Bangladesh to emerge as ‘leader in shipbuilding sector’

The country’s emerging shipbuilding industry is capable to fare well in meeting the demand for sea vessels as more than 50 per cent of the existing ships will have to be replaced due to aging, said the Danish Ambassador in Dhaka Tuesday.

Ambassador Einar H Jensen said 25 per cent of the aging ships that would be gradually replaced are small and medium size vessels and Bangladesh could emerge as a leader in Asia in this sector because of lower costs.

“There is no doubt that ships built in Bangladesh are of good quality,” he said while addressing the inaugural session of a national conference on ship building as special guest at Hotel Sonargaon on Tuesday.

The Danish envoy said the industry is still dependent on import of raw materials to build ships of different categories. Such dependence can be removed if the government extends its support to the industry, he added.

He said in order to meet the growing global demand that is recovering from recession, the country should focus on developing the ship building industry. He stressed the need for reducing corrupt practices and meeting eight important compliance standards on ship-building including security and safety of the workers to get a foothold in the global market.

Ambassador Einar informed the conference that some 20 Danish shipping companies will visit the country soon to explore the potentials of buying ships.

The conference, which was organised by Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) was also addressed by head of European Commission Delegates Stefan Frowein as special guest.

Among others, President of Ship Builders Association KM Mahmood ur Rahman, BFTI head MA Taslim and Dr Abdullahel Bari of Ananda Group and Sakhawat Hossain of Western Marine Shipyard spoke.

Prof Khabirul Haque Chowdhury, head of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) presented the keynote paper.

Stefan Frowein focused on trade relation between Bangladesh and European countries and said export of diversified products from Bangladesh was worth 4.3 billion Euro taking trade relations in favour of the country.

“It is likely to expand with the emergence of ship building industry,” he added.

In the keynote paper, the BUET Prof claimed that the country has the capacity to be recognised as a ship building nation due to some advantages including a good number of shipyards, training and research facilities, cheap labour force with experience of international market.

“Bangladesh can be one of the top 10 ship building countries of the world,” he said.

The keynote speaker said recession has increased the demand for small and medium sized vessels compatible with the country’s capacity and stressed the requirement for formulating a national ship building strategy and integration of facilities of ship building.

President of Ship Builders Association KM Mahmood ur Rahman said ship building industry is not only a thrust sector for Bangladesh it is also a thrust sector of the world. This market size is US$ 400 billion which is likely to increase with the recovery of global slowdown.

S: The Financial Express

Nijhum Island: What to do with the excess deer population?

So many talks about the excess population of Deer where there is no predator to control their population. Certainly there is a big potential because we can export them as pet. We cannot kill them to reducer, for food, they could be very good earning source of BD. Following is the article:

Concern over the Nijhum Dwip deer of Mr Sikander Ahmed (Daily Star, 6th August) and many others, who had given their opinion earlier on the issue is genuine. Their suggestions regarding these deer are most plausible but perhaps impractical in the present context of both the lack of long term planning and wildlife management resources of the government Forest Department (FD) and the existing meagre forest resources of the country. We must remember that man-made problems cannot be solved by the nature itself rather to be done away by ourselves.

In the first place FD had no clue what would they do with the surplus deer of the Nijhum Dwip when they start producing offspring at an unprecedented rate in the absence of top carnivores — the Bengal Tiger, Leopard [in Bangladesh] and/or Asiatic Lion [in Gir forest, Gujarat in India] — that naturally keep deer population under control.

We must not dream that man produced excess deer from Nijhum Dwip would survive in any forest from where all species of deer — such as Barasinga or swamp deer, Sambar, Hog deer, Chital or spotted deer and barking deer or Muntjac — have already been decimated by the human folk. Possibly within first few days of their introduction to any of the existing forests in the larger Chittagong Hill Tracts they would be killed by hundreds of gun toting tribals, plain-land Bengalis settled there and even our forces with arms. They may have their field days of sport hunting the deer. Some officials and local elite are likely to find great pleasure in hunting these poor deer.

Even if not killed by hunters the deer would definitely leave the forest and venture into the nearby jhum rice and other crops fields. Then they are likely to be poisoned by the locals.

Also one should remember that the character of all forests in Bangladesh, barring possibly the Sundarbans, has changed due to the faulty practice of the government Forest Department, Jhum cultivation by the ethnic people and log removal by lumber poachers and illegal timber merchants. We have now more man-made forests than natural forests. But carrying capacity of all these forests has been reduced to bare minimum that cannot support large population of herbivores.

Question of returning Nijhum Dwip deer to the Sundarbans does not arise because Bengal Tiger, Chital, Rhesus Macaque and Wild Boar are living in such a harmony that there is no scope for any reintroduction of a new population of an existing animal species. Sundarbans ecosystem is operating efficiently for the past couple of 1000 years in spite of massive human interference during the past half a century or so.

Moreover, nobody knows what kind of disease Nijhum Dwip deer will carry and introduce the same to the Sundarbans. Also these deer have no fear of predator, as they have never seen one, and human being. Both tiger and people will over kill them.

Our FD is ill equipped to handle massive capture, marking and transporting of most animals to a new location. Forestry policy and FD personnel seem to be geared for cutting trees and giving revenue to the government exchequer and, allegedly stashing away some amount possibly to their own coffer. This department usually takes up short or long term projects either from the point of view of getting additional finance or creating more posts for absorbing manpower from various projects or new recruits.

Earlier someone suggested that Bengal Tiger should be introduced in and around Nijhum Dwip to control the deer population. It will be a murderous decision. Tigers will possibly not kill the deer but cattle and human being finding it is easer than deer-hunt.

Government has many options to handle the deer problem it has created by its own forest department. First and foremost is that the surplus deer population must be removed from the Dwip area. To do this government can outright sell the additional numbers through public auction.

In the absence of a separate Wildlife Department and allegation of questionable transparencies in forest resources disposal the government can organise the auction through a committee formed with representatives of the FD, wildlife advisory board and a few concerned citizens, including scientists and media personalities, so that the process becomes transparent and open.

Before selling the deer their health to be checked by proper veterinarians who could determine whether these are fit for human consumption. People buying these can keep them as pet, start their own deer breeding farm or consume the meat.

The same committee can issue hunting permits just for killing a fixed number of male deer each having an antler size of at least 20 inches in length, or the size and the number to be determined by scientists to be appointed by this committee.

Each hunting permit should be valued at taka one lac or more. After securing a permit a hunter must go to the FD to make arrangements for going on a hunt within a stipulated period and in specified block or patch of forest for which FD must provide a trained guide or a Shikari at a predetermined price.

The hunter to be given a fixed time table to go for the hunt is to bear all expenses for taking the guide and returning him back to the forest office. If a hunter fails to hunt his deer within the fixed time his permit will be cancelled and no money returned.

The above committee can also start a deer breeding farm involving islanders and others living along the borders of the forests with a view to marketing the meat through reputed supermarket chains in the country and leather and antlers through renowned outlets. Or exporting both to suitable destinations. This can also generate an alternative livelihood for the low income people living in the buffer zone of various forests.

If above programmes cannot be taken up now government may take up a temporary programme of making all subadults and adult males neutered through a mass capture programme involving the services of the wildlife biologists and the veterinarians of the animal husbandry department. This will stop further proliferation or there will be a zero growth at least for few years when government can chalk out a long term solution to the problem through creation of a new Wildlife Department.

To handle nature delicately government must think of starting a new Department of Wildlife to handle all problems related to it and saving the wildlife wealth of the country in a sustainable manner through public awareness campaigns and loose partnerships with the stake holders unlike the existing forest department mandated to cut and, often, plant trees.
S: Daily Star, By Dr Reza Khan

A new beginning in Bangladesh-India ties

The Editorial Retrieved from “the Daily Star”.

THE agreement reached in Delhi by Bangladesh and India through bilateral talks between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries is clearly a breakthrough. We welcome the many positive signs coming out of the talks. From an economic and political perspective, the results are pivotal for both the countries. The broad agreement reached on some key issues sets the ground for more positive development in the near future. The agreement on transit to Nepal and Bhutan, and the commitment of 100 MW of power are two immediate steps that are likely to benefit Bangladesh in the very near future. There are several other areas, where detailed planning and quick follow-up are necessary.

Despite the positive outcome of the talks, we note that trade imbalance, a key issue affecting Indo-Bangladesh ties, has not been tackled at the talks. Given that Bangladesh has for a very long time been asking for an entry of its goods into the Indian market, this persistent reluctance on India’s part to open its doors to Bangladesh’s goods serves as a damper to mutually beneficial relations. Over the years, much discussion has gone on at the government-to-government and trade delegation levels. We have also heard of a track-2 approach. Against this background, the issue should have been resolved at the talks in Delhi.

We thank the Indian side for agreeing to facilitate Bangladesh’s transit to Nepal and Bhutan. However it has to be recalled that such an agreement was reached earlier but could not be implemented.

Another significant issue we feel has not been dealt with is Tipaimukh. To be sure, there have been all the blanket assurances from the Indian side about keeping Bangladesh’s interests in mind. But the real need is for Delhi to share information with Dhaka on the issue fully and comprehensively and let such information be disseminated to the general public in both countries. This is important as even in such Indian states as Meghalaya the issue has been exercising people’s minds. It is critically important that on Tipaimukh nothing be done that can undermine the new opening the Delhi talks have made for the two countries. While on the subject, we fail to understand why such long-standing issues as Angorpota and Dahagram are still in the discussion stage. The problem, which should have been resolved long ago, now must be approached in earnest.

Everything said, however, we welcome the results of the Delhi talks and look upon the agreement as an important first step towards a fresh new beginning in Indo-Bangladesh ties. It is essential that from here on the two nations do not go back to the old standoffish positions on issues of mutual concern. Additionally, the deal should lead to a relaxation in other areas. Increasing people to people contact, especially through an exchange of visits by journalists, is of the essence. Here we urge relaxation of visa restrictions on journalists. Bangladesh is known to be very restrictive, with India being so in many cases. We must also point out that a change in mindset, especially among the Indian media vis-à-vis Bangladesh, is a must. The continuous coverage of Bangladesh as a hub of terrorism has patently harmed relations between the two countries. For our part, we have noted how a number of criminal elements have come from India and engaged in terrorist activities here. That Bangladeshis are by and large a secular people and that religious extremism has no place in this country have conclusively been demonstrated by successive elections, including the one in 2008. The results were a severe blow to extremism and were clearly a rejection of religion-based politics.

We look forward to a greater and more positive understanding of Bangladesh and its people from India. In the days ahead, we expect that the visit by the Bangladesh prime minister to Delhi in the near future will result in a reciprocal trip to Dhaka by India’s prime minister. Such reciprocity will, we hope, lead to more positive and concrete developments in Dhaka-Delhi ties.
S: The Daily Star

Dhaka ’source country’ status in Malaysia for regular manpower export

Bangladesh is negotiating with Malaysia to obtain “source country” status within a few months to export manpower there on a regular basis through a transparent system, according to the Bangladesh High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh has been sending workers to Malaysia since the late 80s under special arrangements but it is yet to receive Malaysian “source country” status already obtained by India, Pakistan and Nepal.

Workers are now sent to Malaysia on calling visas. This arrangement is hardly favourable as they often get deprived of their rights and return home spending more money than what they earned there.

But once Bangladesh gets the “source country” status, the cost of migration to Malaysia will fall drastically and the workers will enjoy more rights than ever, said Bangladesh High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur AKM Atiqur Rahman.

He said the human resources ministry of Malaysia has requested Bangladesh to follow a guideline “on the implementation of induction course and issuance of certificate of eligibility to foreign workers intending to work in Malaysia.”

“It indicates that the Malaysian authorities are positive about giving Bangladesh source country status,” said the diplomat.

He also said the Malaysian government has been assessing the overall situation to decide on the matter.

A number of workers said a syndicate of Bangladeshi and Malaysian manpower brokers does not want Bangladesh to obtain “source country” status.

Over four lakh Bangladeshi workers are now living legally in Malaysia.

“Workers from source countries get better facilities than their Bangladeshi counterparts. Those workers hardly face any problems. They are now even in a position to bargain with the Malaysia authorities for increasing their salaries and other facilities,” said Masudur Rahman, first secretary (Labour) of Bangladesh High Commission.

Mustafiz said Bangladesh government should lobby the Malaysian government for giving Bangladesh “source country” status.

Thirteen South and Central Asian countries have been recognised as source nations from where Malaysian companies hire manpower on a regular basis through a transparent system.

The migrant workers also believe that anomalies in manpower recruitment will end once Bangladesh receives “source country” status.

Workers and officials said agents usually send more workers to Malaysia than required under special arrangements rendering the additional workers jobless.

“Agents in both countries are bringing additional workers causing sufferings for them,” Mustafizur Rahman, a small trader in Kuala Lumpur, told The Daily Star.

Mustafiz, owner of two shops, who has been living in Malaysia for 17 years, alleged that travel agents and syndicates manipulate the system and make money under the special arrangements deceiving poor workers.

RESTRICTION ON BANGLADESHI WORKERS

The Bangladesh high commissioner said since Malaysia still has a huge demand for workers, it is likely to lift the restriction soon on hiring the 55,000 Bangladeshi workers, whose visas were cancelled early this year.

“We are holding talks with the Malaysian authorities. The restriction on the 55,000 visas is expected to be withdrawn anytime,” he said.

Malaysia cancelled the work visas in March much to the frustration of the Bangladeshi workers, saying the country was hit by the global recession.

Malaysia hired around five lakh Bangladeshi workers from mid-2006 but irregularities in the recruitment process rendered many of them unemployed or unpaid.

There are allegations that a section of Bangladesh high commission officials in Malaysia joined hands with the unscrupulous manpower brokers.

Atiqur Rahman said he is very firm to check irregularities at Bangladesh high commission in Kuala Lumpur.

“My mission is to root out corruption from the high commission. But, I cannot take responsibility for corruption done earlier,” he said.
S: The Daily Star

Deal on sharing Teesta water between Bangladesh and India

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni yesterday said a treaty would soon be signed with India on sharing the water of common river Teesta.

“We discussed and agreed to sign a deal on sharing water of the river Teesta,” Dipu Moni, who returned home on Thursday after a four-day visit to India, told journalists at the ministry.

“Both the sides agreed to expedite the ongoing negotiation process so that a treaty is signed soon,” she said, adding that the deal might be signed when Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina would go on a visit to India.

Dipu Moni hoped that the agreement would be inked soon after the joint hydrological observation team comprising experts from Bangladesh and India prepared the draft on water availability and other related issues.

During dry season, the river Teesta faces water crunch as India has constructed Gozaldoba Barrage in the upstream and divert water from the common river that enters greater Rangpur region of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh and India had dialogues on sharing of water of the Teesta for years.

According to Bangladesh Water Development Board, Bangladesh’s Teesta barrage (first phase) in the downstream covers irrigation of 750,000 hectares of land.

Asked whether Anup Chetia to be handed over to India, the foreign minister said Dhaka’s agreement with New Delhi is only on transferring sentenced persons. “Anup Chetia has already finished his jail term and will not come under the purview of the agreement,” she said.

As per the agreement, Indian citizens sentenced in Bangladesh would be able to finish their rest of the jail terms in India if they apply to Bangladesh government. This goes vice versa for Bangladeshi prisoners in India.

Indian separatist leader Anup Chetia was caught in Bangladesh in 1997 for intruding into Bangladesh. He has recently finished his jail term.

Terming the four-day visit very successful the foreign minister said New Delhi would allow products from land-locked Nepal and Bhutan via India.

Dipu Moni said both the countries have agreed to discuss and resolve all the existing issues as a “package programme.”

All unresolved bilateral issues that include sharing of water of common rivers and extradition of criminals will be settled through discussion, said the foreign minister.

Dipu Moni said Bangladesh would have transit link to Nepal and Bhutan as per the latest agreement with India.

In return, India would be allowed to use Ashuganj port for only transporting sophisticated machinery to Tripura to set up a power plant there, she said.

Dipu Moni said India would sell Bangladesh 100 megawatts of electricity “on priority basis” after connecting the power grids of the two countries.

She said some important deals would be signed with New Delhi during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to India.

On the controversial Tipaimukh dam, the foreign minister said the Indian premier and ministers gave assurance that India would not do anything that can be harmful to Bangladesh.

Dipu Moni said Bangladesh would soon send a letter of objection to the UN against India’s maritime claims that overlap Bangladesh’s maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal.

Referring to the Akhaura-Agartala rail link, she said the Indian government would fund the project.

The foreign minister said the issue of improving the service of Dhaka-Kolkata passenger train had also been discussed.

“The Indian side has agreed to take initiative for completing customs and immigration formalities on the train to reduce travel time by five to six hours. But the modalities have to be figured out by the officials concerned of the two countries,” she added.

Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes, among others, was present at the briefing.
S: The Daily Star

Bangladesh eyes frozen food exports to Russia

Bangladesh may start exporting frozen food, including shrimps, to Russia this year opening a new market.

A Russian veterinary delegation has recently visited Bangladesh and saw seafood plants. The delegation has initially selecting four plants to export shrimps and seafood to the Russian market.

Delegates have also issued export permission and necessary guidelines for processing the merchandise for Russian buyers. The fisheries department has sent a memorandum to the ministry for approval before signing it with the Russian importers.

Bangladesh exports frozen foods to 16 countries including the US, EU, UK and UAE. Russia will be the new export destination of the country’s frozen food, Abul Bashar, an official of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA), told the news agency.

He said the association is also working on a scheme to increase export of frozen food to countries like Australia and Canada where expatriate Bangladeshis are living in large numbers.

Bashar said the delegation visited seafood-processing units at Chittagong and Khulna and were impressed by their high standards. In the process, they selected Apex Foods Ltd and ARK Sea Foods of Chittagong, Fresh Foods Ltd of Khulna and Bagerhat Sea Foods for opening export to Russia.

Explaining how frozen food processing facilities achieved impressive hygienic standard over the recent years working on earlier improvement, Bashar said a food and veterinary delegation of EU which visited Bangladesh recently offered 10 more local processing plants the export permission to EU market.

With it, the number of frozen food plants now exporting to the EU market stands at 68 including 27 in Chittagong and 41 in Khulna region. Moreover, the number of fish plants now operating having BFFEA licence is 145.
S: The Daily Star

Dhaka protests at UN against Yangon claim

Bangladesh has sent a ‘diplomatic protest note’ to the United Nations against the claims of Myanmar over the extended ‘continental shelf’ in the Bay of Bengal while it will register such protest against the sea boundary claims of India soon.

On behalf of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni who is now in India on an official visit, Information Minister Abul Kalam Azad yesterday informed parliament about the government’s move to establish Bangladesh’s claim over the maritime boundary.

Myanmar and India made their submissions to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on December 16, 2008 and May 11, 2009.

Both the countries’ claims encompassed undersea basins that fall within Bangladesh’s Exclusive Economic Zone, a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, that stretches up to 200 nautical miles (370km) from its coast.

Bangladesh, India and Myanmar have the sharing over the Bay of Bengal.

In reply to lawmakers’ queries, the information minister said Bangladesh would submit its claims to the CLCS on the limit of the continental shelf by July 2011.

Bangladesh would have to submit its claims to the UN CLCS over 150 nautical miles (277km) or more area beyond 200 nautical miles of the extended continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal by July 27, 2011.

The minister said the government has also been negotiating with the two neighbouring countries to resolve the maritime and other disputes through bilateral discussions.

In reply to another query of BNP lawmaker Harunur Rashid whether India has claimed 32,000 square km areas within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh to the UN, the minister said the CLCS will give final recommendations after justifying claims of India and Myanmar.

“So, there is no scope to say that India has claimed 32,000 square km within the maritime boundary of Bangladesh before the United Nations makes final recommendations on the issue,” the minister said.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni in scripted answers to lawmakers’ queries informed the parliament that the government has moved to create a new post titled ‘Inspector General of Missions’ (IGM) to oversee the activities of foreign missions to protect country’s interests.

In the scripted answer, the foreign minister said process is also underway to appoint necessary manpower for the office of IGM.

Besides, Dipu said steps have been taken to set up a new sub-division to strengthen the consular and welfare department of the foreign ministry.

She said the government has decided to open missions in Sudan and Sierra Leon and reopen the activities of the missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ministry has also taken initiatives to protect interests of the Bangladeshi citizens living abroad, she added.

The foreign minister said Tk 261 crore was spent in last financial year to run the foreign offices abroad.

The foreign minister said efforts are on to bring back the killers of father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She said killers of Bangabandhu are hiding in different countries but she declined to give the whereabouts of the killers.

Dipu Moni said the home ministry has already been asked to revive the taskforce formed in 1996 for bringing the killers of Bangabandhu back home. “All out efforts can be made in coordination with other agencies once the taskforce is revived,” the minister added.
S: The Daily Star

A Major Breakthrough, Delhi offers transit to Nepal and Bhutan, power

In a major breakthrough in bilateral relationship, India has agreed with Bangladesh to facilitate Bangladesh’s transit to Nepal and Bhutan, provide at least 100MW power on priority basis, increase trade and communication facilities and resolve other outstanding issues.

Recognising the importance of bilateral and regional connectivity, Bangladesh discussed allowing India to use Chittagong Port and designating Ashuganj as a new port of call under the Inland Water Transit and Trade Agreement, says a joint press statement of Foreign Minister Dipu Moni and Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna.

Both sides agreed to resolve outstanding issues relating to Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves and Tin Bigha Corridor, said the statement issued in New Delhi yesterday during Dipu Moni’s September 7-10 official visit to the neighbouring country.

Both the countries recognised the need to finalise the water-sharing agreement for the Teesta and agreed to begin Joint Hydrological Observations on the river immediately.

If finalised, this will be the second water management treaty with India after the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty.

Bangladesh and India did not have any dialogue on water sharing in the last four years.

The two countries agreed to finalise three agreements on mutual legal assistance on criminal matters, transfer of sentenced persons and combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking.

They agreed on re-opening of Sabroom-Ramgarh trade point as well as a land route at Demagiri-Thegamukh on the Mizoram border for bilateral trade.

India agreed in principle to provide Bangladesh with a line of credit for railway projects and supplying locomotives, coaches and buses. It offered to take up construction of Akhaura-Agartala railway link under Indian assistance.

India also agreed to assist Bangladesh in dredging rivers.

Both the sides agreed to start markets on the Bangladesh-Meghalaya border and allow movement of container cargos by rail and water for bilateral trade.

Bangladesh raised the issue of duty-free access for its commodities, removal of non-tariff and para-tariff barriers and improvement of infrastructure on the Indian side. India requested Bangladesh to remove barriers to Indian investments and port restrictions for specific commodities.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni earlier discussed a range of issues with the Indian foreign minister. She also called on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Minister for Finance Pranab Mukherjee and Union Minister for Water Resources and Parliamentary Affairs Pawan Kumar Bansal.

Dipu was accompanied by her spouse Tawfique Newaz, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Mijarul Quayes, and Director General (South Asia) of foreign ministry Muhammad Imran.

The Indian premier told Dipu that India attaches highest priority to its relations with Bangladesh. He reiterated his invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit India, expressing the hope that her visit would write a new chapter in Indo-Bangladesh relations.

During the official talks, the two ministers noted that recent elections

have provided both the countries with a historical opportunity to take their bilateral relations to a greater height.

Our New Delhi correspondent writes: This is the first time that India and Bangladesh reached such substantive agreements in the area of security cooperation.

Replying to a question from media persons at the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi after the release of the joint statement, Dipu said Bangladesh government is taking action against militants and India and Bangladesh agreed to cooperate on the issue. She reiterated “our resolve not to allow use of our territories against each other”.

Asked about the joint operation against militants, she said the two countries can cooperate by sharing intelligence about the ultras.

She, however, made it clear that the two countries “have not finalised anything on extradition agreement”.

“We agreed to work together and move together not only in bilateral relations but also for entire South Asia,” Dipu Moni said.

She said since both the countries believe in the rule of law and democratic and secular societies, “this is a historical opportunity for the two countries to move together to take bilateral relations to a new height”.

The two countries were understood to have had differences on a “few words” in the joint statement, which were sorted out after Dipu had telephonic calls with “appropriate authorities in Dhaka”.

Excerpts from joint press

statement

Both sides recognised the need to expedite negotiations with a view to finalise an agreement for sharing of the waters of Teesta river. Towards this end, they agreed to mandate their respective Foreign Offices to meet and discuss the technical and other parameters of this issue. They agreed to immediately commence Joint Hydrological Observations on the river. They also agreed to undertake bank protection works, dredging of Ichhamati river and minor irrigation/drinking water schemes on Feni river.

The Bangladesh side thanked the Indian side for the hospitality and cooperation extended to the Bangladesh Parliamentary delegation during their visit to the proposed Tipaimukh Dam site. In this context, the Bangladesh side welcomed India’s reassurance that it would not take steps that would adversely impact Bangladesh.

Both sides recognised the importance of bilateral and regional connectivity. In this context, both sides discussed designating Ashuganj as a new port of call under Article-23 of the Inland Water Transit and Trade Agreement as well as the use of Chittagong port by India. Bangladesh side agreed to provide access to Ashuganj Port to facilitate the transportation of the Over Dimensional Consignments for the Palatana Power Project in Tripura.

Indian side agreed to facilitate Nepal-Bangladesh and Bhutan-Bangladesh connectivity.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the power sector. India agreed to provide at least 100 MW to Bangladesh on a priority basis. Ahead of this, it will also undertake a feasibility study on power grid inter-connectivity for transmission lines, etc from India to Bangladesh.

Both sides agreed on the re-opening [of] Sabroom-Ramgarh trade point as well as opening a land route at Demagiri-Thegamukh on the Mizoram border for bilateral trade.

India agreed in principle to provide a Line of Credit for railway projects and supply of locomotives, coaches and buses. India offered to take up construction of Akhaura-Agartala railway link under Indian assistance.

India also agreed to assist Bangladesh in the dredging sector.

Both sides agreed to start Border Haats [markets] at the Bangladesh-Meghalaya border for mutual benefit of the people in these areas.

Both sides agreed to movement of containerised cargo by rail and water for bilateral trade.

Both sides welcomed the holding of the Joint Working Group on Trade last month and discussed broad economic issues with a view to fully activate all institutional mechanisms to promote two-way trade, initiate long pending trade facilitation measures and facilitate movement of businessmen and professionals. Bangladesh specifically raised the issue of duty free access to Bangladeshi commodities, removal of Non Tariff and Para Tariff Barriers and improvement of infrastructures on the Indian side. Indian side expressed its readiness to assist Bangladesh in strengthening the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute. It also requested for removal of barriers to Indian investments and port restrictions for specific commodities.

Both sides agreed to comprehensively address all outstanding land boundary issues. Both sides expressed their intent to resolve outstanding issues relating to Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves and the Tin Bigha Corridor. Both sides also recognised the need for electrification of Dahagram and Angarpota enclaves as a humanitarian gesture.

The two Ministers reiterated their resolve to strengthen bilateral co-operation to deter the recurrence of terrorist incidents. Both sides also reiterated their resolve not to allow the use of their territories for activities inimical to each other’s security interests.

Both sides agreed to conclude the following three agreements:

a. Agreement for mutual legal assistance on criminal matters;

b. Agreement of transfer of sentenced persons;

c. Agreement on combating international terrorism, organised crime and illegal drug trafficking.

The two Ministers reiterated their conviction that opportunities for fruitful collaboration between the two countries in furthering mutual interests were enormous and resolved to remain engaged to expeditiously address all bilateral issues.
S: The Daily Star

8 Rental Power Plants: PDB tender goes online

The Power Development Board debuts in floating its tender notice online today for eight rental power projects totalling 530MW capacity on its website www.bpdb.gov.bd.

Power Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad inaugurated the launching of the online tender yesterday evening at the PDB office. PDB Chairman ASM Alamgir Kabir and other high officials were present at the ceremony.

“This has been done in line with the government’s commitment to a Digital Bangladesh,” said a PDB official.

The PDB aims to award the five-year contracts by November 19.

The rental plants are a 100MW diesel-fired plant in Bheramara and three 50MW diesel plants in Rajshahi, Thakurgaon and Syedpur, two 100MW plants based on heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Madanganj, Jessore, a 50MW HFO plant in Barisal and a 30MW HFO plant in Jamalpur.

The HFO plants will have to be implemented within 270 days of signing agreements with the PDB while the diesel plants within 120 days.

These projects have been taken up to ease the load shedding situation from next year for a term when the PDB implements four major coal-fired power projects totalling 2,000MW capacity by 2014.

The rental plants are short-term solution to the existing power crisis as these can be dismantled in short notice. The price can be two to three times that of conventional power plants.

A bidder must have experience of developing a 30MW rental or independent power project to qualify for bidding for a 100MW plant.

If the contractor fails to meet the project implementation deadline, it would have to pay a fine of $500 per megawatt of electricity per day.

The bidders will deposit bid bonds at a rate of $5,000 per megawatt of electricity.

Between September 2006 and April 2008, previous two governments awarded contracts for four rental power plants totalling 167MW capacity to inexperienced local companies for a 15-year term. Of them, one could not launch its 51MW plant.

Last year, the caretaker government awarded eight more three-year rental power contracts–all but one to local inexperienced companies. Only four of these companies could start operation while four totalling 180MW capacity failed to launch their projects as per schedule.
S: The Daily Star

Bangladesh Local Made mobile phone sets to hit market in January

Telephone Shilpo Sangstha and Cable Shilpo Sangstha have taken up three mega projects to produce digital telephone sets, cellphones, fibre-optic cables, solar panels and laptops in the country.

Of the five products, the digital telephone sets costing as low as Tk 500 will hit the market next month while cellphones priced between Tk 1,500 and 10,000 will be sold from January next year. Fibre optic cables will arrive in December next year.

Bangladesh-made laptops and solar panels will also hit the market soon. Estimated prices of laptops, solar panels and fibre-optic cables are yet to be fixed.

Hasanul Haq Inu, chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on post and telecommunications ministry, told this to reporters after a meeting of the committee held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

“Telephone Shilpo Sangstha and Cable Shilpo Sangstha, two organisations under Bangladesh Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, have taken up three mega projects to produce mobile phones, digital telephone sets, laptops, fibre-optic cables and solar panels which will help build a digital Bangladesh,” Inu, also president of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, said.

Inu also said TSS and CSS will become profitable ventures once they implement these mega projects.

TSS, situated at Gazipur, Dhaka, is currently incurring loss while CSS in Khulna is making a marginal profit.

“CSS in its new plant will manufacture fibre-optic cables instead of copper cables, ” Inu said, adding that the CSS will be able to meet the country’s 75 percent fibre-optic cable demand.

The fibre optic cable manufacturing project is worth Tk 10 crore and evaluation of a tender in this regard is now going on, he added.

Inu said fibre-optic cables have been installed in an unplanned way across the country and the parliamentary watchdog asked authorities concerned to take appropriate measures so that the cables are installed in a planned manner from now on.

Inu also said CSS will go for manufacturing household electrical accessories and telephone accessories, which would save foreign exchange. TSS in Gazipur will manufacture the digital telephone sets, said the committee chief.

Even poor people will be able to afford these telephone sets as their prices would be between Tk 500 and Tk 600, Inu said.

TSS will also manufacture the cellphones in cooperation with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.

“People will also be able to purchase these cellphones as prices will be between Tk 1,500 and Tk 10,000,” Inu added.

Replying a question, the committee chief said network expansion of Teletalk will start very soon. “Teletalk will become the number one mobile operator in the country,” he said.

S: The Daily Star