5 killed in city road mishaps in Dhaka

Five people were killed and one was injured in road accidents at Demra, Uttara, Jatrabari and Chawkbazar in the capital on Friday night and Saturday, hospital sources and the police said.

At Jatrabari, a bus ran over Billal Hossain, 45, who was waiting to catch a bus, about 9:45pm. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in a critical condition and he died there about 10:30pm.

At Chawkbazar, a truck hit a motorcycle from behind at Sowarighat about 3:00pm, critically injuring two of the three motorcycle riders, Seba Akhter Nasrin, 5, and Asif.

Nasrin was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where she died. Asif was admitted to Mitford Hospital, the family said.

The motorbike rider, Abu Miah Ahmed, also uncle of Nasrin, said the truck had hit the motorcycle when they were going to Sirajdikhan in Munshiganj.

No case was filed and no post-mortem was conducted at the request of the family.

The police found a woman, aged about 50 dead, dead on Konapara Road at Demra about 2:00am.

Police subinspector Mohammad Aiyub said they had found a young man, aged about 25, dead in front of the Matuail Maternity and Children Hospital at Jatrabari about 1:30am. The police said all the three were run over by vehicles on the day.

The bodies of the two killed at Demra and Jatrabari were sent to Mitford Hospital for post-mortem examinations

The police found a woman, aged about 40, dead near the BNS Centre at Uttara at about 10:30pm on Friday.

The body of the woman, killed at Uttara was sent to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital morgue for a post-mortem examination.

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Some ministers, AL MPs grabbing khas land: Kader

Ruling Awami League presidium member Obaidul Kader said on Saturday that some ministers and ruling party lawmakers grabbed khas land and established control over their respective constituencies.

He accused them of behaving like 'lords'.

'There is a limit to people's desire. But some of the ministers and MPs have endless needs. They are establishing control over their constituencies as if

They are the lords of their areas,' Kader said.

Speaking at a discussion held at Dhaka Reporters' Unity organised by Bangabandhu Academy, he warned them saying that 'the people would give a befitting reply through the ballot if they do not stop such activities.'

He requested the government to be aware about the activities of 'some of the ruling party men' as they were tarnishing its image.

Foyez Uddin Mia, vice- president of Dhaka city Awami League and MA Karim, organising secretary of Krishak League, attended the session chaired by academy president Hemayet Uddin, Bir Bikram.

Kader said that opposition BNP was planning to return to parliament to save their membership and secure their facilities.

'BNP is not coming to the House for the sake of people, rather they will come to secure their membership, foreign trips and allowances,' he added.

He requested the opposition party not to call the government illegal.

'Do not call the election and parliament illegal. If you say so, the opposition party will also be considered illegal,' said the AL leader.

He also called for fixing the functions and scope of caretaker governments so that they cannot cross the limits.

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Ansars member shot dead in Dhaka city

A member of Ansar Battalion was shot dead by a gang of assailants at a check post at Dal Patti in the city's Sutrapur area on Saturday night, the police said.

The deceased, Anisur Rahman, 35, was a member of Lima-4 battalion, led by Sutrapur police assistant sub-inspector Ashraf Ali.

The police and hospital sources said three assailants on a motorbike opened fire on the law enforcers at the check post in front of Dubbur shop at Dal Patti at about 10:30pm, leaving the battalion member critically injured.

Ashraf Ali said that they had signalled to the speedy motorbike to stop at the check post but the assailants defying the signal opened fire on the law enforcers.

Anis was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead.

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HM Ershad threatens to quit ruling alliance

The Jatiya Party chairman, Hussein Muhammad Ershad, on Saturday warned that his party might quit the ruling alliance if they were not properly evaluated.

Addressing a meeting of the presidents and general secretaries of the party's district and upazila units and front organisations at the

Institute of Diploma Engineers Bangladesh, Ershad accused the Awami League-led government of not giving Jatiya Party lawmakers and leaders the importance they deserved.

He said that his party had joined the alliance at a critical juncture to save the country, but the party had been ignored since the alliance assumed power.

'We have not been given our due share in the government,' do not get cooperation from the government and our suggestions and recommendations are not considered,' the JP chief said.

Ershad said the party was taking opinions of its leaders at different levels over the matter before taking a decision on whether the party should stay in the alliance.

He also urged his party activists to get prepared for the next general elections.

Opposing the National Women Development Policy, Ershad said that the people would not accept any policy or law that would contradicted Shariah or Islamic laws.

JP presidium members Kazi Zafar Ahmed and GM Kader, also civil aviation minister, and secretary general Kazi Firoz Rashid, among others, addressed the meeting.

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Serve in villages or quit job: Sheikh Hasina asks doctors

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday came down heavily on doctors and asked them to quit jobs if they do not attend their duties in villages.

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'If you want to be in service you must perform your duty. It cannot be acceptable that you will draw your salary but won't do your duty months after months,' she said.

The prime minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 19^th Bangladesh Medical Convention and Special AGM of the Bangladesh Medical Association at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the city.

The prime minister also censured the mindset of the doctors for not paying their income tax. 'This is really disappointing,' she said, adding: 'I don't understand what benefit they get by not paying income tax.'

Hasina said if the tax was paid it went to the government exchequer and the money was used for the welfare of all.

She said not only doctors all would have to shun the mentality of tax evasion.

Hasina requested eligible citizens to pay their income taxes for larger interests of the nation.

Without mentioning any name, she said not only commoners, internationally renowned citizens of the country also do not hesitate to dodge taxes.

'We have also seen how internationally renowned persons also misuse the donations they got from abroad and evade taxes,' the prime minister said.

Hasina said none should dodge taxes as ultimately nation suffers from such practice.

The prime minister cited example of Begum Fazilatunnesa Hospital Project for which Bangabandhu Memorial Trust has paid taxes worth Tk 1.89 crore.

'If we wish, we would have tax exemption. But, we didn't,' she said.

On doctors' negligence to practise in villages, Hasina said when she talked to MPs or local people; it was a common allegation that doctors were very indifferent to their duties in remote hospitals.

'Major part of your academic expenses is met by people's taxes. Your aim in life should be serving the poor people in rural areas1,' she said.

The prime minister was also critical of the physicians for their 'attitude' towards certain remarks made by BMA secretary general Md Sharfuddin Ahmed at the function.

Sharfuddin requested young doctors to render free service at least for one day a week in their respective villages, but the doctors present at the function did not appreciated it.

'Your silence has shocked me….I did not expect such behaviour from you,' Hasina said.

The prime minister requested the doctors to give their best efforts to ensure quality health services for the common people.

She said the government would appoint 14,000 health assistants and over 500 doctors soon while 4,331 doctors, 1,747 nurses and 6,391 health assistants have already been appointed.

The prime minister assured that scarcity of teachers at government medical colleges would shortly be met.

The prime minister requested senior physicians to conduct both fundamental and practical research on medical science.

Health minister AFM Ruhal Haq, state minister for health Majibur Rahman Fakir, PM's adviser Syed Mudasser Ali and BMA president Mahmdud Hasan addressed the function.

The prime minister at the function also distributed BMA Award, 2011 among professor Mazhar Ali Kadri (posthumous), professor Syeda Firoza Begum (posthumous), Mujibur Rahman (posthumous), National professor Nurul Islam, professor Md Sohrab Ali, professor Rashid-e-Habib, professor Kazi Shahidul Alam and professor Pran Gopal Datta.

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8 killed in boat capsize in Narsingdi

Eight people, including three of a family, were killed and seven went missing as an engine boat capsized in the River Meghna in the Narsingdi district headquarters on Friday night.

The deceased are Hasan Miah, 50, his wife Setara Begum, 45, and grand-daughter Barsha Begum, 12, of Nabipur, Atker Hossain, 40, Aleya Begum, 35, and Selim Miah, 12, of Dilarpur, Faruk, 25, of Chhagariapara and Abul Hossain of Jamalia Kandi in the upazila.

Witnesses and survivors said that the boat headed for Jamaliakandi with 30 passengers on board sank in the river at Balughat after being caught in a storm about 7:00pm.

At least 15 passengers managed to swim ashore, survivors said. Local people and the police found five bodies in the river at night.

Fire Brigade and Civil Service divers later recovered three more bodies on Saturday morning. Rescue operations were under way, the police said.

Relatives of the people who went missing gathered on the river bank and some of them joined the rescue operation.

The Narsingdi deputy commissioner, Amrito Baroi, said they had handed over the bodies to the families for burial.

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BNP to bolster organisational strength for movement

Advisers to the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, on Saturday suggested bolstering organisational strength for waging a tougher anti-government movement.

The first-ever meeting of the chairperson's advisory council also suggested holding of the advisory council's meeting on a regular basis, according to several advisers who attended the meeting with Khaleda.

'At the meeting, the advisers gave their opinions on different national issues,' an adviser told New Age after the meeting.

The meeting held at Khaleda's Gulshan office spanned about two hours starting at 8:30pm.

The advisers also spoke on how to strengthen the organisation as well as expedite the anti-government movement, meeting sources said.

They suggested that the party should be more vocal against the government policies and decisions in different sectors and on the basis of specific data.

Khaleda Zia discussed with her advisers the party's 'possible course of action' against the backdrop of the 'deepening crisis' in every sector.

'The country is passing through a grave constitutional crisis while the government is playing hide-and-seek over the issue and the BNP chairperson sought opinions from her advisers on the burning issues,' Khaleda's press secretary Maruf Kamal Khan told newsmen after the meeting began.

'It is not clear to the people under which constitution the country is running. Against this backdrop, the chairperson held the meeting with her advisers,' he added.

Several advisers, who attended the meeting, told New Age that socio-economic condition, price spiral, deteriorating law and order, stock plunge and the government's failure in realising Bangladesh's interests from the neighbouring countries were discussed.

The advisers gave their opinions and suggestions on the issues and the chairperson, after reviewing their suggestions, would meet with the party's standing committee members to decide the next course of action, meeting sources said.

Maruf said a meeting of the party's standing committee would take place soon.

All but six members on the advisory council attended the meeting.

Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmad, Harun-ar Rashid Khan Munnu, Reaz Rahman, Mosaddak Ali, Ahmed Azam Khan and Iqbal

Hasan Mahmud Tuku did not turn up.

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BSF agrees to avoid India-Bangladesh border killing

India has decided to introduce non-lethal weapons to prevent killing of unarmed Bangladeshi civilians along the India-Bangladesh border.

The decision was taken at the five-day director general- level meeting of the Border Guard Bangladesh and the Border Security Force of India, which concluded at the BSF headquarters  in New Delhi Saturday.

BSF DG Raman Srivastava told journalists at a joint briefing that BSF personnel would be armed with non-lethal weapons at certain designated points along the border on experimental basis.  If this is found successful in bringing down the number of casualties, such weapons will be given to the entire 4,096 km border, Srivastava added.

BGB director general Major General Rafiqul Islam, while referring to the killing of innocent civilians by the BSF, requested his counterpart to follow international rules 'primarily to avoid' firings that kill innocent people.

He was of the view that people found guilty should be arrested and brought to book. He said killing of innocent people by firing could not resolve issues.

Mentioning the killing of Felani, a young Bangladeshi girl, by the BSF, Major General Islam, however, admitted that following the protest by Dhaka such kind of firing has not taken place so far. 'We see a marked improvement,' he said adding 'we want a total stop on this issue.'

The Border Guard Bangladesh and India have decided for the first time to introduce a Joint 'Treat' ceremony on Benapole/Petrapole International border on the pattern of one that already exists between India and Pakistan at a place called Attari in Amritsar in the state of Punjab. The India-Pakistan Joint retreat is a huge attraction.

The DG BSF said a joint committee of BSF and BGB would go into the details and make appropriate recommendations for the proposed ceremony. The same will be implemented subject to approval by both the governments.

The BSF chief expressed the hope that it would be a huge tourist attraction from both sides of the border.

The joint retreat is a ceremony where national flags of the two countries would be lowered amidst playing of national anthems. The joint retreat ceremony is part of 'Confidence Building Measures'.

During the five-day meeting, the two sides discussed issues relating to implementation of joint border management plan, trans-border crimes, firing on Indo-Bangladesh border, border fencing, smuggling of fake Indian currency notes, narcotics and Phensidyl and trafficking of women and children.

Security-related issues, joint survey in adverse possession and head count in the enclaves and confidence building measures also came up for discussion, a joint statement said.

On the issue of death of Bangladesh nationals, both sides agreed to take effective steps to reduce such incidents due to firing on the border. On security-related issues, both sides reiterated their commitment to continuing active mutual cooperation, the statement said.

Both border chiefs agreed to take all-out steps to prevent cross-border crimes, illegal border crossings, drugs and human trafficking.

Raman Srivastava termed the just concluded Border Coordination Conference the most cordial meeting the BGB and BSF 'had ever had in the past.' He said the decisions taken during the conference would have far reaching effects. He said relations between the BSF and BGB were closer now and two sides had excellent understanding on all issues.

Major General Rafiqul Islam noted that they had 'absolute understanding' and 'We understand each other better than before.' The two sides also agreed to increase field-level meetings and commanders to hold weekly meeting for more inter-action.

During the conference, both sides also agreed to complete the joint inspection of the remaining twenty patches out of 46-unfenced priority patches proposed by India within 150 yards of Indian border.

The BGB DG said during the conference Bangladesh had submitted a list of persons involved in drug business and names of criminals and anti-state elements to the BSF authority.

The BSF chief also submitted a list of criminals who are involved in smuggling of fake Indian currency notes alleging that they have been operating from Bangladesh. He, however, admitted that authority in Bangladesh arrested a criminal group in Bangladesh indulging in fake currency business.

During the meeting, the Indian side offered training facilities to Bangladesh. A team from Bangladesh is likely to visit India in this regard.

The 20-member Bangladesh team left Delhi Saturday afternoon for Kolkata on way to Dhaka.

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