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To the Editor

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Honest candidates
If we open the TV channels and look at the newspapers, a group of people are tirelessly p(e.iding for honest candidates. Who are they? What is their qualification to be a good MP? Please suggest 10 names and put them to transparent media scrutiny. Also we find a funny political strategy to promote the concept of 'No' vote. Today we heard that more chan 200 thousand local and foreign observers would observe the election. The political speeches of the two major political parties are full of promises, allegations and apprehensions of vote rigging. The political drama called 'terrorism" is in full play around the security of major political leaders. The political spokesperson of the government is looking for a "transition” phase of handing over power to the elected government. The CA says it Would be automatic; but none of these important persons have told the secret of their message. Let us guess what it could be, again a big dose of uncertainty?
How can we evaluate the above scenario? We have been quite pessimistic about the election because of erratic behaviour of the CTG and funny acts of the EC. They have always chosen to put the cart before the horse to delay the normal but important election preparatory process.
It is really disgraceful to think that 200 thousand local and foreign observers will observe the quality of election and give certificate as they have seen or perceived during observation. We would have been glad if they could avoid coming to observe our election. They are a factor and partners of our national digress. I only hope that the so called “gold standard" voter list would not spoil the election. The observers might
find it difficult to follow the issue.
1 am sitting thousands of miles away and watching the events in the media. It is learnt that forecasting of election results have started coming in the media depending on the choice of the party by the media that has engaged the result forecasting firms. Opinion poll is the major tool for such a forecast. However, as an individual I have a forecast of results based on common sense. These are a. The Awami League and the Mohajotc 130 to 135 seats,
b. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jote 135-140. c. Independent 15 to 20.
I have calculated all 300 seat. Due to lack of sufficient local knowledge and about the candidates. I would not forecast the results of women candidates except two who are sure to win. I am not a supporter of the Jamaat or the BNP, but an objective critic of the AL. They are missing both depth and substance in their campaign plan. The BNP and the Jamaat, having strong blessings of the government makers at home and abroad, will run the show. I am reluctant to put the BNP in the driving seat of the next government. The most unfortunate outcome would be the war criminals being rehabilitated by the present cleaning process of the past acts and deeds.
So. the Jammat is the big winner?
A reader One-mail
Zircon in election manifesto!
Zircon is unknown to most people in the country. Recently the name of Zircon along with other several minerals has come to the priority list of the election manifesto of one of the political parties. We know that natural gas is
our national mineral resource but there arc other costly minerals in the country that need to be explored. Those minerals are available in the coastal regions, nearby islands and in tlic sands of the rivers in northern region of Bangladesh. They are solid minerals known as Zircon, Rutile, Monazite, Garnet, Ilmenite, Magnetite etc. Depending on their Purity and Rarity, they arc worth billions of dollars and it is a case of transformation of scientific discovery into a billion dollar Industry.
Realizing the importance of the minerals, Australian Titenium Resources made an agreement in 2001 with the government of Bangladesh to use 14,700 hectres of land in the coastal region for exploration of 15 different kinds of mineral resources. Later on, the Australian Premier Mineral was awarded two licenses for exploration of heavy mineral beach sands in Cox's Bazar and in nearby islands. The contracts are renewable and transferable to any other company.
In 1961, the then Pakistan Geological Survey in cooperation of the US Geological Survey first detected the Radioactive Element Monazite (Thorium) from the coastal region of Cox's Bazar. Based on the discovery, the Atomic Energy Commission of then Pakistan started geological survey and identified 17 placer deposits of various sizes and quantities of the above mentioned minerals.
In 1975, the Australian govt, set up a pilot plant in Cox's Bazar, since then the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) is using the plant as part of their research and development (R & D) activities. They could not make the elements: (Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile, Garnet) viable due of lack of efficiency.
I came to know from my US colleagues about the exis-
tence of radio active and valuable minerals in Bangladesh in the middle of the 80s while working with the US Geological Survey in the Middle East. As a Geophysicist, I should mention that minerals exploration is a risky business but it brings money as well as prestige for a nation. Those minerals are available to only a few countries that are considered lucky. According to theory of economic geologists, if a nation possesses at least one of the minerals and can utilize properly, that nation or country no more remains poor. We have several valuable compounds (minerals) and they arc very easily available. We have immense opportunities to develop our country through exploration of the existing minerals.
It is good news for the nation that our political leaders have started realizing the importance of their national resources, including mineral resources. We expect that their commitment in the election manifesto for exploration of the mineral resources like Zircon, Ilmenite, Rutile and Garnet will be 100% material- ized even if they are in opposition. They must push the party in power to make it a success.
We will be waiting for the good days.
Prof. Lutfor Rahman
Founder Vice- Chancellor Science and Technology University in Rural Bangladesh
Dropping oil prices As the world braces for a recession whose depth and duration is anybody's guess, one silver lining of the downturn is already clear: the crisis at the gas station is over. In an economy now facing nothing but headwinds, declining oil prices may be about the only tiling putting money directly back in consumers' pockets.
The bad news is the reason for the price cut: the global economy is headed for a serious slump, which is already slashing demand for oil. Consumers all over the world had already begun cutting back on their consumption in response to the upward price shock. Now economic growth is slowing everywhere.
The export sectors, especially the garments sector will face adverse consequences arising from the world financial crisis. From the on-going decline in consumption expenditures in the industrial countries, apparel demand will decline. Therefore, job market may get squeezed for the Bangladeshi non-skilled and medium-skilled workers.
The vulnerability in the country's current account will also depend on the inward flow of remittances. The lion's share of its remittances comes from the Middle East, followed by the United States. It is expected that the flows of remittances from the United States and other European countries will slow down.
The country's manpower export may face setback, as recruiters fear a cut in demand for Bangladesh’s cheap labour due to the looming threat of a prolonged global recession.
As the major export com-petitor countries of Bangladesh experience a sharp drop in the value of their currencies, a significant appreciation in the Bangladesh taka may erode the country's competitiveness to some extent.
Although the economy of Bangladesh has shown significant resilience to the global economic crisis until now, it would really be interesting to see how long it can stop itself from beingaffected.
Yasir Md. Farabi Student North South University Dhaka
"No” vote
After a long wait a much coveted general election is being held today. In the aftermath of the drive of the ACC against the corrupt politicians and businessmen, the nation was ready for reforms. But people saw an appalling picture of reform in the political arena.
There is a big loophole in this system--- "NO” vote will be meaningful only when it exceeds a number.
Md. Khayrul Alam Ababccl Executive -ICT Division Sylhet Office, Dhaka Stock Exchange Ltd.
Chowhatta
Sylhet
Corruption
In every socio-economic field of our country corruption has spread out as an epidemic which is severely hindering the development of the country.
Corruption includes abuse of authority, bribery, favouritism, extortion, fraud, patronage, theft, deceit, illegality and soon.
Eradication of corruption is a crying need for the greater interest of our country. To make the country free from corruption we can take the following steps.
- Citizens of all classes should be responsible, accountable, dutiful and considerate.
- Nepotism, favouritism, red-tapism etcetera should be dealt with an iron hand.
- Take steps to reform the administrative structure with liability and transparency. Habibur Rashid Ismail
Chittagong '
To our leaders...
Election is the name of a great responsibility. A political leader starts his journey with the promise to help the common people. But when people elect them, they never fulfil the promises they made earlier. The dream of common people never comes true. The ACC is an institution which is working to remove corruption.
It is impossible for the ACC alone to eliminate the root of corruption. But if our leaders are determined, corruption can be removed from the root.
Our leaders should try to fulfil the promises they made before the election for the betterment of the country. Tamanna Ferdous Munni English Language & Literature nuc
Manifestos of AL and BNP
Lately, the Awami League and the BNP announced their election manifestos with their political panache to woo the voters. Though the publication of manifesto is a political rite for the political parties before the national election, it has significance in our national life.
I have perused the manifestos of the AL and the BNP exhaustively and became galvanized to give my feedback on them. To me, the manifesto of the BNP is very lacklustre and platitudinous. This party failed to show us any light, as it lacks vision. Rather it is full of personal opportunistic views. Its target areas are micro levels.
The BNP has formulated its manifesto readily and has not specified mechanisms to materialize its plans. I think the BNP wants to plug in the loopholes that aborted its plan to cling to power for good. But the manifesto of the AL is very forward looking and target-oriented. It has specific timeframes to implement its development plans.
The promises of the AL are very pragmatic, result-oriented and efficacious for the sustainable development of the country.
Molla Mohammad Shaheen Shahbagh. Dhaka
Voters' obligation The Jatiya Sangsad (JS) election is a great opportunity for the electorate to vote out those politicians who have made false promises during election campaigns. In the past, these politicians patronised militancy and fundamentalist forces as well. This election brings a golden opportunity for the people to reject corrupt political bigwigs who have turned Bangladesh into one of the most corrupt nations in the world. For a better and prosperous Bangladesh people should vote against them.
As a voter it is our sacred political right and moral obligation to prevent dishonest, controversial candidates from coming to power again and save the nation from any kind of future political turmoil.
Shaila Solaim an Jahangirnagar University Campus
Savar, Dhaka
New saviour of
Islam!
Begum Zia is planning to save Islam as an uncalled for saviour! The very idea defies the fundamentals of our noble religion. It cannot be tainted by the dark and dirty deeds of the BNP.
With nothing positive to show for their ten years of misrule, the leader of the party is now trying to capitalise on religion.
Please refrain from using Islam in your dirty brand of politics, as you have nothing constructive to offer. "You can fool some people for all the
time, and all the people for some time, but not all the people for all the time.” A voter
Dhaka
Disgruntled Iraqis Iraqi journalist Zeidi has become a hero by throwing his shoes at US President G.W. Bush. The news rippled throughout the world, people enjoyed it and took the cue. In America, Canada and many other places, people made effigy of President Bush and started throwing shoes at it, enjoying it very much. We heard that some people wanted to buy the shoes at a fabulous price of ten million dollars and the maker of the shoes received orders of 3,70,000 pairs, the model 271, black polyurethane-soled shoes, which have been renamed as, "Bush Shoes”.
I heard that after the shoethrowing incident, a man in Arperica threw his shoes at his employer who sacked him.
What a sensation! I wonder whether President Bush knows how much hatred and anger the people of Iraq have for him.
Nur Jahan Chittagong
Ershad’sidea
In line with the concept of the decentralization, I was very much inspired by Mr. Ershad’s inventiveness to create eight provinces as a part of delegation of administrative management to the nearest point with adequate authority to address the various issues locally by the elected representative bodies.
instead of merely depending on the central government. This would also be considered as a process of empowerment of the local bodies as well as serving the people in efficient ways by formulating the local laws within the framework of the central government policy, procedures and rules ofbusiness.
If we look back, we would see, the innovative concept of UPAZILA had come from him and he was the pioneer of implementing UPAZILA administration under the elected body and took the legal and judicial procedures to the doorstep of the common people. This helped many helpless innocent people to take the legal procedures at the local level to settle through the court at minimum costs and hassles and thousands were benefited. Some of the initiatives of Mr. Ershad were very much people oriented and suppq^^e despite his involvement in some activities which were not endorsed by the people.
The UPZILA administration has empowered the upazila parishad through an elected representative as the chairman and the present caretaker government has further strengthened the institution with the adoption of two vice chairmen and made it the pivotal place for addressing all local level developmental activities.
Therefore, the concept and vision of creating eight provinces will lead to a conducive working environment, breaking the bureaucratic tangle. Nasarullah On e-mail