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TO THE EDITOR
A helicopter for 'DG Health', please
In a bold move, the DG of the Health Directorate made a surprise visit to check on the attendance of doctors at a city hospital and apparently confirmed the World Bank's claim that a sizeable number of doctors in the public sector are not available to those who need their services. Additional surprise visits out of Dhaka already seem to be paying dividends.
To address the absenteeism and the negligence of doctors, as was recently claimed in the media, experts of the World Bank and the UNFPA, in a recent forum (Sept. 2829), suggested the adoption of a "demand side financing" (among other things) to provide resources to health service "users" (especially the poor). The expectation is that the clients would use their newfound purchasing power to reward or punish doctors and other service providers to bring them to the service facilities.
An interesting ideabut such a mechanism would work where clients have a choice of facilities; where they are relatively enlightened; where transportation and the overall infrastructure provides wider access; and, where a secondary market for the resource instruments (vouchers in this case) is unlikely to evolve because of better regulation and standards of living.
The real problem of healthcare delivery in Bangladesh is one of poorly designed and implemented "management system" that fails to adequately address the human resource, financial control, information, service, logistics, delivery and supervision systems. The DG's surprise visit is an example of a random supervisory visit, used rather infrequently in the arena of public services.
If this activity alone is ratcheted up and conducted more routinely at all levels, healthcare delivery should improve noticeably as the second day's visits suggest. Combining other elements of the management system, such surprised visits will help straighten the system even more. My suggestion is: Let's fix the supply side problems first before venturing into another expensive and untested experimentdemand side financing.
Perhaps the resources would be better spent if the DG were to be given a helicopter to conduct more random supervisory visits across the country. He could also bring along World Bank experts to check whether the high-absenteeism statistic suggested by the Bank is true or is a mere sampling error!
Syed Saad Andaleeb
Fulbright Scholar, East West University
Dear minister of law,
Several controversial amendments, which were introduced in last two successive parliamentary sessions, triggered off the lawyers community's splitting into two poles. One group in particular has been demonstrating different activities in order to repeal amending Civil Procedure Code (CPC) for last couple of months.
Meanwhile, pro-government lawyers have been resisting the agitating lawyers at any cost, which has given birth to several brawls in court premises. Finally, by way of postponing the effectiveness of the CPC amendment with a view to seeking expert opinions, the government clearly proved that the agitating lawyers have been righteous at the outset.
It can, hence, be deduced that shameful clashes might be averted if the government behaved differently that what it is alleged to have done. In short, government is responsible for the untoward incidents due to its irresponsible attitude.
Another objection is to the election process of the Bar Council. By amending the Bar Council Ordinance'1972, an advocate is barred from holding office more than two times. What it means is that hey are discriminated against, in comparison with members of the Bangladesh Medical Association, because such a restriction isn't applicable to the latter. It is good to hear that the incumbent government vows to separate the judiciary from the executive organ. As well, the Supreme Court directs to do so.
Question is, how much longer must one wait for that to happen? We know that all the magistrates are biased. If not, why did a magistrate stand up in order to salute the honourable Minister for Housing and Public works, Miza Abbas, while she was hearing the accusation of a defamation case? The concerned magistrate had denied having done so, but none believes that version.
Unfortunately, we also observed that several judges were appointed ignoring recommendations of the Chief Justice and in contravention of the constitutional dictates relating such matters. Such controversial appointments pose a major threat to judges who are motivated to work impartially. If the trend continues, judges will devote themselves to satisfy the government to facilitate early promotions or to being permanent. People will eventually withdraw their confidence from the last bastion of justice.
In my opinion, lawyers clamouring for the implementation of their six point demand do possess some values. The government should change its unbending attitude and go through the contents of those demands. Finally, I will urge the government to implement those demands as soon as possible for the greater interests of the lawyers and the mass that cry aloud for justice.
Bivuti Tarafder
3rd year, Department of Law, DU
Honesty and our politicians
The finance minister's reaction to the recent Transparency International (TIB) report makes an incredibly comic reading, except for the sublime tragedy it hides. At a July 3, 2001 press conference, the then finance minister SAMS Kibria made exactly the same charges.
As The Daily Star reported the next day, Mr. Kibria pointed out that the TIB was an anti-Awami League organisation whose founders included, among others, Mr. Saifur Rahman! Now, in 2003, only the names of individuals and parties (doing the attack and the defence respectively) have been changed. The fact is, both the ministers have been vocal supporters of the TIB when in opposition and participated in regional Transparency International conferences as delegates during their tenure on the Opposition benches.
It is a shame that both the ministers have chosen, when in office, to defend the very ills of corruption that they decried when in Opposition.
I think children in kindergarten have more intellectual honesty that our politicians.
Esam Sohail, Kansas, USA
The cable curse
Satellite networks have given us a wide range of channels and choices of programmes. A simple villager in Bangladesh and a rich man in the US can watch the same programmes on TV and learn about various cultures. This is only possible due to the advent of cable. Anyway, most of the channels are under the control of different private companies and individuals. Considering the markets and the choices of viewers, the owners of the channels produce and broadcast music videos, films, serials and many other programmes that are not always healthy to the taste of our family members.
In fact, it is a matter of great concern that most of the people, particularly the youth of today, are concentrating more to the relatively light, provocative and low graded programmes. Those who are immature, not having clear ideas about the reality and incapable of judging between right and wrong, are greatly influenced by these programmes.
Children spend hours watching TV and that affect their studies, sleep and outdoor activities. According to nerve specialists, the present generation of children are suffering from epilepsy, the number increasing further due to excessive TV watching and computer game playing. Besides, programmes with the scenes of sex and violence are leading the tender mind of our youth as well as the children towards destructive tendencies.
They are being deceived by the weird images and the colourful presentations of the celluloid as they fondly emulate the dress-ups, get ups and the overall attitude of the characters and become detached from the realities governing our lives.
In many cases, our youths involve themselves in acts of murder and rape, imbued by evil spirits emitting from the TV screens. Is there any body to take note of the cultural impact of the cable on our posterity?
One e-mail Dhaka Cantonment, Dhaka
Put hartal issue into a referendum
The main aim of the struggle for Independence from the colonial British rule and subsequently from the Pak Military Junta was to establish a democratic society to be governed by democratic ideals. In democracy, the wishes and aspirations of the common people are reflected. The majority of our people are poor and less knowledgeable about how a true democracy must operate.
Yet, in the elections held in a free and fair atmosphere, the decisions given by those illiterate majority remain praiseworthy, although we see the outcome of such elections as acceptable only in sofar as the "exercise of the right to franchise" is concerned.
But we are sorry to notice that the "call of hartal" and its outcome is thoroughly unacceptable as this "right to call hartal", to compel people not to venture out, come through intimidation, damage to personal life and property. Under the above circumstances, it is suggested that the prerogative to 'calling hartal" should be brought to a "referendum."
Only a referendum can reflect public opinion "for or against" it, which in turn can give birth to a law proscribing such agitational and disruptive means to achieve one's political goals.
Engr. SH Kaiser
Dhanmondi R/A, Dhaka
UN, reform it or remove it
After invading two sovereign countries and passing some very racist UN resolutions, some leaders are now talking about making the UN more effective. Really? Those unlucky, expendable Muslims are now going to have a UN that actually cares for them? I feel flattered. In fact, half-drunk with joy!
I am half-drunk because there is the other half of me that is already shouting that these "reform talks" are nothing more than some inexpensive, time-wasting, diplomatic horse manure. How many of you actually believe that all those countries who enjoy God-like powers with their veto would allow other countries to take away some of their powers? To reform the UN, that is exactly what you need. And until that happens, this UN will always remain a club of the racist, by the racist and for the racist . Ask yourself; how can an organisation be fair, when some members of that very organisation enjoy more power than the others?
To make the UN more effective, we need to make it equal for all. The first thing would be to cancel all veto-power. But that would be impossible. All those veto- holding members will never allow this. Hence, the next option is to increase the number of veto-holding members and distribute it equally around the globe for people of all background. This can be done either based on the region e.g. one for Asia, one for Africa etc. Or, based on religion, e.g. one for the Christians, one for the Muslims, one for the Hindus and so on.
However, what is NOT acceptable is the fact that some rich countries possess lots of nukes and nasty weapons as well as veto powers. Look at the US, the UK, France, Russia and China. What do they all have in common? Nukes!
So, either all those big countries get down to real business and address the root weakness of the UN, or they can spend another 50 years hitting around the bush, having high-class diplomatic orgasms. Bottom line is: these cosmetic and dubious reforms will produce no solution whatsoever!
Therefore, we would request these big guys not to deceive us any more by wasting time with some monkey issues. They should not think, even for a second, that we don't know what they are up to. We were sure before the Iraq war that the reason was not WMD, it was to destroy the cradle of our civilization. But, they said it was the WMD. Now they say Sddam posed as having WMD. How could they forget in months that Saddam had always insisted upon not having any WMD in his armoury.
Now that the game is up and the Western conspiracy against us is exposed, I would urge our leaders to wake up to the reality. It's time they begin to behave maturely, not like some stone-age, second-hand brainless robots. They must do something to protect other Muslim nations. No ifs, no buts. We run out of time.
Azad Miah, Oldham, UK
An Appeal to VC, NU My son, Md. Ashif Sadeq (bearing Roll-481/1994 and 1188/1995), has appeared as an improvement examinee of Traditional Honours Examination-1995 in English from Jagannath government college and as per pick-up system his total marks came to 396 and with 9 grace marks added to this figure his total marks stand at 405 (396+9) which is the minimum marks required for a second class. This fact has been duly authenticated by the memo No. JABI/PANI/Hons Traditioanl/Part-III/3rd Year/97/2002/1093 dated 1911-02 written to my son by the controller of examinations, NU. An application addressed to the vice-chancellor and dully recommended by the Principal, Jagannath College was submitted to the NU on 13-04-02 by my son Md. Ashif Sadeq for issuance of his second class honours marks certificate and provisional certificate. The controller of examinations, though authenticated the justification of the claim of my son for issuance of the second class marks sheet and provisional certificate vide his letter no. referred to above expressed his inability to do so without prior approval of the academic council. In this connection, I should like to mention here that the publication of results of all public examinations under NU is made under signature of the controller of examinations by order of the vicechancellor subject to subsequent approval by the academic council or syndicate. No prior approval of the academic council is mandatory for routine publication of any result of any public examination. Unless any delicacy arises about a particular case or cases the question of prior approval does not arise at all.
The application of pick-up system is a routine affair for finalisation of results of improvement examinees. This can be done easily by the concerned officials under guidance and supervision of the controller. There is no delicacy in the uniform application of pick-up on the results of improvement examinees. If the NU is kind enough to do welfare to the innocent and deprived improvement examinees of 1994 and 1995, who number not less than one thousand, prior approval of the academic council should not stand a bar to it. An administrative order of the vice-chancellor is enough for
quick disposal of the issue.
I, therefore, hope and pray that the hon'ble vice-chancellor would kindly do the needful for early disposal of the issue of improvement examinees of 1994 and 1995 regarding application of Pick-up system and finalisation of their results. This will establish a record that National University is really worthy of its name and is not a national tragedy.
M.Sadeq
Chairman of Management
Tejgaon college, Dhaka