The Sri Lankan lawyer Senaka Weeraratna, who has been running from pillar to post to be recognized as the author of the DRS (Decision Review System) was over the moon when, for the first time in the history of cricket commentating in Sri Lanka, Roshan Abeysinghe had said that there was a claimant from Sri Lanka (and named him) who has yet to get formal recognition from the ICC. He had dwelt on this subject for about three minutes.
This DRS is a technology-based system used in cricket to assist the match officials in their decision-making. Roshan Abeysinghe and South Africa’s Jon Kent were discussing (for about six minutes between Over number 29 & 30 when the visiting Zimbabwe team was batting) that if the name Duckworth Lewis & Stern (DLS) can be tagged on to a mechanism being used to determine the winner of rain-affected one-day international matches, why not the DRS be named after the inventor of the player referral mechanism?DRS is applied in all formats of the game. Test, one day international and T20. DRS has been hailed as the most revolutionary step taken to reform cricket rules since the inception of the game.
DRS is a Sri Lankan achievement.Perhaps things may have been moving in the right direction. I want the world to know that it was first my idea to suggest the players be given the right to challenge the umpire’s decision, if they wish so, Senaka Weeraratna, speaking exclusively.However, the Sri Lankan commentator on TV also discussed and cited the article written by the late Christopher Martin-Jenkins (he was a cricketer, writer and the MCC president) in The Daily Telegraph on 18th May 1993.
The Test and County Cricket Board’s idea for a walkie-talkie link with a third umpire was first suggested in a written paper to the International Cricket Board (now Council). Credit for this basic concept has been claimed by South Africa and the TCCB but belongs instead, it transpires, to a Sri Lankan cricket journalist and administrator, Mahinda Wijesinghe.”Interestingly, Mahinda has framed this CMJ’s article and retained it as memorabilia.
Anjalika Silva’s background includes a mix of Bioscience, Management and Technology Management combined into a special area that includes technical writing, Human Resources and Benefits. These areas of knowledge and experience were applied to Scientific Society Program Management in technical employment opportunities with scientific employers, and promotion of science education. Her work involved being liaison to committees that brought significant contributions from the corporate and academic areas with input into steering scientific programs that drew the attention of Canadian and Singaporean scientific communities in addition to the United States.
Ranil
Wickramasinghe is the one who sponsored Arjuna Mahendran to lead the Central
Bank of Ceylon . Mahendran now stands accused in the Courts, of Sr Lanka
hearings for which are proceeding ,for the biggest financial fraud in Sri
Lanka’s over 2500 yr history . Even after Mahendran was dismissed by the the
then President MS, RW tried to reappoint him as CBC governor again. This
has irrefutably exposed himself as unprecedentedly corrupt , with no
integrity and vey likely to have provided the blessings for this unprecedented
fraud. These are established FACTS , NOT ALLEGATIONS
He
tried to pin this label of financial frauds” between 2015
& 2019 on his predecessors using all of the govt’s resources
and more establishing an unprecedented wing of the police called the FCID,
sending teams overseas including to Dubai to investigate fraud and failed to
find a shred of evidence, let alone bringing any to court for financial fraud.
He
cleverly manipulate the constitution through the 19th Amendment to transfer
unto himself despite being an an unelected Prime Minister only
appointed by the President many of the presidential powers that the
nation bestowed on the President through his election,
Through
out his tenure he lead a a more and more dysfunctional govt as PM from 2015 to
2019, that ran down the economy to ground , with nearly no growth, no new
revenue earning ventures evidenced by a decline in annual growth rate from over
6% to less than 3%, , a static per capita income which had doubled and tripled
in the preceding 9 yrs, , saw the Rupee depreciate from 135./ US $ to 185 /Us $
when he finally was forced out.
He
kept the people happy by funding unrestrained import based consumerism
funded by raising over $5 billion through market borrowings
manly as sovereign bonds,, accounting for vast proportion of the debts
that the administration is now having to service.His government did not
initiate a single new revenue earning venture neither local currency or foreign
currency.
The
dysfinctionality of his govt peaked after October ’18 when his main
coalition partner the SLFP led by President MS withdrew support.
He then led a govt scraping a majority through the mercy of minority
parities whose unsupervised authority enabled the Islamic Mujahidine conspiracy
to climax with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombing.
If
not for the fact that he had cunningly shorn off with his 19th amendment
Presidential powers to dissolve parliament after one year following election as
envisaged by JRJ, , parliament would have been dissolved in Oct ’18 , and fresh
elections Called with almost certain avoidance of the 2019 Easter Sunday
bombing and all it’s many consequences that are also impacting on SL’s
current Challenges.
I do agree with the comment of a friend of mine and RW who characterised RW as ” a non-inspirational character who lacks leadership qualities. His arrogance is clearly seen when asked about hand over of the party leadership. A 70+ year old failed politician claims that a young cadre of leadership is not yet ready!
Our current climate brings plenty of disastrous examples of extreme rainfall. Floods have caused death and displacement around the world, from Sri Lanka to Colombia. In Canada, British Columbia’s unprecedented heavy rains caused mud- and rockslides, putting the province into a state of emergency and displacing 18,000 residents. Germany experienced its worst flooding in 200 years, which killed more than 150 people.
Scientists later found the German floods were up to nine times more likely due to climate change. The heating of the globe—caused by the burning of fossil fuels—intensifies rainfall. Most industries, like agriculture, benefit from more annual precipitation. But a new study has found that as the number of rainy days increases—both in the form of extreme rain and gentle drizzles—economic growth slows. And it found that the impact was more pronounced in wealthier countries. Those effects will likely continue to worsen until the world reaches net-zero emissions.
The biggest problem of climate change will be, and already is, the increase and intensification of weather extremes,” says Anders Levermann, professor of dynamics of the climate system at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany. And rainfall is a huge part of this.”
The globe’s temperature has risen about 1 degree Celsius (roughly 2 degrees Fahrenheit) since 1880, but it’s been rising at double the previous rate since about 1981. And with each degree it climbs, precipitation increases by about 7%. That’s because a warmer atmosphere can simply hold more water vapor. Separately, more evaporation from the ocean occurs when it’s warmer, and that water must eventually return to the earth.
Levermann is one of the authors of the study, which examines economic output data from 1,554 regions across 70 countries from the 40-year span of 1979 to 2019. First they looked at annual mean precipitation, finding that an increase had a positive effect on economic growth rates. That seems to make sense because farming needs more water throughout the year, as do other industries. This is consistent with the interpretation of net water supply as an economic good,” the study reads.
However, when researchers looked at daily rather than annual rainfall, the results differed. First, as the extreme daily rainfall—when precipitation is dangerously high—increased, economic growth rates were negatively impacted. Again, that makes sense: Extreme rainfall can cause floods, such as those seen around the world last year, which slow the economy. Levermann clarifies that the study didn’t assess the short shocks of flood destruction, which are also harmful, rather the effect on economic output. It’s the perturbation of the normal flow of things,” he says.
What makes the finding even clearer is that economic growth also slowed with an increase in the number of wet days,” defined as any day with more than 1 millimeter of rain. That’s really little rainfall,” Levermann says. It’s hardly measurable.” Still, that light rain resulted in strong reductions in growth rates.
It’s quite natural that extreme rainfall events will perturb our daily life,” Levermann says. But what I think is surprising is that if we have more rainy days, that normal drizzle will harm our economy.”
The study also examined individual sectors, finding that even the services and manufacturing industries slowed due to more days with light rain. Increased rain may cause transport delays, for instance, leading to postponements in package deliveries, or in employees not being able to get to work on time. While those effects may seem trivial, Levermann notes that We’re talking about percentages here, which are relevant because that’s what we rely on. We think it’s a bad year if we have 1% less economic growth.”
Perhaps surprisingly, researchers also found the increase in rainy days affected richer economies more. We may tend to think they’re more resilient, but perhaps because systems are so automated and efficient, they leave little room for adaptation to small grains in the machinery,” Levermann says, adding, We are confident in the rich countries that nature cannot really disturb us. And that’s not true.”
KARACHI: Sri Lankan Minister of Trade Dr Bandula Gunawardhane on Thursday said Pakistan Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (PSFTA) has moderately enhanced bilateral trade volume, but the real potential still needed to be achieved by both countries.
Dr Gunawardhane visited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) office with a Sri Lankan delegation, where he also said that in 2020, despite the debilitating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on all businesses, Sri Lanka’s total exports to Pakistan reached $74 million, of which $53 million worth of exports or 73 percent took place under PSFTA.
The Sri Lankan trade minister said that Pakistan was the only market for Sri Lankan betel leaves, which was mostly associated with the income of the rural population of Sri Lanka. We are hopeful that Pakistani government will soon do away with the regulatory duty which adversely impacted the export of betel leaves from Sri Lanka,” he added.
On the trade front, Pakistan has been a long-standing partner and a close ally of Sri Lanka. In mid-70s, Pakistan was the largest buyer of Sri Lanka, accounting for 8 percent of total exports due to high intake of Ceylon tea. Today, Pakistan was the second largest trading partner of Sri Lanka in the SAARC region.
He hoped that the business visit of Sri Lankan delegation would pave the way for trade, investment and tourism.
Businessmen Group Chairman Zubair Motiwala requested the Pakistani and Sri Lankan government to sit together and revisit the FTA as soon as possible, to benefit from the existing trade potential of around $2.5 to $3 billion. He also spoke about Pakistani goods replacing Indian goods in the Sri Lankan market.
He requested the Sri Lankan trade minister to convince his government to revisit the investment policy announced recently, which would certainly create a win-win situation for both the countries.
Sri Lanka possesses huge raw material for paper industry, hence relevant Pakistani businessmen can set up their paper industries in Sri Lanka, but they must be provided single window facility,” BMG chairman said, while asking the Sri Lankan experts and businessmen in gems cutting and polishing to explore opportunities in Pakistan.
We will also guide you to Afghanistan where there is a huge potential for the gem stones industry,” he added.
Suggestion to improve air and sea linkages was also given to promote tourism and to enable frequent visits of business delegations between the two countries.
Earlier, while welcoming the Sri Lankan delegation, KCCI President Muhammad Idrees said in 2020, Pakistan’s exports to Sri Lanka totalled $324.7 million, while the imports from Sri Lanka were recorded at $78.9 million.
Pakistan has a huge market for spices, which Sri Lankan exporters should explore. In 2020, Pakistan imported $9.91 million worth of cloves from other countries whereas, Sri Lanka exported around $15.87 million worth of the commodity to other countries. Trade in this particular commodity does not exist between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
He also stressed that Sri Lanka should look into importing pharmaceutical products from Pakistan. During 2020, Sri Lanka imported medicaments consisting of two or more constituents worth around $2.14 million from countries excluding Pakistan, while Pakistan exported $9.70 million worth of the commodity.
Idrees urged businessmen and investors to capitalise on the opportunities in agriculture, textile, tourism, real estate, energy and IT sectors. He also invited Sri Lanka to participate in My Karachi Exhibition scheduled to be organised at Karachi Expo Centre from February 11 to February 13, 2022.
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug and Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa pose for camera in their meeting in Sri Lanka on Thursday. (National Assembly Speaker’s Office)
National Assembly Speaker Park Byeong-seug met with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka on Thursday to discuss expanding economic cooperation and minerals investment.
Park made the two-day trip to Sri Lanka to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.
In the meeting with the Sri Lankan president, Park stressed how the economic structures of South Korea and Sri Lanka complement” each other and has a lot of untapped possibilities for stronger economic cooperation.
Our two countries have yet to fully tap our potential for bilateral cooperation. We need drastic measures to expand Korean companies’ investment in Sri Lanka and strengthen trade,” Park said.
When the two countries established diplomatic ties in 1977, the trade volume hovered at only about $12 million. But in the past decades, the exchange between Korea and Sri Lanka rose by over 30 fold to $391 million in 2021, according to the speaker’s office.
Sri Lankan government expressed the wish for more Korean companies, particularly those in the IT and pharmaceutical sectors, to invest in its market, according to the press release from the speaker’s office.
To encourage more Korean companies to advance into the Sri Lankan market, Park noted on the importance of making more success stories of Korean companies to encourage them to advance into the Sri Lankan market.
On that part, Park also requested to the president for Sri Lanka to issue a long-term visa valid for five years, as Korean employees currently have to renew the visa every one year.
To this, the president said it would review the visa expansion, and also on the plan on launching a special investment zone for Korean companies.
As Sri Lanka is rich in natural resources, such as graphite, and other rare minerals including rutile and zirconium, Rajapaksa called for Korea’s active investment.
Sri Lanka is rich in mineral resources such as graphite. We look forward to active investment by Korea,” the president told Park.
Sri Lanka annually produces about 5,000 tons of graphite, which is used in making lithium batteries and vehicle parts. While graphite is acclaimed for high commercial value, the country has been experiencing difficulties in mining due to outdated facilities and lack of technology.
Park and Rajapaksa also agreed to speed up the discussion on the Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty.
The Double Taxation Avoidance Treaty stipulates that the foreign-source income of a company should be taxed by either its native country or the country of the source of income, but not by both.
On this, the two countries have been discussing on the revision of the treaty, to specify the exchange of OECD-level information to prevent tax avoidance by multinational companies through income shifting, according to the speaker’s office.
The two sides also exchanged opinions and ideas on climate change and energy issues in the meeting.
I sincerely hope that the Korea-Sri Lanka Climate Change Cooperation Treaty will be concluded and go into effect soon to contribute to fortifying our bilateral cooperation,” Park said.
President Rajapaksa responded, Sri Lanka also takes the climate change issue very seriously. Sri Lanka has taken great interest in renewable energy sources. We await Korea’s investment to promote solar power and wind power generation in Sri Lanka.”
On the same day, Park met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Rajapaksa, who is the incumbent president’s elder brother and served as the president from 2005 to 2015.
Park and the prime minister agreed to expand human resources exchanges between the two countries.
On Friday, Park is set to meet with his parliamentary counterpart Mahinda Abeywardena.
The Governments of China and Sri Lanka will commence discussions on what essential items should be obtained under the Chinese assistance scheme announced earlier.
Both governments have agreed to explore the possibility of using this facility to purchase essential items such as rice to Sri Lanka, a release issued by the Department of Information said yesterday. The Cabinet of Ministers on January 18 decided to begin discussions with the Government of China on what kind of items that could be purchased under this facility.
The Trade Ministry together with the Finance Ministry will identify the essential goods and services that should be prioritized at present and those goods and services will be obtained from China.
The count of new Covid-19 cases surpassed the 800-mark for the third consecutive day as 840 people in total were confirmed positive for the virus today (January 21).
According to the Government Information Department, the newly-detected cases include 06 individuals who recently arrived on the island from overseas.
The latest development has brought the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country so far to 600,203.
As many as 569,043 recoveries have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 15,800 active cases in total are currently under medical care and the death toll stands at 15,272, official figures showed.
The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed another 17 coronavirus-related deaths for January 20, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,272.
This includes 13 males and 04 females, according to the Department of Government Information.
Six of the victims are in the age group of 30-59 years. Another one is aged below 30 years and the remaining 10 patients are aged 60 years and above.
Mehjabin Bhanu Rajshahi City Corporation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh needs both the USA and
China. Now, Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal get attention from world powers.
US, UK, China, India and Japan have focused their attention on South Asia,
Bangladesh and ‘Bay of Bengal’. US has shifted its policy from ‘Asia Pacific’
towards ‘Indo Pacific’ to counter China’s ‘BRI’. Both parties want Bangladesh
into their respective blocks.
Bangladesh’s
polices are not towards bipartisan international politics. Bangladesh was an
active member of the ‘Non-Aligned Movement’. Bangladesh has no intention and
interest to join any bloc. But Bangladesh has the intention to be benefitted
from the blocs. Bangladesh wants and believes in peaceful coexistence in the
region. It always avoids any kind of clash with any actor. Despite having
provocation from Myanmar during the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2017, it
abstained from using any kind of force. Bangladesh knows the Strategy. Bangladesh
is balancing successfully with ‘BRI’ and ‘IPS’. Whether Bangladesh is involved in the US-led
Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) or the Chinese-led Belt and Road (BRI), it must
maintain peace and the rule of law in the region to reap the maximum economic benefits
from these.
Bangladesh still believes in the
‘relevance’ of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), State Minister for Foreign
Affairs Md Shahriar Alam said at the summit in Venezuela in 2016. NAM was set
up during the Cold War era as an association of countries that did not wish to
take sides with either the US or the Soviet Union. Basically, Bangladesh wasn’t
to take sides either the US or the Soviet Union. But after the demise of the
USSR, the present USA-China rivalry remembers the past. The participation of
Bangladesh in the 18th summit of the multilateral forum Non-Aligned Movement
(NAM) held in Baku of Azerbaijan in 2019 further strengthened the country’s
position in the international arena. Bangladesh’s position in the international
arena is neutral.
In this regard, Bangladesh is
handling this issue tactically. It avoids its involvement with the blocs
directly. Having request from the US for years, Bangladesh didn’t show any
interest to sign the ACSA (Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement) and GSOMIA
(General Security of Military Information Agreement) agreement with the US. On
the other hand, When the Chinese Envoy to Bangladesh commented that Bangladesh
shouldn’t join IPS last year, Bangladesh strongly protested against the remarks
uttered by the Chinese envoy saying Bangladesh is capable to form its own
national policy.
Bangladesh wants and believes in peaceful coexistence in the region. Whether
Bangladeshis are involved in the US-led Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) or the
Chinese-led Belt and Road (BRI), it must maintain peace and the rule of law in
the maritime region to reap the maximum economic benefits.
But US may target Bangladesh because
Bangladesh is an active partner of the Chinese BRI project. Recent sanctions on
Bangladesh RAB are the clear-cut example to understand it. But the US should
understand that Bangladesh is also with the USA.
The USA is the main export
destination of Bangladeshi garments. Bangladesh also believes in the US’s ‘Free
and open Indo pacific strategy. Bangladesh needs both the USA and China
simultaneously for its development process. It is pertinent to mention that
Bangladesh wants to be a welfare state in South
Asia. Its economic success is now
praiseworthy. Thus, it needs both the USA, China, EU for ensuring the pace of
the rapid economic growth. The US shouldn’t be worried about Bangladesh.
Bangladesh strongly believes in friendship with all.
According to the various open
sources, Bangladesh is America’s main ally in South Asia. The two countries
have extensive cooperation in regional and global security, counter-terrorism
and climate change. Bangladesh is an important participant in the Obama
administration’s major international development initiatives, including food
security, healthcare and the environment. In 2012, a strategic dialogue
agreement was signed between the two countries. In 2015, US Ambassador to
Bangladesh Marcia Bernikat described the relationship as “vibrant,
multifaceted and essential”. As of 2016, Bangladesh is the largest
recipient of US assistance in Asia outside of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The
US-Bangladesh relationship is strengthened by the Bangladeshi American
community. Fazlur Rahman Khan designed the United States’s tallest tower in
Chicago.
According to the data of the US State Department and US
Embassy to Bangladesh, the United States is the largest export market in
Bangladesh. The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign direct
investment in Bangladesh. The largest American investment in the country is
Chevron, which produces 50% of Bangladesh’s natural gas. Bilateral trade in
2014 was the US $ 6 billion. The major US exports to Bangladesh are
agricultural products (soybean, cotton, wheat, dairy products), aircraft,
machinery, engines and iron and steel products. American imports from
Bangladesh include clothing, footwear and textile products; Toys, games and
sporting goods; Shrimp and shrimp; And agricultural products. There are many
Bangladeshi students in U.S. universities. The United States has assisted Bangladesh
during cyclone relief operations in 1991 and 2007 In 2017, U.S. direct
investment in Bangladesh was $460 million, an increase of 0.4 per cent from
2016. Bangladesh’s exports to the US were valued at $9.4 billion between
January and October last year. Bangladesh and the United States belong
to a number of the same international organizations, including the
United Nations, ASEAN Regional Forum, International Monetary Fund, World Bank,
and World Trade Organization. According to the media reports, the American
government also donated $218 million as Covid-19 donations alongside 28 million
vaccines. In addition, a US company has signed an agreement with Bangladesh to
install the undersea submarine cable at a cost of $700 million to $1 billion by
2023 that will connect France via Singapore.
On
the other hands, though China and Bangladesh shared an adversarial relationship
during the latter’s independence movement and immediately after that, the
relationship has undergone a tremendous transformation to the extent that China
is now considered by many in Bangladesh as an ‘all-weather friend’. They
established diplomatic ties in 1976; it was defence ties that was an important
area of their relationship, which led to further expansion of ties.
China,
the largest economy in Asia, has decided recently to grant duty-free access to
98% of Bangladeshi products through the inclusion of 383 new products,
especially leather and leather goods, in the zero-treatment list.
According
to the media reports, Over the past 46 years, the relationship between China
and Bangladesh has been developing, with mutual cooperation and friendship on
both sides. In the international arena, Bangladesh has, to the best of its
capacity, maintained unwavering support for the “One China Policy” and
China’s peaceful rise.
According to data of various media outlets, from
January to July 2021, the overall import and export volume of China and
Bangladesh was $13 billion, a rise of 58.9 percent year on year. China has
become Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, and Bangladesh is China’s third
largest trading partner and third largest engineering contracting market in
South Asia. Although there is trade deficit between the two trade ties, China
should consider this. Bangladesh is an important participant in China’s Belt
and Road Initiative and one of the first countries to respond to China’s Belt
and Road Initiative. Although bilateral trade favors
China heavily, Bangladesh has enormous potential in the Chinese markets.. Affected by the
favorable policy of the official entry into force of the zero-tariff treatment
of 98% of Bangladesh’s tariff items exported to China, Bangladesh’s exports to
China may show a growth in 2022.
On
October 14, 2016, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Bangladesh on a historic
visit. During that visit, China announced huge investments in various sectors
of Bangladesh. The implementation of those investment projects is now in full
swing. Among the ongoing projects are the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project,
Karnafuli Tunnel, Dhaka-Chittagong Highway Four Lane Upgradation, Payra Port
Development, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Railway Project, Power Grid Network
Strengthening Project, Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, Dhaka-Sylhet Four
Lane Highway etc.
During
the Corona period, China showed that the ‘friend of danger is the real friend’.
During the covid-19 pandemic, China has shown that the ‘friend in need is a
friend indeed, and at this time, China has bound Bangladesh with the belief
that ‘the boats of love sails mountain’. The country once again extended a
helping hand to Bangladesh when vaccination diplomacy was in dire straits to
get the coronavirus vaccine. China has given 1.2 million vaccines to Bangladesh
in two phases as a gift and has assured that the country will supply tens of
millions of vaccines to Bangladesh step by step commercially. It is expected
that China will soon start vaccination production in a joint venture with
Bangladesh in addition to supplying vaccines. The two countries are also
discussing this. Lee Jimming, the country’s ambassador to Dhaka, said that the
friend of danger is the real friend. Bangladesh will remember this friendship
with China. The Bangladesh Army has been equipped with Chinese tanks, its navy
has Chinese frigates and missile boats and the Bangladesh Air Force flies
Chinese fighter jets. In 2002, China and Bangladesh signed a “Defence
Cooperation Agreement” which covers military training and defence
production.
In
the line with the above-mentioned discussions, we can say that Bangladesh needs
both China and USA. Despite having various challenges, Bangladesh is going to
be a South Asian economic miracle and a welfare state in South Asia. Thus, it
is the moral responsibility of both China and the USA to cooperate with
Bangladesh. Bangladesh wants to coexist with all actors in the regions. The
rise of Bangladesh in South Asia is very peaceful. It believes in perpetual
peace. Of course, to achieve the ultimate goal, Bangladesh needs both USA and
China.
Courtesy Front Line COVID-19 Critical Care Alliance
We are a group of expert clinicians who are driven only by our desire to save lives. We continually update our protocols based on clinical observations as well as the best studies of modes of prevention and treatment therapies for COVID-19. For our latest, most comprehensive clinical guide to the management of COVID-19, please click the following text, or the box below the logos, to read and download An Overview of the MATH+, I-MASK+ and I-RECOVER Protocols, A Guide to the Management of COVID-19”, by Dr. Paul Marik.
COLOMBO (Reuters) — The Sri Lankan central bank raised interest rates on Thursday, as expected, shifting its focus to controlling inflation, curbing imports and attracting foreign capital as it looks to build reserves and avoid a potential default later in the year.
The island nation has reiterated its commitment to repaying the entire $4 billion owed to investors in the rest of 2022 but some analysts believe the country could face its first-ever default unless it increases dollar inflows.
As expected by many economists, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) raised the standing deposit facility rate and the standing lending facility rate by 50 basis points (bps) each to 5.50% and 6.50%, respectively.
In its statement, the central bank said the “measures will curtail the possible build-up of underlying demand pressures in the economy, which would also help ease pressures in the external sector, thus promoting greater macroeconomic stability.”
The CBSL had been the first central bank in Asia to tighten policy in the pandemic era by raising rates by 50 bps in August last year and then held rates steady in October and November.
I met President @GotabayaR ???????? to discuss global challenges including climate change and economic recovery from #Covid19. I emphasised the need for GoSL to make progress on human rights, reconciliation, and justice and accountability, in line with the UN HRC process and the SDGs. pic.twitter.com/QZ23K3Ij00— Lord (Tariq)Ahmad of Wimbledon (@tariqahmadbt) January 20, 2022
The Central Bank expects economic activity to record a gradual recovery following a temporary setback due to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said.
We have noted that the External Sector remained resilient amidst heightened challenges. With the normalization of global economic activity, a notable improvement in export performance was observed, with monthly exports remaining in excess of US dollars 1 billion, consecutively since June 2021, Cabraal told the Monthly Policy Review Meeting yesterday at the Central Bank in Colombo.
The Sri Lanka rupee depreciated by 7.0 per cent against the US dollar in 2021 and has been broadly stable thus far in 2022. At the same time, the Central Bank was able to fulfill the timely settlement of the International Sovereign Bond (ISB) of US dollars 500 million on January 18, 2022, the Governor said.
Cabraal added: As of end 2021, the gross official reserves were estimated at US dollars 3.1 billion.
It has been decided to increase both the deposit rate and the lending rate by 50 basis points each with the view to strengthening macroeconomic stability.
‘’In consideration of the current and expected macroeconomic developments, the Monetary Board at its meeting held on January 19, 2022 has decided to adopt several policy measures with the view to strengthening macroeconomic stability.
Accordingly, the Monetary Board decided to increase the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) by 50 basis points each, to 5.50 percent and 6.50 per cent respectively.
Developments in the tourism sector appear to be promising with the influx of tourists in recent months. Although inflows in the form of workers’ remittances have reduced somewhat in the latter half of 2021, the introduction of special incentive schemes and the actions taken by the authorities to curb illegal fund transfers have generated renewed interest in routing funds through formal channels.
Considering these developments in the External Sector, the Monetary Board, in addition to the policy rates hike, has decided to distribute the financing of essential import bills for fuel purchases among the licensed banks in proportion to their foreign exchange inflows.
Further, all registered tourist establishments are to accept foreign exchange only in respect of services rendered to persons resident outside Sri Lanka. It has been decided to extend the payment of an additional Rs. 8.00 per US dollar for workers’ remittances paid, in addition to the incentive of Rs. 2.00 per US dollar offered under the Incentive Scheme on Inward Workers’ Remittances” until 30 April 2022.
It has been also been decided to reimburse the transaction cost borne by Sri Lankan migrant workers through the payment of Rs. 1,000 per transaction, when remitting money to rupee accounts via licensed banks and other formal channels with effect from February 1, 2022 and to introduce higher interest rates for both foreign currency and rupee denominated deposits of migrant workers.
The Monetary Board was of the view that the above measures will curtail the possible build-up of underlying demand pressures in the economy, which would also help ease pressures in the external sector, thus promoting greater macroeconomic stability.”
he Health Ministry reported that 827 persons have tested positive for coronavirus today (20), as the daily count of new Covid-19 cases surpasses the 800-mark for the second consecutive day.
The new coronavirus cases detected today includes 03 persons who had arrived in the country from overseas.
The total number of Covid-19 cases registered in the country jumps to 599,363 with this while over 15,000 infected patients are currently undergoing treatment.
The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 12 coronavirus related deaths for January 19, pushing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,255.
This includes 08 males and 04 females while one of the female victims is below the age of 30 years.
Two of the patients are between the ages 30-59 years while and the other nine are aged 60 years and above.
Holds series of meetings to discuss human rights issues over three-day visit
UK Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth and Development Affairs (Central and South Asia, Commonwealth, UN, Human Rights) Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, during his three-day visit to Sri Lanka, met a series of officials, including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to discuss key issues revolving around human rights.
He met President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (20). On his official Twitter account, Lord Ahmad stated that the purpose of the meeting was to discuss global challenges including climate change and economic recovery from Covid-19”.
He further stated: I emphasised the need for the GoSL (Government of Sri Lanka) to make progress on human rights, reconciliation, and justice and accountability, in line with the UN HRC (United Nations Human Rights Council) process and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).”
The President’s Media Division, in a media release, stated that Lord Ahmad had noted that Sri Lanka’s programme to empower human rights is making great strides. He had further stated that Sri Lanka will be able to resolve all issues pertaining to human rights by moving forward with a pragmatic approach to further strengthen it.
Further, Lord Ahmad toured the northern and eastern parts of the island on Wednesday (19).
During the visit, Lord Ahmad had held discussions with Northern Province Governor Jeevan Thiagarajah on the plans for the Northern Province, his priorities, and the need for justice and accountability, and had spoken to Eastern Province Governor Anuradha Yahampath about the Government’s priorities to address key concerns and livelihoods, access to justice, and integrated community relations in the Eastern Province.
Lord Ahmad also visited and paid respect to the ancient Hindu temple Thirukoneswaram while touring Trincomalee.
Further, he met with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka to discuss the UK funding providing income-generating opportunities for the Tamil community Santhai Village.
In a series of Twitter updates about his three-day stay in Sri Lanka, Lord Ahmad also stated that he had held an insightful discussion with Council for Business with Britain (CBB) representing UK companies operating in the market, where he listened to current economic impacts, and thoughts on improving trade between the UK and Sri Lanka.
Lord Ahmad also discussed efforts to support Sri Lanka’s development initiatives with UN Resident Co-ordinator Hanaa Singer-Hamdy.
We also discussed justice and reconciliation, the protection of human rights, climate initiatives, and improving access to healthcare,” he had said on his official Twitter account.
Further, the UK and Sri Lanka have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on healthcare co-operation, which is expected to improve best practices and expertise on healthcare, and develop an ethical and sustainable recruitment programme for the employment of Sri Lankan healthcare professionals in the UK. It was inked by State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne and Ministry of Health Secretary Dr. S.H. Munasinghe from the GoSL, and Lord Ahmad on behalf of the UK Government.
Further, he also discussed a broad range of issues, including co-operation on environmental issues, and human rights with a focus on reconciliation and justice with Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris.
Police have reportedly arrested the person who allegedly provided the hand grenade to the retired doctor from Piliyandala, who was recently arrested in connection with the grenade recovered from a church in Borella.
The suspect has been arrested at Ranna in Hambantota, according to Ada Derana reporter.
Investigations have uncovered that the same suspect had previously provided the retired doctor with the hand grenade which had been placed at a private hospital in Narahenpita.
Following the discovery of a hand grenade at the All Saints’ Church in Borella on Jan. 11, four suspects in total were taken into custody over the incident.
According to the police, the hand grenade had been placed using sellotape, matchsticks, and incense sticks for it to catch fire and explode.
Meanwhile a retired doctor was apprehended on Jan. 18 in the area of Piliyandala by the crimes investigation unit of the Colombo South Division, based on the information divulged by another suspect, who was arrested in Panamura, Embilipitiya.
The 75-year-old retired doctor has reportedly confessed to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) that he planned the entire incident of placing the grenade at the church.
According to sources, the retired doctor who is in the custody of the CCD has revealed that he had a long-standing feud with the church in question and had also claimed that he was involved in the recent incident of a hand grenade placed at a private hospital in Narahenpita.
The Government constantly complains about public services being
overstaffed. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa takes every opportunity to restate
the public should not face harassment; instead they must be treated with
courtesy.
When the writer was a schoolboy, letters from any Government institution
carried the phrase at the end of the communication as ‘Your obedient
servant,’ and signed by an authorised individual. This signing style of
‘Your obedient servant’ has currently flown through the window, and at
times, Government letters carry no name or legible signature at all! As
everyone knows, the taxpayer pays the public servants’ salaries, and they are
appointed to serve the public and not be on cloud nine
Basic Problem
The fundamental problem with any Government institution is the apathetic
approach by the average staff. They come in the morning, go to the canteen to
eat breakfast before starting work. Once they sit, they must discuss the
previous night’s television programmes! The writer once went to a Government
office on an official task at 9 am and witnessed this melodrama. The frustrated
writer instantly photographed the chattering of staff with his mobile phone.
Later an officer who attended to the writer’s matter wanted to know whether the
writer was from the press!
Another distraction is the television sets installed in offices
throughout the country and smartphones freely available in the Sri Lankan
market. Facebook, WhatsApp, and Skype make the staff concentrate more on their
natter rather than absorbed in office work during office hours. Today, easy
access to the internet and mobile phones enables public servants to engage in
social media or send friends messages via email or texted notes.
Should the Government want to improve the standard of working in public
offices, the most vital act should be disconnecting TV sets from all offices
and banning mobile phones during office hours. Should there be an emergency,
staff should inform the chief clerk and leave the office environment to make
the call. Removal of TV sets countrywide will relieve the Government with extra
expenditure in buying and installing TV sets in offices throughout the country
and improve the staff’s overall performance. The Chief Clerks control the
office, but they are not sufficiently strict or pay no attention to their
staff’s behaviour. Chief Clerks should be made answerable for their team.
Computerisation
Computerisation helps overcome the old systems of maintaining records in
ledgers, which is time-consuming. Registers finally must be stored in a
separate room in the office building, occupying extra space. Stored logs become
subjected to bookworms and insects that injure pages by gnawing the binding and
piercing the pages with small holes. Computerised systems can save records into
a microcassette, store them into a cassette holder, and mark them
appropriately. The writer was familiar with this type of microcassettes in
London; however, he is not aware whether Sri Lanka adopts that system!
If one visits a police station to lodge an entry, one must be prepared
to spend hours until a police officer records in a Register using multicoloured
pens. If the officer is busy with a previous customer, one needs to bite one’s
nails and mark time until the officer is free, which is time-consuming.
Therefore, one must keep a wide margin to visit a police station before
committing to other appointments. That is why many disregard visiting police
stations to lodge entries even to their disadvantage. In advanced countries,
however, computers take over the task of helping the police by storing the
lodged complaints in the hard disc of the police computer.
If the Government intends to computerise everything, it should go full
swing. The Department of Motor Traffic at Maligawatta functions ingeniously as
far as the computer systems are concerned. Anybody may produce the relevant
documents to renew the annual road tax of a motor vehicle, while staying in the
vehicle and the new disc becomes available in a matter of minutes. It should be
an effective way to help the public. Meanwhile, privately-owned fast food
outlets use a drive-through facility system for their customer’s convenience.
Why can’t the Government adopt a similar method to serve people rather than
frustrate the public?
The driving licence renewal office in Werahera needs a lot of adjustments
and improvements. Although it appears simple on paper and TV to book an
appointment to renew one’s driving licence, it does not work as simple as that.
According to the Government’s instructions, one should get a text message to
one’s mobile phone to collect the renewed driving licence. First and foremost,
it isn’t straightforward to get through to the Werahera office on the phone to
book an appointment as the lines are eternally busy. Even when one gets through
to Werahera and obtains a fixed day, only the applicant can enter, the security
guards do not allow anyone else other than the claimant to enter the building.
There is also a day service: to enjoy this facility one pays an extra Rs.
2,150. This system however, does not always work like a horse, in reality it is
quite the opposite. The case mentioned below is a typical example.
Online DL renewing
Applicant B handed over her application and all relevant documents
including her postal address, to renew her expired driving licence (DL) at the Werahera
Office. Unfortunately for her, when her driving licence expired in March 2021,
she was in the UK and was unable to visit Sri Lanka due to Covid-19 lockdowns.
This is another area where the Government’s attention can be focussed and
enable online renewing of driving licences.
For example, in the UK, the renewal of driving licence offices is done
online. They maintain the applicant’s photograph scanned in their database.
When one applies to renew one’s driving licence online, the applicants need to advise
whether they have changed from the profile picture in the database. In Sri Lanka, the
officer handling each case takes a photograph of the applicant. Is it
troublesome to attach the medical certificate compulsory?
In this case, the applicant requested a one day-service and paid Rs.
2,150.00 and was issued a receipt.. However, the applicant did not receive the
renewed licence till after three months had lapsed, nor did she receive any
text message on her phone as advertised. The applicant was told her renewed
licence would be mailed. Later enquiries revealed the renewed driving licence
was posted on 17 December 2021. The applicant contacted the sorting office at
Pannipitiya to check and was informed in the negative.
Numbers out of order
On 31st December 2021, the writer emailed the RMV drawing the personal
attention of the Commissioner in charge of renewal of driving licences. The
writer did not receive even a courteous acknowledgement to his email. The
writer then tried to contact the Commissioner’s on 011-254-5891 and 011-
251-8926 and made numerous calls daily for over two weeks, but they were in
vain. Finally, through the internet, the writer obtained the telephone numbers
of the driving licence department at Werahera viz: 011-2- 518- 926; 0706-334-134
and 0706-354-123. But the telephone response was that ‘none of the numbers
were available’. Some Government departments do not care to update their
telephone numbers on the internet.
It raises the question of how helpful the officials working at the Werahera
office are in helping or harassing the public!When President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited this
office to inquire about the department’s efficiency, some time ago, it appeared
that all they did was to whitewash the walls. It is still not clear why they
charged the applicant Rs 2,150 in the first place for a ‘Day’s Service’?
The writer made a special request from the postman to keep an eye out
for a registered post letter from the RMV, Werahera. On10 January 2022, the
postman finally informed us that a registered letter from the Werahera
office had arrived. The postmark on the envelope was not very clear. The
postman went on leave, but he arranged for his substitute to deliver the
registered letter containing the renewed licence.
The cardinal point is why charge the applicant Rs.2150.00 for a day’s
service when it was not provided? What drove them to mail the renewed licence?
It sounds like an act of high-handedness. The RMV at Werahera, Renewal of DL
section, should refund the Rs.2150/- as the service was not provided within a
day.
Maybe the President is unaware of what goes on in this Government
Department after his visit, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa repeatedly said, ‘public
servants must help the public and not harass them.’
The Rohingya issue is currently an
important international issue. More than 1.1 million Rohingyas have taken
refuge in Bangladesh since August 2017 due to genocide and ethnic cleansing in
Myanmar. About 50,000 newborn Rohingya children are added to it every year.
Bangladesh Prime Minister raised the
issue at the UNGA on September 25, 2021 to draw the attention of global leaders
in solving the Rohingya crisis. She focused specifically on the engagement of
ASEAN leaders. It is ASEAN which can resolve Rohingya refugee problem easily.
Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen
today said the Cambodian Chairmanship of Asean provides a great opportunity to
facilitate safe and dignified return of the Rohingyas, now sheltered in
Bangladesh, to Myanmar.
According to media reports, The
foreign minister said this to Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn,
also the country’s minister of foreign affairs and international cooperation,
during a telephone conversation recently.
During the conversation, Momen laid
emphasis on the potential security risks to Bangladesh, Myanmar and to the
greater region if the Rohingya crisis is left festering for a much longer
period of time.
He mentioned the vulnerability of
the displaced people to radicalism, extremism, terrorism, cross-border crimes,
etc.
Foreign Minister Momen congratulated
his Cambodian counterpart on Cambodia’s assumption of Asean Chairmanship and on
the latter’s appointment as the Special Envoy of the Asean Chair to Myanmar.
Referring to the longstanding and
excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, Momen mentioned that
Bangladesh highly values its relations with Cambodia as an important partner in
the neighborhood.
Lauding the big heart” demonstrated
by Bangladesh in sheltering 1.1 million displaced Myanmar nationals, Prak
Sokhonn expressed his full understanding of and sympathy for the difficulties
being faced by Bangladesh.
As Chair and an active member of
ASEAN, Cambodia can help to resolve it. Cambodia can be an honest mediator in
this regard. Cambodia has very warm relations with both Myanmar and Bangladesh.
On October 28, 2021, Cambodia
officially took over the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) for the third time since joining the group in 1999.
Cambodia holds the ASEAN chair for
the third time since it joined ASEAN on 30 April 1999. It was the last amongst
the 10 ASEAN countries to join ASEAN and has followed its regular turn in
chairing the organisation every decade, in 2002 and 2012, respectively. There
are only two countries—Cambodia and Brunei—whose leaders continued their tenure
over the years in ASEAN, one being PM Hun Sen and the other one being the
Sultan of Brunei.
Earlier, the Rohingya had been
subjected to systematic discrimination, deprivation of the right to vote, and
regular targeting of violence in Myanmar for decades.
Rohingyas have come to Myanmar to
save their lives after being subjected to extremely inhumane treatment by the
military; But their position in the country has become a cause for concern as
they are involved in migration, drug trafficking, child trafficking, smuggling,
and other misdeeds as Bangladeshis. Again, some of the Rohingyas have been
accused of being involved in militant activities and the Ramu attack.
According to various sources, there
are about four lakh Rohingyas inside Bangladesh and about one lakh outside the
country, especially in the Middle East. Moreover, there are reports that
underage women and children in various camps in Cox’s Bazar are being tied to
an important social bond such as marriage; Which is having a hugely detrimental
effect on the society and the state system. Child marriage is a threat to the
health of the mother as well as the health of the child. It has far-reaching
detrimental effects on women. Adolescent pregnancy can lead to a variety of
health problems, including complications in childbirth. In some cases, they are
also victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and marital rape. In addition,
increasing population density is having a devastating effect on the environment.
In
the last four and a half years, despite various initiatives, no real progress
has been made in resolving the Rohingya crisis. Under pressure from the
international community, the Myanmar government signed an agreement on Rohingya
repatriation, but to no avail. According to the agreement, the Rohingyas were
to be repatriated in stages. The repatriation process has not started for a
long time. The Myanmar government has failed to repatriate the displaced
Rohingya and resolve the crisis. Bangladesh has repeatedly urged various
international forums to take effective steps to resolve the Rohingya crisis. At
the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina not only ended her duty
by calling on the international community to repatriate Rohingya but also
presented six specific proposals. The Prime Minister also raised the issue
during his recent visit to France. In such a situation, the UN committee has
unanimously passed a resolution urging Myanmar to end the Rohingya crisis. Most
importantly, Russia and China did not oppose the proposal. The resolution,
introduced by the OIC and the European Union, was unanimously passed by the
Social Humanitarian and Cultural Committee, known as the Third Committee of the
UN General Assembly. Foreign Minister in response to the proposal. Abdul Momen
considers the support of Russia and China important. He said China and Russia
also want a solution to the Rohingya problem. This is positive news for us.
In
this regard, Cambodia can play a holistic, significant and strategic role. Cambodia can support Bangladesh at every
international forum such as at UNGA and regional conferences. They can vote in
favour of Bangladesh. They can raise the issue within the ASEAN platform. Cambodia
can negotiate with Myanmar diplomatically and bilaterally. It has good
bilateral relations with Myanmar. Cambodia can engage with others ASEAN states
to solve the crisis. Cambodia’s Buddhist society can play an effective role in
this regard. Cambodia can make Myanmar understand on the regional significance
of Rohingya repatriation.
Earlier,
Cambodia hoped hat Bangladesh and Myanmar find a solution allowing the Rohingya
repatriation, Prime Minister Hun Sen
said at the joint press conference held following his bilateral meeting with
visiting Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina in 2017.
For
her part, Sheikh Hasina affirmed the
Bangladesh’s commitment to provide shelters to some 700,000 Rohingya refugees
and to continue negotiating with Myanmar for their repatriation.
Cambodia
has confirmed its clear stance over Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. On Nov. 16,
2017, Cambodian Premier underlined that Rohingya crisis is an internal affair
of Myanmar and Cambodia will not interfere in this issue. The Cambodian premier
also expressed his sadness over the crisis in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, adding
that Cambodia is considering providing humanitarian assistance to Rakhine’s
people, some of them are living in Myanmar while others fled to Bangladesh.
Meanwhile,
PM Hun Sen visited Myanmar (6-8 January 2022). A new Special Envoy of the ASEAN
chair, Prak Sokhonn the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Ministerof Cambodia,
was announced. He will be assisted by Cham Prasidh, Minister of Industry, a
veteran of the Cambodian peace process.
Cambodia
was initially hesitant to speak out against the junta, citing ASEAN’s principle
of noninterference. But this time, as a chair of ASEAN , Cambodia wants to engage
itself and Asean with Myanmar. It is a
positive side of Cambodia. Isolation is not a solution. Involvement, engagement,
negotiations are some tools to find solutions. Cambodia is doing so. PM Hun Sen is very interested in ASEAN’s
relations with Myanmar. Cambodia’s role in this regard would be warmly
welcomed. As a chair, Cambodia can resolve a long disputed regional issue. If
Cambodia take a initiative to resolve the Rohingya refugee crisis, it would be
a great achievement for ASEAN. Whole south Asia and Southeast Asia would see a
permanent solution of a regional crisis. Of course, role of Cambodia as ASEAN
Chair would be seen positively. The prestigious of Cambodia as Asean chair would
be accepted amongst all South Asian and Southeast Asian countries.
Dhaka contends that the US move against its elite paramilitary force was precipitous
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) stand guard during a rally by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in Dhaka on December 19, 2011. Photo: Reuters / Andrew Biraj
On December 10, 2021, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the elite paramilitary force of Bangladesh, as well as seven of its current and former officers, accusing them of human-rights abuses and abductions.
Rather than slinging mud by getting involved in the debates over whether or not sanctions are really effective tools, whether these sanctions are part of a US strategic move against China in South Asia, or whether they are simply the results of misreading Bangladesh, it is the need of the hour to answer a simple question: Were sanctions the only option left available to the US?”
Generally, the US imposes sanctions with an intention to alter the strategic decisions of state and non-state actors that it thinks threaten its interests or breach international behavioral norms. The question of whether sanctions are effective splits the policy wonks into two schools.
One group argues that sanctions are often imposed inequitably and are rarely successful in bringing the desired outcome, while the other group supports sanctions as effective foreign-policy instruments for the US.
To put in perspective the recent US sanctions on the RAB, a force that has successfully spearheaded the hunts for drug smugglers, militants, and transnational terrorists as shared priorities with the US, it is imperative to analyze the historical background, current condition, and future prospects of Bangladesh-US bilateral engagement.
Longtime partners
The journey of US-Bangladesh relations started with Washington’s recognition of Bangladesh as a sovereign nation-state on April 4, 1972. Since then, the two countries have had a shared vision for a secure, inclusive, and prosperous future.
The US, the most trusted development partner of Bangladesh, is the latter’s single largest export destination, with shipments mostly from the country’s ready-made-garments sector.
Two-way trade reached a US$9 billion landmark in 2019. Bangladesh is the largest recipient of US assistance in South Asia after Afghanistan and Pakistan. Also, the US is one of the principal strategic military allies of Bangladesh, with arms purchases of around $110 million between 2010 and 2019, with substantial defense exchange and cooperation.
Though the above data transmit a positive signal about the depth and warmth of US-Bangladesh relations, why did the US impose these sanctions?
Historically, the US has imposed sanctions on those state and non-state actors with which it has strained relations and when Washington thinks there is no option left for discussion, or that the concerned actors will not pay heed to any constructive talks. As Bangladesh is one of the most trusted allies of the US in South Asia, this sudden decision to sanction the RAB has surprised other countries that are friendly toward the US.
‘Unilateral’
According to the Bangladeshi government, the sanctions were imposed unilaterally” without any prior information.” The US based its decision on the allegations of some non-governmental organizations without hearing the Bangladeshi government’s opinion or even conducting any independent investigations.
Although the US Treasury Department provided explanations for the sanctions, it seems like a one-sided decision as the US didn’t take into account Bangladesh’s response these allegations. If the US purports to be the custodian of global democracy, then it ought to have discussed its concerns with Bangladesh and considered its counterpart’s explanation.
This raises a new question: What else could have been done instead of imposing sanctions?”
Bangladesh and the US hold an annual Partnership Dialogue, established in 2012, to advance their shared bilateral, regional, and global objectives. This dialogue aims to help these two moderate and pluralistic nations to generate a strategic direction to ongoing and future cooperative moves.
In this platform, these two countries may discuss any issue, such as trade and investment, security, development and governance, and regional cooperation, to find fruitful solutions toward a deeper and broader relationship.
Instead of imposing sudden sanctions, US President Joe Biden’s administration had the option of discussing the allegations against the RAB that the US views as a matter of concern. The US could have discussed the issues in the Partnership Dialogue, or it could have arranged a separate dialogue with Bangladesh where it could have offered suggestions and guidelines on positive reforms in the RAB.
This could have brought much more fruitful results, as Bangladesh has a proven track record of accepting constructive criticisms from the US. If Bangladesh had not listened to any positive suggestions for its security forces, then the US could have played its trump card – sanctions.
The US image in the world court would have brightened, instead of being questioned, if it had followed the aforementioned procedures, which Bangladesh, like any sovereign state, should be able to expect from the US.
Dhaka always tries to maintain a cozy relationship with Washington, not only because of the US influence in the world but also as part of implementing the core mantra of its foreign policy, Friendship towards all, malice towards none.” Considering the geopolitical eminence and commercial noteworthiness of Bangladesh, the US should not ignore one of its most trusted allies in South Asia.
Coercion in the form of sanctions may have long-standing ill effects on the ties between Bangladesh and the US, with political and ethical concerns. And the profound long-term fallout from these sanctions could push Bangladesh further toward the geo-strategic orbit of China. Not to mention the fruitful outcomes that could be generated through discussion and bilateral talks that cannot be achieved by sanctions.TAGGED:BangladeshOpinionRapid Action BattalionUS sanctions
NANDITA ROY
Nandita Roy is a women’s rights activist. She holds a master’s degree from the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Dhaka.
According to food experts a rice shortage seems unavoidable
Reportedly, 300,000 Metric Tons of Nadu and Samba are to be imported to address the rice shortage
The price of one kilo of rice would be 200 rupees a kilo by March
1500 containers of food items such as sugar, milk powder, wheat, dhal and other items are currently stuck at port
Corn cultivation has been heavily affected by the fertilizer shortage
Paddy was cultivated in 1,208,454 hectares in 2020 with a harvest of 5,120,934 MT. The surplus, if any was consumed in 2021
It is uncertain whether there will be rice production for the first quarter of 2022
Without chemical fertilizer rice plants will not grow and a considerable amount of harvest cannot be expected
2000 bakeries out of 7000 have stopped operations due to the shortage of wheat
According to agriculture experts, Sri Lanka is facing a food crisis and the food related shortage will be felt more in March. Farmers cultivated less during the Maha season due to the current fertilizer issue in the country. Cultivation was not successful. This was because the farmers who were engaged in cultivation did not receive fertilizer.
Therefore there is a shortage of paddy, other crops and vegetables. Former Director of the Department of Agriculture K. B. Goonaratne said that the harvest is expected to reduce by 50% and a shortage of rice, other crops, vegetables and fruits would be unavoidable. This situation arose as there were no plans for organic cultivation. Organic cultivation could have been successful with a step-by-step plan and the lack of planning ruined the whole agricultural industry.” he added.
Reportedly, 300,000 Metric Tons of Nadu and Samba are to be imported to address the rice shortage. 200,000 MT of Nadu and 100,000 MT of G. R. 11 short grain rice- which is a substitute for Samba- will be imported at the price of 436 USD per one MT of Nadu and 465 USD per one MT of Samba substitute. These stocks are to be imported from Pattabhi Agro Foods Private Ltd. Cabinet approval was given to import rice under these prices and the stocks will be imported after issuing letters of credit. It will take six more months to import the stocks. 20,000 MT of white raw rice to which the Cabinet gave approval in November last year are to be imported as well. Even though approval was given to import one MT at 460 US$, Myanmar issues rice at 445 US$ a MT. Goonaratne said that the stock would reach Sri Lanka by the end of April. That stock is also not a solution to the rice shortage expected in March. The price of one kilo of rice would be 200 rupees a kilo by March. People will starve. The Government has no solutions to address this issue before a shortage occurs,” Goonaratne said.
1500 containers of food items such as sugar, milk powder, wheat, dhal and other items are currently stuck at port. According to Goonaratne many such items have expired. Some food items have gone stale. Even if containers are released there would still be a shortage in the market due to the expiry and spoiling of food items. There will be a huge food shortage in the market. 1000 million USD are to be paid for suppliers of goods stuck at port. This issue had arisen as banks have not issued dollars,” he said.
Goonaratne’s statement is further confirmed by what the Media Spokesperson of Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association Nihal Seneviratne told the media. According to him the Government had not fulfilled its promise to grant 25 million USD to release the containers of food items stranded at port by January 10. Containers of essential items are stuck at the port. There is a dollar scarcity and we are awaiting dollars to release the containers.” he said.
The price of rice will go up to 180-200 rupees a kilo by March and up to 300 rupees in April, Goonaratne said. ”The price of capsicum will increase to 1500-1800 rupees, green chilies to 1500 rupees, beans to 800-1000 rupees, chicken to 1000-1200 rupees a kilo,” he added.
There will be no shortage of fish such as seer and trevallies. But because of the increase in fuel price, the price of fish will increase to 2200 rupees a kilo. The Government has proposed to import 4200 MT of corn. But that may not prevent the poultry industry from facing a drop in production,” Goonaratne added. The price of chicken will continue to increase. Corn was cultivated in 78249 hectares in 2020 and the harvest was 313,520 MT. During the 2021 Maha season corn was cultivated in 97122 hectares with a harvest of 435,159 MT. However that is not sufficient for local use. Therefore the shortage will be felt more in 2022 and corn cultivation has been heavily affected by the fertilizer shortage,” he said. Goonaratne said that the poultry industry will face a huge crisis without corn for feed. The poultry industry, which had reached a satisfactory level, is at the brink of collapse, he added.
The 3,061,394 MT of harvest obtained was sufficient for local use, but rice was still imported in large stocks in 2020
Paddy was cultivated in 1,208,454 hectares in 2020 with a harvest of 5,120,934 MT. The surplus, if any was consumed in 2021. During the 2020/21 Maha season paddy was cultivated in 770,240 hectares. The 3,061,394 MT of harvest obtained was sufficient for local use, but rice was still imported in large stocks in 2020.
15,770,228 kilograms of rice were imported in 2022 at the cost of 1,936,087,671 rupees. It is uncertain whether there will be rice production for the first quarter of 2022. Harvest of 2021/22 Maha season will be obtained in February and March 2022. Rice from Ampara and Batticaloa districts should arrive in markets by February. The rice production of those districts are 12% but because of the shortage of fertilizer 50-60% of paddy lands have been destroyed. The harvest expected is less than 50%,” Goonaratne said. Without chemical fertilizer rice plants will not grow and a considerable amount of harvest cannot be expected. This situation is common in every district where paddy is cultivated. A rice shortage is unavoidable. Rice was imported to control prices, but it will take months to arrive. According to Goonaratne people will have to starve during the coming Sinhala New Year. Even the imported rice will be not less than 140-150 rupees a kilo, he added.
This situation arose as there were no plans for organic cultivation. Organic cultivation could have been successful with a step-by-step plan and the lack of planning ruined the whole agricultural industry”
– K. B. Goonaratne, Former Director of the Department of Agriculture
Beans were cultivated in 7830 hectares in 2020 and the harvest was 82,973 MT. During the 2020/21 Maha season beans were cultivated in 4115 hectares and the harvest was 40184 MT. Even though beans were cultivated during the 2021 Yala season to a considerable extent, 2021/22 Maha season did not see sufficient bean production for local use. Potatoes were cultivated in 3565 hectares in 2020 with a production of 65085 MT of potatoes. Potatoes cultivated in 2124 hectares in 2021/21 Maha season produced 40008 MT and is not sufficient for local consumption at all. Therefore potatoes will have to be imported causing the price to go up, Goonaratne added.
Green chilies were cultivated in 6781 hectares in the previous Maha season with a harvest of 35752 MT. Green chilies can be cultivated easily in Sri Lanka, but because chili cultivation was impacted by fungal diseases the increase of price is unavoidable, he added.
The most recently released data of Department of Census and Statistics is for the year 2017 and accordingly the annual rice consumption per person is 89 kilos. 1,914,000 MT of rice have been consumed in 2017. The data also say that a person consumes eight kilograms of potatoes per year. 195,000 MT of corn are required for annual consumption. Chicken consumption is 199,000 MT per annum and is nine kilograms per person annually. 131,000 MT of eggs are required annually and a person consumes 6 kg per year. These data are for 2017 and when compared, the question arises whether it will be possible to fulfill the consumption requirements for 2022, underscored Goonaratne. A food crisis would begin in the first quarter of 2022 and the whole country would starve, he added.
There will be no food crisis at all. Rice is imported to control increasing prices. As this will cause injustice to farmers the paddy produced in the Maha season will be bought at 75 rupees a kilo. Even though this Maha season’s harvest has reduced by 40-50%, that will be sufficient for six months and there will be no rice shortage”
– Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Agricultural Minister
All Island Bakery Owners’ Association said they have been unable to maintain bakeries as finding the wheat required for daily use has been difficult. All Island Bakery Owners’ Association Chairman N. K. Jayawardena said that 2000 bakeries out of 7000 have stopped operations due to the shortage of wheat. Wheat issued to markets daily is not sufficient for bakery production. Consumers cannot eat bread as a substitute for rice. Importing wheat has been unthinkable due to dollar scarcity and this issue has occurred,” he added.
Agricultural Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said recently that at the event of a food crisis, measures would be taken immediately to import items. However our efforts made to contact the Minister proved futile. But according to the announcement issued by the Ministerial Media Unit, the Agriculture Minister has said that even though the organic fertilizer project failed this season, that can be successfully launched during the Yala season and measures had been taken to import organic fertilizer as well as chemical fertilizer. There will be no food crisis at all. Rice is imported to control increasing prices. As this will cause injustice to farmers the paddy produced in the Maha season will be bought at 75 rupees a kilo. Even though this Maha season’s harvest has reduced by 40-50%, that will be sufficient for six months and there will be no rice shortage,” he added.
Only a few people want the Chinese vessel containing fertilizer. They are trying to import fertilizer and are claiming that their money was wasted during the previous deal. If fertilizer does not meet the standards we will not allow them to be imported”
– Dr. Ajantha de Silva, Director General of Agricultural Department
Attempts made to contact Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena were also futile. A spokesperson of the Trade Ministry said that essential items stranded at port would be released when dollars are received. A food crisis will not be tolerated in the country. 400,000 MT of rice are to be imported and they will be distributed at fair prices through Sathosa,” he added.
The Government is attempting to import organic fertilizer for the next season and successfully carry out organic cultivation. Compensation has been paid for the fertilizer stock reported to contain harmful microbes. The fertilizer company issuing a statement said recently that a test conducted in Singapore had confirmed that harmful microbes were absent in the said stock. In such a backdrop, many people have focused their attention on the fertilizer vessel again to see if the Government is trying to purchase another organic fertilizer stock from the same Chinese company. If their fertilizer meets the standards there should be no issues But if someone is trying to bring back the same stock containing harmful bacteria, what actions will be taken with regards? People wonder whether the same stock will be brought back.
Meanwhile State Minister for Agricultural Shashindra Rajapaksa said during a media briefing recently that the report on the Chinese fertilizer produced by the Department of Agriculture was suspicious. The report given in Singapore does not mention the presence of any harmful microbe and the Sri Lankan report on harmful microbes is therefore suspicious.” he added.
Wheat issued to markets daily is not sufficient for bakery production. Consumers cannot eat bread as a substitute for rice. Importing wheat has been unthinkable due to dollar scarcity and this issue has occurred” -N. K. Jayawardena, All Island Bakery Owners’ Association Chairman
People do not believe in what Ministers say. Therefore the Daily Mirror contacted Director General of Agricultural Department Dr. Ajantha de Silva who said that samples should be sent prior to importing fertilizer. Only when samples pass the test and are proven to contain no harmful substances, are the vessel permitted to enter. Sending a vessel earlier without sending samples is of no use. Only a few people want the Chinese vessel containing fertilizer. They are trying to import fertilizer and are claiming that their money was wasted during the previous deal. If fertilizer does not meet the standards we will not allow them to be imported.
We cannot accept the tests done in Singapore. Those tests are different to ours. We cannot allow the importation of harmful fertilizer because of tests conducted elsewhere. Even if the Government accuses us, we are working in keeping with the law.” he added.
Sri Lankan government today insisted that the recent travel advisory issued by Canada on the island nation contains flawed references to the economic and security situation in the country as well as inaccurate information with regard to the safety and security of female travelers and harassment of foreigners.
The Foreign Ministry, responding to the said travel advisory which was published on January 13, stressed that it is erroneous and has outdated information.
It does not reflect the actual situation in Sri Lanka, the statement read further.
In a bid to apprise the Canadian authorities of ground realizes, the Foreign Ministry noted that Sri Lanka has successfully overcome the immediate challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The island nation is now in a state of normalcy with all public service, corporate and business, and education activities functioning normally without interruption, in accordance with COVID-19 health and safety guidelines, it added.
The nationwide inoculation programme has been commended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and almost 90% of the eligible population has received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. A campaign has been launched to provide the booster dose to the population above 20 years of age.”
The Foreign Ministry stated that despite the pandemic, Sri Lanka has received several international accolades in the tourism industry including CNN’s Where to Travel in 2022”; the Global Wellness Institute; Conde Nast Traveler 2021 Reader’s Choice Awards as well as other endorsements received previously in 2019 by Lonely Planet and the National Geographic Travel.
The Sri Lankan government looks forward to more tourists visiting Sri Lanka from Canada and elsewhere with the gradual normalization of travel globally, the statement continued.
It is important to note that even though Sri Lanka’s economy has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is making every endeavor to reinvigorate its economy this year, through the implementation of prudent policies. Food security and law & order are the topmost priorities of the Government, and the availability of all essentials is considered as a vital part of the Government’s functions. As such high priority is given to ensuring that all essential items continue to be available to the public at all time and there are sufficient stocks of food items.”
The Foreign Ministry explained that with regard to the security situation, the Sri Lankan government maintains minimum presence of military in the North and the East to ensure security and stability in keeping with national security imperatives and this is similar to such presence elsewhere in the country.
There is no arbitrary arrest and detention of persons by the police or security forces. Since the end of the terrorist conflict in 2009, security forces have conducted a comprehensive demining operation in the North and East, with technical support of several foreign governments and international agencies. As at December 2014, 94% of the de-mining had been completed, while presently, the figure has risen to 98.7%.”
In response to the Canadian travel advisory’s warning that there is a threat of terrorism” and further attacks cannot be ruled out”, the Foreign Ministry said it is notable that since the election of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in November 2019 the Sri Lankan government has taken all necessary measures to ensure public safety and national security throughout the country, to prevent any resurgence of terrorism.
There has not been even a single terrorist-related incident in Sri Lanka, due to the enhanced vigilance and proactive measures taken by the relevant security authorities, the ministry pointed out.
Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country with a rich, cosmopolitan heritage where different communities have peacefully co-existed over centuries. There is no civil unrest in the country. Sri Lanka has a long democratic tradition with strong institutions and a vibrant civil society. Freedom of association and assembly are safeguarded with peaceful demonstrations occurring in Sri Lanka as in any other country where liberal democratic norms and traditions prevail.”
The police have allowed and continue to allow such peaceful demonstrations to take place unimpeded and these demonstrations do not in any way hinder the comfort, movement, safety or activities of tourists, the Foreign Ministry assured in its statement.
It also noted that special attention is being paid to the safety and security of female tourists with measures taken to strengthen the presence of police, including tourism police, island-wide in all regions. Under this programme, police presence is being increased in all popular tourist destinations of the country with greater presence of women police officers in police stations. Emergency numbers of tourist police regional units, local police, and other emergency units such as hospitals, are available online to be accessed by travelers to Sri Lanka, it explained.
Sri Lanka is an island nation with friendly people with a high level of education, knowledge of English and literacy, and incidents of harassment or violence against tourists or foreigners are extremely rare.”
