Japan-Bangladesh E-Bulletin (48th Issue / Apr 13, 2006)
- Making a Bridge between Japan and Bangladesh - ====================================================================================================
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[Table of Contents]
[1] Messages from Ambassador Horiguchi "Launching of 'Competent Candidate Movement'"
[2] Upcoming Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* 13th Special National Immunization Day (Apr 15, Dhaka)
* Pohela Boishakh Event (Apr 16, Tokyo)
* VARD Eye Hospital-cum-Health Center (Apr 25, Sunamgonj)

[3] Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* Japan Development Scholarship Candidates Nomination (Apr 10, Dhaka)
* New JOCV Members Arrived (April, Bangladesh)

[4] Relay Essay by Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka (Sho-ko-kai) Members "My Experiences in Bangladesh" (Mr. Kobori, Former General Manager of Sumitomo Corporation Dhaka Office)

[5] Editor's Note

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[1] Messages from Ambassador Horiguchi "Launching of 'Competent Candidate Movement'"

1. Prof. Muhammad Yunus made a ground breaking speech, stressing the following points, at The Daily Star's 15th anniversary ceremony on February

4.(1) Let's "move forward unitedly [sic]" to make Bangladesh attractive to world investors. To that end, let's work together to "i) Reduce corruption level drastically. ii) Provide reliable electricity all over the country.iii) Open up ICT (Information and Communication Technology) and make Bangladesh a very attractive country in terms of state-of–the-art ICT. iv) Build a mega-port in a suitable location along the Chittagong coastline capable of serving the following countries: Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, eastern India, Myanmar, and south-western China. v) Build highways to connect the mega-port with all six countries."

(2) Let's make this year, 2006, the year to start a movement for tackling the two most important tasks at the moment: "1) to make sure we hold our election on time with the participation of all major political parties; and 2) make sure we reduce corruption sharply and immediately." To realize these goals, voters have to become united in removing corrupt candidates and sending clean candidates instead. "If we don't do that we'll continue to be the most corrupt country in the world, and our dreams will never get achance."

(3) Voters "prepare a three-member panel of clean candidates of their choice" and "give it to the political party/parties to nominate one out of them." In case if none of them is nominated, voters can "ask one of their candidates to run as an independent candidate" or if it is impossible, "submit blank ballots as a protest."

(4) Let's start a "Clean Candidate Campaign." "All civic groups, associations, professional bodies (teachers, doctors, journalists, etc.), youth groups, farmer groups, women groups, business groups, student groups, political parties, individuals, both voter and non-voters, can prepare and submit their panels to the political parties."

2. A civic group was established with the aim of launching the above movement and preparing a mid-term national development framework on March 20 at a hotel in Dhaka. A number of distinguished members of the group were announced. There, Prof. Yunus presented his 12-point formula, including setting up "a central nomination committee" and declaring "a panel comprising at least one man and one woman for every constituency" in one month.

The above movement is an important chapter in the history of Bangladesh. Local media highly appraised it as it is civil society's resolution to abandon its onlookers' stance and get involved with politics for the first time when politicians are not carrying out their responsibilities.

3. We welcome and send big cheers to this movement as we sincerely wish Bangladesh continued economic and social growth. I think that the following points are very important for its success.

(1) A key to success is national commitment. It all depends on increasing the number of intellectuals at the core of this movement who are committed to its purposes and take real actions to realize it. Next, the committed intellectuals make a mid-and long-term plan and perseveringly encourage other citizens, many of whom are not literate, to understand the significance of the movement and participate in it.

(2) It will require a considerable amount of time to prepare strategy to achieve the goals, gather partners, get organized, assign a person to be in charge of each upazila and union in order to promote this movement nationally, talk to each person, and convince the majority its significance.There are only nine months left until the next general election. With elections six years and 11 years later in our minds, we have to carry feasible goals to achieve by each election and make firm steps one by one.

(3) At the same time, it is equally important that political parties and politicians understand the contribution which this movement can make to Bangladesh's development and cooperate with it. The movement has to incorporate politicians so that they want to side with the movement and take advantage of it rather than seeing it as a threat.

4. Bangladesh has big potential for development but remains one of the least developed countries due to confrontational politics and the problem of governance. In order to overcome these problems, Bangladesh has to abandon a "Winner take all" mentality.

A mid-and long-term plan is required to solve the confrontational political structure in this country. Major political parties have to first agree on a mid-and long-term improvement goal; then, discuss before the election how to implement short-and mid-term political reform plans after the election; and to pledge to carry them out regardless of which party wins. The civic group proposed by Dr. Yunus has to watch whether parties are living up to their words or not. If these are systematized, Bangladesh's democracy should make remarkable progress through several elections. It will lead to improved governance; as a result, Bangladesh will achieve big economic and social development.

Prof. Yunus enjoys great respect and support all over Bangladesh. If this movement introduced by him were to fail, Bangladesh may not see such a political reform movement for years. I hope that Bangladesh intellectuals, citizens, and politicians take this opportunity to get united and realize political reform at all costs. The international society and donor group should promote this kind of mid-and long-term political reform undertaken by civic groups not confined to encouraging free and fair elections.

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[2] Upcoming Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* 13th Special National Immunization Day (Apr 15, Dhaka)
The inaugural ceremony of the 13th Special National Immunization Day will be held in the Clinic Room of EPI Bhaban on Saturday, April 15 at 9:30am. Minister for Health and Family Welfare, H.E. Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, MP, will inaugurate the function, and Ambassador Horiguchi will be present.

* Pohela Boishakh Event (Apr 16, Tokyo)
There will be an event "Baishakhi Mela" to celebrate the Bangladeshi New
Year "Pohela Boishakh" at the Ikebukuro West Park on Sunday, April 16 from
11:00 to 18:00.

In addition to a free medical consultation, there will be a ceremony to celebrate the completion of the construction of a Shaheed Minar replica,which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in July.

Program is as follows:
11:00-14:00 Free Medical Consultation
11:00-18:00 Curry Festival
11:00-14:00 Children's Drawings and Songs
11:00-14:00 Poem Reading and Songs
15:00-18:00 New Year Concert

* VARD Eye Hospital-cum-Health Center (Apr 25, Sunamgonj)
The opening ceremony of (Voluntary Association for Rural Development) VARD Eye Hospital-cum-Health Center will be held on April 25 at 3:30pm in Iabalnogar, Sunamgonj. This center was constructed with financial assistance from the Government of Japan and supported by Sights Saver International (SSI). Ambassador Horiguchi and other distinguished guests will be present.

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[3] Recent Events on Japan-Bangladesh Relations
* Japan Development Scholarship Candidates Nomination (Apr 10, Dhaka)
The nomination announcement ceremony for Japan Development Scholarship (JDS) candidates was organized by Economic Relations Division (ERD), Ministry of Finance, and Japan International Cooperation Center (JICE) at the NEC Building on April 10. Additional Secretary of ERD, H.E. Mr. SK. A. K. Motahar Hossain, Ambassador Horiguchi, and other distinguished guests attended to congratulate this year's candidates.

On this occasion, also held was the report session by seven newly returned JDS fellows who completed their Master's Degree in Japan.
This year, 20 students will go to Japan for advanced studies in their areas after Japanese language training for two months.

* New JOCV Members Arrived (Bangladesh) Seventeen new Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) arrived In Bangladesh in order to extend cooperation in various sectors such as community development, primary education, physical education, computer technique, vocational training and tourism. They work for public organizations of Bangladesh for two years.

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has dispatched a total of 885 JOCVs to Bangladesh since 1973. Currently, as many as 58 volunteers are engaged in activities all over Bangladesh with a good command of Bengali language.

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[4] Relay Essay by Japanese Commerce and Industry Association in Dhaka (Sho-ko-kai) Members "My Experiences in Bangladesh" (Mr. Kobori, Former General Manager of Sumitomo Corporation Dhaka Office)

I had the opportunity to stay in a small town called Veramara for a short period of 3 months in 1975. It is 40 minute drive from Kustia District Town. To reach there, we had to fly for one hour from Dhaka to Ishurdi and drive for one hour. On the way, we had to cross the Brammaputra river by a ferry and if we miss one ferry it would take much more time. I would say that Veramara is isolated but very peaceful. The majority of villagers was farmers and had generous personalities. The place made us feel as if we were in an ancient time.

I met an old man who was born in Dhaka and had been to Veramara only a few times. There was no television in the village; only a few radio sets withhowling sound. In order to make any phone call or telegram, domestic orinternational, we had to drive up to Kustia.

From time to time, we were invited to tea by landlords, where they were always smiling face and showed sincere hospitality. They did not have enough tea cups for everybody, and it took three times for serving tea to us, other guests and finally to the hosts. Their houses were neat and clean, small but well-ventilated. There were gardens full of green, which provided a comfortable environment. Snacks served with tea were always home-made and went well with Bangladeshi tea. Their family members as well as their servants were wearing clean clothes; it was quite different from the image of Bangladesh transmitted through the mass-media in Japan. The whole atmosphere was similar to that of rural areas in Japan.

The villagers believe that foreigners are their guests; therefore, they always gave us special treatment so that we were able to live in comfort. They had a strong religious belief, and the five-time-a-day prayer was a must thing for them. My stay coincided with the fasting month (Month of Ramadan), and we found them working hard under the hot sun without drinking even a single drop of water. In the evening, we saw gray clouds coming up from the horizon and turning into thunderclouds all over the sky. The lightning made a roaring sound which we never heared in Japan. Swinging coconut trees due in the storm wind was like a scene from a movie.

After these experiences, I lived in this country as Representative for three years from 1980 and again from 1996. I was surprised to see drastic changes between these two periods. In the early 1980's, Dhaka was lively and crowded but peaceful. However, due to the rapid increase of population and the economic growth, competition among each other became fierce, and environmental pollution became severe in Dhaka.

Fortunately, thing had not changed in rural areas yet; the people were still kind and shy, and we were welcomed by their unchanged smiles. Each farmer had a television, a mobile phone or even a car in some cases. They symbolized the improvement of Bangladeshis' living standard. There were few Bangladeshis in the business class of international flight in the past, but we see Bangladeshi people there nowadays. It tells us that many Bangladeshis have succeeded in business. This is definitely an indicator of the development of Bangladesh.

As we know, the Bangladeshi people in general like to get involved in matters with which they have nothing, and to express their opinions or take part in debate/argument. Even on the street, we can find that when a group of people is engaged in hot arguments, the passersby stop voluntarily to share in the argument and to express their individual frank opinion. Finally, they come to an understanding and overcome the conflict peacefully. I think that this sort of communication skill deserves our appreciation.

I am now stationed in Vietnam on official assignment since the last one and a half years and my impression is that both Vietnam and Bangladesh are similar. Both the countries have large population and are developing rapidly; their expectations from Japan are also similar. I would like to continue exploring if there is anything I myself can do for these two countries.

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[5] Editor's Note
Happy Bengali New Year! I am not accustomed to celebrate New Year in April. However, as many of you may know, the Japanese academic year starts in April, and many Japanese go out into the world in April. I can say that both Japanese and Bangladeshi are getting off to a new start or at least, feeling fresh.

Editor, Saori Nagase

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