31-01-2019

EDITORIAL
ThuRSDay,
JanuaRy 31, 2019
4
Acting Editor & Publisher : Jobaer Alam
Telephone: +8802-9104683-84, Fax: 9127103
e-mail: editor@thebangladeshtoday.com
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Ensuring progress
in health sector
The health sector of the country as it observed the
World Health Day sometime ago, presents a mixed
picture of significant progress, some unattained
objectives and cases of back sliding. The incumbent
government had promised a great deal in its previous
election manifesto and must be credited for having worked
considerably to keep its promises.
For example, it was stated in the election manifesto of the
Awami League five years ago that in order to expand and
strengthen health services at the grassroots level in the
country, some 18,000 community clinics would be
established at ward level under a new health policy. Some
10,000 of these community clinics have been set up
throughout the country. Some more of these clinics at
upazilla and union levels are being planned to be integrated
under the community clinic framework.
This could be accepted as a very laudable achievement but
for the fact that in most cases these clinics are not delivering
amply health services consistent with their potentials. A
dearth of doctors, nurses, technicians and medical
equipment are noted in these clinics in many cases. Thus,
the challenge remains to provision these clinics adequately
and run them efficiently. The issue of absentee doctors must
be addressed - specially-- through a proper accountability
procedure so that such doctors are only obligated to
discharge their duties with due sincerity at their due places
of posting.
Many doctors on the government's health services in
connivance with unscrupulous officials in the Health
Ministry are usually able to avoid serving in the rural areas.
Many of them remain in Dhaka month after month and
draw their salaries and other benefits without doing
adequate work at their properly designated places while the
health services in the rural areas suffer very seriously from
absence of doctors. Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina
warned such absentee doctors for their dereliction of duty
time and again.
However, like in all other cases of the taste of the pudding
coming from eating it, the tough words from the PM will
count for something only after the actual taking of the steps
that would be required to ensure that the doctors do
indeed feel obligated to serve in the rural areas. This is no
easy task for on the one hand there are involved problems of
psychology and character and, on the other, the doctors can
point to the disincentives that keep them away from rural
areas. The solution lies in psychologically curing the doctors
of their inordinate fascination for working in urban areas as
much as also providing them with further incentives, as far
as would be truly justified, to have peace of mind to serve
with dedication in the rural areas. But the greatest stress
will have to be put on strict enforcement of rules and
regulations to make it very difficult for them to go on so
unconscientiously avoiding their duties in rural areas.
The nation makes much sacrifice to produce a doctor with
highly subsidised medical education and then further pays
not unreasonably for his or her upkeep with salaries and
other facilities. In return, the nation should duly expect to
get his or her sincere service. If the same is not honestly
discharged, then the nation should have the right to apply
coercion so that the same is discharged.
The problems complained by the doctors may not be
ignored and steps may be taken to solve them . But the
imperative is keeping up consistent pressure on them as
per their service rules to do their bounden duties at their
work stations.
From 2009, government introduced the so called user fees
in the publicly run medical and health care system. Under
23 categories, user fees were introduced for 470 types of
services in the public hospitals. The public medical care
institutions were obliged, at least in theory, to extend free
medical services or at nominal costs till the introduction of
this fee.
But in the backdrop of such free and nominal payments
leading to poor or even no treatment of patients, it was
decided that users' fees would be applied to bring about
positive changes through users bearing a part of the real
costs of treatment. This would free the government
somewhat from paying huge subsidies ineffectively to the
medical sector while enabling better treatment with patients
bearing a part of their costs.
But the real experience after introduction of the users' fees
is that patients' treatment costs, on average, have increased
compared to the time when they were treated for free or at
nominal costs. Thus, it requires a rethink whether the user
fee system should be given up with restoration of the
previous system of free treatment or treatment at nominal
costs only.
If it is decided to go back to the older system, then it must
be ensured that the free system or nominal payment system
do not make the patients suffer like in the past due to
corruption and neglect. The challenge would be to make the
free or nominal payment system free from corruption and to
make it work ridding inefficiencies. Then, it could prove to
be a blessing.
A major health sector priority ought to be revamping the
family planning programme by bringing all or nearly all
fertile couples under it at the earliest. It is shocking that 45
per cent of potential couples from the standpoint of
procreation abilities, remain unserved by the family
planning programme. They are also bypassed by health and
nutrition programmes. This neglect must be overcome with
targeted policies. Time-bound targets must be pursued also
in the areas of sanitation and helping people to avoid
arsenic poisoning.
Meanwhile people, specially common people, are happy to
see that the big general public hospitals in the cities such as
the DhakaMedicalCollegeHospital, are running with some
efficiency and a sense of a duty of care compared to the past.
Let us hope that this trend would continue and be further
improved.
Every business must be a computer system innovator
There used to be a differentiation
between "high technology"
product companies that relied on
proprietary innovative computer
technology for their business success
and "non-tech" businesses that viewed
computer systems as the engines
enabling good accounting systems. This
has dramatically changed because of
major advances in computer systems
and software technology.
Of course, we have computer
technology companies selling software,
but no business no matter what its
product can ignore the powerful
competitive advantage of implementing
innovative computer systems.
What has changed in recent years is
the dramatic evolution of software,
computer and communication
technologies that together enable
business capabilities previously too
costly and complex for widespread use.
These developments can be grouped in
five broad areas.
First, the microprocessor process chip
capabilities that now pack in a silicon
chip the size of a thumbnail the process
capabilities of early mainframe
computers (Moore's Law at work).
Second, the ability to store data on
chips that range in the billions of bits in
tiny silicon areas.
Third, the ubiquitous Internet that
reaches most of humanity thanks to the
parallel development of wired and
wireless communications.
Fourth, the emergence of "cloud"
computer services that allow businesses
of any size to access on demand
computer capabilities previously only
affordable to the biggest businesses.
Fifth, great improvements in software
capabilities in the area now described as
The art of the street demo has a long
and venerable tradition in France,
but the era of the colour wars may
be only just beginning. What started with
guerrilla blockades of roundabouts by the
gilets jaunes (yellow vests) in opposition
to French President Emmanuel Macron's
new fuel tax has led to weekly marches in
Paris and across France, some ending in
violent stand-offs between protesters and
the police. On Saturday, for "Act XI" (the
rather portentous title given to the 11th
protest) the yellow vests numbered
69,000 across France and 4,500 in Paris.
Although down from the previous week,
with 84,000 nationwide, the figures were
higher than in December.
The next day, it was the turn of the
foulards rouges, or red scarves. Their
"Republican march for the liberties" drew
about 10,000 people on to the Parisian
streets. The choice of red had nothing to
do with the French left. Many scarfwearers
complained that the activities of
the gilets jaunes prevented them from
enjoying a Saturday outside or doing their
shopping. Their chants were pro-police
and pro-Macron. When the gilets jaunes
(yellow jackets) were outnumbered on
the streets of the capital by an unofficial
"leave us in peace" brigade, it was a sign
that the movement which started with
roundabouts was at a crossroads. What
were they for, what should their tactics be,
and how could they keep up the levels of
popular support that placed Macron so
firmly on the back foot?
A crunch moment is coming. Last
week, controversially, a branch of the
gilets jaunes announced it would run for
the European elections under the label
"citizen-led rally". A list of 79 candidates
will be published by mid-February.
There are inaccuracies in many
people's understanding of an
accused person's rights under the
law, and a widespread lack of knowledge.
This is not helped by irresponsible media
outlets that spread lies about the subject.
The Saudi Criminal Procedure Law and
its Executive Regulation ensure fair and
proper treatment for all, both Saudi
nationals and expatriates. The law
prohibits any violation of human dignity
in all circumstances, and ensures the
maintenance of people's rights regardless
of the charge against them.
No one may be arrested or imprisoned,
or have their property searched, other
than as sanctioned by law. The law also
prohibits exposing anyone to abuse,
whether material or moral.
Everyone is entitled to the services of a
lawyer at the investigation and trial stages.
An accused person has the right to attend
all investigation procedures with their
lawyer, and no investigator may prevent
access to a lawyer.
An accused person must be examined
and questioned within 24 hours of being
detained; if no evidence is obtained
against them in that period, the
artificial intelligence. And finally,
coming now are fifth-generation (5G)
wireless systems that will enable to
dramatically improve the ability to
reach billions of people with enormous
amounts of data.
You can thank the evolution of the
transistor and the semiconductor laser
as the core devices that enable these
marvels of technology. And we not seen
the limits yet of their capabilities.
That computer systems are the
essential drivers of businesses was not a
secret. I remember asking, in 1990,
Jack Welch, the legendary chief
executive of General Electric, what he
thought was the single most important
system innovation he introduced.
"Sophisticated computer systems to
manage performance. If you can't
quantitatively measure business
performance, you can't improve it."
Welch invested huge amounts of
money in building the computer
infrastructure. Running efficient
computer hardware centers was once a
differentiating business capability for
big companies. Today such a capability
is available to all as an on demand cloud
hEnRy kRESSEl
service from Amazon, Microsoft and
others, and operating efficient
computers is no longer a differentiating
competitive advantage.
The competitive advantage comes
from the ability to creatively harness
data management, analysis and flow
within a corporation to offer products
and services with better quality,
customer satisfaction and speed to
market. Mining corporate data is only
the first requirement of a successful
That computer systems are the essential drivers of
businesses was not a secret. I remember asking, in
1990, Jack Welch, the legendary chief executive of
General Electric, what he thought was the single most
important system innovation he introduced.
"Sophisticated computer systems to manage
performance. If you can't quantitatively measure
business performance, you can't improve it."
The age and professions of the 10
known candidates vary widely. They are
small business owners, drivers, stay-athome
parents and civil servants. They
range from 29 to 53 years old. For now
they have no clear programme, but the
mood music is more of the left than the
right. Le Pen-style anti-immigration
rhetoric is not part of their anti-elite pitch.
"The citizen social movement born on
November 17 shows the necessity to turn
anger into a humane political project that
will bring answers to the French people,"
read one statement. "We, French citizens,
do not want to endure the decisions of
European institutions and diktats of
technocrats and financial castes, who
have forgotten the human factor,
solidarity and the planet."
Top of the candidates' list is Ingrid
Levavasseur, a nursing assistant and
single mother from Normandy.
Levavasseur became a well-known gilets
jaunes spokesperson after a TV show in
which she detailed her everyday financial
difficulties and found she had touched a
chord: "I thought I was an isolated case,
but I see how everyone suffers. The
nurses, the sick, the unemployed, the
PaulInE Bock
business, but its value can only be
realized by the organization of the
business and the control of the
interlocked functions such as
manufacturing, sales, marketing and
product development. This means that
businesses of all sizes and markets need
internal high levels of competence in
sophisticated data analysis using the
most advanced technologies - areas
such as artificial intelligence and
machine learning. These skills need to
be applied on a continuing basis to the
evolving needs of the business. An
interesting example of such amazing
success is amazon.com, which has
revolutionized retailing on the basis of
France’s yellow jackets are just chaotic
investigation department must release
them. Investigating officers are obliged by
law to hear an accused person's
statements without delay.
The detention period itself should not
exceed five days, unless extended by the
head of the Public Prosecution in the
relevant region. Such an extension may be
for one or more five-day periods, but the
total period of detention should not
exceed 40 days. Many inaccuracies, some
of which amount to fictional detective
stories, have been published about
investigation procedures. It should go
without saying that the right to a private
life is afforded great consideration and
hauliers ..." She is not the only one to be
enthusiastic about entering politics:
Jacline Mouraud, whose Facebook video
condemning the fuel tax went viral in
November, is launching a party too. It
won't run for the European elections, but
she has hopes for the 2020 local elections.
But the would-be political wing is
viewed with contempt by the gilets jaunes
radicals, who remain devotees of a more
grass roots democratic style combined
with new types of protest designed to
The next day, it was the turn of the foulards rouges,
or red scarves. Their "Republican march for the
liberties" drew about 10,000 people on to the
Parisian streets. The choice of red had nothing to do
with the French left. Many scarf-wearers
complained that the activities of the gilets jaunes
prevented them from enjoying a Saturday outside
or doing their shopping.
capture the imagination, such as the first
"yellow night" at the weekend (a sit-in on
Paris's Place de la Republique).
As the various factions contend, the
danger is that the organised chaos of the
early protests becomes just, well, chaos.
Since the new year, the gilets jaunes have
developed wildly divergent strategies.
Some weekly marches are declared while
others happen on the spot. Unions have
joined in, and are calling for a general
strike starting on February 5. The gilets
jaunes have successfully shaken things
up, but disarray is spreading among them
too. Prominent figures are starting to
organise independently. Eric Drouet, a
radical who has pledged to keep the
DIMah Talal alShaRIF
respect in both Islam and the law.
Infringement on privacy is prohibited
under normal circumstances, and the use
of the law to do so is limited by strict
restrictions and red lines. For example, a
house may not be searched or inspected
except with the authority of a warrant
issued by the Public Prosecution or by the
authorized investigating agent. A search
may occur when people are caught "in
flagrante delicto," in which case women's
privacy is taken into consideration.
In addition, searches are limited to
items relevant to the case. It is not
normally permissible for criminal
investigators to open any sealed or closed
innovative computer and
communications technology and
became one of the most valuable
companies in the world in what is
basically a "mundane" consumer
service.
The growing recognition of the
importance of new computer systems
became glaring to me recently when a
friend (and former CEO of a Warburg
Pincus portfolio company) with an
accounting background became CEO of
a major international fertilizer
company.
I asked him why he was selected given
his financial and not chemical
background.
"I told the CEO selection committee
that I knew nothing about fertilizers but
a great deal about computer systems,
software and architecture that allows
the most efficient operations and
ultimate growth and profitability," he
said. "In fact, I had demonstrated that
successful capability in my prior CEO
position of an insurance company.
"When I took that job I had no
experience in the insurance business
either but I took it from loss-making to
growth and profitability by changing its
business architecture based on
innovative computer systems."
So he was selected because the
company was staffed with many
fertilizer experts but no one with the
proven ability to lead the building of a
computer-based infrastructure that
would maximize the value of the
company's products and
manufacturing skills. There is a lesson
here for all businesses.
Source : Asia times
struggle on the streets, organised the
"yellow night"; while Priscillia Ludosky,
who has stopped working with Drouet,
calls instead for peaceful marches and
female-only events.
In Commercy, eastern France, an
"assembly of local assemblies" met up last
week. They signed a common declaration
of their values: A platform that was
"neither racist, nor sexist or
homophobic", aimed at coordinating the
movement democratically, and,
pointedly, said they had no wish to run for
office.
The disagreements are undoubtedly
endangering the movement's
momentum, which has also been
damaged by occasional outbreaks of
violence. Macron and others have
denounced the violence of gilets jaunes
"hooligans" at protests, while ignoring
that inflicted by police on the protesters.
Dozens of yellow vests have been injured.
Last Saturday, Jerome Rodrigues, an ally
of Drouet, was injured by an object
allegedly thrown from police lines. In
response, Drouet posted an online call for
"an unprecedented uprising by all
necessary means".
Huge political opportunities remain.
The "great national debate", launched by
Macron to engage with the gilets jaunes,
has been a damp squib, with the
president even drawing red lines around
topics he didn't wish to see debated,
among them the possible reintroduction
of a wealth tax. The French national
debate committee, designated to arbitrate
the "great debate", quit because the
government did not want to play by the
rules.
Source : Gulf news
When you’re accused - your rights under the law
Many inaccuracies, some of which amount to fictional
detective stories, have been published about investigation
procedures. It should go without saying that the right to a
private life is afforded great consideration and respect in both
Islam and the law. Infringement on privacy is prohibited
under normal circumstances, and the use of the law to do so
is limited by strict restrictions and red lines.
papers on the property being searched. If
opening them is required, this must take
place in the presence of the accused, or the
person to whom these papers belong. This
applies to postal messages, telephone
conversations and other means of
communication, which the law has
affirmed to be prohibited from being
accessed or monitored. In addition,
searches may take place only during the
hours of daylight.
At the trial stage, an accused person is
entitled to attend all hearings without
restriction. In addition to listening to the
statement of claim, responding to it and
inquiring about anything that is not
understood, they are also entitled to
request that witnesses be heard, and to
have the final word before the hearing
concludes and the sentence is
pronounced.
Having only vague knowledge about our
rights under the law is unacceptable at a
time when the law is the principal
regulator of the lives and safety of
members of society.
Source: Arab news