Defence buys up in last fiscal

Sheikh Shahariar Zaman

Dhaka, June 17 (bdnews24.com) ? Arms and ammunition imports increased by a million dollar in the last fiscal, with China being the top exporter to Bangladesh.

The country imported $24.61 million worth of arms and ammunition and parts and accessories in 2009-10 fiscal, while it was $23.71 million in the previous fiscal, according to Bangladesh Bank data.

China exported about $17 million worth of arms and ammunition in the last fiscal compared to about $10 million in the preceding fiscal.

The US, the UK, France and Russia jointly supplied about $0.11 million worth of arms and ammunition in 2009-10 fiscal, while it was about $7.4 million in the previous fiscal.

The finance minister in the proposed budget for 2011-12 fiscal has imposed 100 per cent supplementary duty on bomb, grenade, torpedo, mine, missile, revolver and pistol and similar explosives.

The minister has proposed to raise the defence spending of the country by Tk 27.76 billion to Tk 119.55 billion in the next fiscal.

It is 7.3 percent of the total budget size of Tk 1.64 trillion for the fiscal 2011-12.

For the current fiscal, the defence budget is 6.9 per cent of the Tk 1.32 trillion budget.

The revised spending, however, increased to Tk 93.22 billion from the original expenditure of Tk 91.79 billion.

Finance minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith in his budget speech for 2011-12 on June 9 said the government had taken steps to modernise the defence system.

"There is no alternative to augmenting the defence capacity of the country through modernisation of armed forces," he said.

The government has taken steps to provide training to the three forces to enhance their operational capacity and efficiency.

"Side by side, we have been trying to procure modern equipment and modern technology-based military hardware and to enhance other benefits for the defence forces," he said.

He said approximately a total of 9,000 members of three forces were working in peace-keeping missions of the United Nations.

"Our armed forces have not only glorified the image of Bangladesh but also made significant contribution to the economy," he said.

"We believe that they will continue to leave their mark in the international arena in the similar fashion as they are doing now," he added.

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Ball is now in govt's court: Fakhrul

Dhaka, June 18 (bdnews24.com) ? Now it is the government turn to come up with the caretaker issue, says BNP, a day after the ruling party's offer to sit with the main opposition to discuss it.

"Our leader has made our party stance clear. Now the ball is in their [govt] court," BNP acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told reporters at its Naya Paltan headquarters on Saturday.

The opposition chief on Thursday said her party would have no discussion with the government on the caretaker government issue.

"The provision for holding national elections under caretaker government must be retained. No new formula is required. There's no scope for discussion either," Khaleda Zia said.

Later, on Friday, Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam said his party did not want to take decisions unilaterally. "We'll wait until the end."

"We're hopeful that [BNP chairperson] Khaleda Zia will discuss the issue. We're ready to discuss it anywhere in or outside parliament," he said.

Fakhrul also declared a three-day agitation programme from the press briefing against the government move.
BNP did not join the formal talks with the special parliamentary committee on constitution amendment, which on June 8 submitted its report with 51 suggestions.

Fakhrul said, "I would like to say with due respect that Ashraf Saheb wants to hold elections under a political government. That's why they don't want talks [on the issue]."

"The government [forcibly] took the verdicts of the fifth and 13th amendments in their favour, disregarding public opinion," Fakhrul alleged in his written statement.

He also said the Fifth Amendment that restored the multiparty rule and people's belief and philosophy was annulled with an ill-motive.

"?now the government is ignoring everything and putting the country's sovereignty and multiparty system at stake," he added.

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