Paula Abdul at the TONY Awards

Paula Abdul at the TONY Awards
Sun, Jun 13, 2010, 1:00 am PDT
Paula Abdul looked rather pretty in a cream off-the-shoulder gown, which featured a dramatic train, June 13, 2010. She has just announced a new dance show called "Live to Dance" that will air on CBS in January, 2011.

Expression from bangladeshi Lawyers Sommittee

Haiti: Fresh Initiatives Help Earthquake Victims to Return Home/Expression from Bangladeshi Lawyers

Haiti: Fresh Initiatives Help Earthquake Victims to Return Home


PORT AU PRINCE, October 28, 2010 - "Home" will soon mean a safe roof over their heads rather than a flimsy piece of canvass for thousands of displaced Haitians living in temporary camps after the January 12 earthquake.

Earthquake victims in Haiti will be able to return safely to their homes and communities and resume their economic activities, as two key housing initiatives gathered pace this week.

A US$30 million grant to finance home repair and rebuilding was approved this week on the heels of record numbers of homes being assessed as safe to inhabit, as part of the World Bank's reconstruction drive in Haiti. The joint World Bank-USAID Housing Assessment project said it had reached a new landmark after evaluating 300,000 homes and producing the first ever set of repair guidelines for damaged homes. With the new grant benefitting about 140,000 people, all told these initiatives will reach almost half a million Haitians.

The catastrophic January 12 earthquake destroyed more than 115,000 houses in and around Port-au-Prince, left 14,500 others with severe damage and 167,000 buildings with moderate damages, forcing 1.3 million people to seek shelter in temporary camps.
Moving people out of the camps and back into their communities and homes is critical to improve Haitians' living and safety conditions, authorities say. It is also a key factor for jumpstarting economic activity around the affected communities, which the new grant aims to support by injecting cash directly into the communities through the widely popular Prodepur project.
With the additional US$30 million, the Urban Community Driven Development Project (Prodepur) will finance about 5,000 cash grants for repair of damaged homes, support debris removal and improve community service infrastructure -such as roads and walkways- that have been chosen for repair by the beneficiaries themselves. This grant follows up on the results of the original US$15 million Prodepur project approved in June 2008. Since the earthquake, the project has prioritized disaster related needs in targeted communities, including repair of community kitchens and community poultry farms and providing temporary jobs to over 5,000 people.
Haitians Make Own Decisions
Under the project rules community members vote and decide on eligibility criteria to receive housing assistance. Once the grant is awarded beneficiaries are free to decide their reconstruction priorities, whether it's repairs, building extensions or a new house, said project leader Bernice Van Bronkhorst.
She empahized that beneficiaries must comply with building codes as a condition to carry out any housing project.
"Cash is made available to them in four phases provided building codes are met at each phase," said Van Bronkhorst while noting that this type of initiative has already been tested with good results in Aceh's reconstruction after its 2004 tsunami.
Community members receive building awareness training and technical assistance from Bank experts to ensure that houses are repaired or rebuilt in a hazard-resilient manner, explained Van Bronkhorst.
So-called community-driven programs (CCD) -such as Prodepur- have become hugely popular in Haiti on their ability to empower people to make their own decisions while providing a learning experience not found in traditional aid programs. CCDs also address red-tape and capacity issues at government level, especially after the earthquake decimated senior ministerial staff.
"This project implementation model has helped tens of thousands of people and has brought about very quick results from cutting through red tape," said Van Bronkhorst. She added that a significant part of the Bank's US$320 million Haiti portfolio is made up of community-driven projects.
More Homes Assessed as Safe
Quick results have also been a trademark of the 300-strong team of Haitian engineers tasked with assessing earthquake damaged buildings for safety. As of this date, 318,000 buildings –out of 400,000-- have been evaluated in Port-au-Prince's worst affected areas. The experts found that 54 percent of those homes were safe to live in (green tag), 25.5 percent needed repairs (yellow tag) and 20.5 percent were deemed unsafe (red tag).
Green-tagged buildings are classified as being undamaged (safe for immediate occupancy, though not necessarily earthquake resistant), yellow-tagged means "restricted use" and red-tagged is dangerous (ranging from completely destroyed to heavily damaged).
In addition to evaluating building structures, the WB-USAID financed operation has also produced a first ever set of guidelines for reconstruction, and supporting database, that is being used by the international community to guide their respective housing repair programs, noted World Bank project leader Ross Gartley.
"This clearly demonstrates how this initiative has evolved to facilitate the larger recovery and reconstruction process," noted Gartley.
The expert stressed that the evaluation does not assess the buildings' resilience to future seismic events – a message that has been conveyed to Haitian authorities- but that it provides a blueprint for future planning and rebuilding.




Source: WB

PM Calls For Promoting Local Arts

PM Calls For Promoting Local Arts


Caption: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visits the gallery at Osmani Memorial Auditorium after inaugurating the 14th Asian Art Biennial '10 in the capital Friday. Photo: PIDUnb, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Friday called upon all concerned to be more attentive for promoting local arts and culture and take initiative to develop an "art-language" of local heritage and culture.
The PM made the call while inaugurating the 14th Asian Art Biennial Bangladesh 2010 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the capital.
Hasina said that amid fierce competition of globalisation of this decade, "our traditions of culture, human values and rich inheritances are facing a tough challenge."
She said that the culture of the country should be further enriched to face the challenges of the present time and also in the future.
Hasina expressed the high hope that the cultural activists and the artists of the country would be able to face the tough challenge with their talent and creativity.
She said that none would be able to create anything of lasting impact without relation to his or her homeland. "But that doesn't mean shutting down the window. We've to open our windows to see the world. By this, others will also learn from our great creations."
Referring to the present government's various activities for the betterment and flourishing of local arts and culture, Hasina that her government always patronises expanding local arts and culture to the rest of the world.
"Our government is always alert in trying to combine the cultural heritage with the overall development strategy to be a developed nation in the world arena."
She said that after killing the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975 the perpetrators repeatedly tried to destroy the local culture and heritage. "Hectic moves were going on to input foreign culture by putting aside our own rich culture."
The premier said that she is in favour of building a bridge by jumping the divide of North-South and East-West. "In that context, we are taking initiative to build infrastructures for regional and inter-regional connectivity that will help increase communication and exchanges among different countries and cultures."
She said Asia is the land of diversified ancient heritage and cultures. The impact of globalisation is visible in the Asian culture.
She mentioned that the biennale art exhibition would help the artists of the region to know about themselves.
The premier distributed grand prizes among three participants of Japan, South Korea and Bangladesh while six honorary prizes to six participants.
Later, the PM visited the arts works on display at the auditorium.
The exhibition will continue up to November 6 in different parts of the city.
Chaired by Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Abul Kalam Azad, the inaugural function was also addressed by State Minister for Cultural Affairs Promod Mankin, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy director general Kamal Lohani and noted artist Rafiqunnabi.


(Source:ET)

PM for united global efforts to combat money laundering,terrorism and militancy /Govt can’t destroy BNP: Khaleda /Japan's 1st legal assistance office

PM for united global efforts to combat money laundering,terrorism and militancy
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Dhaka: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday has called for united global efforts to combat menaces like money laundering, terrorism and militancy.

Bangladesh looks forward to working closely with the APG and its member countries as well as other international organizations and their member countries for preventing money laundering, terrorism-financing and other financial crimes, she said.
The Prime Minister was addressing the opening session of Asia/Pacific Group (APG) Typology Workshop 2010 at the winter garden of Hotel Radisson in the city.

The Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) arranged the workshop in collaboration with the government of Bangladesh as a part of the 13th Typologies Meeting of Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering on October 26-28.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Law Minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed and APG Principal Executive Officer David Shannon also spoke at the opening session, chaired by Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Atiur Rahman.

According to an estimation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), between 2 percent and 5 percent of global GDP per year is laundered annually as the proceeds of crime, the largest sources of which are illicit drug manufacturing and trafficking, arms and human trafficking, corruption, fraud, extortion, kidnapping, theft and environmental crimes.

Some 200 senior government officials from the countries of Asia/Pacific region are attending the meeting that will provide a platform for high-level discussion and co-operation in areas of anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism and will review the techniques and trends or typologies of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Addressing the function as chief guest, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said it requires huge sums of money to operate militants’ activities.

“Therefore, it is imperative to stop terrorism-financing in order to contain their activities,” she said.

Hasina said: “Terrorism and militancy know no territorial borders. I always assert that terrorists have neither border nor race or creed.
Hence it is not possible for any country to combat this menace alone. It requires a united effort.”

Money laundering and terrorism-financing are multidimensional global problems that require global solutions, she observed.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh have taken all out measures against money laundering and terrorism-financing by enacting the Money Laundering Prevention Act. “Bangladesh is the first amongst the South Asian countries in enacting anti-money laundering Act.”

In order to strengthen the existing anti-money laundering Act, she said the Parliament has passed the Money Laundering Prevention and Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.

“The government of Bangladesh is fully committed to implementing the relevant international conventions, particularly the recommendations of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) as well as the requirements of other relevant international agencies.”

Hasina said her government’s stance against terrorism, money laundering and other financial crimes is clear and very firm. “We are committed to encountering these challenges through integrated efforts.”

She mentioned that a high-powered National Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter- Terrorism Financing headed by Finance Minister AMA Muhith has been constituted.

The Prime Minister said initiatives are also underway to recover billions of taka “amassed through corruption and laundered by influential leaders and adherents of BNP-Jamaat alliance.”

She said the government has instructed the law enforcing agencies to make all out efforts for combating terrorist activities and terrorism- financing.

“The government has already banned a number of organizations for their involvement in terrorist activities,” she said.

Hasina said that as in their previous tenure, the present government also launched all out drive against militancy and corruption.
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Govt can’t destroy BNP: Khaleda

BNP chairperson and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia has said that the government will not be able to destroy the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), however is the degree of its repression. Addressing a programme, organized by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal for giving financial support to seven families of Sirajganj train accident victims at her Gulshan office yesterday, she said the government had let loose reign of terror across the country.
BNP, she said, is not allowed to hold constitutional programmes anywhere in the country as the government has been imposing section-144 with the objective of eliminating the BNP.
The party cannot be destroyed as the people are with it and it also enjoys the blessings of the Almighty Allah. The more the government adopts the path of repression, the tougher will be the party’s movement against the government, she said.
She urged the people to unite to free the country from the grip of the gamblers. The government, she said, had failed to deliver the goods during the initial two years and it would not be given more time.
She blamed the government for killing people under the wheels of a running train in Sirajganj.
There is no good news in the media, she said adding the newspapers were full of reports of rapes, killings, plunders and attacks.
Referring to price hike of essentials, she said, the poor were finding it difficult to survive.
The prices of essentials, she said, had broken all previous records.
The government, she said, had no control on its student wing. It is continuing attacks not only on the male students but also conducting assault on female students and teachers.
Party secretary general Khondker Delwar Hossain, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amanullah Aman, Shahiduddin Chowdhury Anny, MP, Ms Shirin Sultana and Rumana Mahmud, MP, among others, who spoke on the occasion with JCD president Sultan Salauddin Tuku in the chair.
The recipients of the financial help were Abdul Baset, Abdul Latif, Thandu Sarker, Nurunnabi, Faruk Talukder, Mirza Suruzzman and Mirza Abbas Ali.
Source: Daily Independent

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Japan's 1st legal assistance office for foreigners to open in November
Tuesday 26th October, 07:27 AM JST
TOKYO —
A legal office in Tokyo will set up a new section specializing in providing legal assistance to foreign residents in Japan, focusing on individual needs of foreigners, the office said Monday.
The Tokyo Public Law Office will launch the section on Nov 1, in the first such attempt by a bar association in Japan to offer legal services for individual foreigners who have limited access to lawyers because of the language barrier, lack of information and cultural differences, it said.
Although there are many multinational law offices in Japan, they mainly cater to corporations and business clients, the office said, adding that lawyers in Japan also tend to hesitate to take the cases involving individual foreigners, as many cases require detailed knowledge of the immigration law and laws outside Japan.
The public law office was established in 2002 with assistance from the Tokyo Bar Association to conduct various pro-bono activities. It said the new section is in response to rising needs for legal assistance from more than 2 million foreign residents in Japan.
Although the new section will provide legal access to residents in Tokyo and around, it will work in close cooperation with the Lawyers Network for Foreigners, a nationwide network of lawyers handling foreign cases, to reach out to residents living outside of Tokyo as well, the office said.
The new section will offer a free legal consultation by about 30 lawyers next Sunday between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at its office in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward and via telephone in Japanese, English, Korean, French, Spanish and Chinese.
On-site consultation, which requires telephone reservation at 03-5979-2880, is also provided in Portuguese, Indonesian, Bengali, Thai, Tagalog and Burmese on Sunday.
Source:Japan’s Today

Another case filed over Rupganj violence /Arrest Brain-Drain For Country's Development Teachers Training, Latest Teaching Technology Essential

Another case filed over Rupganj violence
What is Mystery
Who! What!How! And the solution???


An army camp was set ablaze by angry villagers during an agitation over “forced purchase of land" for a project, the Army Housing Scheme (AHS), at Rupganj upazila in Narayanganj October 23


Another case was filed by Rapid Action Battalion Sunday night accusing 3,000 to 4,000 unknown people on charge of attacking the elite force members during the Saturday’s violence in Rupganj of Narayanganj.
Sub-Inspector Yasin Miah of Adamzi Camp of Rab-11, filed the case with Rupganj Police Station at about 10:30pm saying that the accused launched an attack on them when they tried to resist the locals from holding their protest programme, said Forkan Sikder, officer-in-charge of the police station.
“We have identified four to five accused in the case filed earlier by police in connection with the incident,” the OC said. He however did not disclose their names, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.
Police Saturday night filed the first case with the same police station against 3,000 to 4,000 unidentified people in connection with the violence and for setting ablaze to an army camp and some vehicles.
At least 50 people were injured, including 15 by bullets, as thousands of villagers fought pitched battles with law enforcers over “forced purchase of land” for an army housing scheme in Rupganj of Narayanganj on October 23.
Bullet-hit Mostafa Jamal Haider of Harina Par village died in the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD) Hospital in the capital Saturday morning
Source:The Daily Star

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Arrest Brain-Drain For Country's Development Teachers Training, Latest Teaching Technology Essential



Talk of emulating the latest fashion in the world of clothing - Bangladeshis do not lag behind. As soon as a new Bollywood movie is released and it happens to be a hit, the dresses adorned in the movie by the hero and the heroine overnight becomes the "latest fashion", especially in the southeast Asian nations. The result is, all our readymade city dress boutiques immediately put on display similar designed attires - either imported from our neighbouring state or made to order here. Whether they go with our culture or not do not seem to bother anyone. Since it is the latest fashion in our neighbouring country, it must also be in ours or else the Bangladeshi boys and girls will be considered unsmart and outdated. From the rush of customers to these shops and the number of people wearing them, the high price of these garments does not seem to be a matter of concern in a poor like Bangladesh where almost 80% of the people still cannot afford three square meals a day.
Now, can we say the same thing about the education system in the country? Do we have the latest systems in our educational institutions - the latest curricula, the latest technologies and teachers who are acquainted with modern methods of teaching? And most important of all, are we willing to pay to get the latest in the world of education?
Although, system change in the education sector is being gradually brought about, nevertheless, a lot remains yet to be achieved. In schools, every student should be provided with individual computers. In fact computer education should begin right from the elementary school level. Exposure to advanced methods of teaching and easy access to all sorts of information about the whole world from the beginning of one's education life can mean a world of difference in shaping the life of a person. But first of all we need very efficient and experienced teachers at the school level so that the students can begin with a strong foundation. Then only the path to higher education would become comparatively easier.
One may ask, where will these good teachers come from? The answer is simple. We have to build them up. The appropriate thing would be to send the teachers abroad and get them trained from the best teaching institutions of the world. The exposure to modern methods and latest technology would help to turn our teachers into the world's best as well. But this process is too time consuming and extremely expensive. Therefore, the cheapest way would be to send abroad for training a group of carefully selected teachers picked from different schools across the country. This group of 'Teachers' Trainers' or TT, when they come back after completion of their trainings from the best foreign institutions, would train up more TTs who would in turn train up school teachers of all the schools of our country. This process would not only be cost-effective but also the quickest way to train up the teachers in the least possible time.
There is an urgent need to stop the process of brain-drain of students from Bangladesh. The depletion of the intellectual and/or professional resources of our country through immigration, which has accelerated in the last few decades needs to be stopped on an urgent basis. The higher rewards and opportunities in the developed countries is compelling our young generation to leave home and seek their careers and fortunes elsewhere. However, for the sake of its economic progress, Bangladesh needs to retain these brains in the country. Brain drain may not be the only factor, but it definitely is playing a major role in decelerating the speed of our country's overall progress and development.
In fact, Bangladesh is a classic example of the aftermath that follows brain drain. The 1950's began with the hope of development of Asian countries including Bangladesh. It was assumed that investment, education, and modern management would be sufficient for their economic growth. By the 1960's, disillusionment spread. The progress of developing countries was uneven and fell short of expectations and aspirations. The developed countries grew faster, and therefore international gaps widened instead of narrowing as was presumed. The "brain drain" issue moved from scholarly analysis and newspaper recriminations to the floor of the United Nations General Assembly in late 1967. Resolutions introduced by developing countries demanded that richer members (particularly the United States) change their migration policies, encourage foreign students to learn the skills needed at home, encourage these students to return, and compensate the developing countries for their losses.
A nation is considered developed based on its advancement in technological developments in the realm of science and industry. The main sources of knowledge and know-how for these technologies are the educated and talented individuals comprising scientists, doctors, engineers, teachers, business entrepreneurs, etc. The educated group, capable of contributing to the growth of the nation, prefers to live abroad and the number of such highly educated Bangladeshis contributing to the welfare of foreign countries is quite significant. A 2007 data showed that 65 per cent of the newly graduated doctors in Bangladesh attempted to practice abroad whereas in Bangladesh millions of children lay suffering from malnutrition and childhood diseases. Had these newly graduated doctors practiced in this country, the difference they could have brought about in the health sector needs no explanation. Presently, there is a serious dearth of good and experienced doctors in Bangladesh and the few who are there, it is easier to go and get treated abroad than to get an appointment date from them. Therefore, people who can afford, rush to Bangkok, Singapore or even to UK and the USA, spending the much valuable currency in foreign lands while the fate of poor patients lie in the hands of inexperienced doctors at home.
Of late, the country's youths, who can bring about sustainable development to Bangladesh through their creative skills and technical and technological know-how, are all flocking to overseas institutions for higher learning - either with scholarships or through self-finance and a very few of them ever return. The reason behind their staying back is a secure future and justified returns for the amount of work put in. Unless immediate measures are taken to arrest this trend of
brain drain, the major challenges facing Bangladesh will blow out of proportion. I believe it is still not too late. Let our policymakers take measures so that the highest budget is allocated to this sector to bring about necessary improvements in line with the western world so that our brains do not need to go abroad for higher studies and a profitable future. We must not forget that the Dhaka University was once known as the "Oxford of the East" and the entire credit for this nomenclature goes to the DU teachers of that period. I therefore believe that if the government is serious it can once again build up teachers who can bring back the past glory to our educational institutions and thereby open up opportunities for our young generation to serve their motherland. Let us give our all towards acquiring and/or copying the latest teaching technology and the most modern education methods from abroad.

Source: ET/

Join the 2010 Global Write-a-thon and write for human rights! /J2J Lung Health Media Training

J2J Lung Health Media Training
Date: 10-12 November, 2010
Location: Berlin, Germany
J2J Global Media Training (10-12 November 2010) and
41st Union World Conference on Lung Health (11-15 November 2010)
The Journalist to Journalist Project of the National Press Foundation and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) are offering fellowships to a three-day journalist training program on lung health issues (tuberculosis, asthma, childhood pneumonia, COPD, tobacco control, and TB/HIV co-infection) and the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health in Berlin, Germany.
The Union World Conference is the largest annual conference focusing on lung health issues as they affect low- and middle-income countries. The theme of this year's conference is “TB, HIV and Lung Health: from research and innovation to solutions”. More than 2,500 delegates from 100+ countries are expected to attend.
The J2J program is designed for working journalists who want to increase their knowledge and skill at developing stories on lung health issues – from the extent of the problem to the new research and innovations that are in the pipeline. The sessions will feature presentations and discussions with experts, as well as practical training in turning scientific information into effective print and broadcast stories.
This training opportunity is organized by the Journalist to Journalist Project of the National Press Foundation, a U.S.-based, non-profit independent journalism education organization. Funding is provided by The Union, a non-profit international scientific organization based in Paris. For more information, contact Ms. Ana Zovko at ana@nationalpress.org.
For more information about the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health and The Union,


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Join the 2010 Global Write-a-thon and write for human rights!


On October 8, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, becoming the second person in history to win while incarcerated. He has dedicated his award to the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Liu Xiaobo is nearing the completion of his first year of an 11-year prison sentence for co-authoring a proposal for political and legal reform in China.
Despite growing international pressure, Chinese authorities have failed to release Liu Xiaobo and have placed his wife under house arrest. Liu needs your help.
» Call for the immediate and unconditional release of Liu Xiaobo
» Read the latest updates on Liu Xiaobo

Courtesey :Muktidooth, Dhaka, Bangladesh