Toxic ships set off alarm

The Probo Koala, infamous for 2006 toxic wastes scandal in Abidjan, has been sold to an unspecified ship breaker in Chittagong, raising fear of discharge of hazardous substances.

Also, according to US Maritime Administration (MARAD), another ship Harriette (IMO No 7516993), owned by US registered company Sealand, LLC, is at Chittagong anchorage without MARAD permission. However, The Daily Star could not verify the report immediately.

The United States Toxic Substance Control Act makes it mandatory that every US flagged ship obtain authorisation from MARAD before export for scrapping.

In 2006, toxic wastes from the Probo Koala, now renamed Gulf Jash, caused 17 deaths and serious sickness to over one lakh people in Abidjan, the largest city in Ivory Coast. The same year its Greek owner changed the name to Gulf Jash.

The Gulf Jash with an IMO (International Maritime Organisation) number of 8309816, now off Vietnam, is believed to be carrying toxic chemicals, including mercaptans that attack the respiratory system, hydrogen sulphide that damage the central nervous system and caustic soda having a wide range of health effects on humans.

Global Marketing System (GMS), a US company specialised in brokering of vessels for demolition, has confirmed the sale of Gulf Jash but refused to disclose its final destination.

The NGO Platform on Shipbreaking, a global coalition of human rights, environmental and labour rights groups, raised a worldwide alarm on May 24, saying the ship contains tonnes of hazardous asbestos, PCBs, toxic paints, fuel and chemical residues.

Jenssen Ingvild, co-ordinator of the platform, said Probo Koala contains toxic substances dangerous to environment and Bangladeshi workers who work without protective measures.

The vessel is the symbol of illegal toxic trade throughout the world and Bangladesh must say no to it, she added.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers' Association (Bela), told The Daily Star over the phone from China yesterday that following a tip-off from international watchdogs, her office has warned the Bangladesh authorities about the sale of Gulf Jash to an unspecified Bangladeshi ship beaker.

Bela has also written to the Bangladesh Bank for information on the Letter of Credit (LC) through which the ship was bought in the international market.

Bela has written to the Department of Environment, Mercantile Marine Department and also the Chittagong Customs, warning them about the imminent arrival of Gulf Jash.

"We have demanded in our letters that ships with such toxicity on board be prevented from entering Bangladeshi territory," said Rizwana.

Charlotte Nithart, director of Robins des Bois, an association for protection of people and environment, is trying to tack down the vessel.

She said if dismantled, the Probo Koala will definitely expose the workers and environment to specific risk.

"It [Gulf Jash] is not an ordinary ship, we asked the authorities in Bangladesh to very carefully inspect the ship and refuse its beaching," she added.

Officials of the Department of Shipping, one of the several departments in Bangladesh that issues no-objection certificate to scrap ships, were unable to confirm anything about Gulf Jash.

2006 ABIDJAN CRISIS
A Dutch-based oil and commodity shipping company Trafigura Beheer BV had charted Probo Koala for caustic wash, a controversial process for treating a product to remove impurities. The company needed to reduce high mercaptans sulphur levels in low grade coker naphtha.

As land facilities did not allowed, Trafigura decided to carry out the dangerous operation on board the vessel.

At one point, Trafigura attempted to get rid of the toxic residues in Amsterdam. The Dutch government asked Trafigura to pay for the cleaning costs.

At this stage, the company chose to offload its toxic wastes in Abidjan.

The gas caused by the release of these chemicals is blamed by the UN and the government of Ivory Coast for the 2006 health crisis.

Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

Kibria Killing Case: PM to 'check' charge sheet

Police will submit the supplementary charge sheet on the killing of former finance minister Shah AMS Kibria after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's return from abroad, said Abdul Majid Khan, complainant of the case.

According to earlier reports, police were likely to submit it before the Habiganj Judicial Magistrate's Court yesterday.

"It may take one week maximum to submit the charge sheet, and I think nothing is going to be changed, as it was prepared after four years of investigation," Majid, also an Awami League lawmaker, told The Daily Star.

A reliable government source on condition of anonymity said the charge sheet is likely to be placed before Hasina prior to its submission before the court, reports our Sylhet correspondent.

The prime minister will go through it, the source said, adding, the government has no intention to make any changes in the charge sheet.

Former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar and thirteen others have been included in the supplementary charge sheet, Investigation Officer (IO) Rafiqul Islam said on Wednesday.

"I won't accept the charge sheet if it's not revised and names of the masterminds behind killing are not incorporated," Asma Kibria, widow of the slain AL leader, said yesterday.

She reiterated her call on the government to take assistance from foreign experts to identify the actual culprits.

Talking about the delay in submitting the charge sheet, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder said it will be submitted soon.

IO Rafiqul Islam could not be reached over the phone despite repeated attempts for comment.

Sources say he was called to Dhaka by the "higher authorities who were embarrassed" following Asma Kibria's statement denouncing the charge sheet.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was to submit the charge sheet in the sensational murder case on Wednesday. But it deferred the filing as Asma Kibria expressed dissatisfaction over the charge sheet, Majid said.

Kibria was killed in a grenade attack on a rally in Baidyer Bazar in Habiganj on January 27, 2005.

Abdul Mazid Khan filed two cases with the Habiganj Police Station the next day.

Sylhet Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal Judge Biplab Goswami started the trial and framed charges against ten people. But the High Court stayed the trial following an appeal by the complainant.

The then BNP-led government formed a committee to investigate the attack.

The probe body submitted its report in April 2005 accusing ten people including some local BNP men who were released on bail during the last caretaker government rule. One of them later died.

The then IO Atiqur Rahman submitted a charge sheet on March 10, 2005 against the same ten people.

The plaintiff and Kibria's family repeatedly expressed "no confidence" in the probe and called for further investigation.

Following an appeal by the complainant, the High Court ordered further probe. The new IO found banned militant outfit Huji's link with the attack.

Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

Caretaker Govt System: JS special body looks into Pak model

The parliamentary special committee on constitutional amendment yesterday discussed if the Pakistani model of caretaker government can be chosen for Bangladesh to hold two more parliamentary elections.

Members of the committee, at a meeting held in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, also talked about keeping the existing structure of caretaker government, meeting sources said.

They however did not take any decision on the issue, and decided to sit again tomorrow to explore more options and finalise a proposal, the sources added.

The move came following the Supreme Court's recent verdict that the present interim government system is unconstitutional and void, but the system may be practiced for holding two more parliamentary elections for the sake of "safety of the state and its people".

"We will soon sit with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who will give a decision on the possible structure of caretaker government," a member of the committee told The Daily Star, wishing anonymity.

Contacted over the phone, main opposition BNP's senior leader Moudud Ahmed said their party wants the existing system of caretaker government to continue.

In the face of erstwhile opposition Awami League's demand, a BNP-led government in 1996 introduced the present system of caretaker government, through the 13th amendment to the constitution, for holding parliamentary polls.

Moudud said if there is any need for bringing changes to the existing system, the government should bring a bill.

"We will give our reaction after going through the bill if placed in the parliament," said Moudud, also a former law minister.

Another member of the special committee told The Daily Star that the prime minister herself referred to the Pakistani model of caretaker government, for examination.

Copies of the constitutional provisions for the caretaker government system in Pakistan were distributed among the special committee members yesterday, the meeting sources said.

A committee member said if the Pakistani model is chosen for Bangladesh, the president will appoint a caretaker prime minister and a caretaker cabinet on dissolution of the parliament.

The president will consult the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the opposition in the outgoing House to appoint a caretaker prime minister. Then the president will appoint members of the caretaker cabinet on advice of the caretaker prime minister, the special committee member added.

Members of the caretaker cabinet including its chief and their family members will not be eligible to contest in the immediately upcoming parliamentary election, the committee member said.

Moudud however said the system in Pakistan is not a caretaker government in real sense, it is something different. "We do not support it," he added.

The special committee's members at yesterday's meeting also observed that a political consensus is a must for forming a non-controversial caretaker government.

Some members of the committee said BNP might oppose whatever model the special committee would propose.

"BNP should come with an open mind and give their opinion on the issue," Suranjit Sengupta, co-chair of the special committee, said at a media briefing in the parliament's Media Centre after the meeting.

He said a draft report was prepared on the basis of the committee's talks with political parties, eminent jurists, civil society personalities, and editors of different national dailies, and the committee's own deliberations on the issue.

Members of the committee were given the copies of the draft report, and they will study it for tomorrow's meeting.

The committee earlier planned to place the report in the parliament on May 30, but now it might need some more time to complete the report, a member of the committee said on condition of anonymity.

"The special committee in its report will make its recommendations on the caretaker government system," he added.

CURRENT STRUCTURE OF CARETAKER GOVT
A caretaker government assumes office after dissolution of a parliament. Along with discharging routine work, its main task is to extend all out cooperation to the Election Commission for holding a free and fair parliamentary election.

Under the current system, an immediate past chief justice is appointed as the chief adviser to a caretaker government by the president. If such a retired chief justice is not available or is not willing to hold the post, then the person who among the willing retired chief justices retired last before the immediate past chief justice, is appointed as the chief adviser.

If no retired chief justice is available or willing to hold the office of the chief adviser, the president shall appoint as chief adviser the last retired judge of the Supreme Court Appellate Division.

If no retired judge of the Appellate Division is available or willing to hold the office of chief adviser, the president shall, after consultation, as far as practicable, with major political parties, appoint the chief adviser from among citizens of Bangladesh who are qualified to be appointed as advisers.

If none of the above provisions can be implemented, the president shall assume the functions of the chief adviser of the caretaker government in addition to his or her own functions under the constitution.

Ten other advisers of the caretaker government shall be appointed by the president on advice of the chief adviser, says the constitution.

Under the current caretaker government system, three successful parliamentary elections were held in 1996, 2001, and 2008.

Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

Chemically-ripen Fruits: Death penalty for culprits

The High Court yesterday ordered authorities concerned to prosecute unscrupulous traders, who use harmful chemicals to ripen fruits, under the Special Powers Act, 1974. The act allows even death penalty as punishment.

In response to a petition, the HC also issued a set of directives to the authorities to stop use of harmful chemicals in ripening and preserving fruits and sale of those ripened fruits.

On May 10 last year, the same court passed similar directives following a writ petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh.

The city markets are flooded with various summer fruits, including mangoes, jackfruits, litchis, pineapples, watermelons, papayas and bananas, many of which are artificially ripened with toxic chemicals.

Experts say, multiple health complexities including problems in the kidneys, heart and liver could develop and diseases like ulcer and gastric can form if people eat fruits ripened by carbide, ethephon or ethylene oxide.

Expressing concern, the court yesterday came up with the directives following a supplementary petition to the original writ petition filed by the same organisation.

Citing newspaper reports, the new petition prayed to the court to revive its last year's directives to stop the use of harmful chemicals in fruits. It said the use of harmful chemicals stopped last year after the HC directives but those directives are not being properly enforced now.

A mobile court reportedly recovered a huge quantity of contaminated fruits from a market in the capital and destroyed those a few days ago, it said.

An HC bench yesterday ordered Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institute (BSTI) and Rapid Action Battalion to continuously monitor fruit depots in Dhaka so that contaminated fruits cannot be stored or sold.

The bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik and Justice Gobinda Chandra Tagore asked for everyday tests of fruits at wholesale depots in the capital.

It also ordered the chairman of the National Board of Revenue to take immediate steps to monitor spots through which fruits are imported in the country.

It directed the deputy inspector general of police in Rajshahi to deploy police forces in the commercial mango orchards to stop the use of chemicals for ripening mangoes.

It asked the food and home secretaries to form a committee comprising representatives of those ministries to make recommendations for the government in this connection. It asked the secretaries to report to the court within 15 days.

The secretaries were also asked to constitute vigilance teams to monitor the fruit markets.

Furthermore, the HC directed the inspector general of police to take steps for filing cases against people responsible for the use of chemicals in fruits and asked him to report to the court within 15 days.

On May 10 last year, the HC also issued a rule upon the government to explain as to why it should not be directed to take effective measures to protect public health by stopping the use of chemicals on fruits and why their inaction in this regard should not be declared illegal.

The rule is, however, still pending with the HC, petitioner's counsel Manzill Murshid told The Daily Star yesterday.

During the hearing yesterday, Manzill told the court that fruits such as apples, mangoes, grapes, bananas and papayas play an important role in maintaining good health of citizens. But some corrupt and dishonest traders are using chemicals like carbide to ripen them and formalin to elongate their shelf life.

He said the mangoes, the most available fruit of this season, are reportedly being artificially ripened with chemicals and those mangoes are being stored and sold.

On June 1, 2008, the HC in a verdict directed the government to set up a food court in every district and appoint sufficient food analysts and inspectors in all districts within two years to prevent food contamination.

The court had also directed the government to inform the court by July 1, 2010, about its progress in complying with the directives.

The government has not implemented the HC verdict till date, Manzill said.

Assistant Attorney General Shaikat Basu stood for the government.

Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

2 boys killed in shell explosion

Two minor boys were killed and six others injured in an explosion of an abandoned shell in Shaheed Salahuddin Cantonment area of Ghatail upazila in Tangail yesterday.

The dead are Sujan, 12, son of Julhash Uddin and Naosher, 13, son of Rustom Ali of Kuichkhira village under Shandhanpur union.

The incident happened around 6:00pm near the field firing range during an army training when some boys including the dead and the injured entered the restricted area, said Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of Ghatail Police Station.

The injured were taken to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) at Ghatail.

An Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said the explosion occurred as the boys tried to break some abandoned parts of some bullets they collected from the firing range for "financial gain".

They entered the "danger area" paying no heed to the warning sings, it added.

The army administration gave assurance of bearing the treatment cost of the injured and providing other financial assistance.

News Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

Hijacker gangs target lorries on highway

Several organised crime syndicates are involved in hijacking goods-laden vans and trucks at different points on Dhaka-Chittagong highway.

The robbery rings target vehicles transporting import and export items, including readymade garments, paper, cotton and various basic commodities, between Chittagong port and the rest of the country, according to transport workers.

Disguised as workers the criminals hijack the vehicles. They also bribe some workers to make the thefts easier and safer.

In some cases the gangs take away cartons from consignments of goods, which damages goodwill of the exporters to the international buyers. They even do not hesitate to kill the transport workers if the latter refused to assist in the crime.

Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) recovered huge amount of looted goods in the last five months and arrested some hijackers. Later they managed to secure bails and returned to crime.

They have also identified five to six organised gangs and 25 culprits so far.

Md Masud alias Picchi Masud, Jewel Jamadder, Sayeed, Liton Das, Jahangir, Md Shahidul Islam, Md Masum, Md Sohag, Mamunur Rashid and Koli Madam are the kingpins of robbery gangs, said Sub-inspector of Double Mooring Police Station, Kawser who is probing several hijacking incidents.

Police arrested Picchi Masud, Jewel Jamadder and some other bigwigs several times, but they managed to secure bail, he added.

The accused are securing bail as police fail to frame strong charges against them, observed Ibrahim Hossain Babul, former general secretary of Chittagong Bar Association.

He suggested framing charges under the Special Powers Act, 1974 to ensure the criminals are not freed until the trial is complete.

A Chittagong Port-bound van carrying 17000 pieces of T-shirts in 555 cartons was hijacked from the city's Pahartali area on May 20, SM Tanvir Arafat, assistant commissioner of Double Mooring zone police, told The Daily Star.

The van was found abandoned at Bayezid area on that afternoon while Pahartali police picked up the driver and five others at night. They recovered the stolen goods worth Tk 50 lakh from a house at Chandgaon residential area.

In another incident on April 15 a van left Incom Trade International Depot at Patenga with 51 bales of cotton for Sadia Spining Mills at Bhaluka of Mymensingh.

As the consignment did not reach its destination on time, the proprietor of the van supplier firm filed a case with Potenga PS on April 19 and police consequently managed to arrest six persons including helper Jahangir.

Four hijackers killed the van driver Sujan Barua on April 15 night as he refused to help the gang, mentioned police quoting the arrestees.

President of Chittagong Transport Owners' Association Nurul Bahar admitted a section of transport workers is involved in hijacking the vehicles.

Expressing concern over increasing crimes he noted the transport suppliers are incurring loss as they have to bear the cost of stolen goods in many cases.

First Vice President of Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association Nasir Uddin demanded exemplary punishment of the arrested robbers.

He also emphasised stepping up the police patrol on the highway to curb such incidents.

CMP Commissioner Abul Kashem claimed police successfully detected almost all the incidents of hijacking and recovered the goods.

He requested the transport suppliers to preserve the personal data of the recruited drivers and helpers.

News Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

BNP goes gaga over US honour

The main opposition BNP yesterday brought out a triumphal procession to celebrate the special honour given by a state senate of the US to its Chairperson Khaleda Zia for her contribution to establish democracy.

Thousands of leaders, workers and supporters of BNP and its front and associate bodies took part in the procession, which started from the party's central office at Nayapaltan and ended at Jatiya Press Club.

Party's standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan addressed a rally before the procession. He termed the honour a rare gesture as it happened for the first time in last 166 years.

New Jersey State Senate on May 23 honoured Khaleda Zia, now in USA, as a fighter for democracy.

Both the treasury bench and opposition members unanimously adopted a resolution honouring Khaleda Zia, mentioned party Vice-chairman Shamser Mobin Chowdhury, also a member of her entourage.

Acting Secretary General of BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also greeted the party chief for her successful trips to the UK and the US.

"Her visits will boost the relations between Bangladesh and these countries. The honour given by the New Jersey Senate to Khaleda Zia for her contribution to establish democracy, combat terrorism and empowerment of women made the countrymen proud," he said in a statement issued yesterday.

News Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011) 

2 Huji men held in Savar

Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested two leaders of banned Islamist militant outfit Harkatul Jihad al-Islami (Huji) and recovered explosives in Savar during the last two days.

Md Abdus Salam, 39, secretary of Sylhet district unit and Md Ashraful Islam, 30, secretary of Ishwardi upazila unit of Huji, were held near Nobinagar bus stand around 8:00pm on Wednesday.

During the second phase of the raid on Thursday afternoon, Rab busted a Huji den at Kalma of Ashulia and recovered 16 handmade bombs, 24 cocktails and a hoard of bomb-making chemicals.

The arrestees had arrived at Savar to join four other Huji operatives at a rented house in Ashulia, Commander Mohammad Sohail, director of Rab Legal and Media Wing, said at a press briefing yesterday.

Huji kingpins planned to carry out subversive operations by forming a covert alliance with some political parties, he said based on the information Rab gathered during remand of former Huji leader Rahmatullah alias Sheikh Farid.

News Source: The Daily Star (May 27, 2011)