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South Asian Regionalism to ensure Right to Food for hungry people

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 27th October 2010. Today in a human chain and rally in front of national press club civil society groups demanded unity to uphold South Asian Regionalism and to ensure Right to Food of South Asian hungry people. It should be noted that 4th board meeting of the SAARC food bank is being inaugurated in the city today. The rally was organized by Agriculture Reporters Forum, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, EquityBD, Coastal Development Partnership, and Nagorik Uddogue, Media Foundation for Trade and Development and South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE). The rally was moderated by Mostafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD, was spoken by, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of SAAPE, Zaid Iqbal Khan and Mohiuddin Howlader Mohin of Krishok Federation, Fazlur Rahman a farmer from Baraguna, Dr. Sohel Iqbal from COAST and Debayoni Basu from IMSE India.

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SAARC Food Bank to Deliver Now

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 26 October 2010. Today in a seminar title “SAARC Food Bank and South Asian Hungry People” held in national press club, speakers has urged SAARC leaders to implement integration of right to food in their respective country constitution and also demanded immediate operationalization of SAARC food bank. On the eve of SAARC food bank official meeting to be held during 27 and 28 October in Dhaka the seminar has been organized by Agriculture Reporters Forum, EquityBD, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Coastal Development Partnership, Nagorik Uddouge, Media Foundation for Trade and Development and South Asian Allaience for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) . The seminar was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, spoken by Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Abdur Razzaque MP, Ex Agriculture Minister and BNP Leader M K Anwar, Chairman Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture Shawkat Momen Sahajahan MP, Dr.Asaduzzaman of BIDS, Golam Mortoza of Shaptahik, Rashed Al Titumir of Unnayan Anneshan, Elahi Dad Khan of Bangladesh Nodal Piont for SAARC Food Bank, and Debayoni Baus of IMSE India.

On behalf of organizers a paper has been presented by Dr Sohel Iqbal that jointly prepared by Altab Hossain, and Farooque Ahmed. Mostafa Kamal Aknada has given welcome speech. They have raised four specific recommendations to make a functional food bank, these are food reserve have to be raised at least 1 million metric tons, four step tiers in between food bank to council of ministers have to reduced, price have to be settled as half of the international market price, and there should be SAARC agriculture perspective 2020 and SAARC food security plan have to be prepared in participatory way.

Minister Dr. Abdur Razzaque calls on responsibility of big countries to look on interest of the small countries in the region, he emphasized political intentions and good will is a necessity to solve other practical problems. He mentioned names of several SAARC based regional institutions as a result of SAARC process, although he said that in view of expectation it is slow and little. He cited example from European Union, and urged for a regionalism which will facilitate a win win situation for all the countries. He mentioned that investment in agriculture has to enhanced, and a long term perspective in agriculture and food security plan has to be taken in SAARC, as there are 40 % of world poor population living in this South Asia.

Opposition Leader and ex Agriculture Minister said that man made disaster is also responsible for creating food insecurity in the region, he criticized the 8 % less production as eligible criteria for a country to get access, he said that if it is 8 % less then it means a country already in famine condition. He raise question, if SAARC food back still has not deliver anything, then its necessity is in question. Showkat Momen Sajahan MP, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee, criticized the approach of having politics in favor of Pakistan or in favor of India, he urged on top of all above controversy there must be a South Asian regionalism. Debayoni Bose of IMSE India and Zakir Hossain of Nagarik Uddogue given emphasize on Right to Food of the South Asian people, which has to be integrated in the respective country constitutions of SAARC countries. Fazlur Rahman a farmers leader from Baraguna has also spoken in the events, who stated present crisis of farming in grass root level. Apart from those speakers, Kawasar Hossain, Rafiqul Islam Azad, Shamima Akhter, Fakrul Ferdous, Zaid Iqbal Khan and Mahbub Hasan also spoken on the occasion.

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Rural Women and adolescent girl must be educated on Climate Adaptation

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 14.October 2010. Today a national seminar title “Climate adaptation: priority on education of mother and girl child” has been organized at national press club in relation to the observance of International Rural Women Day 2010. ‘Rural women and adolescent girl must be educated on climate adaptation’ was the common voice of the seminar which was organized by Bangladesh National Committee on Observance of International Rural Women Day 2010. The seminar was moderated by Afoul Islam Khokan of Rupantor and the Moderator of EquityBD.The Chairmen of the parliamentary Standing committee of Ministry of Agriculture, Shaokat Momen Shahjahan M.P. was the chief guest of the seminar, Member of Parliament (MP) Asma Jerin Jhomo, Nazma Akter of Bangladesh Awami League, Syeda Asfia Ashrafi Papia of BNP, and Nur-a-Hasna Liliy Chowdhury of Jatiyo Party (JP) were spoke in the seminar along with leaders of civil society organizations. Mustafa Kamala Amanda of EquityBD has given welcome speech in the seminar.

Mr. Momen proposed to organize all the multi dimensional socio-economic activities of the rural women in a prescribed way to make their contribution in a visible form. Implementation of national policy of women development is important to ensure the rights and recognition of rural women he said.

Dr. M. Sohel Iqbal of equitybd has presented the keynote paper in the seminar. He mentioned that one fourth of the world population is rural women and 40% income source of a rural family is women. But they are not receiving proper respect from family and state. Among the drop out-of-school and HSC level student 51.9 % are adolescent girl in Bangladesh, who usually do not get proper attention from their parent’s especially in poor families. Situation is becoming jeopardized, while climate change catastrophic i.e., being affecting poor families, especially in coastal areas. He pleaded priorities for providing functional education with priority basis to the mothers and adolescent girls in poor families especially in coastal areas.

Asma Marin Jhomo, MP and a member of mother and child affairs parliamentary standing committee stated that frequent changing of government and policy caused the backwardness of women development and undermine their rights. For the effective role of rural women in climate adaptation government have to educate every rural family specially the women and girls.

Syeda Asfia Ashrafi Papia told that government and civil societies should work hand to hand to minimize the risk of climate change and educating the rural women. Nazma Akter asked for all party parliamentary caucus among the women MP of Bangaldesh. Though we have women leaders in politics and economics but the rural women are yet to go long way to access their rights – she added. Lily Chowdhury proposed that family member should extend the hand of assistance for boosting the rights of women.

Civil society activist Lily Hague, Maybug Hasan of CDP, Nargis Akter of Proshika, Shamima Akter of ESOW, Swapn Bhuian from Association of Landless Farmers), Bibha Rani Das fomm Savar, were also spoke in the seminar.

Related Paper [Bangla_press] [English_Press] [Leaflet_IRWD]

Country Wide Campaign for Mothers and Daughter Education as Priority in Climate Adaptation

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 9th October 2010. Today in a press conference International Rural Women Day Observation Bangladesh committee, a body of right based non government and civil society organization has announced country wide campaign to demand priority in mother and daughter education in climate adaptation. The press conference was moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda, Ms. Shamima Akhter of Asow, Savar, Asif Iqbal of Purbasah Faridpur, Rezaul Karim Chowdhury and Syed Aminul Haque of EquityBD spoken in the occasion.

Ms. Shamima Akhter read out a written press statement, where it has mentioned that, in fact 15th October declared as world rural women day in 1995 Beijing conference on women, later it has been endorsed by United Nation during 2007. Basically the day is to promote rural women concern and their rights. Right based organizations have been observing the day in Bangladesh since last ten years with their own resources. In line with international call, Bangladesh committee has taken initiative to promote concern of education for mothers and daughters in respect of climate education. They mentioned that mothers and daughters will be the worse suffers in climate change catastrophes, but they have to manage food, health care and especially taking care of children and adult population of a family. The group has placed six demands in this regard, where it has urged to initiate especial functional education for mothers and adolescent girls with income generating support, they have also placed demand to provide free electricity and water facilities in slum area, where most of the families has came from coastal area, as displaced by climate impacts in coastal area.

Mostafa Kamal Akanda has mentioned that, different programs will be observed in 60 districts, a seminar will be held in Dhaka on 14th October, there will be prizes will be given to rural women in each of the district for their outstanding role in respect of birth attendance, seed preservation, mediating demand on legitimate rights, facilitating education etc. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury mentioned that; the best approach of preparing climate adaptation in family is to develop knowledge, life and income generation skill of mothers and daughter’s skill in coastal areas.

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Ensure full Transparency in all Climate and Development fund and bring necessary administrative reform

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equitybd
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[B]Dhaka, September 28,2010. [/B]Civil Society (CSO) leaders have urge to the government to ensure full transparency in handling of all climate and development related funds. The demand was raised from a human chain program held to observe the global day of “RIGHT to Know” in front of the national press club. Led by EquityBD it was participated by activists from18 other CSO and NGO bodies.They also demanded that the government to carry out necessary administrative reforms in the system of governance for effective implementation of Right to Information (RTI) Act) to ensure uninterrupted flow of news at all levels. They claimed that the government is showing every reluctance and delaying implementation of the act. It is also not working with speed for setting up the information commission which is part of the new law.They blamed the government for failing to designate an information officer at local district levels, especially at the upazila level on priority basis. The government is not also taking a proactive role on what sort of information will be disclosed to mass. Speakers criticised the government for avoiding inclusion of CSO representation in Climate funds management. Such failure will only strengthen the hand of bureaucracy and accelerate corruption.

They claimed the government to disclose all loan agreements made with different bilateral and multilateral agencies and asked the authorities to frame a proper implementation policy for the newly formed climate funds of the government.
The programme was moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD and speakers on the occasion included Prodip Kumar from Online Knodledge Center, Mahabubur Hasan of CDP, Firoj Ahmed from Lead Trust, Badrul Alam from Bangladesh Krishok Federation (BKF), Tushar Rahaman and Syed Aminul Hoque.

Participant bodies in the event included Arpon, BKF, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, CDP, Citizen Rights Movement, DCI, DORA, EquityBD, Krishani Shova, Lead Trust, Manusher Janno Foundation (MJF), NSS On line knowledge Center, Prodip, Prottasha, Purbasha, Sirjganj Flood Forum, UDDIPAN and United People Trust.

People’s SAARC Bangladesh National Committee

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 17th April 2010. Today Bangladesh National Committee on People’s SAARC, a coalition of civil society right groups announced three-day programs in a press conference held at Dhaka Reporters Unity. On the eve of the 16th SAARC Summit to be held in Bhutan on 28 and 29 April, this coalition outlined its three-day program that includes several people’s events to raise civil society voices to be herd in the official SAARC process. Through this press conference, this coalition demanded visa free South Asia for greater South Asian integration embedded with peace, harmony and well-being of the common people of the South Asian countries. They also criticized official SAARC process as it has failed to respond the common aspirations of the South Asian people. The press conference was chaired and moderated respectively by the committee convener Dr. Rashid E Mahbub and Rokeya Kabir, while Rezaul Karim Chowdhury read-out the written statement, Mohiuddin Ahmed spoken about the prospect of forming People Union of South Asia, especially in respect of eradicating poverty in using common natural resources.

People’ SAARC is a convergent of CSOs in South Asia since 2007. Along with the official SAARC Summit, the first people’s SAARC held in Nepal in 2007, second one was in Colombo in 2008 and, the next People’s SAARC, along with the 16th SAARC Summit, will be held in Delhi on 22 and 23rd of April 2010. Alongside, People’s SAARC Bangladesh committee will organize cultural program and youth rally on 18th April in Dhaka University campus, a seminar on 19th April at CIRDAP auditorium and finally, on the inauguration day of official SAARC summit on 28th April, a protest rally will be organized in front of national press club.

Rokeya Kabir explained the background on the formation of People’ SAARC which was South Asia wide process. Mohiuddin Ahmed mentioned that, South Asia has a vast of natural resources, which remain un-utilized for mistrust and conflict. Dr. Mahbub E Rashid criticized SAARC not to having any progress in regional integration in true sense, while other regions, especially South East Asia, have had much progress in this regard. In the written statement, M Rezaul Karim Chowdhury mentioned that the rulers of this region must head toward a society of human liberty rather then having a society of security; this is the only way to get rid of fundamentalism and terrorism of this sub continent. The statement mentioned still 500 millions South Asian live under $ 1 income and 88 millions people suffer from hungry, which is world largest. However, the SAARC has still failed to operationalize SAARC food bank. They criticized Bhutan government for creating refugee problem; they also criticized Bhutanese monarchy for limiting democracy and civil society development. They mentioned that South Asia will have worst climate impact, that without regional integration there is no way to tackle those, especially the drinking water, irrigation water and climate migrants problems.

The members of the coalition includes ACD, BNPS, EquityBD, IED, INCIDIN Bangladesh, SAAPE, SUPRO, Jubilee South-APMDD, SANGAT and Unnayan Anneshan. The press conference were also attended by Noman Ahmed Khan, Sahanaz Sumi, Omar Tarek Chowdhury, Sahadat Islam Chowdhury, Mostafa Kamal Akhanda and Atiqul Islam Chowdhury.

Please Download Press Release [Bangla] [English] [Positional paper]

Raise Cancellation of Foreign Debt and Demand Compensation to Finance MDG

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equitybd
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Dhaka, 17th September. Today sixteen civil society organizations leaded by EquityBD organized a human chain in front of national press club to raise citizen concern on the eve of upcoming UN MDG summit to be held in New York during 20 to 22nd September. They demand cancellation of foreign debt which is now per head $ 159 and which would be around $ 250 in 2015 to finance millennium development goal in Bangladesh, as they claimed that most of the debt are illegitimate and spent to promote elite and ruler class in this country. They blamed the developed countries as responsible for climate change thus also in most respect responsible for poverty in Bangladesh. The group also criticized the government expenditure, they demanded accountability and justice in this regard, in their written statement, and they expressed frustration on rampant corruption and lack of decentralization. They mentioned that government must bring justice in their expenditure while they urging people for taxes. The program was moderated by Mustafa Kamal Akanda of EquityBD, was spoken by Shamima Akhter of Asow, Fakhrul Ferdous of DCI, Subol Sarkar of Bhumihin Somiti, Mahbub Hasan of CDP, Badrul Alam of BKF, Zaid Iqbal of Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Sahadat Islam Chowdhury of Pradip and Rezaul Karim Chowdury of EquityBD.

The sixteen organizations consists Arpon, Asow, BKF, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, CDP, DCI, DORA, EquityBD, Krishani Shova, Lead Trust, On line knowledge Center, Protikrit, Prodip, Prantik, Purbasha, Sirjganj Flood Forum and United People Trust.

Shamima Akhter of Asow criticizes some of the CSO activities in this regard, she mentioned that poverty is not the matter of celebration and fan fare activities, they must avoid lavish expenditure. Fakrul Ferdous of DCI condemned them as a poverty industry syndrome, he mentioned that as still 40 % population are in poverty and 25 % are hard core poor, then there should not be a matter of complacence. Subol Sarkar of Bhumihin Somitee demanded state mechanism to redistribute means of production and asset transfer to landless poor farmers.

Mahbub Hasan of CDP raise question on role of big government delegation in UN MDG summit. He mentioned the useless role of same sort of big delegation during Copenhagen climate summit. Badrul Alam of BKF also demanded cancellation of foreign debt as those money mostly used and abused by elite and ruler class of the country. Zaid Iqbal of Krishok Federation echoed the same tone he demanded independent audit commission of all foreign debt.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury of EquityBD has also criticized the big government delegation for UN summit; he also criticized tax free high salary and facilities for parliament members, which is as he claimed as injustice and an expression of unaccountability to the people. Without justice and accountability in public expenditure MDG and poverty eradication is hardly possible and we can not justify our demand for more foreign aid.

Please Download Press Release [Bangla] [English] [Position_paper]

All Foreign Loan and Power Deal have to be Transparent and Placed in Parliament

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equitybd
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IndexPicDhaka, 2nd September 2010: Today twelve civil society organizations (CSO) s in a press conference title “Demand from a democratically elected government: Ensure participation and transparency in five year planning, all foreign loan and in all power deal process”, has…

All Foreign Loan and Power Deal have to be Transparent and Placed in Parliament

By
equitybd
-

Dhaka, 2nd September 2010. Today twelve civil society organizations (CSO) s in a press conference title “Demand from a democratically elected government: Ensure participation and transparency in five year planning, all foreign loan and in all power deal process”, has criticized government for embarking on five year planning process without initiating any participatory process. They also criticize government for recent foreign loan agreement and power deal which has done in hasty manner and in non transparent process. The twelve organizations consists BNNRC, CDP, DORP, IED, Bangladesh Krishok Federation, Solidarity Workshop, Online Knowledge Center, Lead Trust, Prodip, Arpon, Nagorik Uddogue and EquityBD. The press conference was moderated by Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, written statement has been read out by Sayed Aminul Haque, while Mostafa Kamal Akanda, Badrul Alam, M M Mahbub Hasan, Feroze Ahmed and Iqbal Hossain spoken on the occasion.

In their written the CSOs has placed following five demands (i) government must declare a participatory road map for five year plan preparation, as the present policy makers were critical of PRSP process along with CSOs and they have had committed to do so, (ii) government must not outsource the planning process to private consulting firm where ex employee of World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are working, they term it is in fact conflict of interest, (iii) government must avoid donor darling consultants to recruit in all government committees especially in international negotiation team, as there are several occasions that those consultants in fact misguided government in respect of sovereign people interest; (iv) government must avoid all supplier credit, it should form a review commission on impact of all past supplier credit and foreign loan, as there are a lot of question on all those supplier credit and foreign loan utilization; (v) government should cancel all WB and ADB loan in agriculture and education ministry, e.g., existing NATEP project in agriculture ministry has 50 % consultant cost, and they express worries that the WB and recent ADB projects might push the ministry for blanket commercialization in agriculture input services. They name a project with University Grant Commission which has the plan for full cost recovery in all public universities by the year 2026; they also mentioned that the recent fee hike and student unrest in Chittagong University is the reasons behind it. Finally (vi) they urged full transparency in all power and foreign loan deal and also demand placing of those in parliament. They apprehended that increased and unplanned subsidy and borrowing may create unbearable public debt burden and might be resulting reduction in government social spending in future, like what happening now in Philippines and Indonesia.

Finally the speakers mentioned that above demand in respect of transparency and participation is a natural demand from this government, as it is an elected government, and the party in power always mentioned the values of democracy and socialism in their election manifesto.

Please Download Press Release [Bangla] [English] [Bangla_position] [English_Position]

Privatization in Power Sector May Lead to More Public Debts and Poverty

By
equitybd
-

Dhaka, 4th July 2010. Today in an opinion sharing meeting held at press club, organized by different network of rights group criticized government policy that have created space of investment for the private sector, foreign companies in power sector. They mentioned that in view of other Asian country experiences it may create more public debts and increase disparity in society. The meeting was jointly organized by Action Aid, EquityBD, Jubilee South, SUPRO, MFTD, Unnayan Onneshan and VOICE. Ms. Lidy Nacpil of Jubilee South narrated her experience from Philippines, and Sayed Aminul Haque of EquityBD gave analysis on Bangladesh situation in this regard. The meeting was moderated by Rashed Al Titumir of Unnayan Onneshan, while Md. Shamsuddoha of EquityBD, Faruque Ahmed from MFTD and Farjana Akther of VOICE also spoke in the occasion.

Ms. Lidy Nacpil of Jubilee South said that now a day electricity becomes the basic public necessity in development, thus it has become a public right. But the international financial institutions like World Bank and Asian Development Bank pressurized the Philippine and other Asian Governments to leave this sector for private sector investment including to the foreign companies. In this context, government is assuring different guarantees to them, including the guarantee of foreign exchange and power purchase, Thus the rate has commercialized in such a way that the government and the general public has to pay much in this regard, e.g., each one of Pilipino has to pay 40 % more of electricity bills that they are not using. She also mentioned that in fact now it is creating poverty in one hand and in other hand it is creating public debt too.

Sayed Aminul Haque of EquityBD said, so far the Government of Bangladesh gave around US $ 3.13 billion subsidy in electricity and fuel, which could have been invested in public sector for power generation of around 14,000 megawatts. Still government is indebted to the World Bank and ADB around US $ 700 millions which was given for power sector reform, in fact the WB loan has paved the passage of private sector investment and created the present crisis.

In his concluding remark Rashed Al Titumir mentioned that the World Bank review report on public private partnership (PPP) revealed that apart from all the efforts there are only 16 % response from private sector for power generation in India. So, government plan and dependency on PPP for power generation might lead the country to another disaster. He advised the government to launch public bond in this regard. He also mentioned that, in fact it is not the private sector; it is only the public sector is bound to look at the remote rural areas to minimize disparity and inequalities to lead poverty eradication. He urged for total public investment planning in electricity generation sector for people’s right on electricity and all above for “energy sovereignty”.

Please Download Press Release [Bangla] [English] [LIDY_Presentation] [Presentation_SAH]

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