Law

Human Rights advocacy

Do the refugees have any remedy under our laws?

Shafiqur Rahman Khan

INTERNATIONAL human rights law, as mentioned in the Preamble to the UDHR, aims to ensure the equality of all people that should live with all dignity and worth inherent in all human beings without any discrimination whatsoever. The primary subjects of international law being the States, they carry the responsibility to ensure that all persons within their sovereign territory and under their jurisdiction do fully enjoy the rights guaranteed under international law and which the respective State has undertaken to respect, protect and fulfil. With regard to the obligation to protect, the State, in addition to putting in place appropriate policies and legislative measures, is specifically obligated to ensure that every person in its territory enjoys the right to an effective remedy when his or her rights have been violated. This writing sought to look into how or whether this right to an effective remedy is realised by refugees both in domestic law and in international law generally.

The right to an effective remedy in international law
The meaning of the right to an effective remedy as interpreted by various international and regional bodies, namely: the HRC, the CESCR, the European Court of Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. Going by the way these bodies have interpreted this right, one can deduce that the right to an effective remedy implies one; procedural remedies or the means by which a victim of a human rights violation may obtain substantive redress and these should be competent, independent and impartial tribunals, not necessarily judicial which abide by the procedural guarantees as set out under human rights law. Such institutions for obtaining remedies should be both available and accessible. Secondly, it implies that the remedy obtained by the victim should sufficiently redress the violation that has occurred and as such the nature of the remedy may take various forms ranging from reparation, compensation, investigations and prosecution of individual offenders to amending offending laws. The actual realisation of the right, moreover, occurs when the particular remedy is enforced.

The right to an effective remedy under refugee law
A refugee, fleeing persecution from his or her country as defined under international law, or civil war or armed conflict, as recognised under the African refugee protection regime, becomes “an object of international concern under refugee law, where the circumstances are such that he or she has lost or been deprived of protection under law in his or her country of origin, and is in need of another source of protection”. Owing to the principle of State sovereignty, it does not automatically follow that a refugee will obtain protection of another State. In fact international law generally does not explicitly recognise the right to obtain asylum, but it recognises the principle of non-refoulement, which shall be expounded upon shortly. There is thus a gap from when a refugee flees his or her country to when he or she is formally accepted or granted asylum in another State. In order to fill in this gap, the international community created the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with a specific mandate to “provide international protection to refugees and to seek permanent solutions to the problem of refugees by assisting, primarily, Governments to facilitate the voluntary repatriation of refugees, or their assimilation in new national communities”.

Nevertheless, the CSR (Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees) does provide for the rights of refugees in the asylum country, among which is free access to courts. However, it goes no further than this, leaving the details into the hands of each individual and sovereign State.

The refugee and the right to an effective remedy in practice: Bangladesh situation
Following the persecution generated by the Myanmar military authority, hundreds and thousands of Rohingya refugees took refuge in Bangladesh since 19901-92. About 258,000 Rohingyas were registered by the Government of Bangladesh and still thousands of them are arriving.

The right to an effective remedy, generally speaking, is well catered for under the Constitution and laws of Bangladesh (Article 31, 32& 35 of Bangladesh Constitution). Going by the constitutional provisions, any person, refugees included, wishing to vindicate their rights has access to competent, independent and impartial institutions that will hear his or her case and where, a violation is established, then provide an appropriate remedy. Thus far, the Government of Bangladesh is very much in compliance with its obligation to ensure the right to an effective remedy to all persons within in its territory and under its jurisdiction, without discrimination, as provided under international human rights law.

When it comes to the practical implementation of these human rights and constitutional guarantees, then the right appears to be rather illusory particularly for refugees in settlements. The law provides for their free access to courts, but at the same time it greatly restricts their movement. This is worsened by the practice and other factors, as seen above, which in effect negates refugees' access to courts and any other institutions which would vindicate their rights. Moreover, these institutions do not go 'knocking at peoples' doors' looking for violations; it is the people who have to go to them.

It is therefore humbly submitted that while the right of refugees to an effective remedy is adequately provided for under both international law and in domestic law (that is, in Bangladesh), it is not that easily realised by a refugee, especially the kind of refugee that we have looked at. While international law and its protection or monitoring mechanisms aim to ensure that this right is available to all, they can only, in most cases, go as far as making declarations that a State has violated its obligations and that it should provide a remedy. The plight of a refugee would therefore be better redressed in a domestic setting, if the system is in fact functioning as envisaged under international human rights law, but even where it is not, the practice in international law is that the ultimate solution and enforcement of any right will depend on the good faith of the State in carrying out its human rights obligations.

Broadening the concept of refugee protection
Moreover, the States do avoid the responsibility of ensuring that refugees are accorded an effective remedy by their State of origin or nationality by neglecting to make such a provision under refugee law instruments. Taking this approach would better ensure that refugees do obtain an effective remedy for the violations they may have suffered that occasioned their flight. What then would be the effective remedy in such instances with regard to the remedies proffered under human rights law? There are a few suggestions that could be considered:

a) Compensation or Restitution: under the Principles Concerning Treatment of Refugees, it is provided that a refugee “shall have the right to receive compensation from the State or country which he left or to which he was unable to return”. This compensation would in fact seek to redress all the losses and violations an individual may have suffered.

b) Truth and Reconciliation: one of the ways of redressing gross human rights violations is through truth and reconciliation commissions. However, this approach taken on its own could leave many victims without full remedies and perpetrators without complete sanction, which might defeat the purpose of justice.

c) Accountability/Prosecution: as we saw earlier, human rights bodies emphasise the importance of investigating and prosecuting human rights violators as one of the effective remedies. Systematic creators of refugee problems should be made responsible to the international community by establishing proper forum.

There are other remedies provided under the Basic Principles, which include satisfaction, guarantees of non-repetition, rehabilitation and which could also be accorded to refugees. The basic proposition here is that the international community should adopt a two-pronged approach to the refugee problem: one which seeks to provide an alternative and temporary solution, and the other which aims at providing redress or remedies for human rights violations suffered by the refugees.

To wrap up, States should take their international obligations seriously instead of saying one thing on paper and doing the other in practice. Bangladesh has been hosting refugees for a long time but it is not a State party to the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees 1951 or it's Protocol. No domestic legal framework is available to deal with the issues of asylum and refugees. It is against this backdrop, Bangladesh should take necessary steps for accession to the UN Convention. This could perhaps help remove that feeling of 'nothingness' that a refugee experiences and restore his or her dignity and worth as a human being, which is one of the objectives and principles of human rights law.

Shafiqur Rahman Khan is Assistant Professor and Chairman, Department of Law, BGC Trust University, Chittagong, Bangladesh.

From Comilla Revisiting Mainamati

THIS May, I rode the bus to Mainamati for the first time in six years. I had not seen the ancient kingdom of Samatata in so long. The archaeological museum of Mainamati displayed a number of Buddhist sculptures, artifacts, terracotta plaques, coins, utensils and manuscripts from the period between the 6th to 13th century AD.

In the museum I found the Assistant Custodian Mr. Sadequzzaman, who was my guide six years ago. I visited this area on a winter's day in 2003 and this year it was a mid-summer's day and I felt I had gotten exhausted just from the bus ride. The sun was blazing and there was a beautiful view of krishnachuras on the way. I was accompanied by Prothom Alo's Comilla Correspondent and the Assistant Custodian of the museum as I looked around.

Mainamati Museum Today
There are 42 showcases displaying royal copper plates, 350 coins, bronze sculptures, stone sculptures, terracotta plaques and other terracotta objects, stone and metal objects, pottery and more. One particular copper plate is from Salban Bihara. It measures ten by eight inches, has writing on both its sides, on top it has a Dharmachakra (Wheel of Law), with two seated deer symbolising the first Sermon of Buddha in the Deer Park of Sarnath. After the copper plates, coins are the most important findings from the Mainamati excavations. Earliest are two gold coins belonging to the imperial Guptas, identified as the Asyamedha coin of Samudragupta (335-375 AD). The most recent coins found in the Kutila Mura excavation in 1957 belongs to the last Abbaside Caliph Abu Ahmed Abdullah Mustaasim Billah (1242-1258 AD). These give us evidence of trade between Arab countries and Bangladesh during the pre-Islamic period.

There are a large number of unbaked clay stupas encasing circular burnt clay ceilings inscribed with Buddhist creed. These were recovered in abundance from the Tri-ratna stupas of Kutila Mura. Among the clay figures the eight-handed Taras and Jamvalas are noteworthy. A large number of bronze sculptures were discovered from the Salban Bihara excavations, mainly the statutes of Buddha, Bodhisattva and Tara. These are excellent specimens of metal-casting and represent a mature art. These sculptures reveal a gradual change in Mahayana Buddhism in Bangladesh in the 7th and 8th centuries AD.

The terracotta plaques are often the greatest source of excitement. Representations of men and women in war, warriors with swords and shields and archers with bows and arrows are noteworthy amongst the human representations. Besides these, flying female figures, amorous couple and acrobats are fairly common. Among birds, peacocks and swans are represented in different plaques. There is a swan holding a string of pearls and another eating the stem of a lotus. Terracotta plaques depicting animals include lions, horses, monkeys, wild boars, crocodiles and kirti-mukhas or two crouching lions. There are also fossilised woods, glass and shell objects and large-sized bricks at premises of the museum. The six largest sculptures in the museum are the black stone image of Heruka (a tantrik deity), a sandstone image of goddess Tara, the bronze head of a Buddhist image of Lokanatha, the image of Manjuvara in blackstone, the eight-armed black stone image of Marichi or the female counterpart of the meditative Buddha and the image of Ganesha, the Hindu God of wealth.

Outside the Museum: Archaeological spots under the open sky
As we come out of the museum, we follow the trail of red Krishnachura petals on red clay of the Lalmai hills to search for 23 archaeological sites of Mainamati. Finding all 23 might be a little too much for one day, but we can look at a few of the most important ones.

Salban Bihara (Site no. 12): Excavations since 1955 at the Salbanpur mound have revealed remains of a 550 square feet Buddhist monastery which was remade as Salban Bihara due to its proximity to the shal forest in the west. The big monastery, consisting of 115 cells, was built around a spacious courtyard with a shrine in the centre.

Kutila Mura (Site no. 4): Perched on a hillock, Kutila Mura is located about three miles north of Salban Bihara. On top of the hillock, within the enclosure, there are three stupas representing three jewels of Buddhism. This site measures about 280 feet from north to south and about 225 feet from east to west.

Charpatra Mura (Site no. 19): Excavation on this mound has completely exposed the remains of a fairly large temple complex. It was renamed Charpatra Mura (hillock of four leaves) and belonged to the ancient Chandra kings. The ground plan of a large temple complex, measuring 105 feet east-west and 55 feet north-south, could be found here.

Ananada Raja's Palace (Site no. 5): This mound is situated about a mile north of the BARD complex at Kotbari, Comilla. It is more than 650 square feet in size and about 15 feet higher than the flat land. Local people call it Ananda Rajar Bari.

Ranir Bungalow Mound (Site no. 20): Situated on the northernmost point of Mainamati hill, the mound is nearly 40 feet higher than the surrounding flat land. It is locally known as the palace and temple of Rani Mainamati, a well-known heroine in Bengali folk-literature. But why are cattle grazing here? Is there no one to look after this place?

Challenges of the Mainamati Museum and other archaeological spots:
Despite the beauty of the Mainamati museum and other archaeological spots, overall it lacks proper maintenance and care. “Problems are many. We have a manpower crisis” said Mr. Sadequzzaman, Assistant Custodian of the Mainamati Museum who has been working here since 1999.

“Although the museum earns around Tk. 1,50,000-2,10,000 per month from ticket sales, this is really not enough to maintain, renovate and excavate the archaeological sites and the museum. The Department of Archaeology and Ministry of Culture helps us. Still, we need more financial support to excavate further and renovate in a more modernised way,” he commented.

“We are hopeful that the number of visitors is will increase. In summer (1st April to 30th September) the museum remains open from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm with a half hour lunch break. It is closed on Sundays. In winter (1st October to 31st March), the museum remains open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.” he added.

Audity Falguni

References:
A.K.M.Shamsul Alam, Mainamati, Department of Archaeology and Museum, 1976
Md. Shafiqul Alam, Excavation at Rupbanmura, Department of Archaeology, 2000

http://www.thedailystar.net/starinsight/2009/06/02/cover.htm

Cric-time foodfest

Bangladesh is out from the T20 World Cup but there is surely a lot of suspense and drama to look forward to. The odd timing of the games surely leaves much on option for the fast food junkie. Munching on mouth-watering delights is surely a perk of the cricket action this season.

Here are some options you can try, while the slogfest goes on…
Chips have always been a popular snack. Cheetos, Doritos, Lay's and Pringles are the most widely sold ones, offering a wide range of flavours. The prices vary according to size and flavour and range between Tk 150-250.

If you want to try out the spicy Indian chat flavours then Papri Chat, Pogo Papri, Stax, Uncle chips Mirch Masala are the right picks. They come in mini packs at Tk 30-70, you can easily try them before deciding on the family packs. Apart from all these, our very own deshi Pran's roasted peas, Bombay Sweet's chanachur, and popcorn remain the traditional knick-knack snacks.

For the nut lovers, Tong Garden assorted nut cans are the must-buy items. You can choose from salted pistachios to cashew nuts to roasted almonds and lots of other flavours that are available in varying container sizes with a price tag of TK 190-270. Apart from Tong Garden, Nut Candy and Nut Walker are two other brands you can choose from.

Then there is the all time favourite: our own brand of left over sandwich. Take three pieces of sugar free bread, spread mayo, ketchup, and mustard mercilessly and generously. Shred the chicken pieces from the dinner curry; toss that in. Add deshi cheese, try to poach an egg, remember to scramble just the yoke, a few coriander leaves, tomato slices or left over salad and you got yourself a humongous sandwich. However if you have the salami loaves or hunter beef handy than there's nothing like it, throw that in too.

You can also bug mummy dearest to fill the refrigerator with marinated chicken pieces, half done kebabs, potato salad etc; she'll grumble for sure but be more than happy to oblige.

By Zannatul Lamea

http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2009/06/03/back.htm

The sound of weaving

THE art of clothing is intrinsically associated with civilisation and today's fading handloom industries are a silent bystander of those bygone days when clothing was regarded more as a means to cast off barbarism than as a mere tool of fashion. While some say that the history of handloom in Bangladesh dates back to seven to eight hundred years, there are those who claim that the “Muslin” that the Egyptian mummies were wrapped in came from the ancient city of Shonagora or Shubornogram which is where the present Narsingdi district lies.

Claims aside, Bangladesh has a very old history of handloom, as old as farming, and the Baburhaat of Narsingdi where the main trade of handloom yards used to take place was once proudly known as the “Manchester of the East.”

But the emergence of powerloom has cast a dark shadow over this exceedingly traditional industry that is rapidly dwindling into obscurity. Although there still exists a local demand for handloom lungies, gamchas, saris and bedcovers, the sheer presence of powerloom clothes in the market pales it into insignificance.

As a result, the once affluent weavers who passed on their trade to future generations have sought some other line of profession and the villages behind which hid the drone of handloom can hardly boast of a single family still engaged in the profession.

In order to raise awareness about the traditional values associated with this ancient industry and to revive its popularity, Anjan's Boutique, in a rare endeavour organised a nine-day-long exhibition on the handloom of Bengal in the National Museum from 8 June, 2009 where the general public could watch old weavers at work on colourful yarns to produce the crisp handloom fabrics with the “thak-thak thak-thak” sound of their looms that really transports one to those bygone times.

It was stressed by Sultana Kamal, a guest speaker in the inaugural ceremony, that handloom is an integral part of the Bengal tradition and as such must be nurtured and valued at all costs. She urged the young generation to promote handloom fabric saying if one has five outfits in his/her wardrobe then let there be at least two of handloom.

It is important that our youth lean towards handloom in their fashion tastes as the future of this sector lies in their hands. With some help from the government sector in the form of subsidies and private by providing training facilities and the means to compete with international designs this fading industry could indeed revive. However, a word of gratitude to the Dhaka fashion houses like Aarong, Arannya, Jatra, Kumudini and Anjan's among others, for their quest to keep the handloom industry alive and celebrate its beauty.

By Shaily Fatima

http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2009/06/03/page04.htm

Sudden downpours

One short glance outside my window told me I would not be able to find a more appropriate time to sit down and complete my assignment. I had the perfect weather, which worked as the necessary stimulation. So, I sat comfortably beside the window with my laptop and started typing…

Mother Nature provides its perks, now and again. Also, she loves to surprise us, I believe. She showers at us when least expected, or, perhaps at a day when you felt it would be the hottest you have ever gone through. She loves to trick you, and also, to soothe you, by the sudden drop in the temperature, thus permitting you to escape the cruel heat.

From where I sat, I could hear doors banging due to the furious wind. I again gazed out the window…

Few things are more exciting than observing the 'welcoming' of rain. The whole system of nature around you works in perfect synchrony and coordination- how the grey clouds shield the sun and thus make an otherwise bright afternoon look like dusk, how the wind goes wild and the trees respond to that with all their passion, the sudden fall of temperature, the angry thunders and the flashy lightnings and above all, you, who's either excitedly witnessing the events from your verandah or running for shelter!

Rainfall started at full enthusiasm and speed. I pulled my window a bit so that water does not enter my room. I continued with my writing…

What is it with rain and emotions? The first shot of rain on the heated streets and the soil that gives you the earthy and heavenly smell, and the sight of rainfall and the sound… rain provokes so many emotions - deep sorrows, true happiness, nostalgia and what not.

It persuades you to have an extra mug of coffee with some 'deshi' snacks to complement, makes you crave for khichuri, or, allures you to snuggle under the blanket with the person you love…

My 'musing' was interrupted by a sudden and excessively loud thunderclap. I almost jumped up. Now, my thoughts journeyed through the corridors of the past…

School hours become much more fun when it rains. Each thunder is followed by a roar of hooting and yelling together in the classrooms. Rain's always more enjoyable when you are with friends!

Indeed, it is. Exhilarated friends who dash over a field with a football during rain know it. Perhaps that's the optimum way to enjoy rain. The heavy rainfall on your head, and also the chilling water that's washing away the clay all over your body and face that you acquired during the game, the coldness- all add up to the excitement of football!

For the less sporty and more romantic folks, riding a rickshaw with its hood down, accompanied by a couple of friends, singing together (maybe with an old guitar), all the way down the road, leaves a memory that they'll cherish for the rest of their lives.

The rain has slowed down into a drizzle now. You never get enough of the good stuff, I thought. Now I fully opened my window and stare out…

Everything looks so clean after the rain. Also, the wind and the trees appear to be calm and quiet, as if they have become exhausted from the fierce performance they just gave, or as if a powerful force has been snatched away from them.

I noticed the people who were anxiously taking refuge in the building in front of my house now restart their daily chores again. I stretched out my arms; there was no more rain; the show was over, and so was my writing.

By M H Haider
Photo: Munem Wasif

Star news

http://www.thedailystar.net/lifestyle/2009/06/03/page04.htm

Saga of a Storm Ravaged People

A Day of Cyclone Aila brought down prolonged sufferings for more than one lakh people of Ashasuni and Shyamnagar upazilas at Satkhira coast. The storm gave rise to a tidal surge breaking down dams and sweeping away dwellings of the residents. Many thousands were left paupers after their belongings were swept away. Following the storm, some found only poles standing, where there used to be their houses. Villages after villages were inundated by saline water, giving rise to a severe crisis of fresh drinking water. Heavy rain made the roads so muddy that it was easier for storm shelter bound people to get down into the Kholpetua and Kopotakkhya rivers and wade along the shorelines. Thousands still languish in shelters too ill equipped to accommodate the massive number of the ill fated, while many thousands more are still marooned in remote areas surrounded by saline water. The government says it will take at least a year to rebuild the destroyed dams in the area, while another storm is brewing around the corner.

Photo: Anisur Rahman

http://www.thedailystar.net/cityinframe/2009/06/01/cityinframe.htm

Computer model gives vital clues to dealing with flu pandemics

RESEARCH from The University of Western Australia will give vital clues to public health authorities in dealing with potential pandemics such as the current "swine flu" (H1N1) outbreak. The research, published in the journal BMC Public Health last month, found imposing "social distancing" measures such as school closures, home isolation, partial closure of workplaces and reduced community contact, if done rapidly, could prevent a local epidemic. "The timing of activation of such non-pharmaceutical interventions is critical," said Professor George Milne, who along with Dr Joel Kelso and Dr Simon Huband used a computer simulation model to emulate the spread of influenza (in this case, H5N1 "avian" influenza, but the results are directly applicable to H1N1). "For a very transmissible strain, application of all four interventions at the same time as the first case is introduced, and enforcing these draconian measures continuously, can potentially hold the illness rate at 16 per cent (compared to 73 per cent if they are not used)." The research assumed 100% of infectious children and 90% adults are home quarantined and a 50% reduction in workplace attendance and community-wide contact. The model used statistical data about the population of Albany, a town of 30,000 people in south-west Western Australia. Developed by the team from UWA's School of Computer Science and Software Engineering, the model is believed to be the most detailed replication of an actual community - down to individual schools, employers and the exact make-up of households - to be used to quantify the impact of alternative intervention strategies. Professor Milne said the model showed that non-pharmaceutical social distancing interventions could reduce the rate of development and the overall burden of epidemics. "While such draconian measures will only be mandated under extreme circumstances, given their impact on personal freedom, they appear to play a key role in delaying the development of a 'worst case' influenza epidemic," he said. "Social distancing may be critical in holding back an epidemic until vaccines are deployed on a sufficient scale that subsequent relaxation of these measures won't result in an acceleration of the outbreak." "The measures must be employed as soon as possible if they are to have maximum effect. We found that for an outbreak as infectious as the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, a combination of all intervention measures must be introduced within two weeks of the first case appearing in a town or city to prevent an epidemic developing. Delays of two, three and four weeks resulted in final attack rates of seven per cent, 21 per cent and 45 per cent respectively." The UWA team has provided reports based on their two published papers to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) and received funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, DoHA and WHO. Source: UWA Website

Singapore Diary

Last week, we took a dive into the dazzling world of discounts and dining out in the garden city of Singapore during the Great Singapore Sale. Tourism being the lifeblood of this island, no trip to Singapore is complete unless you've taken some time out to do some sight-seeing. The concluding chapter on this dream destination sheds some light on just some of the very many things you can check out here.

Eye Spy
Move over, London Eye. The Singapore Flyer, inaugurated in February last year is now the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. Located on the southeast tip of the Marina Centre reclaimed land, it offers broad views of the city centre and beyond, including bits of Indonesia and Malaysia. Visitors getting into one of the 28 air-conditioned capsules are treated to a slow rotation, which takes approximately half an hour, during which one can see the glittering landscape slowly fall away before them, while an audio guide directs the gaze to points of attraction on the vista below, and provides a brief recap of the history of the island.

The ride isn't the only reason to make a stop at the Flyer. Built over a three-story terminal building which houses shops, bars and restaurants, you'll be spoiled for choices when it comes to dining or shopping. We highly recommend the Kenko Fish Spa, where you can let the Doctor Fish tickle away all your worries.

All creatures great and small
Animal lovers can let their hair down and get close to all the furry, feathery or scaly creatures they want, with some of these must-see destinations:

Singapore Zoo
Opened in 1973, and comprising a whopping 28 hectares land, which houses some 315 species, the Singapore Zoo has definitely done its part for conservation. Set in a rain-forest environment, the Zoo’s world famous ‘open concept’ allows you a most realistic experience of wildlife. There's none of the depressing cage and bars that one associates with zoos. Animals here live in spacious and landscaped environments simulating that of their natural habitat. Furthermore, the exhibits are so arranged with interactive walk-throughs and tram and boat rides with commentary to make the visit a truly educational experience. Definitely a must-see if you're bringing kids along.

If you have time on your hands, make this an all-day trip, because there's more fun as the sun goes down. A major attraction of the Zoo is the Night Safari, which covers some 40 hectares, and comprises of two road loops. It is essentially a safari park divided into eight geographical zones, which can be explored either on foot via three walking trails, or by tram. Be sure to take in the Creatures of the Night show, where some of the animals are trained to perform for an audience, and display some of their many surprising qualities. Seated in the open arena, you never know what to expect, be it a furry monkey scampering across the tight-rope just over your head, a big python suddenly materialising under your bench, or a cute pair of raccoons knocking over the recycle bins in the stage area. Since the format changes based on the temperament of the animals, the show's always fresh, and the opportunity for audience participation adds to the fun.

Jurong Bird Park
Another worthwhile animal attraction is the Jurong Bird Park. This is a 20.2 hectare open-concept park, the largest in the Asia Pacific, housing more than 8,000 birds from 600 species, mostly birds from Southeast Asia.The Park has four walk-in aviaries, among which is the world’s largest walk-in aviary with the tallest man-made waterfall for visitors to enjoy a close-up view of free-flying birds from Africa. The exhibits and aviaries are specially designed to closely resemble the natural habitats of the birds. There are also open spaces landscaped with exotic flowering plants to enhance the beauty of the place. We highly recommend the bird shows, staged at the Pools Amphitheatre. From vultures to cockatoos, flying over the heads of the viewers, playing basketball, singing birthday songs, the shows are guaranteed entertainment.

Ride away
What trip to Singapore is complete without a gander at the once-infamous Sentosa Island? Formerly a place of exile, which later became a fort and a military base, it is now an island resort, featuring a multitude of attractions. If you liked the Singapore Flyer, you'll love looking out the 37 meter replica of the Merlion, one of Singapore's enduring symbols. There's also the Tiger Sky Tower, which, standing at 131 meters above sea-level, is the tallest observation post. Grab a seat in the enclosed, air-conditioned cabin, and let it take you up, up, and away! The chair-lifts, which form part of the Skyride, give you the illusion of flying, as they take you up to the Luge rides. Speed freaks will really dig this one. Part go-cart, part-toboggan, pure excitement – the luge is a fun-filled gravity ride that's safe for all ages, with a unique steering and braking system that allows you to make the ride as leisurely or as exciting as you want. If you like speed, you'll definitely dig the Segway course. The eco-friendly two-wheeled vehicle uses your weight to take you around. At Sentosa, you get to try it over a fun obstacle course. If all those 'actual' rides are too much to take in, make sure you try out the 4D Magix shows, which synchronise a full spectrum of visual effects, surround sound, individually-controlled motion seats and special "live" environmental effects such as water spray to make your movie viewing experience come alive. Finally, the crowning glory of all the entertainment features at Sentosa, Songs of the Sea, the light and sound show is simply breathtaking. Featuring a live cast and the dramatic effects of pyrotechnics, water jets, brilliant lasers, special computer imaging, captivating music and stunning flame bursts, it is the ultimate audio-visual experience.

Daily star

Bangladeshi news.

Will British crops go thirsty?

We are standing under endless Fenland skies. It's not yet Eight O Clock, but already the sun is warm and high.

We are surveying three fields on Duncan Worth's farm. Before us, glossy green potato plants with their scented white flowers; to the left of us, maize to be used in power generation; to the right of us, wheat.

"It's been ideal growing weather recently," Duncan says, "sunshine and the right amount of rain."

But for how much longer? The hotter, drier summers predicted by climate change scientists could have a dramatic effect on this agricultural powerhouse of a region, and the thousands of jobs that it supports.

Where will the water come from to slake the thirst of these crops?We're walking Duncan's fields with Dr Jerry Knox from Cranfield University, an adviser to, among others, the British Potato Council, and with Andy Brown from Anglian Water.

So will there be enough water to sustain the plants of the future in this rich, light soil?

"It's not so much a resource issue as a policy issue," says Dr Knox. "In other words, whether we want food with a low environmental footprint.

"We already import strawberries and lettuce from Southern Europe, where businesses are at risk from water shortages. We're exporting much of the problem.

"But farmers here do realise that some crops, like potatoes, may have to be grown in other parts of the UK in future."

"We're worried about water; we're not confident," says Mr Worth.

He and other farmers in the region are so concerned about the issue that they have started the Holbeach Marsh Water Transfer Project, looking at the feasibility of getting water from the River Welland to the marsh - making it accessible to agriculture.

But if projects like this proliferate in the future as water becomes more scarce, are we not robbing Peter to pay Paul?

"There's a fascinating triangle in the east of England between domestic use, agriculture and the environment," says Mr Brown.

"There are 750 sites of special scientific interest in our region, a large number of which are wetlands-based. We think we can get the balance right."

But as we finish our walk and head off for a cup of tea, all agree that it will take planning and perhaps some sacrifice to meet the many demands on the increasingly precious resource of water.

BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8107350.stm

Fun facts About Bikes

Whether you rely on your bike for transportation or exercise, you’ll enjoy these ten facts on this two wheeled vehicle.

In 1817, karl von Drais, a German baron, invented a horseless carries that would help him to get around faster. The two wheeled, pedal-less device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, and the machine became known as the “draisine” and led to creation of the modern-day bicycle.

The term “bicycle” was not introduced until the 1860_s, when it was coined in France to describe a new kind of two-wheeler with a mechanical drive.

Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who built the first flying airplane, operated a small bike repair shop in Dayton, Ohio. They used their workshop to build the 1903 Wright Flyer. Fred A. Birchmore, 25, circled the globe by bicycle in 1935. The entire trip, through Europe, Asia, and the United States, covered forty thousand miles. He pedaled about 25,000 miles. The rest was traveled by boat. He wore out seven sets of tires. There are over a half billion bicycle in china in the late 1800s.

About 100 million bicycles are manufactured worldwide each year.

Over the past 30 years, bicycle delivery services have developed into an important industry, especially in cities, where the couriers have earned a reputation for their high speed and traffic-weaving skills. American uses their bicycles for less than one percent of all urban trips. Europeans bike in cities a lot more often –in Italy 5 percent of all trips are on bicycle, 30 percent in the Netherlands, and seven out of eight Dutch people over age 15 have a bike. The tour de France is one of the most famous bicycle races in the world. Established in 1903, it is considered to be the biggest test of endurance out of all sports. Lance Armstrong, an American cyclist, is the only rider to have won seven titles (1999-2005) after surviving cancer.

Bicycle Moto Cross (BMX), an extreme style of bicycle track racing, became a sport in the 2008 summer Olympic Games in Beijing, china. Msris Strombergs, of Latvia, received the gold medal for Men’s BMX, and Anne-Caroline Chausson, from France, took home the gold in the first Women’s BMX Olympic event.

Facts taken from:

Bicycle: he history by David Herlihy

Save daylight

Daylight saving time (DST) becomes a buzz word this day. We have already got know that the government has decided to forward Bangladesh standard Time by one hour from mid June to manage the severe power crisis. Although the term DST is new in Bangladesh, more than 100 countries in the world are Applying DST nowadays. “Early to bed, early to rise. One may argue that forwarding clock time is not perfect for a country like Bangladesh where the difference between day and night is too wide but it is true that DST will do us some favor. The main purpose of DST is to save energy that is scarce in Bangladesh. Think about it: shops and markets are now scheduled to close at 8pm. By applying DST those will be closed one hour earlier that will save one hour energy. Nevertheless, some other benefits like reducing traffic, crimes and many.

Politics

Daylight saving has caused controversy since it began. Winston Churchill argued that it enlarges "the opportunities for the pursuit of health and happiness among the millions of people who live in this country". Robertson Davies, however, detected "the bony, blue-fingered hand of Puritanism, eager to push people into bed earlier, and get them up earlier, to make them healthy, wealthy and wise in spite of themselves", and wags have dubbed it "Daylight Slaving Time". Historically, retailing, sports and tourism interests have favored daylight saving, while agricultural and evening entertainment interests have opposed it, and its initial adoption has been prompted by energy crisis and war.

The fate of Willett's 1907 proposal illustrates several political issues involved. The proposal attracted many supporters, including Balfour, Churchill, Lloyd George, MacDonald, Edward VII(who used half-hour DST at Sandringham), the managing director of Harrods, and the manager of the National Bank. However, the opposition was stronger: it included Prime MinisterAsquith, Christie (the Astronomer Royal), George Darwin, Napier Shaw (director of the Meteorological Office), many agricultural organizations, and theater owners. After many hearings the proposal was narrowly defeated in a Parliament committee vote in 1909. Willett's allies introduced similar bills every year from 1911 through 1914, to no avail. The U.S. was even more skeptical: Andrew Peters introduced a DST bill to the U.S. House in May 1909, but it soon died in committee.

Retailers generally favor DST. United Cigar Storeshailed a 1918 DST bill.

World War I changed the political equation, as DST was promoted as a way to alleviate hardships from wartime coal shortages and air raid blackouts. After Germany led the way, the United Kingdom first used DST on May 21, 1916. U.S. retailing and manufacturing interests led by Pittsburgh industrialist Robert Garland soon began lobbying for DST, but were opposed by railroads. The U.S.'s 1917 entry to the war overcame objections, and DST was established in 1918.

The war's end swung the pendulum back. Farmers continued to dislike DST, and many countries repealed it after the war. Britain was an exception: it retained DST nationwide but over the years adjusted transition dates for several reasons, including special rules during the 1920s and 1930s to avoid clock shifts on Easter mornings. The U.S. was more typical: Congress repealed DST after 1919. President Woodrow Wilson, like Willett an avid golfer, vetoed the repeal twice but his second veto was overridden, and only a few U.S. cities retained DST locally thereafter.^[93] Wilson's successor Warren G. Harding opposed DST as a "deception". Reasoning that people should instead get up and go to work earlier in the summer, he ordered District of Columbia federal employees to start work at 08:00 rather than 09:00 during summer 1922. Many businesses followed suit though many others did not; the experiment was not repeated.

Since Willett's day the world has seen many enactments, adjustments, and repeals of DST, with similar politics involved. The history of time in the United States includes DST during both world wars, but no standardization of peacetime DST until 1966.^[96] In the mid-1980s, Clorox (parent of Kingsford Charcoal) and 7-Eleven provided the primary funding for the Daylight Saving Time Coalition behind the 1987 extension to U.S. DST, and both Idaho senators voted for it based on the premise that during DST fast-food restaurants sell more French fries, which are made from Idaho potatoes; in 2005, the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Convenience Stores successfully lobbied for the 2007 extension to U.S. DST. After a three-year trial, 55% of Western Australians voted against DST in 2009, with urban areas split evenly and rural areas strongly opposed; it was the fourth consecutive referendum since 1975 to reject DST. In the UK the sport and leisure industry supports a proposal to observe SDST's additional hour year-round.

Terminology

In the normative form, daylight saving time uses the present participle saving as an adjective, as in labor saving device; the first two words are sometimes hyphenated, as in daylight-saving time. Daylight savings time, daylight savings, and daylight time are common variants, the savings by analogy to savings account. Willett's 1907 proposal used the term daylight saving, but by 1911 the term summer time replaced daylight saving time in draft legislation in Britain, and continental Europe uses similar phrases, such as Sommerzeit in Germany andl'heure d'été in France.

The name of local time typically changes when DST is observed. American English replaces standard with daylight: for example, Pacific Standard Time (PST) becomes Pacific Daylight Time (PDT). British English typically inserts summer: for example, Central European Time (CET) becomes Central European Summer Time (CEST). Abbreviations do not always change: for example, many (though not all) Australians say that Eastern Standard Time (EST) becomes Eastern Summer Time (also EST).

The American English mnemonic "spring forward, fall back" (also "spring ahead ...", "spring up ...", and "... fall behind") helps people remember which direction to shift clocks. Much of North America now advances clocks before the vernal equinox, so the mnemonic disagrees with the astronomical definition of spring, but a proposed substitute "March forward ..."^[102]works only in the northern hemisphere, and is less robust against future rule changes.

Owning Half a River

Morshed Ali Khan

“I have British and Pakistani parchas for this land," said Rafiq Mia firmly, showing a large stretch of the river Buriganga. "My name is even in the latest Bangladeshi survey, I am the genuine owner of this land," he said in his Dhakaiya accent without the blink of an eye.

"But this is the river Buriganga," said a young man pointing at the stretch of murky water of the river.

"Oh no," reacted Rafiq with a shriek raising his hand, " The river is in fact about 200 metres away in the middle of this waterway!"

In fact Rafiq Mia from Moddherchar was not entirely lying. He inherited some land from his forefathers at a time when the flow of the river Buriganga was not where it is today. The river changed its course over the last 70 years but official records have never been updated. During the recent Bangladesh Survey, the surveyors have legitimised his claim for the river on the basis of the British and Pakistani parchas. Equipped with the parchas that his forefathers had left behind Rafiq claims the ownership of the river Buriganga, or at least a big chunk of it. Like a good citizen he has paid all taxes (Khazna) for his 1.5 acres of 'land' and there seems no one who could stop him from filling up the river.

Only a week ago Rafiq signed a deal with a sand extraction company that agreed to fill up the area with their volgates (dredging and pumping machines) for a rate of Tk 2 for every square foot of sand filling.

Two kilometres in the upstream from Moddherchar, the Turag turns into the Buriganga just at the bend of Uttarmora at Basila. As the Buriganga rolls down it encircles more than half the city length and flows into the Dhaleshwari at Munshiganj before joining the Meghna at Gazaria. By the time the Buriganga reaches the Dhaleshwari, it has covered nearly 17 kilometres of waterway amid some of the most crammed and hostile urban territories in the world.

While Rafiq Mia stands on the Buriganga with some papers to back him up, there are hundreds like him along the 17-kilometre stretch of the Buriganga, who do not have anything but the river to encroach upon. The saddest part of the river Buriganga lies in Kamrangir Char, where the second channel of the river Buriganga, once a lively waterway encircling the Kamrangir Char peninsula, is on the verge of extinction.

The story goes like this. Lalbagh is politically one of the most important constituencies in the city, where a fierce race for power and supremacy among political godfathers has always been intense. Over the years individuals have become notorious for their involvement in crimes that include murder, extortion and land grabbing. Over a decade when land prices soared to record heights, the second Buriganga channel immediately became a target. Godfathers directly supervised the creation of one plot after the other on the channel. When the BIWTA launched a massive campaign to free the river of encroachment five years ago, godfathers and their sycophants were ready to handle it. To the surprise of the demolition team and the on-duty magistrate river grabbers either produced parchas and other documents claiming ownership or court orders against the government action. Now the BIWTA is gasping for respite from hundreds of court cases related to the Buriganga encroachments, awaiting trials for years.

Belayet Mia from Barisal owns a piece of land in Kamrangir Char where he has lived for nearly 25 years. He says the second Buriganga second channel was a blessing for the people of the area.

"But as soon as the mouth of the channel on the Rayer Bazar side was filled up by Sikdar Medical College an unofficial decree was passed to grab the river, " Belayet says.

"The government should immediately announce that even if someone owns a part of the river, the person cannot fill it up or construct anything there because it is forbidden and punishable under the wetland protection act to fill up any water body," Belayet says.

The entirety of the river Buriganga is under threat. In Waaspur, across Basila, a real estate developer has embarked on a housing project on the river that he proudly calls "Titanic Housing".

While encroachment of the river is a major problem, pollution in the river Buriganga, especially in the lean period when flow is totally cut off in the confluence of the river Jamuna, takes the worst possible turn. Millions of gallons of highly toxic wastes released by over 7,000 industrial units, 75 percent of the city's raw sewage and hundreds of tons of solid wastes, are dumped into the Buriganga every day. From the first day flow in the river water is cut off, which usually happens sometime in September or early October, the huge volume of wastes start to accumulate in water of the river. Within a month the river resembles a huge gutter with pitch-black toxic water in it. Stench in it becomes increasingly unbearable as the lean period continues.

Millions of people living along the river are the worst sufferers of this mindless pollution. Unable to even touch the water, women in areas, especially outside the purview of Dhaka WASA water supply, pass days without washing. In Waaspur, Shoalmachi, Looterchar, Jhaochar, Moddherchar, Kholamora, Jinjira and parts of Kamrangir Char, throughout the dry season most household tube wells become dry as the underground water level falls drastically. Millions living by the Buriganga become so helpless as they are denied access to the river as well as to their own water supply.

Din Islam from Waaspur also a breeder of cages birds, says the whole economy of the area is dangerously affected by the pollution. "We are really passing hard times. Water is our first and utmost problem the river becomes a gutter and the wells are dry for most part of the year," he says.

"I can tell you if we can clean up the river Buriganga we can produce enough fish here to earn twice the amount of money in foreign currency than the tanneries earn," Islam says.

As Islam spoke sitting at the small landing station in Waaspur, a group of people arrived there with a long measurement tape. They were potential land buyers. Soon one end of the tape was stretched into the river by about 25 feet. A man stood in waist-deep water holding the end of the tape, while several others checked parchas and other documents again and again.

The seller and the owner of the land showed all documents including British, Pakistani and Bangladesh parchas and said, "In fact my documents clearly shows that I own half of the river."