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[1] Message from Ambassador Horiguchi
"On Hartals-Part 1"
The other day, UNDP issued a report entitled "Beyond Hartals: Towards Democratic Dialogue in Bangladesh." This report provides the main findings of an opinion poll on hartals that surveyed about 3000 people, analyzed hartals from various viewpoints, and suggested towards democratic dialogue beyond hartals. I would like to introduce the contents in two parts as I found them very informative.
Hartals originate in Mahatma Ghandi's civil disobedience against British colonialism during the Indian Independence War, and in the Language Movement in Bangladesh.
During the independence war of Bangladesh in 1971 and also during the overthrow of the Ershad Administration in 1990, hartals played very important roles. However, after the birth of democratic government through the election in 1990, hartals have increased sharply.
The report mentions the background of hartals, stating that the political culture in Bangladesh is very authoritarian and that antagonistic political attitudes have become a custom.
Many people think hartals are not only inefficient to achieve the political goals, but they also greatly damage and affect people's economic activities and daily lives. Especially, low or middle-income groups such as rickshaw pullers, hawkers, and other people who live from hand to mouth suffer the most from hartals.
Chapter 3 of the report shows interesting facts on hartals. Once the executive committee of the opposition party decides to call a hartal, student fronts of the party take a leading part in a pre-hartal preparations from three or four days before the hartal day. The pre-hartal preparations consist of meetings and demonstrations in and
around university campuses, but armed students explode "cocktail" explosives in and around the campuses so that other students are frightened and feel uneasy.
On the day of the hartal, students go out of the campuses through rallies. They march up to the police barricades with chanting slogans. Then, they throw explosives on the police to provoke them. In response to this provocation, the police take action. This is the start of the disorder.
On the other hand, in some specific areas such as the Press Club, the Secretariat, Motijheel, Mohakhali, Farmgate, and Old Dhaka, the disorder is brought about in the same way. The mob causes such great
disorder, hurling explosives, burning tires, destroying rickshaws and cars, and sometimes setting ablaze buses. If the lifelines of Dhaka stop functioning, the hartal "succeeds."
To make a hartal successful, the number of people belonging to the opposition parties' organizations is not enough. Thus, through mastaans, who act as agents in procuring hired hands, they mobilize many people from somewhere like slums. These mastaans or hoodlums get Tk. 35 per head to walk in the demonstration; Tk. 50 per head to throw explosives, destroy rickshaws or cars; Tk. 100 per head to set ablaze cars throwing bigger bombs; Tk. 20 per head for women to stage sit-in demonstrations during the meetings.
The report says a twelve-year-old boy earned Tk. 300 in a year to work during hartals. At every hartal, he stands by at the specific spots, setting fire on tires and rickshaws at the signals.
In this way, lot of money is spent on a single hartal. The report points out that this money flows into criminal organizations. Besides, today's hartals are motivated by money or trifling political problems, not lofty political goals and ideals such as the Language Movement or the Independence Movement as before.
In the next issue, I will introduce about the 3-4% of economic loss in GDP incurred in a year due to hartals, the actual situation that the students, who bear the future Bangladesh, are disturbed by hartals to stay behind in graduation several years, and upset their life plans. I will also introduce the concrete suggestion to quit the bad habit, hartals.
(Ambassador's past messages are posted on the following website.)
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/eBulletin/index.html
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[3] Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* JBCCI Annual Meeting (Mar. 31, Dhaka)
A program for the First General Meeting and Dinner of Japan-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (JBCCI) was held on March 31, 2005.
H.E. Air Vice Marshal Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Honorable Commerce Minister; Mr. Abdul Awal Mintoo, President of FBCCI; and JBCCI members such as Mr. Matiur Rahman, President of JBCCI attended the program.
Ambassador Horiguchi made the following speech at the program.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_jbcci050331.html
* Grant Assistance for Human Security with UNDP (Mar. 31, Dhaka)
On March 31, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi signed a Grant Contract amounting to US$ 88,703 (approximately Taka 52 lakh) with Mr. Jorgen Lissner, Resident Coordinator of UNDP Bangladesh.
For more information, please see the following press release.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/undp310305.pdf
* Grant Assistance for Human Security to OISCA (Mar. 31, Dhaka)
On Thursday, March 31, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi signed a Grant contract amounting to US$ 83,000 (approximately Taka 49 lakh) with Mr. Hideo Miyajima, Director of the OISCA-IDB (Japan).
For more information, please see the following press release.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/assistance/pdf/oisca310305.pdf
* Grant Assistance for Human Security to AMDA (Mar. 30, Dhaka)
On Wednesday, March 30, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi signed a Grant Contract amounting to US$ 40,945 (approximately Taka 24 lakh) with Dr. Sarder A. Nayeem, President of the Association of Medical Doctors of Asia (AMDA).
For more information, please see the following press release.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/assistance/pdf/amda300305.pdf
* Japanese Film Festival (Mar. 29-31, Dhaka)
The Embassy of Japan organized a three-day "Japanese Film Festival" from March 29 to March 31 in collaboration with the Institute of Modern Languages (IML), University of Dhaka.
At the opening ceremony, Ambassador Horiguchi said that he hoped the festival would create opportunities to know about Japanese society and culture more intimately and deepen interest about Japan among the Bangladeshi audience.For details, please visit the following website. http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_film050329.htm
During the festival, six movies were shown. "Tombstone for Fireflies", "Sadako Story Senbazuru", and "Little Elephant" were stories during the World War II. "Sumo Do, Sumo Don't" and "Nodo Jiman" showed the modern Japanese sense of values, what a Japanese family should be, and a piece of modern Japanese culture, with a sense of humour. And the last one, “Ame Agaru”, was about traditional Japanese values and importance of human nature, scripted by late Mr. Akira Kurosawa, one of the greatest Japanese film directors.
* Grant Assistance for Human Security to LAMB (Mar. 29, Dhaka)
On Tuesday, March 29, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi signed a Grant Contract amounting to US$ 90,638 (approximately Taka 53 lakh 47 thousand) with Dr. Mark Pietroni, Executive Director of the World Mission Prayer League (LAMB Hospital).
For more information, please see the following press release.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/assistance/pdf/lamb300305.pdf
* Japan Education Fair (Mar. 29, Mymensingh)
The Embassy of Japan organized "Japan Education Fair” in Mymensingh on March 29 at the auditorium of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU).
Advisory staff from the Embassy and JUAAB advised how to study in Japan. Moreover, two Japanese films, "Little Elephant" and "Ame Agaru" were screened.
* Grant Assistance for Human Security to VARD (Mar. 28, Dhaka)
On Monday, March 28, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi signed a Grant Contract amounting to US$ 74,402 (approximately Taka 43 lakh 89 thousand) with Mr. Amranul Hoque Kamal, Executive Director of the Voluntary Association for Rural Development (VARD).
For more information, please check out the press release posted on the
following website.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/assistance/pdf/vard280305.pdf
* Kite and Handicraft Exhibition (Mar. 28-29, Dhaka)
Dhakabashi Organization held "Japan-Bangladesh Kite and Traditional Handicrafts Exhibition" on March 28, 2005, at National Museum Novera Hall in collaboration with the Embassy of Japan.
Ambassador Horiguchi made the following speech at the inaugural ceremony as the Chief Guest.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_kite050328.html
Mr. Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, Chairman of Privatisation Commission and Chief Adviser of Dhakabashi presided over the event.
* Junior Judo Championship (Mar. 24-25, Dhaka)
Bangladesh Judo Federation organized "Independence Day 2005 & 1st National Junior Judo Championship" under the sponsorship of Dandy Dyeing Ltd. on March 24 and 25, 2005.
Major (Rtd) Sayed Eskander M.P., Chairman of Dandy Dyeing Ltd. attended the closing ceremony on March 25 as the Chief Guest. Ambassador Horiguchi made the following speech as the Special Guest.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_judo050325.html
* Independence Day Seminar (Mar. 23, Dhaka)
Japanese Universities Alumni Association in Bangladesh (JUAAB) organized a "Seminar on Independence Day Celebration 2005" on March 23, 2005, at Teachers and Students Center (TSC), University of Dhaka.
In the seminar, Professor Dr. Md. Ataur Rahman, Director of Japan Study Center, University of Dhaka, and Dr. Mustafizur Rahman, Director General of International Industry and Technological Agency delivered speeches on "The Independence of Bangladesh and the role of Japan."
Prof. Dr. Musharif Hossain Khan, Vice Chancellor of Ahsanullah University of Science and Technology attended the seminar as the Chief Guest. Ambassador Horiguchi made the following speech as the Special Guest.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/independence050323.html
* Japanese Support for Flood Rehabilitation Projects (Mar. 22, Dhaka)
Ambassador Horiguchi called on Secretary, ERD, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Md. Ismail Zabihullah on March 22, 2005 regarding the approval of ten projects to be implemented by the Government of Bangladesh by utilizing the Japanese Counterpart Fund amounting Taka 9,465,536,000 or US$ 158 million approximately for the year of 2004-2005 mostly for recent post-flood recovery.
For more information, please consult the following press release.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/news/pr/flood_rehab220305.html
* Financial Assistance to World Vision's Project (Mar. 21, Dhaka)
On March 21, 2005, Ambassador Horiguchi handed over a cheque amounting US$ 78,191 (approximately Taka 46.9 lakh) to World Vision Japan for the Project for Rain Water Reservoir/Save Water in Kalmakanda, Netrokona District.
For more information, please see the following website.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/news/pr/world_vision220305.html
* Workshop on Special Project for Food Security (Mar. 20, Dhaka)
The national workshop on "Special Project for Food Security (SPFS) Concept Dissemination" was held at the Milki Auditorium on March 20, 2005.
H. E. Mr. M. K. Anwar, Honorable Chief Guest and Minister for Agriculture; H. E. Mr. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Honorable Special Guest and State Minister for Agriculture; Ms. Bui Thi Lan, Honorable Special Guest and FAO representative in Bangladesh; Mr. Md. A. S. M. Abdul Halim, Honorable Chairperson and Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture; and Dr. Shin Imai, Regional SPFS Coordinator attended the workshop.
Ambassador Horiguchi made the following speech at the workshop.
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/spfs050320.html
* Japan's Comments on the draft PRSP (Mar. 15, Dhaka)
On March 15, Japan finalized its comments on the draft Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of the Government of Bangladesh entitled "Unlocking the Potential - National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction". The comments were submitted to the Government of Bangladesh and were also posted on the website: (Summary)
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/bdmodel/japansummaryfinal.doc
(Full Text)
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/bdmodel/jp/bdmodel/doc/japancommentfinal.doc
The draft PRSP and other relevant information are on the website of LCG Bangladesh.
http://www.lcgbangladesh.org/prsp/====================================================================================================
