News Coverage

Speakers at a discussion on Monday said the government should immediately start working on developing a legal framework to protect the secrecy of the data about citizens, which were submitted to either the government or the commercial organizations.
The discussion styled ‘privacy and the protection of the citizens, consumers and economy’ was organised by a local non-governmental organization, VOICE at the National Press Club auditorium in the capital.
Ahmed Shawpan Mahmud, the executive director of VOICE, said that personal and family information of the Bangladeshi citizens were stored with the Election Commission and different telecom operators.
‘The data carry potentials for being commercially traded. So the sales or transfers of such data should be legally prevented,’ he suggested.
It is the responsibility of the government to assure the citizens that the secrecy of their information will be guarded by the government and the companies, before calling them to submit information about them, he pointed out.
VOICE has partners like the London School of Economics and Political Science and the UK-based Privacy International in this campaign.

Climate Change Close monitoring of ADB activities stressed

http://thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=56285

Speakers at a consultation yesterday agreed to monitor closely the policies,
projects and programmes of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Bangladesh.

They evaluated the recently drafted national action plan on climate change,
says a press release.

The national action plan was drafted without any public participation
especially the vulnerable communities.

The daylong consultation on 'Environment and Climate Change: Role of the ADB
in Bangladesh' held at the auditorium of Campaign for Popular Education
(Campe) in the city was attended by nearly 40 representatives from NGOs,
civil society organisations, academicians, journalists and human rights
activists.

The speakers demanded that international financial institutions (IFIs) and
northern multinational companies should shed the climate hypocrisy if they
want to consider impacts of climate change on people.

The event was organised by VOICE, a research and advocacy organisation based
in Dhaka, and Manila-based NGO Forum on ADB, an international civil society
network.

No strings with foreign aid demanded

Social and development activists on Monday called for bringing an end to conditions in taking foreign aid and ensure a transparent, accountable and coordinated process based on the UN charter.

Representatives of a number of organisations, under the banner of Aid Accountability Group, expressed their concern over the issue at a news conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity, organised ahead of the ministerial meeting on ‘effectiveness of foreign aid’ to be held in Ghanaian capital Accra in September 2-4.

The speakers warned that the US and the World Bank at the Accra meeting would try to establish the dominance of the lenders in setting terms and conditions for providing foreign assistance to developing countries.

Alongside the ministerial meeting, citizens’ organisation from all over the world will also meet in Accra from August 31 to September 1 to discuss how foreign assistance can be made more effective in the development process of a country.
The coordinator of the Aid Accountability Group, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, also the executive director of Voices for Interactive Choice and Empowerment, stressed ensuring ‘democratic ownership’ of foreign aid.

MADRID, Spain - By IFI Water Watch
Civil society organizations from Asia urge their leaders attending the 41st Governors’ Meeting to reject the pro-privatization and anti-poor Strategy 2020- the new long-term strategic framework of the Asian Development
Bank- which is part of the agenda of the meetings in Madrid, Spain, from May 3-6. Contrary to its corporate vision of ‘An Asia and Pacific Free of Poverty’, the Strategy 2020, which replaces the long-term strategic framework 2000-2015, will actually lead to increased poverty, debt, hunger and environmental plunder in the region.
The strategy aims to create a business-friendly environment and increase public-private partnerships to at least 30% of total activities by 2020. The strategy also aims to scale up private sector development and private sector operations to 50% by 2020 in core areas such as environment, finance sector development, regional cooperation and integration, education, and infrastructure (including water, sanitation and waste management).

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Staff Correspondent - The Bangladesh Today
http://www.thebangladeshtoday.com/archive/April%2008/27-04-2008.htm

VOICE is committed to fair and democratic media representation through all forms of Information and Communication Technologies. VOICE recently acquired a video production kit, including an editing suite, and has already produced 2 video documentaries. VOICE also continues to be visible in the news. In the News Coverage section, there is a selection of articles written about VOICE or VOICE activities over the last 5 years.

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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Staff correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2008/feb/28/met.html

Jonoganatantra Andolon, a social organisation, on Wednesday demanded that the government ensure the security of Professor Anu Muhammad.
   It also demanded a proper investigation into the death threat to Anu Muhammad and the trial of those responsible.
   The five-point demand, which was placed at a press conference in Dhaka, also includes restoration of a democratic environment, freedom of expression, active role of the state in ensuring the security of the citizens and ensuring human rights including the right to participate in political, cultural and economic activities.

Saturday January 26, 2008

Staff Correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2008/jan/26/nat.html

The Global Economic Justice Forum has urged the people to be united against the harmful global policies imposed on the country.
   The forum suggested that the policies for 'people's globalisation' should be given more emphasis than trade globalisation, which protects corporate interests only.
   It also recommended creation of a new world order which will ensure food for all.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Staff Correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2008/jan/25/nat.html

Foreign aid should be free of conditionalities and donors or lenders must be accountable to the people and governments of recipient countries, rights campaigners said on Thursday.
   External finance only accounts for two per cent of the country’s gross domestic product, and 75 per cent of the foreign money goes back to donor countries and lending agencies in the forms of consultancy fees and payments for foreign procurements, said Piyash Karim, professor of economics at a private university.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Staff Correspondent - New Age
http://www.newagebd.com/2007/dec/14/met.html

Researchers and development experts at a briefing on Thursday called for compensation from the countries responsible for environmental degradation with burning huge fuels every year.
   They made the demand at the news briefing styled ‘Linking aid, FDI, International Institutions to Climate Change’ organised by VOICE, a development organisation, at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity.

   They also called for reduction in emission of greenhouse gases by polluters like the USA, Australia and China, budgetary allocation for compensation regarding to environmental challenges, ban on ADB aid on Phulbari Coal Project and compensation of $150 million for damage to Sundarban caused by the cyclone.
   VOICE executive director Ahmed Shopon Mahmud, ActionAid official Amanur Rahman Aman, Professor of Socioeconomics Department at BRAC University Pias Karim and two Canadian researchers Parker Mah and Aude spoke at the news conference.