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24 January 2013
The World News Headlines This Week US inaugurates Obama
YouTube videos allegedly show Muslim vigilante groups harrassing people who they think are either gay or drunk around the area of East London Mosque
Police launch investigation into Muslim vigilante groups
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olice have launched an investigation after footage showing selfstyled vigilante Muslims patrolling the streets of Whitechapel emerged online. The video shows a self-styled ‘Muslim patrol’ approaching people in Fieldgate Street, close to the East London Mosque. Members of the patrol announce themselves to passersby as “vigilantes implementing Islam against your own necks”. “We are Muslims who patrol the area, forbidding evil”, they can be heard saying. One passer-by is told to “remove yourself away from the Mosque”. They tell others: “Go away now. Don’t come back. Keep your mouths closed.” Responding to a woman
who condemns their actions, the vigilantes can be heard saying: “We don’t care if you’re appalled at all. It’s not so Great Britain.” The footage is thought to have been taken late on
Saturday night, and shows the Muslims pouring alcoholic drinks down drains. A police spokesman confirmed an investigation was being launched after several complaints were received, but
no arrests have yet been made. “Patrols in the areas affected have also been increased in an effort to catch those carrying this out and to reassure the local community”, he added. “We have also been speak-
Local imam condemns ‘tiny minority’ for ‘misrepresentation’ The East London Mosque was quick to issue a statement distancing itself from the actions of what it describes as a “tiny minority” who filmed themselves harassing passers-by under cover of darkness. Local Imams have also used sermons to condemn the actions of the patrol, which has been filmed pouring away people’s alcoholic drinks and hurling homophobic abuse. Imam Shyakh Shams Ad-
Duha, a principle at Islamic education centre Ebrahim College in Whitechapel, used a sermon last week – which was later uploaded to Youtube – to tackle the issue. “I want to address very specifically and directly something we’ve all seen on social media”, he said. “What these brothers need to understand is they will be accountable before Allah for doing these things, for damaging the image of Islam, and for
misrepresenting the Sharia. “These people must have thought ‘what in the world is going on here’. Some bloke comes up and goes ‘this is a Muslim area, you can’t drink’. I can’t even imagine – the guy’s completely stunned. “What are the chances that this guy is gonna want to have anything to do with Islam in the future? That’s his chances of ever being interested in Islam, gone.”
ing to local community leaders and influential people, local businesses and the local authority about the issue and what is being done, and can be done, to address it.” The East London Mosque was quick to distance itself from the actions of the ‘patrol’. A statement read: “These actions are utterly unacceptable and clearly designed to stoke tensions and sow discord. We wholly condemn them. “The East London Mosque is committed to building co-operation and harmony between all communities in this borough. “The actions of this tiny minority have no place in our faith nor on our streets. “We’ll monitor the situation and our Imams will be speaking out against such actions.”
Algeria hostage seige ends with bloody battle and high body count
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t least 37 hostages died in the terrorist seizure of a natural gas facility in eastern Algeria and the subsequent special forces assaults on it, the country’s prime minister said Monday. Five other hostages are missing from the In Amenas complex and could be dead, Prime Minister Abdul Malek Sallal said. Before Sallal’s statement, officials from other countries and companies that employed foreign workers at the sprawling plant had
confirmed 29 hostage deaths. Seven of the 37 confirmed dead haven’t been identified yet, according to the prime minister. Those who have been identified include seven Japanese, six Filipinos, three Americans, three Britons and one Algerian, officials from those countries said. Some 29 militants also died, while three were captured, Sallal said, according to the state-run Algerian Press Service. The standoff ended Saturday, after four days, when Al-
Algerian PM Abdul Malek Sallal gerian special forces stormed the complex for the second time. The government said it did so because the militants were planning to blow up the installation and flee to neigh-
boring Mali with hostages. “If it exploded, it could have killed and destroyed anything within 5 kilometers or further,” Sallal said. Read more: Bloody Algeria hostage crisis ends after ‘final’ assault, officials say Militant says Mali unrest spurred assault; others say it followed ample planning The crisis began Wednesday when Islamist extremists in pickup trucks struck the natural gas complex some 50 kilometers (30 miles) west of the Libyan bor-
der, gathered the Westerners who worked there into a group and tied them up. After taking over, the wellarmed militants planted explosives throughout the complex, Sallal said. They came from eight countries: Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Mali, Niger, Canada and Mauritania. Algeria’s military talked with the militants, but their demands that prisoners in the North African nation be released were deemed unreasonable, according to the prime minister.
An estimated 800,000 people have gathered in Washington, DC, to attend US President Barack Obama’s inauguration speech after he took the public oath of office.Addressing the flag-waving crowd on the National Mall on Monday, Obama asserted his determination to keep in place the social safety net for the poor, the ailing and the elderly. “My fellow Americans, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it, so long as we seize it together,’’ he said, moments after taking the oath of office.
Blasts kill 17 Iraqis
A series of blasts in Iraq, including one by a suicide bomber have killed at least 17 people and dozens more wounded. Tuesday’s attacks struck an Iraqi army checkpoint south of Baghdad, a military base north of the capital and a mostly Shiite neighbourhood in north Baghdad, according to police officials.
French repel Mali rebels
French and Malian troops have entered the key central Malian towns of Diabaly and Doutenza, both of which have been in the hands of al-Qaeda-linked rebels for weeks. A convoy of about 30 armoured vehicles carrying about 200 French and Malian soldiers moved into the town on Monday at about 09:00 GMT, without meeting resistance.
Voting begins in Israel
Voting has begun in Israel’s general elections, which are expected to return Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to a third term with a smaller majority in a coalition government of rightwing and religious parties. Security has been tightened across the country for Tuesday’s polls, which began at 7am (5:00GMT), and more than 20,000 police officers have been deployed to secure the vote.
Canadian kills two in court
A Canadian man facing charges of illegal possession of firearms shot dead two people and injured one after opening fire at Philippine court before turning the gun onto himself. John H Pope, the suspect, was facing charges at a court in the central city of Cebu, when he opened fire and fatally shot a lawyer and physician who filed the case against him.
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24 January 2013
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News This Week Harry admits killing Afghans Britain’s Prince Harry has acknowledged that he killed Taliban insurgents on his latest tour of duty in Afghanistan as a crew member of an Apache attack helicopter. Harry has been serving for four months as a co-pilot gunner (CPG) in southern Helmand province – considered a Taliban heartland – and flew on scores of missions with the trigger to rockets, missiles and a 30mm cannon at his fingertips.
‘This announcement is a disaster for Tower Hamlets … Boris Johnson’s cuts to frontline police and fire fighters will leave the Emergency Services in Tower Hamlets permanently stretched’
Drastic cuts to fire fighting service
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Journalist, police charged
197 million unemployed
A total of 197 million people were without jobs in 2012, with youth being particularly hard hit, and those unemployment figures will increase again this year, according to an International Labor Organization report released Monday.The bulk of the 4 million newly unemployed in 2012 came from developing economies in East Asia, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, according to the Global Employment Trends 2013 report.
Indonesia earthquake kills
One person was killed and seven were injured Tuesday when an earthquake hit the island of Sumatra in Indonesia, according to a government agency. The 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck 37 kilometers (23 miles) under Aceh province, and a 4.7-magnitude aftershock followed 26 minutes later, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
Car bomb kills Assad allies
A suicide car bomb exploded Monday outside the headquarters of a local governmentsanctioned armed group in Syria, killing at least 30 armed people loyal to embattled President Bashar al-Assad, according to an opposition group and state-run television.
Rushanara Ali MP is among the many people who have protested the cuts to the emergency services
London mayor confirms closure of fire stations
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abour politicians in Tower Hamlets have expressed their anger and disbelief at the Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s plans to close Bow fire station and axe an additional fire engine from Whitechapel. The Mayor confirmed the cuts after months of speculation about the future of fire services in the borough. Whilst Labour welcomed that Whitechapel fire station will continue to operate following a high profile campaign to save it, they expressed disbelief that Tower Hamlets would still lose the key Bow fire station and half of the engines based at Whitechapel. Boris Johnson’s announce-
ment came only four days after he revealed plans to close half of the borough’s police counters leaving Tower Hamlets with only one 24-hour police station. Under the plans Bow will lose both its fire station and its police station in a move which will leave the area reliant on services in further afield areas of the borough. This decision will hit the area especially hard as many of the Borough’s remaining tower blocks are in Bow and any increase in response times to fires in these blocks will undoubtedly put lives at risk. The cuts are amongst the greatest in London even though Tower Hamlets has by far the highest rate of call
outs in the capital. This, combined with the largest population growth rate in the country, has led Labour to warn of the disproportionate impact the cuts will have in the borough. The politicians also pointed out that the closure of the fire stations just across the borough border, Silvertown in Newham and Kingsland in Hackney, will leave the borough even more under threat from the effects of major incidents. Since October Labour have been campaigning throughout the borough, in the London Assembly and in Parliament against the proposed closures of Bow and Whitechapel fire stations. Labour’s Lead member for a safer borough, Cllr Abdal
Islamic bank launches new mortgage
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he Islamic Bank of Britain, the UK’s only wholly Sharia compliant retail bank, has launched a rent only buy-to-let mortgage. The ‘rent only’ feature of the mortgage is a variable rental rate product available to landlords, of any faith, with a deposit of 35% at a rental rate of 5.49%. Other features include: > The ability to make additional acquisition payments,
without penalty, subject to a minimum amount of £4,000 > No early payment charge for clearing the finance in full > An administration fee of 1% (a minimum fee of £995 applies) > Minimum property finance of £30, 000, maximum finance of £500, 000 and minimum property value of £90, 000 > The ability to secure an Agreement in Principle (AIP) online at www.
islamic-bank.com or apply directly through the Bank’s branches and contact centre. The BTLPP is also available via mortgage intermediaries Commenting on the launch Imran Pasha, Head of Sales and Service, Islamic Bank of Britain said: “IBB launched its Sharia compliant Buy to Let Purchase Plan in November 2011 and we have seen a healthy demand for the product since then.”
Ullah, said: “This announcement is a disaster for Tower Hamlets. Closing Bow fire station and axing an engine from Whitechapel will have a devastating impact on residents in Tower Hamlets, increasing response times and significantly reducing the number of fire fighters in the borough. “Boris Johnson’s cuts to frontline police and fire fighters will leave the Emergency Services in Tower Hamlets permanently stretched, with significantly less time to spend on prevention and training. In the borough with the highest number of fire call outs in London these cuts are entirely wrong and Labour will work to oppose them at every level.”
Poetry
A journalist at Britain’s best-selling tabloid newspaper, The Sun, and a former London police officer will face criminal charges over alleged illegal payments for sensitive information, prosecutors said Tuesday. Virginia Wheeler, defense editor at The Sun, and Paul Flattley are accused of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
ondon Mayor Boris Johnson will close 12 fire stations across London, says the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority. The stations are spread across London and include Bow and Silvertown fire stations, as well as losing a fire engine from Whitechapel fire station. The London Fire Brigade’s budget has been cut by the Mayor and government by £45 million over the next two years. Even after the 12 stations, 18 fire appliances and 400 firefighters have been cut the Mayor and LFEPA will still have to find over £5 million of cuts. On average it costs £1.4 million to run a one fire engine station. Local Labour London Assembly Member John Biggs said: “London’s fire brigade is facing a crisis, today we found out in East London we will lose Bow and Silvertown fire stations, as well as losing an engine from Whitechapel fire station and the closure of a further 11 fire stations across the whole of London, 18 fire engines and 400 fire-fighters. This will reduce fire cover in London and these cuts will put the safety and security of Londoners at risk. “How can cutting 12 of our fire stations, 18 fire engines and 400 fire-fighters be in the best interest of Londoners? “The government are cutting too far and too fast, hitting the frontline and fundamentally undermining the ability of the fire brigade to do their job. It’s time that the Mayor stood up for Londoners and got a better deal from central government. “We understand that savings have to be made, but the level of cuts forced on the London Fire Brigade by the Mayor and government are truly reckless. Boris’s cuts are hitting front-line services and putting public safety at risk.”
Creations Like a rainbow without its colours Like a flower without its sweet fragrance Like space without its twinkling stars Like the moon without its glowing light Like a mirror without its reflection Like a person without its shadow Like a heart without its pulse Without you I am nothing! By Naima Zaman 10 years old
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24 January 2013
News
Tower Hamlets budget approved by councillors
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ower Hamlets councillors last week approved an updated three-year budget plan showing Tower Hamlets Council is well on target to delivering a balanced budget – whilst protecting key services and investing in housing, education, employment and leisure. The Medium Term Financial Plan takes the council’s finances up to 2015/16, and upholds the Mayor’s commitment to protecting services for residents. Whilst some savings will still need to be identified towards the end of the period, the council is on track to delivering a balanced budget for 2013-14 and 2014-15. This is despite continued central Government pressure on local authority budgets as a result of the austerity period which now covers a seven year timeframe from 2010 to 2017. Some of the key elements of the plan are: > a freeze on council tax for the fourth year running, keeping more money in residents’ pockets; > the continuation of the Mayor’s Education Award – a grant designed to support post-16 students in education following the Government’s scrapping of the Education Main-
Tower Hamlets is facing a severe squeeze on its budget but councillors claim to have protected key services tenance Allowance (EMA); > a £1 million programme to support the most vulnerable families at risk of homelessness due to the Government’s raft of welfare reforms as they come into force over the next few months; > a borough-wide deep clean; > the appointment of a town centre manager in the Roman Road area, to help boost the local economy and local businesses; and > potential for a £600,000
scheme to support local young people with the burden of university costs; the details of which will be considered at a later Cabinet meeting. Cabinet’s approval of the plan follows December’s grant settlement announcement, where the Government introduced further cuts hitting Tower Hamlets and other councils across the country. Despite having to make savings of nearly £30 million in
cash terms over the next two years, the council has made progress with balancing its budget by forecasting additional savings and factoring these into the Medium Term Financial Plan. Mayor Lutfur Rahman said: “Despite the financial pressure on us imposed by central Government, we are on track to delivering savings and doing so in a way that will not impact severely on residents. “I am committed to deliver-
ing the priorities residents helped to establish, including increasing the number of affordable homes, providing employment opportunities to residents, and promoting community safety.” Councillor Alibor Choudhury, Lead Member for Resources, added: “By taking a proactive approach and anticipating further savings, we’ve been able to plan ahead and make difficult decisions that deliver what we need to while serving residents’ interests. “This doesn’t mean we can be complacent however, we’ll continue to monitor these plans as Government policy continues to develop and the welfare reforms kick in.” Residents will be able to have their say on the plans at a second budget roadshow, on January 29 (5.30pm – 6.30pm) at Idea Store Whitechapel, 321 Whitechapel Road, London, London E1 1BU. A budget congress will also be organised with partners of the council in early February. The council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee will discuss the Cabinet’s proposals later in January before making recommendations to Cabinet on 6 February 2013. Full council will then consider the budget proposals on 20 February 2013.
Government to grant extra £165m funding for homes
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he Tower Hamlets Decent Homes programme has been given a boost as the money for the next stage of the scheme is committed. It has been announced that £165m worth of Decent Homes funding would be pledged to Tower Hamlets mainly through Government grants which Labour have long campaigned for. Today’s announcement comes after over two years of solid campaigning by the Labour Party locally and in Parliament. MP Rushanara Ali has been instrumental in lobbying for the funding. The MP urged the Prime
Minister David Cameron to approve the funding in one of her first outings in the House of Commons. Following this the Labour MP met with the Communities and Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles to make Tower Hamlets’ case. The politicians also criticised the independent Mayor of Tower Hamlets for trying to take credit for the funding after he held a publicity event this afternoon. Labour’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Motin Uz-Zaman, said: “Thanks to the hard work of our Labour MP Rushanara Ali the Government has awarded
Cllr Motin Uz-Zaman the borough £165m to continue the flagship Decent Homes programme we introduced. Whilst not the £220m Labour had previously pledged, this funding will go a long way to helping residents currently
living in non-decent homes. “It is disappointing that the Mayor has tried to claim credit for this funding; when it is clear to me that it was our Labour MPs Rushanara Ali and Jim Fitzpatrick who made the difference.” Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, Rushanara Ali, said: “I campaigned for this Decent Homes funding as soon as I was elected in 2010. By working with Jim Fitzpatrick MP and other Labour colleagues, we secured £100 million for the Decent Homes scheme in Tower Hamlets. “The first thing I did when
I became an MP was to raise this with David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions and lobby the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. This is why Tower Hamlets Council is now able to use the funding to carry out work to bring homes up to a decent standard. “Whilst it is a sad fact that the Mayor or Tower Hamlets feels it necessary to try and claim credit for this victory, we know that it was Labour’s foresight to introduce Decent Homes and our campaigning and lobbying which has brought this funding to the borough.”
This Week Brit sentenced to death
A 56-year-old British grandmother has been sentenced to death by firing squad in Indonesia for drug trafficking. Lindsay Sandiford was arrested at Bali’s airport in May last year after 4.8kg (10.6lb) of cocaine was found in the lining of her suitcase during a routine customs check. Sandiford, whose last UK address was in Gloucestershire, said she was coerced into bringing the drugs to the island. Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire has condemned the sentence.
Army numbers to be cut
The Ministry of Defence has announced a third round of Army redundancies. Up to 5,300 job losses were outlined by the government. These are part of cuts already announced to reduce Army numbers from 102,000 to 82,000 by 2017. Defence minister Mark Francois said the MoD would ensure it retained the capabilities the Armed Forces required “in order to meet the challenges of the future”.
Hilco takes control of HMV
Restructuring specialist Hilco has taken effective control of music and DVD retailer HMV. Hilco, which already owns HMV Canada, has bought the debt of HMV from the group’s lenders, Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland. The debt deal gives Hilco effective control of HMV, which fell into administration last week.
Suicides rates increase
The number of people taking their own life in the UK rose “significantly” in 2011, latest figures from the Office for National Statistics have shown. Some 6,045 people killed themselves in 2011, an increase of 437 since 2010. The highest suicide rate was among men aged between 30 and 44. About 23 men per 100,000 took their own lives. On average, across both sexes, 11.8 people per 100,000 population killed themselves in 2011, up from 11.1 people the previous year.
Snow shuts schools
Hundreds of schools are closed as disruption due to widespread snow continues for a fifth day. With fresh falls overnight and more forecast for Tuesday, schools in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have opted to stay shut.
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24 January 2013
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Features ‘Death clock’ in Dhaka to show smoking deaths
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angladesh has set up a “Death Clock” in its capital to try and raise some awareness about the dangers related to smoking. According to Sayed Badrul Karim from the Progga NGO, about 57,000 people die each year due to tobacco-related diseases in Bangladesh. The country is ranked as one of the world’s highest in tobacco consumption. The “Death Clock” was installed on a road near Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence in the capital Dhaka. This clock will be keeping a rolling tally of people dying of tobacco-repeated illnesses every day. Taifur Rahman, Advocacy and Media Coordinator in Bangladesh of CTFK, said that the clock will be running until the next parliament session, January 27. About 58 percent of men, and 29 percent of women in Bangladesh are tobacco users. The country is considering a new law that will restrict the use of tobacco, and increase taxes on tobacco products. Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu said the move gives assurance to provide all possible support in passage of the amended anti-tobacco law. The clockmakers hope that the Death Clock will be a tool to draw attention to policymakers, and help expedite amendment of anti-tobacco law. The cabinet approved the draft of the amended tobacco control act 2012 in principle on August 27, 2012. According to a report by the Financial Express, over 20,000 people have already died in the past 132 days due to tobacco use. Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death in the world, and the rate of consumption in Bangladesh is higher than any other country in the world.
Smoking kills 57,000 a year
A Bangladesh Air Force MIG-29 lands at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka
Bangladesh Air Force Antonov An-32, which is used as a transport plane
A soldier aboard a Russian-made helicopter
Details emerge of $1 billion arms deal Aspects of the $1 billion arms deal between Russia and Bangladesh are continuing to emerge. One controversial aspect is the plan to build a nuclear power plant at Ruppur
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odern Russian weapons are the most appropriate armaments for Bangladesh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh emphasised in an exclusive interview with the Voice of Russia. She gave an interview about the results of Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Russia. “The decision to receive a loan of one billion dollars from Russia for the purchase of new Russian military equipment is important for us”, noted Dipu Moni (pictured in the circle). “Russian military equipment has long been known in Bangladesh”, Minister of foreign Affairs Dipu Moni said. “During the Soviet period we bought the Mikoyan MiG-21 aircraft. Later we purchased the Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft. We have Russian transport airplanes and helicopters. “In accordance with the strategic plan of the re-equipment of our army, we intend to carry out new purchases of the Russian military equipment. The Bangladeshi military contingent participates in virtually all the operations aimed at restoring peace and order carried out by the United Nations forces. Its equipment should meet modern requirements. And the weapons, which we intend to buy from Russia, will also be used for this mission”. Military experts state that in recent years, Bangladesh purchased a consignment of MIG-29 fighter aircraft, armored personnel carriers BTR-80, BREM-K and BMM, several MI171Sh helicopters from Russia. And today Bangladesh takes interest in Russian air defense equipment, helicopters, and ground
Illustration of the planned nuclear power plant at Roppur, Bangladesh
‘Bangladesh and Russia will exchange information relating to drug trafficking, illegal transportation of weapons, illegal crossing of borders, and fighting against piracy’
The BTR-80 army personnel carrier is more familiar
forces combat equipment. More than 10 documents were signed these days in Moscow. In this voluminous package, Minister of foreign Affairs Dipu Moni marks the significance of another Russian loan for Bangladesh: $500 million for the construction of the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant. This will be the first nuclear power plant in Bangladesh. Great hopes for resolving energy problems of the country are connected with it. Among the main bilateral documents Dipu Moni mentioned the Memorandum on anti-terrorist cooperation. “From time to time we cooperate with Russia in this field, but now this cooperation will be carried out on a permanent basis”, the Minister of foreign Affairs explained. “Bangladesh and Russia will exchange information relating to drug trafficking, illegal transportation of weapons, illegal crossing of borders, and fighting against piracy,” Dipu Moni said. “Joint training of personnel of the special services is planned. We are going to combine efforts in the face of possible new challenges and we intend to act in this direction together with other countries”. There is still a problem of increasing bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Russia. The parties will make concrete steps in this direction, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Dipu Moni noted. “A Business Council of the two countries is being created”, The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh says. “The question of issuing a visa to businessmen on their arrival in Bangladesh is being discussed. Negotiations on Russia’s granting privileges to Bangladesh on the supply of Bangladeshi traditional goods, including frozen seafood, clothes, and knitted wear are under way. “Through Russia, Bangladesh is establishing trade contacts with other countries of the Customs Union – Kazakhstan and Belarus. A decision is taken on establishing an intergovernmental Commission on cooperation between Russia and Bangladesh. It will be headed by Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the two countries. The Commission will be engaged in expanding cooperation in all directions”. Bangladesh has made an application for accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as an observer-state. Minister of foreign Affairs Dipu Moni is sure that participation in this growing and influential regional organization will give additional impetus to Bangladesh’s relations with Russia.
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10 January 2013
The World News Headlines This Week Gang rape case: five in court
Walmart, the world’s largest retail company, has been found to have had ties to a garment factory in Bangladesh where 112 workers were trapped and killed in a fire in late November 2012. The company, which buys $1 billion in garments from Bangladesh each year, initially tried to deny any connection
Mayor fires off angry letter over Banglatown
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ayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman has published a letter clamming planned changes to the borough’s electoral wards following the conclusion of a public consultation. In the strongly-worded letter, Mr Rahman called on the Local Government Boundary Commission to scrap its plans to re-name wards after the tumultuous consultation period came to an end on Monday. Mr Rahman’s detailed his response to the plans, writing that he objected in the “strongest possible terms” to the pro-
posals to scrap ‘Banglatown’, the removal of ‘St Dunstan’s’ from the Stepney Wards, and the re-naming of East India and Lansbury as Poplar North. Referring to the move to drop the name ‘Banglatown’ from the Spitalfields and Banglatown ward, he wrote: “I struggle to comprehend why any individual or political entity would regard dispensing with this name as desirable, aside from as a very cynical blast on the proverbial dog whistle, aimed at attracting support from people who resent the Bangladeshi com-
‘Renaming the (Banglatown) ward as merely ‘Spitalfields’ would be a hugely reactionary, retrograde and provocative step’
Mayor Lutfur Rahman munity’s presence in t he area. “Accordingly, renaming the ward as merely ‘Spitalfields’ would be a hugely reactionary, retro-
grade and provocative step”. The Commission is due to publish its final recommendations in Spring this year. Its draft proposals had also attracted criticism for removing the names of former Labour Party leader George Lansbury and former Bishop of London St Dunstan from
ward names in the borough. Mr Rahman concluded: “I hope that you will consider my submission, as well as the views of hundreds of local residents expressed in related petitions, extremely carefully when arriving at a final decision.” eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk
Five sentenced to death for murder in Dhaka of Saudi diplomat
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special tribunal sentenced to death five Bangladeshi men for killing a Saudi diplomat in an apparent street crime earlier this year. Initial speculation about the shooting had focused on Iran, which denied the accusations. The suspects told investigators they were trying to rob the diplomat and shot him accidentally. Khalaf bin Mohammed Salem al-Ali, a 45-year-old official in the Saudi Embassy’s consu-
lar section, was killed near his home in Dhaka in March. Tribunal Judge Mohammad Motahar Hossain handed down the verdict Sunday, chief prosecutor Rafiqul Islam said. One of the men was tried in his absence, Islam said. He said the men can appeal the verdict. Iran has been accused of other international attacks or attempted attacks against diplomats, including Saudis. Days after the shooting, Saudi Arabia sent investigators to assist
Khalaf bin Mohammed Salem al-Ali was killed near his home in Dhaka Bangladeshi detectives. The defendants pleaded not guilty at the trial. After their arrest in July, the four men told investigators they tried to rob the
diplomat as he was going for a walk on the deserted street and shot him accidentally during a scuffle. Police said the men were ar-
rested after a revolver and a car used in the killing were found in their possession. Muslim-majority Bangladesh enjoys good relations with Saudi Arabia, which is a top destination for Bangladeshi migrant workers. Relations between the countries were tested in October last year, when Saudi Arabia beheaded eight Bangladeshi workers who were found guilty of robbing and killing an Egyptian.
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Five men accused of raping and murdering an Indian student were read the charges in a nearempty courtroom on Monday after the judge cleared out lawyers for bickering over whether the men deserved a defence. The 23-year-old physiotherapy student died two weeks after being gang-raped and beaten on a moving bus in New Delhi, then thrown bleeding onto the street. Protests followed, along with a fierce public debate over police failure to stem rampant violence against women. With popular anger simmering against the five men and a teenager accused in the case, most lawyers in the district where the trial will be held refuse to represent them.
British soldier shot dead
A British soldier serving with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has been shot dead by a man in an Afghan army uniform, according to the US-led military coalition. In a statement released on Tuesday, ISAF said that the incident, which took place in southern Afghanistan on Monday, was “under investigation”. “The British soldier was killed when a suspected Afghan soldier opened fire first at Afghan troops and then at British soldiers,” said Major Martyn Crighton, an ISAF spokesman. “In the subsequent engagement, the attacker was killed by British troops.”
Many killed in drone attack
At least eight people have been killed in two suspected US drone attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal areas, security officials say.Both attacks took place in the Mir Ali area of the North Waziristan tribal district in the early hours of Tuesday. In Khiderkhel, eight missiles were fired at a compound, killing at least four people, security sources told Al Jazeera. In Essakhel, meanwhile, two missiles were fired, killing at least three people.
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Messi named world’s best
Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi has been named world footballer of the year for the fourth time in a row, marking another unprecedented achievement. He pipped Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo to the title. No other male footballer has been named the best on the planet in four separate years, let alone four in succession.
Rough sailing for river-gypsies Bedes, who live on riverboats, are struggling to preserve their heritage as their traditional sources of income dry up
“G
et off,” she yells, shaking her fists at giggling, shirtless children. “Stop hopping. My boat will sink.” Seventy-year-old Halima crouches and bails out water with a timeworn aluminum pot. Satisfied, she sits cross-legged on the bow as tiny waves rock the boat. “The boat has always been my home. We roamed through hundreds of rivers,” Halima says with a smile. Her teeth are stained black from years of chewing dried areca nuts wrapped in fresh betel leaves, with a dash of lime. Like many in rural Bangladesh, she uses only her first name. Halima recalls her nomadic past with pride and sadness. She belongs to the one-million-strong river-gypsy community of Bangladesh, also known as Bede. Rivers are life for Bedes. For hundreds of years, they have wandered along intricate waterways, charming snakes, training monkeys, selling trinkets, performing magic and healing people. Now their elixirs and amulets have few takers and their antics amaze no one. Pushed to the margin, the Bedes struggle to preserve their heritage. When the haphazard cracks on the boat became longer and its holes bigger, Halima could not afford the $1,000 needed for repairs. Unable to sail, she is living on an inlet of Meghna River, in Subarnogram, 24 kilometres from the capital, Dhaka. A dozen boats are tied to bamboo poles, stuck to the waterbed. Her ramshackle one-room boat has a tin roof, two doors and small square windows. Utensils, clothes, sandals are neatly organised. Her five grandchildren sleep here. A smaller boat houses a mud oven and food, where she stays with her son and daughterin-law. She rows a small raft to reach the bank or move around. “We use the river water to clean, cook, bathe and drink. We have no land. Where else can we go?” she asks ruefully. With broken boats and no other skills, Halima and her family are scrambling to find work in the mainstream job market, a fate shared by most Bedes. Here at Subarnogram, children frolick in water, women wash clothes, and people bathe along with ducks under the crisp winter sun. The moss-green river is filled with water hyacinth. “We believe our forefathers were Bedouin in Arabia, so our name is Bede. When they converted to Islam they were forced
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Features to settle elsewhere,” says Muhammad Abu Kalam. He lights a hand-rolled cigarette, and between smoke puffs tells stories about their origins. Some say they are descendents of the Santhal tribe, others say they come from the Montongs of Myanmar or from the Himalayas. Bedes travel in groups for 10 months a year, stopping in nearly 90 villages. For two months they rest on a riverbank, celebrating weddings and circumcisions and resolving disputes. Each clan has different professions: The Sandar clan sells ribbons and bangles, Malboidhyas are traditional doctors, and Shaporas tame snakes. Muksed Muhammad fondly recalls learning age-old tricks from his father. “My primary skill is to dive into a pond or river to retrieve jewelry lost while bathing,” he says. Mohammad is also a healer. “It is a mixture of naturopathy and spiritual belief.” He has a collection of feathers, bones, roots, herbs, shells and coloured stones. He dishes out solutions for most maladies. For instance, a fish bone, brown with age, is used to add pressure and relieve pain. He picks a few seashells, prays and kisses them, and says, “If you tie it to your arm or keep it close to the breast, it will negate [the] evil eye.” Stubborn illness requires esoteric arts. To cure asthma, he suggests a talisman, which contains the gullet of a swan and a piece of rope that was used by someone to hang themselves. “Earlier, we used to earn well when there were no doctors in the village. But people don’t believe in herbal medicines or magic anymore. We earned around 500-1,000 taka ($6.25-12.50) a day - now maybe 50, 100 ($0.63-1.25),” he adds. Traditionally, Bede women were the primary breadwinners, while men stayed at home. But this trend is reversing as incomes dwindle. Khadija looks much older than her 40 years, her face lined with wrinkles from age and hard living. “When I was younger, I was a star snake-charmer,” she says. “People clapped and gave us rice, food, clothes, money.” Her stage name is Jyotsna, a name popular among Bedes, taking after the cult film “Beder Meye Jyotsna”. This love story is based on a rural play about a Bede girl who cures a prince bitten by a snake. Now, like many Bede women, she wanders around the streets of Dhaka selling Tupperware, as well as practicing traditional medicine, which can include pulling teeth and cleansing ears and eyes. Khadija’s mother taught her how to use a shinga, or cow’s horn, to suck blood from one’s waist to relieve pain. But her daughter Silvee, 18, refuses to follow her steps. “No. No. I don’t want to do this,” she says. “This shinga that they give is not good for people’s health. I never let them use the shinga on me.” The Bedes won the right to vote only in 2008. Before that, they were unable to vote as they did not have voter identification cards. Bedes had once been highly regarded in Bangladeshi society, but their status declined as the country has modernised over the past 60 years. A K M Maksud, the executive director of local non-profit GramBangla Unnayan Commmitte, says, “People say the Bedes have disappeared. But where do you think the community went?” Maksud says 98 percent of Bedes live below the poverty line, 95 percent are illiterate, and children are married at age 11 on average. The average size of a Bangladeshi household is 4.4 but it is 7.5 for Bedes. “Now they are seen as dirty outcasts. The Bedes eat vultures and live with snakes; both animals are looked down [on] in Islam, resulting in marginalisation of the community,” he explains. Bede women are seen as loose. “They do not wear purdah and often touch the bodies of male patients, which goes against the dominant Bengali-Muslim culture.” Bedes are caught in a tug-of-war between passion for heritage and abject poverty - to continue or let go their ancestral craftsmanship. A local non-profit, Subarnogram Foundation, has set up a school on a boat. Inside, 15 students recite English rhymes, learn arithmetic and the Bengali language. “I want to study and become a police officer,” says Rana, 10. But his father, Mohammad Abbas, says, “If I do not pass down the healing secrets to my children, they will be lost. We are born to be river nomads.”
Bangladesh cleric Abul Kalam Azad sentenced to die
A
court in Bangladesh has sentenced a wellknown Muslim cleric to death for crimes against humanity during the country’s 1971 independence war. Abul Kalam Azad’s conviction is the first verdict handed down by the controversial tribunal. The cleric, a presenter of Islamic programmes on television, shot dead six Hindus and raped Hindu women during the war, prosecutors said. He is thought to be in Pakistan and was found guilty in absentia. BBC Bengali editor Sabir Mustafa says the verdict is being seen as a triumph for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has made prosecuting war crimes a key goal of her government. Critics of the tribunal, however, say the charges against Maulana Azad and others are politically motivated. The court is not endorsed by the United Nations. Tribunal officials said Maulana Azad’s family failed to co-operate with his courtappointed defence lawyer, and they did not provide any witnesses to testify on his behalf. As a result, the case was concluded fairly quickly. Mr Azad (pictured) was a junior leader in the student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami party in 1971 and a member of the Razakar Bahini, an auxiliary force set up to help the Pakistani army by rooting out local resistance. The Razakars were notorious for their operations targeting Hindus as well as civilians suspected of being sympathetic towards Bengali nationalists. The International Crimes Tribunal was set up by the Awami League-led government to try those Bangladeshis accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then) from becoming an independent country.