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Dhaka, May 31 on Thursday pressed charges in court against 29 senior opposition leaders over bomb explosions at the Bangladesh Secretariat during the Apr 29 shutdown. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Prosecution and Information) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Anisur Rahman told bdnews24.com that Detective Branch Inspector Tapan Chandra Shaha filed the charge sheet under the Explosives Act. Senior Special Judge Mohammad Zahurul Haque of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court will hold a hearing on July 26 on whether to accept the charge sheet. Most of the opposition 18-Party Alliance leaders, including BNP Acting Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, got bail from the High Court on May 14 until submission of police report in this case filed at the Shahbagh Police Station. Two cocktails exploded inside the Secretariat, the seat of the civil administration, on Apr 29 during the countrywide general strike called by BNP-led alliance in protest against the disappear

Dhaka, May 31 Foreign Office Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt has stressed protecting the integrity and efficiency of Grameen Bank. Burt, prior to concluding his three-day visit to Bangladesh, met former Grameen Bank Magaing Director Muhammad Yunus at the UK High Commissioner's residence on Wednesday. He admired Yunus for what he did and felt that his legacy should be protected and upheld, the British High Commission said in a media statement on Thursday. The Nobel laureate expressed his deep concern about the future of the Grameen Bank following the formation of the review commission. The commission's recommendations could alter the ownership and nature of the bank and deprive the poor a voice in how the bank was run, he feared in a statement on Wednesday. He questioned the necessity of forming a probe commission to look into Grameen Bank's activities since its birth and said he was afraid that the bank's future would be at stake if the government e

Dhaka, May 31 President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday invited Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to attend the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to be held in Tehran in August. Visiting Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran for Asia and Oceania Seyed Abbas Araghchi formally handed over the invitation to the Prime Minister in her office, PM's Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters. The summit is scheduled to be held in the last week of August. Azad said, "Araghchi met the Prime Minister on Thursday morning. They discussed various issues of mutual interests." During the meeting, Hasina stressed the need for holding NAM summit, saying it has great importance to Bangladesh. "Bangladesh believes friendship with everyone." She also requested the Iranian government to reduce duty on import of jute and jute products from Bangladesh. Ambassador at-Large M Ziauddin, Principal Secretary Sheikh M Wahid Uz Zaman and PMO Secretary Mollah Wahiduzzaman were

Dhaka, May 31 Dhaka court on Thursday deferred again the hearing on the acceptance of the charge-sheet in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. The hearing was deferred for the second time as the main accused BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia was not present at the court. Judge of the Dhaka Senior Special Judge's Court Mohammd Zahurul Haque set the new date on July 1 after Khaleda's lawyer Taherul Islam Touhid sought more time. Earlier, the hearing was deferred to May 31 from Apr 29 due to a countrywide general strike enforced by the opposition. Apart from the BNP chief, her former Political Secretary Harris Chowdhury, his Assistant Private Secretary (APS) Ziaul Islam Munna and former Dhaka Mayor's APS Monirul Islam Khan are the other accused in the graft case. On Aug 6 last year, Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Director Harunur Rashid filed the case accusing Khaleda and three others of illegal transaction under the banner of Zia Charitable Trust. On Jan 16, Rashid,

Dhaka, May 31 BNP MP Salauddin Quader Chowdhury's lawyer at the first crimes tribunal was exonerated although the first war crimes tribunal found him in contempt. Giving the order chairman of the International Crimes Tribunal – 1, Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq, said the court had considered a number of factors before reaching its decision. "Although we find that he has committed contempt, we are inclined to accept his unqualified apology." Set up to try crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of 1971, the tribunal has issued a verbal notice upon defence counsel Fakhrul Islam on May 15 for violating a court order. The BNP leader has been indicted on 23 charges of war crimes. Fakhrul Islam had called Dr Anisuzzaman, a professor emeritus at Dhaka University, 'a liar' several times in the court but stopped after the court ordered him not to insult the first prosecution witness against his client. Justice Huq noted in his order that the defence c

Dhaka, May 30 Alistair Burt has encouraged all political parties to engage in dialogue to resolve their difference and build confidence in the election system. Britain always supported for free, fair and participatory elections to further strengthen political and economic stability in Bangladesh, he said at a press conference Wednesday. Burt came to Dhaka on May 28 on a three-day visit and met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia. The minister said he talked to a cross section of people and their aspiration was that the parties should hold dialogue to hold a free and participatory election. He also spoke to three senior leaders of the country and all of them wanted participatory election. The main challenge, he added, was to have a platform where the aspiration of political leaders and people meet together.

Dhaka, May 30 Finance Minister on Wednesday stressed institutionalisation of microfinance institutions to continue their operations for more than one generation. There are many MFIs that died out after the death of the founders but there should be capacity to make them part of a structured and usually well-established system to prevent such ending, AMA Muhith said. He made the remarks at the National Microfinance Conference 2012 organised by Credit and Development Forum at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre. Subscribing to the view, BRAC Chairman Sir Fazle Hasan Abed said governance needed to have institutional capacity in an organisation.

Dhaka, May 30 Home Minister on Wednesday sprung to the defence of the under-fire police force, claiming its behaviour is 'far better' now than before. Shahara Khatun said reforms were underway to make the force 'pro-people'. She made the comment only a day after police were accused of sexually assaulted a young woman and beating journalists at the Judges' Court premises in Dhaka. "There are 141,000 police personnel in the country. I would not say all are good (well behaved). But we are working to make them pro-people," Sahara said. She gestured to her right leg and said, "Police are now far better than before. My right leg is broken. Such incident also took place [in police action in the past]." The government will take measures if there was any 'wrongdoings' in the police force, Shahara said. "I was a political activist on the streets and have been pursuing politics since the Pakistani regime. We took action in the last

London, May 30 Britain's Supreme Court upheld the extradition of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to Sweden over alleged sex crimes on Wednesday. Seven judges at the country's highest court rejected by a majority of 5-2 that Assange's claim that a European Arrest Warrant under which his extradition is sought was invalid. Two lower courts have already ruled he should be extradited.

Dhaka, May 30 High Court on Wednesday summoned six police officials over sexual harassment of a woman and beating of journalists at a court of Dhaka. The bench of Justices A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Jahangir Hossain ordered them on its own volition to appear before it and explain their role in the incidents on June 6 after reading newspaper reports. Those summonsed are Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner of Lalbagh Zone Harun-ur-Rashid, Assistant Commissioner Rajib-al-Masud, Kotwali Police Station Officer-in-Charge Salahuddin Khan, Sub-Inspectors 'Jahangir' and 'Zaman', and the President of the Police Club. They were also asked to explain why the authorities should not be ordered to take measures against them. The court ordered the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to submit two reports within 48 hours from Wednesday noon. The report will have the details of the incident, background of the summoned police officials and their activities

Dhaka, May 26 Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Saturday suspended nine policemen on charges of assaulting three journalists, who were covering the demonstrations by students of a polytechnic institute at Agargaon in the capital. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media and Community Services) Masudur Rahman also told bdnews24.com that the move came after a preliminary probe into the incident. He said that a one-member probe committee has been formed to further investigate the occurrence. The suspended police officials are Sub-Inspector Jahirul Islam, Deputy Sub-Inspector Shafiqur Rahman and Nazmul Islam, Constables Motiur Rahman, Abdur Razzak, Mohammad Shahjahan, Mohammad Joynal, 'Ratan' and 'Jahangir'. The authorities have also withdrawn Tejgaon Zone Assistant Commissioner Shahidul Islam immediately after the incident on Saturday, DMP Tejgaon Zone Deputy Commissioner Imam Hossain told bdnews24.com. Students of Dhaka Women's Polytechnic Institute (DWPI) demons

Dhaka, May26 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated that the next elections would be held under her government despite opposition demand for revival of caretaker system to oversee the parliamentary polls scheduled for January 2014. "Elections so far held under this government were free, fair and impartial. So this government would be able to hold national elections in that manner," Sheikh Hasina said on Saturday while exchanging views with leaders of the party's Meherpur unit at Ganabhaban, PM's official residence in the capital. She mentioned that 5,175 elections were held since her government took office in January 2009 and she claimed those were free, fair and impartial. Hasina said, "The Election Commission is independent and it will work impartially. The administration, including the law enforcing agencies, will be under the Election Commission during the polls. There will be no interference by the government." Th

Dhaka, May 26 Bangladeshi woman mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen conquered the summit of the Mount Everest early Saturday as part of her 'Bangladesh on Seven Summits' campaign, one of her associates said. Wasfia, 29, reached the highest peak of the Mount Everest at 6:41 am, associate Korvi Rakshand told bdnews24.com in an email. This is for the first time a solo Bangladeshi woman with no other team members has led an expedition to the top of the world after she started her journey on March 26 to mark the Bangladesh's 40th year of independence. Her victory came within a week of Nishat Mazumder's expedition to the world's tallest mountain as the first Bangladeshi woman. Nishat had ascended to Everest's 8,850-meter-high (29,035-foot-high) summit on May 19 from the northern side of the mountain in Nepal with M A Mohit, the second Bangladeshi to have conquered the Everest. The indomitable Wasfia on Saturday reached the South summit wi

Noakhali, May 26 Railway Minister Obaidul Quader announced new schedule for the inter-city Upakul Express on Dhaka-Noakhali route and inaugurated an air-conditioned coach for the train at Noakhali station on Saturday. "A long-standing demand of the people of Noakhali has been fulfilled by rescheduling the train. A new dimension has also been added to the improvement of Bangladesh's railway," Quader, also the communications minister and an MP from Noakhali, said at the inauguration. "The railways will have to be protected from the evil influence of irregularities and corruption. Our immediate target is to stop irregularities and ensure safe journey by train," he said. After the programme, the minister left the station for Dhaka aboard the train with local MP Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, Railway Division Secretary Fazle Kabir and Director General Abu Taher. According to the new schedule, the train will leave Noakhali at 6:30am and reach Kamlapur Station

Dhaka, May 26 senior BNP leader on Saturday said Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal President Hasanul Haque Inu was under the false impression of being in control when he was threatening to force BNP chief Khaleda Zia out from politics. "Mr. Inu didn't become someone very important after winning the last election with the electoral symbol 'boat' that he can minus Khaleda Zia from politics. Who is he to give her a last chance to be in politics," BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said. "I'm telling Mr. Inu that you don't have any power other than to minus yourself," he said while speaking at a human-chain programme held in front of the National Press Club in the capital to press for release of the arrested BNP leaders. Hasanul Haque Inu on Friday threatened to force the BNP Chairperson from politics if she did not stop siding with the suspected war criminals. 'Boat' is the electoral symbol of the ruling Awami League. Inu&#

Dhaka, May 16 A Dhaka court on Wednesday ordered into jail BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 32 other opposition leaders after refusing them bail in an arson attack case. The leaders appealed for bail after surrendering at the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court in the morning after failing to get bail in the High Court that had ordered them to surrender at the trial court. Metropolitan speedy trial magistrate Mohammad Erfan Ullah heard the petitions at noon and passed the order. The lawyers for the alliance leaders then pleaded with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Bikash Kumar Saha to reconsider, but he also turned them down. The alliance leaders surrendered before the court around 11am. The hearing started around 1:15pm with Barrister Moudud Ahmed placing arguments for the alliance leaders' bail. The Public Prosecutor (PP) of Dhaka District Judge's Court Khandaker Abdul Mannan and Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court PP A

Dhaka, May 13 third High Court bench that the opposition leaders had approached for anticipatory bail on Sunday ordered them to surrender in the trial court by May 16. BNP's Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders of the opposition alliance are facing charges of involvement in the torching of a bus and explosion of bombs in front of the Prime Minister's Office during the Apr 29 shutdown. Besides the one filed over arson at Tejgaon Police Station, BNP-led 18-Party Alliance leaders were also accused in a case filed with Shahbagh Police Station for hurling crude bombs at the Secretariat. The Chief Justice constituted the third single-judge bench to settle the issue after another bench had returned a split verdict on the petitions but asked police not to 'harass' the opposition leaders for seven days. The bench of Justice Mohammad Anwar-Ul Haque heard the petitions on Sunday afternoon. Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain on May 10 f

Dhaka, May 13 In a landmark decision, the first war crimes tribunal of Bangladesh indicted Jamaat-e-Islami guru Ghulam Azam for incitement, conspiracy, planning, abetment and failure to prevent crimes against humanity during the nation's War of Independence in 1971. When asked to plead, the former Jamaat chief said there were numerous charges mentioned. "It is not possible to respond to all of them in a short time. But I do not consider myself guilty of the charges." A political science graduate of Dhaka University and also a former leader of the university's central students union, Azam pointed out to the tribunal that the list of war criminals of 1973 did not have his name on it. "I was, however, on the list of collaborators. But after pardoning principal war criminals, the government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman declared a general amnesty. Hence I have been already forgiven." The former teacher of Rangpur's Carmicheal College was not allowed to continue

Finance Minister AMA Muhith said on Sunday that the decision on financing the Padma bridge project would be finalised by July. Muhith came up with the comment at a meeting with editors of different media houses in his ministry in the morning. About the World Bank report submitted to the government in April on corruption allegations involving the Padma bridge project, he said the report was created based on assumptions. “The government did not spend a single taka (from the fund). So, there lies no question about corruption,” the minister said. He further stated that the report had been sent to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for inquiry. The ACC is now investigating the matter. In April last year, the government signed an agreement with the World Bank for a $1.2 billion loan to construct the country's longest bridge. The Asian Development Bank was to provide $615 million, Japan International Cooperation Agency $400 million and Islamic Development Bank $140 million more for cons

The International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Sunday framed five specific charges against former Jamaat-e-Islami ameer Ghulam Azam for committing crimes against humanity during the 1971 Liberation War. The Jamaat leader has been indicted for conspiracy, planning, incitement, complicity and murder. The three-judge panel headed by Justice Md Nizamul Huq fixed June 5 for starting trial against Ghulam Azam. After reading out the charges, the presiding judge asked the Jamaat leader whether he pleaded guilty or not. The 89-year-old Jamaat leader, arrested on January 11, denied the charges and claimed to be innocent. The tribunal started the day’s proceedings around 10:40am, which continued for two hours. Earlier, the tribunal dismissed a petition seeking discharge from the charges brought by the prosecution against Ghulam Azam. The prosecution charged the Jamaat leader with 62 counts of crimes against humanity on January 5. The tribunal accepted formal charges against Ghulam Azam on January 9.

Dhaka, May 13 Islam, the driver of the bus that ran over journalist Bibhash Chandra Saha on Friday, has said he did not recognise the traffic signs, but had no difficulty in getting driving licence. The detained driver was produced before the journalists at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Media and Community Service Centre on Sunday. Recalling the accident, Islam said on that day he heard people were shouting that his bus ran over a motorcycle. He stopped his bus and promptly contacted the owner of the bus, one 'Hasan'. The owner suggested him to flee, Mofizul claimed. Islam later told bdnews24.com that he could not read but only write his name when asked whether he had any education. "I do not recognise these [traffic signs]," he said when this correspondent has shown him several traffic signs. He said he obtained the driving licence by signing on a paper in spite of his being illiterate and not recognising traffic signs. "There was no problem [in

Dhaka, May 13 railway ministry investigation has cleared former Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta of any involvement in the 'cash scandal' involving his assistant personal secretary and two other top officials. Railway Director General Abu Taher told journalists at his office on Sunday that a report on the findings would be submitted to the government on Sunday afternoon. The investigation details may be published later if the government wanted to. "Former railway minister's APS Omar Faruque said that the Tk 7 million found in his car at Peelkhana belonged to him. No ties were found between the incident and the then railway Director General Yusuf Ali Mridha and rail police Commandant Enamul Haque," Taher said in response of a media query. A large amount of cash was recovered from the vehicle of Sengupta's APS at the main gate of the BGB headquarters on Apr 9. Mridha and Haque were both present during the seizure. Media reports attributed the ca

Savar, May 12 (sunnews24.com) - Police on Saturday fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse angry garment workers who blocked streets and smashed dozens of vehicles to protest against detention of a fellow worker, police and witnesses said. One female worker died after she was run over by a bus during the hours-long violence. But the two-way clash between the protesters and the police left at least 100 people, including 10 police officials, injured after the chaos broke out at Savar. The death occurred when the worker tried to flee the police action. The disorder forced authorities to suspend operations at about 100 factories amid fear of further violence at the industrial hub where hundreds of garment factories are located. The protesters said they began their protest in the morning for the release of a fellow worker of Hameem Group’s Artistic Design Limited who was detained on Thursday after he allegedly attacked an official of the group. The melee broke out

Gazipur, May 11 Popular Bengali fiction writer Humayun Ahmed is spending time with family, friends and relatives at Nuhash Polli in Gazipur, his country retreat, after flying back home after eight months. He came back with wife Meher Afroz Shaon and their two sons 'Nishad' and 'Ninit' on Friday morning and headed straight for Nuhash Polli. The writer had been in New York for the last eight months for his colon cancer treatment and will return there for a surgery in three weeks' time. "What I missed most is my Nuhash Polli. I have missed the garden and the trees there. Then I missed my friends. Missed my mother and the relatives," said Ahmed as he talked with the journalists at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the morning. His friends and relatives could not help but throng Nuhash Polli too. Humayun's mother Ayesha Foyez, sisters Sufia Haider and Mamtaj Shaheed, mother-in-law Tahura Ali, architect friend Fazlul Karim and personal physician

Dhaka, May 12 BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is scheduled to address a rally in Gazipur on Saturday afternoon. She will leave her Gulshan home at 2:30pm for the rally at Kapasia Chala Club ground, her Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told bdnews24.com. The rally has been planned to gear up the opposition's campaign against the government. The BNP and its 17 other allies are out to strengthen its anti-government movement amid authorities' indifference to its demand for caretaker government. The opposition alliance also wants to rally support from the common people by protesting against the disappearance of M Ilias Ali and cases against opposition leaders and activists, saying the charges are false. After a Mar 12 rally in Dhaka, this is going to be the first rally to be addressed by Khaleda. She had given the government a deadline of June 10 to meet the demand for restoring the caretaker government system. Khaleda had told the Mar 12 rally that fresh agitations would be announced

Dhaka, May 12 Journalists demonstrated in front of the National Press Club by blocking traffic on the street on Saturday to protest against Friday's death of a fellow in a road accident. Hundreds of journalists gathered in front of the club after expressing their last respects to Independent newspaper journalist Bibhash Chandra Saha at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU). His relatives left the place with the body around 11am for cremation. His cremation will be held at Rajarbagh Crematory in the afternoon, his brother-in-law S N Bhakta told bdnews24.com. Bibhash, 45, a senior reporter with English-language daily The Independent, was killed as a bus knocked his motorcycle yards from his workplace in front of Star Kabab Restaurant on Road-2 of Dhanmondi. Addressing a street rally in front of the Press Club, DRU president Shakhawat Hossain Badshah criticised the government for its failure to take visible steps to improve road safety. Badshah, who was a member of a committee formed to inv

Dhaka, May 10 on Thursday termed 'false' and 'politically-motivated' the charge sheet against senior party leaders in the Apr 29 shutdown arson case and demanded the case be withdrawn. "The government has filed two false cases against senior opposition leaders to divert people's attention from the ongoing anti-government agitation. Charge sheet of one of the cases was submitted today. We condemn this," BNP standing committee member Khandker Mosharraf Hossain told a human chain programme in front of the National Press Club in the capital. "We urge the government to withdraw the false cases and the charge sheet immediately," he added. He also claimed that the people did not believe these cases and alleged that the government was 'neck-deep' into corruption and the cases intend to 'bury that flaw'. Police filed two cases accusing senior opposition leaders over hurling bombs in the Secretariat, the centre of government ad

Online Report The budget session of the ninth parliament will start on May 27. President Zillur Rahman on Thursday convened the parliament session, said a release of the parliament secretariat. The last session of the House was prorogued on March 29. Finance Minister AMA Muhith earlier said the budget for fiscal 2012-13 is likely to be tabled in parliament on June 7 and passed on June 28. This will be the fourth budget of the Awami League-led grand alliance government since it assumed office in January 2009.

Dhaka, May 10 Communications minister Obaidul Quader said on Thursday that the government would not sit idle if the World Bank's suspension on funding the Padma Bridge project remain on alleged corruption. In reaction to media reports that the lending agency has handed over proof of corruption, including the names of those responsible, to the finance minister, Quader also said if the World Bank wish they could probe into the alleged corruption. "If the World Bank's suspension of fund exceeds the tenure of the incumbent government, it will not sit idle. The government is pledge bound to the people to construct the Padma bridge. We do not have even a single moment to waste," he told reporters. "We are continuing talks with the Malaysian government. The bridge will be built on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis." The government signed a memorandum of understanding with Malaysia last month to start the construction of the bridge within the tenure of this go

Online Report The High Court on Thursday issued a rule upon the government to explain why it should not be directed to preserve the place of the Wonderland as a public park. The government will have to answer the rule in two weeks. The HC also directed the authorities concerned of the government not to lease the land of Wonderland amusement park situated in the capital’s Gulshan area till disposal of the rule. The HC came up with the rule following a writ petition filed by Manzill Murshid. Manzill Murshid filed the writ on Thursday on behalf of the Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh. An HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim also directed the government to continue the eviction proceedings at the amusement park till further order. During the hearing of the rule, Manzill Murshid told the court that as per the Rajuk plan, the land of the park is a public place. But people could not use the place as a park. So, the place of the