Arrest warrants sought for Fakhrul, 44 others

Dhaka, May 10 A Dhaka court will give its decision on May 13 over police petition seeking arrest warrants against BNP's acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 44 others for their alleged role in torching a bus in front of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) during the Apr 29 general strike.

Metropolitan speedy trial magistrate Erfan Ullah fixed the date on Thursday after Detective Branch inspector Nurul Amin, who is investigating the case, pressed the charges against them with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

Amin argued that the police investigation found their involvement in the violence and that is the reason for seeking their arrest in the case filed by Tejgaon police hours after the arson attack on Apr 29. The charges said the accused leaders of the BNP-led 18-party alliance had backed the strikers who allegedly set the bus on fire in front of the PMO.

The opposition immediately rejected the charges on Thursday, saying they are politically motivated and aimed at derailing the ongoing anti-government movement.

The case was filed amid growing tension on the street over the disappearance of BNP's organising secretary M Ilias Ali who has remained traceless since Apr 18. In April, the BNP-led opposition alliance enforced five days of general strike to demand that the government return Ilias amid accusation that security agencies have 'abducted' him. The government has denied the allegation, saying that it is a plot by the opposition to create anarchy in the country.

Among the accused in the Apr 29 arson case, BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was arrested and sent to jail, pending further order, while another joint secretary general Mahbubuddin Khokon was on bail until May 20.

The charge-sheeted accused also include BNP leaders MK Anwar, Hannan Shah, Sadeque Hossain Khoka, Mirza Abbas, Khandoker Mosharraf Hossain, Amanullah Aman, Ruhul Kuddus Talukdar Dulu, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Fazlul Haque Milon, Sharif Uddin Chowdhury Anne, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Sultan Salahuddin Tuku, Liberal Democratic Party president Oli Ahmed, Jamaat-e-Islami acting chief Mokbul Hossain, BJP President Andalib Rahman Partha and Swechchhasebak Dal president Habib-un-Nabi Khan Sohel.

Defence lawyer Masud Ahmed on Thursday told bdnews24.com that if convicted in the case, one may face up to two years in jail. According to the law, there is a 30-day deadline to finish the case as it was filed under the speedy trial act. The investigator may get an extension of 15 days if it is not concluded within the first deadline.

The fate of the leaders, however, remains uncertain as the High Court on Monday gave a split verdict on the bail appeal by Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other accused.

They verdict, however, gave them respite 'for the time being' for seven days as the judges ordered police not to harass them.

After spending a week in 'hiding', senior BNP leaders including Fakhrul, vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka appeared for pre-arrest bail before the bench of justices Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder on Monday.

The judges delivered two different orders about Fakhrul and Khoka after hearing the bail pleas in two cases that also include explosions of crude bombs at the Secretariat during the general strike on Apr 29 and 30.

Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, the senior judge of the bench, granted them bail until a police report is submitted. But Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder ordered the accused to appeal for bail within seven days in the trial court.

At this stage, the lawyer for the BNP leaders, Moudud Ahmed, on Monday said police may harass them in these seven days despite the court order for them to surrender in the trial court.

He sought the court's directive on the matter, to which the bench said, "Since the matter will go to a third bench now, you [BNP leaders] are getting seven days."

The judges also ordered police not to 'harass' the BNP leaders.

The bench also split its judgement regarding the case registered with the Shahbagh Police Station over the bomb explosions at the Secretariat.

Following the order, Moudud said, "This is the first victory in the legal battle. Now, they [BNP leaders] will be out on bail until the Chief Justice forms the third bench and that bench delivers the order."

Additional attorney general MK Rahman had told bdnews24.com: "BNP leaders have got some time for now with the court's order. The matter will now go to the Chief Justice. Then it will be transferred to the third bench. A decision will be made there."

HC splits verdict, orders no harassment

Dhaka, May 7 High Court on Monday gave a split verdict on the bail appeal by acting secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and 35 other BNP leaders in a case over the recent general strike.

But they will have respite 'for the time being' for seven days as the judges ordered police not to harass them in the case filed over arson attack on a bus during Apr 29 countrywide shutdown.

After spending a week in 'hiding', senior BNP leaders including Fakhrul, vice-chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka appeared before the bench of justices Moinul Islam Chowdhury and Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder at noon for bail.

The judges delivered two different orders about Fakhrul and Khoka after hearing the bail pleas in the both cases filed with Tejgaon and Shahbagh police over arson attack in front of the prime minister's office and for their alleged role in bomb explosions at the Secretariat, respectively.

Justice Moinul Islam Chowdhury, the senior judge of the bench, granted them bail until a police report is submitted. But Justice Nazrul Islam Talukder ordered the accused to appeal for bail within seven days in the trial court.

At this stage, the lawyer for the BNP leaders, Moudud Ahmed, said police may harass them in these seven days despite the court order for them to surrender in the trial court.

He sought the court's directive on the matter, to which the bench said, "Since the matter will go to a third bench now, you [BNP leaders] are getting seven days."

The judges also ordered police not to 'harass' the BNP leaders.

The bench also split its judgement regarding the case registered with the Shahbagh Police Station over the bomb explosions at the Secretariat.

Following the order, Moudud said, "This is the first victory in the legal battle. Now, they [BNP leaders] will be out on bail until the Chief Justice forms the third bench and that bench delivers the order."

Additional attorney general MK Rahman told bdnews24.com: "BNP leaders have got some time for now with the court's order. The matter will now go to the Chief Justice. Then it will be transferred to the third bench. A decision will be made there."

The senior BNP leaders drove into the court premises in five cars bypassing police barricade at 12:45pm, immediately after a High Court bench ordered authorities to not put obstacles on the leaders' way to the court.

The court order came on a plea from BNP leader Moudud Ahmed.

Other BNP leaders who appeared before the court are standing committee members ASM Hannan Shah and Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

Earlier in the evening on Sunday, a holiday on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, about 40 BNP leaders and activists had entered Supreme Court premises dodging police.

The leaders include BNP standing committee members MK Anwar, Mirza Abbas, Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, joint secretary general Aman Ullah Aman and organising secretary Fazlul Haque Milon.

They spent the night in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) building.

The leaders were accused in the cases filed on Apr 29 with Tejgaon and Shahbagh police for setting a vehicle ablaze in front of the prime minister's office and hurling crude bombs at the Secretariat.

Many of the senior BNP leaders had 'gone into hiding' immediately after the cases were filed. BNP's joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi was arrested on Apr 30 while police continued drives in search of the accused BNP leaders.

Earlier, a High Court bench had felt embarrassed when BNP moved the court for anticipatory bail of the leaders.

The BNP has been alleging that their leaders were being prevented from approaching the court with police and Rapid Action Battalion blocking all the ways leading to it.

Security around the High Court was relaxed on Sunday, when US secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Indian finance minister Pranab Mukherjee were visiting Bangladesh.

The BNP leaders took the opportunity to enter the High Court premises, which had been kept under strict security over the last few days since Apr 29.

Earlier in the morning on Monday, Moudud filed a petition with the bench of Justices Chowdhury and Talukder seeking anticipatory bail for his colleagues.

The bench inquired why Moudud had not filed the petition with the senior bench.

Moudud informed the court that a judge of the senior bench had felt embarrassed to hear the petition while the other justice was on leave.

Answering to the court over the number of people seeking the bail, Moudud said one of the cases has accused 44 people while the second one named 28 others and all of them wanted bail.

He said the accused had been prevented from approaching the court, depriving them of their right to justice. He requested the court for an order to allow the accused to come before the court.

The court observed every citizen has the right to seek bail in court. The court called deputy attorney general Khurshid Alam and directed him to ensure necessary arrangements so that the accused leaders can come before the court for seeking bail.

Soon Moudud and other pro-BNP leaders took position at the entrance to the Supreme Court and were locked in an altercation with police over the court order.

Assistant Commissioner of Ramna Zone of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Shibly A Noman argued that they could not allow the leaders in with getting necessary papers in hand. Moudud handed him a paper containing the court order.

At this stage, the BNP leaders including Fakhrul entered the High Court premises in five vehicles covered by black glasses. Liberal Democratic Party chairman Oli Ahmed, Jatiya Gonotantrik Party president Shafiul Alam Prodhan and Bangladesh Jatiya Party chief Andalib Rahman Parthha appeared before the court following the BNP leaders.

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's adviser Khandker Mahbub Hossain, standing committee member Rafiqul Islam Miah, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association Joynul Abedin, its former secretary Badruddoza Badal and Shahjahan Omar were present at the court to argue the case of the BNP leaders.

RAJUK tearing down Wonderland

Dhaka, May 7 has begun demolishing Wonderland amusement park for encroaching on Dhaka City Corporation land.

The RAJUK drive led by magistrate Rokon-ud-Doula came following a court order that declared illegal the lease of DCC land on which it was built. The dismantling began with the tearing down of the main entrance to the amusement park in Gulshan.

"The land belongs to RAJUK. It had been allocated to Dhaka City Corporation for constructing a children park open for all. But the city corporation had leased the land to the private company flouting existing rules," said another RAJUK magistrate Maruf Hasan.

After the matter came to RAJUK's notice, the city development authorities initiated a legal battle which rolled up to the High Court for a settlement over the issue.

The court ordered RAJUK to provide the park owner an alternative land for relocating the park. Although RAJUK could not provide alternative lane, the order for demolition of the park remained effective.

"The eviction drive is being conducted following the procedure," he added.

Wonderland managing director M Mustafizur Rahman, however, claimed the city development agency did not notify them ahead of the demolition drive.

"The court has also ordered providing alternative land for relocating the park. They have begun the eviction without maintaining due procedure," he claimed.

But, magistrate Rokon-ud-Doula said the park authorities were given three days' time to move valuables to another place. But they applied for 90 days to the RAJUK chairman, he added.

M/S Bhaya Media Ltd began constructing Wonderland Children Park in 1990 after taking a part of the Gulshan central park on lease.

A Gulshan resident, MA Reza, challenged in the High Court the construction of a commercial park in a residential area in 1995.

The court declared the lease illegal and cancelled it since construction of a commercial children park was not there in RAJUK's master plan. The court also ordered all establishments of the park be removed in six months.

After remaining pending for quite some time, the demolition finally began on Monday. A large number of police have been deployed around the park.

Three RAJUk bulldozers are in operation while DCC officials wearing red ribbon around their forehead are manually demolishing walls or other establishments of the park.

JRC sub-group to assess Tipaimukh

New Delhi, May 7 and India on Monday agreed to constitute a sub-group within the Joint River Commission to look into all issues related to the controversial 1500 MW Tipaimukh Hydro-Electric (Multi-Purpose) Project, which is proposed to come up in northeastern Indian state of Manipur.

India's External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said that Delhi and Dhaka agreed to set up the sub-group within the JRC to look into all aspects of the issue, including Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's proposal for Bangladesh to join the project.

Krishna and Foreign Minister Dipu Moni were addressing a press-conference after co-chairing the first meeting of Bangladesh-India Joint Consultative Commission in New Delhi on Monday.

India and Bangladesh, however, could not make any significant progress in ending the deadlock over the proposed deal for sharing of water of Teesta, although Krishna told Moni that New Delhi was continuing consultations with all stakeholders to evolve a consensus.

"Since water is a sensitive issue, in accordance with the traditions of consensual decision-making in India's democratic polity, internal consultations are on amongst stakeholders," said Krishna, adding that India remained committed to an early solution on the issue of sharing of water of Teesta.

Dipu Moni told journalists that she requested Krishna to ensure early ratification of the 1974 India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement, including the additional protocol signed last year, by New Delhi.

She said that Bangladesh also stressed on early signing of the agreement on Teesta.

The Foreign Minister said Krishna assured her that India's proposed river-interlinking project would not include the rivers flowing from the Himalayas and hence would not pose any threat of downstream impact on Bangladesh.

Krishna and Moni reviewed the progress in utilisation of India's $ 1 billion line of credit to Bangladesh. "So far, projects worth more than US $ 810 million have been agreed upon and five contracts worth US $ 83 million have been signed.

"The first consignment of busses has arrived in Dhaka and deliveries of railway rolling stock will start by the end of the year," Krishna said.

India's Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday announced in Dhaka that US $ 200 million of the Line of Credit would be converted into grants-in-aid for projects of priority to Bangladesh.

"Our focus now is to ensure timely delivery on the contracts that have been signed by the Government of Bangladesh," said Krishna.

Moni, who is on a three-day visit to India, would also India's Water Resources Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal on Tuesday to explore ways to resolve the impasse over the agreement for sharing of water of Teesta.

Krishna last week had a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in New Delhi. Banerjee's objection forced New Delhi to put off signing of the interim agreement with Bangladesh during Manmohan Singh's visit to Dhaka in September 2011.

A team of officials of the Indian Prime Minister's Office is also likely to visit Kolkata soon to discuss the issue with officials of the State Government of West Bengal.

"We are trying to develop a political consensus in India. It is important that views of all those who are dependent on the water are taken into account and burden is shared equitably. Meanwhile, there is no change in ground situation, the waters are flowing," the Indian External Affairs Minister told the news conference.

Foreign minister Moni will also have a meeting with Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday. They are likely to discuss the progress in negotiations on the bilateral extradition treaty.

Sources said that a delegation of Bangladesh's home ministry would visit New Delhi shortly to continue discussion on the proposed extradition treaty.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister will also call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday.

The Joint Consultative Commission that Krishna and Moni co-chaired on Monday was constituted in accordance with Bangladesh-India Framework Agreement on Cooperation for Development, which was signed during Singh's 2011visit to Dhaka.

The two foreign ministers reviewed bilateral cooperation in the power sector and noted that the work on power inter-grid connectivity was progressing. They expressed hope that 500 MW power would flow from India to Bangladesh during the summer of 2013.

"We are also moving ahead with the setting up of 1320 MW coal based joint venture power plant which is expected to be commissioned by 2016. We welcome the participation of Bangladesh in power projects in India, particularly in the North-Eastern states of India," said Krishna.

He added that India's decision in 2011 to grant zero duty access to all goods from Bangladesh opened new opportunities for expansion of bilateral trade. "I understand that there has been a significant increase of textile exports from Bangladesh to India."

Moni will also represent Dhaka in the concluding ceremony of Bangladesh-India joint celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore in New Delhi later on Monday.

86.37pc pass SSC

Online Report

The results of this year’s Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations have broken all records with 86.37 percent success rate and a sharp leap in the number of GPA-5 scorers.

The combined pass rate of all the 10 education boards, including, Dakhil examinations under Madrasa Board and SSC vocational examinations under Technical Education Board, is 86.37 percent, 4.21 point higher than that of last year.

Some 82,212 students under 10 education boards have scored the highest GPA-5 (grade point average) this year while the number of top graders was 76, 749 last year.

The pass rate is 86.32 percent in eight general education boards, with 65,252 students achieving GPA-5.

Sylhet board has secured the top position among all the 10 education boards with a pass rate of 91.78 percent while Chittagong the lowest position with 78.96 percent success rate.

Total 85.95 percent candidates of Dhaka board passed this year’s SSC examinations.

The pass rate is 88.33 percent in Rajshahi, 87.16 percent in Jessore, 85.64 percent in Comilla, 87.16 percent in Dinajpur and 86.96 percent in Barisal board.

In Madrasa Board, 88.47 percent came out successful while 80.69 percent passed the SSC (Vocational) examination.

Earlier, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid handed over a copy of the results to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Prime Minister’s Office in the morning.

The minister formally announced the results through a press briefing at the secretariat in the afternoon.

The number of schools with cent percent pass has increased to 3,377 from last year’s 2,017, while the number of schools with zero pass came down 14 from last year's 28.

Around 14.12 lakh examinees from 26,658 educational institutions took part in this year's examinations under the 10 boards and of them, 12.19 lakh have passed.

In Dhaka board, Rajuk Uttara Model High School and College topped the list of 20 best institutions for the third consecutive time.

Shamsul Haq Khan High School and College, Ideal School and College, Motijheel, and Viqarunnisa Noon School ranked second, third and fourth respectively position wise based on five academic standards.

The five criteria are: the number of students registered with a school, percentage of regular students among those registered, percentage of successful students, the number of students who scored GPA-5, and the average GPA of an institution.

Students of science group have marked a progress with 94.48 percent pass rate under eight education boards while the rate is 81.26 percent for humanities group and 87.39 for commerce group.

The SSC and its equivalent Dakhil and SSC (vocational) results are available on the website www.educationboardresults.gov.bd.

Examinations of 21 papers were held in creative question method. Examinations of Bangla 2nd Paper, English 1st and 2nd Paper, and Mathematics were not held in creative question system.

The exams began on February 1 and ended on March 15.

Socialist Hollande new French president

Paris, May 07 A victorious Francois Hollande faces a short honeymoon after his election as France's first left-wing president in 17 years, with financial markets eager for clear signals on his policies and how hard he plans to push back against German-led austerity.

The moderate Socialist beat conservative Nicolas Sarkozy with 51.7 percent of Sunday's runoff vote after a bruising campaign dominated by the same anger over economic crisis that has felled 10 other European leaders since late 2009.

While jubilant left-wing voters partied into the early hours of Monday in central Paris, Hollande admitted that for him, the festivities would have to be short-lived.

"There is a lot of joy and pride but also apprehension at taking on this responsibility at a difficult time for the country and for Europe," he said.

After delivering a victory speech in his rural base of Tulle in central France, he flew to Paris and addressed tens of thousands of supporters in historic Bastille square.

The new president is expected to be sworn in on May 15. As fears about the euro zone's debt crisis resurface following an inconclusive election in Greece, Hollande will travel to Berlin shortly thereafter to challenge Germany's focus on austerity policies and press new ideas for stimulating growth.

"In every capital, beyond the heads of state and government, there are people who have found hope thanks to us, who are looking to us and want to put an end to austerity," he declared.

The left reclaimed Bastille square where revelers danced the night away in 1981 when Francois Mitterrand became the Socialist Party's first directly elected president. Three decades later, a new generation of left-wing voters waved red flags and some carried roses, the party emblem.

Hollande is expected to include some trusted old hands in his government like Mitterrand's former prime minister Laurent Fabius but add many young politicians and women.

His economic team, led by centre-left former finance minister Michel Sapin, includes politicians, industry leaders and public officials seen as market-friendly.

Hollande must quickly outline his domestic plans, likely to centre around a major tax reform, and revise over-optimistic growth targets which threaten France's deficit-cutting goals.

His plans to tweak a reform that raised the retirement age to 62 and increase the minimum wage are also rattling investors who fear France could drift away from the club of sound northern European borrowers and towards the debt-laden periphery.

"Hollande's victory has already been priced in by markets, however his promises made during the campaign have not been priced in, so there is risk on the downside if he stands his ground when he announces a first set of measures," said fund manager Christian Jimenez at Diamant Bleu Gestion in Paris.

"There's a clear need to boost economic growth across Europe, but the debate is on how to achieve that without spooking investors."

LEFT WELL PLACED FOR PARLIAMENT

Sarkozy, punished for his failure to rein in 10-percent unemployment and for his brash personal style, conceded defeat within 20 minutes of polls closing on Sunday, telling supporters he had wished Hollande good luck in such trying times.

"I bear the full responsibility for this defeat," Sarkozy said, indicating he would withdraw from frontline politics.



In Greece, mainstream parties were hammered in a parliamentary election that seemed set to leave supporters of an IMF/EU bailout without a majority, raising doubts about Athens' future in the euro zone.

The euro fell in early trading in Asia on the Greek shock, with anti-austerity parties of the radical left and right winning almost half the votes.

Hollande's clear win should give the self-styled "Mr Normal" the momentum to press German Chancellor Angela Merkel to accept a policy shift towards fostering growth in Europe to balance the austerity that has fuelled anger across southern Europe.

Merkel, who had openly favored fellow conservative Sarkozy, telephoned to congratulate Hollande and invited him to Berlin after his inauguration. The vote ended the "Merkozy" duo that led Europe through crisis and ushers in an untested partnership.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said: "We will now work together on a growth pact for Europe, that delivers more growth through more competitiveness."

Opinion polls taken on Sunday showed the left strongly placed to win a majority in parliamentary elections next month, especially since the anti-immigration National Front is set to split the right-wing vote and hurt Sarkozy's UMP party.

If they win that two-round election on June 10 and 17, the Socialists would hold more levers of power than ever before, with the presidency, both houses of parliament, nearly all regions, and two-thirds of French towns in their hands.

Hollande led the presidential race from start to finish, outlining a comprehensive program in January based on raising taxes, especially on high earners, to finance spending priorities and rein in the public deficit to zero by 2017.

He benefited from public distaste for the incumbent's abrasive style as well as anger about economic gloom that has swept aside leaders from Dublin to Lisbon.

Sarkozy launched his campaign late and swerved hard to the right between the two rounds of voting as he tried to win back low-income voters who ditched him for the radical left and the far right on the first ballot.

He barely dented Hollande's lead, however, and also failed to land a knockout punch in their only television debate.

In two further blows in the last days of the race, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who won 17.9 percent in the first round, and centrist Francois Bayrou, who polled 9.1 percent, refused to endorse the conservative president.

Sarkozy allies consoled themselves that the margin of defeat could have been worse, preserving their parliamentary election hopes. "People were talking about an anti-Sarkozy tsunami," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said. "That's not what happened."

Putin appeals for unity on Kremlin return

Moscow, May 7 Vladimir Putin appealed for unity in Russia after being sworn as president on Monday and pledged to strengthen democracy in his new six-year term.

"I will do all I can to justify the faith of millions of our citizens. I consider it to be the meaning of my whole life and my obligation to serve my fatherland and our people," Putin said in a brief speech at his inauguration in the Kremlin.

"We will achieve our goals if we are a single, united people - if we hold our fatherland dear, strengthen Russian democracy, constitutional rights and freedoms."

Putin, who was president of the former Soviet republic from 2000-2008 and is returning to Russia's highest office after four years as prime minister, said he and the Russian people had already trodden a "difficult path" together.

"We believed in ourselves and in our powers, strengthened the country and restored the dignity of our great nation. The world has seen Russia reborn, and this is the result of the efforts of our people - shared, intensive work in which everyone has made a personal contribution."

He praised Dmitry Medvedev, the ally he steered into the Kremlin when he faced a bar on a third straight term in 2008 and who is set to become prime minister in a job swap that has angered many Russians who are tired of the same leaders.

"Today we have everything we need to move forward and create a dynamic and developing state: A stable economic and social basis, an active and responsible civil society," Putin said. "I see in this a great service on the part of Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev."