'Stop publishing misleading ads by developers'

Four environmental groups have urged Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkha (Rajuk) to take initiative to stop publishing in the dailies misleading advertisements by Real Estate Developers for selling their unauthorised plots.

The call was made in a letter to Rajuk chairman on January 26 by Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (Bela), Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) and Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB).

The letter mentioned that The Private Housing Projects Land Development Rules 2004 has prohibited advertisement regarding selling/allotment of plot/land/building without taking prior approval of the authorities concerned.

The Real Estate Development and Management Ordinance 2008 has also made such advertisement punishable with an imprisonment of not exceeding two years or fine not exceeding Tk 10 lakh or both.

The copy of the letter has also been sent to the state minister and secretary to housing and public works ministry and PS to the prime minister.


(source : the Daily Star)

2nd Int’l Children’s Film Festival to commence with “Hands Off Mississippi”

With the slogan "Future in Frames", 2nd International Children's Film Festival '09 begins tomorrow with the screening of German filmmaker Detlev Buck's "Hands Off Mississippi". Based on an acclaimed novel, the light-footed family film sparkles with warmth and a lovingly nostalgic feeling. It bagged the German Film Prize 2007 as best children's and youth film.

The inaugural ceremony of the festival will be held at Shawkat Osman Auditorium, Central Public Library at 4 pm tomorrow. Eminent educationist Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed will inaugurate the weeklong festival, which ends on January 30.

In association with UNICEF, Children's Film Society Bangladesh is organising this year's festival. The festival will showcase a total of 156 films from 40 countries including 35 from Bangladesh.

Apart from Bangladesh and Germany, the festival will highlight films from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Chile, Cuba, Denmark, Ethiopia, Estonia, India, Iran, Japan, Nepal, Palestine and Uganda.

The festival will be held simultaneously at six venues including Central Public Library, Alliance Francaise de Dacca, British Council, Goethe-Institut, Iranian Cultural Centre and Russian Centre of Science and Culture. The Central Pubic Library premises will be used as the main venue.

The high point of the festival is a competitive segment, which will feature 15 films made by Bangladeshi children. Five will be chosen for awards by a panel of judges comprising child filmmakers.

Other attractions include a daylong workshop for children on film, a daylong seminar on children's cinema, a special session 'Learning through Cinema' and child delegates' meeting with three eminent personalities. A total of 104 child delegates from all over the country, including differently-abled and underprivileged, will attend the festival.

The seminar will be held on January 27 at the seminar hall of Central Public Library where Fuad Chowdhury, Shamsul Alam Bakul, Masihuddin Shaker and Badal Rahman will provide keynote papers on four different film related topics.

The workshop on basic ideas in cinema will include lectures by Morshedul Islam, Catherine Masud, Tareque Masud and Tanvir Mokammel.

A special screening of Palestinian documentary "Little Peace of Mine" will be held on January 29. The documentary features brutality on Palestinian children by the Israeli army.

Dhaka tipped to qualify this time

Bangladesh may qualify by this year for the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) fund if it makes a little improvement in the fields of functional democracy, governance and economic policies and cutting corruption.

"Bangladesh will achieve quick improvement in the fields of curbing corruption, good governance and democracy and we will get the [MCA] fund," Finance Minister AMA Muhith told reporters at his office after a meeting with US Ambassador to Bangladesh James F Moriarty.

In reply to a question, he said Bangladesh may qualify for the fund this year.

Talking to reporters, Moriarty also said, "The minister's hope and my hope is that Bangladesh will qualify for the fund."

Moriarty met the finance minister yesterday for the first time after the Awami League-led grand alliance formed the government. They discussed the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) at the meeting.

The administration of immediate past US president George W Bush announced the MCA in 2002 and it was inaugurated in 2005. Developing countries are selected as recipients of the fund on a set of 16 indicators, which are aimed at measuring good governance, investing in people and promoting entrepreneurship.

Bangladesh had made several attempts to get included in the MCA fund.

To qualify for receiving money from the fund, a country has to achieve at least 50 percent success in each of the criteria. "While Bangladesh has achieved 50 percent success in some vital fields, it is yet to reach the target in a few areas like governance, curbing corruption and democracy," said Muhith, adding that the country would reach the target soon.

“The amount of money to be available from the fund depends on what type of projects we present for the fund," he said.

If Dhaka makes request UN will cooperate

On secretary general's high level panel chief Francese Vendrel has said the question of trial of war criminals came up during his talks with Sheikh Hasina.
"Hasina has mentioned the issue," Vendrel said after his meeting with the Awami League chief, who has steered her party to a resounding election victory, yesterday.
He pointed out that his delegation was not entrusted with this responsibility but said UN would be prepared to extend cooperation if the new government makes a request.
It would be up to the new government to take up the matter with the UN secretary general and make clear what they want the UN to do, he said, adding "we will look into it with every care."
Vendrel said unlike in the past, minority voters could cast their votes in this election without intimidation.
He said non-party caretaker government system is unique and it could be copied by other countries.
Two other members on the high level panel were Bhojraj Pokharel, chief election commissioner of Nepal, and Ms Aracelly Santana, former deputy director of the UN electoral assistance division.
Agricultural prices, economy will be major challenges for new government: UN team
Created On: 02/01/2009 06:45 PM
Dhaka, Jan 2 (UNB) - Chief of the UN secretary general's high level panel Francesc Vendrel Friday said major challenge before the new government in Bangladesh will be the issues of agricultural prices and of economy in the wake of global economic meltdown.
"This, of course, is not totally in the hands of the Bangladesh government and it will depend on the overall economic situation. At the moment, world is facing economic downturn. It is going to be extremely difficult. But I am sure they are aware of the challenges," he told a press briefing at Sonargaon Hotel.
Vendrel, who had a long meeting earlier with Prime
Minister-in-waiting Sheikh Hasina, said they discussed various issues including how to make the next parliament effective, trial of war criminals and Bangladesh-UN cooperation through UNDP.
The UN panel chief said he found Sheikh Hasina willing to reaching out the opposition by offering the post of the Deputy Speaker and some chairmanships of the parliamentary standing committees.
"She looks forward to working with BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the next parliament," he said, adding despite frustration and disappointment in BNP, there is ample scope for the opposition to play their constructive role in influencing the debate and making their voice heard in parliament.
Vendrel, former UN Assistant Secretary General, does not consider that a parliament with small opposition against a huge majority cannot be effective. He said the number of the opposition in present German parliament is small while in 1993 the Canadian House of Commons had only two opposition MPs.
However, he suggested cooperation between winners and losers, saying there should not be any feeling that may lead to conflicts. "We encourage Awami League to extend their hands of friendship to the opposition," Vendrel said.
Replying to a question, he said election is one way of achieving democracy. There are other things like stable law and order, independence of the judiciary, ant-corruption commission and the human rights commission, which are required to strengthen democracy.
Regarding BNP's complaints about irregularities in certain constituencies, Vendrel said he would encourage the Election Commission to pay attention to this. He, however, said even if the complaints are valid these would not impact on the overall election results.
Asked about the post-election violence, he said it is important that the law enforcers ensure peace and tranquility.
Asked if the issue of trying war criminals came up during the meeting with Hasina, Vendrel said Sheikh Hasina had mentioned the issue. It would be up to the new government to take up the matter with the UN secretary general and make clear what they want the UN to do, he said, adding "we will look into it with very care."
The 3-member UN high level panel was dispatched twice by UN secretary general Ban ki-Moon to assess the pre-election, polling day and the post-election situation. Like other international observer missions, they said the election was conducted in credible, free and fair manner and the turnout was high.
Vedrel said unlike in the past, minority voters could cast their votes in this election without intimidation.
He said non-party caretaker government system is unique and it could be copied by other countries.
Two other members on the high level panel were Bhojraj Pokharel, chief election commissioner of Nepal, and Ms Aracelly Santana, former deputy director of the UN electoral assistance division.