Rimi supporters start celebrations

Gazipur, Sep 30 The supporters of ruling Awami League candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi have started celebrations as she is leading by about 33,000 votes in the primary results in 90 of the 102 polling centres in the Gazipur-4 by-polls.
Assistant Returning Officer Muhammad Hasanuzzaman began to announce the primary results just after 6pm from the control room at the Kapasia Upazila Parishad Office.
According to him, Rimi has polled 55,181 votes while her nearest rival renegade Awami League candidate Afsar Uddin Ahmed Khan secured 22,355 votes.
Mohammad Asadullah Badal of the Communist Party of Bangladesh got 1261 votes.
Hasanuzzaman hoped the complete result would be published by 10pm.
Supporters of Rimi started gathering in front of the local Awami League office at Kapasia Bazar from 7:30pm to celebrate her victory.
Awami League MP Tanjim Ahmed, better known as Sohel Taj, son of Bangladesh's first Prime Minister Tajuddin Ahmad, vacated the parliamentary seat after he resigned on July 7.
Sohel Taj's elder sister Rimi is contending with the poll logo of boat, while their uncle, also a local leader of the same party, is contesting as an Independent candidate with the poll logo of rooster.
Badal is contesting with the logo of sickle.
Main opposition BNP has boycotted the election held amid a low turnout. Gazipur-4 constituency is home to 211884 voters, including 111,489 women.
Moments before the voting ended, in a letter sent to the Returning Officer, Afsar Uddin said he rejected the elections.
"I cannot accept the result as the election became a farce. You cannot accept such an election where fake voters cast votes," he said.
However, Rimi said she will accept whatever the results would be.

First Nizami witness questioning Oct 10

Dhaka, Sep 30 The International Crimes Tribunal-1 convened a little after 3pm on Sunday due to, what the court said, 'an engagement with the Supreme Court' and ordered that cross-examination of the first prosecution witness against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami would be held on Oct 10.
The court then began deposing the 13th prosecution witness against Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam in camera as the prosecution had appealed.
Although the court generally allows two counsels for the defence and prosecution each, tribunal Chairman Justice Mohammad Nizamul Huq readily agreed to Jamaat defence counsel Mizanul Islam's plea that the defence be allowed to have three counsels present.
Although he had not applied beforehand, Prosecutor Zead-Al-Malum requested that his witness' deposition be held in camera.
Justice Huq said, "It does not look nice that I ask the people to leave."
"But the sensitivity of the case transcends niceties," said the prosecutor. "Surely it does," agreed the judge.
Malum continued that this woman was the wife and mother of those killed during the Liberation War.
Jamaat guru Ghulam Azam is charged with the murder of 38. Siru Miah and his son Anwar Kamal had been among 38 people executed in Brahmanbaria during the war.
Siru Miah's wife had tried to secure letter from Azam that she hoped would get her husband off the hook, but that did not happen. The last two witnesses have set the scene leading up to establishment of Azam's link in the execution.
Malum continued to press his case, when Justice Huq, after a brief word with the two other tribunal members, agreed.
"We rise for five minutes, and in the meantime we expect that everyone will do the needful," he said.
The proceedings began with Jamaat chief counsel Abdur Razzaq requesting that the court hear an application for securing division for Subhan. The tribunal Chairman, however, was reluctant in hearing the matter and insisted several times that the defence counsel file a formal application first.
The counsel then also brought up a number of media reports covering the deposition of a prosecution witness against Ghulam Azam.
When Abdur Razzaq, first mentioned a report in the daily Amader Orthoneeti, Justice Huq said there were way too many newspapers and there was no point being concerned about every single one of them. "Let the small newspapers be."
The defence counsel pointed that the Jamaat mouthpiece, the daily Sangram, was a relatively small newspaper with little circulation. "But your lordship deals with it mercilessly."
"No, no that is not right. You cannot say mercilessly," said Justice Huq.
He went on that he and the Sangram correspondent, Shahidul Islam, exchange glances regularly and he regularly tells them in case of omissions in his reports.
Razzaq then submitted a printout of a bdnews24.com report from Sep 26, headlined 'Ghulam Azam caused murders of 38' which he indicated was incorrect. The counsel also insisted that an appropriate order would be passed in a few days.
The tribunal Chairman said, "The [bdnews24.com] people are here and they can read what is going through our minds. I expect they will act accordingly."
The judge also mentioned that he had cautioned another news portal banglanews24.com on Thursday.
bdnews24.com/ta/bd/1912h

Afsar rejects Kapasia poll results

 

Afsaruddin Ahmad, an independent candidate for Gazipur-4 constituency, talks to reporters after casting vote at Dardaria Government Primary School in Kapasia around 8:30am on Sunday. Photo: Anisur RahmanStar Online Report

Terming the Gazipur-4 by-polls farcical, independent candidate Afsaruddin Ahmad said on Sunday he will reject the election result whatever it comes.
"This is a stage-managed election so it cannot be accepted," he said in a written statement to Returning Officer Mihir Sarwar minutes after the voting ended at 4:00pm.
In the complaint, Afsaruddin, uncle of his main contestant Simeen Hussain Rimi, blamed the Election Commission for its failure to conduct a free and fair poll.
He also alleged that accused terrorists and murderers intimidated and assaulted his polling agents.
Earlier in the day, the independent candidate alleged that the poll atmosphere since the night before was becoming farcical.
The Awami League dissident came up with the comment after casting his vote at Dardaria Government Primary School around 8:30am.
In the morning, he also claimed that his agents were not allowed to enter a number of polling centres since the voting began.
On a query, he informed journalists that he lodged a complaint with the returning officer against the persons who were intimidating his agents and voters also.
Afsar said the returning officer assured him of action after a proper investigation.
On the other hand, AL candidate Simeen Hussain Rimi said the voting was going on in a free and fair way and she would accept the result whatever it would be.

Temples attacked in Chittagong

Chittagong, Sep 30  Hours after rampaging through a Buddhist village in Cox's Bazaar's Ramu Upazila in the early hours, religious fanatics on Sunday launched attacks on Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries in Patia at noon.
"The attacks took place between noon and 1:30pm," Acting Officer-in-Charge of the Patia Police Station Aminur Rashid told bdnews24.com.
The police officer said the fanatics had carried out the attacks alleging defamation of Prophet Mohammad.
He said two Hindu temples and two Buddhist viharas were damaged in the attacks.
According to the accounts of local journalists, several hundred fanatics took out a procession and launched attacks on the Lakhara Abhoy Buddhist Viahar at around noon and set it on fire.
They also attacked the Kolagaon Rotnangkur Buddhist Vihara, Kolagaon Nobarun Sangha Durga Mandir (temple) and the Matri Mandir at Jele Para, they said.
The attackers reportedly smashed an ancient Buddhist statue at the Rotnangkur Buddhist Vihara and set fire to a statue of Goddess Durga at the Nobarun Sangha Mandir. The fanatics also set fire to various goods in the temples, according to the newsmen.
The OC said the situation was calm. "Additional police forces and members of the RAB have been deployed at the scene to avert further tension," he added.
Meanwhile, tension is running high among the locals following the attacks. Top administrators and local MP Shamsul Hoque Chowdhury were present at the spot.
Earlier on Sunday, a mob torched and vandalised a Buddhist village in Cox's Bazaar's Ramu Upazila in one of the worst religious attacks in Bangladesh which appeared to have been triggered by a Facebook posting allegedly defaming the Quran.
Seven Buddhist Viharas, around 30 houses and shops were torched in the attacks that started at 11:30am on Saturday lasted until around 4am on Sunday. More than a hundred houses and shops were also reportedly attacked, vandalised and ransacked.

BNP will accept Rafique as CG head: Mosharraf

 

If the caretaker government system is restored, BNP will have no objection to accept veteran lawyer Rafique-ul Huq as its head, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said on Sunday.

Welcoming his efforts for holding a dialogue between the heads of the Awami League and the BNP over the caretaker government issue, the BNP leader urged the government to listen to Rafique.
Mosharraf was addressing a discussion on banking sector at Jatiya Press Club, Prothom Alo reports.
Rafique on Saturday said he was ready to take on any responsibility for the sake of the country.
Asked if there was any possibility of a dialogue between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the opposition leader Khaleda Zia, he said, "I am scheduled to talk to one of them and may speak to the other. I will try my best to do this for the sake of the country."
About the Gazipur by-poll, Mosharraf claimed that empty polling centres indicate that people have rejected the election under the political government.

BNP backs Barrister Rafique

Dhaka, Sep 30 The BNP on Sunday said it will have no objection if Barrister Rafique-Ul Haq heads the election-time non-party government, a day after the senior lawyer met opposition leader Khaleda Zia.
"If the demand for a non-partisan government is met, then the two parties will sit and decide on the Chief Advisor," Standing Committee Member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said at a discussion.
"In that case, if veteran lawyer Barrister Rafique-Ul Haq wishes to be the head of that government, we [BNP] have no objection."
Barrister Rafique on Saturday said he would initiate steps to have the Prime Minister and the chief of the ruling Awami League, Sheikh Hasina, and the BNP Chairperson Khaleda, to sit across the table over the caretaker government issue "for the sake of people".
The Attorney General during the regime of military-ruler Hussein Muhammad Ershad, he said he was willing to head the caretaker government, if asked to do so.
The Constitution, after the 15th Amendment that repealed the caretaker government provision, provides no room for an elected person to head the interim government. It has to be changed again to cater to the BNP's demand for a non-partisan administration.
Barrister Rafique had accompanied Hasina during her recent visit to the northern region of the country. Jatiya Party chief Ershad, a key ally of the ruling coalition, was also with them during the visit. He had represented both the leaders in the court during the 2007-8 military-backed emergency rule.
Hours after expressing his willingness he held a two-hour long meeting with BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Saturday night.
Speaking at the discussion of Constitutional Rights Forum at the National Press Club, Mosharraf said, "I've seen in TV news that the polls centres of Gazipur-4 by-election are deserted. The number of voter is very low. It proves that the people don't want any national election under a partisan government."
He urged the government to meet their demand of election under non-party government's supervision 'sensing the reality'.
"Listen to Barrister Rafique's suggestions to address the crisis," he added.
The BNP leader several times said their clear demand is the revival of the non-party government system and then the two parties would sit and discuss who will be the Chief Advisor.
He referred to Rafique's remarks to back him. "Senior personality Rafique-Ul Haq had worked for the two leaders during the 1/11 episode," he said.
He also said his party was ready to hold talks with Awami League over the structure and scope of work of the poll-time government.
"It would be possible to make the two leaders (Hasina and Khaleda) sit in one table, if the agendas are set. But before all of these, the government will have to announce that the next election will be held under non-party government's supervision," Mosharraf said.
Member Secretary of the Forum Suranjan Ghosh read out the key paper in the discussion titled 'Irregularities and corruption in the banking sector: Threat to Bangladesh's democracy and development.'

Ramu attack premeditated, deliberate: MKA

Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir Star Online Report

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Sunday said that the violence in Ramu of Cox's Bazar centring an anti-Islam photo on facebook is 'premeditated and deliberate act of communal violence against a minority'.
“We found evidences of gunpowder and petrol in Saturday’s arson of the Buddhist monasteries and houses,” the minister said while addressing an impromptu rally at Choumuhani intersection in Ramu around 2:00pm.
Alamgir and Industries Minister Dilip Barua, accompanied by local Awami League leaders, visited the spots of violence shortly after their arrival in Ramu around 10:00am.
“We have been informed that police and fire services were inactive during the arson,” said the minister adding that a committee, chaired by the additional divisional commissioner in Chittagong, is soon to be formed to investigate whether the law enforcers remained inactive.
Alamgir, in his speech, also promised to rebuild the Buddhist monasteries and temples and compensate the victims whose houses were destroyed.
The minister assured that the miscreants who stirred the violence would be traced and brought to book within 15 days.
Also addressing the rally, Industries Minister Dilip Barua said that in 1971 the country was liberated to establish a secular state. “The unprecedented events in Ramu have tarnished its reputation and our belief in secularism,” he said.
Barua also assured the locals that incidents like these would not recur. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also expressed concern about the incident, Alamgir told the rally.
On Sunday morning, Cox’s Bazar district administration imposed section 144 in Ramu after mobs destroyed 12 monasteries and 50 houses there late Saturday following posting of an alleged defamation of the Qur’an on a facebook account of a local Buddhist person.
Selim Md Jahangir, the superintendent of police (SP) of Cox’s Bazar said that three of the Buddhist temples were totally gutted.
The violence spread to Chittagong on Sunday morning as mobs vandalised and torched one Hindu and two more Buddhist temples in Kolagaon union of Patiya between 11:30am and 12noon, our Chittagong correspondent confirmed quoting Nazrul Islam, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Patiya Circle.
The owner of the facebook account Uttom Kumar Barua, son of one Supto Barua of Baruapara in the upazila, told The Daily Star that the photo was mistakenly tagged on his profile. Soon after the violence broke out, Barua’s facebook account was closed and police escorted him and his mother to safety, said the SP.
Regarding Saturday night’s incident in Cox’s Bazar, police and witnesses said, after news spread about the defaming picture on facebook, hundreds of people thronged to Chowmuhani area of Ramu and staged demonstration in protest around 10:00pm.
In a bid to control the situation, police from Ramu upazila tried to cordon the area off but were soon outnumbered and pushed back.
Around 11:00pm, riot police and Rab arrived on the spot but by then hundreds of people set ablaze Buddhist households in Baruapara of the upazila that kept burning until around 2:00am.
Police and witnesses said, around 12:30 am, a mob torched a 250-year old Buddhist temple on Cheranghata road and then set ablaze Borokang Buddha Bihar and Kendriyo Shima Bihar. Angry mob also vandalised Baruapara Buddhist temple at Srikul in Ramu.
Buddhist people started to flee their homes as the fire services failed to reach the spot amid increasing violence around 1:00am.
With the help of police, the fire services managed to douse the blaze around 2:30am but the temples and the houses were already gutted by then.
Around 3:30am, BGB, Rab and police managed to quell the violence and take control of the situation with the help of the eminent local persons including the lawmaker Lutfur Rahman Kajal, Ramu upazila parishad chairman Sohel Sarwar Kajal.
Since Sunday morning army, BGB, Rab and police have been guarding all the 27 Buddhist monasteries and temples in Ramu while police forces have been deployed in all other areas where the violence broke out.
However police were unable to confirm the number of injured persons as most Buddhist people have been in hiding since Saturday night.
While talking to The Daily Star at his ministry, Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu said some identified communal forces were involved with the incident.
The situation is now under control, Inu said.

Ramu mayhem angers PM

New York, Sep 30  The Prime Minister, now in New York, has warned against acts that damage "social harmony" in Bangladesh in the wake of overnight mayhem in the southeastern hilly town of Ramu.
In a statement communicated to bdnews24.com by Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN, she said she was shocked at the developments, being updated and would do anything at her disposal to stop acts of violence against religious minorities.
At least seven Buddhist temples and nearly 30 homes and shops were looted, ransacked and burned during the night-long mayhem by religious fanatics.
Ambassador Dr Abdul Momen said she had been talking to relevant senior officials and instructed all steps necessary to bring the culprits to book.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Jasim Uddin said Section 144 was imposed at Ramu banning all sort of gatherings in the area for an indefinite period from Sunday morning to control the situation.
A large number of police, Border Guard Bangladesh and Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) members were deployed in the area.
Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir and Industries Minister Dilip Barua visited the site of the hate attack, officials of the local administration said.
Local people said followers of an Islamist party led by several leaders took out a procession around 10pm on Saturday alleging that a photo was uploaded on the Facebook to defame the holy book.
At a subsequent rally, they claimed that a youth by the name of Uttam Barua had pasted the purportedly offensive photo in the social networking website and demanded his arrest.
Another militant procession was taken out that marched down towards the Barua Parha around 11:30pm and some youths from the procession set some homes of the Buddhists on fire.
From then on, 15 homes, three temples including 'Saada Ching' and 'Laal Ching' were burned to the ground, Dipak Barua, a local resident said.
Several houses and Mithhachharhi Bonbihar, some five kilometres from Ramu Sadar Upazila, were also set on fire around 3:30am, said General Secretary of Ramu Upazila Juba League Nitish Barua.
Gias Uddin Ziku, Office Secretary of Cox's Bazaar district unit of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Chairman of Jhilangja Union, said he dispersed Jamaat-e-Islami activists who had gathered around localities of ethnic minorities. He also said he had informed the police of the incident.
A local journalist, who was hiding with family in the neighbourhood that came under attack, told bdnews24.com the Cheranghata Barakyang Temple close to his home was set alight. He said the flames died out around 2:45am.
Ramu Upazila officials said that during the night long attack 'Saada Ching' and 'Laal Ching', Ramu Maitree Bihar, Sina Bihar, Jadiparha Bouddha Bihar, Bimukti Bidarshan Babna Centre and Mithhachharhi Bonbihar were torched, ransacked and looted. Around 30 residences were also set alight in these areas.
Cox's Bazaar district's Superintendent of Police Selim Mohammed Jahangir said around 4am situation in the Ramu district headquarters was under control but in areas on the fringe, tension remained.
Paramilitary BGB personnel have been called out to restore order in the affected areas, local residents said.

Barrister Rafique open to being CG chief

Dhaka, Sep 29 Eminent jurist Rafique-ul Haq on Saturday said he will initiate steps to have Prime Minister and ruling Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia sit across the table over the caretaker government issue 'for the sake of people'.
He also made it clear that he was willing to head the poll-time government, if asked for.
"Let me speak to them. I do not believe that the two leaders do not love the country or do not believe in democracy. I am supposed to meet one of them today. Talk with the other is also possible."
"I will try my best to do this for the sake of the people," Barrister Rafique told journalists at a meet-the-press programme organised by the Muktachinta Forum at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
When asked if he was taking the initiative, Haq said, "You can say that I have taken the initiative to take the initiative (sic)."
Evaluating the current stance of the two parties on the issue, the veteran lawyer said, "The BNP has still not outlined its caretaker government proposal. They are speaking for it but have not detailed on who would man it and how."
"On the other hand, the Prime Minister has conceded a lot and proposed an interim government ... an interim government means that the others will also play a role.
"So, in the formation of a government with the Jatiya Party and others, the main question is who will head it? That is the million-dollar question now."
When questioned what he would do if he is asked to be the poll-time government chief, the veteran lawyer reacted, "Don't ask me embarrassing questions. But since you are asking for my decision, I will say it ... if that sort of an occasion (sic) comes, I am willing to take all responsibilities for the country and the two parties."
"The critical crisis will have to be addressed. I do not believe that the two leaders will not sit for dialogue."
He also urged the mass-media outlets to play a role. "Invite them over to some place and urge them to sit. It can even be at the Bangabandhu convention hall [Bangabandhu International Conference Centre]."
"Both of them love the country. I will urge them to sit together or the second man of their parties to sit and decide based on the opinion of the people."
The eminent jurist had earlier voiced against annulling the caretaker government system, opining that fair polls were 'impossible' without it.
He also put forward proposals for overhauling the system while giving opinions as an amicus curiae at the Appellate Division during the hearing on the 13th Amendment.
He suggested that 10 members of Parliament (MPs) should be nominated just before the term of a parliament ends to form a government for an interim period. Of them, one would be made the chief advisor to the interim government.
The Supreme Court on May 10, 2011 repealed the 13th Amendment to the constitution that had introduced the caretaker government provision in 1996.
But the court said the next two general elections could be held under unelected governments. The apex court also gave parliament the liberty to decide the issue.

BCL infighting hurts 5 at CU

 

Chittagong University

At least five activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League were injured as its two factions clashed at Chittagong University (CU) over a trivial matter Saturday afternoon.
The clash ensued around 2:30pm when BCL activist Rakib threw water toward Shuvo, a supporter of his rival faction, onboard the university train just before its departure, resulting in a 45-minute brawl among the factions.
The injured students are Zahidul Islam of physics, Md Hossain of sociology, Robi of anthropology, Roni Sen of mathematics and Rubel Dey of English, reports our CU correspondent.
Zahidul and Hossain were admitted to Chittagong Medical College Hospital with stab injuries.

Shafique terms ICT act world's best law

 

Law Minister Shafique AhmedStar Online Report

Law Minister Shafique Ahmed on Saturday said there is no scope for any question about the fairness, neutrality and standard of the ongoing trial against crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971.
The minister termed the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act, 1973 under which the trial is running as the best law in the world.
The government has set up two tribunals for holding the trials and the numbers of the tribunals can be increased if necessary, Shafique further said.
He made the remark while addressing the inauguration of Womens' Committee of Sector Commander Forum at Bangladesh Shilpakola Academy as a chief guest.
The law minister said those who are facing the war crimes trial have been getting facilities to engage lawyers to defend themselves.
The minister further added that there is also a rule of moving appeal against the conviction in the cases filed for crimes against humanity.
Shafique Ahmed claimed that they have documents that Mir Quashem Ali, one of the war crimes suspect, has invested $25 million to a lobbyist firm in the USA for campaigning against the trial.
He also alleged that the war crimes accused have been campaigning in London, Washington, New York and Brussels against the ongoing trial.
The trial is being held in order to establish rule of law, ensure justice for the victims of the Liberation War and end the culture of impunity, Shafique said.

'Hina-Bilawal relationship claim is a plot by ISI'

Hina (L) and Bilawal (R) Star Online Report

Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) figures on Thursday said they believed the claims --their Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have an affair-- were part of a plot by the country’s feared Inter-Service Intelligence [ISI] agency to damage Hina's reputation, reports London-based The Daily Telegraph.
The PPP figures said it blames their minister for her part in facilitating a UN investigation into thousands of missing people detained by the security forces, the newspaper said.
One PPP official told The Daily Telegraph that the ISI expects the United Nations’ Working Group on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearances to recommend senior army and intelligence officials be charged for their role and blame Hina for allowing the delegation into the country.
“They are not happy with her,” the official said.
“The UN mission received a cold reception but Hina was called in by the president to meet him and the army chief. She crossed some red line.”
The government has not officially commented on the allegations.
Claims of an affair between Hina, the 34-year-old glamorous foreign minister, and 24-year-old scion of the country’s most powerful dynasty Bilawal have fuelled feverish speculation and outrage in Pakistan since they were reported in a Bangladeshi tabloid earlier this week.
According to Blitz Weekly, the married foreign secretary, who has two young children with her millionaire husband, and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Pakistan People’s Party [PPP] co-chairman, want to marry and have been regularly talking on the telephone and sending one another cards.
The tabloid claimed President Zardari is firmly opposed to their alleged relationship and had sought details of their mobile telephone conversations to establish the facts.
The paper cited “western intelligence agencies” as the source of details of messages the ‘couple’ had sent each other.
Hina and her husband have dismissed the claims as “reprehensible" and "trash", but they have been reported widely in Pakistan where they spawned conspiracy theories among Islamabad’s political classes.
Hina, the daughter of a powerful Punjab landowner, has been the subject of rumours concerning her private life since she first became a minister in General Musharraf’s government in 2004.
There was speculation then that she might marry the then prime minister Shaukat Aziz, but instead she married businessman Firoze Gulzar. She later stood as a PPP candidate in the 2008 elections and was appointed as finance minister in the new PPP-led government.
She won many admirers for her stylish clothes and designer bags during her visit to India last year where the two countries made significant progress in improving their relationship.

BNP protests news portal guideline

Dhaka, Sep 29 The opposition BNP has protested the government's bid to enact a news portal guideline.
Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, speaking at a press conference on Saturday, said the government wanted to control the online news portals through the guideline.
The government has drafted the Online Media Guideline 2012.
Information Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon had said on Sep 12 that the guideline would be finalised by October.
He had said 200 online newspapers were currently operating in the country, according to government records. "However, there is no law, guidelines or ordinance on running online news outlets."
Hedayetullah had added that the 'decision' on the online versions of the dailies would be taken through separate discussions.

BSF chief assures of zero casualties on border

 

Border Guard Bangladesh DG Maj Gen Anwar Hussain (L) and Border Security Force DG UK Bansal shake hands at a director general-level conference at BGB headquarters in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: Kailash SarkarUNB, Dhaka

Director General of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) UK Bansal on Saturday assured Bangladesh of bringing down casualties along the border between Bangladesh and India to a zero level.
The BSF chief was talking to reporters following a director general-level conference between Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and BSF in the capital.
The meeting began at BGB Pilkhana headquarters on Wednesday, which ended on Friday.
About the sensational Felani murder, Bansal said those involved in the killing have been suspended and a court of inquiry is going on into the incident, which will be completed soon.
Felani, a 15-year-old girl, was shot dead by BSF men on January 7, 2012 at Fulbari in Kurigram while she was returning to Bangladesh with her father. Later, India expressed regret and sympathy at the killing of the minor girl.
The BSF DG also said India had given Bangladesh specific information about the camps of Indian criminals in Bangladesh and the Bangladesh authorities dismantled some of those after operations.
BGB DG Major General Anwar Hussain however said they had got some information in this regard and carried out operations accordingly, but they did not find any existence of such camps in Bangladesh.
The BGB DG also said they, at the meeting, placed a list of 18 border points through which Indian intoxicating Phensidyl syrup enters Bangladesh, seeking remedial measures.
“We’ve also urged India to take steps so that Bangladeshi terrorists are not able to take shelter in India,” Hussain added.
Director General of BGB Major General Anwar Hussain led a 25-member home delegation, while Director General of BSF UK Bansal heading a 22-member delegation of India to the conference.

ICT-1 seeks probe report on Kashem

Mir Kashem Ali

International Crimes Tribunal-1 on Thursday ordered the prosecution to submit the investigation report against war crimes suspect Jamaat-e-Islami leader Mir Kashem Ali on November 27.

If the prosecution fails, it will have to submit a process report on the investigation on that day, the tribunal said.

The two-member panel led by its Chairman Justice Nizamul Huq also asked the authorities concerned to produce Kashem before it on November 27.

The tribunal fixed the date after prosecutor Hrishikesh Saha submitted a progress report on the investigation against Kashem, saying that they would need more time to complete the probe.

Earlier in the morning, Kashem was brought to the ICT-1 from Dhaka Central Jail and produced him before the court.

Kashem was arrested at a newspaper office in Dhaka on June 17 two hours within the tribunal had issued arrest warrant against him for his alleged involvement with crimes against humanity.

The tribunal later sent him to jail with a custodial warrant.

Kashem, who lived in Harirampur of Manikganj in Chittagong in 1971, was known as Mintu then.

In his youth, he was an activist of the Islami Chhatra Sangha, the then student wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

WikiLeaks' Assange mocks Obama

United Nations, Sept 27 (Reuters) - WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaking via a choppy video feed from his virtual house arrest in London, lashed out at US President Barack Obama on Wednesday for supporting freedom of speech in the Middle East while simultaneously "persecuting" his organization for leaking diplomatic cables.

Assange, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy since June to avoid extradition, made the comments at a packed event on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

Assange mocked Obama for defending free speech in the Arab world in an address to the United Nations on Tuesday, pointing to his own experience as evidence that Obama has "done more to criminalize free speech than any other US president."

"It must have come as a surprise to the Egyptian teenagers who washed American teargas out of their eyes (during the Arab Spring) to hear that the US supported change in the Middle East," Assange said.

"It's time for President Obama to keep his word ... and for the US to cease its persecution of WikiLeaks," he said.

Assange's combative comments, plus statements made by Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino and his other allies at the event, suggested no solution is in sight to the diplomatic standoff surrounding the 41-year-old Australian.

British authorities have surrounded the Ecuadorean Embassy and said if Assange sets foot outside, they will arrest him and extradite him to Sweden to face rape and sexual assault allegations.

Assange's lawyers and Ecuador's government fear that could lead in turn to extradition to the United States, where they say he would face "inhumane" prison conditions and even the death penalty.

Assange, who looked to be in good health as he sat at a desk in front of a bookshelf and addressed the 150 or so people at the event, said Britain and Sweden have so far refused to provide guarantees he would not be extradited to the United States.

US and European government sources have countered that the United States has issued no criminal charges or launched any attempts to extradite Assange.

In Britain's Court

Patino is scheduled to meet with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in New York on Thursday to discuss Assange, and he said there are "multiple paths" that could lead out of the standoff.

Yet, in an interview with Reuters following the UN event, Patino made clear that Ecuador is not willing to cede much ground.

"The ball's in their court right now," Patino said.

Patino held in his hands a mimeographed copy of an 1880 agreement signed between Britain and Ecuador, which he said prohibits extradition in cases such as Assange's. He said he would show the document to Hague on Thursday.

Patino rigorously defended Ecuador's decision to grant political asylum to Assange, expressing disbelief that Britain is "determined" to arrest the former computer hacker even though he said there are no criminal charges against him.

"This means you have reason to suspect he's being persecuted," Patino said.

He said Assange is in relatively good spirits but expressed concern his physical and psychological condition could deteriorate.

"I think of myself, how I'd react in that situation, not being able to go outside, being isolated," Patino said. "It's practically like being jailed."

`Younger Mona Lisa' to be presented in Geneva

GENEVA, Sep 27 Reuters) - A younger vision of Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" will be presented in Geneva on Thursday with the suggestion that it is the original version of what has been called the world's most famous painting.

The Swiss-based Mona Lisa Foundation organizing the event said on Wednesday that detailed research over three decades strongly indicates that it is an earlier portrayal by the Italian genius of "the lady with the mystic smile."

"We have investigated this painting from every relevant angle and the accumulated information all points to it being an earlier version of the Giaconda in the Louvre," foundation member and art historian Stanley Feldman, told Reuters.

In Italy and France, the one currently recognized Leonardo "Mona Lisa" is known as "La Giaconda" or "La Joconde" after Lisa Gherardini, wife of early 16th century Italian nobleman Francesco del Giacondo who commissioned a portrait of her.

But Leonardo never delivered it to him.

The portrait to be presented to experts and media in Geneva shows a woman appearing to be in her early 20s -- rather than the early 30s of the Louvre painting -- in the same pose and with much the same enigmatic stare as the Louvre masterpiece.

The Irish-born Feldman and his brother David, long involved in the art world, said historical evidence, critical comparison and scientific examination using the most modern techniques supported their view on what it really is.

Cautiously backing the "two versions" thesis -- which if proven would create a major sensation in the art world -- are leading Italian Leonardo specialist Alessandro Vezzosi, another foundation member, and US-based expert Carlo Pedretti.

But other experts on the artist, sculptor, architect and designer who bestrode the European cultural world from the late 15th century until his death in a small French chateau on the Loire at the age of 67 in 1519, are strongly sceptical.

In a luxuriously produced 300-page illustrated volume to be issued by the foundation on Thursday, Vezzosi, director of the Leonardo museum in the artist's home town of Vinci in central Italy, calls on the critics to keep an open mind.

UNBIAISED JUDGEMENT

The book, "Mona Lisa-Leonardo's Earlier Version", "will permit an unbiased judgement of the claim of this painting to be the earlier portrait, incomplete, of a young Mona Lisa, much younger than that of the Louvre," Vezzosi writes.

But in comments printed last weekend in a London newspaper, Oxford University professor Martin Kemp argued that the Geneva portrait is probably a copy of the Paris version by an unknown painter who simply chose to make the subject younger.

"So much is wrong," said Kemp, a world-recognized authority on Leonardo, pointing to the fact ---- among others -- that the foundation's portrait is painted on canvas and not on wood, the artist's preferred medium.

The "younger version" -- which the Feldmans think was probably painted around 1505 -- is not new to the art world, though -- apart from a brief excursion to Japan -- it has been in a Swiss vault for many years.

It was discovered in 1913 by collector Hugh Blaker -- who had already made several art discoveries -- in a manor house in the west of England where it had hung for a century unnoticed. How it got there is unknown.

Blaker took it to his home in a London suburb, where it was dubbed "the Isleworth Mona Lisa." On his death in 1936, it was bought by American collector Henry Pulitzer, who deposited it in a Swiss bank while writing a book about it, published in 1972.

When Pulitzer died in 1979, it passed to his Swiss business partner, and on her death in 2010, it was bought by an international consortium, its current owners.

The Louvre "Mona Lisa", which draws huge crowds daily, was in Leonardo's possession when he died in France. It then found its way into the collection of King Francois I, but exactly how it got there has never been established

Police rescue Eden College Principal

Dhaka, Sep 27 Police rescued in the wee hours of Thursday Eden Girls' College Principal Rawshan Ara who was besieged by her students after she allegedly ordered male employees to attack them.

The rescue was pulled off around 1:30am after the Principal pledged to convey to the higher authorities the students' demand for uninterrupted accommodation in the dormitory, Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh Zone Deputy Commissioner Harun-or-Rashid told bdnews24.com.

Rawshan Ara, however, told reporters after the rescue that the college was in no position to do so.

"I've told them that we'll discuss their demand with the National University," she said.

Earlier at around 12:15am, the law enforcers entered the college compound at Azimpur to get things under control.

Three platoons of police were despatched to the college, according to Assistant Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Lalbagh Zone Rezaul Haque.

The law enforcers gathered in front of the college after 10pm on Wednesday following vandalism by the students, who continued their protests after the police came in.

The siege and the rampage had taken place in the morning of Wednesday and continued until midnight. Signs of vandalism inside the college were visible from the outside. The students vandalised cars of the teachers, too.

Principal Ara, however, refuted the allegation of ordering the attack on the students by male employees.

"The students have confined me and some other teachers," she had told bdnews24.com just before midnight.

According to the rules, a student loses her seat in the dormitory after her Honours examination and needs to apply for a new seat when she gets admitted to a post-graduate course.

Between the time of admission in the post-graduate course and the completion of Honours examination, the students face problems with accommodation.

One of the students, requesting anonymity, said they have long been demanding the opportunity to keep the seat. "But the administration did not pay any heed," she said.

"When we pressed for our demand in the morning, the employees attacked us," she added.

The Principal, however, had said the 'irrational' demand was impossible to meet.

Asked about the attack, she said, "I don't know of any such incident."

"But if any employee attacked the students, he will face action after investigation," she added. 

Ataus Samad dies

Dhaka, Sep 26 Journalist Ataus Samad of BBC Bengali fame died at Apollo Hospitals in Dhaka on Wednesday at the age of 74.

He had been suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney problems for a long time.

He will be buried in the Azimpur Graveyard beside his father's grave on Thursday after consecutive namaz-e-janaza at Gulshan's Azad Mosque after Zohr prayers and at the National Press Club, his family said.


Samad's body will be kept at the Club for a cross section of people to pay their last respects.

He had stepped into journalism by with Sachitra Sandhani in the 1950s and went on to work with several newspapers, radio and TV stations.

In 1993, the government conferred on him the 'Ekushey Padak'.

Before his death, he was involved with Bengali daily Amar Desh as its Advisory Editor.

His co-workers said his stint with the BBC during the anti-Ershad movement in the 80s were most significant when his voice would be eagerly awaited. He had to face the wrath of the then government of military dictator Hussein Muhammad Ershad for the stories he filed.

He was taken ill for a long time. On Sunday, he was admitted to the Apollo Hospitals where doctors took off his life support at 9:25pm, his nephew lawyer Anisul Huq told bdnews24.com.

Samad used to write opinion-editorial on political and socio-economic issues in the print and online media until his last days. He was kept in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) under close observation.

He was also a regular contributor to the opinion section of bdnews24.com, Bangladesh's first Internet newspaper.

His left leg was amputated on Tuesday during a surgery. He had undergone another surgery on Monday.

Samad had been unconscious since the first operation, several journalists of Amar Desh told bdnews24.com at the hospital.

He was transfused with 10 bags of blood on Wednesday.

He started his career as a journalist in 1959 after completion of post-graduation from Dhaka University. He had been the Publicity Secretary of the Chhatra Sangsad of Fazlul Haque Hall.

After Sachitra Sandhani, Samad worked in dailies Sangbad and Azad. He had been the Chief Reporter of Pakistan Observer (now defunct Bangladesh Observer) from 1965 to 1969.

He also joined movement to establish journalists' rights. He was elected General Secretary of East Pakistan Union of Journalists in 1969. After independence, he worked with state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) as its Delhi station chief from 1972 to 1976.

He started working for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) as Bangladesh correspondent from 1982 to the early '90s.

He published weekly Ekhon after leaving the BBC and started writing columns.

In 2004, he joined Amar Desh. He also worked in private TV channel NTV as its Chief Executive Officer.

He also taught at Dhaka University as a part-time teacher for a long period. Vice Chancellor of the university Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique went to the hospital on Wednesday night on hearing the news of his demise.

Born on Nov 16 1937 in Mymensingh, Samad is survived by a son and two daughters. His wife Kamrunnahar is a former Department of Information official.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Finance Minister AMA Muhith and several other top politicians mourned him.

Press Club General Secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed, Treasurer Badiul Alam and Senior Vice President Qazi Rawnak Hossain, President of a faction of Dhaka Federal Union of Journalists Ruhul Amin Gazi and General Secretary Shawkat Mahmud, Dhaka Union of Journalists President Abdus Shahid and General Secretary Baker Hossain, Dhaka Reporters Unity President Sakhawat Hossain Badsha and General Secretary Sazzad Alam Khan, and Online Journalists Association of Bangladesh Member Secretary Ahasan Lenin also condoled his death. 

Make fresh pledge for global peace: PM

File photo

New York, Sep 26 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the United Nations member states to reaffirm their political and financial commitments to the process for sustainable international peace and security.

She made the call while addressing a high-level meeting titled "Peace Building – A Way Forward towards Sustainable Peace and Security" at the North Lawn Building of the UN headquarters in New York as the chair on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister called for strengthening financial and political commitments to resource mobilisation, national capacity and institution building, and efforts in a coordinated manner for delivering most efficient and cost-effective support to post-conflict societies.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Croatian Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic, East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gussmao and Zambian President Michael Chilufya, among others, also addressed the meeting.

Hasina said in the post-Cold War era of the '90s, half of the emerging countries fell into violence within a few years. "The Peace-building Commission was established to help them build solid foundations for sustainable peace and development."

She also said Bangladesh always stands by the United Nations in all its peace ventures as a nation committed to sustainable peace and development. "Since 1988 till now, we participated in 37 UN peacekeeping missions with 113,181 peacekeepers. Of them, 118 died and 125 injured while on duty," she noted.

The Prime Minister emphasised appropriate follow-up efforts by the international community on peace-building process and said otherwise, the countries would get into conflicts as was the case in Angola in 1993 and Rwanda in 1994.

Hasina said strengthening coordination and coherence of bilateral, regional and multilateral engagements of the Peace-building Commission and enhancing South-South and Triangular Cooperation was needed for sustainable peace.

She thanked all for electing Bangladesh Chair of the Peace-building Commission. "It's recognition to our commitment to the PBC. Despite our constraints as an LDC, we have continued to comply with our commitments to the Peace Building Fund with annual contributions."

The Prime Minister also noted that Bangladeshi peacekeepers were working with other UN agencies in areas of development, human rights and humanitarian activities with the International Financial Institutions. 

Dhaka officials' remarks upset WB

Dhaka, Sept 26  The World Bank has alleged that the Bangladesh government officials have been misrepresenting its position in media statements and said only after "satisfactory implementation" of certain measures it will fund the Padma project.
"The Bank remains concerned about corruption in Bangladesh in general and in the Padma bridge project in particular. It is for this reason that we have also made it clear that to engage anew in the project will require new implementation arrangements that give much greater oversight of project procurement processes to the Bank and co-financiers," the Bank said in its latest media statement.
"It is only after satisfactory implementation of all these measures as well as a positive report from the external panel of internationally recognized experts that the World Bank will go ahead with the financing of the project."
Says the statement issued in Washington: "Media reports have quoted senior Bangladeshi government officials misrepresenting the World Bank's position concerning the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project. We feel obliged to issue the …clarifications.
"The Bank has shared repeatedly with the Government of Bangladesh credible evidence of corruption involving senior public officials related to the financing of the Padma bridge. This led the World Bank to cancel the US$1.2 billion credit in the absence of a credible response by the government.
"On September 20, 2012 the government agreed:
to place all public officials suspected of involvement in the corruption scheme on leave from government employment until an investigation is complete;
to appoint a special inquiry and prosecution team within the ACC to handle the investigation; and
to grant access to all investigative information to an external panel of internationally recognized experts who will advise the Bank and co-financiers on the credibility of the government's investigations."
The Bank said it only responded to the "government request to reconsider the financing of the project and its return would depend on Dhaka's meeting the new conditions.
"The people of Bangladesh deserve a clean bridge. If we are to move ahead, we are insisting that a credible investigation is undertaken and any project implementation be done in a manner that ensures transparency and enhanced oversight."

SUST Eng Dept students confine VC

SUST, Sep 26 The English Department students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) on Wednesday put their administrative building under lock and key and confined the Vice Chancellor to demand removal of the department's Chairman.
After locking the Acting VC Ilias Uddin Bishwash at 11am, around 100 students started demonstrating outside carrying banners and chanting slogans against the department Chairman Dr Atiullah for his failure to publish results in time, holding regular classes, and nepotism.
University Proctor Himadri Shekhor Roy, along with other administrative officials, was waiting trapped inside the building.
Students who sat for their Honours final examinations in February last year are yet to have their results. The classes are also yet to resume in the department since the university reopened after the Eid-ul Fitr vacation on Aug 28.
A Masters student of the department, Reaz Md Khan, said they would continue their agitation until their department chief was removed.
The agitation has been going on since Sep 3.

Ex-Sonali Director puts scam onus on management

Dhaka, Sep 26 (A former member of the Sonali Bank's Board of Directors on Wednesday alleged that the bank's management was responsible for the Hallmark scam.
"The Board of Directors on Jan 2, 2011 had issued an order banning issue of Inland Bill Purchase (IBP)," Shubhash Shingha Rai told journalists after facing Anti Corruption Commission grilling from 10am. "Hallmark group was given the loan violating that order".
The Board of Directors decided on its course of action based on information given by the management, he said.
"We have no control over this matter. Our policies are formulated on their information."
The former Sonali Bank Director also alleged that the bank's management had 'misguided' the Board.
According to him, the bank classifies loans into three categories – low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk. "I have no idea how the management classified Hallmark Group into the low-risk category."
"It is being claimed that they were given the loan legally. Then where is the loan's letter of approval," the former Director questioned.
Terming the management authorities as 'enemies' of the government, Rai said, "They should be identified."
ACC's Public Relations Officer Pranab Kumar Bhattachrya said the watchdog also called five other members of the Sonali Bank Board of Directors.
They are Jannat Ara Henry, SM Naim, KM Zaman Romel, Shatyendra Chandra Bhakta and Mohammad Anwar Shahid.
A six-strong probe led by ACC Deputy Director Mir Joynul Abedin Shibli questioned the bank directors.
The state-owned commercial bank's branch at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel had given out about Tk 36 billion – just below 2 percent of the national budget – to textile firm Hallmark Group and other dubious organisations with no notable collaterals. Hallmark Group alone took Tk 27 billion out of the total loan.
Bank authorities on Aug 30 suspended two general managers and 18 other officials for granting loan to the Group in breach of rules.
The bank has also asked the Group to return the credit money.

Khaleda breaks down to see brother's body

Dhaka, Sep 26  Opposition chief Khaleda Zia on Wednesday broke into tears as she stood beside the coffin to see her late younger brother Sayeed Eskander for the last time.
The body of the BNP Advisor and also a former MP was taken to his Baridhara residence on Park Road around 10am after it arrived in Dhaka at 8:50am on Wednesday by a Biman flight.
Khaleda Zia went there right away with other family members, including Sayeed's wife Nasrin Eskander, their sons Shams Eskander and Safin Eskander, and daughter Sumaiya Eskander.
A sobbing BNP Chairperson was also seen consoling her brother's family.
Among the party leaders, BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Advisor Abdul Aual Mintu, Mosaddek Ali Falu, Prof MA Mannan, MP Zainal Abedin, Rehana Akhter Ranu and Syeda Ashrafu Papia were also present with the party chief.
Sayeed Eskander died in a New York hospital on Sep 23 suffering from lung cancer. He was also President of the BNP's Feni district unit.
His first namaj-e-janaza was held at Jamaica Muslim Centre in New York. The second janaza will be held in the South Plaza of the parliament complex at 2pm Wednesday.
His next janaza is due to take place in front of the BNP's Naya Paltan headquarters later in the afternoon to be followed by the last one at Azad Mosque in Gulshan.
Eskander, a former military officer, will be buried at the military graveyard in Banani.
As a mark of respect, the BNP is keeping the party flag half-mast alongside hoisting a black flag and the party activists wearing black badges.

'US-Bangladesh talks to facilitate future training'

 Dhaka, Sep 26 The defence dialogue between Bangladesh and the United States will establish future training plan for the next four-five years, says Deputy Commander of Army National Guard of US Army Pacific (USARPAC) Major General Joseph J Chaves.
"The purpose of the meeting is to establish future training plan so that we can continue to work together on disaster response and humanitarian assistance," he said in an exclusive interview with bdnews24.com.
The two-day dialogue will begin in Hawaii on Sep 26.
Major General Chaves, also stationed in Hawaii, came to Bangladesh to attend the Disaster Response Exercise & Exchange (DREE) programme, which was conducted in Dhaka by the USARPAC and the Armed Forces Division, in association with the US embassy.
"Right now we are looking at continuing the resiliency programme in Bangladesh for the next couple of years," he said.
Last year there were only table talks about DREE, but this year, there was real exercise on how to cope with a disaster like an earthquake, he said.
Chaves said there were discussions to expand the exercise, so that it became multinational exercise involving more regional partners.
"The more nations join the exercise, the better it is to prepare for the disaster response."
Peacekeeping
The US wants to learn the lesson that the Bangladesh peacekeepers learnt over the years, so that Washington can engage itself in peacekeeping operations, according to him.
"US has not been engaged in peacekeeping for long time as we had been involved in two wars – one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan," the Major General said.
"We have to be fully prepared in what we do. We have to be able to do combat, we have to be able to do disaster relief, and also in the future, the US would like to involve in peacekeeping operations."
About the Mil-Mill cooperation, he said they would have operational and tactical exercises in the future.
Joint exercise
Chaves said Bangladesh must have the response capacity to disaster and for that the most important thing was to conduct exercises before the event occurred.
"If you prepare yourself then you can tackle the disaster better and that's why we have exercises like DREE as often as we can.
"The Bangladesh Armed Forces have a reputation worldwide as one of the best to respond to natural disasters, and the US wants to share experiences so that they can do better," Chaves said.
"It's a collaborative process between the US and Bangladesh."

Dhaka officials' remarks upset WB

Washington, Sept 25  The World Bank has alleged that the Bangladesh government officials have been misrepresenting its position in media statements and said only after "satisfactory implementation" of certain measures will it fund the Padma project,

"The Bank remains concerned about corruption in Bangladesh in general and in the Padma bridge project in particular. It is for this reason that we have also made it clear that to engage anew in the project will require new implementation arrangements that give much greater oversight of project procurement processes to the Bank and co-financiers," the Bank said in its latest media statement.

"It is only after satisfactory implementation of all these measures as well as a positive report from the external panel of internationally recognized experts that the World Bank will go ahead with the financing of the project."
Says the statement issued in Washington: "Media reports have quoted senior Bangladeshi government officials misrepresenting the World Bank's position concerning the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project. We feel obliged to issue the …clarifications.
"The Bank has shared repeatedly with the Government of Bangladesh credible evidence of corruption involving senior public officials related to the financing of the Padma bridge. This led the World Bank to cancel the US$1.2 billion credit in the absence of a credible response by the government.
"On September 20, 2012 the government agreed:
to place all public officials suspected of involvement in the corruption scheme on leave from government employment until an investigation is complete;
to appoint a special inquiry and prosecution team within the ACC to handle the investigation; and
to grant access to all investigative information to an external panel of internationally recognized experts who will advise the Bank and co-financiers on the credibility of the government's investigations."
The Bank said it only responded to the "government request to reconsider the financing of the project and its return would depend on Dhaka's meeting the new conditions.
"The people of Bangladesh deserve a clean bridge. If we are to move ahead, we are insisting that a credible investigation is undertaken and any project implementation be done in a manner that ensures transparency and enhanced oversight."

BSF whisks away on-duty ASI

Comilla, Sep 26  India's Border Security Force on Tuesday night caught hold of an on-duty Assistant Sub Inspector along Burichang border in Comilla and took him away with them.

The Border Guard Bangladesh is trying to get the Bangladeshi law-enforcer back.

According to Burichang Police Station Officer-in Charge Golam Shahnewaz, ASI Nurunnabi was armed, in his uniform and carrying out a court warrant when he was held by the BSF personnel at Zero Point in Ghilatoli along the border around 9:30pm.

BGB 33 Battalion's Lt Col Md Akhtaruzzaman said they were contacting their counterpart for rescuing the police officer.

"A flag meeting is expected to take place at Shankuchail along the border for reaching a settlement," he said.

ATN boss quizzed at Rab HQ

This June 21 TV grab shows Rab's media and legal wing director Commander M Sohail enquires Mahfuzur Rahman at the ATN Bangla head office in the capital.Star Online Report

Rapid Action Battalion interrogated ATN Bangla Chairman Mahfuzur Rahman at the force's headquarters in connection with the murder of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi on Tuesday, said Rab Director General Mukhlesur Rahman.
The investigation officer of the case told The Daily Star that they quizzed the ATN chief for around two hours from 11:00am about the statement he made at London press conference and many issues related to the journalists.
Meanwhile, Home Minister MK Alamgir on Tuesday expressed his hope that the motive behind the killings would be unearthed by October 10.
"By October 10, hopefully, we will be able to comment on the exact progress in this regard, or on those who we are going to identify as the criminals," the newly-appointed minister told journalists at his secretariat office.
Sagar Sarowar, news editor of private TV channel Maasranga, and his wife Meherun Runi, a senior reporter of another TV channel ATN Bangla, were killed on February 11 at their rented apartment in the capital's West Razabazar.
Frustrated over the Detective Branch's failure to identify the killer(s) of Sagar and Runi, the High Court on April 18 ordered the authorities concerned to shift the case to Rab.

Natural calamities big threat to Bangladesh: PM

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said Bangladesh, as a disaster- prone country, considers natural disasters as a severe threat to sustainable development and attaches high priority to capacity building for disaster risk reduction and resilience.
The PM said this when Special Representative to the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Margareta Walhstrom called on her at her hotel suite in New York on Monday morning.
Press Secretary to Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed newsmen about the outcome of the meeting.
Hasina said Bangladesh has undertaken its development program taking the sustainability and disaster risk reduction issues into consideration following the recommendations of the UN ISDR resolution.
She commended the role of Global facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery to support disaster risk reduction in vulnerable countries like Bangladesh for poverty reduction and sustainable development.
Highlighting the adverse impacts of climate change in the life and property of the people of Bangladesh, she said the people of the country have been fighting against natural disasters including floods and cyclones for ages.
The present government is undertaking several adaptive measures for disaster risk reduction and sought international cooperation in support of the initiatives for construction of flood and cyclone shelter, flood resistant houses and coastal embankment, she added.
Margareta invited Hasina to attend a conference on Disaster Management to be held in Geneva in May, 2013 and the premier accepted the invitation.
PM's son Sajib Wazed Joy, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Principal Secretary Sheikh Wahid Uz Zaman, Foreign Secretary Mijarul Quayes and Bangladesh's Permanent Representative to the UN Dr A K Abdul Momen were present.
Later, the PM called on Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani at Qatari embassy.
During the meeting, they discussed issues relating to bilateral interests including river dredging in Bangladesh and recruitment of Bangladeshi workers.
bss

Woman stabbed dead in city

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 A housewife was found stabbed to death at her Dakkhinkhan residence in the capital early Tuesday.
The victim was identified as Liza, 18, wife of Emon Hossain.
Lokman Hekim, officer in-charge of Dakkhinkhan Police Station, said Liza's neighbours found the door of her house locked from outside since Saturday.
After getting bad smell coming out of the house, locals broke open the door and found the body, the OC said.
On information, police rushed to the spot around 1:00am and sent the body to Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Introducing him as an employee of a buying house, Emon rented the house at Faedabad two months back and started living there with Liza, OC Lokman said.
Emon might have stabbed Liza to death as he went missing since Saturday, he said.

Police arrest 6 over Pabna violence

Pabna, Sep 25  The police have arrested six leaders of Pabna district unit of the BNP, including its President and General Secretary, in the wee hours of Tuesday, a day after factional clashes in the district town left a BNP activist dead and 30 others injured.
Pabna Sadar Police Station Inspector Nurul Alam confirmed their arrest over violence following the killing of Milon Hossain, 30, who was shot dead during the clashes around 1pm.
The arrest comes after filing of two cases by the police on charges of attacking the law enforcers and obstructing their regular duty, accusing 56 people.
The arrestees are local BNP President Maj (Retd.) KS Mahmud, its General Secretary Khandaker Habibur Rahman Tota, who stand accused in both the cases, and activists 'Mahbub', Saddam Hossain, Abdul Motaleb and Abdul Momin.
The police raid on late Monday night, however, failed to trace out another 12/13 accused leaders of the party, including its Joint General Secretary Sabbir Hasan Bachchu and Organising Secretary Mahmudunnabi Swapan.
No murder case had been filed until Tuesday morning for the killing.
After the clash, Additional Superintendent of Police Shameem Ahmed had said the clashes were a culmination of a rivalry between local BNP leaders and incumbent Pabna Municipality Mayor Kamrul Hasan Mintu over selecting leadership for the district units of the party and other front organisations, including Jatiyatabdi Chhatra Dal – the party's student front.
District BNP President Mahmud and GS Tota lead one of the factions that clashed, while the other one is led by Pabna Municipality Mayor Kamrul Hasan Mintu. Mintu claimed the deceased belonged to his faction.

Amar Desh editor wants probe on Justice Manik

Tuesday, September 25, 2012 Acting editor of the daily Amar Desh on Tuesday submitted an application to the chief justice for investigating into some allegations against Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik.
Mahmudur Rahman brought a total of 29 allegations against the High Court judge on charge of violating money laundering law, foreign currency exchange law and for concealing information on his wealth, the applicant told reporters.
The Amar Desh editor submitted the application to the registrar office of Supreme Court for forwarding it to Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain.
Supreme Court Registrar AKM Shamsul Islam told The Daily Star that his office has received a packet from Mahmudur Rahman but he did not know about the content as he is yet to open it.
Mahmudur, in the application, alleged that Justice Manik has three residences in London and he provided wrong address of one of the residences to the London authorities in his income tax document.
He also claimed that Justice Manik had participated in a talk show at a television channel in London, which he is not allowed to do as per constitution of the country.

BNP to mourn Iskander Tuesday

Star Online Report

BNP will observe mourning day across the country on Tuesday to mourn the death of party chairperson's younger brother and former lawmaker Maj (retd) Sayeed Iskander.
Besides arranging recitation from the holy Quran, black flags will be hoisted and party flag will be kept half-mast at BNP offices across the country, said a party press release signed by its joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
The main opposition party has asked all of its units and front and associate bodies to observe the day with due solemnity.
The party high-ups suspended a demonstration which was scheduled for Monday. Tuesday's two programmes -- chairperson's views-exchange meeting with cultural activists and party training workshop -- have also been suspended, the press release added.
Sayeed Iskander, president of party's Feni district unit and member of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's advisory council, who was suffering from cancer for quite a long time, passed away on Sunday at a hospital in New York.
His body might be brought to the country on Wednesday morning, party leaders said.
Meanwhile, leaders of different social and political organisations expressed deep shock over the death of Iskander and said his death is an irreparable loss for the party and the country as well.
They also expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members and prayed for the salvation of his departed soul.
Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Andaleeve Rahman Partha MP and Secretary General Shamim Al Mamun, former minister and BNP leader Tariqul Islam, Nazrul Islam Khan, among others, condoled the death of Iskander.

Stamford students go on rampage

Police fire tear gas shells to disperse the angry students of Stamford University who went on a rampage as a bus hit one of their fellow students at Satmasjid road on Monday. Inset (the injured student). Photo: Palash Khan Star Online Report

Agitating students of Stamford University's Dhanmondi branch went on a rampage during the busy school hour as a bus hit one of their fellow students Monday morning.
The students vandalised at least 20 vehicles blocking Satmasjid Road in the capital's Dhanmondi area, said Syed Nurul Islam, deputy commissioner of Ramna Division.
At one stage, the angry students also engaged in chase and counter-chase with law enforcers when they tried to disperse them from the road, Nurul Islam said.
Police had to lob nearly 50 teargas shells to bring the situation under control, he said.
Traffic movements on the road remained halted for nearly two and half hours from around 10:00am following the incident, the DC added.
The incident ensued around 10:00am when a bus hit Shahjadul Islam, a LLB first semester student of the university, while he was crossing the road at Shankar, he added.
The students blocked the road for nearly one hour from 10:00am.
On information, police rushed to the spot and stopped traffic movement on the road for nearly one and half hours from around 11:00am to prevent further vandalism.

Protests outside US embassy

Dhaka, Sep 24  Over a hundred protesters, mostly youth, on Monday demonstrated outside the United States embassy against release of the anti-Islam film, 'Innocence of Muslims', which talks low of the religion and its Prophet Mohammad.
The demonstration came two days after security was beefed up in the diplomatic area in the wake of protests marked by violent clashes between police and activists of a dozen like-minded Islamist parties on Saturday.
The demonstrators suddenly appeared outside the embassy at Baridhara around noon, carrying banners and festoons denouncing the insult to Islam, said Bhatara Police Station Office in Charge Ziauzzaman.
The banners did not bear names of any organisation.
The police charged baton to disperse the demonstrators, he added.
Gulshan Police Station Officer in Charge Rafiqul Islam confirmed arrest of a protester.
"Most of the demonstrators were youth. It is being looked into whether they were members of banned Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir," Islam said.
Protests have taken place in Dhaka over the last few days against the backdrop of Muslim countries around the world bursting into anger after trailer of the anti-Islam film, produced in the US, was released through YouTube.
The US embassies in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia were stormed by Muslim protesters, leading to the death of the Ambassador to Libya and three others diplomats. Many other countries prevented protesters from reaching diplomatic areas.
Both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia have condemned the film and urged the US to take action against those associated with its production.
The government also requested internet search engine Google to block YouTube to prevent viewing of the 13-minute video clip of the movie. The government has already blocked YouTube on its part.

Padma work begins in April-May: Muhith

The government has planned to begin the construction work of Padma bridge project in April-May next year, Finance Minister AMA Muhith said on Monday.
A tender will be floated for the project in the next month, the minister told this to journalists at his ministry in the afternoon.
Muhith said the government will start fund mobilisation for the project from February next year.
All the issues will be finalised after consultation with the all lenders — the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

Extra-judicial killings reduced in present tenure: MKA

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir Star Online Report

Home Minister Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir on Monday claimed that the incidents of extra-judicial killings are less during the present government tenure than that of the previous regime.
"We directed Rab cautiously and that is why the indents of so-called extra-judicial killings reduced to a great extent," said the newly-appointed home minister.
He was talking to newsmen emerging from a closed-door meeting with the high officials of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at its headquarters in the capital.
The minister claimed that the present government does not support the so-called extra-judicial killings.
If any incidents of such killings happen ever in the country, then we will find out who orders or authorises it, the minister added.
This was the first visit of the minister to the Rab headquarters since he took office of the home minister on September 15.
In support of his comment, the minister said the use of a weapon depends on its user not on the weapon.
"Kitchen knife can be used to cut fish, however, it can also be used for murder," he commented.
About the missing BNP leader M Ilias Ali, the home minister said it is yet to be sure whether Ilias is a victim of secret killing or went into hiding.
The home minister claimed that there were several allegations against Ilias of terrorism and secret killing.
BNP leader Ilias along with his car driver Ansar Ali remains missing since the early hours of April 18.
About Operation Clean Heart, the minister said the government will investigate into different incidents relating to that drive.
Joint drives led by army had run Operation Clean Heart from October 16, 2002 to January 9, 2003 across the country to keep the law and order situation under control.
Around 50 people were reportedly killed in that operation.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Director General of Rab Mokhlesur Rahman, Commanding Officers (CO) of different Rab units were present during the briefing.

Social Good Summit: Dhaka event begins

Dhaka, Sep 24 Bangladeshis are sharing ideas on how to tackle development problems using technology and social media in a locally organised meet-up at the Prime Minister's Office as part of the UN's three-day Social Good Summit.
UNDP Bangladesh and Access to Information Programme are co-hosting the event that began at 4pm at the Karabi Hall to engage the community to spur innovative thinking on toughest issues.

Billed as one of the largest and most global conversations in history, the third annual Social Good Summit is taking place since Sept 22 in New York City during the UN Week.
It came to Bangladesh on Monday, the last day of the global event that aims to empower people everywhere to have their voices be heard, both during and after the event.
People in Bangladesh and elsewhere are connecting through local Meet-ups to answer the same question: "How can new technology and new media create solutions for the biggest problems facing your community."
Young leaders from Bangladesh in the fields of technology, social services, e-governance, social media and new media are present on the panel and in the audience.
So are members of civil society, government, development organisations, entrepreneurs, innovative technologists and business groups.
The session in Dhaka is discussing the state of online and new media in Bangladesh, best practices of using social media in public services and development, how can new media and technology be further harnessed to create local and national solutions and what are the stumbling blocks to achieving development through new media and technology.
Bangladesh's first Internet newspaper is the online media partner of the event.
This year's summit is believed to be more engaging than ever as people from around the world, in both the developed and the developing world, are uniting in person and online to take part in The Global Conversation – the world's largest conversation on how technology can grow communities and improve life for all in an increasingly networked society.
Each year the United Nations General Assembly marks an opportunity for global leaders to gather in New York to address and take action against some of the world's most pressing issues.

Maula's wife screams 'forced disappearance'

Dhaka, Sep 24 Wife of Syed Golam Maula, Senior Advisor of the banned Hizb ut-Tahrir and Dhaka University Management Studies teacher, on Monday alleged that her husband has become a victim of 'forced disappearance'.
At a press meet organised in Maula's lawyer Monsur Habib's chamber, Shahida Ahmed claimed that they had no idea about her husband's whereabouts.
On Sep 19, Maula's custodian Latif Ahmed submitted required documents of the Hizb ut-Tahrir advisor's bail release to Kashimpur Prison's Jailer Abul Bashar.
However, the jailer, instead of handing him over to the custodians, gave his custody to a group of people identifying themselves as members of the Police's Detective Branch.
Shahida Ahmed said that they were in dark about the whereabouts of Maula since his 'illegal arrest' from the jail gate.
"He has not been shown arrested in any case for the last four days. His family or the DU Vice-Chancellor has also not been told anything, instead he has 'disappeared'."
She claimed that the DB Police on Thursday admitted before the Vice-Chancellor that they had detained the DU teacher.
"His family including me and our four helpless daughters are still not sure where he is, or how he is. It was better when he was in detention at the Kashimpur Prison without trial."
Maula's wife also called for intervention of the National Human Rights Commission and other national and international rights organisations for the release of her husband.
Golam Maula, son of late Syed Tajul Islam of Dhanmondi, was accused in a Mar 2, 2010, along with other Hizb ut-Tahrir menbers, in a case filed at the Uttara Model Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.
He was arrested on July 8, 2010 from Dhaka's Kataban area and transferred from Dhaka Central Jail to Kashimpur Prison, four days later.
The High Court on July 23 granted Maula a six-month bail. On Sep 19, Appellate Division's vacation bench judge Justice Mohammad Abdul Wahhab Miah scrapped a prosecution plea seeking a stay on the High Court order.
Maula was arrested once before on Sep 18, 2008 for suspected terrorist activities from Rajshahi along with 9 other Tahrir members. He was later released.
A ban was slapped on the activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Bangladesh on Oct 22, 2009 terming the organisation as a threat to security.
The religious front has faced similar bans in many other countries including Germany, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and middle-eastern ones for its extremist ideologies.