Bangladesh: The Blowback of Corruption

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. Continue reading the rest...

Sheikh Hasina urges to make Bangla a UN language

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

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Observe Be the Change National Day

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
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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 Continue reading the rest...

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the UN

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 Continue reading the rest...

President Obama addresses the UN

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Bangladesh’s role in fighting terrorism

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 Continue reading the rest...

Bangladesh, my motherland!

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. Continue reading the rest...