Talks with opposition soon: Ashraf

 

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam speaks to journalists at the Secretariat in the capital on Monday.

LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam on Monday said the government will start talks with the main opposition party soon hoping that the next general election will be held with the participation of all political parties.
Syed Ashraf, also the general secretary of ruling Awami League, said the government had already been in an internal dialogue with the opposition parties to overcome the present political crisis.
The minister was talking to journalists after a cabinet meeting at the Secretariat in the capital.

Tazreen fire preplanned: BGMEA probe

 

In this November 24, 2012 file photo, firefighters battle a blaze at Tazreen Fashions Ltd in Savar on the outskirts of the capital.

The deadliest industrial fire in the country that killed 111 workers in Tazreen garments factory on November 24 was preplanned, said a probe report by the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).
“Some factory officials had ‘ill-motive’ and they are responsible for the fire,” said Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of BGMEA.
The association accused several factory officials of being involved in the 'scheme' and recommended the culprits be tried.
BGMEA unveiled the report at a press conference in the city.

KL job seekers’ registration from Jan 13

 

Khandker Mosharraf Hossain

The government would start registering the names of Bangladeshis seeking jobs in Malaysia from January 13 next year, Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, expatriates' welfare and overseas employment minister, said on Monday.
Registration will be done at 4,500 information and service centres at union parishad offices across the country, the minister said at a press conference at his Secretariat office in the afternoon.
A database of 35,000 job seekers would be made, among them 10,000 would be sent to Malaysia at a cost of not more than Tk 40,000 per person, the minister added.
Workers of Dhaka and Barisal divisions interested to go to Malaysia will have to register their names through online between January 13 and 15.
Their names will be selected at random by lottery on January 16.
Workers of Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet divisions will be able to register their names between January 14 and 16. The names of the selected workers will be announced on January 17.
Workers of Chittagong and Khulna divisions will be able to register their names between January 15 and 17. Their selection will be made on January 18, he added.
The Malaysian government unofficially stopped hiring Bangladeshi workers from 2009 following allegations of corruption and irregularities in the recruitment process.
In September this year, the Bangladesh government held detailed talks with the Malaysian human resource minister in Dhaka so that they could resume recruitment under state arrangements.
Later on November 26, Malaysia lifted its “unofficial ban” through signing of a memorandum of understanding with Bangladesh.

BCB cancels Pakistan tour

 

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has decided not to send its team to Pakistan on security ground.
Tigers were scheduled to play a T20 and a one-day international with Pakistan team on January 12 and 13 respectively.
"Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has already sent a letter to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in this regard," BCB President Nazmul Hassan Papon told reporters during a press briefing at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital on Monday afternoon.
"The security situation of Pakistan has remained unchanged. So, considering the prevailing situation, we decided not to send Bangladesh cricket team to its January tour," Papon said.
If Bangladesh had agreed for the visit, it would have been the first one by any country since armed militants attacked the Sri Lanka cricket team bus in Lahore in 2009.
Eight Pakistanis were killed and six Sri Lanka players wounded when a dozen of gunmen fired on their coach as they were being driven to the Gaddafi stadium.
Earlier, the BCB had postponed the national team's Pakistan tour in April this year following a High Court stay order on the tour for four months.

EC strong enough to hold neutral polls: Ex-CEC

 

Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda

Former chief election commissioner ATM Shamsul Huda on Monday said election commission is strong enough to hold the next general election in free and fair manner.
"There is no need to strengthen the election commission any more because it is strong enough to hold neutral polls," Huda said while addressing a seminar at Cirdap auditorium in the capital.
He said, “It is vital that the government does not interfere into the activities of the election commission.”
The former CEC also criticised the successive EC’s move to redraw the boundaries of constituencies ahead of the next parliamentary elections.
Shushasoner Janya Nagorik (Sujon), an NGO, organised the seminar with the title “Activities of Election Commission and Citizens’ Thoughts”.

Ctg polytechnic student stabbed dead

 

Muggers allegedly stabbed a student of Chittagong Polytechnic Institute to death at Mehedibagh in the port city early Monday.
Police detained a person for interrogation in this connection.
Deceased Saidul Islam, 25, was the lead guitarist of a local band named ‘Chhuti’, reports our Chittagong correspondent quoting AKM Mohiuddin, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station.
Saidul was returning to his CDA Colony residence around 2:30am after performing at a programme in Chittagong Club in the port city, the OC said.
On information, police rushed to the spot and recovered the body lying on a road in front of ‘Equity Fairy’ apartment near his house around 8:00am, the OC added.
The body bores several stab injuries.
Police later detained one of the security guards of the apartment for interrogation while another guard went into hiding after the incident, the police official said quoting security guard Shahbuddin, who took charge in the morning.

The body was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital morgue for autopsy.

Hillary hospitalised with blood clot

 

Hillary Clinton

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was admitted to a New York hospital on Sunday with a blood clot linked to a concussion she suffered earlier this month, the State Department said in an announcement that looked sure to stir up speculation over the health of one of America's best-known political figures.
Clinton, 65, has been out of the public spotlight since mid-December, when officials said she suffered a concussion after fainting due to a stomach virus.
"In the course of a follow-up exam today, Secretary Clinton's doctors discovered a blood clot had formed, stemming from the concussion she sustained several weeks ago," State Department spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement.
"She is being treated with anti-coagulants and is at New York-Presbyterian Hospital so that they can monitor the medication over the next 48 hours," Reines said. "They will determine if any further action is required."
US officials said on December 15 that Clinton, who canceled an overseas trip because of the stomach virus, suffered a concussion after fainting due to dehydration.
They have since described her condition as improving and played down suggestions that it was more serious. She had been expected to return to work this week.
Clinton's illness forced her to cancel planned testimony to Congress on December 20 in connection with a report on the deadly attack on the US diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya. The attack became the subject of heated political debate in the run-up to the US presidential election in November.
Clinton's two top deputies testified in her place on the September 11 attack in Benghazi, which killed the US ambassador and three other Americans and raised questions about security at far-flung diplomatic posts.
Clinton indicated that she remained ready to testify and was expected to appear before lawmakers this month before she steps down, as planned, around the time of Obama's inauguration for his second term in late January.
After narrowly losing the Democratic presidential nomination to Obama in 2008, Clinton has been consistently rated as the most popular member of his Cabinet and is often mentioned as a potential presidential candidate in 2016.
PRESIDENTIAL CREDENTIALS
Clinton has said she wants to take a break from public life and has laughed off suggestions that she may mount another bid to become the first woman president of the United States.
Her stint as secretary of state has further burnished the credentials she earned as a political partner to her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and later as a Democratic senator from New York.
In the four years since she became Obama's surprise choice as the top US diplomat, Clinton has broken travel records as she dealt with immediate crises, including Libya and Syria, and sought to manage longer-term challenges, including US relations with China and Russia.
She has repeatedly said that she only intended to serve one term, and aides said she was on track to leave office within the next few weeks, once a successor is confirmed by the Senate.
Her last months in office have been overshadowed by the Benghazi attack, the first to kill a US ambassador in the line of duty since 1979, which brought sharp criticism of the State Department.
An independent inquiry this month found widespread failures in both security planning and internal management in the department.
It did not find Clinton personally responsible for any security failures, although she publicly took overall responsibility for Benghazi and the safety and security of US diplomats overseas.
The State Department's top security officer resigned from his post under pressure and three other mid-level employees were relieved of their duties after the inquiry released its report.
The controversy also cost US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice her chance to succeed Clinton as secretary of state.
Rice drew heavy Republican criticism for comments on several television talk shows in which she said the attack appeared to be the result of a spontaneous demonstration rather than a planned assault. She ultimately withdrew her name for consideration for the top diplomatic job.
Obama on December 21 nominated Senator John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, to fill the position of secretary of state.

5 to walk gallows for killing Khalaf

Saudi ambassador expresses satisfaction over the verdict

 

Saudi official Khalaf Al Ali 

A speedy trial tribunal of Dhaka on Sunday awarded death penalty to five people in Saudi Embassy official Khalaf Al Ali murder case.
The condemned convicts are: Mohammad Al Amin, Saiful Islam Mamun, Rafiqul Islam Khokon, Akbar Ali Lalu and Selim Chowdhury.
Khalaf, 45, an official at the consular section of the Saudi Embassy in Dhaka, was shot dead near his Gulshan house in the capital's diplomatic enclave on March 6 this year.
Judge Mohammad Motahar Hossain of the Speedy Trial Tribunal-4 in Dhaka pronounced the verdict Sunday afternoon.
Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah Bin Naser Al-Busairi and one of Khalaf brothers, Khalaf Al-Khaled, who were present at the courtroom, told reporters that they were satisfied over the verdict.
Of the condemned killers, Al Amin, Mamun, Khokon and Lalu are behind the bars while Selim is on the run.
The punishment of the fugitive will be effective from the day of his arrest or surrender, the court added during its pronouncement of judgement.
Earlier on December 20, the judge fixed the date for verdict after completing the hearing on arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
On December 17, the prosecution of the case concluded their arguments and appealed to the court for giving capital punishment to the five accused involved in the killing.
Detective Branch of police arrested the four--Al Amin, Mamun, Khokon and Lalu--in connection with a robbery case in June. The accused were shown arrested in the Saudi official murder case on July 24.
The DB police on September 20, pressed charges in the murder case against the five accused including Selim.
On October 23, the case was transferred to the tribunal from Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court for quick disposal as per the home ministry decision.

Emdadul too admits killing Bishwajit

 

In this December 9 photo, “Chhatra League activists” beat and hack a youth named Bishwajit, mistaking him for an opposition supporter in front of Victoria Park in Old Dhaka. 

Another accused in Bishwajit Das murder case admitted his involvement with the killing before a magistrate in Dhaka on Sunday.
In his statement, Emdadul Haque said he was an active activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League and an aspirant of president or general secretary of Jagannath University unit.
Emdadul said he beat Bishwajit with an iron rod taking him for a Shibir activist as he wanted to come to limelight to get a vital post in BCL, a student body backed by the ruling Awami League.
Before attaching Bishwajit, he beat up some pro-opposition lawyers and some Islami Chhatra Shibir activists near Ray Saheb Bazar area, he said while giving statement before Metropolitan Magistrate Shahriar Mahmud Adnan.
Earlier on December 23, three accused -- Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon and Rafiqul Islam Shakil -- confessed to the killing of 24-year old tailor Bishwajit Das.
Taking Bishwajit for a pro-blockade activist during the BNP-led 18-party countrywide blockade on December 9, a group of Chhatra League activists of Jagannath University swooped on him around 9:00am on his way to work.
The victim was declared dead at Mitford Hospital around 10:00am on the day.

Road crash in Narsingdi kills 12

 

A microbus lies in wreckage after a bus smashed it killing 11 people on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Shibpur upazila of Narsingdi on Sunday. 

At least 12 people were killed and 19 injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a microbus on the Dhaka-Sylhet highway in Narsingdi on Sunday.
Police said all the deceased from Mirpur area of the capital were heading for the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal (R) in Sylhet in the microbus.
The accident happened at Chaitanya area in Shibpur upazila around 12:30pm when a Dhaka-bound bus of Haor Bilas Paribahan hit the microbus carrying 13 passengers, said Nazrul Islam, a sergeant of Narsingdi Highway Police.
The official said eight of them died on the spot, two succumbed to their injuries on way to hospital while the rest were pronounced dead at Narsingdi District Hospital and Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Ten of the deceased are: microbus driver Faruk Hossain, 30, Arif, 8, Safiullah, 65, Rafique, 40, Moyez Uddin, 42, Anik, 8, Ibrahim Miah, 70, Nannu Mia, 45, Masudur Rahman, 45, and Solaiman, 50.
The condition of the lone surviving microbus passenger undergoing treatment at the Narsingdi hospital is stated to be critical, said the police official.
KM Firoz, officer-in-charge of Shibpur Police Station, told The Daily Star that the bodies were sent to Narsingdi Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.
Labour and Employment Minister Razi Uddin Ahmed Raju, Narsingdi Deputy Commissioner Obaidul Azam and Narsingdi Superintendent of Police (SP) Khandaker Mohid Uddin visited the injured at the hospital.

DMP's 31st night measures

 

Dwellers of the capital's Dhaka University, Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas have been requested to return home by 7:00pm on December 31 to avert any untoward incidents and maintain law and order during the celebration of New Year 2013.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) authorities on Sunday also discouraged people, who do not reside in the areas, from going there on the 31st night.
Besides, a huge contingent of additional forces from police and Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) would be deployed at the capital's posh and diplomatic areas along with the installation of many check posts, operation of mobile courts and patrolling of the law enforcers at different strategic places of the city.

DMP official sources said no gathering or rally would be allowed at any intersection or on flyovers on the New Year eve.
SPECIAL TRAFFIC ARRANGEMENT
For the shake of security and maintenance of law and order, the DMP authorities have arranged a special traffic management by imposing restrictions on the movements on some specific roads.
According to the DMP, only the Kemal Ataturk Avenue would remain open for entering Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas by vehicles from 7:00pm on December 31 to 5:00am on January 1.
The intersections at Phoenix Road at Tejgaon Industrial Area, Road-11 in Banani, Chairman Bari, Amtali, Shooting Club, Badda Link, DOHS and Natun Bazar will not remain open for entering Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas. However, the intersections can be used as exits.
Accordingly, intersections will remain closed to bar vehicles from entering the Dhaka University area during the mentioned period. However, the route from the High Court to Palashi via Dowel Chattar, Shahid Minar and Jagannath Hall will remain open.
Rab officials said around 5,000 additional Rab members would remain vigilant during the New Year celebration. Of them, 2000 would remain deployed in the capital and the rest across the country.

Pro-opposition lawyers demand Justice Nizamul's removal from HC

 

Justice Nizamul Huq

A sector of pro-BNP and Jamaat lawyers on Sunday demanded removal of Justice Nizamul Huq from the post of High Court judge through Supreme Judicial Council.
They also demanded trial of Justice Nazmul for his Skype conversation with Dr Ahmed Ziauddin, an expatriate Bangladeshi legal expert.
Justice Nizamul has violated constitution and oath and committed misconduct holding Skype conversation about the trial proceedings of International Crimes Tribunal-1, said Khandker Mahbub Hossain, vice-chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council.
He was speaking at a press conference at the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium.
Khandker Mahbub, an adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, urged the chief justice not to form any HC bench with Justice Nizamul for discharging any judicial function until the allegations against him regarding his Skype conversation are not settled.
He said Justice Nizamul has to be removed from the High Court to uphold the image and dignity of the Supreme Court.
Justice Nizamul resigned from the post International Crimes Tribunal-1 chairman on December 11 amid controversy over his Skype conversation with Bangladeshi expatriate Dr Ahmed Ziauddin.
Pro-BNP lawyers advocate Joinul Abedin, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon MP and Jamaat-backed lawyer barrister Abdur Razzaq and Tajul Islam echoed Khandker Mahbub on the occasion.

PM slams Akbar Ali for his formula on interim govt

 

L-R: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Dr Akbar Ali Khan

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday came down heavily on former adviser to a caretaker government Dr Akbar Ali Khan saying that a person who failed to hold a simple election has no right to talk on the formula of interim government.
“These days many persons came up with the formula of interim government. A former adviser also came up with a formula. This person while he was an adviser under President Iajuddin Ahmed failed to hold an election,” she said.
The prime minister made the remarks while addressing the councilors and delegates of the party of different districts who went to Gono Bhaban today to greet Hasina on her reelection.
She said: “There is no effectiveness of the formula given by a failed person. It will also fail.”
Akbar Ali on Saturday suggested four proposals, including formation of an interim government comprising Awami League and BNP lawmakers, to end the political deadlock over holding free and fair general election.
In his proposal, he said that the AL will select five from BNP's existing 36 lawmakers while BNP will select five, including the prime minister, from AL's 274 MPs. The new cabinet will conduct the next parliamentary polls.
Akbar's proposals had come against the backdrop of concerns raised by different quarters that a chaotic situation may arise in the country if the two arch political parties fail to reach consensus over the burning issue.
The AL-led ruling alliance abolished the caretaker government system on June 30, allowing general elections under elected partisan government.
Akbar, in another proposal, said the President could seek advice from the Supreme Court in line with the constitution on holding the next parliamentary polls under a caretaker government, like the one in 1996.
His third proposal states that the BNP and AL will each name 10 neutral persons and the parliament will elect five each from the two panels. These 10 persons will elect the chief adviser. If they fail, the chief adviser will be selected through lottery.
Dr Akbar Ali’s fourth proposal suggested that the BNP will place its plan on holding the next national election and then a referendum will be held on this proposal.
Hasina has directed the leaders and workers of the party to concentrate on the voters of their respective areas and project the development activities of the government.
She asked them to conduct campaign by themselves as the party has no newspaper and television channel of its own.
The Awami League chief also urged them to strengthen the party at grassroots level through completing the council of the party at all tiers within next two months.
She put emphasis on establishing permanent party offices at all districts and assured necessary cooperation from the central committee in this regard.
She mentioned that the Awami League as a political institution has its own dynamics and it will continue to follow the same.
Referring to the move made by Ayub, Yahia and Monayem as well as the successive post-75 governments to destroy Awami League, Hasina said none could destroy the party as it is an old political institution of the subcontinent rooted among the people.
With Awami League in power, people are relaxed this time as the government ensured almost all their basic rights, she said.
Moreover, she said, the spirit of Liberation War has been restored from where the new generation can learn the real history.
Laying emphasis on setting up party’s own archive to preserve the rich history and mementos of the Awami League, the prime minister sought cooperation of all in this regard.
She requested the party leaders and workers to collect documents and mementos from the elderly leaders of their respective areas.
Later, the delegates and councilors of each district greeted the prime minister with bouquets. She also greeted them with sweets and snacks.

Hasina AL President again

Dhaka, Dec 29  Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been named Awami League President for the 7th time in a row at the party's 19th triennial national council on Saturday.
The incumbent General Secretary of the party Syed Ashraful Islam has also been reelected.
The newly elected leadership will lead the Awami league for the next three years.
AL Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim proposed Hasina's name for the position of President, while the party's outgoing Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif proposed Ashraf's name as GS at the party's council at Engineers Institution Auditorium.
The councilors approved both and the Chairman of the party's Election Session Rahmat Ali announced the re-elections.

Hasina reelected AL president

Ashraf retains general secretary post

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina 

Sheikh Hasina was reelected president of Awami League for the seventh time while Syed Ashraful Islam retained his general secretary post in the national council of the ruling party on Saturday.
Proposed by AL Presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and supported by Syed Ashraf, Hasina was elected unopposed.
Hasina, also the prime minister, inaugurated the 19th council of the party earlier in the day at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
Nearly 20,000 leaders and workers of Awami League from across the country had thronged the council venue much before the party chief inaugurated it.
Moreover, the councillors and delegates joined the council.

Demolition of BGMEA building demanded

This undated file photo shows the 15-storey BGMEA building on Begunbari-Hatirjheel canal on the foreground near Sonargaon Hotel in the capital.

The government must demolish the illegally-constructed BGMEA building to free Begunbari canal before Hatirjheel development scheme opens to public, environmental and civic activists demanded at a demonstration on Saturday.
The prime minister is expected to open the Hatirjheel-Begunbari project along with civic facilities that include Panthapath-Rampura connectivity, ring road and waterfront recreational space to public on January 2.
The organisations of Citizens Rights Movement, Initiative for Peace, Sangkhubdha Nagarik Samaj and Combined Movement for Wetland Protection along with a number of other civic groups organised the demonstration in front of the 15-storey building in the capital's Karwan Bazar area.
The prime minister should take initiative on demolishing the building of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), before she opens the Hatirjheel civic amenities, said columnist Syed Abul Maksud.
The building had already been declared illegal by the High Court, Maksud added.
The other speakers echoed him.
Government pursued a legal battle tooth and nail to pull down Rangs building for the interests of people, he said.
However, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, president of the BGMEA, said they filed an appeal petition with the Supreme Court following the HC order, but the issue is now pending with the Appellate Division for final decision.
Bhashkar Rasha, a well-known sculptor, said the BGMEA building remains as a slur on the aesthetics of Hatirjheel-Begunbari project.
Besides, the HC order for demolishing the building, the government is also obliged by the wetland conservation law to remove the building standing like a monster right on the bosom of a flowing canal, said Iqbal Syed Rana, convener of Combined Movement for Wetland Protection.
The government was relentlessly proactive in evicting the opposition leader from her cantonment house and splitting Dhaka City Corporation into two defying public opinion but it remains silent on removing the BGMEA building despite High Court order, said Hasibur Rahman Moyna, a member of environmentalist group Bapa.
Sharif Jamil, joint secretary of Bapa, said accommodating illegal BGMEA building in Hatirjheel-Begunbari scheme is also discreditable for the army, who implemented the scheme.
Television anchor Muhammad Jahangir and Bapa member Ruhin Hossain Prince among others expressed solidarity with the demand.

Indian gang-rape victim dies in Singapore

 

The victim died in the early hours of Saturday morning, a hospital official said.

After fighting for life for nearly a fortnight, a medical student, who was gang-raped in New Delhi, died at a hospital in Singapore early Saturday.
The 23-year-old girl died at the multi-organ speciality facility of Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore at 2:15am Indian time, reports our New Delhi correspondent quoting a hospital statement.
The young woman, whose gang rape triggered huge revulsion and anger across the India, was admitted to the hospital Thursday morning in a critical condition.
The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Dr Kelvin Loh said they were very sad to report that the patient passed away peacefully at 4:45am local (Singapore) time.
The girl’s family and officials from the High Commission of India in Singapore were by her side.
The girl’s body was taken to Singapore General Hospital where some formalities are expected to be completed before her parents fly back with her body to India later in the day.

Tahrir men clash with cops in city, 39 held

 

10 hurt in clash

 

Police pick up an activist of Hizb ut-Tahrir during a clash in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital Saturday soon. Photo: Palash Khan 

Law enforcers picked up 39 activists of banned outfit Hizb ut-Tahrir after a clash with them in front of Jatiya Press Club in the capital on Saturday.
At least 10 people were injured during the clash, police said.
Some 50 activists of the banned outfit tried to bring out a procession from in front of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) building near the press club at noon.
But police resisted them and charged batons on the Hizb ut-Tahrir activists to disperse them that triggered the clash, Soma Rani Saha, a sub-inspector of Shahbagh Police Station..
Police picked up seven people from the spot, the SI said.
A Rab team which joined police later also picked up 32 activists of Hizb ut-Tahrir from the scene, Captain Obhishek Ahmed, deputy director of legal and media wing of Rab headquarters, told The Daily Star.

Mosharraf, Kazi Ferdous held over Padma bridge graft

 

The Anti-Corruption Commission on Wednesday arrested former secretary of the Bridges Division Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan and Superintendent Engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Kazi Mohammad Ferdous in the capital for their alleged link with Padma bridge graft.
A team of the anti-graft body arrested them at Shahbagh around 1:00pm, Pronob Mukharjee, public relation officer of the ACC told The Daily Star.
The arrest was made eight days after the ACC filed a case against seven persons, including Mosharraf for conspiring to commit bribery in the Padma bridge project.
The anti-graft body however did not include in the case former communications minister Syed Abul Hossain and former state minister for foreign affairs Abul Hasan Chowdhury.
On December 17, the ACC filed the case with Banani Police Station.
The other accused are: Executive Engineer of Roads and Highway Department Reaz Ahmed Zaber; Deputy Managing Director of Engineering and Planning Consultant, a local agent Canadian firm SNC Lavalin, Mohammad Mostofa; and SNC Lavalin officials Mohammad Ismail, Ramesh Shah and Kevin Wales.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mosharraf and Kazi Ferdous appeared before a High Court bench seeking anticipatory bail in the case.
But rejecting their bail petitions, the vacation bench of HC comprising Justice Kazi Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Kazi Md Ezharul Haque Akondo asked them to submit the petitions to a regular HC bench after the vacation.
The court will reopen on January 2 next year.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that a team of ACC and police jointly arrested Mossarraf and Kazi Ferdous at Shahbagh after they left the HC premises.
Khurshid also said the duo cannot submit the bail petitions to the HC as they are now arrested in connection with the case.
They will have to submit bail petitions to magistrate court concerned, he further added.
Meanwhile, ACC director Tahidul Islam said the duo is being interrogated at the office of the graft watchdog at Shegunbagicha.
After interrogation, they will be sent to the Shahbagh Police Station for night stay, the director told a press briefing at the ACC office.
The arrestees will be produced before a court on Thursday, he added.
The WB cancelled its $1.2 billion funding on June 29 this year, saying it had proof of a "corruption conspiracy" involving Bangladeshi officials, executives of a Canadian firm and some individuals.
The global lender on September 21 decided to revive the loan after the Bangladesh government agreed to the WB's terms and conditions.

BTCL internet down

 

Internet services of state-owned BTCL remained suspended all over the country since Wednesday afternoon due to an upstream bandwidth down with Singapore Telecom (SingTel).
"Total internet upstream bandwidth 2 stm 16 with SingTel line downed at 4:50pm," Mir Mohammad Morshed, director (public relations and publication) of Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Ltd told The Daily Star.
However, the BTCL has already undertaken steps to reconnect with the upstream band, he said.

Democracy can’t be protected depending only on two: Eminent citizens

 Dhaka

Eminent citizens at a discussion on Wednesday said democracy cannot be protected depending only on two heads of major political parties -- Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
“It won’t be good for democracy if all depend only on the two top leaders. The mid-level leaders who are elected by people have the greater responsibilities,” said eminent journalist ABM Musa.
About the present worsening political situation, noted columnist Syed Abul Moksud said other top leaders of both the ruling Awami League and the opposition BNP are more responsible for this than Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia.
Weekly Aajkal, published from New York, arranged the discussion at the Jatiya Press Club with its chief editor and publisher Zakaria Masud Ziko in the chair.
The programme was addressed, among others, by senior journalist Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, Nagorik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Dhaka University professor Dr Asif Nazrul, and ruling party MP Golam Mowla Roni.
ABM Musa claimed that both Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia do not have the ‘actual political talent’ which is needed to govern the country because they got the leadership from their family and husband. “We’ll have to find out those who are giving them (Hasina and Khaleda) advice.”
Echoing ABM Musa’s remarks, Abul Moksud said the responsibility of protecting democracy does not alone depend on the two leaders. “All will have to come forward and play their due role.”
He criticised Barrister Rafiqul Haque for his call to Hasina and Khaleda to sit across the same table for discussion and said, “It’s not necessary to hold dialogue between the two top leaders; instead they need to reach out to people.”
Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul said the two top leaders have the responsibility to protect democracy. “If they don’t have the responsibility we’ll have to form the third political force.”
Asif Nazrul said he had only seen the golden time of poetry, arts and journalism during autocratic Ershad’s rule, ‘nothing else’. “But the two leaders (Hasina and Khaleda) are worse than Ershad.”
Mahmudur Rahman Manna said it is the historical tradition that the two leaders have taken the responsibility of protecting democracy. “If they fail, people have to take decision.”

Hartal again, if fuel prices hiked: Khaleda

She also demands restoration of CG system

 

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia speaks at a rally in Gabtoli of the capital on Wednesday. 

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia on Wednesday threatened to resort to hartal if the fuel prices were further increased.
Khaleda was speaking at Karwan Bazar, the second venue of her five roadside rallies scheduled for today.
Earlier in her first rally venue in Gabtoli, Khaleda reiterated that no parliamentary elections will be allowed to be held without the caretaker government system.
During her nearly 40 minutes speech in Karwan Bazar, she also said they resorted to street agitation programme only to protest the government's misruling, looting and anarchic activities.
"We have given four years time to the government, but it failed to make any development of the country," Khaleda said.
"The life of people becomes unbearable and they want to get rid of this government," Khaleda added.
The leader of the opposition in Parlaiment also criticised the government for not carrying out development work in Dhaka city.
Khaleda alleged that people remains unemployed, they do not get any work.
Only Awami League men were getting all kinds of job.
"They (AL men) amassed sackful of money by appointing people in Railways Department," said Khaleda.
"We do not have any objection about the completion of government's tenure, but it has to pass the caretaker government bill in the Parliament," Khaleda said in Gabtoli.
During her nearly 35-minute speech, she said their movement could not be thwarted by filing false cases against the opposition leaders and activists.
Khaleda also demanded unconditional release of detained opposition leaders and activists including BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
She also claimed that their female activists were detained from their various programmes and subjected to torture in remand.
The leader of the opposition in Parliament also urged the people to be united to strengthen their movement and make it a successful one.
Earlier, she reached the venue around 11:15am as part of a mass contact programme to press home the 18-party alliance's demands, including the restoration of the caretaker government system to oversee the next parliamentary elections.
Khaleda will address three more rallies at Jatrabari, Sabujbagh and Badda.
Moreover, she will exchange greetings with local leaders and workers of BNP and other components of the BNP-led 18-party alliance at Dholaikhal in old Dhaka.
Earlier in the morning, hundreds of 18-party opposition leaders and activists carrying banners and chanting slogans thronged Beauty Cinema Hall and its adjacent premises in Gabtoli where the BNP chief is set to hold the rally.
Khaleda will go to Karwan Bazar from Gabtoli via Kalyanpur, Agargaon and Farmgate, said party leaders.
The BNP chief will then go to Dholaikhal via FDC, Moghbazar, Kakrail and Gulistan.
After exchanging greetings with party men at Dholaikhal, she will go to Jatrabari via Doyaganj to address a rally, and then travel to Sabujbagh via Sayedabad and Mughda.
She will go to Badda via Basabo, Khilgaon and Rampura, and address a rally there at 2:30pm to conclude the mass contact programme.
On Tuesday, the main opposition BNP expressed regret in advance about the sufferings the day-long programme would cause to city residents.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience [to be caused due to the rallies], but I believe city residents will cooperate with us," Abdus Salam, member secretary of Dhaka city unit BNP, said at a press briefing yesterday.
The alliance is also observing the mass contact programme in other parts of the country to drum up public support for their demands.
On the other hand, Home Minister MK Alamgir, on Tuesday said if the opposition holds the programme peacefully, the government would welcome it.
On November 28, Khaleda announced the programme at a rally in front of the BNP central office.

Azad verdict anytime soon

ICT-2 closes arguments

 

Abul Kalam Azad 

International Crimes Tribunal-2 may deliver the judgement on the war crimes case against expelled Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abul Kalam Azad any day as the proceedings of the case concluded on Wednesday.
The tribunal however did not fix a date for the verdict.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hasan will pronounce the verdict once it becomes fit for the pronouncement, Prosecutor Sahidur Rahman told reporters emerging from the courtroom.
Azad, who went into hiding, is facing eight specific charges of crimes against humanity that he had allegedly committed during the country's Liberation War in 1971.
Earlier on December 23, the tribunal started placing closing argument against Azad which ended on Wednesday.
According to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, 1973, the tribunal could give its verdict after completion of argument of the prosecution and the defence.

War crimes trial halted on August 15, 1975: Inu

 

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu

Information Minister Hasanul Haque Inu on Wednesday said the primary initiatives to try the war criminals halted on August 15, 1975 after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
He said the Martial Law Authority had repealed the Collaborators Act in December 31, 1975.
Responding to a question on why the trial of war criminals had not taken place in the last 40 years, the minister claimed late president Gen Ziaur Rahman had stopped the process of the trial during his tenure by cancelling the Collaborators Act.
The minister was speaking at a press conference at the Press Information Department to dispel the confusion created by opposition leaders over the trial on war crimes trial.
Several thousands accused had been released and the operation of 73 tribunals had stopped during his tenure till 1982, Inu informed.
Inu also claimed that Gen HM Ershad after assuming power had also stopped the trial process of war criminals.
He said BNP had followed the same policies of Zia and Ershad and stopped the trial process during its tenure from 1991-1996 and 2001-2007.
After assuming power in 1996, Sheikh Hasina has taken initiatives to stop the process of pardoning accused persons by scrapping the Indemnity Ordinance.
Hasina also took initiatives to try the killers of Bangabandhu and finally the death sentence to five killers executed.

Nation celebrating Christmas

 

Children celebrate Merry Christmas with Santa Claus at Sonargaon Hotel premises in the capital on Christmas day.

The Christian community of the country and elsewhere in the world is celebrating Christmas on Tuesday, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to Christian belief, God appeared on earth through his son, Jesus Christ, on this day.
Christians are offering special prayers in churches on the occasion as it is one of the most important days of the year for them.
The biggest religious festival of the Christians, Christmas is a celebration of rebirth, new beginning, forgiveness and peace, and renewing relationship with God and humans.
The celebrations started on the Christmas eve with singing carols in public places like lobbies, restaurants and lounges.
The day is a public holiday.
The day's celebrations also include decoration of Christmas trees with colourful lights, distribution of gifts by Santa Claus to children, family gatherings, feasts and special church prayers.
Security measures have been beefed up in the capital and elsewhere in the country deploying adequate police and Rapid Action Battalion personnel to ensure peaceful celebrations of Christmas.
President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia greeted the people of the Christian community and wished them all the best.
Meanwhile, the reception programme, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Bangabhaban on the occasion of Christmas, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.

Khaleda rally to turn into human sea: Tariqul

BNP regrets public sufferings in advance of rally

 

Tariqul Islam 

BNP spokesperson Tariqul Islam on Tuesday claimed that a large number of people will join the roadside rallies of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia slated for tomorrow.
Khaleda is scheduled to address six roadside rallies during a mass contact campaign in the capital on Wednesday as part of her movement for the reinstatement of the caretaker government system before the next parliamentary elections.
Khaleda will start Wednesday's programme by addressing a roadside rally in Gabtoli at 11:00am and then address rallies in Karwan Bazar, Dholaikhal, Jatrabari, Sabujbagh and Badda.
The BNP also regretted the upcoming sufferings of the Dhaka city dwellers that they would face tomorrow due to Khaleda's rallies.
The Wednesday's rally will turn into a human sea, said Tariqul, also a standing committee member of the BNP.
He was addressing a press briefing in the party's central office at Nayapaltan in the capital.
The BNP leaders regret the inconvenience of people caused by the rallies in a working day.

Another held over Bishwajit killing

 

The December 9 photo shows Bishwajit Das being beaten up by BCL activists in Old Dhaka during an opposition blockade.

Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested one more person in Chapainawabganj on Monday night in connection with the gruesome murder of 24-year-old tailor Bishwajit Das.
With the arrest, the total number of arrestees in the killing stood at 11.
Emdadul was brought to Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) media center immediately after his arrest.
Emdadul Haque, was arrested from Swapnopuri Rest House in Chapainawabganj town Monday night, Gazi Rabiul Islam, assistant commissioner (media and community service) of DMP, told The Daily Star.
Emdadul, who completed his Master's Degree in Philosophy from Jagannath University (JnU) recently, was identified through photographs and video footage published and aired in the media, the DMP official said.
Earlier on December 23, three detained students of Jagannath University confessed to their involvement with the murder.
In their separate statements to a magistrate, the trio-- Rafiqul Islam Shakil, Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid and Rasheduzzaman Shaon -- also said they are activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).
Bishwajit Das was beaten and hacked to death by a group of Chhatra League activists in Old Dhaka on December 9 during the BNP-led 18-party alliance's countrywide road blockade.

PM for upgrading BTV standard

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday asked the state-run Bangladesh Television (BTV) authorities to upgrade its standard to compete with the private television channels in the country.
“BTV will have to develop its standard of programmes to compete with the private television channels,” Hasina said while inaugurating the programmes marking the completion of 48 years of BTV through video conferencing from her official residence, Gono Bhaban.
Hasina said the authorities of BTV, the only terrestrial TV channel of the country, will have to give more attention to their programmes with a view to attract more viewers.
“People all over the country, including in the villages, watch Bangladesh Television (BTV)… the authorities should pay more attention to upgrade the standard of its programmes,” she said adding that the state-run television channel should be well organised.
The prime minister urged the BTV authorities to take further initiatives to broadcast more programmes relating to agriculture, trade, weather and climate change, healthcare, and women and children.
She said that the BTV will also have to take more initiative to involve the people with the government activities and inspire them in the spirit of the Liberation War.
Hasina said the press and electronic media have a great responsibility for the country and its people. “I will request you to be more responsible.”
Mentioning that the media in the country have been enjoying maximum freedom, she said that responsibility also comes along with freedom. “Sometimes, we see lack of responsibility. Before publishing any news, people concerned will have to be more careful about what might be their effect.”
The prime minister said people of all ages -- from children to elderly persons -- read newspapers or listen to TV news. “So, you (media persons) have to be more careful before publishing or airing any news. You’ve to consider what impact a particular news can have on the minds of people.”
“We’ve endorsed 16 new TV channels including the Sangsad Television and seven radio stations,” she said and requested the people involved with the print and electronic media to look into the matter of responsibility as well while enjoying the freedom.
Hasina said the standard of BTV has increased over the years with the addition of modern technology and new programmes.
Mentioning the role of BTV in inspiring the people to build a 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, she said BTV is projecting the national tradition, history and culture of the country before the people alongside programmes on entertainment.
“The BTV is also ahead in broadcasting programmes related to education and it will have to be attentive to make such programmes more attractive and effective,” she said.
The prime minister said BTV has been digitised in line with the present government’s vision of `Digital Bangladesh’. “We’ve taken massive prorgrammes for BTV’s technological advancement, creative development and network expansion,” she added.
Later, Hasina also talked through video conferencing with Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu, who was at the Rampura TV Station.

20 hurt in Savar worker-cop clash

At least 20 garment workers were injured as they clashed with law enforcers blocking the Dhaka-Aricha highway in Savar on the outskirts of the capital demanding their arrears.
During the clash that ensued around the noon, the incident of chases and counter-chases took place where police had to fire several rubber bullets and charge batons to disperse the agitating workers.
The incident erupted around 11:00am as nearly two hundred of workers of BNS Sweater Ltd started demonstration blocking the highway for more than an hour demanding their arrears of last two months, said Ali Ahmed, deputy director of industrial police of Dhaka zone.
The road communications on the highway came to a total halt following the demonstration, he said.
The authorities of the factory kept the operation of the unit closed since December 15 due to lack of work order, police official added.
On information police rushed to the spot and requested them to make the highway free, Ali Ahmed said.
As the RMG workers did not entertain their request, police fired rubber bullets and charged truncheons, leaving the workers injured.
The injured workers were admitted to Savar Upazila Health Complex.
After the clash, the BNS authorities however announced to pay their salaries on January 5, the police official added.

Delhi gang rape protests policeman dies

 

Demonstrators defied a ban to protest against the gang rape. The photo is taken from

A policeman who was injured during violent protests over the gang rape of a woman in the Indian capital Delhi has died in hospital.
Subhash Chand Tomar, 46, was injured in clashes at the weekend in which more than 100 people, including at least 60 officers, were injured.
The rape, which happened on a bus, has left the woman in a critical condition and caused outrage in India.
Indian PM Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm in the city.
Singh said his government would "make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women".
The victim continues to be on life support and in a critical condition in a city hospital, doctors say.
Six people, including the bus driver, have already been arrested in connection with the incident.
Tomar, a constable with the city police, was injured during the protests at India Gate in the heart of the capital on Sunday.
Violence erupted as demonstrators tried to break through police barricades to march on President Pranab Mukherjee's palace.
Tomar suffered a heart attack and had been on life support in hospital, where he died early on Tuesday.
The authorities have kept roads and metro stations shut since Monday to stop protesters, leading to massive traffic jams.
The government has tried to halt the rising anger by announcing a series of measures intended to make Delhi safer for women.
These include more police night patrols, checks on bus drivers and their assistants and the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains.
Two policemen have also been suspended in connection with the incident, which happened on 16 December.
But the protesters say the government's pledge to seek life sentences for the attackers is not enough - many are calling for the death penalty.
The 23-year-old victim and her friend had been to watch a film when they boarded the bus in the Munirka area intending to travel to Dwarka in south-west Delhi.
Police said she was raped for nearly an hour, both she and her companion were beaten with iron rods and thrown out of the moving bus into a Delhi street.

Related News

Pakistan set to resume India cricket tour in Bangalore

 

Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Hafeez unveils the T20 trophy ahead of the 1st T20 match, at Bangalore on Sunday.

Pakistan is set to play its first cricket series in India for five years amid tight security.
The first bilateral series between the two countries since 2007, comprising two T20 matches and three one-day internationals, begins with a T20 game in the southern city of Bangalore.
Ties between the two countries' cricket authorities were hit by the 2008 Mumbai attacks, in which 175 people died.
The attack was blamed on a Pakistan-based militant group.
India have left veteran left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan out of the series against Pakistan.
Sachin Tendulkar has retired from the 50-over format, but fellow batsman Virender Sehwag retains his ODI place.
Reports say a massive security ring has been thrown up outside a stadium in Bangalore, where the match begins on Tuesday evening.
Bomb squad officers, sniffer dogs and as many as 5,000 policemen have been deployed to maintain security, reports said.
Hardline Hindu organisations, including the Shiv Sena, have said they will hold protests outside all the match venues during the series.
"As the governments of both the countries have agreed to hold the bilateral series, no organisation will be allowed to disrupt the match," Bangalore police chief Jyotiprakash Mirji told reporters ahead of the match.
The last series between India and Pakistan in either country was in 2007-2008 when Pakistan visited India.
The South Asian rivals continued to play each other on overseas grounds, with their last match taking place in the ICC Twenty20 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka in September.
Correspondents say the move to resume cricketing ties is a sign of improving relations between the two countries.
In July, the foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan met in Delhi and the two sides discussed their willingness to have more sporting contact.

UN concerned at Muslim-Buddhist clashes in Myanmar

Ethnic Rakhine men hold homemade weapons as they walk in front of a house that was burnt during fighting between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities in Sittwe June 10, 2012. Photo: Reuters AP, United Nations

The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution welcoming positive changes in Myanmar but expressing serious concern at an upsurge of sectarian violence between Muslims and Buddhists in Rakhine state.
The resolution adopted by the 193-member world body late Monday urges government action to improve the situation of the Rohingya Muslim minority "and to protect all their human rights, including their right to a nationality".
There is widespread resentment of the Rohingya community, whom many in Myanmar regard as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh out to steal their land.
The resolution noted substantial efforts by Myanmar's government towards political reform, democratisation, national reconciliation and improvements in human rights. But it said there were still "systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms."

Nation celebrating Christmas

 

The Christian community of the country and elsewhere in the world is celebrating Christmas on Tuesday, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ.
According to Christian belief, God appeared on earth through his son, Jesus Christ, on this day.
Christians are offering special prayers in churches on the occasion as it is one of the most important days of the year for them.
The biggest religious festival of the Christians, Christmas is a celebration of rebirth, new beginning, forgiveness and peace, and renewing relationship with God and humans.
The celebrations started on the Christmas eve with singing carols in public places like lobbies, restaurants and lounges.
The day is a public holiday.
The day's celebrations also include decoration of Christmas trees with colourful lights, distribution of gifts by Santa Claus to children, family gatherings, feasts and special church prayers.
Security measures have been beefed up in the capital and elsewhere in the country deploying adequate police and Rapid Action Battalion personnel to ensure peaceful celebrations of Christmas.
President Zillur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and opposition leader Khaleda Zia greeted the people of the Christian community and wished them all the best.
Meanwhile, the reception programme, scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at Bangabhaban on the occasion of Christmas, has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances.

Sengupta to explain remark on war crimes trial

Dhaka, Dec 24  The second war crimes tribunal has asked former Railway Minister Suranjit Sengupta to explain his announcement of a timeline for verdicts to hang 14 criminals.
Citing a report of the daily Amar Desh of Dec 23, the court observed that the sacked minister, currently in the Cabinet without a portfolio, had said 14 marked war criminals would be hanged.
Sengupta reportedly said in a public rally, "The sentences to hang them will be executed. No one will be able to stop it."
The senior Awami League leader, who had to resign from his job following a cash recovery scandal, had reportedly said that the trials would be over by next year.
The three-judge International Crimes Tribunal – 2, set up to expedite trials of crimes against humanity, said in its order Sengupta's statement had come to its notice wherein a "significant member" of parliament touched upon a time frame for pronouncing the verdicts.
The order then said that the tribunal, headed by Justice Obaidul Hassan, with members Justice Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Shahinur Islam, was taking "the matter into cognisance" on its own volition as the comment in the report "appears to be extremely derogatory to the independence of the tribunal causing substantial obstruction to the administration of justice".
"Thus," the court said, "we need to have explanation from Mr Suranjit Sengupta as to how and on what basis he has foretold such imaginary comment in public on a sub-judice matter."
The Awami League leader has been directed to submit his explanation "through a counsel on or before Jan 2".

5 awarded death for Ajit Karati's murder

Dhaka, Dec 24 A Dhaka court on Monday sentenced five people to death in Ajit Karati murder case of Keraniganj.
Judge A B M Sajedur Rahman of the Dhaka Speedy Trial Tribunal-3 also sentenced two others to 10-year rigorous imprisonment and fined then Tk 10,000 each. They will have to serve an extra year if they fail to pay the fine.
The court also exempted 12 others as their link with the murder could not be established.
According to Public Prosecutor Mahbubur Rahman, the death awardees are Salauddin, Monoranjan, Gopal Karati, Umesh Karati and Poran Karati.
Only Umesh Karati is absconding of the death awardees.
Shahidul Islam Munna and Radhakant Karati were sentenced to 10-year rigorous imprisonment.
According to reports, Ajit Karati was killed on Apr 20, 2010 in an attack by the accused over a land dispute. His brother Tapan Karati filed a murder case with the Keraniganj police the following day.
Police pressed charges against 23 people two months later, and the court framed charges against 19 people on Apr 18 this year.

3 Sonali bank officials remanded

 

A Dhaka court on Monday placed a general manager (GM) and two deputy general managers (DGM) of Sonali Bank on a 12-day remand each in two cases filed for Hall-Mark loan scam.
Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman passed the order after two assistant directors of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), also the investigation officers of the cases, produced them before it with a 14-day remand prayer.
Meer Mahidur Rahman, the general manager (OSD) of Sonali Bank, and its two DGMs-- Sheikh Altaf Hossain (suspended) and Shafijuddin Ahmed (suspended) -- were arrested Sunday afternoon in connection with the scam.
Earlier on October 4, after two and a half months' investigation, the ACC filed 11 cases against 27 top officials of Sonali Bank and Hall-Mark Group for misappropriating over Tk 1,568 crore in depositor's money.
The amount is part of the more than Tk 2,600 crore credit that the controversial group in collaboration with some bank officials swindled out of the bank using forged documents, according to the investigation.
Seven of the accused are Hall-Mark officials, including its owner Tanvir Mahmud, while the rest are Sonali Bank officials, including its former managing director Humayun Kabir.
The cases were filed under anti-money laundering and corruption prevention acts.
According to the ACC findings, Sonali Bank's Ruposhi Bangla Hotel branch disbursed over Tk 1,568.49 crore in loan to Hall-Mark between October 2011 and May this year.

Fakhrul denied bail again

 

In this December 10 photo, BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir speaks to newsmen after he was taken into a microbus of the Detective Branch of Police in the capital.

A Dhaka court again on Monday rejected the bail petitions of BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accused in two cases for torching vehicles during the December 9 road blockade.
Judge (vacation) Md Helal Uddin of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court gave the decision after holding hearing on the bail petitions filed challenging the lower court rejection order.
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on December 11 rejected Fakhrul's bail petitions and ordered the authorities concerned to send him to jail in the same cases.
On December 18, Fakhrul's lawyer filed the bail petitions challenging the lower court rejection order.
The two cases were filed with Paltan and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar police stations for torching vehicles during the December 9 countrywide road blockade programme enforced by the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance.
Police arrested Fakhrul on December 10 in connection with the cases.
During the incumbent government's tenure, Fakhrul was sent to jail two times.
He was first sent to jail on May 15 this year in an arson case. He was released after the High Court granted him bail in the case.

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IU students block highway demanding resumption of classes

 

 The students of Islamic University (IU) blocked Kushtia-Khulna highway for two hours for the second consecutive day on Monday demanding immediate resumption of their academic activities.

Nearly 1,000 students brought out a procession on the campus around 10:00am and also laid siege to the administrative building of the university for nearly one hour and padlocked it, reports our Kushtia correspondent.
Later, they paraded towards the highway in front of their university and barricaded it from 11:00am, disrupting vehicular movements between south and northern region of the country.
Earlier on Sunday, the students also barricaded the highway for one and a half hour over the same demand.
The agitating students have been demanding for a long seeking removal of their vice-chancellor, pro-vice chancellor and treasurer for their alleged involvement in irregularities in the recruitment of the teachers and officials.
The students withdrew the barricade at around 1:00pm after Sayed Belal Hossain, Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kushtia, rushed to the spot and assured them of resolving the problem.
Later, the students handed over a memorandum to the DC seeking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's intervention in resolving the stalemate of the university.
Meanwhile, around 200 teachers under the banner of Islamic University Teachers Association (IUTA) observed an hour long token hunger-strike to press home their demands, including, removal of the university VC, Pro-VC and treasure.
A deadlock has been prevailing at the university since September 8 after a syndicate meeting appointed 132 teachers and staffs including daughter of the vice-chancellor as a lecturer at the department of Applied Chemistry.

3 killed in Gazipur road crashes

 

Three people were killed and seven injured in two separate road accidents in Gazipur in the early hours of Monday.
Of the victims, two died in Sreepur upazila of Gazipur while another in Sadar upazila.
Raiz Uddin, a sub-inspector of Mawna Highway Police Station (proposed), said an accident occurred around 3:45am when a Dhaka-bound pick-up van carrying a family of five members crashed into a roadside tree at Beraiderchala in Sreepur after its driver lost control over the steering.
Khushi Akter, 8, and her six-month-old sister Halima died on the spot, reports a correspondent from Gazipur.
Khushi's father Abul Kalam, mother Anika Akter and her brother Khorshed Alam, who were injured during the accident, have been undergoing treatment at Gazipur Sadar Hospital.
All the family members hailed from Bhuiyan Char of Sherpur district were travelling to Dhaka.
Police seized the pick-up van while its driver managed to flee the scene.
Meanwhile, a covered van collided with an oncoming three-wheeler at East Chandana in Sadar upazila around 2:45am, leaving Al Amin, 22, dead on the spot, said Ashraful Islam, a sub-inspector of Joydevpur Police Station.
Al Amin, of Baliapara in Sreepur upazila, was traveling in the three-wheeler, the SI added.
Four fellow-passengers of Al Amin were also injured in the accident and were admitted to the hospital.

Bishwajit murder: 3 confess to killing

 

(L-R) Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon and Rafiqul Islam Shakil

Three accused in the Bishwajit killing case on Sunday confessed to killing the 24-year old tailor on December 9.
The accused are: Mahfuzur Rahman Nahid, GM Rasheduzzaman Shaon and Rafiqul Islam Shakil.
They gave the confessional statements before Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Erfan Ullah when Tajul Islam, an inspector of Detective Branch of police and also investigation officer of the case, produced the trio before the magistrate.
Details of their statements however could not be known immediately.
After recording the statements they were sent to jail.
Taking Bishwajit for a pro-blockade activist during the BNP-led 18-party countrywide blockade on December 9, a group of Chhatra League activists of Jagannath University swooped on him around 9:00am on his way to work.
The victim was declared dead at Mitford Hospital around 10:00am on the day.

Tendulkar bids adieu to ODIs

 

Sachin Tendulkar

Record-breaking India batsman Sachin Tendulkar has retired from one-day international cricket.
In a statement, the 39-year-old said: "I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup-winning Indian team."
The 'Little Master' made his one-day debut in 1989 and collected 463 caps.
He excelled in the 50-over format and became the world's top-run scorer with 18,426 at an average of 44.83, including a record 49 centuries.
His last one-day international cricket game was win against Pakistan in Asia Cup on 18 March, in which he scored a half-century.
His form has dipped in recent years, however, and his average in one-day cricket in 2012 fell to 31.5, a figure that was boosted by a knock of 114 in his penultimate innings against lesser lights Bangladesh which was his 100th on the international stage.
Tendulkar added: "The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest. I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future.
"I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years."
Tendulkar, who made himself unavailable for India's Twenty20 matches after playing just one game in 2006, has faced calls to retire from all international competition from former national captain Sourav Ganguly after several poor performances with the bat in the recent Test series against England.
Tendulkar's 23-year ODI career, which began with ducks in his first two appearances, included him becoming the first batsman to score a double-century in that form of the game when he played South Africa two years ago, as well as being the highest run-getter in the 2003 World Cup.
Tendulkar excelled in India's successful 2011 World Cup campaign, scoring two centuries on his way to an average of 48.2 in the tournament which concluded with victory in the final in his hometown of Mumbai against Sri Lanka.
India spinner Harbhajan Singh saluted his colleague on Twitter: "Sachin Tendulkar, a great batsman. Great human being. A great friend. Great man to look up to. Proud Indian. Real son of India. I salute you and love you."
TENDULKAR FACT FILE
1973 - Born in Mumbai on 24 April
1989 - Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan
1990 - Scores first Test century, against England
1998 - Scores first double century for Mumbai against Australia
2005 - Passes Sunil Gavaskar's record of highest number of Test centuries
2008 - Becomes the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, passing West Indies' Brian Lara's mark of 11,953
2010 - Becomes the most capped player in Test history
2011 - Hits his 99th international century in an ODI against South Africa in March
2012 - Scores his 100th international century in ODI v Bangladesh

Arguments in Azad case starts

Hearing resumes tomorrow

 

Abul Kalam Azad 

International Crimes Tribunal-2 on Sunday adjourned till tomorrow the recording of closing arguments in war crimes case against expelled Jamaat-e-Islami member Abul Kalam Azad.
The case against Azad, popularly known as Bachchu Razakar has reached on final stage with the recording of closing arguments which started December 23.
The three-member tribunal led by Justice Obaidul Hasan recorded the arguments for nearly two hours starting from around 10:45am.
The two other members are: Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Judge M Shahinur Islam.
During today's hearing, Prosecutor Sahidur Rahman placed arguments based on the testimonies of nine prosecution witnesses.
The witnesses earlier had brought four specific charges against Azad.
The prosecution will place the arguments of a total of 22 witnesses against the expelled Jamaat leader during the session of recording of closing arguments in Azad case.
The charges include torture and killing.
The tribunal will deliver the verdict after completing the arguments of the prosecution.
Earlier on December 19, the tribunal fixed today to record closing arguments of prosecution after the state-appointed defence counsel failed to produce any defence witness or a list of witnesses for Azad.
On October 7, the tribunal decided to hold the trial of the ousted Jamaat member in absentia.
On November 4, the tribunal indicted Azad with eight charges of crimes against humanity including genocide, murder and rape that he allegedly committed during the country Liberation War in 1971.

Journos' sit-in before home ministry Jan 1, grand rally Jan 20

 

Journalists will stage a sit-in in front of the home ministry on January 1 to press home their demands including the immediate arrest of the killers of journalist couple Sagar Sarowar and Meherun Runi.
The journalists will also hold a grand rally on January 20 in Dhaka and observe a work abstention programme from 11:00am to 2:00pm in all print media the same day.
Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), announced the programme at a mass hunger strike on Sunday.
The six-hour hunger strike started around 11:00am on the premises of the National Press Club in the capital.
Ruhul Amin Gazi, president of another BFUJ faction, presided over the hunger strike.
Sagar, news editor at the private TV station Maasranga and his wife Runi, senior reporter at ATN Bangla, were killed in the early hours of February 11 at their rented apartment in the capital's West Rajabazar.
The hunger strike was jointly organised by the BFUJ, Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ), National Press Club and Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).
They also demanded arrest and exemplary punishment to the killers of all journalists, an end to harassment and assault of on-duty journalists by police, killing and attack on working journalists by miscreants and ensuring freedom of press.
On October 9, the home minister named seven suspects in the brutal murder of the journalist couple.
“As four of the arrestees are professional killers, we want to know who hired them and what their motive was,” Iqbal Sobhan said earlier.
Ruhul Amin Gazi said earlier no journalist would be safe if the killers of Sagar-Runi were not punished.

Muhith reacts to Guardian report on Bangladesh

 

AMA Muhith 

Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Sunday said when the world’s leading dailies like the Guardian speak about the prospects of country’s economy then everyone becomes elated, but when the government told the same thing it did not sound good to some people.
“Our character is that when the Economist, Wall Street Journal and the Guardian write something positive (about Bangladesh) then everyone become elated. But, when we speak the same thing it doesn’t sound right,” he told reporters in reply to their queries at his Secretariat office.
The finance minister was talking to reporters after two separate delegations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (ICAB) and Institute of Cost Management Accountants of Bangladesh (ICMAB) met him at his Secretariat office.
Taking a swipe at a research think tank without mentioning its name, Muhith said: “Its findings are rubbish. I doubt if there is any scholar in it…. and in recent times, many newspapers publish their stories,”
He also said that the think tank currently say that the government will not be able to achieve its expected GDP growth. “It goes for only negatives.”
The finance minister said what he would like to do. “I tell you, whenever I’m comparatively free, I would like to take a training course on economic reporters.”
Asked to comment about the outgoing calendar year, Muhith said that the year was good and there was not any disaster in the year although some days are still left. “This year can be termed a disaster-free year till now.”
He, however, said that the country lost some of its renowned personalities in the year in various fields -- like Khan Sarwar Murshid and Prof Kabir Chowdhury.
The finance minister said that the president will deliver his new year’s speech in the next session of parliament. Besides, he said he (Muhith) will also place his six-month statement in parliament that will cover the economic aspects.
The Guardian newspaper recently said Bangladesh is among a number of emerging countries that could overtake the west by 2050, as they are growing fast.
"As the west remains mired in gloom and even the BRICS start to plateau, attention is turning to this group of countries, many of which not so long ago were rudely dismissed as basket cases," said Larry Elliott, economics editor of the London-based newspaper, in a write-up on Tuesday.
As even BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) plateau, other countries, from Bangladesh to Mexico, are coming up fast and could overtake the west by 2050, he said.
"Bangladesh and the Philippines have been helped by remittances sent home from expatriates working overseas. Mexico and Indonesia have generated strong domestic demand from their large populations."

OIC chief to visit Myanmar to address Rohingya issue

 

Prof Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu speaks at a press conference in Jeddah.

Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Secretary General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said that he would soon visit Myanmar as the head of a high-level delegation including OIC foreign ministers as part of efforts to stop the attacks against Rohingya Muslims, reports the Arab News.
Addressing a press conference, he said the visit came in response to an invitation he received from Myanmar President Thein Sein, the Saudi Arabian newspaper said.
“We have not cancelled our pre-planned visit to Myanmar but it was postponed due to insecure conditions in the country,” he told Arab News.
Speaking about the upcoming OIC summit in Cairo, he said Syria, Palestine, Myanmar and Islamophobia would figure high on its agenda. “We are now in the process of making necessary preparations to make the summit successful,” the secretary-general said.
An Egyptian Foreign Ministry delegation recently visited OIC headquarters to discuss arrangements for the summit. An OIC team left for Egypt to discuss technical and logistical aspects of the conference.
Ihsanoglu highlighted Egypt’s important role in the Islamic world.
Referring to the situation in Syria, the OIC chief said the crisis has reached its final stage. However, he stressed that the international community should reach an agreement on ceasefire in order to find a political solution for the problem.
“The political solution should reflect the hopes and aspirations of Syrian people, should not repeat the mistake done in Iraq and preserve Syrian state institutions,” the secretary general said.
Asked about appointing a representative of the Syrian opposition council in the OIC, he said: “We have not yet discussed such a proposal.”
However, he pointed out that OIC was keeping in touch with the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces and other opposition groups.
Ihsanoglu had met with Ahmed Al-Khateeb, president of the coalition and George Sabra, head of the Syrian National Council, on the sidelines of the Friends of Syria meeting in Marrakech recently.
Both leaders had requested OIC’s political and humanitarian support.
“The Marrakech meeting declared its recognition of the National Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people and this is a big political support reflecting the international community’s confidence in the new leadership,” the OIC chief said.
In a related development, Ihsanoglu disclosed plans to intensify humanitarian activities for Syrian people through a coalition of 30 relief organisations.
“We are now in contact with Turkey to open a humanitarian office in the country to follow the condition of Syrian refugees and coordinate relief work,” the secretary general said.
Referring to the armed groups in Mali, he said: “We are totally against exploiting Islam for killing and terrorising people. We have appointed an envoy to deal with Malian crisis.”

Dhaka, Bangkok agree to take ties to new high

They want to double bilateral trade by 2016

 

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina shakes hand with her Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra at the Prime Minister's Office in Dhaka on Saturday. 

Bangladesh and Thailand on Saturday agreed to increase mutual cooperation in some specific areas envisaging to doubling the bilateral trade by 2016.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra acknowledged the importance of enhancing connectivity between the two nations through increased regional cooperation and developing roads and shipping infrastructures linking Bangladesh and Thailand.
The two premiers en-tasked the Bangladesh-Thailand Joint Commission to discuss and make recommendations on specific areas of cooperation with a major focus on connectivity, according to a joint statement signed on Saturday on the occasion of the Thai premier’s visit to
Bangladesh.
The two sides recognised that the region is being increasingly used by criminals for arms, drugs and human trafficking. The two leaders expressed concern about the serious challenge posed by the threats of terrorism and condemned it in all its forms and manifestations.
The two prime ministers noted with satisfaction that bilateral trade has increased by over 65 percent in the last year (FY 2009-10 to FY 2010-11) and has crossed the US$ 1 billion mark in 2011.
The Thai side welcomed a proposal for extending the Memorandum of Understanding for further three years until 2016 under which Bangladesh agrees to purchase up to one million tonnes of Thai parboiled rice a year as and when need.
Hasina and Shinawatra agreed that there is potential to set up either fully owned or joint venture industries/projects in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh prime minister invited the Thai private sector to invest in infrastructure development, food processing and power generation sectors.
Besides, the two sides agreed to explore the possibilities of cooperation between their respective oil and gas companies in Exploration and Production (E&P) opportunities in Bangladesh.
Both sides agreed to facilitate increased trade of each other's products and services. The two sides also agreed that efforts should be made to reduce the existing trade imbalance between the two countries.
The Thai prime minister welcomed Bangladesh’s plan to hold a Single Country Fair in Thailand in 2013.
Both the prime ministers also agreed to establish a Joint Working Group to enhance and strengthen cooperation in health services and related areas, such as investment in hospitals in Bangladesh and medical tourism in Thailand.
The Bangladesh prime minister invited the Thai business leaders to develop and set up industrial estates in the ‘Special Economic Zones’ in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh side noted with appreciation the decision of the Thai side to recruit workers from Bangladesh to work in the fisheries sector of Thailand.
The two premiers underscored the need for having a bilateral institutional arrangement for effective regulation of the recruitment and employment process.
It was agreed that Thailand would provide Technical Assistance to conduct an in-depth study for the development of the tourism sector in Bangladesh. It was also agreed that Thailand would actively consider investment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality industry in Bangladesh, specifically to develop eco-friendly and Buddhist-circuit tourism.
They agreed to revitalise the existing Thai-Bangladesh Joint Trade Committee as a mechanism to enhance bilateral trade and investment.
It was also agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Trade Committee will be convened in the first quarter of 2013.
The Thai prime minister shared the view that Ranong Port of Thailand with expanded capacity could be a new gateway to accommodate trade expansion between Bangladesh and Thailand.
Hasina and Shinawatra agreed to deepen cultural ties through cultural exchanges in building a greater understanding between the people of the two countries.
The two sides expressed satisfaction at the ongoing technical cooperation programmes which are the important aspects of their bilateral relations.
The two sides noted with satisfaction the level of defense cooperation between the two countries and acknowledged that expanding cooperation would be mutually beneficial in addressing shared challenges and concerns.
Both sides voiced satisfaction at the ongoing cooperation on combined/joint exercise. In this connection, Thailand highly appreciated Bangladesh’s active continued participation in the Cobra Gold Exercise as part of the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT).
Both sides also agreed to further elevate the defense cooperation to a higher plane.
The prime ministers welcomed the ongoing cooperation under various regional bodies and expressed their resolve to further enhance their partnership and cooperation in the context of Bimstec, ARF and ACD.
Both prime ministers supported the formation of the Asean Community by 2015 as an important step towards greater integration and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
Thailand’s active role in and contribution to Asean’s ongoing community building efforts were recognised by Bangladesh.
The Thai side said Bangladesh’s interest and will give favourable consideration to Bangladesh to join the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) and Mekong-Ganges Cooperation.
The two leaders acknowledged the important role of Bimstec in strengthening closer cooperation in South and South-East Asia. The prime ministers reiterated their firm commitment to promote closer engagement for mutual benefits of the Bimstec Member Countries.
In this context, the Thai prime minister welcomed the establishment of the Bimstec Permanent Secretariat in Dhaka.
Both sides viewed it as a positive development in providing institutional support to the issues of common regional interest.
The two leaders highlighted the importance of the Bimstec FTA and urged for an early completion of the negotiations on the Agreement on Trade in Goods.
The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation in the United Nations and in other international forums on issues of mutual interest.
The prime minister of Thailand and the prime minister of Bangladesh will carefully consider each other’s candidatures for non-permanent seats in the UN Security Council and each other’s candidatures for the membership of the UN Human Rights Council.
The two prime ministers thanked each other for supporting each other’s candidatures to the UPU Postal Operations Council (POC) and the Council of Administration (CA) for 2013 - 2016.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra extended an invitation to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to visit Thailand at a mutually convenient time.
The prime minister accepted the invitation. It was agreed that the dates of the visit would be finalised through diplomatic channels.