The New Nation: Speakers come down heavily on ADB

Immunity of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) should be rescinded forthwith to ensure accountability of the international financial institution, speakers demanded at a roundtable discussion yesterday. The special tribunal should scrutinise ADB's operations in the country, the speakers also demanded.

VOICE organised the discussion on ’Hear the Unheard: A Reality Check of ADB's Operations in Bangladesh’ at the Conference Lounge of the National Press Club. Prof Anu Mohammad of Jahangirnagar University (JU), Hasanul Haq Inu, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Saiful Haque, General Secretary of Workers Party of Bangladesh, Md Shamsoddoha, Secretary of Equity and Justice Working Group, Zakir Hossain and Aminur Rasul, among others, attended the roundtable.

Referring to Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of ADB as a sugar coated bitter pill, Anu Mohammad said the main purpose of the ADB is to exploit the people of Bangladesh rather than remove poverty from the country. ’A sector becomes vulnerable whenever the international financial institution like the ADB shows interest to come to its help,’ he said and added to privatise Bangladesh Railway it circulated misinformation to the people saying that it was a loss-making organisation. The ADB had suggested our government to withdraw Rationing System, close down TCB and BIDC, Anu Mohammad disclosed. He further said people should muster power to ensure accountability of the ADB.

’In the name of privatisation, the ADB was demolishing our service-oriented sectors like education and health,’ Saiful Haque said and added Micro or Macro economics could not work for the betterment of the poor. Hasanul Haq Inu said, ’We should ignore all the suggestions of the multinational organisations on reduction of subsidy.’ Zakir Hossain said, ’The ADB gobbled up 70 per cent of its aid money in the name of consultation for the project on Saving Biodiversity in the Sundarbans, though the interest on the aid was borne by the people of the country.’

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The New Age: ADB projects far away from growth, poverty reduction: seminar

Speakers at a discussion on Saturday observed that the projects of the Asian Development Bank have neither brought about economic growth nor reduced poverty in Bangladesh, but have rather increased the suffering of the people. Addressing the meeting on ’A reality check on the ADB’s operations in Bangladesh, impact of policies and projects on people’s life and national economy’, they also demanded cancellation of the immunity given to this regional bank. Research-based organisation Voice organised the discussion at the National Press Club.

’Not only the ADB, but also the other global lending agencies and multi-national companies should be made accountable for their activities in the country,’ Professor Anu Mohammad of Jahangirnagar University told the audience. He said that the country was facing two types of dangers, one relating to development and the other to poverty reduction, which he said was the outcome of the wrong policies of the global lending agencies and profit-mongering multinational companies working in Bangladesh. Due to the conspiracy of these companies, said Anu Mohammad, most of the public sector industries have been ruined in the last two decades. He denounced the government’s sudden price-hike of compressed natural gas without thinking of its impact on the low-income groups and common masses. He smelled a rat behind this decision of the military-backed interim government.

Zakir Hossain of Unnayan Annesha said the lion’s share of the money for various projects was being spent for consultancy. ’But we Bangladeshis have to shoulder the burden of the loan,’ he added.’ADB is an anti-people bank acting in favour of imperialism,’ said Arup Rahi, referring to the results of the research conducted on the impacts of the bank’s activities in the country.

Karmajibi Nari’s leader Shirin Akhtar called upon the groups and organisations to come forward in a united manner and stand together against these evil forces to save the country from further ruination in the name of development.’How can a bank talk like a political power in an independent, sovereign country?’ she questioned. Representatives from various non-government organisations addressed the function that highlighted the adverse impacts of ADB’s projects on the country’s economy, agriculture and life.

’The projects of the ADB are being implemented without taking the opinions of the people. Thus these projects cannot be of any benefit to them,’ said Towhidul Islam, who works for Actionaid Bangladesh. President of a faction of the Jatiya Samjtantrik Dal, Hasanul Huq Inu, urged the government not to accept the advice of the lending agencies and multi-national companies. ’Let’s formulate our own development policies.’

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of Voice who presented the keynote paper on the theme of the discussion, pointed out the ill-motives of various ADB-funded projects, saying the bank was blatantly working for multi-national companies as it is not accountable to the government. ’The immunity given to the ADB should be cancelled immediately for the greater interest of the country,’ he told the audience.

The Bangladesh Today: International donor projects against national interests

The economists called for transparency in the donor agency-funded projects in the greater interest of the nation. They made the demand at the national consultation titled ’A Reality Check on the ADB’s Operations in Bangladesh: Impacts of Policies and Projects on People's Life and National Economy’ organized by ’Voice’, an NGO, at the National Press Club on Saturday. The country should not indiscriminately accept the prescriptions of the World Bank (WB), International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Trade Organisation (WTO) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) as these international agencies are working together with one another in order to create a propitious atmosphere throughout the world so that the powerful states and their multi-national companies can achieve their goals without any obstruction anywhere.

The ADB has been working in Bangladesh in the name of implementing the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to alleviate poverty. But the agency is continuously interfering into the country's policy formulation activities in the interest of some powerful states and multi-national organizations though it has no jurisdiction to do this, they observed. The international lending agency frequently putting pressure on Bangladesh to denationalize the service sectors, ensure rule of law and build up an import-dependent economy to ensure free access of the multi-national companies to the local markets, they said.

Criticizing the ADB's move to compel the government to privatize the Bangladesh Railway, they said, the agency along with the WB, IMF and WTO made the then BNP-Jamaat government to denationalize the Adamjee Jute Mills to destroy the country huge potential jute industry in a bid to help flourish the jute sector of other countries. Now this agency is trying to brand the country's railway sector as a corruption-gripped and loss-making sector in many ways in a bid to pave the way for denationalizing the environment-friendly public transportation so that the multi-national companies can invest in this industry, they said calling upon the government to take immediate steps to develop the country's railways and water ways, to stop environment pollution and save huge foreign currency. But the international agencies prefer the road transportation development in Bangladesh though the road transport system consumes huge hard-earned foreign exchanges and vast areas of cultivable lands of the country, they said.

Press Conference: January 30th, 2008
Reclaiming People's Rights to Public Services and Natural Resources

A Seminar was held on January 30, 2008 at the Women’s Voluntary Association auditorium in Dhaka titled ’Reclaiming People’s Rights to Public Services and Natural Resources,’ as part of the programs scheduled for the 2008 Global Economic Justice Forum currently taking place.

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, moderated the seminar, which began with a presentation on Access to Natural Resources by Rubayat Ahsan, Research fellow, VOICE. Sardar Arif Uddin, Team Leader of Action Aid Bangladesh, Ms. Aude Leroux-Levesque, VOICE Communications Intern, Dr. Piash Karim, Professor of Economics and Sociology at BRAC University, also presented speeches in the seminar.

Dr. Piash Karim protested against the privatization of major industries like jute and water. He warned against the privatization of WASA as it will turn an essential service into a business for profit, just like what happened in many African countries. He said that it is possible to reclaim ownership over the land and forests with a democratic government that is participatory and accountable. The struggle for rights to public services is a global struggle, he said, citing many examples from the past 100 years of similar injustices.

Ahmed Swapan lamented the inadequate budget allocation in the health sector, which is putting access to health out of reach for the poor. The privatization of basic services such as water and education, and social injustice, is causing the people to suffer. He cited the example of the controversial Asian Energy coal mine in Phulbari as one such injustice, and called for fair rights and wages for laborers, garment workers and the workforce in general. He also mentioned the Magurchora gas field explosion, which caused billions of taka in damages and untold environmental damage. As a nation, we can overcome these injustices and succeed in our struggle, he added.

Mr. Sardar Arif Uddin, Team Leader of Action Aid Bangladesh, spoke out against the culture of unjust and discriminatory practices, and the exploitation of the country’s people by International Financial Instituations (IFIs), funded projects and companies. The state is relinquishing control of health services to companies, he said, who are implementing policies that further marginalize groups such as the elderly and the poor. The private sector is shaping the market perception to a more company-oriented mindset, away from the state, he added.

He also called for a separation of the concepts of health and treatment, explaining that we need to work on causes of bad health, which is connected to social issues, rather than treatment, which is a strategy of private companies. He said that the imposition of contraceptives on women would increase profits for private pharmaceutical companies. He also mentioned the need to raise income and reduce income erosion, so that the government may transfer tax funds into public services. He also objected to the Sundarban biodiversity project being shut down, saying it was just one of many failed projects funded by the ADB, along with the micro-credit program for indigenous people. The shrimp-farming project greatly damaged biodiversity in the region.

Mr. Rubayat Ahsan, presented comprehensive data on land and water resources, forests and fisheries showing that years of neglect have depleted these natural resources and destroyed a once-vibrant biodiversity in the country. The government should ensure access to health and education services are provided in line with international human rights standards, he said.

Ms. Aude Leroux-Levesque pointed out the irony in the fact that social and economic injustices on a global level keep multiplying even as we become more and more aware of what is happening. She said that communication technologies, such as the internet, have the potential to mobilize and unite the people across borders in the struggle for people’s rights.

Mr. Swapan concluded the seminar by reiterating the need for unity in the struggle for basic rights. Economic growth alone does not translate into true development, he stated. The seminar was well attended by members of the CSOs, NGOs, Trade union groups, Rights activists, and journalists, and many participants from different community organizations offered their opinions.

Press Conference: January 24th, 2008
From Paris 2005 to Accra 2008: Will Aid Become More Accountable and Effective?

A Press Conference was held on January 24, 2008 at the Dhaka Reporters Unity titled ’From Paris 2005 to Accra 2008: Will Aid Become More Accountable and Effective?’ in the context of the Paris Declaration and the upcoming High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Accra, Ghana in September 2008. The conference was organized by the Aid Accountability Group, a newly-formed group of civil society organizations.

A Press Statement was read out by Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE and coordinator of the Aid Accountability Group, examining the perspectives of civil society regarding Aid Effectiveness and the High-Level Forum. Dr. Piash Karim, Professor of Economics and Sociology at BRAC University, Omar Tareq Choudhury, Director of Proshika, Zakir Hossain, Executive Director of Nagarik Uddyog, and Saiful Huq, General Secretary of the Workers Party of Bangladesh also presented speeches in the press conference.

In his Press Statement, Ahmed Swapan explained that donor agencies and governments of developing countries, including Bangladesh, signed the Paris Declaration in March 2005. Government representatives and donor agencies will meet at the High Level Forum in Ghana in September of this year, to evaluate the progress of the Paris Declaration. Analysis and criticism on the issues of accountability, gender equality, and human rights will be brought to the table at the High-Level Forum in Accra. Civil Society organizations are also working side-by-side to improve aid effectiveness.

The Paris Declaration emphasizes five issues: ownership, alignment, harmonization, managing for results, and mutual accountability. These would allow developing countries to empower themselves in relation to donor countries by deploying ombudsmen and supporting a democratic management of funds. Unfortunately, the reality is different from what was promised in Paris. Donor countries are still imposing conditions with loans and grants, which present an insurmountable challenge to many countries’development.

Ahmed Swapan read out 16 recommendations which were put forward in a policy paper prepared by the International CSO Steering Group. These recommendations include, among others, the recognition of the centrality of poverty reduction, gender equality, human rights and social justice; the termination of all donor- imposed policy conditionality; the adherence by donors and Southern governments to the highest standards of openness and transparency; and the creation of an effective and relevant independent monitoring and evaluation system for the Paris Declaration and its impact on development outcomes.

Dr. Piash Karim mentioned that 14% of our country’s budget is spent for loan repayment, compared with only a 6% allocation in the health sector. Foreign aid represents only 2% of the GDP while capital flow from the global South to the North tops 750 billion a year. In the present context, the Paris Declaration and the present evaluation mechanisms are simply insufficient.

Saiful Huq, General Secretary of the Workers Party of Bangladesh, said that foreign aid did not bring any significant change for Bangladesh. 70-75% money of foreign aid goes back to donor countries in the name of consultancies and by other means. Foreign aid has transformed the market of developing countries intro a global capital market. He added that the problem of aid effectiveness is not just an economic one but a political one: only a democratic, people-centered government can manage foreign aid in an effective manner and build a self-reliant Bangladesh.

The conference emphasized significant issues relating to the effectiveness of foreign aid and the future of aid in Bangladesh in particular. A 10-minute video, produced by VOICE, entitled ’Perspectives on Aid Effectiveness’ and consisting of short interview segments on this topic, opened the conference. Omar Tareq Choudhury, Director of Proshika and Zakir Hossain, Executive Director of Nagarik Uddyog also spoke as representatives of the Aid Accountability Group while it was attended by CSOs, NGOs, trade union groups, journalists, human rights activists, and women leaders.

People Demanded to Resist MNCs Control over Seed and Agriculture Sector

Our agriculture sector is facing a devastating threats due to the extreme agression and control of the multinational corporations particularly over food and seed. Already we have lost many of our species and bio-derversity caused by hybrid and extreme use of fertilizer and pesticides. The monopolization of the companies lead to people struggle that shattered their means of life and livelihood said speakers in a discussion organized by Voice in Rashidpur union parishad auditorium on 20 March 2006.

Obaidul Haq, the chairman of the Rashidpur union parishad presided over the meeting while the key note paper titled `Aggression of Multinational Companies and People’s Struggle for Life and Livelihood’ was presented by Rajib Rana Das, associate coordinator of Voice. He said the bad impacts of hybrid and monopoly of the multinational companies that are captured our agriculture sector and the whole way of life. He also mentioned that the gradual monopolization and dominance of the companies influence the national policies that keeps companies interest and go against farmers’ interest. Emphasizing not to use hybrid, fertilizer and pesticides, the key note paper also described the consequences on livelihood, environment and traditions and also urged to the farmers to build up resistance against the companies raising the slogan `Resist MNCs, Ban GMO, Make Bangladesh GM Free’.

Sajjad Ansari, executive director of Isol said that multinational companies are putting us in a threat and controlling our livelihood system which ultimately is creating food insecurity. He emphasized that we have a rich heritage in agriculture sector and plenty of bio resources that are being extinct due to MNCs role of taking our seed and agri sector. He also criticized the policies that allow the companies for utter business.

Md. Saifullah, a senior teacher of a local primary school said not to be dependent on the MNCs rather to ensure food security by practising sustainable ecological agriculture. He urged to protest the violations of farmers rights of choices and also resist the multinational companies. Asgar Ali, an aged farmer of the Rashidpur Union has shared his experience of using hybrid seed and finally how bad time he had to pass having no crop.

The discussants also urged to the government to take necessary measures to protect farmer’s rights and save our agriculture, indigenous knowledge and traditions. The speakers also said to save the environment and health that are severely damaged by the company’s hybrid seed and use pesticides and fertilizer.

The programe was attended by the chairman, members of the union parishad, parents, guardians, teachers, health workers, women groups, farmers and local political activists.

Debate held in Mymensing

Not for Farmers Interest, Hybrid serves the Interest of MNCs

Voice, a research and advocacy organization organized a debate titled `Not for Farmers’ Interest, Hybrid serves the Interest of MNCs’ held in Shahid Sayed Nazrul Islam College auditorium, Mymensingh on 19 March 2006. Dr. Marufi Khan, principal of the college moderated the function while she said the importance of the necessity of organizing debate over the issue of seed and agriculture which help the students to raise their critical awareness which also contribute to their academic performance. Dr. Khan also highlights how the agriculture sector is being dependent on the multinational companies and ultimately brings sorrows for the farmers and common people. She said the biodiversity, the environment and livelihood of the farmers are being facing enormous threats due the aggressive role of the multinational companies.

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, the executive director of Voice described the objectives of the debate mentioning the political economy of the country and also the dominance of the companies whose motive is to reap profit only. He mentioned to face the threats and urged to protect the farmers while the young students can do a lot for the nation. He also emphasized on the global policy framework imposed by the regulations of WTO, World bank, International Monetary Fund to the developing nations in the name of so called globalization while the multinational companies acted as their agents that control the national economy. Hybrid creates threats to agriculture, creates monoculture, increase cost of agriculture, use pesticides, fertilizer and damage the biodiversity. He urged to all to resist the aggression and dominance of the companies and save our seed and agriculture to ensure our food sovereignty. Baby Naz Karim, Shawkat Jahan and Ashik Minhaj Setu, the lectures of the college acted as judges of the function while they highly stressed the importance of organizing such lively debate among the students to raise their critical awareness on the issues around food sovereignty.

Shamin Ahmed Shakil, Mahmudur Hasan, Proma Israt spoke in favour of the issue while Utpal Sarkar, Shahid Md. Shahidullah Sarkar, Ashraful Alam Ovi were in opposition of the topic. Two hundred students along with the teachers of the college attended the debate. The debators discussed the issues around seed, food, agriculture, environment, biodiversity, role of MNCs, and policies with a very logical and argumentative manner. Newsletter, booklet and poster on the subject matter were also distributed among all the participants. The prize was also distributed among all the debaters.

The function was also addressed by the poet and social activist Yazdani Koraishi, poet Amjad Dolon and lecturer of the college Asif Minhaz Setu. They urged to stand against the hegemony of WTO and TNCs and urged to resist their enormous control over our agriculture.
VOICE in Media

WTO’s attempt to control agri issues condemned

Speakers at a study circle have condemned the World Trade Organisation (WTO) for its 'unjust and undemocratic' attempt to control agricultural issues.

Voice, a research and advocacy forum, organised the study circle titled 'WTO ministerial conference, agreement on agriculture and farmers' rights' at Haji Osman Ali School auditorium in Mymensingh on Thursday.

Chaired by KM Shamsul Alam, headmaster of the school, the study circle was attended by local civil society members, teachers, students, farmers, trade union leaders and representatives from professional bodies.

The speakers laid emphasis on opposing strongly the WTO-imposed unjust trade and role of multinational companies.
Former BADC engineer Humayun Kabir, and farmers Fazlur Rahman, Abul Kasem and Abdus Salam demanded quota-and-duty-free market access to the developed countries and increased rate of subsidy in the agricultural sector.

The participants also underlined the importance of launching movement to raising awareness among the common people about the bad impacts of WTO trade policies on our agriculture.

Voice Co-ordinator Swadhin Chowdhury discussed the objectives and necessity to spread the movement while Farjana Akter, programme officer, presented the keynote paper. [ www.the dailystar.net]

MDG framed not for development
Speakers tell at dialogue

The conception of global partnership is a master-slave relationship, a hoax and illusion in the name of development that is gradually crippling the country, said the speakers at a dialogue yesterday.

The dialogue styled 'Political economy of aid challenging conditionalities' was organised by Voices of Interactive Choice and Empowerment (Voice) at the National Press Club.

"Millennium Development Goal (MDG) is not framed for development, rather it has become a tool for trade on development issues and incurring poverty", Dr Salimullah Khan, an eminent researcher, said, adding this is high time that the WB and IMF should be withdrawn and the nation has to give hard thought to alternatives.

He castigated the economists who failed to frame a befitting development policy for the country.

"People of Bangladesh are made more indebted due to WB and IMF projects making them more vulnerable. But the horse of Troy remains hidden and those who own fatty lives must be detected," he urged.

Saiful Haque, general secretary of Workers' Party, said the chronicle started from the 60's Green Revolution and the target of the developed countries was to grab the market of 15 crore people.

The aggression has taken its violent form now, he added.

Aminur Rasul, head of the secretariat of the Campaign for Good Governance, showed how the media, civil society and common mass were able to ward off the evil move of the government to snatch away the right to sue the WB and seek justice.

He apprised the audience of an ulterior programme of the government to handing over the water routes to private ownership, like the process initiated in railway sector.

"With this privatisation, the government would lose control over the entire water bodies," he said. Tanim Ahmed, senior staff correspondent of The New age, delineated the grim experience of Bolivia over water treatment plant.

Aiming at supplying water through Saidabad Water Treatment Plant, the new authorities have started controlling pipeline and billing system and days are not far way when they would take the entire system in their grip depriving the people of the utility service, he explained.

The speakers alleged that the WB and IMF are mainly responsible for dismantling price controls and doing away with price support for food, transportation, health and education sectors. They also compelled the government for privatisation of state-owned enterprises and devaluation of currency which will surely undermine the development of the nation.

Golam Mahmud, central organising secretary of BSD, and Shamima Nasreen, leader of Swadhin Bangla Garments Sramik Federation, also spoke on the occasion.
[www.thedailystar.net]

Dialogue criticises IFIs for ‘aid business’

Loans and grants of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and other international financial institutions are counter-productive for Bangladesh.
Politicians and activists also said the multilateral lending agencies take away more in kickbacks than what they give in loans.

They made the observations at a dialogue on the political economy of aid and its contingent conditions organised by non-governmental organisation Voice in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The Workers Party of Bangladesh general secretary, Saiful Huq, said although poverty had reportedly decreased in Bangladesh, inequality continued to increase. ‘It only means that the poorest sections are becoming poorer.’

Indicating that the trend was due to the conditions set by such lending agencies, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Saiful said the national dependence on foreign funds had decreased remarkably in recent times compared with the situation of even a decade or two ago.
He referred to the World Bank’s flood action plan that had turned into a disaster and in fact worsened water stagnation.

Pointing out that the agencies spend only between 20 and 25 per cent on the target group and the rest was spent on logistics and support services,

Saiful said it was basically because of this the establishment still hankered after foreign funds. ‘It is easier to embezzle money from those funds.’

According to a paper by Abul Barakat, general secretary of the Bangladesh Economic Association, that the dialogue presented, only 25 per cent of foreign aid and loans went to the target group, while the rest went to auxiliary and support services.

Among them 25 per cent of the funds went back to foreign countries through payments for foreign consultants and contractors. Bureaucrats and politicians apparently misappropriated 7 per cent of the foreign funds.

Golam Mahmud, a central leader of a faction of Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal, citing the example of Phulbari said the general people had a heightened awareness of the problems of the system. ‘They know quite well what is good and what is not.’

He suggested there should be similar movements questioning the conditions tagged with foreign aid.

Aminur Rasul Babul, head of secretariat for the non-governmental organisation Campaign for Good Governance, said foreign loans were invariably attached to numerous conditions that have and will prove suicidal for Bangladesh.

He said the conditions were intended to liberalise the essential public services that the government provides. ‘Initiatives are on to gradually liberalise and eventually privatise such essential utilities as water and power supply, railway and even roads and highways.’

Other speakers at the dialogue pointed out neo-liberal policies, promoted by the lending agencies, have proved suicidal for Bangladesh.They referred to propositions such as the closure of Adamjee Jute Mills and the Asian Development Bank’s involvement with Asia Energy for the open-pit coal mine at Phulbari. Arup Rahee, executive director of Lokoj, moderated the session.
www.newagebd.com.