The Daily Star, Sunday, October 23, 2011

Costly migration raises concern
Analysts speak at regional summit in Dhaka
Star Business Report

Analysts yesterday expressed concern over high costs of migration and suggested collective negotiation by South Asian countries with the receiving countries to reduce the costs.

Speaking at a regional summit, Dr Tasneem Siddiqui, chairman of Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, said migrant workers have to pay double the actual amount and most of the cost is charged by the destination countries. “Even if a worker uses all of his earnings, though it is not possible, it will take 17 months to repay the cost.”

It is not possible for Bangladesh alone to resolve the migration cost issue, Siddiqui said. South Asian countries should work together to solve it, she added.

The Centre for Policy Dialogue, a private think-tank, organised the two-day Fourth South Asia Economic Summit on Global Recovery, New Risks and Sustainable Growth: Repositioning South Asia at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka.

Farooq Sobhan, president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute, chaired a session of the summit -- Managing International Migration and Flow of Remittances: Recent Global Developments and Implications for South Asia -- where experts from Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka expressed their opinions.

Siddiqui said Bangladesh has been losing its share of labour market in some countries due to less skilled workers. “Though the concerned ministry has taken several steps to increase skills of the workers, it is not working because it is not part of the national planning,” she said.

Dr Ganesh Gurung, founding chairperson of Nepal Institute of Development Studies, said the migration costs have increased over the last one decade, but not wages.

He felt that regional leaders must attach importance to the migration agenda at the forthcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit.

Dr Selim Raihan, who teaches economics at Dhaka University, stressed the need for conducting panel studies to learn about the flow and use of remittance.

“We don't know how the money is used by the family members of the migrant workers,” he said.

He also suggested more bilateral initiatives by the government with the destination countries to solve different problems of migrant workers.

Farooq Sobhan mentioned 10 recommendations, including concentration on better management, adoption of development friendly migration strategy and implementation of a programme to strengthen the migration management capacity that he will put out at the Commonwealth Summit to be held this week.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/print_news.php?nid=207618

People in the Middle East have now awakened to rule of law and democracy, said speakers at a discussion on Wednesday.

They have also risen in protest against autocracy and injustice prevailing over a long period of time in society.

The speakers made the observations at a roundtable on “Middle East: economic condition and development” organised by Bangladesh Enterprise Institute in the capital.

Guest Speaker Prof Dr Turkkaya Ataov from Turkey presented the keynote paper delineating the background of popular uprising in some countries of Middle East.

Prof Dr Turkkaya Ataov in his keynote paper said people in the Middle East have started to protest against injustice in society.

He mentioned that the world economic meltdown also led onto the Egyptian crisis.

The people in Egypt protested against corruption, unemployment and demanded social justice, he added.

Turkkaya Ataov said a worker in a printing press of Egypt draws salary of around US$100 while a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) US$ 65,000.

Against such discrimination in the society, around 15 million Egyptians, including peasants, took to the street, demanding redistribution of payment, Ataov said.

He added that Christian fundamentalism is also spreading fast.

Terming Christian fundamentalism an arm of neocolonialism, the guest speaker said it is the worst fundamentalism.

In his address, former ambassador Farooq Sobhan said very important events have recently taken place in the Middle East, especially in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Turkish Ambassador H E M Vakur Erkul said democracy can’t just be confined to certain countries.

People in the Middle East have now awakened to democracy, he said, hoping that democracy will dawn on the Middle East in future.

In the question-answer session, noted Historian Professor Dr Syed Anwar Husain, also editor of daily sun, asked how the uprising in the Middle East is a revolution, as there is no philosophy, no leadership and no organisation for this.

Turkkaya Ataov also agreed that the upsurge by Egyptians is not a revolution.

Former ambassador and chief information commissioner Muhammad Zamir and former ambassador M Humayun Kabir, among others, attended the programme which was presided over by BEI president and former ambassador Farooq Sobhan.

Source:http://www.daily-sun.com/details_ds-democracy-to-dawn-on-middle-east-in-future_363_1_10_1_0.html

The Arab spring, evolving situations in Iraq and developments in Afghanistan have implications for the South Asian countries, said former Foreign Secretary Farooq Sobhan yesterday.

Sobhan, now president of Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI), said a lot of happenings and developments are taking place across the Middle Eastern region, Egypt and Libya, and it may continue.

"We have keen interest in the Arab spring," he said while speaking at a discussion on Middle East: Economic Condition and Development, at the BEI office, where former Professor of Ankara University Turkkaya Ataov shared his analysis on Arab uprising.

Turkish Ambassador in Bangladesh Vakur Erkul, who was also present, said Turkey sits astride the peninsula joining two continents of Asia and Europe.

"We have one foot on the east and the other on the west," he said, adding that the country gets affected by the ramifications of the happenings developments surrounding it.

He said his country is ready to help the Middle Eastern countries to establish democracy and democratic processes.

Prof Ataov said events of global significance are taking place in the Arab world, Horn of Africa and North Africa.

"People have begun to challenge established old orders in the world as a whole," said Ataov who authored almost 130 books.

The professor said the world economic crisis, rise in costs of basic foods and fall in remittances accelerated the uprising in Egypt, people of which toppled the country's long standing ruler Hosni Mubarak in 18 days.

"It was a popular revolt. It was for democratic reform, social justice and redistribution of wealth," he said, referring to the long time deprivation and impoverishment of the Egyptian during the Mubarak regime.

Citing protests in Greece and Spain, Ataov said the happenings in Egypt also inspired movements in other parts of the world. "People demand better life," he said.

He also warned that all kinds of fundamentalisms are on the rise. He said the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not have any constitution as it follows the Quran. But what about human rights, he questioned.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=206317