These critics, of course, cannot explain why sovereignty is threatened in case of road or rail transit, but not in case of river or air transit that already exist since Pakistan period. We need to devise a win-win situation where Bangladesh allows Indian transit on payment of appropriate toll, and in return, gains greater access into the huge Indian market. The Treaty could provide important advantage for Bangladesh in its relationship with India. The same could be said about the opening up of the Chittagong port for the NE states of India. The road, rail, and maritime link between Bangladesh and India, and then the rest of Asia will be a major source of earning and will attract huge investment and trade. Opening up of Chittagong port for external users will mean generating greater revenue that will provide for modernization and expansion of port facilities. In fact, additional traffic could further justify a deep-sea port near Chittagong. We have been pushing back for too long on Asian Rail and Highway networks that are planned to connect Bangladesh with the rest of Asia. The network aims to provide seamless access to goods and passengers traveling across frontiers as are done in Europe or the Americas. If the Government continues to drag its feet, the planned network will bypass Bangladesh and reach Assam, Myanmar and beyond through the Shiliguri Corridor.

Bangladesh-China Relations
China is a major trading partner of Bangladesh as well as a major supplier of her weapons and armament. While Bangladesh looks up to China as a strategic partner, China’s response to such overture has been lukewarm at best. Chinese economic assistance while small in volume has been more visible, such as the Friendship Bridges. Bangladesh’s response to the adverse trade with China has largely remained muted. However, in future, there is good prospect of balanced, two-way trade with China, especially if the road and rail link is established with eastern China and if road link could be established with Tibet via India. Meanwhile, Bangladesh, along with India, must continue its effort to dissuade China from damming the Brahmaputra for that would bring about a great human tragedy throughout Eastern India and Bangladesh. While China emerges as a global economic and military power, our close and intimate relation with her becomes a strategic necessity.

Bangladesh-Myanmar Relations
Bangladesh’s attempt to foster close relationship with Myanmar had often been thwarted by the military junta in Yangon that had been keeping the country closed for five decades. Bangladesh had to take care of thousands of Rohingya Muslims refugees for decades who were pushed out of Myanmar. While the land boundary was demarcated in the ’70s, the maritime boundaries between Bangladesh and Myanmar remain a potential source of conflict. Their respective claims are widely divergent on a piece of sea territory that is rich in energy and marine resources. The naval forces of Myanmar and Bangladesh came face to face in the Bay of Bengal in November 2008 after an oil and gas exploration attempt by Myanmar in an area claimed by both the countries. Though the tension has been subsequently diffused the crisis is far from over. It is of utmost importance for Bangladesh to develop close and friendly relations with her neighbour while not compromising her vital national interest.

Bangladesh and SAARC
Bangladesh, as a proponent of regional cooperation, had always paid a leading role in SAARC. Yet there has not been a substantial progress in regional peace and amity, mainly due to India-Pakistan rivalry. The so-called SAARC spirit of cooperation and fraternity is looking frail today due to the simmering hostility between India and Pakistan. In the current crisis, the smaller member states of SAARC are only bystanders, unable to do anything to defuse the crisis. Despite the prevailing gloom, Bangladesh, along with other SAARC members, should continue efforts to better relations between the two major partners. The problems facing the SAARC countries can be best faced regionally be it terrorism, poverty reduction, climate change or job creation. Bangladesh, having excellent relation with all member states, could be a catalyst for future cooperation within SAARC.

Bangladesh and the World
Bangladesh maintains close diplomatic and economic links with North America and the EU. These two regions are the major destination of our export and are important sources of development assistance. We have a special relationship with the UK within Commonwealth. Our relationship with Japan, Korea and the countries in Southeast Asia are very important for trade, commerce, investment and economic assistance. Bangladesh’s special relationship with the members of the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) needed to be mentioned. The Gulf Arab states are important as a source for our energy resources. They are also vital to our economic wellbeing because of the remittance that we receive from our workers in the region. The downside of our relations with the Gulf States has been an inflow of extremist religious ideologies that originate there and are officially patronised by some of these states. Bangladesh is an active member of the UN and its many agencies. It is one of the largest contributors of military and police forces to the worldwide Peace Keeping Operations (PKO). High degree of professionalism shown by our forces around the world had earned admiration of the world community.

Geostrategic Priorities
As we near the end of the first decade into the 21st century, we need to reassess our geostrategic challenges and prospects for the future. Some of the national priorities can be tabulated as follows:

* Allocate more resources for education. Ensure that the resources are spent to produce enlightened citizen fit to meet the challenges of our time.

* Attract foreign and domestic investment and expand our export basket. Encourage investment from China and India to raise their stake in the welfare of Bangladesh. Seek additional market access into those countries.

* Improve border relations with neighbours. Demarcate land boundary and settle enclave issues. Effectively check human, drugs and arms trafficking.

* Create a Counter Terrorism Operations Centre, manned by security personnel from all South Asian countries, to fight the scourge of terrorism jointly.

* Ensure that no country’s territory is used to harbour terrorists or to train them to launch attack on another country. Ensure accountability of intelligence agencies to their respective governments.

* Enter into Asian Highway and Trans-Asian Railway network. Initiate discussion with India regarding surface transit, port and airport facilities. Ensure that it is a win-win situation for all parties involved.

* Negotiate with India on sharing of water of all common rivers. Create public opinion within India, especially in Assam, against Tipaimukh Dam. Along with India, try to dissuade China from damming and diverting Brahmaputra River.

* Develop a South Asian Power Grid to interconnect countries of the region so that electricity can be purchased and sold across the frontiers like any other commodity.

* Enter into dialogue with India and Myanmar on the delimitation of Maritime boundary. Revive talks on Myanmar-Bangladesh-India Gas Pipeline Project with the provision of Bangladesh tapping onto the gas supplies when needed.

Air Cdre (Retd) Ishfaq Ilahi Choudhury

the daily star 31.01.2009

 

Better water management for improved livelihood

WATER is a scarce commodity. It is this reason that makes its management that much more important for all of us. My attention was drawn in this regard last week to two informative and interesting articles — the first related to equity consideration in water management by Jahiruddin Chowdhury (of the Institute of Water and Flood Management, BUET) and the second pertaining to Bangladesh’s wetland ecosystems and livelihoods of the poor who depend on them by Mary Renwick and Deepa Joshi (of Winrock International).

As a water activist, the studies assumed special significance for me because they underlined the importance of water in creating socio-economic opportunities. Jahiruddin in particular, has added to the dimension by pointing out how water management projects in Bangladesh have brought economic benefit to one section of the society while causing economic hardships to another section.

Management of water as a commodity is a complex operation. Basin wide planning and non-water activities impacts in their own way not only on the environment and ecosystems but also on sustainable development and ‘social prosperity’. This factor consequently generates the need for an integrated approach. It also acquires special significance because proper water management has a significant bearing for public health, energy production, food production, transport, fisheries, agro-processing, forestry and ecosystems — all related to economic growth and water dependent livelihoods. In this context impartial and non-politicized attention also needs to be given in decision making regarding the needs of low-income vulnerable groups such as marginal farmer, fisherman (who might particularly suffer due to loss of open water fish habitat), boatman etc.

The studies have also correctly pointed out that water management and water supply in Bangladesh is faced with problems in and around urban centers as well as in the hilly regions. Water excellence is especially under threat in urban areas due to pollution of surface water through disposal of urban wastes and industrial effluent. Similarly, there has been decline in water quality in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (which is affecting the highland population) due to seasoning of timber in the water and leakage of fuel from motorized engine transports. Such a prevailing situation is totally contrary to the basic assumption that safe drinking water is a human right and that maintenance of environmental flow and ecosystems are vital for economic development.

Such a scenario clearly raises the question about the effectiveness of the institutional mechanism that is presently in place for the purpose of water management. I believe that there is serious need to examine whether the responsible authorities are being able to suitably address the question of competing water needs that have emerged due to population growth and increased economic activity in both agriculture and industry. There are also the additional points of effective flood control, ensuring suitable navigation, maintaining of morphology, satisfying ecological requirements and preventing salt intrusion.

One hopes that our new political government will give special priority to water management. We are a deltaic country where our network of rivers, streams, canals and water bodies are not only the bedrock for most of our economic activities but also the source of subsistence food production (for landless people), livestock fodder and medicinal plants. The comparatively poorer sections of the rural community also depend heavily on such water sources for their irrigation needs (required for supplementary home vegetable gardens and ‘shifting cultivation’ on hill slopes). It is this additional aspect that makes proper water management that much more significant.

A recent seminar convened by the Bangladesh Water Partnership has identified another area which deserves attention. Water engineers and hydrologists reiterated correctly that ‘alternate flooding and recession in tidal floodplain performs an important flushing function essential for morphological stability of tidal rivers’. I agree with them that this important function requires the relevant authorities to review our coastal embankment plan and the putting in place of flood control polders that are being constructed to prevent tidal flooding of the tidal floodplain. The present plan appears to have overlooked factors that are now resulting in serious water logging in adjacent areas and causing severe damage to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, livestock and physical infrastructures.

Our Prime Minister is on record regarding the need to engage the local community more effectively at all levels. In this regard, a special Task Force could be formed consisting of representatives from not only the Ministries of Water, Disaster management and Environment but also from the LGED to examine how our water and ecological resources as well as biodiversity can be best maintained. Local community associations could be organized within the Union local government structure to monitor ecosystem maintenance (using local knowledge and institutional memory) within that area and to resolve conflict arising from competing use of water for different economic activities.

Such community participation in ‘the identification, planning, implementation, operation and maintenance of water management projects’ could be an ‘essential input’ for deciding on necessary management interventions, the promotion of accountability and the development of meaningful solutions to emerging and existing problems. This could relate to formulation and implementation of regulations and guidelines necessary to protect the water regime, water quality, water rights, fish migration pathways (especially for hilsa) and navigation routes consistent with flood cycles and river morphology.

We have to remember that such a co-management approach (within the local government system) has to ensure that local communities have direct control over the management, utilization and benefits arising out of the use of local resources. Such an approach can then seek to develop linkages between communities and the government at the local, intermediate and national levels.

Renwick and Joshi have pointed out appropriately that such linkages will involve stakeholders at various levels — often also referred to as ‘vertical linkages’. The government will have to achieve the required sustainable vertical linkages in the socio-economic context. This will need placing emphasis on developing equitable local institutions and supporting changes in attitudes and practices among users and government agencies. This might appear to be a difficult task but it is certainly not insurmountable.

I believe that we can make this evolving process self-sustainable. It will require political will, commitment and lending a hand of support to the interacting organizations within the institutional co-management framework. Undertaking such a course of action in an inter-active manner through horizontal linkages will help us to succeed. We have to understand that a better water management approach (involving shared responsibilities, trust and inclusiveness) juxtaposed with a rehabilitated ecosystem translates to improved livelihoods within the local economy.

Muhammad Zamir is a former Secretary and Ambassador and can be reached at mzamir@dhaka.net

the daily star 31.01.2009

Govt urged to protect rivers

Speakers at a meeting yesterday urged the government to save Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakhya rivers from pollution and encroachment.

They said many of the cabinet members and lawmakers of the government are already involved with the movement for saving the rivers around the city.

The meeting was organised by Save the Environment Movement (SEM) at Sadarghat in the city.

They also called for steps to stop dumping of industrial wastes especially from Hazaribagh tannery and Wasa and conduct drives against the encroachers.

SEM Chairman Abu Naser Khan, Inamul Haque, Manzur Morshed Opu and SEM Programme Coordinator Kamal Pasha Chowdhury addressed the meeting.

the daily star 31.01.2009