Man jailed for 44 yrs for rape, abduction

A man has been sentenced to 44 years of rigorous imprisonment for abduction and rape of a schoolgirl.

Md Sikander Ali, Judge of Khulna Speedy Trial Tribunal, delivered the judgment on Monday afternoon in presence of the convict, Shishir Ghose, son of Nitya Ghose of Shashtitala under Jessore Sadar upazila.

The court also fined him Tk 75,000, in default to suffer more three years in prison.

Shishir Ghose, also a local activist of Awami League, gave proposal on several occasions during last two years to marry a Muslim girl, also a student of Chanchra Islamia Girls High School, goes the prosecution.

As the proposal was utterly rejected, Shishir and his accomplices abducted the girl at arms point on September 24 in 2009 and took her in a microbus to his relative's house in Kaliganj upazila of Jhenidah district.

The girl's father lodged an FIR on September 27 in 2009 with Jessore Kotwali police station, naming eight people as accused.

The next day police rescued the girl from Jhenidah Sadar upazila and arrested Shishir Ghose, prime accused in the case.

Source : The Daily Star

June 13 Attack on Trainee Nurses at MMCH: Second probe committee promises fairness

A probe body formed by Directorate of Health and Family Welfare went to Mymensingh Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) yesterday to investigate the June 13 attack on the trainee nurses at the hospital.

The three-member probe body headed by Dr Shamsul Haque, director, alternative medicine talked with the hospital authorities, senior doctors, leaders of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) local unit, nurses and employees, sources said.

Contacted, Dr Shamsul Haque said they were working to unearth 'real fact' behind the incident through a free, fair and neutral investigation.

The probe report will be submitted to the director general of health and family welfare directorate within 10 days, he said.

Earlier, a probe body formed on June 14, a day after the attack on the trainee nurses by the fourth class employees of MMCH, submitted its report on July 5, after missing three deadlines.

The report is yet to be made public, hospital sources said. It is a departmental inquiry and the findings of the report will not be made public, said Brigadier General Dr Mohammad Shahjahan, director of MMCH.

At least 35 people were injured as trainee nurses and employees of MMCH locked in a series of clashes on June 13. Among the injured, 30 are students of Mymensingh Nursing College (MNC)

Later the trainee nurses went on a week-long agitation programme including class boycott, formation of human chains, sit-in procession and rallies protesting the attack. All academic activities of MNC including examinations remained suspended during the agitation.

Sources said, earlier the trainee nurses on June 13 morning went to meet the hospital director to know the reasons for cancellation of their sick room facilities.

When the students entered the director's room, a group of fourth class employees of the hospital rushed to the spot and asked the students to give them easy passage.

As the students refused to leave the place, an altercation began and at one stage an employee pushed a female student and pulled her scarf triggering a clash, students said.

The employees later swooped on the students and beat them up with sticks indiscriminately, injuring at least 30 students.

Source : The Daily Star

Bad omen for Sylhet AL: BNP, Jamaat bag most UP chairman posts

The ruling Awami league suffered a setback in the just concluded union parishad elections in Sylhet.

AL got 30 chairman posts, BNP 42 and Jamaat bagged 10 followed by the Jatiya Party's four in the district.

In Biswanath and Dakshin Surma upazilas, AL got not a single chairman post while BNP bagged 10 out of 14 posts in the two upazilas (six in Biswanath and four in Dakshin Surma). Jamaat got two posts in Biswanath and one in Dakshin Surma and an independent candidate bagged one in Dakshin Surma. BNP could not manage even one UP chairman seat in Zakiganj upazila.

In Sylhet Sadar upazila, AL got two chairman posts, BNP five and Jamaat one. In Gowainghat upazila, AL 2, BNP 5, in Companiganj upazila, AL 4, BNP 2, in Jaintapur upazila, AL 2, BNP 4, in Kanaighat upazila, AL 2, BNP 3, Jamaat 2 and independent 2. In Zakiganj upazila, AL bagged 7 while Jatiya party and Jamat managed one each.

In Golapganj upazila, AL got four chairman posts while BNP, Jamaat and Jatyia Party got two posts each. One post in the upazila went to an independent candidate.

In Beanibazar upazila, AL 3, BNP 4 while Jamaat and independent candidate bagged one each. In Balaganj upazila, AL 4, and BNP 8 while Jamaat and Independent candidate managed one each.

Election to three union parishad in Fenchuganj, two in Dakshin Surma and one each in Biswanath and Beanibazar upazilas has remained suspended due to area demarcation problems.

In Habiganj district, Awami League bagged 35 chairman posts, BNP 31, Jatiya Party2 and Jamaat one. At least four people were killed over 200 injured in election-related clashes in Habiganj Sadar, Lakhai and Nabiganj upazilas of the district.

Source : The Daily Star 

Joint border survey to resume soon: View exchange meets being held to allay fear of border people

The joint survey along the adversely possessed lands (APL) on Sylhet-Meghalaya borders, suspended due to protest by locals, will resume in a couple of days, said Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) of Sylhet Ahmed Shamim Al Razi yesterday afternoon.

The date and time would be set by the survey officials after contacting the Indian survey team, he said after holding view exchange meetings with the locals at Laghat Bazaar, close to the Sonarhat border camp of BGB and at Kulum Chhara borders in Gowainghat upazila.

Ruling party lawmaker Imran Ahmed, ADC General Md. Mizanur Rahman and others also joined the view exchange meetings with the locals yesterday.

The officials allaying the fear of the locals told them that no such decision was taken to hand over their lands to the Indians.

But we need to survey border lands since things remained unsettled for decades. Both India and Bangladesh want a peaceful solution of the longstanding border problems, they told the border people.

However, the locals raised a valley of questions as the Indians including Khasia tribesmen as well as the BSF had been causing trouble for Bangladeshis in different frontier areas for long.

In a bid to appease the people of border villages more view exchange meetings would be held at Tamabil and at the much-talked Padua-Protappur borders today, the officials said.

The border people are opposing the survey in fear that their lands would be handed over to the Indians in the name of joint survey, sources said.

The joint survey on the APL on the said borders remained suspended since 20 June in the face of protest by border people at several places.

Locals under the banner of 'Conscious Citizens of Border' formed human chain and held protest rallies at different bordering upazila headquarters till 30 June. The upazilas are Gowainghat, Jaintapur, Kanaighat, Companiganj and Jakiganj.

The border people said that the joint survey must be done in a 'transparent way'.

Started on 7 December last year, the survey work was due to be completed by 15 January. The time was extended several times with the last till 30 June.

Source : The Daily Star 

Gas Official Murder Accused trying to divert case

Family of slain Wasiur Raza Chowdhury alias Razi, deputy manager of the state-run Jalalabad Gas Transmission and Distribution Company, yesterday said some of the accused are trying to implicate them (family members) in a false rape case to put the investigation in the wrong direction.

Addressing a press conference at Sylhet Press Club in the afternoon, Wasiur's maternal uncle Md Badrul Haque and his son Ashraful Haque Mamed said wife of Saikat, one of the seven accused, has already filed a petition with Kotwali police, bringing rape charges against them.

They demanded immediate arrest of the accused and urged the home minister and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to ensure proper investigation into the killing case.

Wasiur Raza Chowdhury alias Razi, 37, was beaten to death by a gang of criminals at Mazumderpara in the city as he tried to save his cousin from their attack on the night of July 5.

He had been staying in an under-construction building of his maternal uncle in the area and used to supervise the construction work of the building as his uncle stays abroad.

Hearing hue and cry at around 10:00pm, Wasiur came out of the house and saw some local youths beating up his cousin Mamed.

As Wasiur asked them to stop beating, they swooped on him and beat him up severely. He was taken to a private hospital in a critical condition and later shifted to Osmani Medical College and Hospital where the attending doctors declared him dead.

The gang swooped on Mamed when he asked them about the iron rods stolen from in front of the house in the morning.

A case was filed with Kotwali Police Station, accusing Saikat, Abdul Khalique Milton, Mizanur Rahman Mizan, Ferdous and Shiplu and Afzal. But none of them was arrested as of yesterday.

Source : The Daily Star

New BCL leaders vow to help govt afresh

The newly elected president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) yesterday vowed to set the organisational activities afresh to help ruling Awami League-led government establish a "digital Bangladesh" by 2021.

Elected in councillors' voting on Monday, BCL President Badiuzzaman Sohag and General Secretary Siddique Nazul Alam said this while addressing around 1,000 BCL members in front of Dhaka University Central Students' Union building around noon.

Nazmul said the new central committee will work hard to recover from present organisational weaknesses and restore its old glory.

Source : The Daily Star

Two bodies found in city

Police recovered two female bodies from the city's Khilkhet and Demra yesterday.

Sub-Inspector Abdul Matin of Khilkhet Police Station said they recovered the body of Ambia Khatun, 55, hanging by the neck from the ceiling fan in her tin-shed house at Khilkhet (South) in the morning.

Sub Inspector Fazlul Haque of Demra Police Station said they recovered the body of an unknown woman, aged around 22, wrapped with a piece of cloth in an empty apartment in Demra.

Source : The Daily Star

Pro-AL teachers win Ruetta polls

The pro-Awami League teachers' blue panel won the Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) Teachers' Association election.

Meanwhile, the decision remained withhold regarding the president post as two contestants Prof Dr Nirendranath Mustafi and Prof Tarifuddin Ahmed secured same votes.

Blue panel candidate Prof Dr NHM Kamruzzaman Sarker Hiro was elected general secretary.

Blue panel also won joint secretary, treasurer and two executive members post.

White panel of Progressive Teachers Society won vice-president and one executive member post.

The election was held at the Mechanical Engineering department lab at the university from 10:00am to 1:30pm where two teachers' panel contested.

Source : The Daily Star

Cocktail-like objects recovered

Police recovered four cocktail-like objects from a mosque in Bahir Signal area under Chandgaon Police Station in the port city yesterday.

On information, police recovered the cocktail-like objects from a sandal stand of Khawja Goribe Newaz Mosque in Bahir Signal area around 11:30am, said Syed Abdur Rouf, officer-in-charge (OC) of Chandgaon Police Station.

A team of Chittagong Metropolitan Police Bomb Disposal unit is examining the objects, the OC said, adding that after examining the objects they will be confirmed where these are cocktails or other things.

Source : The Daily Star

RDA cashier sued for embezzling Tk 7.63cr

Rajshahi Development Authority (RDA) finally sued its cashier Ekhlas Uddin on Monday for embezzling Tk 7.63 crore by forging bank cheques for the last seven years. Ekhlas is absconding after being suspended on March 1.

Badruzzaman, law officer of RDA, filed the case with Shah Makhdum Police Station in the city under Anti-Corruption Act of 1947.

Officer-in-Charge Fazlul Haque of the police station said the case would be sent to Anti-Corruption Commission for investigation.

Badruzzaman said two investigations were carried out after authorities in late February found anomalies in expenditure of RDA's bank accounts.

The money was withdrawn by adding extra numbers on the bank cheques after signatures were made, he said.

Source : The Daily Star 

Give khasland to the landless: Urge speakers

Proper distribution of khasland among the landless and poor people can be a tool to eradicate poverty from the society, discussants said yesterday.

"Bangladesh has 3.3 million acres of khasland against 6-7 million landless households. It is possible to give each landless household 0.50 acre of khasland to help them generate income and climb out of poverty", said Shahidul Islam, director of Uttaran, a non-government organisation.

Khasland is a piece of land owned by the government and controlled by no specific government organisation.

Addressing a discussion on "Land rights and poverty alleviation" at a city hotel, the speakers expressed concern over the tendency of gripping khasland by a section of wealthy people to generate their business industries and other profitable trades.

The discussion put a set of recommendations for the government including collecting definitive data on the total amount of khasland available, simplifying the khasland from the application process, and making the role of Union Land offices clear to develop the process of distributing khasland.

Shiree, an NGO, organised the discussion, said a press release.

Source : The Daily Star 

Submit report on Jamaat top brass: Tribunal directs investigators

The International Crimes Tribunal yesterday directed the investigators to submit the final investigation reports on allegations against four top Jamaat-e-Islami leaders in connection with crimes against humanity during 1971 by August 1.

The three-member tribunal headed by its Chairman Justice Nizamul Huq also fixed the same date for hearing on the bail petitions submitted by the Jamaat leaders through their lawyers on July 10.

The four leaders are party Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and assistant secretaries general Muhammad Kamaruzzaman and Abdul Quader Molla.

Earlier in the day, the law enforcers produced the accused Jamaat leaders before the tribunal.

Chief Prosecutor Ghulam Arieff Tipoo submitted a petition before the tribunal, explaining their progress of investigation into the allegations.

He also prayed to the court to give investigators more time to complete the probe against them.

Opposing the time petition, Defence counsel Tajul Islam prayed to the tribunal to grant bail to the accused, as they have been detained for around one year.

Laws not fully int'l standard: HRW

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) failed to make its laws and rules in full compliance with international standards, said Human Rights Watch (HRW), a New York-based rights body, yesterday.

In a press release, HRW Asia director Brad Adams said, "While the amendments are a significant improvement, key problems still need to be fixed to ensure fair trials and avoid unnecessarily lengthy appeals."

HRW suggested some changes which include allowing an accused to question the tribunal's impartiality and to ensure that the definitions of "war crimes", "crimes against humanity", and "genocide" conform to international standards.

It also recommended ensuring that the defence is given adequate time to prepare instead of the current three weeks and to provide the accused the right to appeal during the trial instead of only at the end.

Meanwhile, the defence counsels at a press conference yesterday demanded changes in some constitutional provisions, relevant laws and rules to ensure justice and fair and acceptable trial of the accused in the 1971 crimes against humanity.

Their other demands include constitution of a separate appellate forum for hearing and disposing of appeals against the interlocutory orders passed by the ICT, allowing foreign counsels for both the prosecution and the defence, recording the entire trial proceedings, and allowing international observers.

Barrister Abdur Razzaq, chief of the defence team, presented a written statement at the conference held in the Supreme Court Bar Association auditorium yesterday.

Source : The Daily Star

15th Amendment to Constitution: AL to hold rallies to get support

Awami League (AL) will hold rallies in 19 major districts this month to drum up public support in favour of the 15th amendment to the constitution which scrapped the caretaker government system.

AL will also start holding councils beginning with those long due at 11 districts. It will then move to its grassroots units starting from ward to union, thana, upazila and metropolitan units and simultaneously restart membership collection drive to fully strengthen and prepare for the next parliamentary elections.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam unveiled the plans while briefing newsmen at the party chief's political office in Dhanmondi after a meeting with AL central departmental secretaries yesterday.

He said the government's success over the past two and a half years, opposition's anti-government propaganda and organisational directives, among others, will be delivered prominently at the district rallies.

The meeting, chaired by Ashraf, discussed organisational matters and chalked out draft programmes for the national mourning day on August 15 and grenade attack day on August 21. Ashraf said a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee will be held soon to finalise the programmes.

"We want to complete all necessary preparations for the next national election through strengthening the party by holding councils of all units. We want to take part in the next election with the party's full strength," he said.

He said AL already registered 1.5 crore primary memberships and continued to collect more across the country.

The meeting expressed deep condolence over the tragic death of schoolboys in Chittagong and sympathy to their bereaved families.

AL leaders Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Abul Hossain, Abdur Razzaque, Nuh-ul-Alam Lenin, Abdul Matin Khasru, AB Tajul Islam, Hasan Mahmud and Mrinal Kanti Das were also present at the meeting.

Source : The Daily Star

CEC frustrated over DCC election delay

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dr ATM Shamsul Huda yesterday expressed his frustration over the government's dilly-dallying approach on holding the long overdue Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) poll.

"Government's attitude indicates that they have no headache to hold the election," he said during a dialogue with Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) on electoral reform at the commission's secretariat in the city.

The last DCC election was held in early 2002 and its tenure expired on May 14, 2007.

Election Commission (EC) already approached the government three times to hold the election but there was no satisfactory response, he said.

In its last update, the government said they would divide DCC area in two parts to hold election. Six months have already passed with no initiative, said the CEC.

The CEC in earlier programmes said the election could not be held due to the state of emergency at that time and the government's decision is needed as the current law does not specify what to do after the expiry date.

Previously published news reports said the commission prepared to hold the poll on May 31 last year. But the government did not agree fearing that the then ongoing crisis of power, water and gas and price hike of essentials might go against the ruling party's mayoral candidate.

On introduction of electronic voting machine (EVM), CEC said, "We hoped to use the machine experimentally in the Dhaka City Corporation polls before the parliamentary election. But we failed to execute our plan."

On electoral reform, he said none can shift from being a party candidate to an independent or rival candidate once the papers are submitted to the EC. A candidate must state his party affiliation from the beginning, he said.

On BNP's response following EC's repeated invitation to join the ongoing dialogue, he said, "I hope they will join."

Meanwhile IAB leaders suggested introducing EVM in phases in different local government elections before the parliamentary election.

EC launched dialogues with political parties on June 7 for opinions on key issues like Representation of the People Order, laws on demarcation of constituencies and appointment of election commissioners, and use of EVM.

Meanwhile, an EC statement yesterday said it is launching pilot projects in four areas of the country to assess feasibility of data collection methods and update voter list ahead of the parliamentary polls to be held in 2014.

The projects will be initially run at Kaliganj municipality of Gazipur and Patnitala of Naogaon and then at DCC Ward 18 and Palangkhali of Ukhia of Cox's Bazar.

Kaliganj and DCC Ward 18 were selected to assess response of people from all walks of life while Patnitala, bordering India, and Palangkhali, bordering Myanmar, were chosen to check if Indian and Myanmar citizens are enrolled in the list, EC sources said.

The first two projects are expected to conclude on July 31. With experience gained from the projects, EC would start preparing the voter list.

Source : The Daily Star

Deep sea port in doldrums: Little progress seen two years into feasibility study

The future of the deep sea port is in doubt as the government is very slow in doing the tasks suggested in a feasibility study two years ago.

The Techno-Economic Feasibility Study, submitted to the shipping ministry in July 2009, recommended setting up a deep sea port authority.

After a two-year delay, the ministry made decided to form the body at a meeting yesterday.

Another recommendation was to enact the proposed Deep Sea Port Act, which is pending with the finance ministry. Yesterday's meeting requested the ministry to immediately send the draft law to shipping ministry with opinions.

The only progress made regarding the proposed deep sea port at Sonadia Island in the Bay of Bengal was formation of a cell in August 2010.

The cell is responsible for quickly executing the port related decisions.

The three-year study outlined a three-phase construction plan and assessed huge financial potential. It also chalked out how the port can be built under public-private partnership.

The first phase of the construction is supposed to start at the end of this year and complete by 2015 at a cost of Tk 13,000 crore. As per the study, the port can go into operation in 2016 if the suggested work is done in time.

The second phase should be completed in 2035 at a cost of Tk 26,000 crore and made a full-fledged international port with the completion of the final phase by 2055 spending Tk 1,100 crore.

Construction of the port is supposed to begin after drawing of its design, but the government is yet to select a design consultant. Seven firms, however, were short-listed for the job.

The then shipping minister Afsarul Amin told journalists in 2009 that it might take them a year to have a complete design.

Shipping ministry officials said nobody can say when the construction will start.

"Everything is outlined in the study, but the progress is very disappointing," KM Ahmed, director of deep sea port project, told The Daily Star.

"The deep sea port will have a positive impact on the economy since the study estimated about two percent GDP growth," KM Ahmed added.

If constructed, the port will generate massive employment and earning opportunities. It will also boost export and import and massively increase the country's capacity to handle cargo.

The carrying cost of both incoming and outgoing goods will come down significantly as the port will become a regional hub handling a massive traffic.

According to the feasibility study, a total of 16 container berths, including nine international ones will be constructed in the fist phase.

There is no alternative to a deep sea port as capacity of the Chittagong Port, largest in the country, will totally be exhausted by 2015.

"The Chittagong port is already facing problem with large ships," said KM Ahmed, adding Bangladesh will face serious problem without a deep sea port once transit is allowed to India, Nepal and Bhutan.

"The major problem will be that the government will have to update the feasibility study due to the delay," said a senior official of the shipping ministry, adding many of the data has already become obsolete.

The feasibility study prepared at a cost of $4 million. Experts say the entire money might be wasted as the government failed to move with the deep sea port project.

Asked, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said there may be delay in the government's activities. He said the deep sea port authority will be formed after enactment of the law, which is also a critical task.

"We decided to expedite all the procedures at yesterday's meeting," he told The Daily star.

Bangladesh has sought assistance from various donors, including Japan and China to build the port.

A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team visited Bangladesh in May and talked to the concerned officials and it showed interest to be a co-financer.

Also, a Chinese delegation visited in May and showed interest to finance the port construction.

Source : The Daily Star 

Afghan president's brother assassinated

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's younger brother, the government's key powerbroker in the south of the country, was assassinated yesterday, depriving Nato of a vital if controversial ally.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for killing Ahmed Wali Karzai in his own home, while the Kandahar provincial police chief said he was shot dead by the long-serving commander of his family's personal protection force.

The half-brother of the Afghan leader was for years a deeply controversial figure, dogged by allegations of unsavoury links to Afghanistan's lucrative opium trade and private security firms.

Kandahar police chief Abdul Razeq identified the assassin as Sardar Mohammad, the commander of a force of 200 bodyguards who had provided security for the younger Karzai's family for seven years.

The assassin went to Wali Karzai's study alone in excuse of important talks, he said. The killer was later killed by Wali Karzai's other bodyguards.

The assassination came just before the Afghan leader received French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who was on a surprise visit to Afghanistan where he announced that Paris would recall 1,000 soldiers by the end of next year.

Source : The Daily Star

BNP seeks B Chy's support: Fakhrul meets BDB chief

In a fresh development in politics, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir last night met Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President Prof AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and sought his support for the ongoing anti-government movement.

In an hour-long meeting at Chowdhury's Baridhara residence in the city, Fakhrul urged the BDB leader to come forward to build a greater unity against the Awami League-led government under the leadership of BNP chief Khaleda Zia.

City BNP Convener Sadeque Hossain Khoka, BDB Secretary General Abdul Mannan and spokesman Mahi B Chowdhury were also present at the meeting.

Later, Fakhrul told journalists, "Prof Chowdhury has agreed with BNP's stance on the caretaker government issue. He has also expressed his solidarity with our hunger strike programme [today]."

Mahi said they want election under a non-party caretaker government, and that is why they support BNP's programme today.

Meeting sources said both the BNP leaders regretted the way Prof Chowdhury was treated by some high-ups of their party when it was in power.

"You know what you have done with me. Yet, I believe a simultaneous movement can be launched to reinstate the caretaker government system," Prof Chowdhury was quoted as saying at the meeting.

Fakhrul and Khoka later met Khaleda Zia at her Gulshan office to inform her about the meeting outcome.

Meanwhile, party sources said BNP high-ups have also talked to Liberal Democratic Party chief Col (retd) Oli Ahmad, who was a founding member of the main opposition party. Oli assured them of sending a delegation to express solidarity with BNP's programme. He is now abroad.

Former president Prof Chowdhury was a founding member of BNP.

He had to leave the party after his resignation from the presidency on June 21, 2002, following a decision taken by the BNP parliamentary party.

On May 8, 2004, he formed BDB.

Source : The Daily Star 

Varsity student killed in road accident

A university student was killed and her mother seriously injured when a covered van sped up to evade a police interception at capital's Dayaganj last night.

The dead was identified as Minnat Jahan Minni, 23, and her mother Nilufar Yasmin, 52, of Commissioner Road in Jurain.

They were crossing the intersection around 9:00pm when the speeding van first hit the two and then dragged Minni for some 20 yards.

Minni, a BBA student of Darul Ihsan University, was rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

The van ran over both the legs of Yasmin, who was taken to National Institute of Traumatology and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Nitor).

Locals chased the van and managed to capture the driver, Rubel, 20, and a helper, Khokon, 18.

Rubel and Khokon along with the vehicle were under police custody, said Faruq Ahmed, officer-in-charge of Gendaria Police Station.

Witnesses said a traffic sergeant was taking to the driver as it slowed down.

The driver told The Daily Star that he sped up to evade Traffic Sergeant Shahidul Islam.

Source : The Daily Star 

ACC begins stock scam probe

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has started an investigation into the much-talked-about stockmarket scam.

A three-member team has been formed to carry out the investigation, ACC Director General Forrukh Ahmed said yesterday, adding that the committee will submit a report within a month.

"We've already started probing the allegations against Anawarul Kabir Bhuiyan and Kafiluddin Ahmed. We've sought their wealth statements," he said at ACC's monthly briefing.

Bhuiyan, now an officer on special duty (OSD), was an executive director of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) during the capital market debacle in December last year. Ahmed was a deputy general manager of state-owned Investment Corporation of Bangladesh at that time. He is now the general manager of House Building Finance Corporation.

A senior SEC official admitted to The Daily Star that the ACC collected information about Bhuiyan and Ahmed last week.

The anti-graft watchdog has received a part of the enquiry report prepared by former Bangladesh Bank deputy governor Khondkar Ibrahim Khaled from the finance ministry. The report mentioned the alleged corruption by Bhuiyan and Ahmed.

Asked if the ACC will examine the wealth statements of ministers, state ministers and advisers, to be submitted to the prime minister, he said the ACC will act only if it gets specific complaints.

Source : The Daily Star 

Ulfa declares ceasefire

One of India's oldest rebel groups announced a unilateral ceasefire yesterday to push forward formal peace talks aimed at ending three decades of insurgency in the northeast state of Assam.

The United Liberation Front of Asom (Ulfa), the largest separatist outfit in the region, has been fighting for an independent homeland for ethnic Assamese since 1979.

The insurgency has claimed an estimated 10,000 lives.

"The Ulfa, with a view to exploring a lasting peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict, resolves to cease all forms of armed campaign for an indefinite period," Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said in an e-mailed statement received by AFP.

Rajkhowa and several other top Ulfa leaders had been released from prison on bail in December 2010, after which they held several rounds of informal peace talks with New Delhi's chief negotiator PC Haldar.

They also held a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister PC Chidambaram earlier this year.

The only hold-out to the peace talks is the Ulfa's commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, who is believed to be hiding with around 100 armed cadres somewhere along the Myanmar-China border.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi welcomed the ceasefire declaration, and appealed to Baruah to join the peace process.

"But we cannot wait indefinitely for him to come in, and if his faction tries to create some problems then action will be taken against them," Gogoi said.

Source : The Daily Star 

Asia needs more taxes: ADB

Asian countries need to increase taxes and improve their collection systems if they want to raise enough funds for much-needed social welfare programmes, an ADB study released Tuesday said.

The Manila-based Asian Development Bank report said the 'tax burdens' in the region were lower than the European Union, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and Africa.

'The review of tax policy... makes it clear that there is ample margin for higher tax levels in Asia through more direct taxation, especially private income tax,' the report by economics professor Jorge Martinez-Vazquez said.

Martinez-Vazquez, a professor at Georgia State University commissioned by the ADB, conceded that there was a wide variety of tax systems in Asia and that there was not one 'Asian model' of taxation.

But he said there were clear trends for the region.

Although Asian economies were integrated like in North America and Western Europe, they were not homogenous and had no 'supranational authority' to coordinate and harmonise their policies, resulting in different tax systems.

Vietnam was cited as having one of the highest tax-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratios in Asia. But its ratio was still about half of most European Union countries.

At the other end of the scale, Pakistan and Nepal had the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios.

The low tax burden was credited with creating a more 'business-friendly environment' that attracted foreign investment.

But it could also result in a lack of government resources for vital services such as education, health and infrastructure, which could bring about a less equitable society, the report said.

The report also found that many Asian countries still had a huge 'underground economy', indicating that tax evasion was common.

In Thailand for example, the underground economy accounted for almost 53 per cent of the gross national product. The average for the whole region was 26 per cent.

Asian countries also relied more heavily on indirect taxes such as value-added and sales taxes, and even taxes on foreign trade, according to the report.

It also found that Asian countries still ranked far below the standards of developing countries in regards to tax administration costs and practices, indicating there was much room for improvement.

'Tax administration reform and modernisation should become part of the policy agenda of many countries in Asia,' the report said.

The report also warned that 'the effectiveness of tax enforcement and voluntary compliance depend critically on the perception that evaders are likely to be caught and if so, punished'.

The study recommended tougher measures to combat tax evasion, such as increased and improved tax audits, and tougher penalties for cheating on taxes, including using the media to publicly shame violators.

Source : New Age

India unveils austerity measures to meet deficit target

The India government on Monday announced austerity measures, including a ban on meetings in five-star hotels and restrictions on foreign travel, as it tries to meet its fiscal deficit target.

India, under threat from a slowing economy and a rising subsidy bill, aims to narrow its fiscal deficit to 4.6 per cent of GDP in the current fiscal year from 4.7 per cent a year ago.

The government has been banking on strong economic growth to help meet its deficit target. But a spike in global oil prices and worries over a slowdown in Asia's third-largest economy could upset the fiscal calculations.

'In view of the commitment of the government to carry on the process of fiscal consolidation vigorously and to meet the fiscal and revenue deficit targets announced in the budget 2011-12, there is a need for economy and rationalisation of expenditure,' the finance ministry said in a memorandum.

New Delhi has budgeted spending 1.34 trillion rupees ($30.1 billion) on major subsidies, including fuel and fertiliser in the current fiscal year to end-March 2012. With oil prices showing little sign of moderation, the total spending is expected to be much higher than budgeted levels.

India's decision to raise fuel prices last month is expected to trim revenue losses for state-run oil companies by just 50 billion rupees, to about 1.2 trillion rupees.

Analysts say higher revenue loss for oil companies could widen the government's fiscal deficit to over 5 per cent and force it to resort to higher market borrowings.

Finance ministry officials, however, have been downplaying such concerns, saying the government would devise ways to control expenditure and meet its fiscal gap target.

The memorandum instructed government departments to adhere to expenditure ceilings, refrain from buying new vehicles, and asked top bureaucrats to ensure compliance.

Source : New Age

Eurozone vows to battle debt contagion, rescue Greece

Eurozone finance ministers Monday vowed to beef up a rescue mattress for troubled economies such as Greece as they went to battle to contain debt crisis contagion threatening to engulf Italy and Spain.

After more than eight hours of talks held as the euro-crisis rattled markets, endangering the single currency area, ministers from the 17-nation eurozone agreed a range of measures to end weeks of widening differences that have fed financial uncertainty.

The ministers 'reaffirmed their absolute commitment to safeguard financial stability in the euro area,' in a statement that pledged measures 'to improve the euro area's systemic capacity to resist contagion risk.'

Among them was a move to strengthen the European Financial Stability Fund set up in the aftermath of last year's Greece crisis.

Source : New Age

Euro drops to four-month low against dollar

The euro tumbled to a four-month low against the dollar on Tuesday with global markets plagued by anxiety over whether Greece's debt crisis could spread to larger economies such as Italy and Spain.

The single currency traded at $1.3958 in Tokyo trade, slipping from $1.4029 in New York Monday and at one point hitting a four-month low of $1.3932.

The euro bought 111.82 yen, falling from 112.51 in New York. The dollar was at 80.11 yen, easing from 80.24 yen.

The euro fell even as eurozone finance ministers met in Brussels to discuss a new rescue package for Greece, as fears mounted that Italy or Spain were next after both nations saw their borrowing costs soar on Monday.

The ministers said they would consider measures to 'enhance' the European Financial Stability Facility, the 440 billion euro ($617.1 billion) fund set up to lend to eurozone nations.

International Monetary Fund managing director Christine Lagarde said Monday that Greece's efforts to close its budget gap have gone a long way but are 'not sufficient'.

Lagarde also said the turmoil that has raised fears of an Italian financial meltdown is 'essentially market driven' but said Italy must implement fiscal consolidation and austerity measures to reduce the country's deficit.

Source : New Age

Oil price down in Asia trade

Oil fell in Asian trade on Tuesday as investors were concerned that the worsening eurozone debt crisis could spread to Italy and Spain, analysts said.

New York's main contract, West Texas Intermediate, for delivery in August, fell 56 cents to $94.59 a barrel.

Brent North Sea crude for August shed 62 cents to $116.62 in the afternoon.

'Oil continues to trade down this morning and the main factor is concern over the European debt crisis spreading,' said Victor Shum, an analyst at Purvin and Gertz international energy consultancy in Singapore.

Eurozone finance ministers met in Brussels on Monday to discuss a new rescue package for Greece, as fears mounted that Italy or Spain were next.

Bond yields for the two troubled eurozone countries hit record highs Monday as investors worried they could be the next in line for a bailout, or could possibly default on their debt repayments.

Markets were also still weighed by the weak June jobs data from the US, the world's largest economy and oil consumer, released Friday.

Source : New Age

BoJ lowers Japan growth forecast

The Bank of Japan on Tuesday lowered its real GDP growth forecast for this fiscal year, citing a sharp contraction in production in the immediate aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The BoJ cut its growth forecast for the year ending March 2012 to 0.4 per cent from an earlier 0.6 per cent due to the record earthquake and a tsunami that devastated the northeast coast and sparked a nuclear crisis.

While the central bank upgraded its general view of the economy, saying it is 'picking up' as post-quake supply-side constraints ease, it said growth prospects would be lower than earlier thought for the fiscal year ending March 2012.

It added that earlier projections for 2.9 per cent growth in the year starting April 1, 2012 remain unchanged amid expectations Japan's economy will return to 'a moderate recovery path from the second half of fiscal 2011.'

The board also voted unanimously for the key interest rate to remain unchanged at between zero and 0.1 per cent.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, the BoJ injected a record amount of cash into the banking system and doubled an asset purchase fund to 10 trillion yen ($125 billion), a key policy tool it kept unchanged Tuesday.

Source : New Age

Social business for solving others’ problems: Yunus

Nobel Laureate Muhmmad Yunus said on Tuesday that social business was aimed at solving others' problems by investing funds and getting back the capital without any profits.

The people involved in the traditional business are for only making profits but the social business is driven by social consciousness for solving others' problems, said Yunus at the luncheon meeting organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh at the Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in the capital.

Social business has two features—non-dividend and problem solving business, he said.

'To protect self is the very nature of the human kind but selflessness is also a nature of human being. We are missing the selflessness in the traditional business,' Yunus said.

He said that he had never any intention in his mind to earn profits for himself by lending money to people, even he didn't think of buying a share of Grameen Bank for him.

He said many countries including France, India, Japan and Haiti had collected funds for starting social business in those countries.

He said that he was going to arrange a global conference on social business in November this year, where many academics and politicians including UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon and Barzilan president Dilamah Rouseff would participate.

AmChem executive director A Gafur also addressed the meeting which was chaired by its president Aftab-ul Islam. Chargé d'Affaires of United States mission in Bangladesh John J Danilovich and AmChem vice-president Kahlid Hossain were also present.

Source : New Age

Export earning target set at $26.36b

The target of the country's export earnings for the current fiscal year has been set at $26.36 billion which is 15 per cent higher than the export earnings in the just concluded 2010-2011 financial year.

A meeting at the commerce ministry on Tuesday set higher export target for the current financial year of 2011-2012 at $26,363.04 million in view of robust growth in export earnings in 2010-2011.

The meeting chaired by commerce minister Faruk Khan was told that the country's export earnings in 2010-2011 stood at $22.92 billion, or 41.47 per cent higher than the export earnings of $16.20 billion in 2009-2010.

Export Promotion Bureau officials also said that the export earning in the just concluded year exceeded the target of $18.50 billion by 23.92 per cent.

Representatives of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry and other chambers and officials of the commerce ministry were present at the meeting.

Faruk said that it was a great achievement for the country to register a huge growth in export earnings in the just concluded year and he called upon the business community to take more care of workers who had contributed to the growth.

The meeting, however, was told that out of total 44 foreign missions 18 missions missed the export earning targets.

According to EPB officials, the export earning target for knitwear sector, which is the largest export sector, was set at 1,076.21 million for the current fiscal year and the target for woven garments was set at $952.86 million.

Source : New Age

DGEN hits 3-month high

Dhaka stocks extended gains on Tuesday as a bull run continued for the sixth day on a buying binge following the government's decision of allowing investment of undisclosed money in stocks, market operators said.

DGEN, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, gained 56.00 points, or 0.86 per cent, to close at 6,514.09 points on Tuesday. On Sunday, the index had hit a three-month high at 6,437.50 points.

Turnover of the bourse, however, dropped to Tk 1,418.93 crore on Tuesday from that of Tk 1,581.30 crore in the previous day.

Market operators said the investors, depressed after the December-January stock market collapse, were regaining confidence due to the recent bullish trend.

Salahuddin Ahmed Khan, a professor of finance at Dhaka University, said, 'A continuous rise in share prices in the last few days was acceptable as most of the issues remained under-priced for a long time.'

He said in the present market condition, the market surveillance by the regulators should be strengthened and new IPOs with good fundamentals should be introduced in the market for its stability.

'In that case the market will sustain the upward trend as new IPOs will attract more funds, increase the market depth and prevent it from being overheated,' he added.        

Of the 263 issues traded on Tuesday, 142 advanced, 117 declined, and four remained unchanged.  

Bank, mutual fund and pharmaceutical issues mostly gained on Tuesday.    

Bextex topped the turnover leaders with Tk 68.81 crore. The other turnover leaders were Beximco, One Bank, Aftab Automobiles, United Airways, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, MI Cements, United Commercial Bank, and Shajalal Islami Bank.

Source : New Age

DGEN hits 3-month high

Dhaka stocks extended gains on Tuesday as a bull run continued for the sixth day on a buying binge following the government's decision of allowing investment of undisclosed money in stocks, market operators said.

DGEN, the benchmark index of Dhaka Stock Exchange, gained 56.00 points, or 0.86 per cent, to close at 6,514.09 points on Tuesday. On Sunday, the index had hit a three-month high at 6,437.50 points.

Turnover of the bourse, however, dropped to Tk 1,418.93 crore on Tuesday from that of Tk 1,581.30 crore in the previous day.

Market operators said the investors, depressed after the December-January stock market collapse, were regaining confidence due to the recent bullish trend.

Salahuddin Ahmed Khan, a professor of finance at Dhaka University, said, 'A continuous rise in share prices in the last few days was acceptable as most of the issues remained under-priced for a long time.'

He said in the present market condition, the market surveillance by the regulators should be strengthened and new IPOs with good fundamentals should be introduced in the market for its stability.

'In that case the market will sustain the upward trend as new IPOs will attract more funds, increase the market depth and prevent it from being overheated,' he added.        

Of the 263 issues traded on Tuesday, 142 advanced, 117 declined, and four remained unchanged.  

Bank, mutual fund and pharmaceutical issues mostly gained on Tuesday.    

Bextex topped the turnover leaders with Tk 68.81 crore. The other turnover leaders were Beximco, One Bank, Aftab Automobiles, United Airways, Beximco Pharmaceuticals, MI Cements, United Commercial Bank, and Shajalal Islami Bank.

Source : New Age

LC opening for import rise in FY 11: BB

Despite an increase in the import of essential food items like rice, edible oil and sugar in the just concluded financial year, the prices of the commodities on the local market rose sharply during the period.

The Bangladesh Bank data released on Tuesday showed that letters of credit worth $1,078 million were opened for rice import between July 2010 and June 2011 against $186 million in 2009-2010 financial year.

Letters of credit worth $1,527 million were opened for import of edible oil and $1,120 million for sugar in 2010-2011 against $1,058 million and $783 million respectively in 2009-2010.

Commodities market data, however, showed that the prices of the commodities on local market were much higher in the first week of July than the same period of the previous year.

The prices of different verities of rice increased to between Tk 33 and Tk 54 a kilogram till last week from Tk 30 and Tk 46 a kg in the first week of July in 2010.

The prices of soya bean oil shot up to Tk 110-120 a litre till last week from Tk 84-87 in the first week of July in 2010.

The super palm oil was sold at Tk 104-110 a litre last week against Tk 72-74 a litre during the same period of 2010.

The prices of sugar also increased to Tk 64-66 a kg in the last week from Tk 42- 44 a kg in the first week of July in 2010.

The central bank's data also showed that letters of credit worth $1,349 million were opened for wheat import in 2010-2011 against $1,011 million in 2009-2010.

Source : New Age

HRW calls for Bush trial for war crimes

New York based watchdog, Human Rights Watch in a report on Tuesday called upon governments abroad to prosecute former US president George W Bush and his former senior cabinet colleagues for war crimes because the Obama administration was avoiding the responsibility.

In the 107-page report HRW said that Bush, former vice president Dick Cheney, former defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former CIA director George Tenet could be prosecuted under the 1996 War Crimes Act and other laws.

'There are solid grounds to investigate Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Tenet for authorising torture and war crimes,' said HRW executive director Kenneth Roth.

HRW said in its report that 'enough strong evidence' was available from official information made public in last five years which suggest that these officials authorised and oversaw widespread and serious violations of US and international law and they failed to act to stop mistreatment, or punish those responsible after they became aware of serious abuses.

An investigation is necessary, it said, 'if the US hopes to wipe out the stain of Abu Gharib and Guntanamo and reaffirm the rule of law.'

The report said that the Bush administration stands accused of approving waterboarding, authorising the secret prisons of CIA, carrying out illegal abduction, torture and transfer of detainees to other countries where they were tortured.

HRW called for an investigation, because it became abundantly clear that the Obama administration has not lived up to its responsibilities to investigate the cases.

It said tat the US was legally obliged to investigate the top functionaries of the Bush administration for war crimes such as torture, abduction and other mistreatment of prisoners.

The report, 'Getting Away with Torture: The Bush Administration and Mistreat-ment of Detainees' cites substantial information warranting criminal investigations of Bush and his senior officials.

It said that the Bush administration's legal team was part of the conspiracy in preparing opinions authorising abuses which were illegal under US and international laws.

It called for examining the roles played by Bush's national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, and the then attorney general, John Ashcroft, and administration lawyers in crafting the legal justifications for torture.

'If the US government does not pursue credible criminal investigations, other countries should prosecute US officials involved in crimes against detainees in accordance with international law,' says the report.

'President Obama has treated torture as an unfortunate policy choice rather than a crime. His decision to end abusive interrogation practices will remain easily reversible unless the legal prohibition against torture is clearly re-established,' said Roth.

The report said president Bush had publicly admitted that in two cases he approved the use of waterboarding.

He also authorised the 'illegal CIA secret detention and renditions programmes, under which detainees were held incommunicado and frequently transferred to countries such as Egypt and Syria where they were likely to be tortured'.

The report identifies Bush's second man, Dick Cheney as the driving force behind the establishment of illegal detention and interrogation policies, chairing key meetings at which specific CIA operations were discussed, including the waterboarding of one detainee, Abu Zubaydah, in 2002.

It said defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld had approved illegal interrogation methods and closely followed the interrogation of Mohamed al-Qahtani, who was subjected to a six-week regime of coercive interrogation at Guantanamo that cumulatively appears to have amounted to torture.

It said that CIA director George Tenet authorised and oversaw the CIA's use of waterboarding, stress positions, light and noise bombardment, sleep deprivation, and other abusive interrogation methods, as well as the CIA rendition program.

Source : New Age

HC rejects Tarique’s petition for ‘not being pressed’

The High Court on Tuesday rejected, 'for not being pressed', a petition filed by Khaleda Zia's eldest son Tarique Rahman for revision of the lower court's order that had accepted his money-laundering case for trial.

The bench of Justice AKM Fazlur Rahman and Justice Sheikh Md Zakir Hossain passed the order as Tarique's counsel, Ahsanul Karim, told the court that his client had instructed him not to press the petition.

After the order, attorney general Mahbubey Alam told reporters that the prosecution now faces no legal bar in proceeding with Tarique's case.

A defence lawyer of the panel handling Tarique's case, however, said that another petition relating to the case would be filed in a different forum.

During the hearing, the court pointed out that Tarique had no legal right to challenge any order of the trial court before surrendering to the court as he is neither on bail nor under arrest. Tarique was in London long before the filing of the case, it added.

In accordance with our law, the petitioner must surrender to the court, which had ordered him to appear before it on July 25, to get legal benefit in the case, observed the court, citing a decision of the Appellate Division.

Tarique's lawyer argued that Tarique did not have to surrender before the trial to file the petition as the ACC, in the money laundering case, had said that the accused remained abroad for medical treatment with the permission of the court and the government.

'We cannot make a mistake even if the prosecution does so. The fact is that the petitioner is now a fugitive in the eye of the law although he went abroad before the filing of this case,' said the court.

At this stage of the argument, Ahsanul Karim told the court, 'My client has instructed me not to proceed with the matter.'

Source : New Age

Sohag, Alam elected new BCL president, secy

Badiuzzaman Sohag and Siddique Nazmul Alam were on Monday elected the new president and general secretary of Bangladesh Chhatra League, an associate body of the ruling Awami League.

Sohag, library secretary of the outgoing committee polled 1,690 votes while his nearest rival Monwarul Islam Masud, organising secretary of the Dhaka University unit, got 521votes. Alam, a joint secretary of the previous committee, was elected general secretary polling 1,571 votes. His nearest rival Shamsul Kabir Rahat, general secteray of Sergeant Zahurul Haq Hall, got 546 votes.

The elections were held after the two-day council session of the BCL that began at the Bangabandhu International Convention Centre in the city on Sunday.

A total of eight candidates vied for the post of BCL president post while 16 candidates contested the polls for the post of general secretary.

A total of  2,376 councillors cast their votes to elect the organisation's new president and general secretary for a two-year term.

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, on Sunday inaugurated the two-day council session of BCL, held after about five years.

Though there is a provision for holding council session every two years, the last council was held on April 4, 2006.

A full-fledged committee of the organisation will be announced later.

The age-limit of BCL members was fixed at 29 years this year like in the last council session.

Source : New Age

42th death anniv of Dr Muhammad Shahidullah today

The 42 death anniversary of educationist, writer and philologist Dr Muhammad Shahidullah will be observed today.

Shahidullah, who showed that Bangla originated from Gaudi or Magdhi Prakrit, not from Sanskrit, died on July 13, 1969 in Dhaka.

Different literary and cultural organisations have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day.

The Bangla Academy organises a commemoration ceremony on the occasion in its seminar room at 4:00pm today.

Shahidullah was the first to note that Charyapada was completely written in Bangla and to highlight the religious philosophy of the work.

He learnt Urdu, Persian and Arabic at home and Sanskrit in school. He went to Europe for higher studies in 1926, and learnt Vedic Sanskrit, Buddhist Sanskrit, comparative philology, and Tibetan and ancient Persian language at the University of Paris, and ancient Khotni, ancient Vedic Sanskrit and Prakrit at Freiburg University in Germany.

Source : New Age

Altaf Hossain dies

Former primary school headmaster Mohammad Altaf Hossain, father of Awami League information and research secretary Afzal Hossain, died of old-age complications at his residence in Dhaka on Tuesday.

He was 75, his family said.

Altaf Hossain is survived by his wife, five sons and four daughters.

He will be buried at his village graveyard at Kacha Bunia in Patuakhali.

Source : New Age

Court rejects case against Sahara, Tuku

A Dhaka court has rejected a case against some 400 people, including the home minister, the state minister and the inspector general of police, filed by a BNP leader for the July 4 'police action' on a party procession.

Magistrate Harun-or-Rashid of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court on Tuesday noon rejected the case after hearing, hours after it was filed.

BNP central committee member ANM Abed Raja filed the case against 400 people, including home minister Sahara Khatun, her deputy Shamsul Haque Tuku and IGP Hasan Mahmud Khandker.

Most of the accused in the case were unnamed police personnel.

Pro-Awami League lawyers brought out a jubilant procession after the dismissal of the case.

Raja alleged that the police had charged baton on a 'peaceful' procession of the party in front of its Naya Paltan headquarters on July 4, leaving him and several party leaders and activists injured.

The police said the demonstrations were organised without permission.

The BNP tried to hold the procession, followed by a rally, protesting against the indictment of party senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case, they said.

Source : New Age

Schoolgirl commits ‘suicide’ over dowry

A schoolgirl, who allegedly took poison over dowry on Monday night, died on Tuesday evening at Dimla Upazila Health Complex in Nilphamari.

The deceased was Maya Rani Roy, daughter of Suresh Chandra Roy of village Ruphara of Balapara union at Dimla. She was a student of class VII of Dimla Girls' High School.

Family members of the victims said that Madhab Chandra Roy, son of Dayal Chnadra Roy of Noutara union at Dimla, married Maya Rani Roy secretly three months ago. After marriage Maya was residing at her father's house. When the both families had been informed the incident, the family members of Madhab demanded Tk 1 lakh as dowry to the victim's father. But the victim's father Suresh Chandra Roy had failed to give the money.

Three arbitrations were held at the village to solve the problem. But seeing no way of solution Maya Rani Roy committed suicide taking poison at her father's house on Monday night, the victim's family members said.

The family members took Maya to Dimla Upazila Health Complex where she died on Tuesday morning, the sources said.

The husband of the victim went into hiding after the incident.

The Dimla thana officer-in-charge, Sukumar Mohanta, said that no case had been filed with the thana.

Source : New Age

Sahara for ample scope for disabled

The home minister, Sahara Khatun, emphasised ample scope for the people with disabilities that they could contribute more for the country.

She was addressing the 3-day 9th national leadership training seminar for the people with disabilities organised by the Bangladesh Protibandhi Kallyan Somity at its office in the capital, said a press release.

Sahara Khatun said the government would soon take effective measures for the development of the people with disabilities.

Social welfare director general M Moshiur Rahman said the students with disabilities who took part in the Secondary School Certificate examinations of 2011 achieved a very good result.

A total of 50 people with disabilities across the country took part in the seminar, the release said.

BPKS chairman M Mojahar Ali present, among others.

Source : New Age

RUETTA forms new body

The Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology Teachers' Association formed a new executive body through elections on Tuesday.

The ruling Awami League backed Blue panel secured six of the nine posts and the White panel, led by Progressive Teacher's Society, got only two posts while the post of the president remained withheld as two candidates, Nirendranath Mustafi of the Blue panel and Tarifuddin Ahmed of the White, reached a tie.

White panellist SM Abdur Rajjak of electrical and electronics engineering department was elected general secretary.

A total of 89 votes out of 90 were cast in the polls.

Source : New Age

Destination Thailand Fair on July 14

The Destination Thailand Fair in Bangladesh 2011 is going to be held in the capital on July 14 with exclusive discounts and special deals on ticket, holiday and medical packages to Thailand and Thai products.

The 3-day fair is going to be organised by Thai embassy in Dhaka, Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Tourism authority of Thailand, Commission on Higher Education of Thailand and other local importers, distributors and sellers of Thai products and services in Bangladesh.

Thai ambassador Tasanawadee Miancharoen disclosed these at a press conference at her office in Dhaka on Tuesday.

She said that the fair would promote Thailand as a grand destination for Bangladeshi travellers for shopping, healthcare, tourism, higher education and business purposes.

At the fair people would get Thai visa consultation opportunity and submission of Thai visa applications, she added.

Thai Trade Centre director Usa Wijarurn said that the fair would provide free consultation on higher education in Thailand.

The fair would be held on July 14 to 16 on the embassy ground, she added.

Source : New Age

Demonstrators demand punishment of Mariam’s killers

Ethnic minority people and right activists on Tuesday in Rajshahi demanded punishment of the alleged rapists and killers of Mariam Murmu, a woman of Santal community.

The demand came from a human chain participated by Jatiya Adibasi Parishad, Adibasi Cultural Development Organisation, Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, Barindra Unnoyan Forum and other human rights organisations.

The programme, held at Shaheb Bazar Zero Point in the Rajshahi city, was also attended by leaders from different left political parties, cultural activists and ethnic minority students from Rajshahi University and Rajshahi College.

The speakers at the programme said that Bangladesh had become the graveyard for ethnic minority people and castigated the successive governments for their failure to punish the criminals, guilty of torture, rape and murder of ethnic minority people in the past.

Urging the Rajshahi police super to immediately arrest the killers of Mariam, they threatened that they would launch a tougher movement otherwise.

Later they had also held a procession that marched through the major points of the city.

Jatiya Adibasi Parishad president Anil Marandy and Rajshahi district unit president Bimal Chandra Razoar, Barind Development Forum general secretary Faizullah Chowdhury and project coordinator Roksana Ferdousi, ADAB Rajshahi president Zalal Uddin Ahmed, Mahila Parishad Rajshahi district chapter general secretary Kalpana Ray, Niskrity Foundation director SKL Mohammad Lalon, Astha Network secretary Debashish Pramanik Debu and Adibasi Cultural Development Organisation Rajkumar Shao addressed the programme, among others.

On July 10 the police recovered the body of Mariam Murmu, 48, widow of Hopna Mardi, at Shimla Dighipara village under Godagari upazila in Rajshahi.

Her son filed a murder case, mentioning his paternal uncle Biswanath Marandi as a major suspect as he had a long-standing dispute over land with Mariam.

Source : New Age

Viqarunnisa protests continue

Students of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and their guardians continued their protests on Tuesday demanding punishment of Parimal Jayadhar, a teacher of the institution arrested on charge of raping

a student, and resignation of the college principal, Husne Ara Begum, for defending the accused.

Several civic forums and left-leaning political organisations on Tuesday also held protests demanding punishment of Parimal and investigation into why the school authorities were late in taking action against the accused.

Non-political organisation Spardha held a rally at the Central Shaheed Minar to push for the demands.

Politicians, academics, women leaders, rights activities, students, teachers and guardians attended the rally

Jahangirnagar University teacher Anu Muhammad, rights activist Rahnuma Ahmed, Ganasanghati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Mukti Council leader Foezul Hakim, Dhaka University teacher Kaberi Gayen and women leader Sara Zaker attended the protest rally, chaired by Spardha's president JSA Marcel.

Anu demanded formation of anti-repression committees in every educational institution in keeping with a High Court verdict.

'The students must lead the movements against rapists,' Rahnuma said. She said that it should be investigated why the school authorities tried to save the teachers who are accused.

Several hundred students of Viqarunnisa and others educational institutions also attended the rally.

In the morning, guardians of Viqarunnisa students brought out a procession at the main campus of the school on Bailey Road. They shouted slogans demanding principal's resignation. 'Our protest will continue until the principal resigns,' said Faisal Babu, a guardian.

A similar protest was organised at the Bashundhara and Azimpur campuses. Several hundred students and guardians brought out a procession at the Bashundhara campus.

Policemen and Rapid Action Battalion personnel were deployed at the place during the protests.

At main campus, HSC students boycotted classes but stayed on the campus. Teachers wore black badges.

Parimal Jayadhar a teacher of Bangla at the school's Bashundhara campus, allegedly abused a girl and videoed it with his mobile. He admitted doing so in his statement on Monday.

There were allegations against Husne Ara Begum that she was defending Parimal even after the girl lodged a complaint in writing.

The Progressing Teachers' Forum formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding punishment of Parimal.

The teachers also demanded investigation into the allegation that school authorities had tried to save the accused.

Samajtantrik Mahila Parishad also formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club to push for the same demand.

They also demanded investigation into the allegation about the delay by the school authorities in taking action and the allegation of trying to save the accused.

The principal told New Age that she had no plans to resign from her position. 'I did not do any wrong. Why should I resign?' she said.

She said that she had just executed the decision of the managing committee. 'If it is said that we have been late in taking action, the managing committee is responsible for it. I only just execute the decision of the managing committee,' she said.

Source : New Age

BNP’s mass hunger strike today

The acting secretary general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday expressed his fear that the government might obstruct the party's hunger strike it has planned to hold in the capital today.

The BNP is holding the mass hunger strike at the Institution of Engineers in the capital in protest at police assault on the opposition chief whip, 'torture' on party activists during the

July 6–7 general strike and in demand for annulment of the 15th amendment to the constitution.

The leader of the opposition in the parliament, Khaleda Zia, also the BNP chairperson, is scheduled to lead the hunger strike between 10:00am and 6:00pm.

'The government has for long been obstructing our programmes. We were not allowed even to form human chains. So we fear that the government may try to obstruct our hunger strike,' Fakhrul said in response to a question after he had visited the Institution of Engineers to oversee the preparation for the hunger strike.

'The hunger strike to be led by Khaleda Zia will continue from 10:00am to 6:00pm,' Fakhrul said.

He hoped that leaders of like-minded political parties, professional bodies and democratically-oriented people would join the hunger strike to protect 'democracy and people's right to franchise.'

BNP vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman, joint secretaries general Amanullah Aman and Barkatullah Bulu and Dhaka city unit member secretary Abdus Salam accompanied Fakhrul.

Source : New Age

Saudi Arabia may recruit more Bangladeshis

Saudi Arabia will consider taking more workers in farm and other sectors from Bangladesh, the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, told the Bangladesh foreign minister, Dipu Moni, in Jeddah on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia will also ease restrictions on allowing changes in iqama (work permit) of Bangladeshi workers, he said.

The Saudi minister said this at a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart at the foreign ministry in Jeddah. Dipu Moni was in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on a four-day official visit.

Saudi Arabia will require more workers in different sectors, including farm, Dipu Moni quoted the Saudi minister as saying at a meeting in Jeddah.

A good number of them can be taken from Bangladesh, he said.

Prince Faisal also appreciated Bangladeshi workers' playing a role in the economy and development of his country. 'We are happy with them,' he said.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia now takes new workers from Bangladesh on a 'limited' scale. At least, two million Bangladeshis are

now working in Saudi Arabia.

Dipu Moni informed Prince Al-Faisal of the measures taken by the Bangladesh government to improve the process of migration including increasing skills of Bangladeshi workers and stopping fraud and harassment in sending workers abroad. 

As the Bangladesh minister stressed the need for reactivating the joint economic commission of the two countries, Prince Faisal said the two governments could work together to involve the private sector in expediting economic cooperation, including boosting trade and investments.

The two governments can support the apex bodies of chambers of commerce and industries of respective countries to work together to boost bilateral trade and investments, he said.

Dipu Moni requested her counterpart to use his good office to import ceramic, readymade garments, frozen food and pharmaceutical and other products from Bangladesh. 'Bangladesh can provide quality ceramic, readymade garments, frozen food and pharmaceutical products at competitive prices,' she said.

Saud Al-Faisal said that quality was much more important than prices.

Dipu Moni also said that Saudi investors could take the advantage of facilities in export processing zones in Bangladesh.

She sought Saudi support for Bangladesh in getting a berth in the United Nations Security Council in the non-permanent category for 2016–2017.

The Saudi minister also sought Bangladesh's support for getting a berth in the UNSC in the non-permanent category for 2014–2015.

Dipu Moni invited Prince Faisal to visit Bangladesh. He accepted the proposal and said that he would visit Dhaka at a time convenient for both the sides.

'Bangladesh is a beautiful country…. Rain is very beautiful there. I'll be happy to be there once again,' he said.  

The Saudi minister also inquired about the health of the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina.

Source : New Age

Schools mourn the dead today

Educational institutions across the country will mourn today the deaths of 44 schoolboys in a truck plunge at Mirsarai in Chittagong on Monday.

The education ministry on Tuesday directed teachers, students, officials and staff of the institutions to wear black badges and pray for the eternal peace of the departed souls, said an official handout.

Black flags flew over all houses at Mayani and Maghadia of Mirsarai on Tuesday as the villagers mourned the schoolboys who died in the highway tragedy, one of the worst in recent memory.

There was a heart-rending scene in the area as mourners gathered at Abu Torab Bahumukhi High School ground in the morning. Students of the school sobbed as they recalled memories of the dead. Some of the students fainted in grief and were taken to hospital.

Families of the deceased, students, teachers and locals, wearing black badges, gathered on the premises where a rally was organised as part of the three-day mourning announced by the local administration.

The minister for education Nurul Islam Nahid and minister for industries Dilip Barua attended the programme and tried to

console the mourners.

The ministers could not hold tears as they spoke to a crowd of mourners at Abu Torab High School ground.   

'The president is shocked, the prime minister is shocked and we, the entire nation, mourn the tragic deaths of so many of our children in a single accident,' said the ministers said extending their sympathies to the families, teachers, students and the people of Mirsarai.         

'The whole nation shares your grief. You will get all necessary assistance from government,' said Nahid.

The ministers said a memorial plaque would be set up for the deceased students apart from providing Tk 35 thousand to each of the families of the victims as assistance.  

They also visited families of a number of victims and consoled them.

The Mirsarai upazila nirbahi officer, Sayed Kutub, said all educational institutions, government and non-government offices had been directed to fly the national flag at half-mast to mourn the deceased.

The 44 victims, mostly students of Abu Torab High School, Abu Torab Primary School and Abu Torab Fazil Madrasha, were returning home after watching a football match at Mirsarai stadium, when the tragedy struck.

Zafar Sadek, headmaster of Abu Torab High School, told reporters that more than  half of the deceased were students of his school and a number of them were very promising students.

Source : New Age

Jt census in enclaves begins tomorrow

The much-awaited joint headcounts in enclaves along the Bangladesh-India border is set to begin on July 14 aimed at exchanging land-locked areas between the two neighbours, officials said.

The home minister, Sahara Khatun, on Tuesday directed the local administrations concerned to take appropriate measures to smoothly conduct the headcounts in the enclaves — 111 in the Bangladesh territory belonging to India and 51 in the Indian territory belonging to Bangladesh.

She asked the administrations to take precautions so that nothing untoward could take place centring on the first-ever census in the enclaves, a senior home ministry official said.

She gave the directives at a coordination meeting on matters relating to enclaves, adversely possessed lands and undemarcated land boundary, with local administrators that included Rangpur divisional commissioner and all the deputy commissioners of four districts — Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Panchagarh.

Neither India nor Bangladesh has any clear information on their citizens living in the land-locked areas under their respective jurisdiction.

The home secretary, Abdus Sobhan Sikder, told New Age that the joint headcount in the enclaves was scheduled to take place in July 14–16.

The divisional commissioner of Rangpur, Jasim Uddin Ahmed, has been asked to coordinate the headcounts from the Bangladesh side.

Enclave inhabitants are confined to small pieces of land on which neither India nor Bangladesh has any administrative control as the areas of one country are separated by the land of the other.

The headcounts will be conducted under the supervision of a joint boundary working group set up by the two neighbours as part of an initiative to resolve the decade-old issues relating to the adversely possessed land, enclaves and 6.5 kilometres of undemarcated land boundary with India, the officials said.

The home ministry early this week sought a fund of Tk 26 crore from the finance ministry for conducting the headcounts.

The home ministry's joint secretary (political) Kamal Uddin Ahmed, who is leading the joint boundary working group from the Bangladesh side, said that the headcount in the enclaves would be conducted to implement the Mujib-Indira land boundary agreement signed between the two countries in 1974.

He said that a major decision was expected on the matter during the visit of India's prime minister Manmohan Singh to Dhaka in September.

The enumerators would fill in a simple form with basic information on the enclave people such as name, father's name, age and profession so that the move does not panic them, an official concerned said.

A joint survey is also being conducted in the adversely possessed land along the border to pave the way for resolution of all outstanding border problems during Manmohan Singh's official visit.

Both the governments have decided in principle to sign a deal on the exchange of the enclaves, according to officials. 

Most people in Indian enclaves surrounded by the Bangladesh territory identify themselves as Bangladesh citizens and many of them have already managed to get national identity cards taking the advantage of lax local administration.

'Now we are neither under India nor under Bangladesh. We want implementation of the Mujib-Indira land boundary treaty and the Indian enclaves should be part of Bangladesh,' said Md Ramzan Ali, 66, who is a member on the India-Bangladesh Enclaves Exchange Coordination Committee.

A number of enclave residents have told New Age that they have constructed houses inside Bangladesh just to live as human beings as they cannot enter the Indian mainland.

Although these people, mostly farmers, are denied all kinds of government facilities, many of them enjoy a kind of 'lawlessness.' They cultivate land free of taxes and can sell the without any authentic records, according to the enclave residents.

They said that the people of Bangladeshi enclaves surrounded by India could not move to the mainland India as freely as their counterparts here could do.

There are 111 Indian enclaves in Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Nilphamari, whereas 51 Bangladeshi enclaves are in Cooch Behar, the home affairs ministry's records show. Fifty-one Indian enclaves are in Lalmonirhat alone.

Source : New Age