Bangladesh: 7 killed in violence as blockade begins

At least seven people, including a paramilitary soldier, were killed and several hundred injured as opposition activists battled with lawmen, attacked rivals, torched and vandalised vehicles and government offices and removed rail tracks on Tuesday to enforce a 48-hour rail-road-waterway blockade across the country. 

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance enforced the 48-hour blockade that began at 6:00am on Tuesday in protests against the announcement of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls by the Election Commission for holding ‘unilateral’ polls before reaching an understanding over the election-time administration.

The railway was made a major target of Tuesday’s vandalism as protesters uprooted tracks, removed fishplates causing derailments and tried to set fire to carriages forcing railway authorities to suspend the service of Demu trains. Several intercity trains got stranded at places for uprooting of tracks.

Pickets torched three carriages of Dhaka-bound ‘Sirajganj Express’ at Ishwardi railway station around 7:00am, halting train service on Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Rajshahi routes. The Netrakona-bound Haor Express derailed at Shyamganj as fishplates were removed. Thirty people were injured as six carriages and the locomotive of Dhaka-bound Agnibina Express derailed at a place between Rajendrapur and Jaidebpur stations around 10:30pm as pickets removed fishplates.

Rail tracks were uprooted on Akhaura-Gangabari, Imambari-Gangabari and Imambari-Kasba routes snapping Dhaka-Chittagong train service. Five trains got stranded at Akhaura for uprooting of tracks.

Road links between Dhaka and outlying areas remained snapped as no buses operated on long routes and trucks carrying goods got stranded at places after opposition activists blocked stretches of major highways with logs.

A pedestrian Sakman Ali, 40, died from suffocation after inhaling tear gas used by the police during clashes with BNP-Jamaat supporters at Jagai’s Crossing in Sirajganj, Juba League leader Mahmudul Hasan Babul, 32, was lynched by Jamaat-Shibir men at Alaipur in Kalaroa in Satkhira, and rickshaw-puller Babul Miah, 45, was killed in police firing at Daulatganj Dighir Par in Laksam of Comilla, Juba Dal leader Yusuf Ali died allegedly in police firing at Banani of Shahjahanpur in Bogra, Border Guard Bangladesh soldier Ripon Hossain was shot dead by opposition activists in Comilla, Swechchhasebak League leader Rabiul Islam was hacked to death by Jamaat-Shibir men at Deara Bazar of Kalaroa and CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Dulal Miah, 35, died after being struck by a stone

hurled at him by opposition activists in Feni town on the first day of the blockade.

Election offices also came under attack from opposition activists who set fire to election offices in Feni, Khulna and Bogra.

Border Guard Bangladesh soldier Ripon Hossain, 35, was killed and 10 others, including three policemen, were injured when villagers attacked a group of law enforcers in South Chartha-Taltoli Chowmohani area in Comilla around 4:30pm.

Ripon with bullet wounds was pronounced dead after being taken to Comilla Medical College Hospital. Two bullets pierced his head. 

Additional police superintendent Ali Asraf Bhuyain said the villagers had attacked law enforcers when they went to South Chartha village around 4:30pm to hand over the body of Delawar Hossain, who died on Monday, to his family.

Delwar, a human hauler driver, died in hospital after being injured in clashes with police in Kandirpar area on Monday. Comilla unit Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal genaral sectetary Kawser Ahmed said that Delwar was an activist of the organisation.

In Sirajganj, Sakman Ali died in a clinic after falling sick inhaling tear gas during clashes between the police and blockade enforcers at Jagai’s crossing while passing by on bicycle. 

Sirajganj additional superintendent of police Moktar Hossain confirmed the death. The opposition activists blocked the Jagai’s crossing in the town and fought pitched battles with the police exploding crude bombs. They also torched and damaged two trucks in Maalpara area.

Activists of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir lynched Juba League leader Mahmudul Hasan Babul when he came face to face with a violent procession of the Islamists at Alaipur in Kalaroa upazila around 11:00am.  

Jamaat-Shibir men hacked Swechchhasebak League leader Rabiul Islam at Deara Bazar of Kalaroa when Awami League activists were damaging shops at the market in protest at Babul’s killing.

Satkhira witnessed a wave of violence as Jamaat-Shibir men fought running battles with police forcing the lawmen to fire more than 100 shots to disperse the protesters. At least 100 people were injured in the clashes.

Jaidev Chowdhury, additional police superintendent in Satkhira, said police had to fire 107 shots to control the situation. Reinforcements have been despatched to the troubled bordering area and eight Jamaat men have been arrested.  

Rickshaw-puller Babul Miah was killed and 10 people were injured as police opened fire on the blockade enforcers who clashed with the police at Daulatganj Dighir Par in Laksham in the morning.   

The fighting broke out when opposition activists tried to block a road stretch in Daulatganj Dighir Par area. Police opened fire to disperse the pickets triggering the clashes that left at least 20 people injured, five of them hit by bullets. 

The local unit of BNP claimed the deceased as their leader but Laksham police officer-in-charge Abul Khayer said that the rickshaw-puller was shot dead by Jamaat-Shibir activists.

Juba Dal leader Yusuf Ali died allegedly in police firing at Banani of Shahjahanpur near Bogra town. The opposition activists brought out a procession on Dhaka-Rangpur highway and clashes broke out after a crude bomb was thrown at the police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel deployed on the outskirts of Bogra town in the afternoon. The joint forces retaliated by firing gunshots leaving Yusuf dead on the spot, witnesses said.  

Violence erupted in the town as the opposition activists attacked lawmen, set fire to the house of Azizul Huq College principal Dipendranath Das, attacked houses of judges and vandalised and torched a large number of vehicles and business establishments. Pickets put blockade at places from Naimile of Shahjahanpur to Mahasthangarh.

More than 50 people, including two police officers, were injured in the violence and 12 people were arrested with crude bombs and bottles filled with petrol.

CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Dulal Mia, 35, died at Feni General Hospital after being hit by stones thrown by pickets on Shahid Sahidullah Kaiser Road in Feni town.

Feni police officer-in-charge Md Moazzem Hossain said that Dulal was fatally wounded after stones struck him in the head around 7:30pm. He died in hospital around 9:30pm due to profuse bleeding, said Moazzem.

The blockade was observed in Dhaka in the style of a general strike. CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Sabed Ali was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital with 15 per cent of his body burnt after pickets set fire to his three- wheeler in Hatirpul area. Sabed said that he had dropped a passenger in front of Eastern Plaza around 12:30pm when miscreants poured petrol on the auto-rickshaw and set it ablaze. 

Two drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaw and human hauler suffered appalling burns in arson attack on their vehicles in Mouchak and Banasri area in the evening. Physicians at DMCH said human hauler driver Mozammel was fighting for life in the hospital with 80 per cent of his body burnt.

Mozammel said some pickets had stopped his vehicle in front of the Bata showroom at Banasri, poured petrol on it and set it ablaze. The passengers managed to escape but he was trapped inside. 

Two more CNG-run auto-rickshaws were torched in Naya Paltan area in the evening.

A Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Enayetur Rahim and Justice Mohammad Ullah left the courtroom in the face of demonstration from opposition leaning lawyers during the blockade hours. 

A ward office of the ruling Awami League was set on fire by pickets at Azampur in the city’s Uttara around 9:20am.   

Rickshaws and auto-rickshaws dominated the city streets in the morning. However, no long-route buses left Mohakhali, Saydabad and Gabtali terminals fearing vandalism.   

Large contingents of police backed by RAB and BGB remained on guard on the city streets.   

Crude bombs went off across the city particularly at Mouchak, Basabo, Tikatuli, Gabtali, Abdullahpur and Uttara. The blockade enforcers set fire to a portion of rail track at Azampur.

Arson and vandalism took place near Asma Ali GNG filling station at Matuail few hours before the beginning of the blockade. 

Two helpers of a covered van sustained injuries when miscreants vandalised their parked vehicles on the spot, said Maksud, a helper of the van.

At Aminbazar, blockade enforcers clashed with police and vandalised at least three vehicles on Dhaka-Aricha highway in the morning.

Opposition activists blasted a crude bomb near BNP central office at Naya Paltan around 11:15am. Police retaliated by firing in the air.

The city commuters suffered immensely for lack of public transport. After sunset, major streets in the capital which usually remain abuzz with heavy traffic turned deserted.   

Three journalists were injured as miscreants exploded bombs at Naya Paltan in front of the BNP office. Online news portal banglanews24.com staff reporter Sajeda Sweety, Independent Television cameraperson Chandan and SA TV cameraperson Mahmud were injured when four or five bombs went off around 7:30pm. They were taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that they had arrested nine pickets in connection with the violence.

The correspondent in Tangail said BNP men had blocked Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge highway at Ashokpur. A large number of trucks carrying goods got stranded on the highway.

The correspondent in Sylhet said at least 35 activists of BNP were injured as they clashed with police in Sylhet. The police and RAB.arrested 23 activists. 

Pickets blocked the Sylhet-Dhaka highway at Rashidpur under Dakkhin Surma upazila in the morning triggering clashes with the police charging batons to disperse the protesters. 

In Noakhali, police fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse a crowd of protesters vandalising offices of bank branches business establishments at Maizdi.

In Gazipur, pickets vandalised five vehicles in Kaliganj upazila.  Train services on the Dhaka-Khulna and Dhaka-Rajshahi routes remained suspended for nearly three hours.  

In Meherpur, 18-party activists put up barricade at Kathipara intersection on the Meherpur-Kathuli road, Bandar intersection of the Meherpur-Mujibnagar road and at Rajnagar Bazar point of Meherpur-Chuadanga road in the morning by placing logs and burning tyres.   

In Lalmonirhat, 18-party activists blocked railway in Mohendranagar area of sadar upazila in the morning. (source) 

Bangladesh: Civil society team urges president to intervene

Six representatives of the civil society on Tuesday night told president Abdul Hamid that democracy could be in danger if the general election was held without participation of the main opposition.  

Expressing concern over the volatile political situation, the delegation led by jurist Kamal Hossain sought intervention of the president to overcome the situation. 

After the one and a half hour meeting with the president, former caretaker government adviser Akbar Ali Khan told newsmen at the Bangabhaban gate that they had met the president and expressed their concern but made no specific recommendations. 

Ihsanul Karim Helal, press secretary to the president, told newsmen that 

the president had given the delegation a patient hearing and told them that he would convey the message to all concerned.  

`The civil society members expressed their concern over the current situation and sought informal intervention of the president to overcome the crisis,’ Ihsanul said adding, ‘The president told them that he would convey the message to all concerned.’  

The delegation included former caretaker government advisers Jamilur Reza Chowdhury and Sultana Kamal; lawyer Shahdeen Malik and Citizens for Good Governance general gecretary Badiul Alam Majumder.

Asked whether the delegation had a plan to met with prime minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia, Akbar Ali Khan said, `They are political rivals, so they have no solution and that is why we went to the president’.  

`We have expressed our concern to the president and said that democracy could be in danger if the election is held without participation of main opposition BNP,’ Akbar Ali Khan said adding, `We must save democracy. We all want a neutral election.’ 

‘The president told us that due to his constitutional limitations he would not be able to take any formal steps. Any step taken by the president would be informal,’ said the former bureaucrat. 

`The president alone cannot give a solution. The political parties have responsibilities too,’ he said. 

Akbar Ali said that they had told the president that they were ready to offer advice if needed. 

Kamal Hossain told newsmen that they had met the president on their own but each of them represented different organisations and had different identities. 

The meeting with the president started around 6:30pm. The civil society delegation came to the Bangabhaban in two white cars of the same brand. 

Sultana Kamal said that they had taken the initiative with confidence that a solution would come. ‘We will be trying for a soulution,’ she said. 

The Election Commission on Monday announced that the 10th parliamentary election would take place on January 5.

The opposition alliance quickly rejected the election schedule and enforced a 48-hour road-rail-waterway blockade from 6:00am Tuesday. (source)

Bangladesh: Most political parties say won’t join polls

Thirteen political parties registered with the Election Commission, including the Awami League, are going to contest the 10th parliamentary polls while 19 registered political parties have said they will not participate in the election unless there is a non-party or neutral election-time government.

There are forty-one registered political parties in the country.  

Four of the parties have told New Age that they had yet to make a decision, and attempts to contact five political parties using the telephone numbers provided by the Election Commission were not successful.

The chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, on Monday announced the schedule for the 10th parliamentary election setting January 5 as the polling day.

Apart from the seven political parties registered with the Election Commission which are part of the Awami League led alliance – Awami League, Jatiya Party, Ganatantry Party, Samyabadi Dal, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal and National Awami Party – leaders of five other parties said that they would also contest the polls.

The five are – Jatiya Party (Manju) , Zaker Party, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Bangladesh Islamic Front, Bangladesh Sangskritik Mukti Jote and Bangladesh Nationalist Front.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the opposition alliance would not contest the next election without a polls-time caretaker government.

The opposition alliance includes 12 registered political parties – Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Jatiya Party BJP, Liberal Democratic Party, Islami Oikya Jote, National People’s Party, Bangladesh Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Islami Oikya Jote,  Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Muslim League.

Leaders of seven other political parties also told New Age that they would not contest the polls.

The seven parties include the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the Socialist Party of Bangladesh, 

Gana Forum, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Revolutionary Workers Party and Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

Leaders of Bangladesh Muslim League, Pragatishil Ganatantrik Dal, Bangladesh Jatiya Party and Oikyabaddha Nagarik Andolan have said they have yet to decide whether to join the polls.

The country is in the midst of political turmoil as the two major political alliances have not yet reached a consensus over the nature of the election-time government. 

The opposition alliance has for many months been demanding the restoration of the caretaker government to oversee parliamentary polls and said that it would not only boycott the ‘unilateral’ polls, but would also resist them.

The CEC made a clarion call for all political parties to come to an understanding over the polls in the greater interest the country and its people. 

A total of 9,19,66,290 voters – of them 4,58,42,972 women – are eligible to exercise their franchise this time to elect their representatives in parliament.

Ruling Awami League-led alliance spokesperson Mohammad Nasim said that the alliance leaders at a meeting on Tuesday welcomed the election schedule. (source) 

Bangladesh government likely to raise CNG sales margin

The government has taken a move to increase the CNG filling station owners’ margin by Tk 2 for selling a cubic metre of compressed natural gas to satisfy them at the fag end of its tenure, officials said.

A committee headed by the energy division additional secretary Md Golam Mostofa on Tuesday decided to suggest the government to increase the CNG businessmen’s margin to Tk 9 from Tk 7 per cubic metre of compressed natural gas, CNG Filling Station Owners Association president Zakir Hossain Nayan told New Age.

The committee would also ask the government to provide gas connections to 54 new CNG filling stations, he said. 

On July 6, 2013, the then prime minister’s energy adviser Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury asked the energy division to form a committee to scrutinise a proposal of the CNG station owners for ‘rationalising’ the margin of the sales of CNG with the increased maintenance cost of filling stations due to increased power price and bank interest rate.

Tawfiq initiated the move when the CNG station owners went on an indefinite strike to pressing for their including the increase of the margin and get gas connections to new CNG filling stations.

For increasing the margin, the energy division committee also decided to suggest the government to increase the retail price of CNG or cutting the amount from the government’s share on supplied gas to the CNG stations, the officials said.

A Petrobangla official, however, said that the issue of increasing the sales margin would be settled by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, the country’s watch-dog body for energy sector.

The other issue of providing new gas connections to 54 CNG filling stations would be settled by a high-powered committee, they said.

On September 19, 2011, the energy commission set the retail price of CNG at Tk 30 per cubic metre, increasing the price by Tk 5 per cubic metre.

The commission also increased the price of gas supplied to CNG filling station to Tk 23 from Tk 18 per cubic metre. 

The state-run Petrobangla supplies about 115 million cubic feet or 3.26 million cubic metre of natural gas a day to 588 CNG filling stations across the country. (source)

Army might be deployed for longer period, says Bangladesh Election Commission

Election commissioner Zabed Ali said on Tuesday the Election Commission might bring forward the time of deployment of troops to maintain law and order in the run up to the polls slated for January 5 next year.

Meanwhile, the chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, said the EC might reschedule the polling timeline if the rival political camps come to a consensus over the polls.   

‘Everything is possible if a political consensus is struck,’ said the CEC while leaving his office on Tuesday.

Earlier, Zabed Ali, while talking to reporters at his EC secretariat office, said the EC would take a decision tomorrow on when the army would be deployed. 

‘I will be able to tell you the day after tomorrow how long the troops will be kept deployed and when they will be deployed.’ 

The election commissioner said, ‘We are likely to hold a meeting in a day or two with the heads of law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies and other departments concerned and then we will be able to say when the troops will be deployed.’ 

He said the troops would be deployed whenever it will be required.

‘We will take decision depending on the situation. If necessary, the deployment might be for a longer period.’  

In the past elections, the troops were deployed for a maximum five days and the deployment was made three days before the polls day. 

Asked if law and order deteriorates further and if the election offices continuously come under attack, he said he thought law enforcers would be able to contain the situation.

‘There might be one or two isolated incidents of such attacks across the country and we will remain vigilant,’ 

Asked how the EC would be able to send its election materials to its local offices if the strikes and blockades continue, the election commissioner said the EC was making necessary measures so that it could send the election materials to its local offices even if non-stop general strikes and countrywide blockade continued.  

When his attention was drawn to ongoing arrests of opposition activists across the country, Zabed Ali said the EC has nothing to do in this regard. ‘It is a routine work of the law enforcement agencies. We will look into the matter only if it is related with the election.’

Asked whether the arrest of BNP leader ASM Hannan Shah would hamper the path for creating a level playing field, Zabed Ali said the EC would level the playing field only for the candidates, not for others.  

Asked about the violation of electoral code of conduct by ruling party men by taking out processions in favour of AL’s election symbol ‘boat’, he posed a counter question how one would conduct campaign without election symbol.

About the call of Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance to suspend the election schedule, the election commissioner said the EC has no plan to do so. ‘We will rather call on all political parties to join the election.’  (source) 

Bangladesh Election Commission offices made target of attacks

Unidentified miscreants set fire to Election Commission offices in Bogra and Feni on Tuesday, the first day of the two-day long opposition-called nationwide blockade, rejecting the election schedule.

The Election Commission on Monday evening announced the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls setting January 5 next year as the polling day with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance responding by calling 48-hours blockade of road, rail and waterways. 

Shortly after the announcement of election schedule, opposition activists blasted bombs in front of the election commission office in Rajshahi and carried out vandalism in on the Khulna election office.

New Age Bogra correspondent reported that a group of unidentified miscreants set on fire the Bogra sadar upazila election office located at the Bogra Sadar Upazila Complex at Matidali leaving most of the election documents, Identity Cards and other election materials burnt.

Witnesses said the miscreants also beat up an official of the office and vandalised computers of the office. 

Upazila election officer Matiur Rahman said a group of 4-5 miscreants launched the attack at 12 noon. 

The miscreants fled the 

scene by charging crude bombs before setting ablaze a motorcycle parked on the complex premises. 

Another group of miscreants launched an arson attack on the Feni sadar upazila election office in the early hours of Tuesday.

A good amount of translucent ballot box, nomination papers and other election materials were burnt in the arson attacks. 

Feni sadar Thana Nirbahi Officer PK Enamul Karim said they were investing into the matter.

When his attention was drawn to the arson attacks on the election offices, election commissioner Zabed Ali said it was the law enforcers who will look into the matter. ‘I think they will be able to contain the situation.’

Asked if law and order deteriorates further and if the election offices continuously come under attack, he said, ‘There might be one or two isolated incidents of such attacks across the country and we will remain vigilant.’ (source) 

Bangladesh: Five government advisers resign

Five out of seven old advisers of the prime minister resigned on Tuesday a day after the PM instructed them to quit in the face of mounting criticism over the appointments of four new advisers. 

Public administration affairs adviser HT Imam, energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, economic affairs adviser Mashiur Rahman, health and family welfare and social welfare affairs adviser Syed Modasser Ali and education and political affairs adviser Alauddin Ahmed submitted their resignations to the prime minister at her office, PM’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters.  

At a meeting at Ganabhaban on Monday evening, Sheikh Hasina instructed the five old advisers to quit.

International affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi and security adviser retired major general Tarique Ahmed Siddique did not attend the meeting at Ganabhaban, officials said. 

HT Imam, Mashiur Rahman, Syed Modasser Ali and Alauddin Ahmed were appointed advisers on the same day on January 7, 2009 a day after the Awami League-led government took office on January 6,2009.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi was appointed on January 14, 2009 and Gowher Rizvi on July 9, 2009.

They all enjoyed minister’s status.

None of them were invited to Sheikh Hasina’s poll-time cabinet meeting on Monday. 

On Sunday, Jatiya Party Manju faction chairman Anwar Hossain Manju was appointed as the 11th adviser to the prime minister with the status of minister.

On November 21, Sheikh Hasina inducted 21 ministers and seven state ministers, six of them new ministers and two new junior ministers, in her election time cabinet after dropping 30 old ministers and state ministers.  

The increase in the number of advisers to 12, including Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, who was appointed media adviser in July, drew widespread adverse criticism including from the media. 

And Iqbal Sobhan shoulders double responsibility as media adviser to 

prime minister as well as AL president.

On November 21 Shafique Ahmed and Dilip Barua were appointed advisers following their resignation from the cabinet. 

On November 18, Hasina recruited Ershad’s Jatiya Party faction leader Ziauddin Bablu as her adviser with no specific responsibility. (source) 

Bangladesh: Dr Milon Day today

The nation observes today the 23rd anniversary of the death of Dr Shamsul Alam Khan Milon, whose killing fuelled the anti-autocracy movement in 1990 and led to the fall of the Ershad regime.

Milon, the then Bangladesh Medical Association joint secretary general, was shot dead on the Dhaka University campus on this day in 1990 by henchmen of the autocratic regime in a bid to suppress the movement for democracy.

This year, for the first time, the health minister has not been invited to the programmes arranged marking the Milon Day, as Ershad’s wife Rawshan Ershad has been made the minister.

Different political parties, socio-cultural organisations and professional bodies have drawn up various programmes to observe the day in a befitting manner.

Political parties including ruling Awami League and opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party will place wreath at the grave of Dr Milon on Dhaka Medical College campus, offer ‘fateha’ there and hold discussion meetings marking the day.

President Md Abdul Hamid and prime minister Sheikh Hasina in separate messages paid deep homage to Dr Milon and recalled his supreme sacrifice for restoration of democracy in Bangladesh.

Abdul Hamid described Dr Milon as a bright star of the country’s democratic movement saying that his sacrifice had paved the way for re-establishing democracy in the country.

‘Dr Milon’s sacrifice has turned the then democratic movement into a mass upsurge,’ he said.

He believed that all democracy loving people of the country would remember Dr Milon with deep gratitude.

In her message, Sheikh Hasina paid glowing tribute to the memory of Dr Milon on the occasion.

She also paid tribute to all who embraced martyrdom during the autocratic movement. She prayed for eternal peace of the departed soul of Dr Milon. (source)

Bangladesh: Election Commission using all devices to keep opposition out of polls: BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance on Tuesday said that the Election Commission was using ‘all devices’ to keep the opposition out of the election as part of the prime minister’s plan to ‘cling to power’.

BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a news briefing at the party central office termed the announcement of the election a ‘farce’ jointly enacted by the ‘illegal’ government and the Election Commission.

The briefing was organised on the first day of the 48-hour road-rail- waterway blockade enforced by the BNP led 18-party alliance in protest against the announcement of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections. The alliance has rejected the schedule.

Rizvi said the Election Commission being ‘subservient’ to the government had pushed the country into violence by announcing the election schedule.

He said the announcement of the election schedule had deepened the atmosphere of uncertainty and caused disruption of peace.

Rizvi said the prime minister was trying to hold a ‘pre-arranged’ election to stay in power ‘forever’.

In reply to a question, Rizvi said BNP had said time and again that it was interested in dialogue and consensus for holding a free, fair and inclusive election.  But the ruling party leaders and ministers did not give any hints they were sincere about the dialogue.

He, however, admitted that there was still time to ensure participation of all political parties in the election through positive discussion if good sense prevailed upon the ruling party and they showed a positive attitude.

Asked why the acting BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir did not come to the party office on the day, Rizvi said that important leaders, including party standing committee member Hannan Shah, were being arrested and said that the fact that that ‘various forces’ of the government had unleashed ‘terror’ was not unknown to the media.

He said Mirza Fakhrul was in touch with them giving ‘necessary instructions’. All activities were going on under his leadership, he added.

Asked about the education minister’s request to withdraw the blockade considering school examinations, he said the education minister should request the chief election commissioner to defer or withdraw the election schedule.

Rizvi said that there would be no problem if the prime minister resigned. Accusing the police, RAB and Awami League activists  of attacking opposition activists during the blockade, he claimed that since Monday evening three leaders and activists of the alliance were killed across the country, over 400 arrested, over 1,100 injured, cases were filed against more than 4,000 leaders and activists and four were jailed by mobile court.

He cautioned the ‘overenthusiastic’ members of law enforcement agencies that they would face ‘trial’ for their role as the ‘strike force’ in oppressing the opposition activists.

Rizvi protested at the arrest of BNP standing committee member Hannan Shah and his remand in custody. He demanded immediate and unconditional release of Hannan Shah. (source) 

Bangladesh: Innocent victims fighting for life

Five drivers of CNG-run auto-rickshaws and human haulers, an elderly woman and a cop were admitted to the Dhaka Medical College Hospital burn unit with critical burn injuries they sustained in violence at places as the BNP-led opposition began enforcing two-day countrywide blockade on Tuesday.

Some of them are facing life threats, said doctors at the hospital. 

Pentagenarian woman Anwara Begum Anu is fighting for life at the intensive care unit of the hospital as her head was seriously wounded by explosion of a crude bomb.

Anwara, a chef of National Bank Malibagh branch, was returning home from the workplace at about 3:00pm. 

As she reached in front of city corporation office at Khilgaon Tilpapara, two crude bombs were hurled at the place. Unfortunately, one of those exploded on her head leaving her critically injured. 

Police constable Md Dulal Mia, 30, is also fighting for survival at the ICU. He sustained bomb injury in the head in Jaipurhat.

Since it was a turbulent day, CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver Sabed Ali, 33, did not want to run his auto-rickshaw in the street. But, with the pressure of owner, he was forced to run it. 

Sabed just made two trips between 8:00am and 1:00pm. In the second trip, he carried a passenger from Gulshan to Hatirpul.

As he dropped the passenger in front of Eastern Plaza at Hatirpul at about 1:30pm, the assailants poured petrol on her body and the auto-rickshaw and set them on fire.

‘The family now fears uncertain future ahead as Sabed is the only earner for the seven-member family,’ said his wife Aleya Khatun.

The story of another CNG driver, Md Rubel, 45, was even worse. Assailants set the auto-rickshaw on fire keeping him inside the vehicle in Comilla Bishwaroad area on Monday night.

The victim’s wife Nasima Begum said that he borrowed Tk 5,000 from one of their relatives and rushed her husband to the DMCH. 

‘Doctors said that my husband needs to feed fruits and healthy food. How would I manage those, when I even cannot buy medicine they prescribed,’ said Nasima.

The fates of CNG-un auto-rickshaw driver Nesaruddin Nesar, 28, Nizamuddin, 45 or Leguna driver Mozammel, 19, were not dissimilar. 

The DMCH burn unit reordered that about 90 people were injured either by vehicle arson or crude bomb explosions in last one month.

The DMCH director Mustafizur Rahman told New Age that they never witnessed huge number of victims in political violence like recent times.

He said that over 100 were admitted with different types of wounds since October 25. (source) 

Bangladesh: Writer Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, wife resign

Writer Muhammad Zafar Iqbal and his wife Yasmeen Haque on Tuesday tendered their resignations as Shahjalal University of Science and Technology professors.

They submitted their resignations to the university register’s office at about 6:00pm, in 3 hours after the cancellation of the process for taking admission tests for SUST and Jessore University of Science and Technology jointly at a time with a same question paper.

Yasmeen Haque, also the life science dean, told reporters, ‘We have resigned to protest at the vice-chancellor’s unilateral decision for cancelling the initiative for taking admission tests for the two universities at a time.’

As the news spread, several hundred students gathered in front of the academic building A and started demonstrations demanding withdrawal of the order that cancelled the joint admission tests for the two universities.

The demonstration continued as this report was submitted at 7:30pm, campus sources said. 

A group of teachers were also in a meeting in the academic building to decide programmes in protest against the cancellation of the joint admission test, the sources said. 

The sources added that Zafar Iqbal, also SUST computer science and engineering department chief, issued an open letter to his colleagues and students explaining the reasons behind his resignation. 

SUST administration took the decision for cancelling the joint admission tests in an emergency syndicate meeting held in the afternoon with the SUST vice-chancellor Aminul Haque Bhuiyan in the chair. 

Aminul Haque and university register Isfaqul Islam could not be reached for comment as their cell phones were switched off in the evening. 

The SUST and JUST authorities this year signed an agreement to hold the admission tests jointly for both the universities on November 30 with a same question paper. According to the agreement, the candidates who would come out successful in the tests will have the option to choose any of the two universities to be enrolled, the campus sources said. 

A section of students and their guardians, academics, and politicians in Sylhet had been demanding for scraping the joint admission tests for the two universities. (source)

Bangladesh lawmen asked to enhance railway security

The government has asked the law enforcement agencies to enhance security for ensuring uninterrupted train services in Dhaka and other districts.

Police, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh across the country were already alerted against any subversive acts including removal of railway lines and arson attacks on trains during the opposition’s countrywide 48-hour blockade programme, state minister for home Shamsul Haque told reporters at the secretariat. 

‘RAB, BGB and police have been directed to remain alert against subversive acts and enhance security throughout the country so that the train services are not disrupted,’ the junior minister said. 

The Border Guard Bangladesh personnel were deployed in several districts including Dhaka, Sylhet and Bogra on Monday evening as violence erupted immediately after the declaration of the schedule for 10th parliamentary election, which was rejected by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led 18-party alliance.

Intercity road and rail communications across the country collapsed on Tuesday as the pro-BNP pickets blocked highways and disjoined fishplates of rail lines in many places disrupting train services on major routes including Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Rajshahi.  

At least five people were killed during clashes on the first day of the nationwide blockade that began on Tuesday morning.

Replying to a question, the state minister said anyone found responsible for attacks on railways, trains or other public establishments would be brought to book, no matter they were senior leaders of any political party.  

Asked whether military troops would be deployed to maintain order at the moment, Shamsul Haque 

said the paramilitary force BGB that operates under the home ministry was already deployed in some places. 

‘It is not the responsibility of the home ministry to deploy army. Now the Election Commission will decide when to deploy army for maintaining law and order in the run up to the elections,’ the state minister said, adding 

that the commission had hinted about the army deployment for a peaceful election.  

He called upon the people in general to cooperate with the lawmen by providing information in advance if they had any about criminal activities.  

The BNP-led 18-party alliance on Monday evening announced the rail-road-waterway blockade programme rejecting the election schedule that fixed January 5, 2014 as the polling day.  (source)

Bangladesh: Dhaka during blockade

Dhaka city residents stayed indoors, unless they had pressing jobs to attend, on Tuesday, the first day of the 48-hour blockade called by the opposition demanding inclusive election under a neutral non-partisan administration. 

Most of the city shopping centres were closed and schools had no students, though there were no restrictions on them. 

Many people, who ventured out, told New Age that they felt panicky over the looming uncertainties and chaos.

But for the pressing jobs at hand they would not leave their homes, they said. 

Rickshaws took over the VIP roads undisturbed. 

The roads remained virtually free from the honking cars and buses and the pollution they cause. 

Long distance travelers waited in vain for buses that went off the roads. 

Many people who arrived in the capital in the early hours of Tuesday by bus or train found no transports to reach home from the bus terminals at Mahakhali and Gabtali empty and the Kamalapur Railway Station. 

‘I spent Monday night in panic on my way back to Dhaka from Khulna by a bus,’ said Mujtaba Ahmed, who works in a private firm.

‘But I found no transport to go home,’ he said. 

On Tuesday morning many men, women and children remained stranded at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal, on return from outlying districts, getting no transport to go to their destinations in the city. 

Office goers struggled to reach their places of work in the morning and home coming proved equally difficult in the evening due to lack of transports.

Bank executive Zakir Hossain told New Age that from Mirpur he had to go to his office at Dhanmondi in rickshaws and covered some distance on foot in the morning. 

He said that he did not know how he would return home.

Viqarunnisa Noon School, Ideal School, Motijheel Boys’ High School, Dhanmondi Boys’ School remained open with no student attendance.  The picture was the same in other city schools. 

Earlier, the authorities suspended the Primary School Certificate Examinations scheduled for the day.

Housewife Tahmina Islam told New Age that she took her child to school at Mirpur, which was open but found no other student there.

But for the makeshift shops, the shopping centres at the New Market area, Gulistan, Elephant Road and Mirpur were closed.

However, the groceries in lanes and by-lanes remained open.

At Karwan Bazaar floating tea stall owner Abdul Malek told New Age that he was worried over the looming uncertainties.

He said that personal safety was also a matter of concern. 

‘How common people can go out?’ he asked afraid of cracker explosions.

BNP and its allies called the blockade rejecting what they described the Election Commission’s move to hold the elections keeping the opposition out.  (source) 

Bangladesh: AL-led alliance says to resist BNP-Jamaat

The ruling Awami League-led alliance on Tuesday vowed to resist the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its alliance partner Jamaat-e-Islami if they tried to foil the 10th parliamentary elections scheduled for January 5, 2014.

The AL-led alliance leaders also urged the law enforcing agencies to take stern actions against people involved directly or indirectly in any subversive activities and ‘plot to destroy the peaceful election atmosphere.’

Ruling alliance spokesman Mohammad Nasim, after a meeting at AL president’s Dhanmondi office, said that at the meeting the alliance hailed the announcement of election schedule and condemned the BNP for creating anarchic situation in the country after the announcement of the schedule. 

‘The BNP and Jamaat are hatching a conspiracy to foil the election and they are carrying out subversive activities and killing people in the name of blockade and general strikes,’ he said. 

Nasim, however, said that the next polls must be held on January 5, 2014 in accordance with the election schedule.

Nasim, also AL presidium member, said that the law enforcers should take stern action against the BNP and Jamaat men if they were found to be involved in any sabotage.

AL leaders including Jahangir Kabir Nanak, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Samajtantrik Dal faction general secretary Sharif Nurul Ambia, standing committee member Shirin Akhter, Workers Party general secretary Anisur Rahman Mallik, Ganatantri Party general secretary Nurur Rahman Seelim and National Awami Party central leader Ismail Hossain, among others, attended the meeting. 

AL joint general secretary Mahmbubul Alam Hanif, addressing a rally in front party office on Bangabandhu Avenue, threatened that the government would go for tough action against the BNP and Jamaat leader and put before trial if they did not stop ‘their subversive activities.’

Another joint general secretary Jahangir Kabir Nanak, organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Dhaka city AL acting general secretary Mofazal Hossain Chowdhury Maya and state minister for law Quamrul Islam addressed the rally. 

Later, a jubilant procession was brought out from Bangabandhu Avenue hailing the announcement of election schedule. The procession terminated in front National Press Club after parading different thoroughfares. (source) 

Jahangirnagar University Central Student Union polls postponed

The much-awaited election to the Jahangirnagar University Central Student Union slated for January 2 has been postponed due to ‘insufficient security’.

Chief election commissioner professor AKM Shahnawaj in a written statement on Tuesday said that the authorities took decision to postpone the JUCSU polls for lack of adequate number of law enforcers following the announcement of the schedule for the general election.

A group of teachers were, however, holding a series of protest programs on the campus for removal of the chief election commissioner of JUCSU polls and stopping the election.

They staged a demonstration on the campus on Tuesday demanding the announcement of the VC panel election.

Under the banner of ‘Teacher-Student-Officer-Employee Unity Forum’, they took out a procession and marched through the main street on the campus.

Teachers continued with the strike and sit-in in front of the administrative building where acting vice-chancellor professor MA Matin and pro-VC professor Afsar Ahmed were kept confined for the seventh consecutive days.

Vice-chancellor professor Anwar Hossain is now on leave while pro-VC Afsar Ahmed fell sick on Monday due to food poisoning.

Prof Matin expressed resentment as the teachers had kept confined them for seven days, although they had postponed the senate polls as per their demand.

About the latest developments he said, ‘We have sent a letter to the VC citing teachers’ demand, but he has yet to reply.’ The academic activities were running as usual, but the administrative activities came to a halt. (source) 

Bangladesh: Schoolgirl found dead in Comilla

The body of a schoolgirl found from a paddy field at village Kapastola under Laksam upazila in Comilla on Tuesday morning.

The Laksam police officer-in-charge, Abul kayer, said the girl went out of her house in the morning as a neighbour, Delowar Hossain, called her and did not return. 

Later the family informed the police about the incident and the lawmen recovered the body and sent it to Comilla Medical College Hospital morgue for postmortem examination, the OC said.

The police found the symptoms of rape after the primary investigation, he said.

The police arrested that Delower Hossain, 28, of the village as a suspect and a case of rape and murder was filed in this connection, the OC added.  (source)

Bangladesh: RMG workers unrest in Gazipur

Angry readymade garments worker protested and ransacked the factories at Kashimpur and Nayapara area in Gazipur and set fire to two vehicles of a factory on Tuesday. 

Inspector Nasrul Islam of Gazipur industrial police, said the workers of Multifabs Limited in the area started demonstration demanding uniformity in the wages of operators and helpers with the wages in other factories and also demanded increased wages. At one stage they came out from the factory. 

Later the workers of adjacent Mitali Fashions, Moontex Limited and Alim Knitwear Limited joined them in the demonstration. 

At one stage, the agitating workers started throwing bricks to those factories and set fire to two vehicles that were perked in the factory garage of Multifabs Limited. 

Clash took place between the police and workers when police rushed in and charged batons to disperse the workers. 

Police fired several rounds of tear shell and dispersed the workers and took control of the situation. 

Later, the authorities of the four factories  announced closure of their factories for the day. (source) 

Bangladesh: Jamuna Group chairman Nurul Islam Babul threatens Petrobangla chairman

Petrobangla chairman Hossain Monsur said that Jamuna Group chairman Nurul Islam Babul on Tuesday warned him of dire consequence saying that he was creating obstacles in providing new gas connection to Jamuna Future Park.

‘Nurul Islam Babul warned me and the prime minister’s immediate past energy adviser Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury of dire consequences as Petrobangla did not provide gas connection to Jamuna Future Park,’ Hossain Monsur told New Age.

Babul, however, denied the allegation saying, ‘All of them are corrupt. What can I do if newspapers publish reports on their corruptions?’ 

He also said, ‘Why would I threat them? I do not run daily Jugantor.’

Daily Jugantor is a Bangla daily published by Babul’s wife Salma Islam, who was appointed a state minister on November 18.

Monsur said that the consumers of a vast area including Banasri, Gulshan and Baridhara would not get gas supply if Petrobangla or its distribution utility provided gas supply to Jamuna Future Park in the capital. (source) 

Bangladesh election commission announces Jan 5 as parliamentary polling day

The Election Commission on Monday announced the schedule for the 10th parliamentary polls setting January 5 as the polling day.

The chief election commissioner, Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, announced the election schedule in a televised address to the nation Monday evening.

‘We waited until today for a political consensus. But we have no more time to spare as we are constitutionally bound to hold the 10th parliamentary polls by January 24, 2014 and that is why we are announcing the election schedule today,’ said Rakibuddin in his recorded address to the nation.    

The CEC made a clarion call on all political parties to come to an understanding over the polls in the greater interest of the country and its people. 

In his address, the CEC said the aspiring candidates could collect nomination papers and submit them until December 2.

Returning officers would scrutinise the nomination papers in December 5- 6. The candidates would be able to withdraw their candidatures until December 13 while the EC would allocate election symbols on December 14.

The schedules for almost all past general elections except the 2008 polls were announced at media briefings at the EC secretariat, but this time the CEC skipped such briefing and announced the schedule in a televised address. 

He said the EC would deploy army troops to maintain law and order during the polls to ensure the security of the voters.

The BNP-led opposition, which has long been in movement for restoration of the caretaker government to 

oversee the parliamentary polls, said it would not only boycott the ‘unilateral’ polls, but would also resist it.    

However, it was widely believed that BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had been engaged in a backstage parley with the ruling Awami League general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam ostensibly to reach a consensus.  

Security in the EC secretariat was tightened on Monday with deployment of addition law enforcers, including Rapid Action Battalion. 

The EC secretariat set up an additional archway at its entrance while law enforcers were seen frisking people at the main entrance to the commission compound.   

Security was also beefed up across the country shortly after the announcement of the election schedule fearing vandalism. The authorities have deployed paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh at places around the country.

According to the electoral code of conduct for the political parties and candidates in the parliamentary polls, the candidates would begin electioneering three weeks before the polling day.

Accordingly, the candidates would not be able to start election campaigns before getting their election symbols.

A total of 9,19,66,290  voters – of them 4,58,42,972 women – are eligible to exercise their franchise this time to elect their representatives in parliament.

‘As the two major political alliances have not reached a consensus yet over the nature of the election-time government, we have put some poll-time restrictions on the government-privileged VIPs like ministers for a level  playing field,’ the CEC said. 

Urging all political parties and their men to strictly follow the electoral code of conduct, the CEC said the commission would take ‘tough action’ against those who would breach the code irrespective of their identities. 

‘I want to announce emphatically that none will be spared in enforcing the electoral code of conduct,’ he added.

He also asked the polling officers to work neutrally without fear or favour saying the EC would ensure ‘all security’ for them.

‘You will ignore all unjust and illegal demands,’ the CEC asked the polling officers. 

Rakibuddin called on all stakeholders to cooperate with the commission in holding a free, fair, transparent, credible and participatory election claiming that the commission was acting neutrally and fairly.  

‘We want to assure all the voters that the president, the poll-time government as well as the Election Commission are resolute to do whatever is necessary to ensure security of the voters.’

‘We will do everything possible so that the voters can go to the polling stations and return home after exercising their franchise without fear,’ he said.

‘The poll will be held peacefully Inshallah. We will in no way allow the voters to be hostage to terrorism, hooliganism and muscle power,’ he said.

The EC would set up about 1,89,000 polling booths in about 38,000 polling stations across the country. About six lakh polling officials will be engaged in conducting the polls.

The EC has appointed 66 returning officers for conducting the polls to 300 parliamentary constituencies. All deputy commissioners of the 64 districts will discharge the duty of returning officer in their respective district and the divisional commissioners of Dhaka and Chittagong will act as returning officer in Dhaka and Chittagong metropolitan areas.

The EC has appointed 577 assistant returning officers for the poll. All the Thana Nirbahi Officers, assistant commissioners (land) in some upazilas and 16 district election officers in some upazilas have been appointed as the assistant returning officers.

The EC expects that about one lakh local observers and 3,000 foreign observers will oversee the polls.

According to EC estimation, the parliamentary elections would cost about Tk 500 crore – of the amount about Tk 280 crore would be spent for the purpose of law enforcement.

The ninth parliamentary election was held on December 29 in 2008 under the military-backed caretaker government, which the Awami League won with a three-fourths majority. (source)

Violence all over after announcement of polls schedule in Bangladesh

Opposition activists went on the rampage across the country on Monday evening immediately after the announcement of the schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections, attacking law enforcers, torching vehicles, blasting bombs and blocking highways leaving two killed in Dhaka and Comilla.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led opposition alliance announced a 48-hour countywide road-rail-waterway blockade beginning 6:00am today and ending at 6:00am Thursday in protest at the announcement of the polls schedule.

The BNP rejected the election schedule announced by chief election commissioner Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad, saying that the opposition’s movement had scaled new heights following ‘unilateral’ start of the process of a ‘farcical election’.

Acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a news conference Monday night said blockade was the primary step of the scaled up movement and urged all to join the agitation accepting inconveniences. 

Rickshaw-puller Ujjal, 36, died at Pragati Sarani of Badda after a bus hit his rickshaw while attempting to escape a bomb attack, Badda police said.

An unidentified youth died in Comilla Medical College Hospital after being injured in clashes between the police and opposition activists at Kandirpar of the town. 

Kotwali police officer-in-charge Mohiuddin Mahmud said the youth had sustained injuries in the head in a bomb explosion and died after being taken to hospital. The local unit of Chhatra Dal claimed the deceased was their activist but failed to give his identity.   

Road links between Dhaka and many parts of the country were disrupted as opposition activists put blockades on highways at Natore, Meherpur, Chuadanga, Gazipur, 

Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, Feni and Sitakunda ahead of the 48-hour blockade of road and railway announced by the 18-party alliance.

Violence continued amid heightened security measures in the capital and deployment of paramilitary border guards in major cities and towns on Monday evening.

 Dhaka witnessed explosion of crude bombs since sundown and at least 20 vehicles were torched at Abdullahpur, Uttara, Gabtali, Mirpur, Bangla Motor, Khilgaon Chowdhury Para and Demra.

A police car was torched in front of Farmgate police box around 9:15pm. The activists set fire to two vehicles and vandalised five others at Banglabazar in Old Dhaka. Eight vehicles were set on fire at Bibirbagicha of Demra. 

A photojournalist of online news portal banglanews24.com Jahid Saimon was injured when crude bombs went off close to him at Mohakhali crossing. A driver of Desh Television Abdul Malek was injured after two bombs were hurled at a police van in front of BNP office at Naya Paltan. At least 12 crude bombs exploded on Badda Link Road around 8:00pm. 

Eight crude bombs went off on the Dhaka University campus when the activists of Chhatra League were marching in a jubilant procession hailing the announcement of the election schedule.

Around 10:45pm crude bombs went off in front of the house of CEC Kazi Rakibuddin Ahmad at Baridhara.

Activists of Islami Chhatra Shibir attacked a procession of Chhatra League at Khilgaon around 8:00pm.

In Rajshahi, at least 50 people, including policemen, were injured as Jamaat-Shibir men attacked a police outpost at Malopara in the city.

They also hurled crude bombs at the local election office and torched a bus. 

In Debhata of Satkhira, Jamaat-Shibir men attacked a police outpost at Garanbari. The police fired in the air to disperse them. Jamaat claimed that at least 20 activists were injured in the police firing.

At least 50 people were injured in Habiganj town as Jamaat-Shibir men clashed with police. 

Reports from Sylhet said the opposition activists began rampaging through the city as soon as the CEC began his address to the nation. The protesters damaged more than one hundred shops and business establishments. 

They also attacked the district Jatiya Party office at Dhopadighir Paar in the city, sending pedestrians and commuters to run for cover.

The correspondent in Lalmonirhat said the BNP men had blocked Lalmonirhat- Kurigram and Rangpur-Kurigram roads at Burir Bazar point putting logs across the road triggering tailback. 

Police were not seen in the areas as a large number of BNP men carrying sticks and sharp weapons roamed about the roads. Pickets also set fire to the local office of Jatiya Party and to a Dhaka-bound bus at Mission crossing in the town. 

The motorcade of Chapainawabganj sector commander of Border Guard Bangladesh also came under attack in the town. Two crude bombs were hurled at the motorcade. 

Activists of Awami League and BNP clashed in Bogra town and least 20 crude bombs went off in Nawab Bari area. The local BNP has called a daylong shutdown for Tuesday in Gabtali upazila in protest against the announcement of the election schedule.

Activists of Jamaat-Shibir vandalised vehicles at Keranihat of Satkania blocking Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway.

Cox’s Bazar town was rocked by repeated blasts. At least 12 bombs were exploded at Burmese market in Teknaf. Police fired in the air to scare away protesters.

Bombs were blasted and vehicles vandalised at Hazirhat Bazar of Kamalganj in Laxmipur.

The opposition activists vandalised at least 50 vehicles at Sreepur of Gazipur disrupting traffic on Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.

Around 20 BNP supporters were injured after they clashed with police in Barguna town in the night. 

Frequent explosion of crude bombs rocked Brahmanbaria town where opposition activists also threw stones at government offices. They also hurled a crude bomb at the Dhaka-Akhaura shuttle train. (source)

Bangladesh: Economists, left parties against controversial TICFA deal

Financial analysts on Monday questioned the government’s signing of Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement with the United States as it would reduce the benefits for Bangladesh mandated in multi-lateral frameworks and realise only the US interests.

The left-leaning political parties rallied in the capital against signing the deal and called on the government to refrain from inking the ‘deal of slavery’.

Economic analyst and former adviser to a caretaker government, AB Mirza Azizul Islam, found no rationale of signing the deal considering all its aspects.

‘First, I would say the timing of signing the deal is not appropriate when the government is supposed to carry out routine tasks only and the next government will have to bear the responsibility,’ he said. 

He also did not find any substantiation to the arguments brought for signing the deal including increase of foreign investment, duty and quota free access of Bangladeshi products to the US and revival of the generalised system of preferences.

‘I don’t think there will be foreign investment when domestic private sector investment is decreasing. It requires political stability, proper infrastructure facility and educated and skilled labour force for increasing investment,’ he said.      

On duty-free access, there were reservations within the US to provide the facility to Bangladesh as they fear it would result in going the entire market to Bangladesh, 

he said, adding that the recent developments in apparel sector also added fuel not to revive the GSP facility to Bangladesh.

Mirza Aziz said the deal would also impose some obligations over labour rights and copyright issues on Bangladesh and he did not think it was right time to accept those.  

Dhaka University development studies professor Mahbubullah said the deal was aimed to bar Bangladesh from realising the benefits of WTO’s multi-lateral framework as a least developed country and the United States was continuing to sign such deals with poor nations to deprive them of benefits and make the multilateral framework not functioning.

‘Signing the deal will also deprive us of concessions as LDC on issues of intellectual property rights,’ he said.

Despite it was said the deal was on trade and investment but it was really a question what was behind it, he added.

Jahangirnagar University economics professor Anu Muhammad, also secretary of the national committee for the protection of oil-gas-mineral resources, power and ports, said the election-time government could not sign the deal on legal grounds and it has no moral right to sign a deed of slavery without the consent of the people.

‘If signed, it will be another document against national interests which is immoral and illegal. It will push the economy and politics of Bangladesh into further long-term stringent chain, economic loss and obligations. Alongside economic losses, the deal will threaten sovereignty in some cases,’ he said.

Anu Muhammad said for improving economic relations with the US, signing of TICFA was not essential rather it requires changing extreme discriminatory and protective duty policy on Bangladesh on the part of US, amending or scrapping unequal investment deals, realising compensation from Chevron for Magurchara blowout and making public the hidden civil-military deals signed with US.

The Democratic Left Alliance, a combine of eight left leaning political parties at a rally in front of the National Press Club called on the election-time government not to sign the deal as it would harm national interests. 

Zonayed Saki, the leader of the combine and chief coordinator of the Ganasanghati Andolan, said the election-time government had no right to sign such a deal as it was mandated to carry out routine tasks. 

Saiful Huq, the coordinator of the combine, said that the government was signing such a controversial deal to get support of the US government to win in the next general elections.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh and Socialist Party of Bangladesh held a joint rally in front of the Press Club protesting against the TICFA deal.

Khalequzzaman, the SPB general secretary who chaired the rally, said that people of the country would not accept such a controversial deal and the left parties would wage tougher movements to compel the government to step back from the deal.

The CPB general secretary Syed Abu Zafar Ahmed said that the TICFA deal would harm the national interests as the US would establish their controls on the Information Technology and medicine sectors of Bangladesh.

Ganasanghati Andolan, held a separate protest rally at the same venue, where its coordinator Abdus Salam and leaders of the party Abul Hasan Rubel, Julhasin Babu and others spoke. A procession followed the rally.

Four left-leaning political parties, Jatiya Mukti Council, Gana Front, Naya Ganatantrik Ganamorcha and Jatiya Ganatantrik Ganamancha also held a protest rally in front of the Press Club.

Jatiya Ganatantrik Front also held a separate protest rally at the same venue. (source)

Bangladesh apparel owners says can’t pay Tk 19.51 lakh to each Rana Plaza victim

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association opposed Tk 19.51 lakh compensation package for each dead or disabled Rana Plaza worker saying the garments owners are not lawfully responsible to compensate at such high amount.

The trade body recently submitted a written opinion to the sub-committee on fixation of compensation demanding to re-fix a ‘logical amount’ of compensation considering the exiting laws and ability of the owners.

On November 21, the sub-committee discussed on the papers at a meeting presided over by Dhaka University economics teacher MM Akash.

The BGMEA additional secretary Md Zaglul Hayder and the representative of the nine infantry division Colonel Rafiqul Islam also attended the meeting.

The head of the sub-committee MM Akash told New Age that the process of the fixation of compensation for the Rana Plaza victims would be finalised by November.

He did not make any comment on the opinion of the BGMEA over the compensation which was submitted to the sub-committee.   

The BGMEA demanded that the owners of the five garment factories housed in Rana Plaza are not liable

for the accident and death of the workers as the building collapse did not take place due any lapse on the part of the factory owners.

The BGMEA paper said that the Fatal Accidents Act-1955 would not be applicable to fix compensation in this case as the death of workers was not caused by any wrongful act, negligence or default of the owners. 

Although the BGMEA claimed that the factory owners were not responsible for the building collapse and death of the workers, the trade body on June 26 had said in its probe report that factory owners could not avoid the responsibility of the tragic incident and death of workers.

The BGMEA had also suggested in its probe report to bring the factory owners under a legal framework for opening factories even after BGMEA warned not to open the factories after the building developed cracks. 

On the morning of April 24, the eight-storey Rana Plaza in Savar, which housed five clothing factories, a shopping mall and a bank, collapsed, leaving at least 1,133 people dead and about 2,000 injured.

After the disaster, a High Court bench of Justice Mirza Hussain Haider and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarker suo moto instituted a committee composed of the nine infantry division’s GOC and other agencies concerned to fix the amount of compensation. 

The committee on August 29 in its first meeting instituted two sub-committees – one led by economist MM Akash to fix the compensation and the other by the director of the directorate general of health services, professor ABM Abdul Hannan, to consider physical condition of the injured.

On November 7, the committee in its third meeting at Savar set Tk 19.51 lakh as compensation to be paid to the families of each of the deceased or disabled worker. 

The committee fixed compensation of Tk 10 lakh each for those who lost one limb and Tk 6 lakh each who need treatment for long.

The BGMEA said in its opinion that the relatives of the deceased workers of the five garments housed in the Rana Plaza will get money for life insurance and will get Tk one lakh only as compensation as per the labour law.

‘According to the law, owners are not responsible to pay any additional amount as compensation,’ the BGMEA said in its paper.

Besides showing law as an excuse, the trade body also said that if the compensation fixed at a big amount many owners would not be able to pay the amount and many entrepreneurs will be discouraged to set up new factories in the garment sector.  

Referring to the amount of compensation that had been paid in the earlier cases, including Tazreem Fashions Fire, the BGMEA urged the committee to set a lower amount of compensation.

On September 30, at the second meeting of the committee, the BGMEA proposed Tk 7 lakh as compensation for each deceased worker and Tk one lakh for each injured worker.

The BGMEA joint secretary Rafiqul Islam told New Age that they have prepared their opinion according to the law.

‘We only conveyed our massage to the compensation fixation committee that the owners are bound to pay compensation as per the law but have no legal bindings to pay any additional amount,’ he said.

A source involved with the process said that the decision on the compensation will be approved shortly through signature of the committee members and then it would be sent to the High Court. (source) 

Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina firm to lead polls-time govt

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday gave a broad hint that she would not compromise her position as the head of the polls-time interim government. 

Presiding over the first routine meeting of the reorganised cabinet at the secretariat, she called upon the ministers to do their best in ensuring that all major political parties take part in the 10th parliamentary elections. 

She asked her cabinet colleagues to assist the Election Commission in holding a free, fair and participatory election. 

‘The prime minister has told the first meeting of her interim cabinet that the main responsibility of the polls-time cabinet is to help the Election Commission in holding a free, fair and participatory election,’ a minister told New Age. 

About the main opposition’s demand for a free and fair election, Sheikh Hasina said her cabinet would prove that the polls could be free and fair under a political government, the minister told New Age adding that the prime minister had also given a broad indication that the election would be held with herself being at the helm according to the constitution. She also advised her cabinet colleagues to make efforts individually to make the elections inclusive. 

The Election Commission in the evening announced that the general elections would be held on January 5 next year. 

At a meeting at her Ganabhaban residence in the evening, the prime minister reportedly asked her old advisers – public administration affairs adviser HT Imam, energy adviser Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, economic affairs adviser Mashiur Rahman, health and family welfare and social welfare affairs adviser Syed Modasser Ali, education and political affairs adviser Alauddin Ahmed and international affairs adviser Gowher Rizvi – to resign amidst growing criticism over the number of advisers growing longer after the appointment of four new advisers. None of them attended the cabinet meeting. 

All of the old advisers were appointed with the status of minister immediately afer the Awami League assumed office in January, 2009. 

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party has declared that it would resist holding of the polls with Sheikh Hasina, also president of Awami League, at the helm of the government.  

The prime minister, however, expressed her hope that the BNP would finally join the polls. 

Referring to media reports, a number of cabinet members inquired about the ‘secret meeting’ between LGRD and cooperatives minister Syed Ashraful Islam, also AL general secretary, and acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, for a political negotiation about which they claimed they were in the dark.  

Ashraful confirmed that the meeting was held where the BNP leader had placed a written proposal for a free and fair election, said a junior minister. 

‘This is the first cabinet meeting of the “all-party” election-time government,’ cabinet secretary Mohammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told a press briefing. 

He, however, could not say when the interim cabinet would stop taking policy decisions in the run-up to the polls. 

Replying to a question, the top civil bureaucrat confirmed that none of the 11 advisers to the prime minister had been invited to the weekly cabinet meeting. ‘None of the advisers to the prime minister attended the cabinet meeting,’ he said, adding that the prime minister had termed it ‘an all-party government.’ 

Sheikh Hasina on November 21 downsized her cabinet by dropping a total of 30 ministers and state ministers to run the election-time administration. A total of 21 ministers and seven state ministers have been incorporated in her smaller cabinet. But the number of advisers has been increased to 11 from seven. 

On November 18, Sheikh Hasina reorganised the cabinet by inducting eight new faces, mostly from the Ershad-led Jatiya Party, turning it into a four-party government. A total of eight parties, including the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, have representations in parliament. 

Sheikh Hasina earlier had proposed to form ‘an all-party government’ to oversee the 10th national election, but the proposal was turned down by the BNP and its allies in the 18-party alliance.

The opposition alliance has long been demanding restoration of the constitutional provision for a non-party caretaker government, which was annulled in 2011.   (source)

Bangladesh: AL to foil BNP’s threat to immobilise country

The ruling Awami League has instructed its leaders and activists to remain alert to the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s threat to immobilise the country immediately after announcement of schedule for the elections to the tenth parliament.

The leaders and activist of the AL and its associate bodies have also been asked to take position at their respective locality from today and strictly follow the instruction if the BNP-led alliance tries to create anarchy in a bid paralyse the country. 

Acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, addressing a rally on Friday, said that the country would be paralysed the moment the Election Commission would announce the schedule without a resolution to the issue of election-time non-party government.

Awami League organising secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapon told New Age on Monday, ‘We have been asked to take proper steps to keep the moving if the BNP and Jamaat try to immobilise it.’

He said that their tasks were to protect the lives and property of the people but the party men would not take the law in their own hands. ‘We will just continue to cooperate with law enforcers to foil the BNP-Jamaat’s plan to create anarchy,’ Swapon said. 

Dhaka city AL acting general secretary Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya said that they brought out jubilant processions from each of the city wards shortly after the election schedule was announced on Monday evening.

‘We will be on guard in Dhaka from today so that the BNP-Jamaat cannot get any chance to commit any violence,’ he said.  

AL presidium member Mohammad Nasim said that the ruling party was not worried about the fresh threat of opposition BNP as it had issued many false threats.

This time they [BNP] would succeed neither to immobilise the country nor to resist the elections, he said.

The prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, addressing the nomination aspirants at her official residence Ganabhaban on Sunday, asked the nomination seekers to remain alert to BNP and Jamaat and get united so that they (BNP and Jamaat) could not resist polls. (source) 

Bangladesh: Controversial TICFA deal signed

Dhaka and Washington on Monday inked the controversial Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement in the US capital, drawing an end to a decade long hectic negotiations for the deal.

Commerce ministry secretary Mahbub Ahmed and US deputy trade representative Wendy Cutler signed the deal for their sides at a simple ceremony in the office of the United States Trade Representative in Washington DC.

The deal was signed in Washington, while protests against the deal were staged by different political parties and socio-political organisations in Dhaka.

After signing the much-talked-about deal, the officials of the two sides held the first meeting of the ‘US-Bangladesh Forum on Trade and Investment’ set up under the agreement.

A 12-member Bangladesh team led by the commerce secretary attended the forum meeting at the USTR office.

The agreement stipulates that the forum would hold its meeting at least once a year.

The deal states that the forum meetings would monitor bilateral trade and investment relations and identify the opportunities for expansion of trade and investment and identify and remove the hindrances.

The forum would seek the advice from the private sector and civil society on matters relating to its work, said the agreement.

The cabinet approved the draft deal in June.

Senior commerce ministry officials said that the deal with the US would usher in a better trade regime with the US which usually imported over 40 per cent of Bangladesh’s total exports.

They said that the deal would demonstrate the government’s firm resolve in improving labour rights in the country’s apparel industry.

The deal provides for the expansion of bilateral trade.

It also calls for upholding the World Trade Organisation provisions on TRIPS and other international agreements.

The agreement will seek to promote and protect labour rights.

The US back in 2002 first proposed to sign the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, but later in 2008 it renamed the deal as Trade and Investment Forum, which was finally renamed as Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement by the US administration in 2010, a trade diplomat said. (source) 

Bangladesh: BNP, allies want polls schedule withheld

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led alliance on Monday rejected the schedule for the 10th parliamentary elections saying that the government had taken a ‘unilateral’ move to hold a ‘farcical’ election without trying to reach an understanding with the opposition on the polls-time government.

Hours after the announcement of the election schedule, acting BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir flanked by the alliance leaders at a news briefing at the party chairperson ‘s Gulshan office demanded that the

election schedule should be  withheld until a political consensus was reached over the polls-time government.

He said the opposition was rejecting the schedule for holding a ‘farcical’ election announced by ‘spineless’ and ‘biased’ Election Commission ignoring the aspiration of the countrymen and repeated 

calls of the international community for an inclusive election.

Fakhrul said as per expectation of the people, the opposition wanted a free, fair, competitive and inclusive election under a non-party neutral government.

‘We want to participate in a meaningful election,’ he said.

He said the opposition alliance would not join in any ‘farce’ in the name of election.

Asked whether the BNP was still hopeful about a dialogue, Fakhrul said he was talking about election schedule at the moment and would talk about dialogue later on.

Liberal Democratic Party secretary general Redwan Ahmed, NDP chairman Golam Mortuza, BNP leaders Amanullah Aman and Nazimuddin Alam were, among others, present at the briefing. (source)