Govt urged not to move WB legal immunity bill

Monday, May 9th, 2005

Staff Correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2005/may/09/nat.html

The Alliance against World Bank Immunity on Sunday brought out a procession from the Central Shaheed Minar, demanding of the government not to pass the International Financial Organisations Act that will grant blanket immunity to the multilateral lending agency.
Members of the alliance also held a rally near the High Court at the end of the procession.

Activists kicked and stamped on the effigy of the World Bank president, for pressuring the government for giving it immunity.
The leaders at the rally said the act is insulting to the nation and it would violate fundamental rights of the people of the country.
They urged the government to make the act public so that citizens could understand what is going on.
The alliance, a combine of 60 non-governmental organisations, is determined to protect the fundamental rights of the people and the sovereignty of the country, said the leaders.
They said the bank continuously pressured the government for immunity exploiting its weakness.
Aminur Rasul Babul, national coordinator of the alliance, said, ‘Citing the act as an example of precedence in other countries, the bank will seek blanket immunity form them and compel them to provide immunity also.’
Sharif A Kafi, Mohammad Zakaria, Selina Mallik, Ahmed Swapan, AHM Bazlur Rahman, Abdur Rahman Khan and Arup Rahi addressed the rally.