[1] Message from Hidetoshi Ukita, Charge d'Affaires a.i.

"Green Dhaka Clean Dhaka"
"Green Dhaka Clean Dhaka." You must have often come across one of these bill-boards on the roads in Dhaka. However, no one believes we can achieve clean and comfortable environment in Dhaka by just showing and seeing those sign boards. Dhaka, a mega city with a population of surpassing 10 million, which is almost one thirteenth of the total population, is facing very similar problems which many mega cities around the world are experiencing such as air pollution caused by traffic jam, huge amount of solid wastes, and widening disparity between the haves and the have-nots.

The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has been seriously trying to solve these problems, but faced difficulties due to lack of enough funds generated by tax and decreasing subsidies from the government. DCC asked the Government of Japan to help overcome the most serious problem, which is waste management. Based on the request, the Government of Japan sent a powerful JICA study team to Dhaka for formulating a master plan for making Dhaka more beautiful and comfortable. In March 2005, they finished a detailed master plan for improving the living conditions in Dhaka and submitted it to the Government of Bangladesh.

In order to implement some of the proposals stated in the plan, DCC and JICA have launched a joint campaign to inspire the local people to participate in Clean Dhaka movement. The reason for making such an appeal to the local people for participation in the campaign is simply because solid waste is being generated eventually by each individual. So, they thought rightly that in the first place, minds and the behaviors of the people had to be changed.

In Japan, we once experienced or even are still experiencing a difficult problem of how to deal with the huge solid waste. One of the countermeasures is to advocate the promotion of 3Rs, which means Reduction, Reuse and Recycling of materials. A resource scarce country like Japan has no room for wasting imported materials. And this campaign is getting popularity among Japanese people and manufacturers.

Furthermore, the DCC-JICA joint campaign contains an element of competition among 90 wards in DCC and the winners receive beautiful plaques and certificates. On 30th August 2005 I had the pleasure to attend the Clean Dhaka Award Contest, where 4 categories of awards, namely the Ward-based Solid Waste Management Award, the Challenging Spirit Award, the Best Effort Primary Collection Award, and the Best Campaign Award, were given. Recipients of the contest are required to bring their waste to the dustbins though a process of ward- based waste management system.

When I attended the ceremony, I was very much impressed by the glowing and proud faces of all award recipients. This kind of self-motivated attitude is the key to improving the environment where they belong.

The other day, I saw the bill-board that read "More Green More Clean". You may say that this is grammatically incorrect, but forget about such trivial things and take the spirit of the message!

(Past messages from Ambassador Horiguchi)
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/eBulletin/index.html

[2] Upcoming Event on Japan-Bangladesh Relations

* Japan Trade Fair 2005 (Dhaka, Sep 8 to 10)
Japan Trade Fair 2005 will be held at the Sheraton Hotel from September 8 to 10, organized by the JBCCI and supported by the JETRO and the Embassy of Japan. It will be inaugurated by H.E.Mr. Morshed Khan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, H.E.Mr. Matsushiro Horiguchi, Ambassador of Japan, H.E.Mr. Mahmudur Rahman, Adviser, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and Executive Chairman of Board of Investment, and other distinguished guests.

39 different business and service organizations will exhibit their products from 1 to 8PM on September 8 and from 10AM to 8PM on September 9 and 10.

JBCCI and Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka will organize the Japan-Bangladesh Business Forum 2005 from 2 to 4:30PM on September 8. Presentations will be made in the areas such as Japanese ODA, FDI in Bangladesh and business climate of Bangladesh.

Various cultural events will be also organized by the Embassy of Japan. On September 9,ikebana and bonsai contest will be held from 9:00 to 12:00, followed by judo, kendo and karate demonstrations from 14:00 to 15:00. From 15:00 to 17:00, there will be an information session for studying in Japan.

For more information, please visit the JETRO's website at:
http://www.jetro.go.jp/bangladesh/eng/link_files/upcoming_events.html

* Seminar on Disaster Management (Dhaka, Sep 13)
Japanese Universities Alumni Association in Bangladesh (JUAAB) and Centre on Rural Development for Asia and Pacific (CIRDAP) will jointly hold an international seminar on "A Comprehensive Disaster Management Plan for Bangladesh" on September 13 at 3PM at CIRDAP Auditorium. H.E.Mr. Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yousuf, Minister for Food and Disaster Management, will be a Chief Guest.

(JUAAB's website)
http://www.juaab.org

* 7th Annual Bonsai Exhibition (Dhaka, Sep 15 to 18)
The 7th annual exhibition of Bangladesh Bonsai Society will be held at Women Voluntary Association from September 15 to 18. "Bonsai" is a Japanese art to grow trees and plants in containers in such a way that they look most beautiful. Cultivating bonsai is a very artistic hobby in Japan.

[3] Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations

* Japan's Support of Taka 53.3 Crore (US$8.1 million) to Health Programs in Bangladesh (Dhaka, Sep 4)
The Government of Japan announced its approval of the "Improved Health for the Poor: Health, Nutrition and Population Research Project" conducted by Centre for Health and Population Research (ICDDR, B) amounting to 46 crore Taka (appx. US$7 million) today.

In addition, the Government of Japan also approved the Local Initiatives Program of 7.7 crore Taka (appx. US$1.1 million) to promote decentralized and community participatory approaches for family planning and mother and child health.

These programs will be financed by the Japanese Counterpart Food generated from the Debt Relief Grant Aid and the KR Food Aid.

For more information, the press release is posted on the following website at:
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/news/pr/pr_icddrb040905.html

* Seminar on Sustainable Rural Development (Dhaka, Sep 3 to 5)
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and JICA jointly held "International Seminar for Sustainable Rural Development" at LGED from September 3 to 5. H.E. Mr. Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, H.E. Mr. Md. Ziaul Haque Zia, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and other distinguished guests were present at the opening ceremony on September 3.

Presentations on rural development were made by representatives from LGED, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, and JICA.

Mr. Hidetoshi Ukita, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Japan, introduced Japan's assistance in this field:
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_dev030905.html

* Launching of Booklets on Tsunami Awareness (Dhaka, Aug 30)
Bangladesh Disaster Preparedness Center (BDPC) organized the launching ceremony of booklets on Japanese story about "Inamura No Hi" on tsunami awareness on August 30 at Dhaka Reporter's Unity. H.E.Mr. Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Yusuf, Minister for Food and Disaster Management, Mr. Hidetoshi Ukita, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Japan, and other distinguished guests were present.

The booklets are the joint efforts of the Asian Disaster Reduction Center (ADRC) of Japan, Asian Disaster Reduction Response Network (ADRRN) of Malaysia, and the BDPC under the financial support of the Government of Japan.

Inspired by a true story, the booklets tell the intellect and wisdom of a Japanese villager who saved his entire village from the tsunami that took place in Western Japan in 1854.

Mr. Ukita introduced Japan's efforts in disaster reduction:
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_inamura300805.html

* Clean Dhaka Ward Contest (Dhaka, Aug 30)
The Clean Dhaka Ward Contest was held on August 30 at the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) with the attendance of H.E. Mr. Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Mayor of DCC, and Mr. Hidetoshi Ukita, Charge d'Affaires a.i. of Japan.

The Contest aimed to achieve a cleaner city through cooperation of the ward residents, and through rewarding wards that exert exemplary efforts to establish a cleaner city for the next generation to enjoy and sustain. The core objectives were to clean Dhaka City through competition among its 90 wards; and to promote expansion of Solid Waste Management System based on the Clean Dhaka Master Plan worked out by a JICA study team.

Through a program facilitated by JICA, the DCC evaluated the activities of various wards and gave recognition to some of the wards for their superior activities and services in community-based solid waste management.

Mr. Ukita lauded the DCC-JICA collaboration and introduced Japan's measures in this field:
http://www.bd.emb-japan.go.jp/en/embassy/speeches/sp_solidwaste300805.html

[4] Information

* Japan's Initiative to Achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Japan has been taking initiative in the formulation of the internationally agreed development goals from the very beginning. The year 2005 is a milestone year and Japan is pleased that there is gathering momentum in the international community for the achievement of the MDGs.

Prime Minister Koizumi announced in April that Japan will continue its efforts towards the goal of providing ODA of 0.7% of its gross national income and Japan intends to increase its ODA volume by US$10 billion in aggregate over the next 5 years in order to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just issued a pamphlet to elaborate Japan's policy and efforts towards achieving the MDGs. It is available at its website at:
http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/oda/mdg/pamph2015.pdf

[5] Relay Essay by Japan Development Scholarship (JDS) Fellow

"Introducing Mobile Ad Hoc Network to Bangladesh"(Mr. Mohammad Rajiullah, Lecturer, Asian University of Bangladesh) I graduated from the Department of Computer Science and Information Technology (IT), Islamic University of Technology (IUT) in September 2002. After completion of my undergraduate degree, I joined as a lecturer in the Computer Science & Engineering department of Asian University of Bangladesh. I was involved in taking theory and lab classes of Compute Science & Engineering subject of B.Sc. level. In addition, I took Computer Science related courses and was also responsible for maintaining Internet and Networking lab and
supervising undergraduate projects.

IT is introduced rapidly both in public and private sectors in Bangladesh. The government's policy on ICT is very positive. It aims to harness and utilize the immense potentialities of IT for the overall welfare of Bangladesh. For this purpose, the government has already taken several steps such as signing an agreement of Submarine Cable Network, setting up Software Technology Park etc. However, communication infrastructure is not yet ready to serve users' requirements at every corner of the country. Hence, a special consideration is necessary in designing networks, network protocols and information services.

Such network should not rely on centralized and organized connectivity, and can be termed as mobile ad hoc network (MANET). It must play a significant role in communication for emergency/rescue operations and disaster relief efforts and also be an effective alternative in rural areas of Bangladesh where basic communication infrastructure is not available. My thesis in Japan is on the improvement of Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol for MANET.

Waseda Graduate School of Global Information and Telecommunication studies in Japan is has a strong advantage in research activities. I will acquire in-depth knowledge and experience in ICT both in campus and the great Japanese state-of-the-art technological society. Upon my return to my homeland, I will be able to contribute the development of Bangladesh in many different ways. One way is to teach university students and grow a next generation to develop ICT in my country.

(Mr. Rajiullah is a JDS 2005 fellow and now studying at Waseda University for two years.)

The recruitment for the fellows of Japan Development Scholarship (JDS) 2006 has started from August 23 and ends on October 20. Application guidelines & forms and other necessary information and documents are available at JICE's website at:
http://sv2.jice.org/jds/

[6] Editor's Note

As you may have heard the news, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf coast of the US and New Orleans is one of the cities which were severely damaged. I lived in the so-called "Big Easy" city for two years till this April and deeply shocked to see the devastated people and streets which I used to be very familiar with.

This shows us how vulnerable we are to natural disasters and at the same time, how important it is to continue our efforts in disaster reduction. We saw that one effort was materialized into booklets last week and I hope such an international cooperation be further promoted.

Editor, Saori Nagase

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