The National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh responds to an editorial by The Daily Star.
There are no visible changes yet.
The trainee doctors at BSMMU have been demanding an increase of monthly allowance from Tk 20,000 to Tk 50,000 – a demand which is justified.
The government has recently issued a policy to curb the widespread coaching business by preventing teachers from offering coaching to the students of their own institutions. According to the policy, teachers are allowed to provide private tuition to a maximum of 10 students of 'other' institutions. This provision will create problem for the students especially in the rural areas.
...
The World Bank has cancelled the much awaited 1.2 billion loan for the construction of Padma Bridge on the charge of corruption. The new World Bank chief Jim Yong Kim also supported the decision on the ground that WB does not tolerate corruption. I am surprised to know that Bangladesh government did not help the investigation team properly, which means that some government high officials are also involved in the corruption. Anyway, this bridge will play an important role in developing communication between the coastal districts of Bangladesh and Dhaka. It will contribute positively towards bolstering our economy as well. However, it is really shameful for the government.
...
At present, there are too many non-motorised vehicles that ply the streets of Dhaka. They are usually driven by people who have neither license nor knowledge or consideration for traffic rules and regulations. I believe they should be forced to pay road taxes. Just imagine, if these rules were enforced upon them, how many of them would really ply our roads? Everybody keeps blaming the motorised vehicles for causing traffic jams and congestions, but in the end it is really these vehicles that are the major source of revenue collection by BRTC, and with this money roads are built and repaired. Since the non-motorised vehicles are also enjoying road facilities, I think they should also pay their fair share of taxes and other fees. I also feel these vehicles must go for fitness...
The World Bank's decision to withdraw funding for the Padma Bridge is not as much an indictment of the Awami League government as it is of a system of fool's gold. The same would have happened in a BNP administration. We may have fine sounding organisations like the ACC and the NHRC, but the fact remains that those are little more, in practice, than toothless advisory panels made of tired ex-bureaucrats too scared to say a peep about government ministers and ruling party functionaries of the day. Until the day that an ACC prosecutes a cabinet member of the incumbent political administration or the NHRC hauls into court human rights violators belonging to the affiliated bodies of a ruling party, the only people who will believe these to be credible organisations will be the...
Our poultry sector is now struggling hard for survival. There are various reasons behind this crisis. Lack of proper and effective management, inadequate knowledge, ineffective vaccinations, banning import from India, oil price hikes etc are some of the reasons. We should give attention to our poultry sector as it is directly related to the nation's nutrition. The government should introduce vaccines and other facilities such as poultry insurance, bank loans with lower interest rates, and tax exemption for poultry feed for ensuring smooth operation of the industry.
With reference to the editorial entitled “No 'surprise' from Quadeer, please” published in The Daily Star on July 03, 2012, the Honourable Communications Minister admits his mistake for using the word 'surprise.' His explanation goes as below.
...
